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Chapter 8 - Pledge Kathleen's punishment

Lisa was just starting to drift back to sleep when the light in the room was turned on. An ear-piercing whistle from Tracy startled the pledges awake:

"OK, sleeping beauties! Up-up-up!"

The four women struggled to get out of bed and stand at attention.

"Good morning, ma'am!"

"Good morning, Pledges, and a lovely morning it is! We got a lot of stuff going on today, so we might as well hit the ground running! I want these beds made and no evidence left that any of you was in here last night! You got five minutes! Then I want you to dump your bladders, brush your teeth, put your shoes on, and form up in the pledge room!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Obviously Tracy had returned to her normal nasty self. However, a good night's sleep had put the pledges in a much better mood. At least they were ready to face whatever she was going to throw at them that day.

There were two sinks and one toilet, so the pledges took turns brushing their teeth and peeing. They knew better than to shower, because Tracy had not mentioned anything about showering. Less than 10 minutes after being woken up the women were standing in line.

"OK, today's upper-body PT day! Everybody upstairs into the pool area! Move out!"

The pledges filed past Tracy, who landed a hard slap on the bare bottom of each as they went by. Lisa led her companions to the back yard, where the members of the sophomore class already were in formation. Like the pledges, the only clothing the sophomores were wearing was athletic shoes and socks. Standing in front of the group was an equally naked Heather. The Sergeant-at-Arms welcomed the four pledges and announced from that point forward they would be exercising with the sophomore class.

Because Tracy was a senior, she left the sophomores to change into the Four-Beta track uniform and go running with the other seniors and juniors. While the younger group exercised in the yard, the older group would do lengthy stretches and jog a standard three-mile loop around the university. The Four-Beta members alternated upper-body and lower-body workouts: on the days the sophomores and freshmen did pushups and sit-ups the seniors and juniors went running, and vice-versa.

Group exercise was mandatory for all Four-Beta members. The rule about attending physical training was one of the most inflexible mandates of the sorority, because the women knew that by nature people tend to be lazy and not as likely to exercise on their own as they are in a group. Part of Four-Beta daily life was rigorous physical activity, which fit into the over-all philosophy of caring for one's own body.

The women only wore uniforms when going out to run because they had to. In the sorority�s back yard (or in the basement gym during the winter) the exercise uniform consisted of nothing except shoes and socks. There was nothing sexy about what the women were doing, not a hint of eroticism during the group PT. Instead what the Four-Betas were pursuing was an effort to re-kindle the old spirit of Gymnos. The sorority argued that it was better to exercise in the nude because clothing inhibits the natural process of sweating and free movement. The idea of complete nudity extended to deodorant, make-up, and perfume. The women were not allowed to put anything on their bodies that might inhibit their natural bodily processes, especially perspiration. Another goal of the nude exercising was to re-enforce the idea that a person should never feel uncomfortable with her own body or with seeing the bodies of other people.

Lisa and Kathleen were relatively fit, so they did not struggle nearly as much as Bernadette and Cherine. Still, considering that the other women in the group had been performing the same exercises for over a year, the four pledges felt quite ashamed of their comparatively feeble efforts. Heather yelled at the newcomers, but let them know that for a while there would be some leniency as long as the pledges showed steady improvement.

Following the group workout the pledges got cleaned up and returned upstairs for breakfast. They ate on the porch with the sophomores, once again a very healthy morning meal of fruit, whole-wheat English muffins, and small bowls of granola.

Although she had sat down with them only twice, Lisa could tell that the women of the Four-Beta Sorority were very serious about any topic they wanted to discuss. Their concerns were academics, current events and politics, fitness, women's issues, personal relationships, and sex, in that order. They did not discuss fashion, music, sports, or popular entertainment.

The sophomores engaged the pledges in conversation, talking at length about the university and various classes. After a while the topic shifted to university politics and then to current affairs. One of the Four-Beta sophomores mentioned a massive ongoing financial and political scandal that had been the top business news story for the past month. The scandal involved a botched attempt by Mega-Town Associates, the dominant corporation in the United States, to seize control of the government of an obscure European country called Upper Danubia.

