SNOW DRAGON

...until she woke up again. Or was she awake? It was so dark,
so warm, so quiet. Janine tried to call out, but could not; her
mouth seemed not to work. She tried to raise her hand to her
mouth, but could not. She tried to shake her head to clear it,
but could not. She felt like she was floating in nothingness.
`This _has_ to be a dream,' she mused.

Janine tried to think, but the eerie quiet would not allow her to
think of anything except herself. Then she realized, `I can't
_feel_ myself! I can't control my body! What is _wrong_ with
me?!?' Then, without warning and for no reason, she felt a
pleasant tingling in her vagina. After a few seconds it stopped.
Then she felt a sharp, painful jolt in each nipple. Then noth-
ing. Janine began to feel afraid as she floated in the dark
nothingness.

"Dr. Newlin, the EEG is showing some new activity. I think she's
awake!" Lisa pushed the console button that started the ultra-
sound machine. An eerie shadow of a tethered, floating body
appeared on the monitor screen.

"Did you activate the initial sensory input program?" the doctor
asked as he strode over to the console.

"Yes, doctor. The EEG readouts changed to a standard fear
pattern immediately after the punishment shock." Nurse Lisa
ripped a strip of recording paper off the plotter and handed it
to Dr. Newlin.

"Good. I think she's ready. Turn on the audio playback."

`Hello, Janine.' The voice in her head startled her, but she was
unable to physically react. She tried to blink her eyes, but
could discern no difference. `You are in a sensory deprivation
tank. It is an essential part of your discipline therapy. You
will be allowed no sensory stimulation unless we want you to
experience it. What you felt a few moments ago was a demonstra-
tion of what happens when you either cooperate with us or resist
us. You remember the probe, don't you, Janine? That inflatable
device has several means of providing you pleasure; enough
pleasure...' Janine could feel something swell within her vagina
and tingle pleasantly again. `...to make you forget the pain...'
The tingling abruptly ceased, and another severe jolt pulsed
through her nipples. `...of punishment.'

Janine again cringed internally, but her body remained limp.
`You are suspended in a special bath inside an insulated tank.
You have been bound in a spread-eagle position and fitted with
several of our special probes and sensors. You cannot feel them
because we have given you a paralyzing drug to keep you from
moving. The bath will be kept at skin temperature so you will
not perceive any temperature sensations. Your eyes and ears have
been sealed, so you will see nothing and hear only this record-
ing. When it stops you will hear no more until we believe you
are ready.'

`You are breathing temperature- and humidity-controlled air
through a sophisticated nosepiece, so you will feel no air
currents. I won't tell you about your mouthpiece yet; you'll
find out about that at the appropriate time. You already know
what is in your vagina, and I know you can no longer feel it.'
Janine tried to concentrate on her vagina, and could feel noth-
ing. `There is a surprise waiting in your rectum, too; but I
can't tell you if it is pleasant...' She felt a very brief
tingle in her vagina again. `...or pain.' Another painful jolt
pulsed through her nipples.

`We can monitor your every bodily function well enough so you
might think we can read your mind. Just think good thoughts,
Janine. If you don't, you may not like the results. Oh, and one
last thing, Janine... we can keep you here indefinitely if you
don't cooperate. Good bye, Janine. You won't be hearing from us
again...'

Nurse Lisa shut off the playback unit and turned again to the EEG
readout. "She looks _very_ scared now, Dr. Newlin," she smiled.

"Good! Let's see how she reacts to this..."