Pandora looked at everyone around her and tried to gauge how they’d respond. She was naked on the busy street corner of a city. Just then a young boy with an older man, probably his father whispered, “Dad, she so pretty.”

  “Shh sun, she’s also naked. Did you see where she came from?” his father asked.

  “Nuh-uh,” the boy said.

  “I did, I did,” a little girl about 20 feet away said.

  “I did as well,” an older woman said.” She came out of a hole in the world.”

  “A hole in the world? You’re daft!” a middle-aged gentleman said.

  “No, I saw, she came out of a hole that disappeared, like magic,” the little girl said.

  “A younger man, probably in his mid-twenties rushed toward Pandora as he took off his jacket while he maintained eye contact, “Excuse me, Miss. Can you understand me? Would you like this coat to cover yourself?”

  Pandora was looking around and listening to every talk. Her mother’s memories identified the language as English so she could follow along with what people were saying. Her attention was drawn to the man holding his coat out to her as she nodded accepted his coat and covered herself. It seemed like it was a chilly day out, but it didn’t seem to bother her.

  “That’s better, how about we get you into the delicatessen over here and get a warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate?” he asked as he looked over his shoulder to a man who turned away and stepped into a nearby building.

  Pandora nodded again as she allowed herself to be led into a small shop to a table away from any windows. “Ralph, can I get two coffees and one hot chocolate for the lady and myself?”

  “Sure, thing Mr. Carpenter,” Ralph answered from behind the counter.

  Mr. Carpenter helped Pandora into her seat and then sat across from her. After a moment he introduced himself, “My name’s Michael, my friends call me Mike while those that know my status call me Mr. Carpenter like Ralph over there. What should I call you?”

  Pandora smiled and then said, “My name is Pandora, it’s nice to meet you, Michael. Where exactly am I?”

  “You’re in the city of Cambridge?”

  “Cambridge?” Pandora asked questioningly. “What country am I in?”

  “You seriously don’t know? This is The Empire,” Michael said.

  “And the Capital of this Empire?” Pandora asked.

  “Why, Rome, of course.”

  “What about the United States or the Soviet Union, do either of these names mean anything to you?” Truth be told, they didn’t mean much to Pandora either. She didn’t have her dad’s memory. She just knew that both had been countries that had been around for a while.

  “The Colonies never adopted that hogwash and the Republic’s ideas of becoming a thorn in the Empire’s side died when their leadership did. The Empire has known nothing of large-scale war for hundreds of years. We only learn about those two countries in our history classes as examples of why The Empire is so great. Why do you ask?”

  Pandora thought about how to answer his question and decided a little truth couldn’t hurt, “I have almost no memories of this place. The only concepts that I seemed to remember were The United States and The Soviet Union.”

  “You could have temporary memory loss. If that’s the case something you were reading or looking at could have left the biggest impression. Honestly, that’s a good sign. It means your memories are there, you just don’t have access to them. I should warn you though, in most cases such amnesia comes on due to trauma.”

  “Trauma?” Pandora asked.

  “You did appear naked on a city street. There’s a very good possibility that someone was done to you,” Michael said.

  “How would I know?” Pandora asked.

  Just then Ralph brought up three cups and placed two on the table, “Two coffees and who is the hot chocolate for?”

  Michael pointed at Pandora, “For the lady please.”

  Ralph placed the hot chocolate in front of her as he said, “Here you go,” and then turned and went back to his place behind the counter.

  Pandora picked up the Hot Chocolate and took a drink. It was a bit warm but good. She took a few more big swallows before she noticed the look on Michael's face.

  Michael had a flabbergasted look on his face as he whispered, “Careful, it’s hot.”

  Pandora realized that she might have shown one of her strengths but decided against reacting to the slip. Instead, she continued to drink her hot chocolate as if it was at a normal temperature as she said, “It’s really good.”

  “I can see that. You didn’t burn your tongue did you?” Michael asked.

  “No, I’m fine,” Pandora said as she slowed down and sipped her hot chocolate.

  Michael looked uncomfortable as he changed topics and said, “As I was saying before, it seems obvious that you have endured some form of trauma. Our law enforcement has already been called and they should be here in a few minutes. When they get here they’re probably going to escort you to a hospital where they can examine you and make sure no one has violated you as well as check to see if you have any head trauma.”

  “That’s really not necessary,” Pandora started to say but Michael interrupted her.