Lisa was very tempted to add her thoughts concerning the Danubian coup plot, because she happened to know much more about it than any of the other women at the table. However, she decided to hold her tongue, because her friends Cecilia Sanchez and Jason Schmidt, along with another friend of Lisa�s ex-boyfriend Mike, had been directly involved in disrupting the attack by warning the Danubian government. Apparently Lisa�s friends had placed themselves in personal danger, because they suddenly and secretly left the U.S. and she had not heard from them since. She did not know what to make of their sudden departure, and felt uneasy bringing something so serious up among a group of women she was trying to get to know.

The discussion moved to the merits of Mega-Town Associates in general, and about whether it was good or not that a single company had so much power. Most of the women did not like Mega-Town, but one sophomore defended them, saying: "At least they don't kid around. The only reason everyone's so afraid of them is because if they want something, they go after it and they get it. I wish the American government could be like that." Most of the others, Lisa included, vehemently disagreed.

Whatever the merits of their opinions, Lisa's future sorority companions were very serious students who used the pledge process to weed out the dumb princesses who belonged in other sororities. At the table they conversed with the pledges in a perfectly normal manner, but that was another part of the pledge process. During meals the normal formalities of pledge life were set aside, because the women genuinely wanted to get to know the four aspirants as persons and not just pledges. The women wanted to make sure that anyone allowed into their circle could think seriously and express herself clearly, not just do push-ups and withstand being yelled at by Tracy. At the same time they wanted the pledges to understand that they would not always be pledges. Once they passed through the initiation process they would be treated with much more respect.

�There�ll be plenty of times you think the pledging will go on forever, but it won�t. We all went through what you�re going through right now, and we all made it.�

�Yes, ma�am.�

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There were many topics and life skills the pledges had to learn before becoming full members of the sorority. Sexuality, sexual health, and knowledge about one�s own sexual needs were among the most important skills the Four-Betas wanted to pass along to new members. Upon swearing in as full members of the sorority, Lisa and her companions would be expected to have comprehensive knowledge of everything having to do with sex. Study topics included the human reproductive system of both sexes, health issues and medical conditions that could affect sexuality, methods of sexual intercourse and stimulation, orgasms, birth control and fertility, venereal disease, and how to have successful sexual relationships. As Heather put it:

�We plan to get rid of your innocence, because it�s innocence that makes women do stupid things and gets so many of us into trouble. Knowledge is power, and we�re gonna be giving you plenty of knowledge over the next three months. Practical knowledge, not just theoretical shit out of books. The next time any of you gets in bed with someone, you will know exactly what you�re doing and what you�re up against.�

At first glance the sexual treatment of the Four Beta pledges seemed very hypocritical and contradictory. The forced masturbation, public viewing, and erotic stimulation that went on during medical exams and pledge showers seemed completely at odds with the strict prohibition against sexual intercourse. Both the fraternity and the sorority conducted sexual hazing and encouraged frequent orgasms from their pledges, but denied them the right to engage in intercourse with other people.

Once a pledge understood the goal of the sexual education program, the apparent contradiction made more sense. The leadership of the fraternity and the sorority wanted new members to become knowledgeable about their own sexuality in a tightly controlled setting. Once they acquired that knowledge, then they would be ready to safely enjoy sexual relationships. The erotic stimulation was designed to familiarize a pledge with orgasms and make each person aware of the specific needs of his or her own body. Pledges were expected to submit to being sexually touched, but only upperclassmen who had earned the complete trust of the officers were assigned to have any physical contact with the newcomers.

There was particular concern among the Tri-Alphas about the Four-Beta pledges, and that concern existed for a very good reason. In other fraternities it was common for the less scrupulous upperclassmen to seduce sorority pledges and �little sisters�. The female pledges tended to be vulnerable because they had just entered college and were eager to do what was necessary to impress and please fraternity upperclassmen. Many of the 18-year old women started college very na�ve and every year many got into trouble. Every September, throughout the university there were annual scandals involving rapes, alcohol poisoning, and the use of drugs such rohypnol.

The ongoing fraternity sex scandals never affected the Tri-Alphas, because the �Triple A�s� handled interaction with female pledges very differently than most other fraternities. The Tri-Alphas� leadership mandated that female pledges were completely off-limits. The fraternity members were encouraged to date and have relationships with members of the Four-Beta sorority, but only with the women who had passed the initiation and completed the sexual education program. Any attempt by a Tri-Alpha to have sex or intimate personal interaction with a Four-Beta pledge was punished by immediate expulsion from the fraternity.

