Zack

Brent Kelly, CEO of AK Software, gently shook the shoulder of the young woman sleeping with her face on a keyboard. “Wake up, Persephone. Aunt Gi called, and she’s worried about you.” Persephone yawned and stretched her arms. “Oh, Brent. What time is it?” “It’s just after eleven; Friday morning, in case you’ve lost track. Aunt Gi was worried when you didn’t come home last night. She also wanted to remind you that the Arts Conference starts today.” ...

* Kristen’s Story The Bilbo (Sequel to Igor & Ivan) by Zack Copyright© 2001, 2002._ When I was living in Minnesota my ex-boyfriend tied me up a lot, but since I moved to northern Arizona all of my bondage activities have been do-it-yourself. (Although there was some audience participation in my last outdoor adventure). For that adventure I had made a bilbo. This is a medieval restraint which has U-shaped metal bands that slip over the wrists and ankles and are closed by a bar that fits through holes in the open end of the U. Last time I had fastened each cuff separately, but the traditional usage is to have all of the cuffs attached to a single bar, and this is what I wanted to try next. ...

Author’s note: This story is part of my ‘Star Fleet Survey Service’ series. The first story is Field Survey. If you haven’t read any of the other Star Fleet stories these definitions will help:_ The Great Crash occurred when every computer in the galaxy simultaneously locked up because of a date-time bug in the operating system. This caused an economic, technological, and political collapse that plunged most of the inhabited worlds into chaos, but some managed to avoid this fate. These worlds formed a political union they called the Amalgamation, and as other planets recovered and became sufficiently advanced they were invited to join it. ...

Janice’s desk phone rang. By the pattern of the warbling tone she could tell it was an outside line. “Evening Herald, Janice Long speaking.” “Miss Long, my name is Carol Winston. I’m Samuel Bidwell’s secretary. Mr. Bidwell is very unhappy about your story in today’s paper. And he wants to remind you that this is 1983, not 1883. The days when a newspaper could libel people with impunity are long past.” ...

Author’s note: This story takes place in my ‘Star Fleet Survey Service’ universe, but does not involve the same characters. The first story in that series is ‘Field Survey’._ ————————————————– The interstellar liner Gropius was in hyperspace, and it would be for the next several days. Our destination was Zovia, an obscure solar system located on the very edge of Amalgamation space. I was getting off the ship there, and this interminable journey would finally be over. Right now, it was almost closing time here in the second-class lounge, and Sweet Su and her All-Girl Band, of which I am a member, were performing their final number. The sparse crowd of mostly drunks didn’t pay much attention until I stood up and began my clarinet solo. I’m a classically trained musician, and I combine technical skill with a passion for music, even the insipid pop music Su chooses for us. Apparently, this was noticed by even the most indifferent members of the audience, because they gave me a solid round of applause. Of course, this was dwarfed by the roar of approval that erupted when Mari, the band’s vocalist, stepped into the spotlight. ...

(story continues from The Great Marvolo Part 2) Part 3 Author’s Note: Thanks to Jennifer Harrison for her assistance, and for letting me read her great-great grandmother’s diary. The next morning Max and I were up at dawn. I was allowed to wear the same baggy housemaid’s dress, and after I performed a hurried toilet we adjourned to the kitchen. He locked the chain to my collar and I fixed a meager breakfast from the food still remaining in the larder. Karl was not around, and when I asked Max where he was I got an evasive answer. When I finished the cleanup Max released me from my tether and took me into the main room. ...

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. All of the characters and organizations are imaginary, and any similarity of names to those of real persons or organizations is coincidental. Part One Mary was anxious as she entered the big Southwind department store in suburban Seattle. She stopped and looked around as she reviewed what she had planned. She had never done anything like it before, but she needed the money. She approached the counter that displayed expensive watches. ...

Author’s Note: This story follows ‘Kristen Finds a Job’. Many thanks to Jennifer Harrison for telling me about some of her travel adventures and for editing this story. For once, something Joan had gotten me into wasn’t a hideous disaster. I was on my way to the office of ‘We Help’, an organization that provided services for the elderly and the disabled. I still didn’t have a paying job, but at least I now had a reason to get out of the apartment. Performing useful work really helped me break out of my depression. ...

