index


Message-ID: <49603asstr$1098846603@assm.asstr-mirror.org>
From: El Sol <munster@eden.rutgers.edu>
Subject: {ASSM} A Master's Ring by ElSol (55/???)
Lines: 649
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2004 23:10:03 -0400
Path: assm.asstr-mirror.org!not-for-mail
Approved: <assm@asstr-mirror.org>
Newsgroups: alt.sex.stories.moderated,alt.sex.stories
Followup-To: alt.sex.stories.d





        This email address is NOT read. If you wish to contact me please
do so ONLY at munster(at)remus(dot)rutgers(dot)edu.

	Thank you
	ElSol

<1st attachment, "Ring55.txt" begin>

Chapter 55
	
	I wondered if the silence between semesters would always be so
noticeable.
	"It's quiet," Stephanie said from her chair in the living room.
	She was coming down from the high of passing a martial arts exam
that morning. Melisa, Doris Alex, Susan, and Nancy sat on the floor
playing Monopoly.
	"The candidates," I said to Stephanie.
	"It's weird," she replied. "When the girls left last semester, it
wasn't this quiet."
	"Siblings leave; they're supposed to," I said, finally finding the
words. "Candidates leave behind an expectation of return."
	"They're not going to be the same when they come back from their
indoctrination and tours," she said sadly.
	"You won't be the same either," I told her.
	I lay back on the couch and opened one of the books for a class I
was scheduled to take the next semester. I made a snap decision after
exams not to take summer classes, but spent most of my free time ensuring
that my senior year would be a breeze.
	Michael slamming the front door woke me up. Unbelievably, I had
been allowed to nap without interference; I must have fallen asleep just
as the Monopoly game entered the vicious negotiation stage.
	"I can't fucking believe they did that to me!" Michael complained
throwing himself into a chair.
	"What happened?" Doris Alex asked him concerned.
	"They voted me President of the fraternity chapter!" he snapped.
	"Aren't you already the Treasurer?" Melisa asked sneaking a pair
of fifties out of the Monopoly bank while everyone was looking at Michael.
	"Yes," Michael answered sarcastically. "Do you believe the bastard
I slaved to have elected President announced that he didn't feel up to it
and had to step down? The brothers had an emergency vote behind my back
and elected me."
	"Ouch!" Susan said sympathetically, while not quite managing to
suppress a giggle.
	Michael was a mix of conflicting personality traits: he avoided
responsibility, but had a deep-seeded need to live up to people's
expectations. I watched him manipulate his fraternity to avoid being
appointed its public head knowing that they would find a way to shove him
into the role. Everyone knew Michael would throw himself wholeheartedly
into the abyss as long someone expected it of him. It allowed others to
easily take advantage of him, especially because he was so capable.
	"Can't you just refuse the honor?" Nancy asked facetiously.
	The girls laughed at the look Michael gave her.
	"My senior year is supposed to be the best," Michael said sadly.
"After this, it's medical school and explaining to patients that they're
dying, but there's nothing I can do about it. This fucking sucks!"
	"It can't be that bad," I told him.
	"They're already expecting me to convince you to build us a new
frat house, like you did for the girls," he told me.
	"Okay," I said.
	He groaned and threw his head back.
	"Isn't that enough to end your presidential reign?" Melisa asked
smiling. "You can retire to oversee the building of the new frat house."
	"Melisa," I said softly.
	She opened her eyes as wide as she could, trying to appear
innocent. Michael was as likely to put down a set of expectations, as
Melisa was to stop driving my car.
	Michael got up and started walking out of the room but froze at
the doors.
	"Are you really going to build a new frat house for us?" he asked
me seriously.
	"He said okay," Melisa answered.
	Michael met her eyes and nodded before going upstairs.
	"Man, that has to suck," Melisa said to no one in particular.
	"You would know," Doris Alex replied giggling.
	"Why?" Susan asked.