The Four-Beta pledges, in turn, answered to no one except the sorority�s Sergeant-at-Arms and her assistant. On the second day of their internment Tracy made it very clear that under no circumstances were the pledges to obey orders from anyone except President Alexandra, Sergeant-at-Arms Heather, or herself. If anyone else, male or female, ever tried to tell them to do anything, they were to immediately report the incident to Tracy.

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The third day of the initiation process was full of sexual education classes, the first four hours of which were given on the back patio. Lisa, Cherine, and Bernadette sat at a table in the shade, while Kathleen lay in the sun on a deck chair to continue getting rid of her tan lines. Heather passed out notebooks and told the pledges they would be tested on the material they were being given.

The first class was a two-hour review of the human reproductive system, with an emphasis on the role sexuality plays in reproduction. The presentation was followed by quick exercise break and then a quiz to review the material. The next lesson was an enhanced version of the venereal disease lecture from the night before, given by the same Tri-Alpha Pre-Med student. Once again the lecture was followed by an exercise break and a review.

There was a light lunch, and then Heather and Tracy took the four pledges into the Four-Beta ceremonial room for a five-hour anatomy lecture and practical exercise titled: �Your vagina and beyond�. The pledges realized there would be much more to the five hours than just a lecture when they saw the gynecological exam chair set up next to a table of medical examination instruments.

Heather and Tracy took turns explaining what doctors look for when they subject a patient to a gynecological exam. They showed the pledges various medical diagrams and forced them to memorize the medical terms they would need to conduct and write up their own examinations. They two seniors then passed out speculums and other medical devices and showed the pledges how they worked. Finally the trainees received examination sheets and medical checklists.

�OK, Pledges, here�s where any mystery about what�s between your legs stops. You�ve already undergone an initial exam, but that was for our information and you were not actively participating. Today�s different. Now it�s your turn to conduct the examinations. You will be examining each other, and we�re not just talking about a quick peek. I want a full medical report from each of you about one of your fellow pledges. Each of you will conduct a full gynecological exam, and each of you will submit to a full gynecological exam. We expect each exam to be conducted thoroughly and professionally, and the forms complete with the correct medical vocabulary you�ve just been taught. Consider this a real-life test of what you�ve learned you so far.�

Lisa felt a tingle of excitement, but her three companions blushed and cringed at the thought of having to so completely expose themselves to each other. Heather turned to Lisa.

�Pledge Lisa, you�re first. Get up in the chair.�

�Yes, ma�am.�

Lisa climbed into the chair and put her legs in the stirrups, spreading her legs wide, hanging her bottom over the edge of the table, and completely exposing herself to the other five women in the room.

�My assistant Tracy will do a demonstration on Pledge Lisa. That�s to make sure that none of you can claim you don�t know what you�re supposed to do. I�m warning you now; if you have any modesty about this, you�d better get over it real fast and do these exams right. If you don�t, your butts will be spending quality time with the paddle.�

Tracy put on a pair of medical gloves and took her position next to Lisa. After measuring her pulse and heartbeat, she began by inspecting the subject�s lower abdomen. She noted Lisa�s appendectomy scar in her report, but added that the subject did not have any other abnormalities. She made a two other notations, that the patient seemed to have a normal amount of pubic hair, but regularly shaved her entire vaginal region. The last time she had shaved apparently had been about four days before the exam. The other notation that she made was that, from the general appearance of the patient�s genitalia, she was sexually active.

Lisa�s examiner moved to a visual inspection of the soft folds of her vulva and the opening of her vagina, carefully examining for any problems. She calmly separated Lisa�s labia minora and labia majora to examine the hymen, urethral opening, and opening to her vagina. She noted the size of Lisa�s clitoris and the development of her labia minora and majora. She made a final notation:

�Over-all condition of Lisa Campbell�s external vaginal region indicates a high level of sexual activity. The patient acknowledges daily sexual contact with a single male partner, as well as less frequent episodes of self-stimulation via contact between her fingers and her clitoris.�

Heather addressed the other three pledges: �The examiner has completed the external visual part of the exam. You noticed that she was not shy about touching the patient�s genitalia to get a good visual. That is absolutely necessary. Any questions?�

�No, ma�am.�

�Good. So now you know what I�m expecting on the external pelvic exam. Now for the internal pelvic exam.�

Heather snapped her fingers at Bernadette and pointed at a bowl of warm water containing a speculum. Bernadette nervously passed the bowl and its scary-looking contents to Tracy, who reached in and took the device. She gently inserted it into Lisa and opened it to expose her cervix. She shined a light to illuminate that intimate part of the patient, and instructed each of her witnesses to take a look.

