2020-03-06 - spike - Trapped again Part five

Author: spike
Title: Trapped again. Part five.
Date: 06 March 2020

Eric eyed the door they were approaching with concern. “Sir?”

“Yes?”

“How do I… With these on, I can’t move my hands an inch, sir.”

“With those on, you don’t need to. You’re registered as restrained.”

The doctor walked past him to swipe the panel and they continued through.

“What about the routine, here, sir? I know I’ve got all privileges but I don’t know what they are. I don’t even know how anything else works here, either.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that, Syisan.”

“When I was in Stafford, the first thing that happened was wait, then lead in through to a barber’s chair and from there to the check-in desk where we stripped and all our clothing and possessions were taken. Then, stand by a wall for uniform measurements… All the time the guard on the other side of the counter was gathering together the kit, he told us what’s expected. I assume it’s the same here but I missed all that. Added to that, all new arrivals who’d never been in before were given a cellmate. Mine told me everything else I needed to know.”

More doors, more swipes as their conversation continued.

“I said don’t worry. We’re more efficient than that. Down to a fine art here. Your cell’s already primed. The moment it detects an activation by a new arrival, it plays a long induction tutorial. That’ll tell you everything you need to know. You can replay it any time you like to make sure you’ve absorbed everything. If you need to find a specific place, just instruct your cell to guide you and it’ll tell you which panel to swipe. From there, the panels will tell you.”

“Why did you say we’ll never see the sky again? Don’t the cells even have windows?”

“There are no windows in the entire facility.”

“What? None?”

“Nope. This is a place of punishment as well as rehabilitation. That threat alone is enough to prevent most people from even risking a long sentence. Some… Well, they just think they’re too clever to be caught. It’s not often they get away with it for long, whatever it is.”

Eric sighed. “And I’m what happens when the police have too many unsolved crimes on their books. Sir, could you do me a favour? On the out?”

“The… I’m sorry, what?”

“Outside. Prison slang from back there. Could you go to see Doctor Van Holder in person to ask him to visit? If he did appear at the trial like I requested, he would’ve seen it as a complete waste of his time. Probably wondered what he was doing there judging by how the rest of them acted during it.”

“That’s a very good point. There’s a legal obligation to attend a trial when requested, but the same couldn’t be said for prison visits.” He looked up at Eric as concern creased his brow. “One of the main privileges is to get prison visits and another is to extend them for longer periods. For married men, that can even include… Well…”

“Conjugal rights?”

“Yes. That is a difficult one to get. It usually takes a year or two of exceptionally good behaviour, but… You don’t have anyone do you?”

“Back home, I’ve got friends, family and I only proposed to my fiancée two weeks ago, sir. Here, sir. No, sir.”

“Oh shit! You’re engaged? Why didn’t you say?”

“My other duties are important, sir. She knows I spend a long time away from time to time. It’s all part of being in the army.”

“I’m sorry.”

“As for this world, the only person I ever spoke to at length was Medeline. I most certainly do not consider her to be a friend.”

“I’ll go to see this… Tyrell Birt, too. Try to persuade him to come for a visit. I’m sure he’ll have a few questions when he finds out you’re the one who held his manipulator things for so long.”

“Thank you, sir. I might be having more visits than a normal prisoner does what with all the journos too, sir. I’ve been in prison before. I’ll be fine.”

The next door they passed through led back to the main cell block. The doctor walked to one corner and one of the closed cylinder things.

He swiped and waited.

“So this is it?”

“No. You’re on level four, cell twelve.”

Eric glanced across at the stairs. “Eight flights of stairs? With these?”

“Of course not. This one’s the lift. One in each corner capable of holding ten prisoners each. Many prefer to take the stairs. It can be quicker for the lower levels.”

“Probably quicker for me, too, sir… When I’m not in these.”

The cylinder rotated to reveal an entrance identical to the cells, as far as Eric was concerned. They stepped inside.

“Level four.”

The cylinder closed, there was a sensation of movement and a few seconds later, it opened again.

Down the walkway at the back end of the triangle, the doctor walked past a few more cells and stopped.

“Welcome home, Unknown. Don’t worry, it’s comfortable enough in there.”

“Are other prisoners permitted in the cell, or is it me and me alone?”

“For what purpose?”

Eric shrugged. “Socialising? Talking? Maybe even extra tuition?”

“As long as they’re out and in their cells in time for lockdown, yes.” He placed his hand on the cylinder. “Open.”

It rotated to reveal the doorway. Eric looked back at the doctor. “Oh, sir… How do I activate it?”