Author’s note: I never expected to write a story that took place in Regency England, the favorite setting for Romance novels (also known as bodice rippers), but here it is. Many thanks toJennifer Harrison for providing details of Wiltshire and for channeling the thoughts and emotions of her ancestor and namesake. I groaned as I tried unsuccessfully to ease the pain I had endured since midnight of the previous day, locked in stocks that imprisoned my wrists and ankles in their implacable oaken clasp. Once again I strained to see if the sky was darkening, peering through the small barred window at the top of the cellar wall. My torture would last until sunset, if I survived it. But I knew I would survive this torture, even though my back ached from being bent so long, even though my muscles were tied in knots from their forced immobility. The thick wooden dowel forcing my mouth to stay open made it feel as though my jaw would drop off. ...

John Smith stared at his computer monitor and wondered how he could improve his drab, lonely life. Objectively, his life wasn’t going badly. Just barely thirty, he was already the assistant manager of a major branch of Consolidated Bank, one of the largest banks in the Southwest. He was healthy, he worked out regularly so he was in good shape, and he didn’t smoke, or drink to excess. What’s wrong with me, he mused. I have a good job, a house, enough money, and I’m not bad looking, except for going bald. Yet I don’t have a girlfriend. I’ve never had a girl friend. ...

“I’m really worthless, Jim.” “You’re not worthless, Kristen. You’re just depressed. You’ll feel better when you find a job. Or you could go to college. Study mechanical engineering, maybe. You’re certainly smart enough. Whatever you do, you need to get out of the apartment.” Jim and I were sitting on the couch in his apartment on Tuesday evening. Or was it Monday? Or Wednesday? When all of the days are the same it’s hard to keep track. I was wearing my usual Pointless Existence outfit of shorts and sleeveless blouse, both faded and worn. Jim was wearing his off-duty outfit of jeans and a teeshirt, both faded and worn. I looked drab, he looked sharp. ...

“You’re daft, Diana!” Derek exclaimed. “I am not! You’re just too stodgy to even consider any unconventional theory.” Diana glared at Derek, her freckled face as red as her hair. Derek tensed, preparing to evade Diana if she decided to supplement angry words with physical assault. She embodied the stereotype of the ‘feisty’ redhead, and she had slapped him before when he annoyed her. When she refrained from attacking him he continued, “Theory is one thing, wide-eyed delusion is another. Do you have any shred of evidence to support your assertion that mystic Vikings raid the coast of England every two hundred years?” ...

The crowd gathered in the private dining room was noisy. Wine bottles and beer cans were abundant, but no one was drunk. Everyone was exuberant, celebrating success after months of effort. Scott Evans, CEO of Astounding Virtual Reality Corporation, stood up and with some effort got everyone to quiet down. “Well, we finally did it. We’ve got a working prototype of a virtual reality machine that makes everything else obsolete. No more goggles, no more gloves, just a direct connection to the brain. All of you here have done great work, and on behalf of the company I thank you. Since all of us are stockholders, perhaps we should thank each other.” ...

I was reading on my front porch when I heard the letter carrier’s old car stop at my mailbox. I looked up from my book and felt a surge of hope. Maybe a letter from Bob had arrived at last! I hadn’t heard from him for so long! The only things about the city I really miss out here on the farm are the Internet and e-mail. I ran down the long gravel driveway to the mailbox and eagerly opened it. Yes! there was a letter, and it was from him! I tore open the envelope, extracted the single page of lined notebook paper, and read the hand-written words. ...

(Note: This story’s background and setting are described in “Community Service - At the Ranch”.) I was dreaming that my cell phone was ringing. Then I woke up and saw that it was Dusty, rattling my chain. He shook my shoulder. “Time to get up, Alice.” I groaned and stood up, keeping my blanket wrapped around me. It was cold this morning, even if it was the end of August. ...

(Note: This story’s background and setting are described in “Community Service - At the Ranch”.)_ I was dreaming that my cell phone was ringing. Then I woke up and saw that it was Dusty, rattling my chain. He shook my shoulder. “Time to get up, Alice.” I groaned and stood up, keeping my blanket wrapped around me. It was cold this morning, even if it was the end of August. ...

Fair Exchange by Zack Fair Exchange by Zack “Hello, Miranda, this is Amy.” “I’m not talking to you—” “Please don’t hang up,” Amy pleaded. Miranda almost hissed out the question. “What do you want?” “I called to apologize for what I said,” Amy began, trying to sound appropriately contrite. “Fine, I accept your apology.” Miranda was still suspicious. “Is that all you called about? I’m not giving you any money.” ...

