Offshore Ch 02

Chapter Two:

Doctors to Medics

When the twelve Terran women were led from the audience room, they were taken to a smaller room, empty of furnishings; a woman wearing a smock, similar to the ones worn by the attendants but pale orange, not red, came in and waited until the room was quiet and then spoke to the assemblage. "Terrans, you will address me as Matron, I will explain the rules that you will adhere to for the rest of your stay on Offshore – the rest of your lives," the matron began. There was a buzz of conversation among the Terran women.

"Quiet! You have already been told to remain silent. Must you be punished in order to remember that rule? Just to refresh your memories, I'll repeat it. Think of it as rule number one. When you are in the presence of Offshore women, especially those of a higher caste, you will remain silent until you are asked a question or given permission to speak. If you are conversing with another Terran when a Shoredweller passes you, stop talking until she is out of earshot – or at least fifteen feet away. If she doesn't move on, keep your voices low. We do not like you and, therefore, do not want to hear your insipid voices.

"You must not do anything that would bring you to our attention. You will find you are better off if you blend into the background. If you must ask a question, place your hand in front of your face, palm outward, and wait to be recognized. If we deign to allow you to speak, ask your question as succinctly as possible. Do not chatter. Disregard this rule and you will find yourself at the whipping post. Disregarding this or any rule will bring you painful punishment. You will learn that we enjoy inflicting pain on you and will do so for any infraction, no matter how minor. Remember, remain as invisible as possible and speak only when spoken to. Also remember that you are second – no, third class citizens – on Offshore.

"Tomorrow morning, you will be shown your workplaces and given instructions on what work you are to do. Listen carefully to those instructions; they will not be repeated. At your workplaces, you will find a green smock similar to what I'm wearing but with your name and position on the left breast area. You will wear the smock while working so as to avoid contaminating whatever you're working on. At the end of your ten-hour shift, remove the smock, return it to the rack on which you found it and return to your quarters.

"Terra does not seem fit to provide us with the same food, clothing, and amenities that you took for granted when you lived there. You will never have those again so get used to what you are given here. Four times a day, you will receive a food bar that contains all the nutrition necessary for good health on Offshore. It will taste like a Terran fruit and will be the closest to that fruit that you will ever eat again. If you find life harsh on Offshore, remember that that has been ordained by your Terran society. The average Shoredweller does not have a better life than you will have here.

"Although we no longer have to toil in the mines because robots now serve that function, we lead a sparse and meager life. Terra decides how much is credited to Offshore and therefore assigns a value on the minerals exported to that planet. We have no choice but to accept that figure; it purchases only the barest of necessities. You may come to dislike your former planet because of the life you will be forced to live here. You will come to realize that it is Terra that actually makes it necessary for all of us to have to lead austere lives. You will understand why Shoredwellers don't like Terrans and treat them harshly. There is no love lost for you.

"This may be the only time you receive an apology from a Shoredweller: I apologize for my rant; not because it isn't factual but because I have wasted time in delivering it.

"You will find a short hose connected to a water faucet in your quarters. Water will be turned on four times a day for about one hour each time. Water is precious here; don't waste it. You may use it to drink, bathe, or whatever, but, again, don't waste it. There will be pitchers in each room that you may keep drinking water in. The water will always be cold; we don't have the facility to heat it – another of Terra's legacies – get used to it. You will be given soap each week, but it will be enough for only one bath and to wash your hands during that week. Be judicious in its use. It too is precious.

"As explained to you by My Lady Ceil, you are on Offshore for a dual purpose: work and sexual service. You will service any Shoredweller with the same or higher rank than you. When chosen, you will comply without hesitation and to the best of your ability. Refusal, hesitation, or poor performance will assure you of intense pain. Although you may not know how to service women now, you will practice assiduously until you are expert at providing what is expected of you.

"Each morning, before work begins, you will practice with your roommate. Each evening, after work, you will practice again. There are no exceptions at any time. Occasionally, you will be tested and rated by one of our staff. Failure to do exceptionally well will bring you misery that you do not want to receive.