	"The sorority wanted to elect Melisa president," Doris Alex got
out before breaking out laughing.
	"What happened?" Nancy asked smiling.
	"I told them I would very conveniently forget to have central
heating installed in the new sorority house," Melisa said smartly.
	I waited for their laughter to fade before I spoke.
	"Can you talk to him?" I asked Stephanie.
	"He's very upset," she said looking at the stairs.
	"You can't be someone you're not," I said. "Michael keeps trying
though."
	"I'll talk to him," she said with a nod.
	I watched her walk up the stairs before I got off the couch. The
Siblings looked at me with curiosity when I came out of my bedroom a
couple of minutes later, but did not ask any questions.
	"They're having sex," Nancy said an hour later. "That's a huge
step for her!"
	She had gone upstairs to ask if they wanted to be a part of our
takeout order.
	"That's awesome!" Doris Alex said happily.
	"Finally..." Susan sighed while tears fell freely from her eyes.
	Melisa stared at me; there was nothing for her to decipher in my
eyes. The other Siblings noticed my silence and sat down heavily.
	It was dark outside when Michael came downstairs.
	"Are you okay?" Susan asked nervously.
	Michael shook his head confused and sat down.
	"What's wrong?" Nancy asked him.
	"That was so weird..." Michael said but could not continue.
	Stephanie walked into the living room. She glanced at each of us
through a thin curtain of tears before taking a chair.
	"What's wrong, Stephanie?" Susan asked in a panic-stricken voice.
	The room quieted when I put the small jewelry box down on the
coffee table.
	"Holy shit!" Melisa said recognizing it.
	"Am I right, Michael?" I asked.
	"I can't..." Michael replied.
	"Am I right, Michael?" I repeated.
	"Yes," he answered amazed.
	I slid the box to Stephanie's side. Her hands trembled when she
picked it up. She was the only other person that did not gasp after she
opened it; the black-faced ring with no crest that Melisa had given me a
year before lay inside.
	"That's impossible," Stephanie said.
	"It's not as rare as a Bloodline Brother," Doris Alex said.
	She stood up, took Melisa's hand, and walked behind the couch to
position me between Stephanie and them.
	"What?" Nancy and Susan asked together.
	"That first Alexander Brother was first in a lot of things: the
first Bloodline Brother, the first female Brother and the first Sibling to
be given a black ring," Doris Alex told us. "Her crest Brother was
assassinated to possess her. The Brother that had him killed did not
survive a night with her."
	"They would have sanctioned her," Michael protested.
	"The council did," Doris Alex replied with a nod. "Two Ekaterina
Siblings died protecting her from the initial attempt to kill her. The
meaning of their loyalty could not be denied."
	"Oh, my God!" Susan gasped.
	"A Sibling hasn't been given a black ring in over a century,"
Doris Alex finished.
	"Is that all it takes?" Stephanie asked me. "Rape a Sibling, and
you get a Brother?"
	"Has Roderigo suffered a day of his life?" I asked her.
	She shook her head slowly.
	"You changed," I told her. "The same thing that happened to you
would have different results with other Siblings."
	"Like?" she asked.
	"What would have happened if those monsters raped Doris Alex or
Iane?" I asked in return.
	She looked at Doris Alex for a second before answering.
	"Doris would wash it off with her next shower," she said softly.
"If it's not a Brother, it doesn't matter to her. Iane..."
	"Would laugh through it, and wear their dried testicles as
earrings after David killed them," Melisa said from behind me.
	"Iane was right, David. I don't have her strength," Stephanie
said. "How can I wear this ring when a Sibling is stronger?"
	"Is it about strength?" I asked.
	Stephanie met my eyes.
	"I don't know, Stephanie," I told her. "Maybe it is; maybe it's
about control. What I do know is that you need something so different now
that you can't be what you were."
	"You knew," she stated. "When you read my words, you knew."
	I smiled and shook my head.
	"I knew you would never rely on a Brother for anything again," I
said.
