The Empress Triumphant
Tap.
Severna Strickland sat at her desk, lost in thought. She was an exceptionally handsome woman, mature yet youthful. Wearing a sleek dress and high heels, with her long auburn hair tied back in a professional tail, she exuded both sexiness and authority in equal measure.
Her musing ended with a knock at the door. She called out permission to enter. The door opened, and a tall, athletic young woman wearing a business suit stepped inside. The woman slipped off her shoes and pushed them with her bare feet into an awaiting cubby. Then she walked across the large office suite to stand before her employer.
“Yes, Lena?” Severna asked.
She eyed the woman, who was attractive but not as much as others in her employ. Normally, she wouldn’t keep such a woman on her staff. But Lena’s skill and competence at security work made up for her less than amazing looks.
“Ma’am,” Lena said, with a respectful nod. “Preparations are ready. I will be outside but available the entire time.”
Tap.
“Fine, Lena. You may go.”
Lana bowed and retreated back from the desk. At the door, she retrieved her shoes and exited quietly.
Severna returned to her thoughts, specifically to the preparations that Lena had mentioned. She had put them in place as a safeguard. Although she didn’t know for certain, she presumed that without them in place, she would soon lose her position of criminal mastermind of the city. She would lose that status to one particular person:
Ms. Mesmer.
She had invited Ms. Mesmer to a meeting scheduled for that very day in her office. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss forging an alliance and potentially sharing their power. Both women held apex positions within the city’s vast underworld, and both often tangled with the superheroines and female crimefighters, who sought futilely to unseat them and bring down their organizations.
Tap.
The difference between the women was in their methods. Ms. Mesmer made no effort to hide her activities, blatantly flaunting her prowess at entrancing and enslaving any woman she came in contact with. No one knew whether her abilities could be attributed to skills, technologies, powers, or some combination thereof. But everyone agreed that no heroine, cop, city official, or civilian was safe if the attention of the villainess turned towards her.
Severna operated much differently. While she, too, had a penchant for brainwashing women into serving as her obedient thralls, she handled her affairs in a much more discreet fashion. She presented herself to the world at large as a philanthropic businesswoman, who used her considerable wealth and resources to better the city and its populace. All the heroines and officers of the law knew that this was a charade, but accusations and charges against her could never be made to stick.
Tap.
Now the question in Severna’s mind was this: Would Ms. Mesmer agree to her proposed alliance and power share? On one hand, it would make life and business so much easier for both women. Despite their well fortified positions, countless enemies surrounded and worked to undermine them. With an agreement in place, they could not only count on not having to fight one another, they could potentially pool resources to ensure that neither ever fell to the forces aligned against them.
But on the other hand, each woman had spent her entire life consolidating a singular power base. Each had built up a network of servants and slaves to do her bidding. Both the concepts of sharing and sitting among equals, rather than above thralls, was completely foreign to each woman. So how would such a suggestion sit with Ms. Mesmer, whose ego and control over the city rivaled Severna’s?
Now that everything was ready, Severna just had to wait for her guest to arrive to find out the answer to that question.
* * * * * *
Tap.
Before Severna knew it, another knock sounded on the door. Glancing at the clock, she saw that the time had come. She drew in a breath, held it for a moment, and then called out a response. Lena opened the door but did not enter.
“Your guest has arrived.”
“Show her in.”
Lena nodded, then stepped aside.
A strikingly beautiful woman strode past the security guard. She wore her mane of sunrise kissed hair brushed back behind her ears but otherwise loosely flowing over her shoulders. Clad in all leather--silver tied black corset, silver seamed black waist jacket, and silver buttoned black pants so tight they might have been painted on--she didn’t remove her stiletto-heeled black boots upon entry to the room. Severna knew that Lena had instructed her to do so, but she also didn’t expect compliance. So she simply waved a dismissal to Lena, who acknowledged it by closing the door.
Then Severna took a long look at her guest: Ms. Mesmer cut an awesome figure like no other she had seen before--and she had received or been hosted by some of the most gorgeous women on the planet.
Tap.
Realizing after a moment that she was all but gawking, Severna stood and offered her hand.
“Ms. Mesmer.”
“Ms. Strickland. Thank you for your invitation.”
Once at her host’s desk, Ms. Mesmer took Severna’s hand in a firm but feminine grip and shook it twice before releasing it. Severna gestured to a chair, and then both women sat.
The longer Ms. Mesmer was in her sight, the harder Severna found it to take her eyes off of her guest. The sheer level of hypnotic power that the woman exuded astounded her. Severna could barely maintain her focus. But she knew that she had to keep her wits about her, and she steeled herself to do just that.
“I’m intrigued by your proposal,” Ms. Mesmer said.
“I hope that is a good sign,” Severna said.
Tap.
“Perhaps it is. I’m also impressed by your operation. Beautiful and spacious accommodations with all the amenities, serviced by an ever so loyal staff. I presume their loyalty has been secured through brainwashing.”
“Absolutely. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Of course. Nor would I. Anyway, I see much here that I like.”