“Sorry… You almost ended up in the same predicament again, didn’t you? Though, it wouldn’t’ve been days this time. You just place your hand on the door and say activate. Other commands like open, close and lock for the door. Only use lock when you’re outside unless it’s close to lockdown or you’re in a situation where it’s required or you won’t get out again until the next inspection. Anything else, ask your cell once the tutorial’s over. Say cell rather than computer to elicit a response. Oh, leave the restraints in the entry. I’ll collect them.”

“Thank you, sir.” He stepped in. The moment he crossed the threshold there was a beep and the collar, wrist restraints and belt snapped off and clattered to the floor.

Eric looked at his wrists and gave them a rub. “Oh god, that’s a relief.”

The doctor vanished from sight as the door slid closed. Eric turned and stepped through into a cell identical to the one he’s woken up in. He turned as that door slid shut too. Blank, white and featureless.

He took a deep breath. “Just hope this works.” He placed his hand on the door as instructed. “Activate.”

A series of clicks and whirs sounded behind him and when he turned, panels withdrew into the walls and slid to one side. On the right-hand side of the cell, a bed slid out. On the left, a large black rectangle revealed itself and below that, a desk and chair appeared from their section of the wall. Beside them, another section of wall revealed a hidden alcove with a rail from which hung six more uniforms identical to the one he wore. Six pairs of black slippers hung on hooks on the back of this wardrobe… thing.

In one corner at the back of the cell, what looked like a cubicle you could walk into and besides that in the middle, a chair with a hole in the seat. It had arms and a tall backrest. No sign of a cistern, no handle, no toilet roll holder he could identify.

“Is that what they call a toilet here? It looks so… weird.”

The screen on the left wall flickered to life to reveal a man, standing in a field with his hands clasped behind his back.

“Congratulations. Your crimes have condemned you to a life of unremitting regulation. This…“ He waved his hand to emphasise the countryside around him. “is a privilege you will never earn again. Your crimes are so severe that you’re been sentenced to life without hope of release. You will die within these walls and good riddance. I hope you live for a very, very long time, secure in the knowledge you’ll never feel a breeze brush your cheek, you’ll never feel the kiss of a raindrop or the warmth of the sun. You’ll never pet a dog or smell a flower. All those simple pleasures are denied to you forever.

This cell is your home for the rest of your miserable life, so you might as well get to know it. As each item in the cell is spoken, a light will highlight it, just in case you’re so stupid, you can’t understand plain English. The prison complex is your workplace, your recreation, your world. You will never see the outside of it. As far as your concerned, you might as well be on a different planet.

On entering the cell, facing the back wall, first on your left is your clothing storage.”

As promised, the area lit up as the man spoke.

“Each suit and pair of slippers will be worn once and then discarded down the aperture on the left-hand side of the inside wall. This is the laundry chute. If you work out in the gymnasium, you will, upon your return to this cell, immediately strip, put your laundry in the chute and step into the cubicle in the corner.

You will be permitted no contraband, no possessions. Your entire life is in this cell, now.

Continuing. The desk.”

Again, the area brightened.

“You use this for eating and some recreational activities. On the desk is a graphics tablet. One of the privileges you can earn for good behaviour is email access or face-to-face over the network, but I warn you, any emails with illegal content or sent to inappropriate individuals such as people connected to your crimes will not be permitted and an attempt will result in severe punishment. Any voice or face call will be analysed before sending and inappropriate speech will be flagged. The tablet can also be used with a stylus which is located in the desk drawer. At the back of the desk is your food station. If or when you earn the privilege, you will be able to choose from a wide selection. Until then, you eat what you’re given without complaint. The food will be delivered on a tray, you will not remove the plate from that tray. Any food you do spill, you will clean up immediately with your uniform and place it in the laundry before selecting another.

The screen playing this recording is also the visual interface to all the features of this cell and all entertainments. These can be activated by speaking the words, Cell, menu. I’m sure I don’t need to cover everything on that. Everyone knows how to use a computer.

The cubicle is for your cleansing ritual which will be at least daily. The chair beside it is your toilet and that too will also be enforced daily with the added facility that it will be available throughout the day should you need to urinate. There is nowhere else in this facility where this will be acceptable. It is your urination station and yours alone. Any urine and faeces deposited will be analysed and a report sent to your medical officer. Any illegal substances detected will immediately result in a transfer to block eight. Any signs of illness will immediately result in transfer to the prison hospital.

