In the centre of the room was the place where an overhead gantry could be lowered and beyond that, glinting coldly in half shadow, were grim machines, sinister and brooding, darkly waiting...

Clearly revealed by the subtle lighting, the walls of the room were hung with implements of amazing variety: restraints, harness, hoods, clamps, whips, canes and paddles of every description, enough devices to provide a lifetime of experiences and pain of extreme intensity. Jane viewed them with the trepidation that they were intended to inspire. Her imagination conjured up the feeling of each one cutting into her flesh, searing her skin, inflicting torment. She shivered, felt her skin creep and cold fear grip her.

The cage was narrow, wide enough for only one person to stand. The only possible movement was rotation, and then only slowly by shuffling the feet on the smooth marble disk that formed the base. Whichever way she turned were more fiendish contrivances: there was no escape. With great difficulty it was possible to grip a bar and wriggle an arm into a bent position, but doing this caused the bars to dig into the elbows and biceps provoking great discomfort.

The studio, like the house in general, was well heated: the cold Jane experienced was from restricted activity and apprehension. This was not diminished by time, which seemed to have merged into infinity.

Suddenly every light went out. In the absolute darkness she heard a door open and the sounds of footsteps entering, people moving towards her, moving round her.

Everything became still, the only sound was of breathing. Several people.

A battery of pure white spotlights sprang on, flooding the cage with brightness and heat. The audience remained unseen, concealed by the intense shadows beyond the cone of light.

Kuerne's rich dark voice spoke softly through the velvet darkness. "I invite you to examine my newest slave. She requires extensive training. Already she has recorded faults which require correction. I shall be asking you to pass judgment and sentence on these in due course. In the meantime you are free to examine her more closely."

"Perhaps we could have her turn round so that we can view all sides of this object," said a disembodied voice that sounded female.

"Rotate," ordered Kuerne. Jane shuffled round slowly, blinking in the fierce light.

"Opposite way!"

Jane complied.

"Neat."

"The nipples are excellent."

"I see that you have given her some instruction, though doubtless too lenient as usual."

"The buttocks are superbly crafted, they should be able to take extreme punishment. I would like to see you match this one against mine when it is adequately tamed."

"I think we should examine the orifices. Perhaps we could have her brought out and properly displayed."

"Indeed. She has just today removed her hair. I shall be obliged if you will all inspect the results and give a judgment of her success." This was Kuerne's voice again; he had remained silent while the others had voiced their assessments. He appeared in the edge of the cone of light and unlocked the cage.

"Move to the centre of the room."

Jane stepped out. As she did so the spotlights went out and a single narrow beam shone down on the centre circle. In the beam's scatter she could discern the shadowy figures of her judges, but not well enough to form any opinion of their identity or number. The voices suggested four. She stepped into the beam, standing meekly in the feet apart posture.

Her Master moved behind her and slipped a blindfold into place. A firm cuff was fastened round each ankle and at once a force was exerted upon them, pulling outwards preventing her from closing her legs.

"Wider!" Something flicked her calf sharply. Jane spread her feet further. The pull relaxed, only to return once she was stationary.

"Again!"

Her feet were very widely spaced now and firmly held by the cuffs.

"Stretch your arms sideways." A whirring above, then more cuffs round the wrists, then tension raising her arms above the horizontal. The heat on her skin increased, suggesting that more lights had been turned on.

The touch of hands caused her to start, jerking against her restraints. "A bad fault," remarked a sharp voice close to her. "Mark it for attention."

The hands began to move over her skin, down her back to the waist and over her hips. More hands were on her arms, on her legs, combing her belly, weighing her breasts and probing between her legs. Beyond the indignity she was conscious of arousal, sensing the wetness within her labia and the hardening of her nipples. She had been on the verge all day and this massive unseen intrusion drove her over.

"Excellent condition. The tits are very good."

"She has done well with the pubic hair, and the upper legs are good too."

"The same cannot be said about the lower arms. She is not smooth there at all."

"The cunt is fleshy and moist. It has much promise. We should inspect it closer and examine for anal hair."

"Raise your arms," ordered her Master. The whirring repeated and the supports on her wrists drew her arms upwards into the vertical. The pull continued, stretching her onto tiptoe and raising her breasts.

"Excellent," commended one of the gentler voices. "She is visually exciting. Those legs and buttocks are superb and the breasts are still well defined."

Jane's mind was in turmoil. The situation was humiliating, her position was demeaning, the remarks were offensive. It was also curiously flattering. There was a strong residual reaction against the indignity but there was also a reassurance in the anonymity conferred by the blindfold and her bonds. In a curious way she felt comfortable: someone out there had recognised her true potential.