Heather continued: �The area is examined for ulcerations, cysts, bleeding, enlargements, or menstrual discharge. The positioning of the cervix is also noted. Now, if we were in a doctor�s office, the next step would be to scrape some sample cells with a swab. We�ll have to skip that part because we don�t have the right lab equipment. That�s the only part of a standard exam we�re skipping, however.�

With that Tracy slowly pulled out the speculum, checking for any inflammation or other problems. Heather noted what she was doing and told the pledges to make sure to pay attention to that detail upon removing the device.

Tracy handed the speculum back to Bernadette. She took off her gloves and made some notes about the condition of Lisa�s cervix and further evidence of her subject�s frequent sexual activity. Tracy put on a new pair of medical gloves and lubricated her fingertips. She inserted two fingers into Lisa�s vagina and with her other hand palpated and pressed down on her lower abdomen. Lisa felt some uncomfortable pressure as Tracy searched for her various organs.

�OK, now for the fun part.�

Tracy changed gloves yet again, lubricated the fingertips of her right hand, and inserted a finger up Lisa�s bottom and another into her vagina. Leaving her fingers in place, she turned to her increasingly nervous spectators:

�You will complete the bimanual exam by checking the condition of muscles that separate the vagina and rectum. With the index finger in the vagina and the middle finger in the rectum, you can more accurately feel the posterior surface of the uterus, cervical ligaments, the ovaries, and the side walls of the pelvis. You will note the shape of the rectum as you remove your finger.� Tracy pulled out her fingers and held up the one that had been in Lisa�s bottom. She continued: �Feces that adhere to the gloves are examined for mucous or blood, because you�re also looking for rectal disorders.�

Bernadette and Cherine cringed as Tracy held the glove close to their faces. Yuck!

Kathleen felt totally different. Seeing Tracy�s finger invade Lisa�s bottom and move about totally excited her. She wanted so badly to explore that part of Lisa, but much more, she was anxiously looking forward to having the same procedure performed on herself. To be touched in such an intimate and invasive manner�the very thought of it made her heart race and her breathing difficult.

As Tracy displayed the findings of her rectal exam, Lisa took a deep breath. Even for someone as exhibitionistic as herself, this was a bit much. However, she knew that her experience was not finished, there was still much more to come.

Tracy finished by casually wiping her subject�s vulva and anus clean and making some final notes. She held up the medical form.

�Your evaluation forms will be compared to the one that I just did on Pledge Lisa. Now I need one of you to step forward to examine her and another to assist. If I might make a suggestion, the person doing the examination should call out her observations to the one assisting, who will be writing everything down. If you work together this�ll go a lot quicker. So, who�s first? Who gets the honor of examining Pledge Lisa?�

Kathleen nervously raised her hand:

�I�ll go�I�ll do it.�

�Excellent. Who�ll be your assistant?�

�I�I guess�Pledge Cherine��

�OK, Pledge Kathleen and Pledge Cherine. You�re up.�

Lisa glanced at Kathleen, who was very nervous. Kathleen had good reason to be so nervous, because of her motive for volunteering to go first. She had not volunteered because she wanted to demonstrate boldness or to �get it over with�. She had stepped forward because she had become fascinated with Lisa and badly wanted to touch her. She really didn�t know exactly what more she wanted from her fellow pledge, but she did know that she wanted to explore Lisa�s body and hopefully be touched in return. She couldn�t express what she wanted, even to herself in a coherent manner, because Lisa intimidated her as well as fascinated her. There were other issues, including the on-going hurt she felt from the disaster she suffered two years before as the result of sexually experimenting with a female classmate. There was the deep-seated fear of rejection and the knowledge that Lisa already had a boyfriend. Kathleen was scared, but at the same time she was obsessed. The exam gave her an opportunity to pursue her vague fantasy without having to risk being rejected.

Lisa tried to relax, but was not sure how to react to Kathleen�s nervous eyes, trembling hands, and shaky voice. Lisa wondered if Kathleen had a crush on her, not realizing that Kathleen�s feelings were far more complicated and undefined than that. Kathleen wanted something, but she wasn�t sure what.