The bed requires no explanation apart from this. Wakeup call. Everything in this cell will be in exactly the same state it was in upon your arrival today. For the rest of your life, it will remain exactly as it is now. Upon your exit from this cell for any reason, the cell will return to its previous, deactivated state during which time, all items within it will be disinfected and cleaned.

Any instructions from this time forward, whether it be from a prison guard, a computer such as the one in this cell or anyone else with authority, you will obey immediately. Furthermore, you will respond with an affirmative and sir, whether the order was given by a human being or a computer. There are no exceptions. No excuses. Failure will, of course, result in severe punishment.

When you finally gain release from this cell, you will be free to socialise with the other inmates. Any hint of violence on your part will result in immediate and permanent transfer to block eight. It doesn’t matter who started it. It doesn’t matter if you’re only defending yourself. If someone attacks you, your immediate response will be to disengage, return to your cell, lock it and await a guard to take your statement. That statement will be given truthfully and I don’t think I need to tell you what happens if a falsehood is detected. Do not think for one minute that block eight is a desirable location. It’s the home of every black in the prison who exhibited violence after their arrival.”

Eric chuckled to himself. “Suddenly, the other blacks don’t seem half as threatening.”

The screen paused and his voice took on a much harsher tone. “Silence! You will be free to speak after this induction.”

“Yes, sir.”

The screen resumed. “Every black who was discovered with hidden contraband and every black who exhibited signs of recreational drug use are also permanently reassigned there. The regime there is not something you want to experience. You are already among the worst humans in history, so expect no consideration. Being assigned to black means one thing. Behave or suffer.”

“Continuing… The tables in the common area share many of the functions of the cell screen but also have interactive activities that can be shared by several inmates such as games. You can also use them to bring up your personal profile or statistical information to see how many credits, demerits or privileges you have earned.”

The man vanished and in his place, a 3D representation of the entire complex appeared. Each cell block was a large triangle just like the one he was in, all arrayed into an eight-pointed star with a central hub that linked them together. “You are in cell block three. You will never be permitted to enter another block unless you are reassigned to block eight. The central hub contains the administration block, maintenance, storage. You will only be permitted beyond the cellblock doors when in full prison restraints.”

A set of restraints appeared. Eric hadn’t noticed when they fell off, but god, that looked even worse than he’d experienced. The collar was attached to the wrist restraints by a solid metal bar. No wonder he’d not been able to move his hands an inch.

“If you have any interaction with the public, they will be your uniform. You will never be seen by a civilian without them. They’re designed to be utterly impossible to remove until you’re back in your cell entrance.

Understand this. There’s no escape. No hope of release. Your life outside is over. If you were married, consider that over to. As a black, you will, of course, be unable to engage in conjugal rights and you will never experience the pleasure of sexual congress again. There are females within this facility. Prisoners such as yourself. If any prisoner is found guilty of engaging in a sexual act with any gender, this will be their punishment.”

A picture of a man and woman appeared, both naked except for something metallic around their midriff and genitals. God, it looked severe.

“What you are seeing is the very latest in chastity technology. For prisoners of rank grey one to four, the device will remain locked in place after such a transgression for the remainder of their sentence. For grey five and above, it will be locked permanently in place, even after their release and it will be illegal for anyone to attempt its removal. For you, however, we have another little toy we like to employ. Should you be sentenced for that crime, yours will also shock you whenever you gain an erection and it will remain until the day you die. It will be impossible to remove by any means.”

Eric gulped but resisted the urge to comment.

“Now for your prison routine. When the lights turn green you will immediately return to your cell. You have a grace period and failure to report to your cell in time will result in, I’m sure you’ve guessed by now, severe punishment. During the green time, upon entry to your cell, you will lock it. You will remain free to engage in recreational activities until lights out, after which time, you will retire to your bed. You will be permitted to leave your bed for one reason and one reason alone. Urgent urination. Should such a situation occur, say cell, urination and the lights will activate in a dimmed state for a period of one minute after which time, you will return to your bed. You will be permitted two such urination during the night. Any more and you’ll be sent to the prison hospital for a check-up. If there is no medical reason for this need, you will be severely punished.

When the lights turn on, you will dress, tidy your bed and stand to attention by it. You will remain in that position until such a time as a guard sees fit to inspect your cell. It doesn’t matter how long, that is how you will remain. Once the inspection is completed, you will strip, discard the uniform, use the toilet, then the cleaning cabinet and dress again, always in a clean uniform.”

The map appeared again. This time, it zoomed in to one of the cell blocks, presumably, cell block three. A few doors down from the corner, one of the cells turned red.

“This is your cell. From this, you can find the other places that will be detailed here. All facilities are on the bottom level.”