	"I'm still scared, David," she whispered.
	She sat back when I jumped the coffee table and placed the end of
Jason's gift against her forehead.
	"How scared are you?" I asked cocking the gun.
	Her jaw locked as she stared into my eyes angrily.
	"No!" the Siblings screamed when I pulled the trigger.
	They sucked in a hard breath when the hammer struck empty.
	"There are things worse than death, aren't there?" I asked
Stephanie.
	She nodded.
	"I don't know what makes a Brother, Stephanie," I told her.
"You're not a Sibling, and you're not dead. What's left?"
	I pulled the other gun out and replaced the one against her head
with it.
	"The choices are the same, Stephanie," I said. "Keep walking
forward or I'll kill you."
	Their eyes followed me as I returned to my seat.
	"The Brothers won't accept me," Stephanie warned taking the ring
out of the box.
	"They will be surprised how much damage two Brothers can do," I
replied.
	My hands were bigger than hers so the ring did not fit.
	"Susan can have it adjusted, Brother," Melisa told Stephanie.
	"Me?" Susan asked shocked.
	"You don't wish to be our new Brother's First?" Doris Alex asked.
	Nancy sat up straight.
	"Don't even think about it!" Susan said to her in a deadly serious
voice.
	"She can have two Firsts," Nancy offered hopefully.
	"No!" Susan hissed.
	"Do I have any say in this?" Stephanie asked gently.
	Susan and Nancy avoided her eyes.
	"This is fucking nuts!" Michael groaned from his chair.
	I stood up and met Stephanie's eyes.
	"You can't stay here anymore," I told her.
	"David," Susan protested.
	"Susan!" Stephanie purred dangerously.
	"You can spend the night," I said to her. "Tomorrow, the Siblings
will help you move to Susan's house, at least until things shake out."
	"Is that all, David?" Stephanie asked when I opened my bedroom
doors for Doris Alex and Melisa.
	She did not understand what she was asking; I turned and smiled at
her.
	"I told you, Stephanie, the ring changes nothing," I replied. "I
still might come for you someday."
	Doris Alex and Melisa lay down on either side of me.
	"Did you know, David?" Doris Alex asked quietly.
	Melisa sat up and stared at me.
	"He knew," Melisa said stroking my forehead. "Like he knew about
David when they met as little boys."
	Jason chose not to reply; I closed my eyes and slept as deeply as
I could with a Brother under my roof.

						-----

	"They're here," Doris Alex said walking over to stand behind my
chair.
	Melisa and I were sitting in the backyard talking about the new
sorority chapter house. I nodded to Doris Alex and gestured for Melisa to
finish.
	The construction of the house was almost completed, which raised
new conflicts at the sorority. Michael chose to only shove his choices for
architecture and layout down the sorority's collective throat. He made
suggestions about the interior design, especially the Brother room, but he
let the sisters have the final say on color and furnishings.
	I thought they were being stubborn by not rubber-stamping every
Michael suggestion. Instead, the sisters embroiled themselves in a series
of arguments about each room making Melisa adopt the 'this is what David
wants' method of getting her way.
	The new sorority officers, while not of Caroline's ilk, were not
willing to leave it at that. They insisted on a meeting with me to confirm
what Melisa said were my choices.
	The officers left fifteen minutes before Doris Alex came out to
tell me the participants of my second and more important meeting had
arrived.
	"That had nothing to do with your choices for decorating the
sorority house, did it?" I asked Melisa.
	"Your choices," she corrected.
	Most sisters had to have figured out that every room was being
decorated exactly how Michael suggested since Melisa's system ensured it.
If a majority of sisters liked Michael's idea for a room, it was decorated
that way. Any other vote ended in a tie; since I had a remarkable
preference for Michael's work, it was always broken in his favor.
	Interestingly, the Brother room was what triggered the sorority
officers to insist on a meeting. Of any room, I would have expected that
one to be the least likely to incite rebellion.