Lisa�s thoughts turned to the practical concern of getting both herself and her fellow pledge through the exam without either of them getting into trouble. She would need to be as supportive as possible and not do anything at the moment to upset Kathleen or hurt her feelings. Whenever they had a moment alone perhaps there would be an opportunity to figure out what to do about her companion. Now the task that mattered was finishing the exam and avoiding Tracy�s paddle.

Lisa smiled slightly at Kathleen, silently trying to assure her that everything was OK.

�Y�You ready?�

Lisa nodded. With that Kathleen began the external examination, asking Lisa the same questions about her sexual history that Tracy had asked. Following Tracy�s lead, Kathleen carefully examined Lisa and called out her observations to Cherine. However, seeing Lisa�s clitoris so vulnerable and exposed proved too much of a temptation. Kathleen gently brushed that tender spot a couple of times, and in doing so began arousing her subject.

The internal exam went well and relatively quickly. The big test of Kathleen�s self control would be the bimanual portion of the exam and the final probing of Lisa�s rectum.

Kathleen�s hands and voice trembled as she inserted her fingers into Lisa�s vagina. She pressed and palpated her subject�s lower abdomen and called out her observations, but her thoughts were on her subject�s clitoris and bottom, not her reproductive system.

So far Kathleen had not done badly, but Tracy and Heather both knew that she was struggling to keep calm. They watched with crossed arms as the pledge approached the final and most difficult part of her test. Obviously with her, shyness was not a problem, but�

Kathleen�s hands trembled as she struggled to change gloves for the final examination. Tracy directed Cherine to help the examiner get the gloves on properly. Now the moment had come. Kathleen pressed into Lisa�s vagina and bottom, totally fascinated at the thought of being so deeply inside her. Lisa positioned herself as best she could to help her get in. The pledge gently moved her finger back and forth inside Lisa�s bottom, and, without thinking about what she was doing, gently touched Lisa�s clitoris with her free hand. She began massaging from both ends as Lisa closed her eyes to enjoy the sensation�

It was Tracy who broke the spell.

�Pledge Kathleen, are you going to finish up or not? This is not a love-making session, it�s a medical exam.�

Despair swept over both Kathleen and Lisa upon hearing Tracy�s voice. They looked up to see the impatient officers and the wide-eyed expressions of their fellow pledges. Lisa now was sexually aroused, but Kathleen was desperate with desire. She gave Tracy a very unpleasant look. She heaved a sigh, wiped her subject clean, and took her medical form to finish filling it out. Lisa got out of the examination chair, because now it would be her turn to do the exam.

Lisa had hoped to examine Kathleen, but it turned out that her companion was now in trouble. Tracy ordered Cherine to get into the chair, Lisa to examine her, and Bernadette to assist. She pulled out a pair of handcuffs and told Kathleen to position herself to be cuffed. Tracy then took her by the arm and led her out of the room.

The pledge mistress led her pledge to a small utility room near the kitchen that had a variety of discipline implements hanging on the wall. She selected a leather strap that was about 18 inches long, counting the handle, and about 2 inches wide. She held it up in front of the terrified freshman:

�Pledge Kathleen, I have only one thing to say to you. That was a medical exam, not a groping session. You need to learn some self-control. I�d imagine this�ll help you calm down.�

Tracy led her unhappy companion to the pool patio. She unhooked Kathleen�s cuffs and repositioned her hands to re-hook them in front. She ordered the pledge to bend over a patio table and extend her hands to the far end. She took a plastic packaging strap and attached the cuffs to one of the table legs. She ordered Kathleen to spread her legs and turn her backside up. Once Kathleen was positioned Tracy gently began rubbing her bottom.

�Pledge, I�m about to discipline you, but I want to make sure you understand why you�re being punished.�

�Ma�am�I�m sorry! I�wasn�t��

CRACK!

Tracy struck hard with the strap, laying a pick strip of pure pain right across the middle of the pledge�s bottom-cheeks. Kathleen screamed and kicked one of her feet back.

CRACK!�CRACK!

�Let�s get something straight, Pledge! I don�t EVER want to hear you say �sorry� to me again! Of course you�re sorry, because now your ass is burning! I didn�t ask you if you were �sorry�; I asked you if you understand why you�re being punished!�

�Ahh�urr�I�I�I was�like�uh�touching Lisa��

CRACK!

�That�s PLEDGE Lisa! You will refer to your fellow pledges by their proper title!�

CRACK!