(story continues from The Herb Plot 11)_ The Star Fleet Series The Herb Plot- Chapter 7 by Zack The Herb Plot by Zack Chapter 7 Interloper moved through hyperspace, if ‘moved’ could be applied in the context of traveling outside of space and time. The message from the Admiralty was addressed to the Interloper’s commanding officer, and after Captain Goda read the rescue orders she sent for Lieutenant Commander Pami Erig, Officer-in-Charge of the Special Activities Detachment. “Well, Pami, you’re going to have a chance to try out your new organization. Two anthropologists from the University of Zarn have gone missing in Avorna. That’s a medieval kingdom on the third planet of star H662541034.” (Captain Goda always gave the star number. No one else cared.) ...

(story continues from Traditional Ceremony)_ _Traditional Ceremony Part Two by Zack Traditional Ceremony by Zack_ The wagon carrying the captives had been plodding along for a several hours, most of the time traveling on rutted narrow roads cut through woodlands. The two men sat on the seat, and the leader stayed in the back near the tailgate, alternating between watching the back trail and guarding the captives. Finally the wagon stopped near a side door of a large hunting lodge deep in a forest. It had been a stressful trip for the bound women; the tight hogties quickly became very painful, and the unsprung wagon bed transmitted every bump in the road directly into their immobile bodies. ...

* Toll Road by Zack Copyright© 2001, 2002 by Zack. All rights reserved. Melissa closed the car trunk and got in next to the driver. “It was really nice of you to help me move out of the dorm, Daddy. I know how busy you are with your new job.” “I’m glad of the chance to get away for a while, honey. I’ve missed you, and now I can be with you for a few hours.” ...

* Transporting Cathy by Zack Copyright© 2001, 2002. All rights reserved. Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. All of the characters and organizations are imaginary, and any similarity of names to those of real persons or organizations is coincidental. Transporting Cathy by Zack Cathy finished a call, hit the logout button, and took off her headset. Ten o’clock. Break time at last. Cathy had only been working as a telemarketer for a week and she hated it already. She stretched and walked over to the cubicle where her friend Jolene was working a call. Jolene scribbled a note and passed it to Cathy. ...

* Island Adventure by Zack Copyright© 2002. All rights reserved. Carol Simony, CEO of the Choplet-LaSalle Corporation and the richest woman in the USA, strode out of the Manila office building and across the sidewalk inside a wedge formed by her bodyguards; she ignored the cries of protest from the pedestrians who were jostled out of the way by her phalanx of thugs. So sure was she that her limo would be waiting that she was at the curb before she noticed it wasn’t there. ...

(story continues from Bride of the Sun God)_ * The Star Fleet Series Bride of the Sun God by Zack Chapter 3 Sonji dashed across the towpath and hid in some bushes until the boat moved on. She could hear the tired horses clopping down a road not far from where she was hiding as the hostler led them away. She had no better idea, so she made her way to the road and trailed along after the horses until they were put into a barn on the outskirts of a small village. The road she was on was more than a farm track and it seemed to continue beyond the village, so she decided to walk on for a while; getting away from the canal was probably a good idea. ...

* The Star Fleet Series The Zealots By Zack Copyright© 2001, 2002. All rights reserved. The Amalgamation Survey Ship Interloper moved in a synchronous orbit above the third planet of star C299776. Two women entered the Captain’s office and one said, “Lieutenant Erig and Junior Lieutenant Mahoon reporting as ordered, Captain.” Captain Goda returned their salute. “At ease, ladies. This ship has been ordered to carry out another search and rescue mission.” ...

* Treed by Zack Copyright© 2002. All rights reserved. It was mid-May in northern Arizona, and final exams were over at last. Jenny knew that she had done well; studying is easy when you don’t have a social life. She entered the Student Union and looked around until she spotted her best friend Toni waving to attract her attention. Toni rejoiced, “Free at last! What have you got planned for the summer, Jen?” ...

* Treed by Zack Copyright© 2002. All rights reserved. It was mid-May in northern Arizona, and final exams were over at last. Jenny knew that she had done well; studying is easy when you don’t have a social life. She entered the Student Union and looked around until she spotted her best friend Toni waving to attract her attention. Toni rejoiced, “Free at last! What have you got planned for the summer, Jen?” ...

