R. Blue

Ranger

This story is set a couple of thousand years in the future after the world as we know it was destroyed by a fertility virus, that reduced the number of births by 90% and resulted in only one in two hundred births being female. Technological advances resulted in Artificial Intelligences commonly referred to as Box being the main communication system between the shattered civilisations due to the facility of mindlink bypassing the language barriers.

Chapter 1
The little poacher

The boy stood in the river, washing his clothes, a threadbare shirt and some trousers that had seen better days a couple of years ago.

Wringing out his shirt, he stepped out of the river and spread the garment on a nearby bush, closely followed by the trousers. Then gathering some leaves from the bush he started to wash himself in the little pool formed by an eddy in the river.

The sun beat down and had warmed the surrounding stones, so that when clean the boy climbed out of the river and lay down on his stomach with one arm trailing in the water.

Ranger watched, the boy looked about 9 or 10 with a perfectly round bottom, pert and firm like a hockey players, not flat and shapeless like most of the local lads.

Suddenly the boy's arm jerked out of the water, and a trout flew through the air to land a few feet away from the boy, closely followed by a second.

Damn thought Ranger, I would have liked to watch for longer, but duty calls.

Making his way stealthily through the bushes, he crept up upon the little poacher, withdrawing a restraint leash from his pocket and arming the capture mechanism as he stood above the boy.

A quick flick of the wrist and the leash extended and collared the boy. The restraint froze the boy's muscles and Ranger walked into view, throwing the flailing trout back into the river.

The boy's face showed fear and rebellion as he looked at Ranger, who reduced the restraint, and then spoke.

"Ah my little poacher, caught in the act I see," the boy's face screwed up as if to cry, then finding his major muscles unable to work, just laid there and looked up at the man.

"It is my duty to inform you that I have video showing you breaking the law by poaching. I am formally arresting you, and you will accompany me to town and the council."

"But I was hungry," said the boy plaintively, Oh Shit! what have I got into, he thought.

"If you are hungry, you would have been welcome in the town or your parents."

"Don't have parents," whined the boy still unable to move.

"Well are you a runaway that you need to steal?"

"No," shot back the boy, "After my parents died nobody wanted me, so I looked after myself."

"Very well, stand up and let me see you," Ranger ordered loosening the restraint further, knowing that if the boy ran, the leash would automatically lock him in place until it was reset.

Good looking boy, and not an escaped slave thought Ranger as he looked over the boy, because all his boy parts were intact.

Note: Permanent slaves had their testicles removed to prevent them creating more slaves, one of the few council laws.

"OK Boy, Get dressed and we will visit the council,"

At this the boy shivered, yet slowly put on his shirt and trousers from the nearby bush.

"Where are your shoes?"

"Don't have any, they fell to bits last winter," said the boy rather quietly, "I've got some rags for winter in my camp."

Ranger was starting to feel for the boy, but would not show it at this point.

"Right. My horse is over here, so is there anything you need to pickup from your camp before I take you to town?"

"No only some rags there and my pocket knife is here," said the boy handing the knife over without being asked. It was a standard woods knife, foldable complete with firesteel.

Ranger whistled and mounting the horse which came over, leant down grasping the boy's arm, swung him onto the horse, in front of him.

Twenty minutes into the ride, the boy started to talk, "But it was only two fish? Why the arrest? What will happen to me?" the questions flowed, faster that the river they had just left.

"Well boy, Only two fish, but they were fish taken from the breeding section, so that is two hundred less fish next year. You should know that the river has only 2 miles [3 km] of regulated fishing, all the rest is breeding and feeding, so that we have fish to eat every year. Ever since the troubles we have tried to live in harmony with the planet, and our reward is to be well fed whilst everyone does their part. That also explains the arrest, I rarely have to enforce regulations but in this case you have taken next year's food from a family. We have few regulations and they are mostly to do with how we treat our home and its inhabitants."

"But I didn't know," wailed the boy, "What is going to happen to me?"

"If you truly don't know, then your punishment would be temporary enslavement for one month and a court beating, but if it is found that you have already had a previous period of temporary enslavement then depending on the circumstances either permanent slavery or a six month temporary enslavement."