	It did not take long to conclude that the Secretary and Treasurer
only wanted to ensure they were on my radar. The two girls understood that
not rocking the boat was well rewarded and wanted to illustrate how
wonderfully still they could sit.
	The President and Vice were a different story.
	"I think those two are going to take advantage of your room's
rules," Doris Alex said. "I wouldn't have pegged them for it either."
	"The rules to my room?" I asked reluctantly.
	"Any sister or pledge can hang out in the lounge," Melisa recited.
"Setting foot in your bedroom or bathroom makes their bodies yours."
	"Are you going to put a sign over my door with that?" I asked.
	"It's not a bad idea," Doris Alex said thoughtfully.
	"Michael made the bathroom in the Brother room very tempting," I
reminded them politely. "A soak in the hot tub after a brutal exam is
going to sound really nice."
	"They'll have to be strong," Melisa said shrugging. "Or take the
chance that you'll pop in while they're enjoying the use of your
property... making them your property until they are allowed to leave."
	I looked towards the pool house without saying anything.
	"The candidates told them what to expect if someone gets caught or
walks into those rooms, David," Melisa assured me.
	"If a sister is sneaking in for a soak, they want to get caught,"
Doris Alex said smiling. "Do you remember that bullshit logic seminar
mid-term?"
	I smirked.
	"A hot tub would have been nice, but the hour in your bed was
exactly what any doctor would have ordered," Doris Alex told me. "I forgot
I took that fucking exam until he handed it back."
	"I've had enough questions about our relationship to know some
sisters are going to sit in that hot tub until you do catch them," Melisa
snickered.
	"So Sally and Bethany were here to find out if they want to take
that chance?" I asked.
	"No, David," Melisa answered. "They were here to decide if they
want to take a chance that you won't catch them."
	"That bitch!" Doris Alex exclaimed as the Brothers that asked to
meet me turned the corner into the backyard.
	Jeremy and Robert had male Siblings walking a pace behind them;
Kiera was in her usual place behind Roderigo; unlike the other Siblings,
Simon walked in front of Samantha as if to clear a path. Iane pushing
Anna's wheelchair was what caused Doris Alex's reaction.
	"Move your chair so that Anna can sit there," I told Melisa. "Then
go inside."
	"Yes, Brother," she said getting up.
	She moved the chair out of the way and signaled Iane. Everyone sat
down, but waited until Melisa went inside before speaking.
	"Where's Leonard?" Roderigo asked Anna.
	"The boy has been testing my patience lately," Anna answered. "I
swear if his mother had not been so well-behaved, I would have given up on
the boy months ago."
	"Are you done?" Robert asked Roderigo.
	"No, but we have more important business," Roderigo said looking
at me with a pleased smile.
	"You are aware that the selection committee will not confirm
Stephanie's status as a Brother," Robert stated to me.
	"I gave her the ring," I replied.
	"That was not within the purview of your responsibilities," Robert
told me.
	"David," Jeremy said reasonably. "Stephanie can't become a
Brother."
	"Why not?" I asked. "I have it on good authority that Siblings
have made the transition before."
	Everyone looked at Doris Alex.
	"It's been a long time since it happened," Samantha pointed out.
	"The last time it happened has nothing to do with what Stephanie
is today," I replied.
	"David," Robert said patiently. "Even if the selection committee
were to accept Stephanie, your life would be tied to hers. Like Kyle's
father, you would be sanctioned if she were. There are too many Brothers
that do not approve of you to ignore the 'sins of the child' doctrine."
	"Stephanie is not my child," I told him.
	"This is not like Leon; you gave her a ring without even
consulting the selection committee," Roderigo said. "The doctrine could
and should be applied"
	I shrugged.
	"Killing Stephanie yourself if she falters will not mitigate your
sanction," Anna said softly.
	I shrugged again.
	"Is the Foot really that weak?" Roderigo asked frustrated with my
lack of reaction. "Renard behaved like we couldn't kill him, but your
disregard borders on contempt for us."
