"Sarah shriveled up inside, though she didn't let it show on her face. This came naturally when it came to dealing with the marines, who could pretty ...uch do anything they wanted with the convicts and ex-convicts. Beat them, whip them, kill them, whatever they wanted. Once Sarah had been about ten, her mother had started teaching her to hide herself or her feelings - whatever she could - when she was around the marines. Chelle was one of these? A woman? Yet Eddie had been quite rude to her even. Their eyes were gleaming brightly and their smiles were vivid. For the first time, she realized, the girls appeared to be genuinely happy. Moreover, they even sang while they served them in the beautiful voices that the Carlson's had earlier discovered they had. Finally, while they were having their second cups of coffee, she ordered the girls to sit at the table."You look ... genuinely happy this morning," Kathy commented."Lady Kathy," Marie replied, "There is nothing more we can say. First,. Weare at a remote location, with no one to hear you scream. You do asyour told, and things will only hurt a little." Another female voicesaid. She sounded older, and certainly meaner.I nodded, hoping that this was just some sort of feminist prank. Thetable tilted forward until I was practically standing. Across from me,I saw a blurry humanoid shape. It took a little while for my eyes toclear up, when I saw myself in a mirror. I was naked and strapped to atable, the ball gag in my mouth now. Once the Elders left, James turned to Skay. “Old Madman, how much longer do you need for the breathing techniques?”Skay scratched his head then went to a computer and began typing. “It’s actually even more difficult than I thought. From discussions I’ve had with cultivators in this universe the breathing techniques aren’t even about a pattern of breathing, but a method of channelling the flow of refined spirit energy through the body in a set pattern then having it return to your spirit realm..