8 8 Kristen’s Story Ghosts of Kristen’s Past (Sequel to Kristen in Custody) By Zack Copyright© 2001, 2002. All rights reserved._ Kristen was in bed asleep when there was a knock on the door of her apartment. She still wasn’t quite awake when she opened the door and saw a uniformed deputy sheriff standing on her porch. The deputy said, “Kristen, I have a warrant for your arrest on a charge of attempted psychic murder.” ...

* Kristen’s Story Igor and Ivan by Zack Copyright© 2001, 2002 I’d been living in Arizona for about three months when I decided to take advantage of the good weather and do some outdoor self-bondage. It was mid-September, but even here in the northern part of the state the daytime temperatures were in the 70’s. If I were still back in Minnesota I’d freeze my butt off if I tried going outside without any clothes on this time of year, and for me a lot of the thrill is the chance that I’ll be discovered chained and naked. ...

* Kristen’s Story Igor and Ivan by Zack Copyright© 2001, 2002 I’d been living in Arizona for about three months when I decided to take advantage of the good weather and do some outdoor self-bondage. It was mid-September, but even here in the northern part of the state the daytime temperatures were in the 70’s. If I were still back in Minnesota I’d freeze my butt off if I tried going outside without any clothes on this time of year, and for me a lot of the thrill is the chance that I’ll be discovered chained and naked. ...

* Kept in the Dark by Zack Copyright© 2002 by Zack. All rights reserved. Sally couldn’t believe that she, a woman in her late thirties, (well, forty two), had become addicted to tying herself up. She had experimented when she was a teenager, but she hadn’t done it again until a few months ago, just after her latest unsatisfactory relationship had ended. At first she used loops of rope that she could just slip her hands out of, but she quickly moved on to more secure ties. She had a close call during one of her early adventures, when she put her hands through a noose tied to a hook in the ceiling. She’d misjudged the length of the rope; when she kicked away the chair her feet just touched the ground and her weight pulled the loop around her wrists so tight that she couldn’t force it open. If she hadn’t been able to reach the chair with her foot she never would have been able to get herself loose. This brush with a gruesome death had badly frightened her, but after a few weeks the compulsion returned. Now she took safety seriously and used proper precautions. ...

* Kept in the Dark by Zack Copyright© 2002 by Zack. All rights reserved. Sally couldn’t believe that she, a woman in her late thirties, (well, forty two), had become addicted to tying herself up. She had experimented when she was a teenager, but she hadn’t done it again until a few months ago, just after her latest unsatisfactory relationship had ended. At first she used loops of rope that she could just slip her hands out of, but she quickly moved on to more secure ties. She had a close call during one of her early adventures, when she put her hands through a noose tied to a hook in the ceiling. She’d misjudged the length of the rope; when she kicked away the chair her feet just touched the ground and her weight pulled the loop around her wrists so tight that she couldn’t force it open. If she hadn’t been able to reach the chair with her foot she never would have been able to get herself loose. This brush with a gruesome death had badly frightened her, but after a few weeks the compulsion returned. Now she took safety seriously and used proper precautions. ...

(story continues from Kristen & the Moot Court) 8 Kristen’s Story Kristen and the Moot Court by Zack Copyright© 2002. All rights reserved. Part Three Tien said, “I’m going to leave you now; I want to make your ID tag and the machine is really old and cranky. Don’t try to leave the stall.” “What’s this ID tag, that you need a machine to make it?” “It’s a stainless steel tag, like an army dog tag. Your name and prison number are punched into it. The machine was part of the old farm equipment; it was used to make ear tags for livestock.” Tien left the stall, closing and bolting the door. ...

* Loneliness, Suspended by Zack Copyright© 2001, 2002 The summer before my senior year in high school my parents got a divorce. This didn’t surprise me, because my father had moved out months earlier, but I was surprised when my mother’s boyfriend moved into our house two days later and brought his three rotten sons with him. His oldest boy was in the eighth grade and specialized in sexual suggestions. Every time he saw me he made smutty comments about my body and described in graphic detail what he wanted to do with me, as if he could. The middle boy was in the sixth grade and he was a thief. He stole everything of mine he wanted and wrecked what he didn’t want. The youngest boy was never quiet. If he wasn’t shouting he was whining or crying. I put up with all this for a week, but then the boyfriend told me that I was going to have to share my room with the noisy kid. I appealed to my mother, but she just said that the boyfriend didn’t think that it was fair that I had my own room while his boys were all crowded together. I got the message and went to live with my father. ...