The camera angle changed and drifted down. The camera zoomed in to a particular door, through it, down a corridor and to a room on the right. “This is the gymnasium. It contains equipment for the improvement and maintenance of the physical condition and you will, upon your release from your cell, use it whenever ordered to do so and you will continue until you are ordered to leave. If you have free access, you can use it at any time you’re free to do so in addition to those times. Maintenance of fitness and health are paramount to a healthy mind and you will push yourself to the limits of your endurance in that facility. Failure to perform will result in punishment. All equipment is also fitted with a sensor so the training instructor will know you’re if not giving your best.”

Another camera zoom, down the same corridor to a room opposite. “This is the prison assembly hall. It is a place with many uses. Prisoners can, and sometimes do organise entertainments for themselves. Comedy, music, general socialising, even on special occasions, parties. If you receive an order, you will, of course, attend. There are also official assemblies. These are an opportunity for inspirational speeches, contemplation of your crimes and a chance to meet every prisoner, even those still unable to leave their cells under normal circumstances. In all likelihood, it will be the only chance you get to socialise for a very long time. When you do attend, you will sit where you are told and remain there until dismissed. After dismissal, you will be free to mingle until the order to return to your cell.”

Again, the camera moved, this time to the end of the corridor. “And this was, in the times when more primitive beliefs were still prevalent, the prison chapel. Now, it is just a place for quiet contemplation and the home of the prison welfare officer. If you wish to just sit and feel sorry for yourself in your solitude, this is where you go. If, however you wish to book an appointment with the welfare officer so you can have a shoulder to cry on, he will contact you when such an appointment is granted.”

The camera finally left that corridor and moved to the opposite side of the common area. Another corridor, this one with lots of doors.

“This is the place for self-improvement. An important aspect of prison life and highly encouraged. Three corridors like this exist. This is the humanities department. On the left of this one, is the sciences. On the right, the arts and practical skills. In this corridor, all doors lead to classrooms, but in the other two, the doors on the right lead to classrooms, the ones on the left to laboratories and workshops. If you wish to book yourself onto a course, a list of all classes, their availability and waiting lists will be provided as a supplement to this tutorial. The workshops, however, and the classes that went with them are no longer available because as technology has progressed, the skills that were taught have been deemed redundant. They will remain locked.”

Eric nodded.

“Punishments. These come in many forms, from the most basic, loss of privileges to the most exotic, such as permanent electrified chastity. Demerits are an enhancement on privilege loss and are assigned in groups of five. Only time can undo a demerit. One demerit means one week with no privileges and no means to earn them. When demerits are expired you must earn privileges again from the beginning, so make sure you don’t gain any. The rest of this section has been expunged. It was found to be much more threatening if the inmates didn’t know what was in store for them. Tutorial ends. If you have any questions, this is the time to ask. You can replay this file at your leisure and ask at any time now it has been seen. As most questions have been asked multiple times, an answer should be available.”

“What’s so severe about the block eight regime?”

“Point one: No outside contact, either incoming or outgoing is permitted. No email, no face-to-face telop or telephone, no prison visits. The inmates in block eight will remain totally isolated and never see friends or loved ones again.

Point two: Apart from gymnasium use and assembly, they are in permanent lockdown. Furthermore, the prison restraint system is always on when they attend that assembly.

Point three: Permanent demerits. They will never earn privileges. They can never choose what to eat. Entertainments are also no longer a choice. They watch, read, play and listen only to what is provided. A full list of privileges will be available as a supplement to this file, to show what you risk losing and have to spend so much time and trouble earning.”

“What happens if I’ve got a retrial booked and I get sentenced to eight before it?”

“Then you will be denied the right to speak and you’d better hope there’s someone on your side with a convincing argument. The fact you are in block eight will be disclosed in court however and will weight heavily against your defence. Only one man in the past fifty years has won his release in such a situation.”

“You said it was impossible to own a possession. Does that mean there’s no prison commissary?”

“The prison commissary is available to all inmates above the grade of black. Blacks are not permitted possessions. You can not use any credits earned to buy them. Credits are still available to view paid-for content.”

“What if someone gives me something? Like a chocolate bar or other treat?”

“Then you would be required to eat it and discard the packaging before entering your cell. Any contraband found will result in an instant block eight transfer.”

“Fuck! Black’s worse than I thought. What happens if someone starts a fight and I can’t disengage? Define violent behaviour.”

“If you cannot disengage, you’ll just have to stand there and take it until you can. You are permitted no violent actions. The definition of violent action is anything that uses physical force against another person with the intent to cause injury.”

