Empirical Companion 2

Eunuch character begins coming to grips with his situation.

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     Master Erik, as he was known to the staff of his Father's 
complex, jerked his head up sharply at the summons that came over the 
comm system.  "Be there shortly !"  he shouted, running to the 
nearest lift and hardly giving the doors time to shut before 
ordering, "Lower MedDeck !"  For years he had asked his father for 
a 'companion,' stating that most boys his age already 
had 'companions.'  But Erik Brett had wanted something new, something 
different.  At almost 18 years of age, even though he was a son of a 
Complex-owner (and very wealthy), Erik was quite ordinary and 
unremarkable.  

     He was athletic and well built, as were most upper-class boys, 
but was simply "plain looking."  In plain clothes, one would look at 
him with a glance and never think twice.  These thoughts crossed 
Erik's mind as he headed to the MedDeck to see his new 'companion.'  
He was the last boy in his class in the City (which his own father 
had founded) to be given an Ardonian 'companion', and felt himself 
very much out of style.  His plans had been precise and difficult to 
fill, however.   His father had been stunned by his bizarre request, 
but had granted it nonetheless.  After all, Erik was - if not plain 
and uninteresting - a hormonally driven teenage male citizen of the 
Empire.  He simply had to have a 'companion' until he was allowed to 
marry.

     His request, made almost 3 years before, had been complex : an 
Ardonian male, legally a man in the Empire's Laws, slight of build, 
short, and weak looking.  His 'companion' was to be totally 
depiliated, except for his eyebrows and lashes, and be made into a 
fully nullified eunuch.  Many of his friends had their 'companions' 
castrated - some allowed hormonal replacements and some not - but 
Erik had waited.  He had never heard of a totally 
nullified 'companion,' and his would be the first.  As he ran his 
ideas thru his mind over and over, he came to the conclusion that his 
new 'companion' would not be allowed any hormonal replacements and 
would have no control over his own life.

     The fact that this Ardonian lad would have to live with his 
modifications for the next 185 years or so made no difference to Erik 
Brett - he wanted his eunuch 'companion.'  He thought of his friend 
Soran, whose 'companion' was a southern Ardonian.  The youth was a 
more darker tone of yellow than the pale northern Ardonians and had 
been testicularly castrated right at the start of his sexual 
development.  Soran had had the idea to cut the youth and then triple 
his male hormone intake to build him up.  Of course, this warranted 
keeping the 'companions' penis under lock and key, and the youth was 
only allowed to touch it on special occassions and as a reward for 
pleasing his Master.  Erik shuddered at the thought of how well the 
youth had bulked up under the HRT and rigorous exercise regimen Soran 
kept him on.

     Lost in his own thoughts, and mulling over the secret plans of 
his younger friend Jeden's plans for his own 'companion', Erik didn't 
notice the lift door open.  He was brought out of his trance by the 
medical assistant who had just recently finished working on 
Dennon.  "Master Erik, " the assistant greeted him, frightening the 
young Master back to reality.  "Hello, hello . . . tell me, how did 
it go ?"  Erik demanded.  

     The assistant glanced at his notepad and smiled.  "All as per 
your orders, sir.  The 'companion' is sleeping now, and should sleep 
through the night.  Everything went, ah, smoothly, shall we say ?"

     Erik Brett grinned and clapped the assistant on the 
shoulder.  "Thank you, " he replied, "You say he's sleeping ?"  The 
assistant nodded as the lift doors closed.

     Erik made his way to the MedDeck where Dennon lay on the bed 
where he had been nullified.  The 'companion' was lying on his back, 
naked, and the temperature of the room had been raised to keep him 
warm.  The bio-restraint field had been deactivated, and Erik saw 
that the youth had a clear plastic hood over his shining bald head.  
The young Master also saw the catheter which seemed to enter very low 
in the 'companion's' smooth and empty groin.  It was exciting, and 
Erik began to sweat.  There was a low hum coming from the hood and 
the console to which it was wired.  The MedTech was monitoring some 
readings, talking to the computer, which seemed happy to concurr with 
him.

     "Deep sleep cycle in constant run, " the computer was 
reporting, "Subject Dennon will awaken at 08:00:00 hours tomorrow.  
Suggest nutritional input to subject as well as dermal check and 
restimulation of new tissue."  

     "Doctor, " Erik began - "Just a moment, sir, " the MedTech 
replied, looking apologetic, "Computer, concurr and begin as 
suggested."  

    "Engaging surgical follow-ups, " the computer's voice repsonded.

    Erik watched as a silver oval-shaped probed rose up from the 
biobed on which his 'companion' was sleeping.  It came up between the 
eunuch's thighs and slowly slid itself into his rectum.  A servo 
kicked over somewhere as the sound of liquid being pumped came to 
Erik's ears.  The biobed was injecting Dennon rectally with drugs and 
nutritional supplements.  Erik smiled and turned to the MedTech.