* Loneliness, Suspended by Zack Copyright© 2001, 2002 The summer before my senior year in high school my parents got a divorce. This didn’t surprise me, because my father had moved out months earlier, but I was surprised when my mother’s boyfriend moved into our house two days later and brought his three rotten sons with him. His oldest boy was in the eighth grade and specialized in sexual suggestions. Every time he saw me he made smutty comments about my body and described in graphic detail what he wanted to do with me, as if he could. The middle boy was in the sixth grade and he was a thief. He stole everything of mine he wanted and wrecked what he didn’t want. The youngest boy was never quiet. If he wasn’t shouting he was whining or crying. I put up with all this for a week, but then the boyfriend told me that I was going to have to share my room with the noisy kid. I appealed to my mother, but she just said that the boyfriend didn’t think that it was fair that I had my own room while his boys were all crowded together. I got the message and went to live with my father. ...

* Kristen’s Story The Bilbo (Sequel to Igor & Ivan) by Zack Copyright© 2001, 2002._ When I was living in Minnesota my ex-boyfriend tied me up a lot, but since I moved to northern Arizona all of my bondage activities have been do-it-yourself. (Although there was some audience participation in my last outdoor adventure). For that adventure I had made a bilbo. This is a medieval restraint which has U-shaped metal bands that slip over the wrists and ankles and are closed by a bar that fits through holes in the open end of the U. Last time I had fastened each cuff separately, but the traditional usage is to have all of the cuffs attached to a single bar, and this is what I wanted to try next. ...

(story continues from Field Survey)_ * The Star Fleet Series Field Survey by Zack Copyright© 2001, 2002. All rights reserved. Part Three A guardsman pulled Sonji from the auction platform and dressed her in her smock. He took her to a table where the warrior who now owned her was paying money to a clerk. The warrior hardly looked at his purchase; he grabbed her arm and led her into a small room, where another warrior was standing next to a large barrel. They picked Sonji up and stood her in the barrel, forced her to crouch down, and fastened the lid. The barrel was put on a hand truck and rolled outside and down the street. ...

(story continues from Foreclosure 2) 8 8 Foreclosure by Zack Part Three Notice: This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, organizations, or persons is entirely coincidental. It was just after 5 a.m., and Sharon was supine on her cot. She was wearing her usual night-time attire of tee shirt, sweatsuit, white socks, leg irons, and belly chains. She was covered by three blankets and shivering violently. The chains interfered with her circulation just enough that her hands and feet were icy. The outside temperature had dropped way below zero and it wasn’t much warmer inside the jail. ...

8 8 Monkey Business by Zack Copyright© 2001. All rights reserved. Notice: This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, organizations, or persons, is entirely coincidental. Janet looked out of the windshield as the Cessna 172 approached the airstrip carved out of the jungle that covered most of the tropical island. She could see the buildings that housed the world-famous Simian Institute and felt a combination of exhilaration and fear. Exhilaration that she, a lowly junior pre-veterinary student, had been selected as a student intern, and fear that she wouldn’t be up to the task. ...

Notice: This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, organizations, or persons is entirely coincidental. If this resembles life in your town you are a lot luckier than I am. ———————————————————————— Frontier Days by Zack Copyright© 2001, 2002. All rights reserved. “The Frontier Days committee is asking us for volunteers, Barbara, and I told them that you were eager to participate.” ...

Notice: This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, organizations, or persons is entirely coincidental. The voice on the intercom said, “Aileen, could I see you in my office?” “Yes, Mr. Ryan, I’m on my way.” Aileen O’Malley left her cubbyhole of an office and went across the hall. She knocked on the door marked ‘Frank Ryan, President’, and entered. ...

(story continues from Bride of the Sun God)_ * The Star Fleet Series Bride of the Sun God by Zack Chapter 2 It was almost noon before Thar arrived at the Xenology office. He had questioned three Sun Priestesses the previous day and this had been so strenuous that he slept late. When he got to his office he found his assistant, Ensign Zoe Latour, working at her computer. He paused to admire her. Zoe was wearing the regulation uniform, but she must have had it custom made because it looked like it had been sprayed on her voluptuous body. She also had a stunningly beautiful face, and this combination never failed to arouse him. So far questions of military propriety had kept him from making any advances, but his resolve grew weaker every day. ...

