THE RECRUIT
By; Gerald A. Polley
Chapter 6
He was taken to the commander's house the next day, and weeks of
routine began to pass. While he was not allowed to get out of bed
Sabrina and Rosanne helped him with the necessities. When he
could finally get up on crutches and get to the bathroom it was a
relief! The two of them also took turns washing him. Imal
noticed that when Roseanne did so she tended to look at a certain part
of his body quite often while trying to make it appear she wasn't
looking. He finally spoke to Sabrina. "Maybe if it's too
embarrassing for her we should just let you do the bathing."
Sabrina said she'd speak to her. A while later she came back all grins. "What is it?" Imal asked.
"She said," his wife to be commented, "that it's all right. It's
just she can't understand why on some men it looks so revolting and
disgusting, and on other men it looks so pleasing and desirable!
She means no offense."
Imal roared with laughter. "None taken!" he managed.
A few days later a little before bed time, Sabrina brought Rosanne in,
dragging a chair behind her. She wasn't in her uniform but was in
her nightgown and robe. Fluffy slippers with rabbit ears were on
her feet. She looked almost childish. But Imal knew this
was no child. "I think," Sabrina announced, "it's time she told
you some things. I think it will make things a lot better between
us. I've told her she doesn't have to, but I think it's best.
What do you think?"
"I agree with you," Imal
answered, "but again, it must be of her free will. This is
something that cannot be forced. If the trust is not there yet,
then it can wait."
"Oh, it's there!" Rosanne
answered. "It's there! And I suppose you should know.
Everybody around here keeps saying it's best to tell your story to
people before they hear it from somebody else, so they have the truth
first. These damned people think so much of the truth. It's
a little hard on other people."
Imal smiled. "How true!" he agreed.
The chair was sat down, Rosanne seated in it, and Sabrina left.
As soon as she was out of sight Roseanne began.
"My father was a South American drug lord. I was raised to be a
total and complete selfish bitch. From the age of ten I would go
with the men selecting the girls from the villages to be sold as sex
slaves. I was fourteen when the raiders came, killed my father,
and most of the men in the house. They took me somewhere, I never
really knew where, and there was a trial. I was sentenced to
death. But there was this real pretty lady and she said I was
never given a chance to make full confession. And if I did that,
I couldn't be executed. Well, it just so happened that I still
had some information they didn't have, and it helped them find a whole
bunch of girls and free them. The lady came to me and said they'd
give me life in punishment but there was a problem. My medical
tests had shown that the drugs my mother and father had used had messed
me up real bad. If I had any children, well, it wouldn't have
been very nice for the children. They were willing to give me
life in punishment but I'd have to be sterilized. They couldn't
let me have any children, it just would not be right.
Well, I didn't like the idea much, but somehow I knew they were
right. So I said "Go ahead!" They did the surgery and I was sent
to a labor camp. Not a bad place! Then a recruiter showed
up. They needed girls to mess with the anti abortionists in The
United States, and I was a perfect subject. If they arrested me
and accused me of having an abortion, and then they found out I was
sterile, it would embarrass the hell out of them! So I went to
Mississippi and messed with them for about three years. When I
got too well known there, I went to Tennessee. When Mississippi
had to pay me six million dollars for the harassment they had been
causing me, and Tennessee four million, the anti abortionists decided
it was just too expensive to fight us, and the operations discontinued.
The African missions were just starting,
and I was offered a position there. I ended up as a stock clerk
with madame's unit. The African men liked the idea of a pretty
white girl that couldn't get pregnant, and my supervisor kept
pressuring me to fulfill their desires. Minda, Tabitha's first
nanny, found out about it and madame made me her personal aide. I
was given some military training in the field and have been with her
ever since!"
"Were you in any of the fighting?" Imal asked.
"Not really," Roseanne answered, "I was with the defense of last
resorts with The Children. Nobody really got to us! I got
to guard some prisoners after the battle but that was all. Now
we're here! That's it! Except I'm very glad you've come along.
Madame needs someone. Her last close male companion was
killed. Tabitha adores you, and, Raphael! I can't believe
the noise they make when she's having a bath! You'd think he was
a child, too!"
Imal laughed. "Thank you!" he
complimented. "I really appreciate it that you shared that with me. Why
don't you use a last name? Raphael never knew his. But you
did."
"That family doesn't want me any more,"
Roseanne answered. "That country doesn't want me any more.
To them I'm dead, I'm gone. It's something I don't like to think
about."
Imal nodded. "Get to bed!" he insisted.
The next day, as usual, Roseanne took him to class, and at the end of
the day came to bring him back. They had just passed the gate
where Imal had had his first little adventure, when he spoke up.
"Roseanne, you say your old family doesn't want you, your country
doesn't recognize you, you're part of our family. Would you like
to use my name?"
The wheelchair stopped.
Roseanne came around to the side and stared down at him. "You'd
give me your name?" she managed.
"Yes!" Imal answered. "Would you be offended?"
Roseanne fell to her knees beside the wheelchair, put her head on his
lap and began to sob, heavily. Imal was completely taken
back. He heard footsteps running up and saw the Damon from the
gate that had assisted him before.
"Roseanne!" the man cried, "What's the matter, dear? What's the matter?"
"I don't understand," Imal explained, "I offered to let her use my
family name. I thought it would please her. Instead it appears
I've hurt her."
The burly Damon's eyes
widened. "Oh, no, sir! Oh, no!" he answered. "You
haven't hurt her. No, you haven't hurt her!" He motioned to
another man. "Take the wheelchair," he lifted Roseanne.
"Come on!" he encouraged, "let's get you home."
"Home!" Roseanne muttered, "It would really be home."
The Damon smiled at her. In a while they were back in the house.
The Damon came in and assured Imal everything was fine. "It was
just a shock,"" he told him. "She is really, really pleased!
Nothing could please her more. Thank you! I've tried to strike up
an acquaintance with her. I've told her there's no reason we
can't be friends. But she keeps saying no."
Imal thanked him and told him to return to his duties and realized he
really shouldn't be ordering people. Theoretically, he wasn't
personnel.