	"Life is a conjunction between two infinities of non-existence; it
is not the Foot I have no regard for, Brother," I told him. "But the Foot
will be stronger with Stephanie, and that is important."
	"You're joking," Samantha exhaled.
	"Leon understands my training," I said to them. "Stephanie knows
what it would take to kill me."
	"Yes," Anna agreed. "If you continue to remove the Foot Brothers
that cannot work with you, we will have a unit more likely to take her
seriously if that becomes necessary."
	"Four of the ones left will," I told her. "The others will need to
be replaced, but Stephanie is a good beginning."
	"She is too weak," Samantha insisted.
	"Her martial arts training is going well, so is her shooting,"
Anna replied. "She will never be the physical equal of other Foot
Brothers; but considering she survived living with David for months
without being a Sibling, she may be the most dangerous."
	"Stephanie will always think highly of David," Roderigo argued.
"All of us thought she should die, she owes her life to him. We cannot
expect her to kill him."
	"Stephanie understands that I only gave her time," I said softly.
"She knows why it is suicide to hesitate against me. I will kill her if I
decide to, and she understands that better than anyone."
	"What's the big deal?" Roderigo asked. "I know you'll kill me."
	"It is one thing to know, another to believe, and a third to have
faith," I told him.
	"So the thought of you killing me should be a religious
experience?" Roderigo asked sarcastically.
	"Deep inside, you don't really believe I can kill you," I told
him. "You have faith in your intelligence and abilities. It is the same
faith that makes me willing to pit myself against the entire Brotherhood.
I know the best all of you can hope for is a Pyrrhic victory."
	I looked away before continuing.
	"Stephanie had her sense of immortality ripped out," I said. "She
doesn't believe in herself yet; and even when she does, she'll be more
willing to face how small her chances against me really are."
	"This is the part where everyone makes believe they understand
what the fuck Enforcers are talking about, and we move on," Robert said
with a dismissive wave of his hand.
	"It doesn't matter, David," Samantha told me. "Like Robert said,
the selection committee will not confirm Stephanie."
	"The selection committee will not be a problem," I assured her.
	Anna whistled and relaxed in her wheelchair.
	"Now that I think about it, Stephanie's mother is my favorite
aunt," Roderigo informed us happily. "She makes the best cookies."
	"You've always been a pig about Amelia's cooking," Anna said
smiling fondly.
	"What are you blabbing about?" Jeremy asked.
	"David's going to retire the selection committee," Robert said
staring at me.
	"Fuck!" Jeremy exhaled.
	"Personally, I'm almost as fond of the idea as I am of my aunt's
cookies," Roderigo offered.
	"Have you joined the insane side of the table?" Samantha asked
him.
	"Did you ever call Kyle Brother?" Roderigo asked her seriously.
	Samantha gritted her teeth but did not respond.
	"Killing the entire selection committee is excessive," Robert
said.
	"I'm only going to remove the ones that voted for Kyle," I said.
	"Three were pressured by Kyle's father," he answered. "Two were
doing me a favor."
	"And the reporter that the council sanctioned, was she doing your
little fish a favor?" I asked.
	Robert's jaw tightened.
	"They are the gatekeepers," I told him. "They failed to do their
job. Reasons are irrelevant; the failure is intolerable."
	Iane reached into the bag hanging from Anna's wheelchair and
pulled out some folders. She placed them on the table and looked at me.
	"The selection committee is composed of five Brothers and a
Sibling," she told me. "Because the Sibling was an Ekaterina until the
line was lost, it is one of the only places a Sibling's vote is counted.
Four Brothers and the Sibling voted for Kyle."
	"I asked Simone to vote for Kyle," Robert said quietly.
	"Did you order the Sibling to, Robert?" Anna asked shifting in her
chair.
	"Put the guns away, Anna," Robert said angrily.
	She smiled and put two derringers on the table.
	"I want the Sibling seat on the committee until an Ekaterina can
take my place," Iane said to Doris Alex.