"So boy can you tell me your name?"

"It's 'Boy', or at least I cannot remember anyone calling me anything else."

At this point a small grey box on the saddle pommel started blinking a green light, unseen by the boy. Ok Box, what's up mind linked Ranger All my sensors inform me the boy is telling the truth, yet there are no missing children of his description in the last five years. When we reach Town Court I will check further.

Why the limit on five years?

His grasp of language suggests that it is only in the last few years, that he went missing.

As he rode, Ranger contemplated these observations. The boy had gone very quiet at the mention of slavery and was actually holding Ranger's arms, as if for protection.

Ranger was a job title, and all holders of this role were only ever addressed by function. In fact Ranger had done this for so long, he hardly remembered his original name of Daniel Rangerson (yes his father had also been a ranger). His duty was the protection of the land and the enforcement of the laws. As these laws revolved around the protection of the people he considered his job to be the protection of everything. A simplistic interpretation but one that gave great comfort in everything he did.

The boy confused him, everyone had a name or function, so how did a boy miss out? And not to know the basic concepts! Everyone was entitled to all the education they could take, yet this boy seemed to have missed out the basic rights that went along with the duty of care for the environment.

Chapter 2
Court

They approached the town court building and Ranger dismounted, and then led the horse to the nearest horse trough before lifting the boy down, slipping box into his pocket he entered the building.

Welcome Ranger linked the court box Magister is waiting in room 3 and has been updated.

Ranger led boy in, still holding the leash lightly as the boy seemed reluctant to let go of his arm.

"Magister, glad to see you. I have brought you a problem," he said as he strode into room 3.

"Yes, I have been briefed," was the reply from the man behind the desk.

"Boy," intoned Magister, "Place your hand in the receptacle in front of you."

Reluctantly the boy did so, triggering a cascade of lights on the box.

No record Magister linked the court box, Searching further…

The boy's DNA would appear to imply his father was David Staffor, but there is no record of the boy in local systems. The boy's presumptive parents were new to the community two years ago, and deceased soon after due to a storm when lightning struck the house. No offspring were registered but as school was not due to start for a few weeks this may be understandable.

"Boy, we are unable to find your name in our records, but that is of no consequence," said Magister. "So as your details are now recorded I need to know only that do you understand that you broke our laws, and as a consequence you should be punished?"

"Yes," whispered the boy, standing there white faced and shaking.

"The sentence is a nine-stroke beating, and one month temporary enslavement. Ranger if you would carry out the punishment?"

"Magister, who will have this boy as a slave for the next month?" queried Ranger.

"You, if you have sufficient availability," replied Magister.

"Boy strip, place your clothing in the bag provided and bend over the table," ordered Ranger as he walked to the corner of the room and selected the smallest cane from the rack.

The boy reluctantly undressed and bent over the table, restraints automatically extended themselves and adjusted to the small figure, completely immobilizing the shaking body.

Ranger retracted the restraint leash and placed it in his pocket, the leash's sensors had told his box all about the boy's truthfulness during the journey and was not required at this point.

The regulation beating was meant to be a visual deterrent as well as a painful reminder, so the first three strokes went across the boy's shoulders. The next three across the boy's bottom from the left and the final three across his bottom from the right.

Without the table restraints the boy would have fallen in a crying heap, but throughout the punishment he quivered and cried but did not scream.

Box, a one month temporary slave collar and shorts, if you please, requested the Magister

An orange collar and shorts appeared next to the boy as the restraints retracted.

"For the next month you will be as a slave, the only clothing allowed is a collar; the shorts are only to walk to Ranger's house and back here in a month's time. As a slave you have no rights, and your only duty is to your temporary master. IN ALL THINGS. You will be taught obedience and exposed to full slave discipline from now on. Once you leave this court, you may only speak on your master's instruction and you will be expected to take care of all your master's needs including sexual. Any questions?"

"Ma- Magister What will happen afterwards?" The boy surprised Ranger by not questioning the slavery part.

"Afterwards you will return here and depending on Ranger's report on your attitude, and behaviour you could be trained as a servant, or if you failed then sent elsewhere for permanent slavery," responded Magister.