“So I could still push them away to disengage?”

“Injury includes bruising. If the inmate you push complains about any lasting pain, it’s block eight for you.”

“Define lasting pain.”

“Pain that lasts more than one hour after an incident.”

“What about privilege locking. I’m on full privileges, triple-locked.”

“The demerit system would wipe those locks out immediately. It may grant you an audience with the governor to review your case, however, but you would still lose all privileges.”

“So, I’m safe? From block eight? With a triple lock?”

”That depends on the severity of the crime. Question time expired.”

The screen went blank.

“Fuck! Fuckfuckfucketty fuck fuck fucking fuck! God, this is way worse than Stafford!”

He sat on the bed and stared at the screen for he didn’t know how long before taking a deep breath. “Cell, menu.”

The screen came to life again. On it, a list of options. “Food and drink.”, “Entertainment.”, “Communications.”, “Self Improvement.” and “Environment.”

“Cell, select communications.”

The other options vanished and communications expanded to offer two. “Staff.” and “Inmates.”

“Cell, select staff.”

A list of staff members appeared. At the top, the governor, but that had “book appointment” next to it, as did welfare officer. The hospital, however, didn’t.

“Cell, call doctor Conrad.”

The screen cleared and he appeared. “What can I… Ah, Unknown. Not feeling any after-effects of your ordeal I hope?”

“No, sir.”

“What can I do for you, then?”

“I’ve just finished watching the induction and frankly, I’m terrified.”

“What of?”

“Block eight, sir.”

“Ah. Yes. All the blacks are dangling from a very fine thread. You just need to make sure you’re absolutely aware of your surroundings, extra careful. You know all the infractions that can lead to that fate. Make sure you don’t commit any of them.”

“What happens if someone does start a fight with me, sir? The answer it gave said I should just take it, but even that…”

“My best advice… Do take it. Clasp your hands behind your back, fall to your knees and do not show any aggression. Don’t worry, I can fix you up if you take a beating. I doubt you will though, but that’s the only advice I can offer to avoid the risk. You certainly look like you can take it.”

“Why didn’t you say something when I said I knew how to defend myself?”

He sighed. “Sorry, it never even occurred to me. You’re a unique case, Unknown. You certainly shouldn’t be black, but… You are. Oh, I’ve looked into changing your name and I have some bad news. It really is impossible. All the other unknowns on your file are database entities. A field value that signifies that currently, that value is unknown and can be updated later, but your name… They didn’t select that entity. They deliberately spelt it out and triple confirmed it. It’s as firmly ingrained into your chip as that carving in your church.”

“What about removing the chip, sir?”

“That’s illegal. Once a chip’s implanted it can never legally be removed.”

“What if it malfunctions?”

“That won’t happen. We’ve been using the chip now for over ten years and there’s never been a malfunction severe enough to warrant a chip replacement. The estimated mean time to failure is about one failure every ten thousand years. The only man ever to get a new chip was the shop assistant you… what was it? Displaced?”

“My laser damaged it?”

“No. It didn’t go with him. As it was no longer in place a new one had to be implanted. Too much risk of infection, re-implanting the old one once it’d been exposed to the air. That is one additional and valid charge against you though. Actual bodily harm against the shop assistant.”

Eric sighed. “Thanks for warning me, sir. At least now I know it’s safe to talk to the blacks. They know what happens if they get violent. I bet none of the greys know about eight.”

“Why?”

“My induction was tailor-made for blacks, sir. Everything about it. I bet none of the greys got half of what I did.”

“Good point. The darkest greys are likely to know about it though. One of the punishments available should they cause trouble is a downgrade to black.”

“So it should be safe to talk to them, too? I’d much prefer to mingle with the lighter shades though.”

“I know. What was the expression… Fingers crossed? I don’t know what it means but”

“It’s just a superstition. A hope for good luck, sir. A positive outcome.”

“Well, then. Fingers crossed the governor’s broadcast via the screens will result in the desired effect, then. Now, have you had a drink yet?”

“No, sir. Only just finished with the induction.”

“Then consider it a doctor’s order. Drink. Now. What comes next might be a shock.”

“Yes, sir. What did you”

The screen turned off.

Another sigh. “Cell, menu. Food and drink.”

There was quite a variety. On one side, the food options, the top one labelled default was some kind of noodle dish. On the other, the default one there, water. Below it though… Eric smiled.

“Cell, tea, Earl Gray, hot.”

“Please specify type of milk and amount of sweetener.”

“Cell, no milk, no sugar. As Picard intended.”