	"Why are you telling me?" the redhead replied.
	"Constance is talking about giving up her seat as council adviser
to force Simone out of the selection committee," Iane told her. "This
changes things, but you know Constance. She may decide taking the
selection seat is still the right thing to do."
	"And you want my support?" Doris Alex asked.
	"With David's crest only the Council Siblings truly stand higher
than you," Iane answered. "Even Constance will be satisfied if Ians and
Alexanders put forward the same candidate."
	"My sister could do as well as you," Doris Alex replied.
	"No, she could not," Iane answered looking at me pointedly.
	"An Ian with brains; you are full of surprises," Doris Alex said
seeming to understand Iane's meaning. "You will owe me if I do this."
	Iane's eyes blazed, and she exposed the crested Sibling ring she
wore on a chain around her neck.
	"Let's see what the First has to say about your unwillingness to
support David's intentions, bitch," Iane spat.
	She turned and walked towards the house.
	"I'm going to kill her!" Doris Alex whispered and headed off
behind Iane.
	"Can the heterosexuals tell me how Iane is a Sibling?" Robert
asked annoyed.
	"Siblings choose which two of them advise the council," Jeremy
answered. "After the Ekaterina were lost, they chose the selection
committee Sibling also."
	"I know that, Jeremy," Robert said. "I meant that the girl does
not behave like a proper Sibling."
	"So you understand why the committee must be replaced," Anna said
satisfied.
	"Excuse me?" Robert asked.
	"You cannot blame a child's insolent behavior on the child," Anna
said to him. "Iane has been spoiled by Brothers that should have known
better."
	"She was well-behaved in her time with me," Roderigo said smiling
widely. "She did require more punishment than Kiera though."
	"Iane needs that kind of attention," Jeremy told him. "She was
much easier to deal with when I borrowed some of Samantha's toys. As
beautiful as she is, I prefer my Siblings to require less maintenance, and
I think she knew it. I must admit that the time with her was rather
pleasant."
	"Dismiss your Siblings," Robert said shaking his head impatiently.
	"Killing the selection committee on your own may cause a Brother
war," Robert warned me after the Siblings were inside. "The council
sanctioning them will not reduce the chance of that by much."
	"They let a rabid dog loose among the children," Anna bit off.
	"It brings every Brother that this committee gave rings into
question," Robert countered. "Those Brothers will wonder if they're next!"
	"Not all of them need to be sanctioned," I said.
	"Committee members or the Brothers they selected?" Roderigo asked.
	"Both," I answered. "One committee member voted against Kyle, they
should live."
	"She did not like Kyle's father, and told me to shove my favor,"
Robert said quietly. "You'll still be killing four of five committee
Brothers. It is not a good ratio for the Brothers they allowed through our
doors. If I were one of them, I would try to kill you."
	"It can't be that many Brothers," I said.
	"Even if the council sanctions the committee members, we will not
stand with you to prevent a general war between Brothers from breaking
out," he told me.
	"Two Brothers standing together are enough for this particular
exchange of hostilities," I answered.
	"Two?" Samantha asked.
	"Stephanie's only choices are a black ring or death," I told her.
"She has a stake in standing against the selection committee and any
Brothers that think I need to learn my place."
	"Three," Anna said smiling. "I can't be that much help from a
wheelchair, but living legends make good bait."
	"Four," Roderigo said.
	"This isn't funny, Roderigo," Jeremy said.
	"I've always thought allowing Brothers that are too closely
related by blood was a mistake," Roderigo said. "Looks like I was right;
here's my cousin and grandmother getting involved in a tiff with some
inadequate Brothers, and I just have to jump in on their side. To be
honest though, Stephanie is Aunt Amelia's only child; I'm sure there would
be no more chocolate chip cookies for me if something happened to her. If
it's Brothers that should have never seen a black ring or cookies, then
Brothers have got to die."