Ranger placed the collar around the boy's neck, noticing the boy did not seem apprehensive.

"Put those shorts on and follow me," Ranger walked out of the door and around to his horse.

Boy – now Slave – hopped on one leg as he tried to put the shorts on and keep up with Ranger, and just managed to stay within a few paces of him.

"Home," said Ranger as he mounted the horse, and rode off down the street.

Slave ran as fast as he could managing to keep as close a possible, luckily Ranger's house was nearby.

Chapter 3
Ranger's House

Ranger removed the box from his pocket and placing it in a socket by the front entry.

Box slave access for stables and garden, no further than front door, if you please.

Yes Ranger.

Oh, and in the house can you be audible for Slave when necessary.

Certainly.

Ranger turned to Slave saying "Shorts," Slave removed his shorts which Ranger placed on a shelf by the front door.

"Slave – You may speak, I am going to explain your duties and rules, if you do not understand then please say so. After this conversation you may only speak when I say, and you must call me 'Master' or 'Sir'. You will be obedient at all times, clean at all times and keep my house and stables clean. You will also learn to serve me in all aspects of my life. If you fail in any of these I will discipline you severely. The only exception is if you do not know something, you must ask, to get my attention raise your hand, but only speak when I authorise it. Have you any questions before your slavery starts in earnest?"

"Master, Sir what happens if I try and fail?"

"If it is your fault then I will discipline you, if it is something you do not know, then I will discipline you for not asking for clarification or an explanation."

"Now we will go and get you clean, and you can start learning your daily routine."

Ranger took his new slave into the wet room and telling him to bend over and hold his ankles, selected an enema hose and proceeded to inset it into Slave's rectum, as Slave tried to pull away Ranger slapped his bottom hard five times.

"Slave, you are not allowed to refuse anything I want to do to you, remember disobedience is punished severely in future. This is an enema hose, and is used to clean you inside. You will do this in future every morning and evening."

The boy shook, but stayed in position and Ranger continued to give Slave his first enema, followed by a second and third until he was clean.

"Good, now you are cleansed you should only require one each time, but if you are unsure then give yourself two. Now into the shower, first wash your hair, now your body, all your body."

Ranger was enjoying watching the boy, the red handprints contrasted nicely on the boy's bottom showing the cane marks. The shower stopped and the dryer came on.

"Finally, when you have cleaned and showered the last thing you should do is oil your body with this, make sure you cover all the skin as it prevents infection, heals and also makes you look nice."

At this Slave looked at Ranger in surprise, he had never had anyone tell him he looked nice, smiled and proceeded to spread the oil over himself, enjoying the feeling even when covering his beaten bottom.

Ranger led Slave into the main room and telling him to stand, left him there whilst he went to one of the hallway cupboards and retrieved a few implements designed to punish rather than damage. These he carried into the room hung up on one wall where Slave could see them.

Slave was looking scared at this point, wondering if these were to be used on him this evening and slowly understanding that he could not stop anything happening. For some reason Slave seemed content with this as he stood in the room.

Ranger looked at Slave, remembering the slave training he had given to previous temporary slaves (TS) with pleasant feelings. None of his completed TS had ever re-offended and four of them had actually achieved high positions in the community, only one had failed the temporary enslavement and been made a permanent slave, Ranger still wondered if there was something else he could have done that would have prevented that.

Looking at the boy, he wondered if after TS he could train the boy as a houseboy, but that could come later. First some ground rules.

"Slave come here, Stand," the boy rushed over to Ranger and stood in front of him. "Place your feet 1 foot [30 cm] apart and your hands behind your head, stand straighter, that's right look straight ahead. This is slave position 1 – 'Stand', and from now on you will assume it whenever I say. Now bend over and grasp your ankles, feet further apart, hold your ankles on the inside and bend your knees so that your back is horizontal and stick your bottom out. This is slave position 2 – 'Present'. And you will assume on command."

Taking an object from a nearby table Ranger showed it to the boy, it was a small training butt plug made of red rubber.