A minute later, a panel opened behind the desk and a tray with a cupful of steaming brown liquid emerged.

“When the drink is completed, return it.”

He nodded and took another sip.

A loud buzz sounded. “Class one infraction. One privilege lock removed.”

“Cell, what for?”

“Failure to reply with an affirmative and sir will result in punishment when ordered to perform a task.”

“Yes, sir! Fuckin 'ell! I’ve only been here less than an hour and I’ve already lost one! Better be fucking careful from now on.”

Remembering what the video had said, he sat at the desk, pulled the tray towards him and took a sip, making sure the mug was always above the tray. It was bitter, but it was good. Surprisingly good. He nodded in approval and blew on it a few times before sipping again, then gulped it down when it was cool enough.

He put it back on the tray, pushed it back into the alcove and the panel slid shut.

“Prisoner 50095223, strip. Place your tunic, trousers and slippers in the laundry chute and sit on the toilet.”

Eric looked around, “But I don’t ne...” He sighed, pulled his top off and barked. “Yes, sir!”

Trousers and slippers off and in as well, he sat on the toilet and the voice spoke again.

“Place your arms on the armrests with only your fingers over the ends, your feet flat on the floor and your head against the backrest.”

“Yes, sir.”

He did exactly as instructed. He had to move his arms as far back as they’d go to fulfil the fingers order.

The moment he was in place, there was a series of snaps. Something clamped around his neck and tightened until he was rigid against the chair back. At the same time, similar… things, clamped around his wrist, forearms, thighs and ankles, locking him in place.

He let out a yelp and the new terror of his situation loosed his bladder. Then he felt something press against his back passage.

“Oh fuck! Cell, what the hell’s happening?”

“Defecation is unhygienic. The use of toilet paper is a vector for many harmful pathogens. Relax your anal sphincter to alleviate any discomfort.”

“Yes, sir. How the hell do you expect me to OW!” Whatever it was that had been pressing forced itself in with a pop and a warm fluid began to fill his bowels. “Ooo. Oh, that’s… Oh god, that’s… I could get used to this!”

The fluid continued to fill his bowels for a minute and just before the pressure began to hurt, it released and drained slowly. The process repeated three more times but the thing remained in place, as did the restraints.

He waited.

It was a few minutes before he felt something more. It felt like a puff of air this time.

“Cell, what was that?”

“Colon flora has been analysed and any imbalances have been corrected.”

“What imbalances?”

“Several bacterial strains classed as dangerous were identified and neutralised, replaced with bacteria designed to aid in the digestion of a vegan diet. Estimate full colonisation of the intestinal tract in one day.”

“I suppose I should be grateful for that. I’ve never eaten vegan before.”

With a snap, the restraints released.

He leapt off the seat and stared at it. “That was way better than wiping. Cell, why was I restrained?”

“Subject must be immobilised for the colonic plug to be inserted to prevent injury.”

“Cell, and that’s every day from now on?”

“Affirmative. Step into the cubicle, raise your arms and insert your hands into the holes provided.”

“Yes, sir. More restraints?”

“Affirmative.”

He stepped into the cubicle, looked up and put his hands through the holes as ordered. As expected, something clamped onto them, something else clamped onto his ankles and the ceiling began to rise, stretching him taught. The cubicle door slid shut and locked with a click as a ring rose out of the floor and began to spin, spraying him with a thick, slimy goop. As it rose, his goop covered skin began to itch, then sting.

“Close your eyes and bare your teeth. Do not swallow.”

“Yes, sir.”

The goop continued to rise until he stung from head to toe, it stopped just below his eyes and resumed just above them. He kept his eyes clamped shut, but god, baring his teeth, some of it made its way into his mouth. It tasted foul.

The stinging gel remained for what felt like an age before a deluge of water hit him from every direction, followed by a stream of warm air.

It was a while before the ceiling lowered, his wrists and ankles unclamped and the door slid open again.

He stepped out and looked back at it.

“Prisoner 50095223, use the preparation on the desk as a mouth wash. Hold until told.”

Eric looked at the table. On it, a small plastic cup with a blue liquid.

“Yes, sir.” He emptied it into his mouth and put the cup back in the alcove behind the desk without being told while swishing it around.

He continued doing this until…

“Spit into the toilet.”

The moment his mouth was empty, he said “Yes, sir. Cell, I don’t need to ask what that was but I do have two questions. One, how often? And two, will my hair ever grow back?”

“Depilation treatments will be conducted at regular intervals. Hair will never have the chance to grow back.”

