Two outfits sat in front of Rose and me when the conversation was finished. The long leather skirts


    would go to our ankles and the thick brown blouses would cover our tops. Something that looked like


    boxer briefs were produced andid on the table, there were several for each of us. Hannah must have


    told them what a bra was because Armant pulled out two of those also.


    “How did you make these?” I said picking up a bra and staring at it. The thing Looked Like it would


    probably fit me. The smaller one Rose picked up would probably fit her. The backs were made so they


    could be adjusted and they Looked perfect.


    “Hannah told us,” Armant beamed as his family puffed with pride. “Your female offspring told us a


    human woman from your part of Earth would want to wear this. She estimated a size for each of you.”


    Rose and I were ushered to the back of the room to a secluded nook to change. Kennedy had


    exined humans Liked privacy. The men wanted to do everything they could to make us feel human


    again. Thom exined we had been treated badly for too long.


    Fuji wasn’t offered clothing and I was d. She would have been offended. Kennedy must have


    remembered her tolerance for cold and exined it before hand when they ordered our clothing.


    A N G E L A ‘s L I B R A R Y


    Rose cried as I removed her ornamentation. She took the strips of translucent fabric from me and stuck


    it into a deep pocked in the skirt I handed her. That was a very good idea and I did the same thing with


    my blue ornamentation.


    “We’ll talk to Hannah,” I told her. “My daughters will fix this.”


    In my heart I doubted this could be fixed that simply. These free men despised men that kept ves.


    There was no Great Harmonious Spirit for men like Damien, Basin, and Stayne. They had made theContent is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    wrong decision and were being punished for it.


    The heavy Linen of the shirt was warm and the bra was supportive. The skirt was nice and well suited


    for the weather here. I kept on the boots Thom had given me and felt totally dressed.


    “Put the coats I gave you back on if you are cold,” Thom stated once he saw we were finished.


    Armant cleared his throat and stood looking pointedly at Thom. The other man just stood looking at


    him. Armant touched his throat and his wrist, but Thom still didn’t get it.


    “They aren’t ves, but they are still wearing the bands,” Armant finally said sounding exasperated. “I


    cannot believe that Gunth did not remove them himself. The old man is not as observant as he once


    was.”


    Thom looked at Rose and I and muttered a curse to himself. He appeared embarrassed to not have


    noticed. Thom came toward me and I backed up.


    “Rachel,” he scolded, “I will not hurt you, but you cannot walk around wearing marks of very.”


    The idea of losing my cor terrified me. I’d been badly hurt when it was removed. My instinct was to


    wear it, even if it was a ve’s mark. The thought of being surrounded by these men and no mark to


    prove to them I was cared for…


    “No,” I shook my head, “I like it. Let me keep it.” “You cannot wear a ve cor. This is a free society.


    You need to remove those signs of bondage,” he said taking a step closer.


    I cringed and Rose cringed with me. Fuji was behind Thom and made a strange sound low in her throat


    as a bit of hair fell off her head. Armant brought Fuji‘s strange hair Loss to Thom’s attention.


    “Perhaps,” Armant said slowly, “this should be left to the women.” “Yes,” Thom said rxing, “part of


    their retraining perhaps.”


    ALL the men murmured that this was a task the women should help us with. I got the feeling it was just


    a task they didn’t want. My fingers involuntarily traced Damien’s mark and I felt instantly calmer.


    Rose, Fuji, and I were walked further down the wide interior walkway to a set of wide steps carved into


    the mountain. A literal stage was in front of therge opening to this cave. Thom stopped us and


    pointed into the well Lighted area.


    “This,” Thom said, “is where the Administrators work. They can stand here and make announcements.


    There is a tool we have that can amplify and transmit sound. They use it when they are giving us


    directives or information.”


    Gunth’s voice interrupted us as he came from the open area behind the stage. He walked slowly down


    the steps and thanked Thom. Gunth told him to go to his Brothers. They were part of the transport


    group that was collecting food from the fields today.