AN: I've felt like warmed over death for the last few days, and other than having to take a trip to the grocery story, I've spent most of the day resting in bed. Sorry for the lack of updates on my stories of late, but as it stands it is hard to even look at the screen at times.

Chapter 3.3: A Hard Nut to Crack?

John stretched languidly like a cat as he and Kara walked away from their former team leader. After the patrol ended, and the obligatory debriefing occurred, the center paid the standard rate for the captured and killed Demi-Humans. He was quite delighted to see their acquired bounty. Sixteen hundred dollars was nothing to sneeze at considering it was a single shift. Roughly half the girls encountered managed to survive capture and placement within the confinement cages. It was a good haul.

Sadly, the feral girls who did not survive were stacked like cord wood inside the corpse hauler. It was the hard truth of the world. If the girls were not hunted down, human civilization would come to an end. On the other hand, even the safest capture methods would not prevent heavy casualties due to the highly aggressive nature of the combat actions necessary during a hunt.

The trip proved to be reasonably lucrative, at least. While it was not a fortune, it did allow them the luxury of surviving in the coming month. The work was exhausting, however. Only one truck was taken and whenever it became full it had to be driven back to the collection center.

He handed Kara her cut of the profits, ten percent, and nodded. "You did a good job."

The Steel Valkyrie politely nodded in return. It was the closest thing to actual praise he'd given her thus far. The brief shining moment during the arena battle could be misconstrued, she knew that much. Even when she saved him from being beaten to death by an irate Kraken he'd barely acknowledged her existence. It was strangely gratifying to have her master actually notice her skills. Until that moment she did not realize that she was concerned with his view of her capacity as a Demi-Human.

John considered the mildly surprised Demi-Human and nodded slowly once again. "Technically it is considered a bad idea for one of your kind to be placed in a command role. However, given the current situation, and your level-head, you will be my alpha for the immediate future."

She blinked at him in further shock then returned the nod in kind. "Understood master."

"Since the promotion has been taken care of, I give you your first charge. Bring your harem sisters in line. If they will not do so by the time I am ready to leave the area, I will sell them," instructed John.

"I will make certain of it, master." Kara shared a thin, hard, smile with her master. Oh yes, they would fall in line.

John granted her the briefest of awkward smiles then turned away. Their business was complete. There were better things to do than baby sit petulant animals. Rather, there were other more pressing matters to occupy his time.

"Shall I attend to the matter now, or do you require anything further of me?" inquired Kara with an even tone. She was rather excited internally, but continued to keep up her cool and calm demeanor. It earned her a promotion after all.

"You do that. I have other issues to attend." John handed her his confinement recall slip then strolled off to the registration desk. He needed to make a few schedule adjustments.

Kara responded with an affirmative and moved toward the confinement center. There were a few things that needed to be said to her new sisters.

Once she handed the slip to the Generica on duty, she waited for Tera to be released into the outer chamber. The outer chamber was a high-impact resistant, spell-reinforced, room that separated recently released Demi-Humans from their masters. Sometimes they did not take too well to the amenities that the room provided. It was best to take command of some of the feistier girls on a slower and more distant basis.

Tera walked into the area and immediately felt some of her strength return. There were fewer restrictions on her powers in this room, but she would still be woefully underpowered while in its confines.

"Blazine, I have need to speak with you," informed Kara casually.

"I have a name you know," groused Tera as she covered her naked chest with her arms and tapped her foot in annoyance.

"No. You do not have a name. You have only duty," stated Kara with as much authority as she could muster. She had yet to experience a taming with her master, but as his alpha it was her duty to take command in his absence. She would perform her duties to the letter. It was not in her nature to do otherwise.

"Oh, here we go. This is where you tell me all about how I'm nothing but his property and I should just give in," responded Tera with a snort before blowing a strand of her flaming red hair out of the way.

"Yes. I am glad you understand. It might save your life," replied the Steel Valkyrie in total agreement.

Tera rolled her eyes and shook her head. "All of those newbie tamers are alike. They think they're Selene's gift to the world. We're supposed to bow and scrape and beg for them to tame us. Pass!"