Eric muttered something rude under his breath and rolled his eyes. “If I get my retrial and gain an early release, will my hair grow back? I know the last time this happened, to my head and eyebrows, six months of treatments were enough to make it permanent!”

“Depilation gels do not inhibit follicle activity, they dissolve hair at the roots. Ceasing treatment will allow the follicles to produce hair normally.”

He looked down at himself. “Cell, can you replicate the effect of a full-length mirror?”

The screen flicked on showing an image of Eric in his new, naked, hairless state. He studied himself, turned around, flexed his muscles and nodded approvingly. He reached down to feel his balls. God, it was weird. He actually agreed with Doctor Evil. There’s nothing like a shorn scrotum. It felt pretty good.

“Cell, is there an option for it to be made permanent? I think I like this new look. Besides. it’ll save money if I didn’t need to take the treatment again.”

“Negative. The astringent has multiple uses. It attacks the bacteria on the teeth and in the mouth, it strips the outer dead layer of skin and any micro-organisms present. Both are an aid to health. Everything done to you is for your benefit.”

“Cell, register this as a suggestion. Permanent hair removal and I volunteer. Even if the depilation gel still has to be used for other purposes. Hair’s nothing but trouble anyway.”

“Suggestion accepted and forwarded.”

The virtual mirror vanished and the doctor reappeared. He looked worried.

“How are you?”

Eric sat in the chair and grinned. “Scared the shit out of me when the loo locked me down, sir, but after that… I actually found the colonic irrigation quite refreshing. I know I can get used to it, sir.”

“And the hair removal?”

“I’ve had worse, sir.” Eric pointed at his head.

Conrad looked to the side and his eyes widened. “You’d willingly submit to that? Permanent hair loss?”

“I learned to like a smooth scalp before I even regained my freedom, sir. Hair’s a pointless evolutionary leftover. We’re called the hairless ape by some. What purpose does it serve these days? We have clothes to keep us warm. Our hair’s normally so thin it doesn’t protect us from the elements even if we are naked.”

“No such product exists. None that we know of that are safe, anyway. What your old masters used on you might remain a mystery forever. Whatever it was, it doesn’t seem to have done you any lasting harm. Well, apart from the harm they intended, at least. Your past experiences have certainly prepared you well for this life, I’ll tell you that. You seem to be able to adjust to almost anything in no time flat. Many of the new inmates scream, beg and plead for it to stop the first few times. One man a few years ago… Shit, he was trouble. It took him six months, most of that time he needed to be forced onto the toilet by a couple of guards, he fought it so much.”

Eric shrugged. “I enjoyed it, sir. Didn’t enjoy the bondage but I’ll just have to put up with that.” he chuckled at a realisation. “Oh god, I bet he’d love it here. I met one man who really was into that kinda thing. He’d probably swap with me in a heartbeat and turn down the offer of a retrial. As for me, no regime was harsher than the first one I endured, sir. By the end I even had second thoughts about escaping, but, I knew I could offer my brothers a better life. If I had lost it, I know I would’ve been content there because I freed Edward and until I arrived, he was.”

“Yes, you mentioned him. I still find it hard to believe such worlds can exist in the twenty-first century, but I’ve reviewed all your video files now. It truly is a kaleidoscope out there, isn’t it? Fire yourself out in a random direction and you never know what you’re going to find.”

Eric nodded. “Sir, what time’s lockdown tonight? What time is it now, come to think of it?”

His expression changed. The smile vanished. “No, Unknown.”

“Pardon, sir?”

“I said no. Strike those concepts from your mind. Time to a prisoner is nothing but trouble, so, we do not allow any of them to know it. I made a serious blunder as it is by letting you know you’d been unconscious for four days at the start. Time, day, week, even year… Forget them while you’re in here. You’re no longer ruled by the motion of the sun or the phases of the moon, because, unless this retrial does get off the ground, you’ll never see them again. You’re ruled by routine. Lights out, wake up, wash, work, eat. We determine if or when you do anything and trust me on this when I say anything, I mean it.”

“But I need to know how close”

“Your deadlines are nothing but a cause for anxiety, Unknown. A knowledge of how close those deadlines are getting will only increase that anxiety. And what happens if you realise they’ve passed? Will the anxiety turn to depression? It’s best you don’t know, so you will not know. If, on your release, you think you’ve been in five months but it only turns out to be three or even turns out to be seven, what difference does it make? Either way, you missed them. Christmas is an annual celebration, there’ll always be more. The training course can always be rescheduled, a new one can be booked. Stop hanging onto things you have no control over. You’ll only end up torturing yourself.”