"This is your plug and you will wear it or one like it at all times, unless I say otherwise, you may take it out to clean yourself but it is to be replaced immediately you have oiled yourself following the shower, and a little bit of oil on it will help you to replace it."

Ranger smiled at the boy who looked so uncertainly at the plug and Ranger.

"Hold still," Ranger slowly pushed the already lubricated plug against the boy's small ring, yet the boy tried to pull away. Placing the plug back on the table, Ranger shouted, "Fetch the paddle," pointing at a rubber paddle now hanging against the wall.

Slave ran to the wall, grabbed the paddle and returned to his master.

"Kneel, legs apart, hold the paddle on the palms of your hand and offer it to me. This is position 3 – 'Offer', you should do this without instruction any time you are sent for a tool of punishment."

Taking the paddle from the boy's hands, he raised the boy up telling him to bend over his knee. And then proceeded to beat him soundly, at the beginning the boy thrashed around, but as his bottom got redder and redder slowly stilled. Taking his time Ranger covered both mounds from the top of his legs to the base of his spine evenly with hard measured strokes, slowly bring the boy's bottom to a rosy glow and even shine. A rain of tears cascaded from the boy, as Ranger turned Slave's head to look at him.

"You look good in red!" said Ranger as lifting the plug from the table, he slowly pushed it in. This time Slave did not struggle even though his eyes widened towards the end.

"Now Position 2 – 'Present'," the boy leapt off Ranger's knee and bent over in the correct position. Ranger patted the red bottom, tapped the plug with his finger, smiled and then "Return the paddle to its place," handed the paddle to Slave and watched him hang it on the wall.

"Now to housework, no use in having a slave if he does not work, is it?"

Slave having automatically assumed the position stand after returning from the wall hesitantly raised his hand from behind his head.

"Yes Slave you may speak, just remember my instructions."

The boy thought for a few seconds and then "Master," Ranger smiled, "I have never done housework, so what do I do?"

"Good boy, I will show you this time."

Half an hour later an industrious Slave with a glowing posterior was cleaning and polishing as if he was a properly trained servant, and Ranger was sat down talking to box via mind link.

OK Box, what do you think

You would appear to have an excellent slave, but there may be emotional problems ahead as he is trying to please you, not his master!

Recommendations, if you please.

I will monitor and inform you if there is anything of interest.

Thank you Box.

Later Ranger decided it was time for supper, and looked to see where Slave was. All areas within the boy's reach had been cleaned and Slave was currently standing on tip-toe trying to dust high shelves.

"Slave cease," the boy ran over and stood in front of him, hands behind his head and a dusty smile on his face.

"Put the cleaning materials away, go shower and oil and return here,"

Slave ran around tidying up and then raced to the shower. Minutes later a glistening boy presented himself to his master in the kitchen.

"Now some things may be out of your reach, so use the kick stool for high shelves safely. We are going to prepare a meal and in future you will assist in preparing all meals."

Master had had many slaves in the past and all condiments and spices were clearly labelled to make cooking easier for the slaves.

Ranger started boiling water in preparation for cooking crayfish and started to shred some salad leaves.

"Pass me the oil."

Slave looked at his master, then dashed to the wet room and returned carrying a bottle of the body oil.

"No Slave, salad oil, second shelf next to the bay leaves," said Ranger.

A timid hand was raised, and an already tearful face turned up towards his master.

"Speak."

"Master, which is the salad oil?"

Ranger suddenly realised the boy could not read! And this was going to test him as under his rules the boy should have asked before fetching the wrong oil.

"You should have asked before fetching the wrong oil, now return it to the wet room and on your way back select an appropriate tool from the wall for punishment."

Turning back to the stove he lowered the flame, and then turning again viewed Slave kneeling on the kitchen floor holding a light strap across the palms of his hands in the correct position.

"Ok, before I punish you, tell me why."

"Master, I got the wrong oil?"

"No, the real reason."

"Master, I did not ask you which was correct."

"And…"

"Master, I did not tell you I could not read."

"Correct, now bend over the stool and receive your punishment."

The boy's bottom was still glowing from earlier and now re-oiled glistened nicely. He proceeded to give the boy five firm strokes, and handing the strap back told the boy to return it to the wall.