�Oww�hoo�hoo��

Tracy raised the strap again, ready to strike.

�You�d better start talking, Pledge! I got you tied up and I have all night to spend with you, if I that�s what I want! I�m not going anywhere��

�I�I�uh�I�wanted to�you know�touch Pledge Lisa�and�I don�t know why�but�I wasn�t �sposed to�you know like�not during the medical test�and not in front of�I wasn�t �sposed to, and I knew�but I couldn�t help myself��

CRACK!

�You couldn�t help yourself! Aww, ain�t that so sad! You just couldn�t help yourself!�

CRACK!

�That�s the lamest bullshit excuse there is, Pledge! Unless aliens have taken over your body, of course you can help yourself! It�s called self-control, Pledge Kathleen, self control!�

CRACK!

�OWW! Hoo�hoo�hoo!�

CRACK!

�Let me explain something, Pledge! Before I sign your membership certificate, you WILL learn self-control! There�s a proper time for everything, and you picked the wrong time to play feelies with Pledge Lisa!

CRACK!

�If there�s anything going on between you and Pledge Lisa, for me that�s not a problem, but it IS a problem if it interferes with an assignment we have given you!�

�Yes ma�am.�

CRACK!

�You need to focus, Pledge!�

CRACK!

�Y�yes�ma�am�Oww�oww��

�You need to remember why you�re here!�

�Yes, ma�am!�

CRACK!

�You are here to complete the Four-Beta orientation program! That�s why you�re here!�

CRACK!

To complete OUR program, and to follow OUR rules!�

�Yes, ma�am!�

CRACK!

�Get it?�

�Oww�ow�hoo�hoo�Yes, ma�am��

CRACK!� CRACK!� CRACK!� CRACK!� CRACK!�

Tracy delivered five truly vicious swats to finish disciplining the pledge. She then stood back to let her cry it out. Kathleen, her hands still cuffed and her body stretched over the tabletop, sobbed pitifully for nearly 15 minutes. Finally Tracy left for a moment to put away the strap, then returned to release Kathleen. She cut the packaging strap and helped the crying pledge stand up. The pledge mistress un-cuffed the pledge�s hands, but only to guide her hands behind her back and re-cuff them. Kathleen�s punishment was not over.

Tracy took her charge by the arm and led her back to the sitting room where the Cherine, with Lisa assisting, was finishing up her examination of Bernadette. The three women glanced nervously at Tracy as she led the teary-eyed Pledge Kathleen to a corner, ordered her to kneel facing the wall, and blindfolded her. The pledge made a sad sight, her body heaving with quiet sobs, her hands behind her back, and her bottom covered with dark red stripes.

Tracy and Heather looked over the examination forms while three pledges knelt before them and the fourth remained kneeling in the corner. Finally Heather put three forms in pledge personnel folders.

�Pledges Lisa, Bernadette, and Cherine; you�ve passed the practical exercise of the gynecological portion of your orientation training. I want you to take all the used medical equipment to the kitchen and properly sterilize it according to the manual. Disposable items go into the red medical waste bin.�

�Yes, ma�am.�

�We will leave the chair in place because Pledge Kathleen will have to re-do the practical exercise tomorrow morning at 5:00 a.m. Due to our unfortunate little incident today, I will serve as the pledge�s examination subject and directly evaluate her. If she fails the practical a second time, she will be dismissed from the pledge group.�

Lisa was both shocked and infuriated at the unfairness of Kathleen�s situation. She had done the exam correctly almost up to the end. Yes, it was true that Kathleen was extremely nervous and that she had fondled her during the final part of the exam, but that was only because Lisa had done everything possible to encourage her. She had given her companion plenty of looks and body language to send the message that �it�s OK, you can touch me�, to make her less nervous. However, her actions, instead of helping Kathleen, caused her to get into serious trouble.

Lisa helped Bernadette and Cherine take the medical instruments to the kitchen and get a large pot of water set up to boil them. Once the pot was going, she left the kitchen to find either Heather or Tracy. She couldn�t find Heather, but finally located Tracy sitting at the computer in the sorority�s office, typing entries into the training log. She knelt at the door and knocked.

�Ma�am, Pledge Lisa requests permission to speak.�

Tracy hit �save� on the computer and turned to face the door.