“I’m pleased to hear that,” Severna said. “I’d be more pleased to hear that you and I could be allies.”
“Yes, I’m sure you would,” Ms. Mesmer said. “And there is merit to that suggestion. Still...I’ve never worked in any kind of partnership. I’ve always preferred to run things on my own. There is always the possibility, however remote, that a partner--or an ally, or a friend--will turn on you. Whereas, a brainwashed slave will never do that. She will never do anything against your wishes. Ever.”
Tap
Severna’s eyes had grown wide and been held rapt by Ms. Mesmer’s own. Now, she shook her head and blinked, then cursed silently to herself. The woman across from her had an irresistible power that was slowly and insidiously sucking away at her will. Severna suddenly understood the folly of inviting her to a private meeting.
“So here is a counter proposal to your own,” Ms. Mesmer said, giving no indication that she was aware of Severna’s internal struggles. “We will not form an alliance. We will not partner up in any way. We will not do anything together at all. You, however, will do several things. To start with, you will continue to give me your undivided attention. Keep your eyes locked on mine. That’s right. And listen very carefully to everything I say. All of your focus is on me. Let nothing else other than me enter into your mind. Do not think. Do not fight. Simply exist to watch and listen to me. And, before we go any further, stop that tapping.”
Severna’s right index finger was poised above her wrist, about to tap it as she had been doing repeatedly for some time. But now she let both her hands fall limply to the desk.
“I shall have to remove whatever compulsion drives you to tap that way,” Ms. Mesmer said. “It’s is horribly annoying. But that will come later, when I’ve had sufficient time to brainwash you. For now, let’s begin by strengthening my hold over you. Stand up and walk over here.”
Like countless women had done before under her command, Severna mindlessly followed the orders she was given.
“As a sign of your complete subservience to me, take off your shoes.”
Severna stepped out of her pumps and stood before Ms. Mesmer, barefoot and blank-faced.
“Much better. Now, tell me that I am your mistress. Tell me that you are my slave.”
Sssss
“You are my mistress,” Severna said in a slow, quiet voice. “I am your slave.”
“Again.”
“You are my mistress. I am your slave.”
“Again.”
“You are my mistress. I am your slave.”
“All right, slave, get me a hard copy of your passwords. I want all of them--for your computers, security systems, and bank accounts.”
“Yes, Mistress,” Severna said.
She walked back around her desk and began writing down her passwords on a piece of blank paper.
Ms. Mesmer should have been ecstatic at how easily the takeover was going. But something was wrong.
Sssss
“Slave,” she said, feeling suddenly dizzy, “what...what is that noise? That...that hissing noise?”
“That noise is sleeping gas being pumped into the room…” Severna said, before slumping forward over her desk.
Ms. Mesmer managed to stand up and run several paces towards the door before also collapsing into a deep, drugged sleep.
* * * * * *
Severna opened her eyes. Through blurred vision, she looked out over her legs and bare feet on the floor of her office. Strong arms at her back and under her arm kept her in an upright position. She turned to look at their owner and saw Lena kneeling down beside her.
“I have you, ma’am,” Lena said. “The security protocols worked. When the two minute interval passed and you hadn’t sent the signal, the system flooded the room with sleeping gas. After five minutes, the pumps engaged and pulled it all back out. That’s when I came in. I administered a concentrated second dose to your guest and a restorative agent to you. In a moment, you should be fine. Whereas, she will be out for at least 40 minutes.”
Taking in all that Lena told her, Severna smiled. This was why she kept the woman on staff.
“Forty minutes, hm? Let’s presume we have 20. You know what to do.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Severna stood up and walked back to her desk. Seeing the paper with her sensitive data on it, she tore it into tiny pieces.
“Do we have security footage of my meeting with Ms. Mesmer?” she asked Lena.
“Yes, ma’am,” Lena said, as she hefted Ms. Mesmer over her shoulder and made ready to carry the unconscious woman to the far corner of the room. “I’ve sent it to your desktop.”
Bringing up the file in a video editor, Severna added a smudging to Ms. Mesmer’s face and altered the tone and frequency of her voice. That, she thought, should mitigate any hypnotic effects that might otherwise carry through the recording. Then, she watched the meeting, studying how quickly and thoroughly she had fallen under her rival’s sway. When the camera caught Ms. Mesmer succumbing to the gas, she turned off the feed.
Looking up, she followed Lena’s progress. The security guard had just set down Ms. Mesmer in chair situated in an alcove that had been previously hidden behind a secret wall panel. The chair was plushly cushioned and resembled the kind of seat found in a pedicure spa. Lena took a small remote control out of her pocket and tapped a button. In response, sleek metal restraints slid into place around Ms. Mesmer’s head, stomach, wrists, and ankles.
“Ready?” Severna asked impatiently.
“Almost, ma’am.”
Lena went about removing all items deemed either valuable or dangerous from Ms. Mesmer’s person, including earrings, a necklace, several rings, a belt, and her boots.
“Now she’s ready, ma’am.”
Severna walked over to see for herself. She stood before the bare soles of her captive, looking down at her with a mixture of contempt and absolute glee. Then she held out an expectant hand to Lena, who knowingly placed the remote control into it.
