Lissy Donalds repeated her name to herself and that she'd be ok and looked at the judge. The sentence was to the Hendrick Reformation and Propriety Home until treatment was completed or until she agreed to the Lunar colony on Sirprius V for life of hard labor with appeal proactively denied.
She had heard while awaiting trial from her lawyer that the penalty would probably be the Sirprius V mines and there was no return from the prison planet. Her crime was whispered about by her fellow prisoners, awaiting trial but Lissy had maintained that she was innocent but even her lawyer, Bridget Townsend, public defender hadn't believed her.
Bridget had insisted that Lissy have her hormone levels checked much to the objection of Prosecutor General Arkens. Having found her hormone levels "imbalanced" Ms Townsend had argued that Lissy had been unduly influenced by her hormonal state and heightened sex drive leading her to break the morality laws and leading to "criminal behaviors."
The prosecutor had fumed at the laboratory evidence and demanded his own doctor to interpret the results. The findings had led his doctor to conclude that Lissy had indeed had her hormonal deck stacked against her.
Leading Ms Townsend to request a consult from Dr. Henrick of the Reformation and Propriety Home and to give his staid and educated opinion.
Dr. Henrick had recommended treatment and had stated that Lissy could yet be "reformed and reintegrated into society given proper treatments."
Lissy had stared as the Judge sat nodding his head and then knocked his gabble to rule on her fate.
"The court finds the defendant guilty on all counts of breaking chastity, propriety, and the laws of morality and decency and orders Lissy Donalds into the care of Dr. Henrick of the Reformation and Propriety Home with an outstanding option of hard labor in the mines of Sirprius V should she opt not to accept treatment and now asks Lissy for her choice of punishment."
Lissy looked at Ms Townsend in her prim suit dress and bonnet and asked softly "which is the better choice."
Ms Townsend looked at Lissy and whispered "Take the reformation at least there you won't be on a mine prison planet, I'm sorry but that's the best I could get for you."
Lissy stood up on shaky feet and looked at the Judge in his black gown and powdered wig popular again after 200 years of not being worn in courts. She looked at the prosecutor and the filled court and the audience and other prisoners. Her life to this point passed before her eyes and she closed her eyes for a moment.
"I take the punishment of Reformation and Propriety." Lissy said as she looked at Dr. Henrick and swallowed hard. Dr. Henrick had styled blond hair, glasses, a sneer on his face and his eyes were utterly cold. God only knew what "treatment" his facility employed and slavery might be better and more honest.
"So be it ordered," said the Judge.
Ms. Townsend, when Lissy looked at her again as they turned to leave, had tears in her eyes and she caught Lissy's arm and said softly "I'm so sorry Lissy but at least you won't die there."
The police took Lissy by the arm, both her hands were handcuffed as were her feet, and took her to the car. Getting into the back of the police car Lissy watched as the trees passed and the city. Would she see the city again? Out of the city they drove for two hours until the large black building came into view.
The building looked to Lissy like a large black vulture waiting for the weak or sick to be left for it to eat. They pulled up and Lissy looked at the building and realized suddenly that there were no windows. There would be no sunlight or rain or snow to be observed once she entered the black monolith of a building.
The car pulled to a stop in front of the building and the police unlocked her handcuffs and the cuffs on her feet. Lissy had seen a gate surrounding the building but not a soul outside on what was a beautiful Fall day.
The police had lost their brevity and instead of looking proud and powerful were quiet. In silence they walked up the stairs and into the main building. The hall stood empty and then the Matron came down the stairs in her sweeping gray gown.
"Thank you officers, we have Miss Lissy now and I will escort her to Dr. Henrick and you may leave." Matron said.
Lissy looked nervously at Matron with her gray gown, tight gray bun, and steel kettle eyes that held not the slightest kindness or mercy. Matron barely looked human as she turned to inspect LIssy.
"You must go to meet Dr. Henrick immediately and you will follow me to his office right now."
Matron said with a voice that sounded like dry bones cracking.
Up the main stairs and up another flight of stairs into a beautifully richly appointed office with a chair and large wooden desk. Behind the desk in a leather chair sat Dr. Henrick.
Lissy sat in a small wooden chair in front of the large desk and waited for Dr. Henrick to speak.
"Lissy Donalds, aged 21 blond hair and green eyes, 130 lbs and 5'7'', unmarried, guilty on all counts and your hormone levels suggest you have a propensity for nymphomania, and you willing agreed to all treatment in a court of law, is this correct?" Dr. Henrick asked, holding Lissy's file in his thick sausage-like hands.
"Yes I did agree." Lissy answered, unable to keep the tremor from her voice.
"You did not go to college nor did you pursue a trade and you were living off your parents despite several attempts to induce you to work or go to school. You further had no desire to entertain any marital ambitions, is this correct?" Dr. Henrick asked.
"Yes that is so." Lissy answered with a cold ball forming in the pit of her stomach.
"Here at the Reformation and Propriety we pride ourselves on our 100 percent success rate at reformation and thus today right now you will make three choices. First among them is do you desire education or a job? Second, do you prefer human men or an alien man? Third, do you profess any religious belief" Henrick asked.
"I well I don't know and I'd not thought of such since I was arrested...but I think I would prefer employment. I don't know until I see him if a man is to my liking and..." Lissy began.
"I see well we will sort the second and we will help you with employment as part of your reintegration and your religious views?"