Ranger always gave an odd number of stokes as this allowed him to place a single stroke across the centre of a bottom and then equal numbers above and below, resulting in an even picture.

Slave ran back into the kitchen, grabbed his master around the waist and sobbed, "Sorry Master."

Ranger unpeeled his arms and lifted his face upwards, wiping the tears away with his fingers and said "Rules: you are mine for a month, and I want total honesty and commitment, if you make mistakes then I will punish you, and I will enjoy seeing you with a red bottom around the house. But if you do not learn to be an obedient slave then I will have to send you back for proper slave training and that I do not want to do. I have only failed one slave and I do not intend to fail another."

"Master, sorry but what do you mean failed one slave?"

"I had a boy previously who did not become obedient, so under the law he was sent to the farms to become a permanent slave, all my other slaves responded to training and they are now citizens in their own right."

Ranger still thought about this, but no matter how severe he had been that boy had not responded. Whereas this boy was already ahead of schedule, in fact thinking about this, this boy would only have received a court beating if he had parents to care for him, but living wild meant he had to be re-integrated into the base of society and given the chance to prove himself.

The two of them prepared a simple meal, crayfish tails and salad with wholemeal bread. Ranger set the table, showing the boy where the cutlery went, water glasses and plates.

"You will stand to eat after you have served your master, then clear the table and wash up."

The two of them ate together master and slave, a pleasant picture.

Later master looked through into the kitchen and saw a red bottom wiggling around as Slave knelt on the stool and washed dishes in the sink.

An hour later Slave was sitting at his master's feet, looking at the fire and feeling contented.

"Ok. Now for exercise, follow me."

Ranger led the boy in to a room he had not seen before. Full of strange frames and equipment.

"These are exercise machines, and you will need to do at least an hour a day, they also serve to pump water into the roof tanks, so if you want warm water in your shower you will have to exercise strenuously. The machines generate electricity which is used to pump water, charge batteries and generally run the household."

The boy looked but did not understand.

"Right, this is a treadmill, every step you take causes the belt on the floor to move, and generate power, this is a rowing machine, and each pull spins a flywheel which also generates power, and this is an exercise cycle, finally this is a weight bench, each lift and lower of that arm does the same. Oh, if you are wondering, against the far wall is a slave wheel which only unlocks when you have done the required distance. I would rather not use that as it can damage young slaves."

Boy looked at the equipment, and then noticed that the slave wheel had manacles and chains inside to restrain a slave. It looked painful and out of place with the other equipment. Raising a hand he waited until his master looked at him and nodded.

"Will you show me how to use each, please master?"

Ranger got on the treadmill and setting a mild incline proceed to march briskly, holding on to the bar for traction. Looking at the boy he lowered the bar slightly and placed the boy on the treadmill. "Hold on and just walk, the green indicator will show you if you are generating power, and the gauge will show if you have done sufficient when it goes to the far right. I will be using the other machines so you will be able to see how to use them later."

Box?

Yes, Ranger.

Please adjust the targets on each machine suitable for Slave when he uses them without informing him, and reset them when I am using them.

Done!

Ranger proceeded to use the rowing machine and when finished checked Slave on the treadmill, he was sweating gently and the gauge showed that he had reached his target, but he was still continuing.

"All change," Ranger passed Slave a towel and showed him where to put it on the rowing machine so that he would not slip off the seat. Starting the slave rowing, he went to the weight trainer and went through the the full course of repetitions needed. Again when he finished he checked Slave and found the required exercise had been fulfilled a couple of minutes previously. So he started Slave on the weights and went on the exercise cycle. This continued until Slave was on the exercise cycle and he showed him how to adjust the cycle to his size, walking over to the treadmill he turned to Slave and said "Ok now for a race, first one to finish gets a treat."

Slave cycled like mad, as Ranger walked steadily on the treadmill.

Slave has finished, linked Box.

Ranger looked at his gauge and seeing that he had also finished, got off the treadmill, walked over to Slave.

"Why did you not say you had finished," he admonished Slave.

"Master, you had not given me permission to speak," replied Slave in a cheeky voice, "and beside only master deserves a treat!"