     "You have the post-care orders, Doctor ?" he asked.

     "Of course, " the MedTech replied, "12 hours per cycle of sleep, 
4 hours of exercise time, and 10 hours at your disposal.  I can't get 
used to these 26 hours cycles here on Ardonex VII, you know, and of 
course - one medical exam per week including internal cleansing.  No 
hormones for 'companion' known as Dennon, and no solid food - only 
liquid nutritional mix.  Tell me, sir, does he meet your 
expectations ?" the MedTech concluded.

    Erik nodded, still smiling.  He stepped closer to stare at the 
eunuch.  "Excellent work, Doctor, " he complimented, staring closely 
at Dennon's smooth groin which was getting another go of the blue 
dermal stimulator again, "You always were the best Doctor in the 
Complex."

     The MedTech inclined his head and grinned.  "Well, I managed to 
get you through childhood alright, even if you did spend a great deal 
of your time here."

     Erik tensed at the mention of his sickly childhood, and realized 
that he spent more time with his Doctor than with his own father.  
His father might have consented to his having a 'companion,', but the 
Doctor who had gotten him over a host of different problems had 
delivered.  He returned his gaze to Dennon, who lay as still as death 
except for the slow rhythmic movements of his small chest.  "I think 
I'll sit here for a while, " he murmured.

     "Not smitten, now, are we? " the MedTech joked, seemingly 
brazenly in the face of Erik Brett's authority - but secure in the 
bond they shared.

     Erik grinned and said, "Thank you again, Doctor - he's perfect."

     "Well, that remains to be seen, Erik . . . wait until he wakes 
up first."



          There were no dreams, only darkness.  Muffled voices came 
through the black, but Dennon was oblivious to what they said.  He 
heard the hum, and felt relaxed.  He was warm, comfortable . . . he 
was not at home in his own bed.  He was somewhere . . . but where ?  
The voices were clearing.  Suddenly he heard, "Sleep cycle end" and 
the blackness lifted.  His eyes popped open and he was staring up at 
a bright light.  His eyes snapped shut immediately and he tensed as 
the memory came back and his Mind reawakened.  He tried to jump up, 
but a tingling sensation came over his skin and found himself unable 
to move.

     He could not even raise his head.  He remembered - the MedDeck 
in the City Complex, the guard, the Doctor and assistant, the 
operation.  



     Dennon screamed.



     "Good morning to you too, " came a firm voice.

     The lights dimmed a bit and Dennon opened his eyes to stare up 
at the face of the man who had made him a eunuch.  "Your Master will 
be here soon, after sitting up most of the night with you, young 
man.  I suggest you greet HIM in a more respectful manner."

     Dennon tried to remember what he had been told - tried to 
remember the threats of being put to death for insolence by his 
Master - but it didn't matter now.  The bio-restraint field shut off 
as Dennon sat up and stared at the plastic tube coming from his empty 
groin.  It simply did not matter any longer.  He would be insolent.  
He would tell them how he felt.



     And then he would die.


     He was a eunuch, his manhood stolen from him before it had even 
begun.

     Dennon continued to stare at himself, naked and humiliated, and 
decided he wished to die.

     "You wont' find it that easy, Dennon, " the MedTech said, as if 
reading his mind, "Every night when the inducers put you to sleep, 
they implant suggestions into your subconscious.  You've already had 
almost 20 hours of intense therapy to make sure you don't misbehave 
TOO badly.  Besides, and if you tell him I'll deny saying it - Master 
Erik is a very lonely yet caring young man.  It would take a lot for 
him to have you executed.  In fact, you could probably insult his 
mother all day long and he'd laugh at you."

     Dennon sat up slowly, being careful of his cathater, and placed 
a hand over his smooth groin.  He began to cry quietly.  "Yes, sir, " 
he choked out, involuntarily.

     "See ?  It's working already.  And call me 'Doctor', please.  I 
hate that 'sir' thing."

     "Yes, Doctor, " the eunuch replied.

     The Doctor smiled.  "MedDeck Lower to Master Erik, wake up !  
Someone here is awake and ready to meet you !"

     "On the way, " came a voice over the comm system.

     Dennon got up slowly and stood up uncertainly.  It felt strange 
to stand there with the tube still in him and feeling nothing between 
his legs.  He had not reached sexual maturity before the operation, 
and had had no development nor tried any 'experimentations' either.  
He wondered what his life had become overnight and thought of how 
long members of his species lived.  Humans died at about age 100, but 
Dennon would twice that long.  Perhaps longer, since he was now a 
eunuch.  "I don't mean to be forward, Doctor, but can we . . . ?"  
the youth asked, gesturing at the tube between his legs.