"After you return to your quarters, there is one chore you must perform. I will pass out a plasti-packet with your Terran name on it. That is the last time in your lives that you will be known by that name. Inside the packet, you will find a strip of plastine with your new nomenclature. It is approximately one inch long and a quarter inch wide. It is color coded to show your rank and work status. You will wear it on your left breast for the rest of your life. The initial letter refers to your job and the following letter and numbers show your position in that job. You will be referred to by that designation from this day forward. For example, an M refers to medical personnel and you will be addressed as 'Medic' or Medic A12345 or E for Engineer and so forth.

"Peel off the thick backing and position it below the top swell of your left breast. The tag has needles on the reverse side that will enter your flesh and adhere to it. Once on, it cannot be removed so be sure you position it correctly. It will be painful and cause a burning sensation for about half an hour. Don't complain about it.

"Does anyone have a question before you are released for the night?" There was a pause. Then a women put her hand in front of her face, palm out. "Yes? What is it?" The Matron asked.

An appalled Terran doctor spoke up. "Are we considered prisoners? It would seem that we are."

"Absolutely not," was her reply. "Despite that My Lady Ceil may have called you the lowest caste here, you are professionals and will be so treated by this office. If you were not, your lives would be considerably harsher. You are the lowest caste of our upper tier and are subordinate to Offshore professionals of your own caste. There are actually two ranks below you: civic and business managers, and then the working class. However, your position is strictly nominal, and you have no jurisdiction over anyone.

"You are free to come and go as you please. You will not be confined to your quarters except when being punished for rule infraction; however, your nametags contain electronic circuits that will let us know your location at any given moment. There are exercise rooms, video library and viewing rooms, and other recreation areas. You are free to use them or leave these premises whenever you have no duties to perform. You must observe curfew and be on these premises at certain times, but that holds true for most of the Offshore population. It is one way to curb petty crime, which I might add, is almost nonexistent here. However, be careful where you go. As I stated, Shoredwellers do not like Terrans and you take risks by being among them."

"If we are not prisoners, why will we get punished so easily?" asked the Terran doctor.

"You weren't prisoners on Terra. Wouldn't you have been punished for breaking the law?" was the Matron's reply. "However, we don't have prisons on Offshore. We don't have the resources or personnel for that. All punishment is physical with the exception of room confinement. Even in that case, the door isn't locked, but if you are caught outside of your room, the punishment will be physical.

"What if we don't wish to have, uh, lesbian sex? What can we do to avoid that? Do we have to do that?" asked the doctor.

"Evidently you weren't listening. The next time you ask for something to be repeated, you will be punished. Keep silent and listen well is the best advice I can offer you. As for lesbian sex, you have no choice. That's the second reason you were brought here. You will do what's expected of you. There are no exceptions.

"No more questions now! You all seem to be in a state of culture shock which is understandable since you are coming from a completely different environment. Obey the few rules we have, and you will be fine. Remember the silence rule; that is the one that is most essential for Terrans to follow as you have a habit of chattering. We prefer quiet on Offshore. Following the rule will keep you safer.

"Attendants will take you back to your quarters now; there is no longer any need to guard you, so you are on your own recognizance from now on. Don't think that gives you leeway to break rules. Your nametags are always available for electronic surveillance, and anywhere you may go is also under surveillance – another hindrance to lawlessness on Offshore.

"Be sure to affix your nametags and practice servicing your roommate before you sleep tonight. You are dismissed," the Matron exclaimed.

__________

After the matron's lecture, their attendants, Willa and Chine, escorted Karla and Olivia, two Terran doctors, back to their room. The room had two folding shelves; each held a narrow, handle-less pitcher and a small packet of liquid soap.

Chine explained, "We will bring you a food bar each morning after sex practice; you will be given another at midday at work. We will bring you two more after your afternoon sex practice; you can eat them at your discretion. They will provide all the nourishment you need. You may lose some weight, but you'll be healthier than you were on Terra. We'll bring you a soap packet every seventh day.