Oh deity this boy is going to test me, thought Ranger as beckoning to Slave he walked to the wet room.

"Slave, you are now going to wash me, so remove my shorts."

Slave started at this command then went over to his master and lowered his shorts, so that he could step out of them. Master knelt down so the boy could wash his hair and top of his body, then stood so that the lower half could be washed.

Slave soaped and washed him all over, but avoided his genitals, yet kept looking at them.

"OK Slave, now time to wash my dick and balls, slowly and carefully."

Slave reached out and slowly soaped the man's genitals, which slowly rose until being perfectly erect.

Slave looked upwards, and Ranger ran his hands through the boy's hair, caressing him for a moment.

"Yes boy, now time for you to learn the first of your sexual duties, open your mouth and lick my cock, slowly and lovingly if you please."

Slave slowly pushed his tongue out and licked at the man's cock, becoming more daring he raised one hand and slowly gripped it and aimed it towards his mouth.

The boy's mouth opened wider and he managed to get the top into his mouth, licking all the time. Ranger began to move slowly inserting and withdrawing his member in a gentle fashion, finally withdrawing and shooting all over the boy's face. Watching his cum drip down Slave's face, he saw the boy lick at the drips and swallow the cum in his mouth.

"That boy was just right, you will learn to make me happy and I hope it makes you happy."

"Yes master, I want to make you happy."

"Did I give you permission to speak?"

"No Master," Slave ran out of the room and returning knelt holding a cane across his hands.

Seven strokes of the cane later the boy returned to the shower.

"Right Slave, clean yourself and come to my room."

Slave slowly gave himself an enema and after showering replaced the plug and walked to his master's bed room.

Master sat on the side of the bed considering Slave, and decided that he should sleep on the carpet next to the bed.

Chapter 4
The next morning

Master woke the next morning to find Slave sucking his cock, and making a better job than last night.

"Morning Slave, you have permission to greet your master."

"Good morning master, did I do better this time, I promise I will."

"Yes boy, soon you will be able to take all of it, but be sure to swallow everything."

Soon he came, and even though some dribbled out of the boy's mouth it was a very good attempt.

This was to become a morning routine that his other slaves had found hard, but the little poacher seemed to enjoy.

Soon they broke and went to shower, when he watched Slave removing his plug prior to giving himself a cleanse, he changed the plug for a slightly larger one and had the enjoyment of watching the boy trying to get it in, finally Slave came over and raising his hand asked master to plug him as he seemed to have shrunk overnight.

After breakfast, he told Slave that he was going out and expected to return to a clean house. Leaving the house he also asked Box to keep a watchful eye on the boy and not let him injure himself.

Slave started cleaning up, and after a time found himself in the exercise room, so decided to do his exercises which he knew were to be daily.

After a couple of hours, he was still exercising, pushing himself to improve.

"Slave it is time to stop," announced Box.

"Who's that, where are you, what are you doing in my master's house?" screamed Slave, looking around frantically.

"Calm down, I am referred to as Box."

"You… You can speak."

"Obviously."

"Your master asked me to keep an eye on you and make sure you came to no harm in his absence, and it is now time for your lunch. Ranger will be having his with the town council, so we will have to make yours. Please go to the kitchen, after showering."

Slave kept looking around but went and showered, then to the kitchen via the hall where he noticed that Ranger's Box was not in its socket.

"Now, what do you know how to cook," asked Box as young Slave looked around.

"Not a lot, fish, fowl but only on an open fire."

"Ok, so today we start with something simple, get three eggs and break them into the medium bowl, next mix them up," Box proceeded to instruct Slave on the makings of a simple cheese omelette.

As Slave stood at the table eating, he said, "Box, do you want lunch?"

"Sorry boy but I do not eat food, only electricity and you made plenty of that for me this morning."

"Oh, I will make more after lunch."

"No boy, that is not needed and is against your master's instructions, you are not to injure yourself by doing more than your body is capable of."

"OK Box," the boy's natural enthusiasm came to the fore, "Can we talk?"

"We are talking."

"No I mean can I ask questions like if you are Box, what is box in the Court and where is little Box, and where did you come from and…"

"Slow down, some of that I will answer, but the rest comes from your master."