     "Of course, " the Doctor replied, "just a moment."  The Doctor 
tapped a button on his control panel and Dennon felt something move 
inside him.  "Pressure released, remove cathater, " the computer 
announced.  "Well, just let it slide out, Dennon, don't jerk on it."  
It took about 2 seconds for gravity to do its work and Dennon picked 
up the tube and held it out to the Doctor who ordered the MedDeck 
computer to retract and clean the cathater assembly.

     Dennon looked around, amazed - his subconscious 'programming' 
washing away the pain and wish to die without his even realizing it.  
He was studying the biobed where he had spent the night when he heard 
running steps.  Dennon turned to stare into the face of his new 
Master and gasped.  Before him stood the person who would control the 
rest of his life - his Master to who he was "companion."  He was not 
overly remarkable.

     To Dennon, Erik Brett - future Leader of the City Complex - 
looked like just another human.  He was a about a head and a half 
taller than Dennon and much more muscular.  His hair was brown and 
stylishly short and he wore a gray jumpsuit with a colorful Empire 
Crest on the left breast pocket.  He had a gold loop in each ear and 
Dennon, unaware of what was going on inside his own mind, found 
himself fascinated with this young man.  He was at a conscious loss 
to explain it.

     Master Erik, of course, was simply standing there appraising 
him.  Dennon felt himself flush.

     "Hello, " Erik said simply, "welcome to my home."

     "This is all your home, sir ? " Dennon asked, his mouth agape.

     The Doctor and Erik both laughed.  "Yes, it is, Dennon, and 
wherever I go, you go from now on, " Erik stated, "You are 
my 'companion', and - I hope - someday you'll be my friend as well."  
Then Erik's demeanor hardened a bit as he heard footsteps behind 
him.  

     "Dress him, Doctor, please - suitable attire if you will, " Erik 
ordered.

     Far from stupid, even without the mental tamperings, Dennon 
realized the reason for his Master's sudden change of attitude.  The 
Doctor's assistant had come in and Erik had wanted to make a showing 
in front of him.  Dennon nodded.  "Will we be leaving here together, 
if I may, sir ? "  

     Erik Brett nodded and watched as the Doctor fitted Dennon with a 
thin metallic collar with two blinking recessed lights on either 
side.  It snapped shut seamlessly.  Next, the eunuch was fitted with 
two inch long wrist and ankle bands which sealed closed as well.  
Finally, to Dennon's relief, he was given a brief white garment to 
put on that fit tightly against his skin.  It covered his empty groin 
and his backside but none of his thighs.  It left no doubt to anyone 
who would look that the youth was a nullified eunuch, but it was 
better than nothing.  Lastly, the Doctor put a belt around the 
eunuch's waist that also sealed in the same manner as the collar and 
cuffs.  All had a soft felt-like backside to prevent chaffing and 
were actually almost unoticable in feeling.  

     Dennon looked himself over in puzzlement.  "I'll explain it all 
later, " his Master said, "Now, let me show you to your quarters and 
go over your scheduling with you."

     "Don't forget to bring him back here in 8 days, either, Young 
Master, " the MedTech called after them.  

     Erik turned and grinned as the two of them headed out the door, 
Erik's hand on the back of Dennon's neck.  

     The Doctor sighed.  "Maybe it will do him some good, " he 
observed to his assistant.

     "We can only hope, " the assistant replied, "If Master Erik gets 
any more edgy, things could turn ugly for all of us very quickly."

     "I think we're all safe.  Master Erik looked quite taken with 
his new toy."



        There was another long elevator ride and more twisted 
corridors and Erik led Dennon to his quarters.  Finally, when they 
arrived, Dennon paused a step behind his Master and said, "Sir, I am 
not sure I can learn where is where in this place.   I am totally 
lost." 

     Erik turned around to see the Ardonian eunuch standing with head 
down and staring at his bare feet.

Something moved in the future Leader's heart just then, and he put 
his arm around Dennon's shoulders and led him through the open door 
into his room.  "I'll have a map drawn up for you, " he said.

     Dennon looked around the room and smiled.  Erik Brett caught the 
look, and felt his own spirits lift.

     The room was half-circular and painted in an off-white color.  
The floor was covered in a gray deep piled carpet, but like the rest 
of the Complex, there were no windows.  The light came from above 
through the opaque ceiling.  There was a computer console on one end 
of the room, and a bed that resembled the biobed in the MedDeck.  
Behind the straight wall, Dennon found bathroom facilities and 
another door.