"You are expected to work four days on duty and are off for three. As medics, you may have irregular schedules. How you spend your off duty time is up to you, but it is suggested that you spend some of the time learning about Offshore; you will be here a long time. It is also suggested that you spend time in the exercise room as Offshore gravity is less than on Terra; otherwise, your bones will lose density.

"I think I've covered everything; do you have any questions?"

Karla sighed, "I have a hundred questions. How many may I ask?"

Chine answered, "Whatever you need to know."

"First, where is the bathroom? I have to go bad," asked Karla, gritting her teeth.

"There is a floor drain in the corner over there. That and the faucet and hose are the toilet and shower. I know from videos that you have a different arrangement on Terra, but this is what we use on Offshore," Chine explained.

"Oh dear Jupiter, I've been here just a short time, and I'm more than ready to go back to Terra. I'm not sure I can survive roughing it like this. I'm almost afraid to ask, but how do we, er, wipe? I don't suppose there's a bidet. Oh wait, don't tell me. The faucet and hose," Karla groaned. Chine nodded.

"If you aren't our guards, why must you come by so often," asked Olivia, "and why does it take two of you to bring us food bars and soap?

"Well, there are so few different jobs on Offshore that we were assigned this job together. Willa and I work together because we are mates. Almost everyone has a mate on Offshore. You two are mates. Only the elite are alone here, but they usually have concubines to use. This may seem odd to you, but we shudder when we hear how you live on Terra. It must be a terribly lonely place, as so many Terrans have no mates.

"Why do you consider Karla and me mates?" Asked Olivia.

"You are mates because you've been designated mates, of course. You are roommates, about the same age, and, in your case, you are both medics. What more could you want?" asked Willa, shrugging her shoulders.

Karla ignored the question and said, "That soap packet won't be enough for even one shower bath. How can we get more?

"There is no more. Everyone gets one packet every seventh day. You'll have to make do," answered Willa. "Of course, you could barter for more."

"We have nothing to barter with. We aren't permitted to have possessions, and if this planet is on a commune basis, we won't get paid for our work. What do we have with which to barter?" Asked Karla.

"You have beautiful bodies. You won't have any trouble finding someone to barter soap for sex. Chine and I have already discussed how we would like to have sex with you two; however, we are of a lower rank and can't demand sex of you. We could still barter for soap. We aren't as concerned about bathing every week as Terrans are; I would be very willing to trade a soap packet each fortnight for the use of your bodies. I would prefer to wait though until you are proficient in performing oral sex.

"As soon as you have practiced for awhile and become adept, we can barter," Willa said, enthusiastically, eyeing the women's naked bodies.

Not wanting to insult Willa, Karla said, "Well, that's something to consider. I have one last question. You said you'd bring us food bars after we, er, practice in the morning and after work. How will you know when we did?"

Chine explained, "Your nametags transmit your heart rate and other vital information. When you've each experienced orgasms, those vital signs will show up in the surveillance room where we work. Then we know to bring you food because you will be hungry.

"You must affix your nametags before we leave. Open the packets and we'll help you attach them," offered Chine. "Now peel off the backing. Be careful; the needles are sharp and they attach permanently."

"Oh my, the needles are about a quarter inch long. They're going to hurt like hell." Olivia declared.

"Olivia, we're doctors. We stick needles in patients all day long. Think of it as an inoculation and just do it." Karla suggested.

It took the two women a few minutes to get up the courage to push the needles into their breasts; it hurt worse than they had anticipated, but they toughed it out.

"In a way, it's good that the tags are permanent. I wouldn't want to have that pain to look forward to every day," admitted Olivia, as she rubbed her breast around the tag, trying to assuage the pain. Karla pinched her breast in different places trying to decentralize the painful area.

"One more question, it's frigging cold in here and there are no beds or blankets. Where do we sleep and how do we keep warm?" asked Karla, trying to wrap herself in her own arms.