	"Sanction the committee members," Samantha told Robert. "Nothing's
going to happen."
	"You sound very sure of yourself," he said to her.
	"I've had a few conversations with older Brothers," she answered.
"We haven't had an exceptional Enforcer since Anna's retirement. David
made the selection committee work above themselves to find the other two
Enforcers."
	Robert raised an eyebrow and then laughed.
	"Your file must have panicked them. I think the scariest part is
that every psychologist thinks you're perfectly sane," Samantha told me.
"But it's not like they would have denied an Ekaterina of Brother
potential a black ring with the council behaving like it was your
birthright."
	Roderigo leaned back and laughed.
	"Jesus!" Jeremy said amused. "They tried to balance David by
recruiting the best Enforcers they could find for the other two small
branches, in case they had to be set on him."
	"With three talented Enforcers hanging over their heads, none of
these assholes are going to start an open war without a significant block
of Brothers on their side," Samantha concluded.
	"I think it's time to release the statements made by the Siblings
that had encounters with Kyle," Robert said thoughtfully.
	"Wait until after David forcibly retires the selection committee,"
Samantha advised. "No reason to warn anyone; and we might be able to come
up with a nice list for our wonderful set of Enforcers from among the
loudest complainers."
	"It doesn't mean that the new committee will accept Stephanie,"
Robert told me.
	"None of the Siblings that became Brothers had an easy time of
it," Anna said. "Stephanie has chosen to stay in Susan's house
permanently, so she can begin training with the Foot immediately. I'm sure
David's little purge will afford her the opportunity to prove herself
before the next committee is selected."
	"She won't be isolated?" Roderigo asked curiously.
	"Stephanie was a Sibling for years," Samantha told him. "There is
no reason to isolate her; she knows the rules. Nancy says a college
environment, especially considering Doris's plans for the sorority, is the
best place for Stephanie to begin her new life."
	"What does our little Alexander's plan for a Sibling factory have
to do with it?" Robert asked.
	"David gave Stephanie the ring, but Siblings confirmed it,"
Samantha told him. "She will need that until she believes in herself. A
sorority of Siblings will provide constant affirmation of what she is."
	"Not to mention, it will take some of the pressure off David,"
Jeremy joked. "I do what I can but I don't live here; without Stephanie,
David will have to meet the whole sorority's needs by himself."
	"I hear Ekaterina Sibling males had nearly mythic stamina,"
Samantha quipped.
	"You'll be too old to confirm that particular legend," Roderigo
told her.
	"Not old enough to watch," Anna interrupted before Samantha could
answer.
	They laughed.
	"Are you going to have a hard time getting the council to sanction
the committee?" Anna asked Robert.
	"There's going to be less debate about it than we had here,"
Robert snorted. "Iane's report on Kyle was bad enough, but the other
Siblings' stories have council members talking about needing to make some
examples."
	"We're going to need the other Enforcers for this," Samantha said
almost to herself.
	"No, I'm not," I said.
	"They have to be done close to the same time or they'll figure out
what's happening. Even with three Enforcers, some are going to know it's
coming," she pointed out.
	"Has the committee met to talk about Stephanie yet?" I asked.
	"No," Robert said slowly.
	"Let me know when and where that meeting is going to take place,"
I told him.
	"That's a rather inelegant way of doing it, isn't it?" Jeremy
asked wincing.
	"Quick and brutal make the best examples," Anna replied.
	"The council does not tell Enforcers how to do their job," Robert
said getting up. "The selection committee members that voted for Kyle will
be sanctioned."
	His Sibling was a pace behind him before he made the turn around
the house. The other Siblings stepped onto the back porch.
	A half hour later only Anna and I sat at the table.
	"That went surprisingly well," Anna said relieved. "You didn't
even have to blow anyone out of our circle."
	I smiled and put the detonator on the table. Anna's brow furrowed
and she looked at me.
	"I see only four individual switches and the master to blow them
all," she said curiously.