"Boxes are computers, thinking machines that help society, we communicate in such a way that we could be considered the same device, little box travels with Ranger and currently is at a council lunch."

"But what can you do?"

"We can manufacture anything, we communicate, but above all we do very little."

"I don't get that."

"We are now at the point where your master and other educators will have to explain, as everyone views our contribution in a different fashion. So we will stop here and you can return to your cleaning."

Slave suddenly realised that he had stopped work and was enjoying himself. Quickly he began to cleanup and was still doing so when his master returned home.

Ranger walked into the house and was greeted by Slave kneeling by his chair presenting a paddle in the approved manner.

"Speak."

"Master, I've let you down, I started cleaning then exercising, then Box and me had lunch, and I was enjoying myself and I talked to Box and I…"

"Slow down boy, get over my knee, and we will discuss this."

"Right for the first nine swats, what was the first thing you did wrong?"

"I stopped cleaning," Ranger planted the first stroke across the boy's buttocks, then repeated a further eight times.

"And for the next nine."

"Oh master, so many things, just beat me."

And Ranger obliged for a further twenty minutes until he could warm his hands against a glowing bottom and yet the boy was smiling through his tears.

"Ok boy, what else."

"Nothing master, but…"

"But what!"

"You cared master, you got Box to watch me and keep me safe, I even learnt to make an omelette."

Box, Please bring me up to date on today in the house and Box did, playing back a recording of the conversation starting with my slave trying to protect my house.

Oh how I am going to love that boy, thought Ranger.

Chapter 5
The stables

By now Slave had slipped into a routine, exercise, cleaning, looking after horse which filled his full day.

As he was brushing horse, the horse moved around and lightly trod on Slave's foot. The boy became incensed at this and began to beat horse with the brush. Calling him "Dumb animal," and other things. Horse began whinnying in pain, as the little slave was carried away with anger.

Ranger, appearing behind him snatched the brush out of his hand, backhanding him to the floor at the same time. Running his hand over the horse's neck and head, he calmed horse down.

Then turned to the bench, picking up a scrap of leather, he bound Slave's wrists together and suspended him from a feed hook on one of the stable support posts. Using an old rein from the stable workbench he proceeded to lash the boy across the shoulders and back until blood started to run. At this point horse gently pulled the rein from his hand and dropped it back on the bench.

"Slave, you did not have permission to beat horse, and that was something you should not have done."

"But Master… he trod on my foot," whimpered Slave, realising that in the eyes of his master he had betrayed an unspoken trust.

Ranger looked at Slave, wondering how he was going to turn a temporary slave back into a citizen. Thinking about it, he decided that silence on the matter would be a better course of action.

"Bend over the bench."

Slave bent over the rough workbench expecting the beating to continue, and was surprised when Ranger started slathering a foul smelling salve over the little slave's bleeding back, wiping it on with a coarse cloth that removed the blood. When the boy's back was clean, and slightly yellow from the ointment.

"Stand."

Slave assumed the position still unsure of what was about to happen to him, wondering if he was a failure and would be sent away to the farms like a previous slave.

"That was some of Horse's liniment, I use it when horse gets hurt, now go in the house and fetch two walnuts, and bring them straight back."

Slave ran into the house, getting the nuts from the kitchen, raced back into the stable, where Ranger held out a tray. The boy placed the nuts on the tray which Ranger put in front of horse's left front leg.

"Break."

Horse lifted his foot and brought it down on the walnuts, breaking them into small pieces.

"Slave, fetch the small hand brush, and clean Horse's hoof, I don't want any pieces of shell to damage his feet."

Picking up the tray of crushed nuts, he waited until boy had cleaned the offending hoof, and then passed it to Slave.

"Horse likes walnuts, so pick out the nutmeat from the shell fragments, place on your hand and feed to horse. No, keep your fingers flat and horse will not bite."

Ranger left the boy and horse getting to know each other.

A couple of hours later, he returned to the stables to find that horse and boy were talking to each other, or at least the Slave was talking to horse, and horse was shaking his head, or making a snuffling noise at the comments the boy was making.