Chine explained, "You sleep on the mats you were lying on when you awoke earlier. Cuddle to keep warm. That's another reason we need mates on Offshore."

Willa and Chine inspected the doctors' tags, nodded and left, leaving Karla and Olivia alone and staring at each other. They hadn't eaten since they were taken a few days before and were very hungry; their breasts hurt; they had to pee – and would have to squat – without privacy – to relieve themselves; they had to figure a way to get food without having sex with each other; they were cold, tired, and dreaded their new life. To say they were miserable would be a huge understatement.

__________

The next morning, as the attendants led Olivia and Karla to their medical station, Karla asked, "Why didn't we receive food this morning? We are weak from hunger."

Willa made a face that showed she was disgusted and said, "You didn't practice orally last night or this morning. That is the only way you will receive food."

"But we both had an orgasm this morning. Didn't they show up on the monitor?" asked Olivia.

"Yes, your orgasms were reflected, but they were manually induced. Don't try to fool the sensors. You've been told that you will be fed only after you practice oral sexual stimulation and release," Willa sighed. "You won't be fed at mid day either unless you can convince Manager Twylla that you wish to put on a sex display for her with each other, or maybe you can barter with her for her food bar and divide it between you two. She would most likely expect both of you to please her, in that case. Better still, Chine and I can come by on your break, and we'll give you one of our bars in exchange for sex. Of course, there will be no privacy; everyone, including patients, at the medical station will be able to observe. Everyone is interested in how well Terrans perform oral sex on other women. We understand that sex on Terra is mostly heterosexual.

"Oh, here's Medic B; she'll explain your duties and introduce you to Manager Twylla. Medic B, these are two of the doctors who arrived yesterday. Show them around and tell them what they're to do. Medics, we'll bring you food later this afternoon after practice." The attendants nodded and left.

"Hello doctors, I mean Medics. Terrans aren't allowed to use the title "doctor"; that's reserved for Offshore doctors only. This is where you'll be working; it's the central medical station on Offshore. Wait until the attendants are out of earshot. Okay, they're gone. I'm so glad to see you. I'm Bree, but don't say that out loud. As you know, we're not permitted to use our Terran names," instructed Bree.

"I haven't spoken to someone new from home in many Terran Lunar Months. Only doctors are brought here. The other new Terrans are sent elsewhere to work. I'd love to talk to you about any news about Terra, but we don't want to get caught discussing it or even chattering, which is what these women call our talking."

"Your medical duties at this station will not be a burden on you. As on Terra, there aren't any critical medical problems; major illnesses have been eliminated here, too. You'll be caring for broken bones, burns, strains, sprains, colds, and an occasional female problem. There are so few babies born here in Inner Ville that you may never attend a live birth. The outlying stations treat more medical problems as the working class has more strenuous duties, and therefore, more physical body damage. There are also many more births there. There is some bacterial infection here, so you may have to give inoculations and injections – yes, needle injections – as we don't have many of Terra's day-to-day medical equipment. That's another reason why these women hate us. There are never enough mineral credits to purchase up-to-date medical materiel.

"The Offshore women will use any excuse to humiliate us and cause us pain. They think of us as pampered dolls who had everything handed to us on Terra while they must work hard just to survive. Don't give them an excuse, as they are extremely vindictive. By the way, where are your white ribbons?" Bree asked.

"Hi Bree, I'm Olivia. I'm so glad to find someone to discuss our predicament with. How long have you been here? Is there any way we can get back to Terra? I have so many questions to ask, but I guess we shouldn't be talking during our work hours. What ribbons are you referring to?" asked Olivia.

"I have been here for five, almost six years, ever since I graduated from medical school. I was taken on my way home from school. I never had a chance to interne," Bree sighed.

"All newcomers are given a white ribbon collar to wear around their necks for their first fifteen days after arrival," Bree continued. "They indicate that those wearing them are not to be accosted before they can learn the rules. You should have been given them along with a food bar after your first oral sex practice. Ask your attendants for them, or you'll be preyed upon by everyone just waiting for you to screw up."