[This story contains very graphic descriptions of bodily functions and those offended by this subject should definitely proceed no further. All characters are well over 18 years of age.].
*
Jackson saw Graham smile during the introductory remarks delivered by Commandant Elizabeth at the Men's Camp for reorientation. He had trouble restraining himself when he thought that this was the very man who had caused his dear wife—whom he loved even if she had sent him to this hellhole—to be punished so humiliatingly, and as it turned out, totally wrongfully.
He managed to keep his feelings under control but was wracked with pain and guilt because he knew he needed to do something that showed Graham what happened to men who had behaved as terribly as he had and caused Eleanor such miserable consequences. As his unit was marched back to their barracks by Sergeant Denise, he was suffering from the realization that right now, he was hardly disposed to take the action he deemed necessary.
Sergeant Denise, who had caned Jackson earlier for staring at her with clear thought as to what she might look like in an undressed state, was quite proficient in observing the temperament and behavior of the men assigned to her during their three-week reorientations. She noticed immediately that something was really bothering Jackson and she called him over.
"I don't want to punish you this time," she said in a much warmer tone as he looked up, very fearfully in view of what had befallen him the last time he stared at his superior. "But I can tell that something is bothering you big-time and it isn't the fact that I caned you back before the introductory lecture," she continued. "If you tell me," she said quietly, "I really will try to help, because I do believe in working to resolve problems here with the men who come through."
Jackson did look very skeptically at her but slowly realized that this very attractive if severe blonde woman was sincerely interested in helping him solve his problem. So he decided to play it straight and tell her all.
"Sergeant," he began, remembering never to drop the required title of respect, "I was upset because I noticed a man in another unit who had done my wife very serious harm. I know that I am not in a position to start anything here that will cause more problems but I couldn't entirely keep my face from showing both my surprise and disgust, and also my despair because of my inability to do something to make it right for my wife."
Sergeant Denise realized that he was telling her the straight truth and she respond sympathetically.
"You are right in restraining yourself," she said calmly, "because it would only benefit him were you to instigate a fight now. I know it is hard for you to accept but you might just allow me to help you in this matter because I have read about the case you mentioned—it got quite a lot of general attention, you know—and I would like to help you put this right.
"So sit tight and just do what I say and no more," she concluded, and then smiled a rare smile and quite a beautiful one, Jackson thought. They proceeded to the barracks where Sergeant Denise allowed all the men under her command to use the facilities and prepare for lights out.
Once they were in their beds, she left the barracks and walked over to the one where she knew Graham was housed. She discreetly looked for her friend, Sergeant Linda, who was in charge of this group. Linda was not as striking a figure as Denise but had a tight, compact body that was in perfect shape from steady exercising and stringent dieting.
Sergeant Denise motioned to her to join her outside the barracks and the two walked over to the Commandant's building where there was a staff room. They fixed themselves some coffee and sat down in the comfortable lounge chairs provided for the camp's noncommissioned officers.
Denise explained to Linda who Graham was, and why she was bothered by the situation and not just because Jackson was in her unit. Linda frowned when Denise mentioned the case in which Eleanor had been found guilty of adultery and ordered by the court to be infibulated for a year.
"I never was too happy about that, Denise," Linda said rather bluntly, "because that guy got away scot-free and even if his wife got her revenge."
"That's pretty much the way I feel," Denise responded. "I have a feeling that we may just be able to implement a little needed justice here if we approach this properly. Do you mind if I mention this to the C.O. so she's aware of what we have in mind? I think she'll agree, even if it's not exactly spelled out anywhere as proper, but I'd like to have her in on it."
Linda nodded her assent and Denise made her way to the Commandant's office, where Commandant Elizabeth was still reviewing the day's paperwork for the entering cohort of men. Linda decided to follow Denise, so the two uniformed sergeants entered the small room where the camp commander was finishing her day's work.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Commandant Elizabeth asked the two with a bit of levity in her voice. "I'm happy to see you both because after a long day, I'll be happy to sit down with you two and have a bit of an attitude adjuster," she smiled, referring to the liquid refreshment, alcoholic in nature, she had in her cabinet.
"I think we'll be happy to join you, Commandant," Denise replied to the invitation, "but I wanted to brief you on a little situation that involves two men who arrived in today's cohort, one in my unit and one in Linda's. And thank you for your generosity with the goods," she grinned.
"Oh," said the Commandant, as she poured some very excellent single malt into three heavy glass tumblers she kept atop the liquor cabinet. "Please tell me what this is about so I can figure out our course to achieve the result we can all agree on," she said plainly.
"One of the men in my unit is the husband of that rather notorious woman who as you may recall from the news stories was convicted of adultery and infibulated for a year," Denise began.
"Oh yes," Commandant Elizabeth interrupted. "Not many of us are not aware of that."
"Leaving aside for a moment why he is here, in that he married her and certainly made her life better, but she clearly was sufficiently motivated by his behavior to send him here," Denise continued. "But in Linda's unit is the man who was the co-respondent who received no punishment and who, as you know, was never even married to that woman who pressed the charges."
Elizabeth grimaced and said, "I won't even ask why he is here. But Linda, do you know?"
Sergeant Linda scrunched up her nose and said, "I looked quickly at the papers and apparently, a woman with whom he had taken up was disturbed by—shall we say, his inconstancy—and turned him in to the local District office. The official record did not reference the legal proceedings, no doubt because he was not convicted of anything, and I think he had gone missing. So we are the first to match these matters up."
Denise now asked Commandant Elizabeth if she could say something to suggest a course of action. The Commandant nodded her approval.
"We need to be careful here," Denise said. "I want to keep the husband out of it. He noticed the co-respondent, whose name is Graham, by the way, and obviously seeks to make things right but I told him to hold his fire or he'd be the one in trouble. I want to get this Graham in here with Sergeant Linda, question him, let him lose his temper, and then punish him, perhaps as your toilet orderly here for a while, Commandant."
"Do you think he will rise to the bait?" Commandant Elizabeth asked, in a very uncertain tone.