     "That door leads to my apartment, " Erik offered, "and only 
opens from my side.  When the main door closes, it will not open 
again for you except at certain hours in your schedule.  The computer 
will keep you asleep for 12 hours a night, wake you at 08:00 hours, 
and give you 5 minutes to report to the exercise facilities.  You 
will spend 4 hours there, then report back to your room unless I come 
there for you.  You don't get to eat real food unless I decide to 
allow you to.  All the nutrition you need will come in the form of a 
pint of liquid nutrient suspension 3 times a day that you can get 
from the dispenser in the bathroom.  It's a replication device, and 
will give you anything that the Doctor has authorized.  I know that 
sounds odd, but it's for you own good.  

     "If you get lost or are late, the comm system can be activated 
by your voice and it will guide you around until you get to know the 
way.  The silver cuffs and collar won't come off except in the 
MedDeck.  What they are are electronic locks, although I doubt we 
ever use them.  The collar is a tracking device for the computer and 
also a punishment device.  I hope we never have to use that; it's 
painful. 

     "Any questions ? " Erik concluded.

     "No, sir, " Dennon replied, still looking around.

     "Good, " Erik replied, "Now, familiarize yourself with  . . . 
well . . . everything.  Just sit down in front of the computer 
terminal and talk to it, it'll answer.  It's about 08:30 now, so I'll 
see you around 12:00 to see how it's coming along."

     Dennon nodded and Erik placed his hands on the eunuch's slightly 
pointed ears.  He kissed his 'companion' on top of his smoothed head 
and hugged him.  "I'm glad you're here, " he said as he stepped out 
of the room.  The door slid shut and Dennon could hear it lock.

     To his own astonishment, Dennon felt the reply come to his lips, 
unbidden - "As am I."



     Dennon spent the next few hours wisely, calling up all that his 
computer would tell him about the Complex and his new Master.  He was 
only shown about 20% of the entire complex on the screen, but that 
map itself was staggering.  Every now and again, he would catch 
himself with a hand at his groin, scratching at the new skin.  He 
also caught himself running a hand over his bald head a great deal.  
After all, he had never had a single haircut, and a bald Ardonian was 
a rarity.  

     From what he could also download, Dennon found that his Master 
had been an only child, and a sickly one at that.  He was heir to the 
largest Human City Complex on Ardonex VII and a fair athlete and 
competent scholar.  His personality profile suggested nothing bad to 
Dennon, but then again he was a human.  Humans were capable of 
anything, Dennon thought to himself, catching his hand once again at 
his groin.  A brief flash of anger welled up in the eunuch, but the 
it passed and Dennon forgot it almost immediately.  He noticed the 
reflection of the 2 red lights of his collar in the monitor as he 
looked over his scheduling of exercises for the coming week - for the 
next 6 days, he had was going to spend 4 hours a day in that 
schedule.  First up was "endurance building" for the first 4 week 
grid on the screen.  Running, swimming, muscle toning . . . as if he 
could build muscle tone.

     Dennon asked the computer about this, to which he received the 
cryptic answer "eunuch servants on zero HRT must still exercise and 
maintain health."

     Then there was that thought of every 8th day, which he was to 
spend in MedDeck with the Doctor.  The Doctor who nullified me, 
Dennon thought briefly - before the idea passed and was forgotten.  
What was going to happen every 8th day ?  Certainly there was nothing 
else they planned to do to him.  Checkups, perhaps - the 
nullification had been a major change to Dennon's body and surely 
they would have to keep checking him for signs of problems.

     When his eyes grew tired of reading, Dennon walked to the 
replication unit and asked for a glass of water.  It gave him one, 
which appeared in a swirl of sparkling light and then solidified.  He 
gasped, and then picked it up and examined it.  He tentatively tasted 
it, and drank it.  That set off a new problem : since leaving the 
MedDeck, he had not had to urinate since he had been cathaterized.  
Now Dennon was faced with the problem of trying to go without a penis 
to work with.  He decided to just sit and see what would happen.  
Fortunately, the Doctor had relocated his urethra so as to cause no 
problems, as Dennon soon found out.  He pulled his tight garment back 
up and went over to the bed.  He looked it over, and layed down, 
mumbling, "my eyes hurt." 

     No sooner had he said it than the plastic shield dropped down 
over his face and the computer ordered him to open his eyes and look 
up.  Dennon jumped up, startled, and hit his head on the shield.  The 
tingling restraint field came on and pulled him back down as a dull 
light shone in his face.  Dennon noticed, as the restraint field shut 
back off, that his eyes no longer hurt.  The shield retracted, and he 
got up.

     He was back at the computer studying the map of his part of the 
Complex when he heard a tone and saw the door slide open.   A strange 
feeling came over him as he saw his Master standing in the doorway 
with two other human youths beside him.  "Soran, Jeden, " Erik was 
saying, "this is Dennon, my new 'companion.'"