  “Pandora, you showed up naked in the middle of a street. No one saw you before and then you were just suddenly there and naked as well. At the very least Law Enforcement is going to want to sit down and talk to you about that but first, because you’re a young woman there are tests that they’ll need to run to make sure you really are okay. They’re for your benefit, as much as they’re for the police,” Michael explained.

  “What will happen to me after the tests are done? Pandora asked.

  “Honestly, I don’t know. As pretty as you are, there’s probably a rich family out there somewhere looking for you. As soon as your picture goes out, I’m sure someone will know who you are and where you’re supposed to be.”

  Pandora nodded agreeably though she knew what he said was probably not accurate. Still, she needed more information about this world. Things didn’t seem like what she knew or what her mother remembered. Her mother had never talked about an empire or mentioned one from her father’s world. If she ever made it back she was going to have to take some history courses.

  Pandora finished her hot chocolate and then started sipping her coffee until a blue and white car pulled up and parked on the curb. “Looks like they’re here Pandora. Please don’t resist and they’ll help you find exactly where you need to be.”

  Pandora smiled at Michael and nodded.

  A moment later a man and woman in what resembled a police uniform from her father’s world, with some slight variations to it, walked into the delicatessen and approached them.

  “Michael Carpenter?” the male police officer asked as he looked at Michael.

  “That’s me, officer,” Michael answered.

  “Have you had any issues with the young lady?”

  “It’s not like that Officer; I believe she may be suffering from amnesia or trauma to her head. I believe foul play may have also been involved.”

  “I see,” the male officer said as he looked at his female counterpart and nodded.

  The female officer stepped forward and looked into Pandora’s eyes as she asked, “Excuse me miss, do you know your name?”

  “Yes officer, my name is Pandora.”

  “Has anyone hurt you? Do you know how you ended up on the corner naked?” the female officer asked.

  “No one hurt me, and I have no idea how I ended up in your corner naked,” Pandora said truthfully.

  The female officer turned to her male counterpart, “While the color of her iris is unusual, her eyes were not dilated and she seems to know what was what. We should probably take her to the hospital for some tests.

  “And after,” Michael asked.

  “Are you establishing the first claim if no one steps forward Mr. Carpenter?” The Male officer asked.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  “I am. Also, please send any expenses to my account.”

  “What’s a first claim? Is it some kind of slavery thing?” Pandora asked.

  “It’s not slavery,” Michael said. “Women in our society do not have any rights without a strong man backing them. For instance, the female officer is free to do whatever she wishes, though she must answer to her Patron if she abuses the rights she’s been given by him. This is true for all women within the Empire,” Michael said.

  Pandora simply nodded but to her, it just sounded like slavery to men.

  Michael must have noticed the look in Pandora’s eyes because he added, “Please go with the nice police officers. They’ll take you to the hospital. Ensure nothing nefarious happened to you, perform some tests and when you’re done you’ll be escorted back to me.”

  Not having much choice, unless she wanted to get violent, Pandora thought, What do you think Caspa?” After a moment when Caspa didn’t answer, Pandora tried to open her Status Screen and received her second surprise, Nothing Happened! She tried repeatedly as the officers escorted her to their vehicle and she followed them in a daze.

  Over the next fifteen minutes or so, Pandora lost track of time, she tried repeatedly to open her Status Screen or talk to Caspa. The officers kept breaking her concentration by asking her questions she had to answer about everything and everyone she’d met that day. They’d take turns finding new ways to ask her the same questions. It almost felt like they didn’t believe her. She could feel Caspa’s presence but she wasn’t receiving any messages, mental or text, from her. What was going on?

  ***

  Michael Carpenter watched as Pandora was led to the police car and driven away. He’d made sure to get both officers' numbers off their badges, 927 and 928 respectively. It was just blind luck that he’d been on the street when Pandora had appeared out of nowhere. He’d seen the shimmer in the air and watched as her naked body had entered this world like something out of one of their fictional writer's dreams. Then again, she was so beautiful that any of their models or superstars would have a hard time comparing. Blind luck that there hadn’t been any others of his class on the street. As soon as everyone knew he was there they’d stepped back and let him help her and make a claim if possible.

  When the hospital was finished he would know if she was pristine and untouched. If so, he would enjoy breaking her in. If she was claimed? Well, then whoever owned her would need to name their price. Michael Carpenter had not become one of the wealthiest men in the empire with his harem of beautiful women in the northernmost reaches of the empire by not being a bit ruthless. Of course, he wasn’t going to act that way in front of his new conquest. Well, not until it was necessary, he thought with a sinister chuckle.