�Pledge, this had better be important, because you�re supposed to be in the kitchen.�

�Yes, ma�am.�

�Alright, so let�s hear it.�

�Ma�am, what you�re doing to Pledge Kathleen is totally unfair. She only touched me like that because I encouraged her.�

�Yes, I could see that. You were encouraging her.�

�So why�d you just punish her? How come she got all the blame?�

�Pledge Lisa, the reason she got the blame was because she was the one conducting the exam. That exam was her responsibility. Part of that responsibility was that she was supposed to show self-control, and she didn�t. That failure was what got her punished.�

�But, ma�am, I encouraged her.�

�Yes, you did encourage her, and now that you�re here, I�d like to know why.�

�I�I just thought it�d make things easier on her if�you know�I let her know that�it�s OK��cause she was so nervous��

�Pledge, don�t bullshit me. She was touching you, and you were doing everything you could to get her to touch you. Both of you were getting off on it, in front of four witnesses. So let�s hear it. What�s going on between you two?�

�I don�t know, ma�am. I�don�t really know�what�s going on�but I�I just don�t think it�s fair�that��

��that she got punished and you didn�t?�

�Yes, ma�am. It�s just that I feel responsible for what happened, ma�am. I mean like�I�m a year older�and she�s kinda na�ve.�

�She�s confused, Pledge Lisa. I�d say she�s confused. I wouldn�t say she�s na�ve.�

�But I still feel responsible. I mean like�I don�t think you oughta punish her, and threaten to kick her out�and��

�Pledge, let�s have a reality check here. The rule is; if you don�t pass the initiation tests, then you�re out. It�s that simple. We are cutting her some slack, because normally you don�t get to re-test. She came close enough to passing that she�s getting a second chance, which is something we normally don�t do.�

�Yes, ma�am, but�I mean��

�Pledge Lisa, what you need to do is support her and try to get her to calm down. She�s got a rough half-hour ahead of her tomorrow morning and she�s gonna have to think straight and pay attention to what she�s doing. If you can help her, I�d appreciate it, because to be honest, I don�t want to have to kick her out.�

�Ma�am, I also feel I gotta take responsibility. It�uh�wasn�t all her fault. She shouldn�t be getting all the blame��

Tracy was silent for a minute, as she pondered how best to deal with the difficult situation between herself and the pledge. She realized that she had yet another opportunity to push Lisa�s limits and test her resolve to sacrifice for her three companions.

�Pledge�given what�s happened to Pledge Kathleen, do you understand how I�m interpreting what you just said to me?�

�I�uh�yes ma�am.�

��and even so, you�re still willing to �take responsibility�?�

�Yes, ma�am.�

�You understand that means being punished?�

�Yes, ma�am. I understand that.�

Tracy hesitated for a moment, then hit the screensaver button on her computer.

�Alright, Pledge. What you�ll need to do is meet me out by the patio tables. I�ll get the strap.�

�Yes, ma�am.�

�Since you�re volunteering for this punishment, I�m giving you the choice of being cuffed or holding your own position. If I don�t restrain you, can you stay bent over?�

�Yes, ma�am.�

�Then I�ll go get the strap. Meet me outside.�

Lisa sadly walked past the kitchen and her two bewildered companions.

�Lisa, is everything OK?�

�Not really.�

She continued out to the patio and stood next to the outdoor tables, as Cherine and Bernadette watched from the kitchen window. A moment later Tracy joined her, carrying the same leather strap had she used on Kathleen. The two pledges in the kitchen stared in disbelief as Lisa bent over one of the tables and Tracy positioned herself to administer the punishment. Tracy said something to Lisa, and she sadly nodded. Tracy then tapped the insides of the pledge�s thighs with the strap to force them apart.

CRACK!�CRACK!�CRACK!�CRACK!�CRACK!�

For the second time in less than 48 hours Lisa submitted to a punishment on behalf of one of the members of her group. The strokes were as severe as the ones given to Kathleen; the only indignity that Lisa was spared was having to answer Tracy's questions while she was being whipped. As the blows continued and the burning in her backside mounted, Lisa gritted her teeth in a desperate effort to stay quiet. She was determined, no matter what, not to let either Tracy or her companions watching from the kitchen see her cry.

CRACK!�CRACK!�CRACK!�CRACK!�CRACK!�

The two naked women in the kitchen flinched in sympathy as the strokes continued to land on their fellow pledge. Bernadette commented:

�God, they�re being rough on her.�

The Pledge Mistress - Chapter 9