	"You said you would prefer the knife," I said showing her the
three-inch blade I had palmed in the hand on her side of the table.
	"I am getting old," she lamented.
	"I would believe that except for the one in your hand," I told
her.
	"An old woman can't go around unarmed in this day and age," she
said primly.
	"Of course," I said ceding her point.
	"It was still close, David," she said gently. "Even with these
Brothers, it was too close."
	"It didn't matter either way," I said.
	"Why not?"
	"Jason said that Spartans do," I said. "Siblings put themselves in
our hands. Each one of us accepts that responsibility, Anna. Whoever put
them in danger by letting Kyle in is dead, I don't care how many Brothers
have to die with them."
	"Robert asked one of those Brothers and a Sibling to say yes,"
Anna pointed out. "Is he next?"
	"For all of Robert's plotting, I killed Kyle and another Enforcer
killed his father," I replied. "It was the committee's duty to vote
against Kyle."
	"Yes, it was," Anna agreed.
	She reached out and opened one of folders.
	"You know this is what Iane wants," she said. "She made sure the
Siblings involved with Kyle told us about their experiences. The child
probably has a list of Brothers that she thinks her world would be a
better place if they suddenly stopped breathing."
	"You don't have a list?" I asked.
	"Of course, I do," she answered.
	"I guarantee that Iane's list is considerably less biased than one
any Brother can come up with," I said smiling.
	"That doesn't mean it should be followed," she told me.
	"It's as good a place as any to start looking," I replied.
	"Are you going to go looking?"
	"No, but I'm sure that your grandson will," I told her.
	We sat without saying anything for a few minutes.
	"You did not send Iane to me, did you?" she asked me.
	I shook my head.
	"I was wondering why she chose to come to me," she said. "My house
isn't a good place for willful Siblings."
	"I told Iane she had some unsightly habits," I replied.
"Obviously, she thinks you are the best Brother to help her get rid of
them."
	She stared at me stunned for a second before laughing
hysterically.
	"I'm sorry," she said a few minutes later. "I can't believe you
said that."
	"It's not true?" I asked.
	"Oh, my boy," she answered smiling. "I don't doubt it is, but
Samantha and I are supposed to be the great Sibling trainers."
	"I thought you were," I said confused.
	"Yes," she admitted. "But neither of us can make a Sibling train
themselves. I was wondering how you were going to get rid of Iane's
spoiled ways without breaking her spirit."
	"She seems obedient enough to me," I said shrugging.
	"The poor child is very excitable," she said nodding. "To some
degree or another, all Bloodlines are."
	"I'm sure that Iane will learn that she does not need to misbehave
to get my attention," I said.
	"That doesn't mean she won't misbehave," Anna said smiling.
	"I suppose not," I replied.
	"David," she said slowly. "I wanted to say..."
	"Stephanie has a long road ahead of her, Anna," I interrupted.
"Thank me when I don't kill her."
	"I've buried two children," she said staring past me. "I thought
that was painful, until I had to watch them lower Roderigo's little
brother into the ground and try to console his mother."
	There was no need for me to say anything.
	"I know what I see in granddaughter's eyes," she continued.
"Stephanie will live to put flowers on my grave."
	She did.

<1st attachment end>


----- ASSM Moderation System Notice------
Notice: This post has been modified from its original
format.  The post was sent as an email attachment and
has been converted by ASSTR ASSM moderation software.
----- ASSM Moderation System Notice------

-- 
Pursuant to the Berne Convention, this work is copyright with all rights
reserved by its author unless explicitly indicated.
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| alt.sex.stories.moderated ------ send stories to: <ckought69@hotmail.com>|
| FAQ: <http://assm.asstr-mirror.org/faq.html> Moderators: <story-ckought69@hotmail.com> |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|ASSM Archive at <http://assm.asstr-mirror.org>   Hosted by <http://www.asstr-mirror.org> |
|Discuss this story and others in alt.sex.stories.d; look for subject {ASSD}|
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+