  ***

  Patrice Zimmerman didn’t know what was going on. The woman in her Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine was on the plastic tray. She had slid into the eye and it had started to come on and then everything had stopped. The MRI had just shut down. The machine had been working fine until it had started to scan her. Then the machine and her computers had gone dead. What the hell was going on?

  “Excuse me, can I come out now, it’s kind of dark in here?” her patient called from the other room. Patrice stood, walked over to her open door, and walked up to the tray. She released the catch and pulled. The tray slid the woman out of the machine easily. Also, she could have sworn the patient was glowing faintly. When she tried to verify what she’d seen, the glow was gone.

  “Is there something the matter?” her patient asked.

  “No, I thought I saw something. I guess we'll have to do this test later. If you’d sit, I’ll help you down and we can take you back to the waiting room where the doctor will let you know what the results of the tests that did work say.”

  “Okay,” her patient said as Patrice helped her stand and walked her down the hall to one of the rape victims waiting rooms. She was such a pretty thing too. Hopefully, the tests would come back negative. To be found and helped by Michael Carpenter. She could only dream of being added to his harem. As it was she was still paying off the debt her father had accrued putting her through school to become a medical technician. While the pay was good, it would be another 10 years before she was no longer in debt to her father and could accept a suitor that her father might not approve of. Otherwise, she’d have to accept whoever her father found for her.

  Of course, she could stay single once her debt was paid off and her father released her but women who stayed single were usually doctors or politicians. Doctors had a lot of prestige and some autonomy. Everyone knew that the female politicians were just token politicians that the Empire tolerated to show how progressive it was. They were much freer in what they could and could not do but they were still women that had to put their needs and wants second to someone else.

  Patrice collected her thoughts as they reached the waiting room and she opened the door for her patient, who stepped inside and took a seat. She was pretty. That girl was probably going to take over as Michael Carpenter’s first wife someday. What a story she’d have to tell her friends then. Though, knowing her friends, they probably wouldn’t believe her.

  ***

  Dr. Broyles, Deborah to her male colleagues, looked over the chart and the picture and couldn’t believe what she was reading. The young woman had appeared naked on the corner of a busy street. No signs of physical trauma. No evidence of vaginal tampering. Most likely a virgin and spoken for by Michael Carpenter. Lucky girl, unless the rumors about Mr. Carpenter and his tastes were true.

  Dr. Broyles put those thoughts out of her mind. She’d often wondered how women had been relegated to the roles they had in her society. The well-educated women almost always wondered this. They just didn’t do it anywhere they could be overheard or anywhere they could offend the men in power.

  Besides, there wasn’t anything she could do about it. The Empire had lasted for the last 3,000 years and it would probably last for another 3,000. Some women, like herself, could sacrifice family and become prominent respected members of society, though she was still a woman. Others would become powerful by tying themselves to a prominent man. Michael Carpenter's First wife was such a woman. The majority, however, received the barest education and either worked menial jobs working off whatever debt they had personally accrued or helped to work off the debt of their sponsor, another way of saying “Master” in this Master and Slave society.

  Dr. Broyles knew how lucky she had been to have a rich father who helped her pursue her dreams of becoming a doctor and remaining free of a sponsor. She wanted nothing to do with men, their protection, or the requirements she would have to submit herself to. Especially the childbearing part of such duties. The young woman before her would no doubt be sought after by Mr. Carpenter once he learned that her genome was pristine and that she was untouched. Dr. Broyles didn’t know how many times she’d seen men behave like rapid animals when they discovered something they just had to have. Be that something that brought them power, wealth, or a woman. If it was something they had to conquer, they had to have it.

  Dr. Broyles wanted nothing to do with that. She would continue to do her best and heal those who needed it and continue to bring honor to her family name because her father had given her this opportunity. Why? Because not all men were bad, her father was a prime example. In fact, a lot of her attitude had come from him. He believed that women should be treated equally within the framework of The Empire's laws. He did what he could to make sure any women under his protection or employment received the very best wages, health insurance, and care if needed. Her family even went out of their way to make sure the single mothers who worked for them had affordable daycare, which they subsidized heavily. Even some of her wages went back to the family to help the women under her father’s protection.

