Author's Note:
This is the fourth story in an ongoing series about Disciplinary Officer Wilson's travels in the totalitarian society of post-apocalyptic southern California. You can read this as a stand-alone story, but it will probably make more sense if you read some of the others as well for context.
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I'd arrived in District 3 prepared for a light load. The women here tended to be docile, the men capable. D.O. Jain had been here just a month ago and handled several minor cases and two bridal classes. I had almost decided to skip District 3 altogether this time, continue on to District 4, and circle back when I'd completed the rest of my tour.
But District 3's Town Manager was a prickly sort who would have felt slighted if the Senior Disciplinary Officer had bypassed his town. He would not take it as the compliment it was—after all, if a town needed fewer visits from a D.O., that meant it was well-run. No, if I drove past District 3, Mr. Jonathan Chaudry would dash off an angry letter to the Commissioner before I reached District 4.
So I drove into town and parked behind the Town Hall, as usual. I was immediately accosted by Mr. Chaudry, a tall, thin man with a ridiculous mustache and an old-fashioned suit.
"D.O. Wilson," he said, respectful but anxious. "I'm so glad to see you. So relieved. I am absolutely mortified, completely flabbergasted really, at what's happened. This could not have waited another day. I nearly called for an emergency visit. But you are here now, and things will be set right."
I'd forgotten just how annoying this man was. "Yes, Mr. Chaudry. I'm here. Would you be so kind as to fill me in?" I hoped he took my tone as formal and interested rather than borderline sarcastic.
"Yes, yes, please, in my office. We'll talk there. It's not something we should discuss here in the public hallways."
The two of us strode along completely alone, but Chaudry glanced about as if he expected the entire town to pop out of the walls at any moment. We reached his office, and he sat behind his desk and picked up a stylus, which he promptly began to chew on.
I should have driven right on by. I sighed. "The sooner you tell me what's bothering you," I said, as patiently as I could, "the sooner I can get started."
"Yes, yes. I know. My apologies. You're a busy man. Of course you are. It's just, I don't quite know how to begin."
"Do you have women who require discipline?" I asked. If not, then why the hell was I here?
"Yes. Well, just one. One woman. Girl. Woman." He tapped the end of the stylus against his nose. "She's the daughter of a rather prominent citizen, a Councilman and the owner of the town bank. And he doesn't know she's here. We thought to spare him the humiliation, you see. He's very well-respected, and if it were known that his daughter, his pride and joy, had ..." He cleared his throat. "Had been caught, ah, caught—" He set the stylus down, folded his hands on his desk, and inhaled slowly. "I caught her and my son fornicating, D.O. Wilson."
I blinked. "Your son?"
"Yes. I am just mortified. I thought Samuel knew better. He does know better. But he and Corinna have been courting for nearly a year, and he asked my permission to marry her. Her father was quite pleased with the match, you can imagine. Of course I granted it, and they announced their engagement just last week. It appears they decided not to wait until their wedding. And, worse, I believe this was not the first time."
I could certainly forgive his agitation. His son had put him in quite the compromising position. "You can't possibly expect to keep this from the young lady's father. He must be informed."
"Ordinarily I'd agree. You know I would. I very much support the Commissioner's work, and I have nothing but the utmost respect for you. But this situation is, er, unprecedented."
Not as unprecedented as he thought, I mused, remembering my recent encounter with the Commissioner's daughter-in-law. "Would it go easier if I spoke with him personally?" I offered.
"Yes, I suppose if you must, it's better if it comes from you."
"It's the law, Mr. Chaudry. The girl's father is responsible for her until she is married. She and your son have put you both in an unfortunate position, but the shame is hers, not yours, to bear. Her father may choose to deal with her as he pleases after I'm finished with her."
"Yes. Yes, you're right. My apologies for my presumption. Shall I have her brought to you?"
"Please."
"Right away." He ushered me out of his office and out to my trailer.
***
My determination to approach the D.O.'s trailer with my head held high drained away at my first sight of the hulking black thing. We'd known this could happen, but Samuel thought his father would protect me.
He was wrong.
I regretted it. Not because I thought it was wrong, or because I didn't want to. I regretted it because now we'd been caught, and I didn't know what that meant for my future, for our marriage. I feared what my father would do almost more than what the D.O. would do.
Almost.
It just wasn't fair. We were engaged. We loved each other. Samuel didn't care if I was a virgin on our wedding night, so why should anyone else? The first time had been awkward and a little painful, but also fun, and we thought this way we could look forward to a perfect wedding night.
We'd only done it twice. We thought our fathers would both be busy at the Town Council meeting for much longer, but his father had come home and heard us and walked right in. I didn't know which of us was more embarrassed!
"What's he going to do to me?" I asked the guard.
He urged me toward the trailer. "Don't know. From what I hear, it's not much fun for you." He sounded almost sympathetic, but his iron grip on my elbow didn't lessen.
"This is so stupid," I said under my breath.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," he said. "It's the law, and you know that better than most, given who your father is and all."
"Yeah. My father." I sighed.
The guard rapped on the door in the side of the trailer and then helped me up the three steps to the threshold. "Here we are," he said, when the door opened, gave me a little push so I'd stumble through, and left me.
I glanced around in curiosity at the interior of the trailer. An examination table occupied one corner, a waist-high bench sat off to the left, and cabinets lined the back wall. Right in front of me, a tall, blond man with a hooked nose and imposing blue eyes stood in his black uniform with his hands behind his back.
"Hello, Corinna. I'm D.O. Wilson," he said. "I understand you've been misbehaving."
I had no idea how to respond. "Um," I managed.
"It's a serious offense," he continued. "Made more so by your status here. You've brought shame on your household, Corinna."
"Only because someone found out," I muttered.
"Indeed. Well, someone has, as you say. I'll need to determine the extent of your activities, though not much is in doubt given that we have a reliable eyewitness, and then I'll administer appropriate discipline."
"What are you going to do to me?"