* The Star Fleet Series Bride of the Sun God by Zack Chapter 1 The Amalgamation Survey Ship Interloper moved in a synchronous orbit above the third planet of star U1256637. Far below on the planet’s surface Lieutenant Thar Breg, the ship’s Xenologist, sauntered through the streets of Lanudu, the capitol of Bridium, the island nation that improbably dominated the planet. It was late spring in this northern hemisphere, and for once the sunshine wasn’t blocked by clouds. He entered the cobblestoned square that surrounded the Temple of the Sun God, a massive granite structure that dwarfed all of the other buildings in the city. ...

* Community Service by Zack Copyright© 2001, 2002. All rights reserved. Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. All of the characters and organizations are imaginary, and any similarity of names to those of real persons or organizations is coincidental. Community Service by Zack Mary was anxious as she entered the big Southwind department store in suburban Seattle. She stopped and looked around as she reviewed what she had planned. She had never done anything like it before, but she needed the money. She approached the counter that displayed expensive watches. ...

(story continues from Community Service)_ Marty walked to the door of the apartment and took out his cellphone. “Watch ’em, Mary. I’m going to call the client.” He stepped outside and closed the door. Alice struggled against the plastic handcuffs pinning her wrists behind her back. She kicked against the pair on her ankles, rolled onto her side and complained, “These cuffs are too tight. Take them off.” Mary picked up the riding crop recently used on her and moved next to Alice. “Shut up.” She hit Alice’s hip with the crop and smiled at Alice’s shriek of anger. ...

* The Star Fleet Series Field Survey by Zack Copyright© 2001, 2002. All rights reserved. Part One The Amalgamation Survey Ship Interloper moved in a synchronous orbit above the only landmass on the third planet of star P314159264. Three young women entered the Captain’s office, and one said, “Junior Lieutenant Erig and Ensigns Mahoon and Regan reporting as ordered, Captain.” Captain Goda returned their salute. “At ease, ladies. I’ve summoned you because we have an important field survey pending, and since that unfortunate incident on the holodeck last night we’re now short-handed. I need three field surveyors and you are the only ones that have the necessary characteristics. I really dislike sending you out on such short notice but I have no choice. The ship has other commitments and we cannot remain here beyond our original departure date. Fortunately, this survey isn’t difficult or dangerous. I’ll give you a summary of what you’ll be doing, and if you need more details you can get them later from the net.” ...

(story continues from Field Survey)_ * The Star Fleet Series Field Survey by Zack Copyright© 2001, 2002. All rights reserved. Part Two A wagon pulled by two oxen entered Prison Farm Number Four. Two keepers in tan dresses sat on the seat and the back was filled with sacks of seed grain. Sonji sat on top of the sacks. She still wore the straps that the guardsman had put on her back at the jail, and a rope was tied around her neck with the free end held by one of the keepers. It was bothering Sonji to have her hands immobilized for so long, but she didn’t have any of the pain that she had experienced in Hodg’s wagon. ...

8 8 Foreclosure by Zack Part One Notice: This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, organizations, or persons is entirely coincidental. The most junior member of the Northern Empire Bank’s legal department was sitting in his climate-controlled office and sweating like a pig. He picked up his phone, put it down, and then picked it up again and reluctantly punched in a number that had nothing but bad memories for him. ...

(story continues from Foreclosure) 8 8 Foreclosure by Zack Part Two Notice: This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, organizations, or persons is entirely coincidental. The next morning Sharon woke up early from a restless sleep. She struggled to get up from the cot, but all she succeeded in doing was dislodging the blanket, and then she was cold as well as stiff. The gag wasn’t so big that her jaw was more than uncomfortable, but the corners of her mouth really hurt from the pressure of the tight strap, and she had drooled enough to soak the mattress under her head. ...

A sequel to “Treed” Vella of Gor knelt in the corner where her master had placed her. She had been kneeling for a long time, and now she had a cramp in her leg. What was keeping him? She risked a glance over her shoulder, then stood and massaged her thigh. A moment later Vitalis entered the room. He shouted, “Breaking position, slave girl? This calls for a whipping!” Vella squeaked with fear and hurriedly knelt. “I’m sorry, Master. Please, don’t whip me!” ...

(story continues from Kristen & the Moot Court) 8 Kristen’s Story Kristen and the Moot Court by Zack Copyright© 2002. All rights reserved. Part Two Marlow pulled me to my feet and then pushed me down into the chair with my arms over the back. He took out handcuffs and closed one cuff through the padlock fastening my wrists together and pulled down on my arms until he could fasten the other cuff to a chair rung. I grunted as the top of the chair dug into my armpits. There was a leather strap attached to the chair seat and he buckled it around my hips. During all of this activity the chair hadn’t moved; it was bolted to the floor. ...

