After our session, Miss Laura walked me to the gymnasium. I briefly reminisced of check-in day and reconnecting with Riley... but the room was arranged for a different purpose. I was directed to stand in front of a single chair in the middle of the room. Several yards out, the chair faced a long table. Behind the table sat several women and I recognized most. On the outer walls, bleachers had been pulled out and all the full term women from every fourth-floor wing had been brought to observe... There were as many as three or four hundred of them. A woman approached and scanned my I.D. bracelet before returning to her seat at a side table.
Another woman spoke. "Ladies, the matter of The State versus Lexi of House Meridian will now come to order. The accused has been charged with the high crime of treason by way of theft of government property, in addition to personal injury and property damage." The woman focused on me "How do you plead?"
My eyes swept the room for Riley, but she was not there. My voice shook as I answered. "Um... "Not guilty?" I squeaked.
"Let the record show the defendant has officially entered a plea of Not Guilty." the woman said. "Therefore we will proceed without further delay and present the opening facts in this case... Lexi, you may be seated."
The woman spoke to the others at the table while the one who had scanned my bracelet transcribed what was said into her computer. "I will now introduce the panel... Ladies, as I introduce you, please stand so you may clearly be identified." The woman opened her palm and briefly gestured to the far left seat. "This is Miss Christy. She was the nurse on duty in Lexi's wing at the time of Lexi's attempted escape. Next is Miss Elaine. She is a kitchen worker who was delivering lunch to Lexi's wing. She has provided a sworn deposition stating Lexi overtook her and pushed her way into the staff elevator. Beside her, Miss Urma, who is the kitchen manager and witness to the physical altercation. Next, we have Miss Sharon who found Lexi cowering in the kitchen and bravely attempted to capture her as Lexi jumped from the kitchen window. Beside her, Miss Jaime who worked in the kitchen at the time and witnessed the incident. Next is Miss Denise... and Miss Jody, who were working courtyard security on the day in question. They captured Lexi and escorted her inside. Beside her is Miss Laura, Lexi's therapist, then Miss Ethyl who was the head supervisor at the time of the incident, and finally, I am Miss Cleo. I will lead these proceedings in an attempt to disclose the full truth and settle on a fair and impartial consequence."
Miss Cleo returned to the right corner of the table and took a drink of water. I noticed all the women on the panel were provided water. Not I.
"Miss Ethyl, how long have you been the head supervisor at The Breeding Center of Navarre Island?" Miss Cleo asked.
"Fifty-seven years."
"Have there been many attempts to defect in that time?
"Only a handful."
"And statistically, when does that occur?"
"All of the attempted escapes have occurred on the recruit's second day."
"Please inform the panel, what was the timing of Lexi's attempted escape?"
"Her second day."
Someone gasped and the panel murmured to each other.
"Wait a minute!" I exclaimed "That is nothing more than a coincidence. It's unfair to find fault in my actions for no reason than it happened to occur on the same day as others!"
"Lexi... you are new to these proceedings, so let this be your one warning. Speaking out of turn will find you in contempt. If it happens again, you will remain in solitary for the remainder of this hearing. Do you understand?"
I sank into my seat, loathing the reminder such a place existed. "Yes, ma'am."
Miss Cleo continued. "Miss Ethyl, please educate this panel. What was Lexi's condition at the time of her attempted escape?"
"The girl had been inseminated twice."
"Twice in two days' time?"
"Yes." Miss Ethyl explained. "She was prime when she arrived and therefore bred immediately. The next day, when her blocker was removed, her vagina was full of semen. This can only indicate she lied about the number of times she orgasmed during her session. She was still prime so the inseminated was repeated."
"What is the orgasm quota for a breeding session?"
"At least ten."
"How many did Lexi document?"