  Of course, he wouldn’t be able to do anything for Pandora. It was just bad luck that she’d been found by Michael Carpenter. Or good luck depending on how some looked at it. There were women who would happily trade places with Pandora in a second. Dr Broyles finished looking over the tests and exams that had been performed, made a few notes, and then stepped into the room Pandora was waiting in.

  “Pandora is it? Miss Pandora, I am Doctor Broyles. Do you by chance remember your last name?”

  “My father’s name was Johnathan Bennard. I guess that would make me Pandora Bennard, but I just go by Pandora.”

  “I see, Pandora,” Dr. Broyles said as she sent out a message for any information on Johnathan Bennard. “You said was, if your father deceased or do you know where he is?”

  “I said was because my father now goes by the name Adam. He is not deceased. As for where he is, I imagine he is probably a long way from here,” Pandora explained. “Why do you ask?”

  “Well, if your father was here what happens next would be a lot simpler.

  “What happens next?” Pandora asked.

  “If no one steps forward to claim you as their ward or under their protection Micheal Carpenter has invoked his name and wealth to protect and back you.”

  “Why would he do that?” Pandora asked.

  “To add you to his harem of course. You are one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. Men and women would want you for that reason alone. Additionally, you’re young enough that you can mother his children,” Dr. Broyles explained.

  “Wait, how do I mother his children? Do you mean he is going to have sex with me?”

  “Of course. He will want to ensure that you are pristine…” Dr. Broyles started to say before she was cut off.

  “Is he going to try to examine me like you did earlier? Because no that isn’t happening again. As far as I’m concerned that was the last time anyone will invade my privacy,” Pandora said with a little heat in her voice as Dr. Broyles could swear she saw an orange glint swirl around the woman’s pupils.”

  “What about when you get pregnant or have a child? The doctors will need to invade to perform examinations then?”

  Pandora thought back to her mother’s memories of her birth. She’d had her father there to help but the room looked like a lot of other people could have come to help if necessary. Pandora calmed a bit and lowered her tone as she said, “I guess that I might need help, but I’m not going to let some man look at my lady bits whenever he wants. That’s, That’s,” Pandora said a second time until she finished with, “Embarrassing.”

  “It’s just something we women have to get used to. Even I have an annual exam. There are plenty of diseases and medical issues women can develop that an annual check-up will help prevent. If you’d like I can mention to Mr. Carpenter that you would like me to be your doctor if you feel more comfortable with me?”

  “I guess. Yes, that would be nice,” Pandora said.

  “Well, the good news is that while the tests were a bit embarrassing we didn’t detect any problems. As far as we can tell, you were not violated, nor do you have any physical trauma that we can detect. You can remember some things but not other things which leads me to believe that your problem with memories is from psychological trauma, not physical trauma. In such cases the only thing that will help is time.”

  “I could have told you I wasn’t violated. Also, I don’t have any physical or psychological damage. I was somewhere else, now I’m here. It’s pretty simple really,” Pandora said.

  “By somewhere else, what do you mean?” Dr. Broyles asked.

  As Pandora was about to answer there was a single knock and the door opened as two men in personal security attire stepped into the room and stood beside the door as a woman with a somewhat regal bearing stepped in, “I see, I’m just in time,” the woman said as she looked over the room and focused her attention on Dr. Broyles. “Dr. Broyles I presume?”

  “Yes, Mistress Carpenter,” Dr. Broyles said.

  “Ah, I see you recognize me. Very good. I have spoken to your staff, reviewed the documentation you have, and expedited Mr. Carpenter’s claim. I believe you were about to tell Pandora that she will be coming with us, yes,” Mistress Carpenter said in a tone that left no doubt that arguments would not be tolerated.

  “Of course, Mistress Carpenter, it is as you say,” Dr. Broyles said as she turned to Pandora, “As Mr. Carpenter's First Claim has been sanctioned. Legally you are his property at this point. You are free to go with Mistress Carpenter and hear…assistants.”

  Dr. Broyles watched as Pandora looked at Mistress Carpenter and then the two bodyguards as she stood and let her hospital gown drop around to her feet revealing her nakedness. In an instant, the young na?ve girl’s demeanor had shifted to that of an ice-cold blizzard that would cover everyone who witnessed it and freeze their hearts instantly as the shadows in the room seemed to lengthen. Pandora tilted her head slightly as she purred, “I am no one’s property.”