8 8 Kristen’s Story Kristen and the Moot Court by Zack Copyright© 2002. All rights reserved. Part One Here in northern Arizona it was midmorning on a bright Friday in May, but my mood was anything but bright. I was glooming around my apartment when the phone rang, and my voice reflected my depressed mood when I answered, “Hello, Kristen Useless speaking.” “Hi, Kristen, this is Joan. Judging from your greeting you haven’t found a job yet.” ...

8 Kristen’s Story Kristen In Custody (Sequel to ‘The Bilbo’) by Zack Copyright 2001. All rights reserved. “Joan, you must be crazy! I can’t possibly do that.” “Why not, Kristen? You like to run around outside naked and chained.” “Yes, but that’s in the summer. There’s snow on the ground now!” “But it’s melting. The air temperature is over 40. To somebody from Minnesota that’s shirt-sleeve weather.” “Yeah, but it’s not bare-assed naked weather.” ...

(story continues from The Gold Mine)_ story The Gold Mine - Chapter Three by Zack Copyright© 2002. All rights reserved. Notice: This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, organizations, or persons is entirely coincidental. ————————————————————- Chapter Three Sarah remained on her stomach and tried not to move, and eventually the pain started to ebb. It was a struggle, but she was able to remove her boots and crawl into the sleeping bag, and eventually she managed to sleep. ...

story The Gold Mine - Chapter One by Zack Copyright© 2002. All rights reserved. Notice: This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, organizations, or persons is entirely coincidental. ————————————————————- Sarah never thought that her devotion to the Earth might cause her death. She was in the mountains of southern Colorado where, she passionately believed, the land had been ravaged by man’s greed for gold. She and her fellow members of the Sequoia Club had decided to put a stop to the plundering of Nature. Sarah was on a solo scouting trip to determine the worst offenders; then she and her friends in the club would bring the ravagers to justice. She had left her home in Albuquerque and driven to a trailhead north of Pagosa Springs, and after a few uneventful days on the trail she reached this mine, the first of many on her list. ...

(story continues from The Gold Mine)_ story The Gold Mine - Chapter Two by Zack Copyright© 2002. All rights reserved. Notice: This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, organizations, or persons is entirely coincidental. ————————————————————- Chapter Two Sarah wasn’t feeling so forgiving after she had been confined in the dark for several more days. The boredom was excruciating. Desperate for something to do, she found that she could generate static electricity by rubbing the nylon cover on her sleeping bag, and she watched the sparks for hours at a time. It was the only light she had. ...

Part 1 Author’s Note: Thanks to Jennifer Harrison for her assistance, and for letting me read her great-great grandmother’s diary. My father, Sir Charles Harrison, FRS, DPhil, was dying. He had been dying for months, but now, in this first week of June, 1889, the end was near. He was wracked by another spasm of coughing, and the cloth he held to his lips was stained with blood. “Jenny, come closer,” he whispered. ...

(story continues from The Great Marvolo) Part 2 Author’s Note: Thanks to Jennifer Harrison for her assistance, and for letting me read her great-great grandmother’s diary. When I heard the Inspector say, “You are under arrest” I was momentarily shocked into immobility. Then I jumped to my feet, but before I could move the policeman pulled my arms behind my back and the Inspector locked handcuffs on my wrists. As I was dragged to the door I shouted, “I’m innocent! You must believe that, Lady Agnes!” Then I was hustled outside and down the corridor. If she replied I did not hear her. ...

The Star Fleet Series The Herb Plot- Chapter 1 by Zack The Herb Plot by Zack Chapter 1 Carin wondered if Jani was still alive. Rudln, her customer, had left the tavern almost an hour ago, and Jani was still upstairs. Of course, Rudln was a middle-aged master goldsmith, not some violent young bravo, but Jani had a way of bringing out the beast in a man. Carin dithered. Would checking on Jani be in character? Jani was an independent businesswoman, and supposedly her only connection to Carin was that Carin rented her a room in the tavern. She made sure that no one was watching her, and then pressed her left wrist. The dial of the watch planted in her skin glowed briefly. It was almost time for the weekly staff meeting. ...