Eric’s head sank. “Exactly the advice Lingjiu gave me on my first day as a slave, sir. Some men counted the days, some of the ones who continued with it went mad.” He took a deep breath. “You’re right. I have absolutely no control over my life here. There’s no escape, even with my ability. I’m even more helpless here than I was as a slave. This chip anchors me to this world more than the chains ever could. I’ll try, sir. I won’t count the days from now on. I got quite good at not doing that up in Greenfield.” He took a deep breath. “Fuck it. My name is Eric Unknown. Fuck Siyisan until I’m out. I won’t hang onto anything, sir.”

“Good. Now, was there anything you wanted to add?”

“The tutorial mentioned the workshops, sir. That they’ve all been locked after the realisation that your technology had rendered those skills redundant, but, I will need access to one of them. Preferably one that was dedicated to woodworking from the start, sir. I’ll also need classroom access when the course begins. There’s a lot of theory as well as practical work involved in carpentry, sir.”

“I’ll speak to the governor. They’re currently used for storage, but I think he’ll grant you access. Probably to all five at so you can root around and find out which ones were dedicated to your craft of choice. I’ll also ask him to allow you to clear out the one you choose. Normally we’d get the bots in, but your claim to enjoy a little back-breaking labour… That could be your first job here. A chance to earn a few credits. Don’t place too much weight on what I just said. It’s up to him in the end, but I think he’s likely to agree.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“It’s going to take time to organise anyway, possibly even more time to fill a decently sized class. How many, do you think? For your first batch?”

“Five or six just to test the waters, sir. If those find it enjoyable, maybe they’ll spread the word and we can get more for other classes. I could end up teaching a different class every day, or maybe three classes on rotation. Maybe one in the morning and one in the afternoon too if it proves popular enough. Anything to keep me busy, sir.”

“Sounds like you’re giving yourself a full-time job, Unknown.”

“Good. I like to lose myself in my work, sir. It’ll be a good distraction from the passage of time too, sir.”

The doctor nodded. “It’s time you dressed, Unknown. Go down to the common area and try to socialise. I think it’s advisable to approach the blacks first, though.”

“Yes, sir. But the blacks? Really, sir?”

“If they see you attempting to fraternise with the, in their eyes, lesser prisoners first, they may see it as a snub, that you think you’re better than them or that they’re unworthy of your attention. I imagine that won’t go down well when you give up and approach them anyway. Just remember, you are a black and you may be for a very long time. They will be your first so-called friends here.”

“Yes, sir. I suppose I’d better come up with a few fairy stories, sir.”

“About?”

“Me, sir. Why I’m here. Why I have such an odd mode of speech… Why I’m good with wood, sir.”

“That would take some explaining.”

“I have got an idea, sir. Americans are still stuck with religion according to Cal?”

“A large number of them, from what I’ve heard.”

“I can use that to explain my more colourful language, sir. Maybe even my craftsmanship. I was also told they’re still isolationists, sir? They try not to involve themselves in international affairs. Does that mean they’re backwards in other ways? I can’t say I ever bothered to look up what the yanks got up to in this world, but it could be important.”

“Good point. Yes, they’re isolationists. Very few of them leave their country and even fewer travel overseas. Most people know very little about them. I think you’re safe with whatever lies you try to concoct as far as this lot are concerned.”

“What about Canada, sir? Is that even a thing here?”

“Of course Canada’s a thing.”

“Is it still allied with Britain, sir? In my birth world, it was a member of the commonwealth. Countries that retained the queen as head of state when the empire collapsed. They’re independent, she’s just a figurehead, even in Britain. Back home, Canada’s still a part of the British Empire, sir.”

“They’re still… well I won’t say ours exactly but”

Eric nodded. “That’s my answer then. Canadian wilderness. Naturalists, studying various North American species, making documentaries or helping with them, something like that.”

“How does that explain… well, anything?”

“Dad learned how to work wood when he lived in the Canadian wilderness, surrounded by trees. Passed it on to me. He also picked up some very colourful language in his interactions with the Americans across the border. I bet there’s a lot of cross-pollination near the Canadian border anyway.”

“And if they ask why you're black?”

“Is treason as serious as it is back home, sir? Death penalty there.”

“Yes, that would certainly get you black.”

“I might say that. Might even come up with a murder story of my own, but one I didn’t get caught for. Then I’ll tell them what the police did to me, but…” Eric chuckled. “I think I’ll keep that under my hat for now. I’ll tell you how it worked out, or, you could always eavesdrop. There’s enough surveillance here to negate any concept of privacy, sir.”