“You may go,” Severna said. “Turn off all external cameras. I wish to be unmonitored. Also, delete the earlier surveillance footage from the server. And forget that you came to my aid, or even that I needed assistance. Remember only that I called you into my office after subduing her myself. You may take pride in a job well done in setting up the security protocols and securing the captive after I took her down.”
“Yes, ma’am. Thank you, ma’am,” Lena said, before turning to leave and carry out her instructions.
When Severna heard the office door shut a moment later, she smiled. She pulled a chair up and sat waiting for Ms. Mesmer to wake up. It would be easier to brainwash her while she was unconscious. But it would be more fun--so much more fun--to do it while she was awake.
However, even restrained, Ms. Mesmer would be inherently dangerous while awake and not yet enslaved. Realizing this, Severna pressed a button on the remote. From behind the chair’s headrest rose a translucent dome-shaped helmet on a single, slender robot arm. Once elevated fully above the chair, it lowered slowly down over Ms. Mesmer’s head, extending to the top of her mouth.
“There,” Severna said to herself. “That should diffuse the hypnotic power of her eyes. Now I just need to be careful of her voice. As much as I want to play with her and prolong her induction, if I feel even the slightest pull on my mind, I will instigate the process.”
Feeling satisfied with her plan, she sat back and relaxed.
Nearly a half hour passed, and then Ms. Mesmer stirred.
“Time to wake up,” Severna said.
She watched as Ms. Mesmer snapped awake, shaking off the grogginess of the gas far quicker than expected.
“What happened?” Ms. Mesmer asked. “Where am I?”
“You were knocked out by sleeping gas. Then, you were placed into a restraining chair. Now you’re bound, barefoot, and about to be brainwashed.”
A momentary look of shock and fear crossed Ms. Mesmer’s face. Then, quite suddenly, it vanished. An authoritative expression replaced it.
“All of that is true, my dear, except the last part. I am not about to be brainwashed. I’m about to be freed. You’re going to free me. Free me, Severna. Free me, slave. Do as your mistress commands.”
Severna took in an audible breath. Simply hearing Ms. Mesmer’s voice filled her with a powerfully enticing mixture of serenity and arousal. Her grasp of the remote control loosened, and she leaned forward, ready to stand up.
“Free me, slave,” Ms. Mesmer said again. “Free me. Do as your mistress commands.”
Feeling as if she were being soothingly caressed by Ms. Mesmer’s voice, from the soles of her bare feet to her moistening loins to the crown of her head, Severna stood. She took a step forward. And then another.
Ms. Mesmer smiled maliciously. Even without being able to clearly see her prey through the semi-clear helmet, she knew that her voice was enough to enslave any woman.
Severna took another step forward. She leaned over Ms. Mesmer and placed a hand on the head restraint. Then, she clicked a button on the remote.
The head restraint--and all the others--remained in place. A whirring hum and a flashing light began pulsing within the helmet.
“What?” Ms. Mesmer asked in exasperation.
“I’m sorry, my dear,” Severna said with heavy emphasis on the my dear. “Your hypnotic charms are amazing. Just hearing your voice makes me feel so wonderful that I want to lose myself in it. And yet, as good as it makes me feel, brainwashing you will make me feel so much better. I will get off on breaking your will, enslaving it to my own, and then using your impressive powers to further my own goals. We could have cooperated and been unstoppable as allies. Instead, I will stand alone as Empress of the City, while you kneel at my feet as my mindless thrall. Goodnight, my dear. Enjoy eternal servitude.”
As Severna spoke, the pulsing sound and light within the helmet had a visible effect on Ms. Mesmer. First she tensed every muscle trying to break her bonds and escape the bombardment. She cursed and spat and tried to repel the assault on her mind. But the power of the machine was immutable. Soon, her struggles grew weaker. Her eyes closed, and her mouth hung open and silent. Her hands and feet twitched in time with the rhythm of the pulses, but otherwise, she sat still within the chair.
Severna stood over Ms. Mesmer during the entire induction, gently massaging the captive’s exposed foot with one hand and herself with the other. When it was clear the procedure had finished, she continued her actions until, finally, she found release. With a contented sigh, she removed her hands from Ms. Mesmer and herself.
“To business,” she said aloud. “This impudent woman did to me what no other ever could: She hypnotized and controlled me. But she didn’t brainwash me. Now she is in the state of helpless obedience that I was in before. And I will do to her what she was unable to do to me.”
She pressed a button on the remote, and the helmet lifted up off of Ms. Mesmer’s head.
“Slave, awaken.”
Ms. Mesmer opened her eyes.
“You will serve me, slave,” Severna said. “You will obey me. Now and always.”
“I will serve you, Mistress. I will obey you. Now and always.”
“Say it again.”
“I will serve you, Mistress. I will obey you. Now and always.”
“Again.”
“I will serve you, Mistress. I will obey you. Now and always.”
Severna continued commanding her new slave, and her new slave complied. It would take time to fully and irreversibly brainwash her. But it would be time well spent.