"Ok, that's enough, time to return to the house."

The boy started putting his cleaning equipment away and followed his master out of the stables. Master sat in his chair, looking at Slave. Waiting for a question.

The boy raised his hand for permission to speak, and when granted.

"Master, I am sorry I hit Horse, I thought he was going to break my foot and I got scared mad at him. I now know I shouldn't have, but please don't send me to the farms, I will get better, I promise Sir."

Tears were rolling down the Slave's face, but he still stood in the correct position in front of his master.

"Slave, Horse is a dumb animal, but he is dumb in the fact that he cannot speak, not dumb as in stupid. Over the years Horse has protected me, and saved my life. We are partners not just rider and horse, but friends."

Slave's eyes widened at this.

"Our scientists are trying to create horses that can mindlink like Box, but have not yet succeeded. Yes scientists, all of our horses are cloned as we have not yet been able to make them breed, same as the few other animals you have seen in the village."

Slave was still trying to come to terms with the concept of mindlink, and the confusion showed in his face.

Box, could you please mindlink a greeting to Slave, thought Ranger.

Slave, I am Box who teached you how to cook!

"Box just spoke, inside my head. Hi Box," stammered Slave.

"Right, now you know what a mindlink sounds like, I will continue. I think a potted history lesson is in order."

Ranger settled himself in his chair, and told Slave to make himself comfortable on a cushion on the floor.

"Over 2,000 years ago was a time referred to as the troubles, small irritations and conflicting personalities resulted in lots of little wars, which soon became major wars. People were fighting, but not hand to hand as in our time, but using machines, and weapons that killed at a distance. They did not see the results of their actions and so did not have a responsibility for the death and destruction. After a time the smaller participants began to use more and more destructive weapons until at one time a virus was released, designed only to kill people. The little country that released the weapon thought that a boundary line on a map would restrict the death.

"They were completely wrong.

"The virus changed in unexpected ways and the end result was that all mammals on this planet were infected. Some people died, but after a year it was noticed that the number of people being born was a tenth of the previous year, and that most of them were male, females were one in two hundred births. So the larger countries started fighting themselves, to grab and keep as many females as possible otherwise there would not be a country in 100 years.

"A few hundred years later, none of the countries responsible for the troubles existed. Science was harnessed to improve the lives of the survivors, and resulted in the creation and improvement of Box. A communicator that is independent of language. Realising that the original societies were both flawed and impractical due to the imbalance of breeding females to males, a new society was designed, tried and failed, re-designed tried and failed again.

At this point there were breeding centres in each continent where the females were pampered and spoilt in an effort to keep them fertile and productive. Only healthy males were presented to them, and any lucky enough to father a daughter were invited back to service other females. This battery farming of people led to society evolving a system to handle the unwanted offspring or boys. All laws relating to sexual activities, marriage and other partnerships were repealed, and the general usage of boys for sexual release (which had been going on since the virus) was codified and accepted.

"The simple rules covered the fathers right to his son, which he collects from the birthing centre six years after birth and who becomes both the object of his father's lust and the apprentice to his father's trade. Also a system of harsh punishments and slavery was accepted. There were various levels of slavery, from temporary slave intended to educate a miscreant out of bad habits, to permanent slavery where the slave had his testicles removed, so removing him from the breeding lottery and stopping the transmission of possibly genetic traits that are at odds with the definition of civilisation at the time.

"Due to the presence of computers called Boxes, it was decided that the measure of a person would be based on their contribution to society, and that the boxes would act as umpires in this the greatest of games. For civilisation is a game, where the rules change based on circumstance?

"The end result was a medieval society, underpinned by science. Education was defined as a right, though slaves only received sufficient education to perform their tasks. The only weapons allowed were close range ones, no weapon is allowed where the user could not see the antagonist.

"Now science is still encouraged, because while mankind was struggling to survive, most of the other mammals on the planet declined and became extinct. To preserve food animals cloning was instituted and now there are ranges of animals created for food, and service."

Box, How did I do? thought Ranger.

Rather short, but accurate, returned Box.

"Right. Clean up then bed, we can talk more about this another day."