(story continues from The Herb Plot 9)_ The Star Fleet Series The Herb Plot- Chapter 10 by Zack The Herb Plot by Zack Chapter 10 It was morning, and Mawlop strolled along the battlement that overlooked Sigurla’s only beach. He reflected on how pleasant it was when he was the ruling high priest and Angko wasn’t on the island. As he often did, he mentally reviewed schemes that would make Angko’s absence permanent. ...

(story continues from The Herb Plot 10)_ The Star Fleet Series The Herb Plot- Chapter 11 by Zack The Herb Plot by Zack Chapter 11 The next morning the duty guard woke up Evol an hour before dawn. He grumbled and cursed, then fumbled into his clothes and staggered out of his tiny cubicle. This cubicle was another source of resentment. Mawlop had exiled him from his bed last night after Evol had complained bitterly about his ill-treatment. Evol made his way downstairs to the ground floor of the distillery and got a flask of the potion from the herbalist on duty. He had to sign for it; Mawlop didn’t want any of the potion to get into the wrong hands. ...

(story continues from The Herb Plot)_ The Star Fleet Series The Herb Plot- Chapter 2 by Zack The Herb Plot 2 by Zack Chapter 2 One afternoon a few weeks later Jani was cleaning herself up with the help of Tola, the maid she had hired. Jani was very busy these days, as word of her availability spread among men looking for an unusual sexual experience. She no longer had time for lazy afternoons of solo sex. Jani was delighted. For the first time in her life she was getting all the sex she wanted. ...

(story continues from The Herb Plot 2)_ The Star Fleet Series The Herb Plot- Chapter 3 by Zack The Herb Plot 3 by Zack Chapter 3 Jani was getting desperate. Her right leg was trembling from the strain of supporting all her weight. Already she had come close to disaster several times, and she knew that eventually she would fall and the rope around her neck would strangle her. She was crying and whimpering, tears streaming down her face. Her hopes soared when she heard a soft knock on her door. “Help! Help!” she screamed, then struggled frantically to regain her balance. ...

(story continues from The Herb Plot 3)_ The Star Fleet Series The Herb Plot- Chapter 4 by Zack The Herb Plot 3 by Zack Chapter 4 Fear and pain struggled for domination in Carin’s brain. She could hear and feel Jani’s shrieks, as the cargo net pressed them tightly together. The net swung and twisted as they were hoisted up. Carin kept her eyes shut tightly, not daring to look down or she too would be shrieking. The trip up the cliff face seemed to take forever, but finally the crane swung over and they were lowered to a stone floor. ...

(story continues from The Herb Plot 4)_ The Star Fleet Series The Herb Plot- Chapter 5 by Zack The Herb Plot 3 by Zack Chapter 5 Athel didn’t see Carin the next morning, but he wasn’t surprised; her business kept her up late. But when he hadn’t seen her by noon he started to worry. He checked her room, and when he didn’t find her there he went to the tavern. ...

(story continues from The Herb Plot 5)_ The Star Fleet Series The Herb Plot- Chapter 6 by Zack The Herb Plot 3 by Zack As the women worked they talked. Petra asked, “Is Queen Narona thriving? I know that one day she will save us from this island and these priests.” Carin answered, “Yes, she’s reforming all of Avorna. She has abolished slavery and freed the serfs. But there is much more yet to be done.” ...

(story continues from The Herb Plot 6)_ The Star Fleet Series The Herb Plot- Chapter 9 by Zack The Herb Plot by Zack Chapter 9 The sun was just setting as Tola came down the stairs from the second floor of Smade’s Tavern and walked over to the bar. She had been spending a lot of time there since Jani disappeared. “Hello, Tradlo. Can I have an ale, please?” Tradlo filled a mug and gave it to Tola. “Here you are. How you doing? You don’t look too good.” ...

Traditional Ceremony Part One by Zack Traditional Ceremony by Zack The Amalgamation Survey Ship Interloper moved in a synchronous orbit above Gamma, the third planet of star P314159264. Lieutenant Pami Erig, the bravest field surveyor in the Star Fleet Survey Service, was running for her life. She was also cursing her bad luck. She had been waiting for night in her carefully concealed camp when a call of nature made her move into some nearby bushes. Too late, she saw a group of at least thirty savages moving quietly down a dry stream bed less than 50 meters from where she was squatting. Even then she would have probably escaped detection, but one of the warriors, evidently answering his own call, moved directly toward her. She froze, hoping that he wouldn’t see her, but the bush she was crouching behind was thin and had small, sparse leaves. She muttered to herself, “I knew I should have chosen the jungle planet.” ...