"Very well then, you will be returned to confinement. I will use master's confinement slip as authorization for full-conditioning. Thank you. That is all," responded Kara without any further need to argue.

"Wha-what?!" cried Tera. Full-conditioning was just one step shy of a total mind wipe. It was only used to recondition lesbian Demi-Humans, or powerful and dangerous feral types. Demi-Human bandits and man-killers were often subjected to the process as well.

"I have total authority in this endeavor. Had you shown willingness to comply I would have let you out today after your psychic scan for authentication of your statements," said Kara.

She tilted her head slightly to the side and offered Tera a grim smile. It was time to move things along.

"Master only placed you under confinement orders. I assume this to mean that he preferred to let you sit here a short time and consider your options," said Kara, before casually raising the confinement slip so that Tera would see it clearly. "I am neither as forgiving nor condoning as our master."

"Hey! That's... He didn't. How could you do this?" babbled Tera, panic lacing her speech. "Did he really order such a thing?"

"No. Master did not specifically state that I should do this," said Kara. She smiled in a way that almost seemed loving. "It is not in his nature to abuse others, only command as is his right."

Tera blinked and leaned back slightly. The asshole did not order her to be reconditioned? This was the idea of the psychotic girl in front of her?

"However, he did grant me total authorization to bring you and our other harem sister in line. He did not expressly forbid me to have your psyche ripped apart," said Kara while attempting to avoid the smirk threatening to appear on her lips. "As I stated, he is more forgiving and tolerant of your childish antics than I am."

"You bitch! I'm a free Demi-Human! You can't do this!" she exclaimed in disbelief.

"No. You are an owned Demi-Human. I can certainly do this. The only way to regain your free status was through the leniency of our master." Kara waved the confinement slip around briefly. "He even told you up front that if you complied with his instructions, he would use your funds to help you fight your legal battle. Such cases are easy to win, as the contracts would be on file."

"Well—" began Tera, only to be cut off by her new alpha. "You and our other sister attacked him. The offer was rescinded due to your foolish pride."

Tera's eyes narrowed and she took a threatening step forward. "You..."

"He currently holds the power to sue your former owner on your behalf due to breach of contract. If you are sold or won via salvage, you forever lose that right as you cannot contest your citizenship once you are out of his hands," replied Kara, while adding a little more bait to the proverbial line.

Unable to do more than glare at Kara for the moment, Tera eventually cast her eyes downward. Shortly thereafter, tears fell softly to the ground. She hated to admit it, but the evil gun-wielding whore was right. She would never be free again unless she convinced her current owner to free her, or to help her contest her former contract.

Kara waited roughly one minute then turned aside to say, "I will need to request a full-conditioning for this Demi-Human."

"I'll do it..." responded Tera softly.

She spoke so softly that Kara was not certain that she heard her right. "What did you say?"

Tera lifted her head and replied with a broken sob, "I'll do it."

Kara gazed imperiously at the girl for a moment. Once she felt that enough time passed, she spoke her decision, "Go back to your confinement room until you have been scanned for authenticity. Your standard conditioning treatment will continue until this has occurred."

She took a breath then continued, "If at any point in the future you go back on your word you will face mental reconfiguration. There will be no third chance to do your duty." Her words were stated with neither heat nor pity. Her voice was that of a sober judge pronouncing sentence.

"I understand. I will comply, but how can you authorize a mind wipe?" asked Tera with her brows furrowed.

Kara tilted her head to the side and quirked an eyebrow. "You ask me questions as though you have a right to an answer."

Tera began to say something, but Kara cut her off quickly with a chop of her hand. "You are nothing more than nameless property, a dusty broom or perhaps a wet towel at most."

She snorted derisively at the girl behind the translucent wall. "Either way, you were too prideful to accept the kindness of your rightful master. A foolish creature such as you does not question. She obeys."

Tera growled lightly at her and ground her teeth together for a moment before turning away and stalking back into her room. The doors locked electronically behind her and Kara smiled her first truly pleasant smile in quite some time. That was one down.

She turned away then found herself startled by a strange noise. It took her a moment to realize that the noise came from her own lips. "Did I just?" she asked herself. A moment later she shook her head. She certainly did not just giggle like a school girl upon achieving her first success as a commander.