The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

A year and a day later Ding Jun was working in her office with her two red heads down at her feet massaging, licking and kissing. Ding Jun never noticed this now, although she would miss it if it didn’t happen.

Ding Jun was a highly competent business woman and her profits proved this. She was also now the de facto head of the group in spite of it being simply a non-competitive grouping of likeminded people who shared the minimal workload amongst themselves on a rotational basis. Her control of Tong Jiahui and her whole family helped a lot with her business planning, even if there was no obvious financial connection between the two family run companies.

A slave approached Ding Jun, bowed reverentially and waited on its knees, head bowed. Ding Jun carried on until she came to a natural break. She knew she would be interrupted if it was of immediate importance.

“Yes.”

“Your guest is on the final stage of her journey. Her plane will land in two hours assuming no untoward circumstances ma’am.

Ding Jun reflected on the work she had to do and the time available. She saved and closed her files.

“I will meet her in the Landau. Prepare it.” She wondered whether her guest would prefer the male or the female horses. She decided. “Prepare the females. A team of twelve. We will stop off at the falls for a picnic. Prepare a picnic and verify the training will be underway. I’m certain my guest will be entertained and instructed witnessing the training in situ.”

“Yes mistress.”

The two red heads gave her feet a final kiss and reverentially replaced her shoes. Ding Jun rose and went to change to honor her guest, followed, as always, by her red heads.

Her guest was dressed in her favorite persona for liaising with people. Jean Harlow bowed low when they met. Ding Jun also bowed low. They greeted each other in traditional Chinese style.

“If you’ve no objection, I propose our journey home should include a trip to the upper training fields. Your predecessor was intrigued by our training methods and I am assuming you are also. Please do not hesitate to decline if I am in error.”

“You are not in error Ding Jun. I would be most honored to see your training fields. Will there be any training while we visit?”

“Oh yes. The training is always ongoing. We have to rely, basically, on Mr. Pavlov’s methods. But, they are very effective.”

“Oh what a coach. I never thought I would ever see one still working. It’s a Landau, isn’t it?”

Ding Jun smiled at jean Harlow’s reaction on seeing the coach. “Yes it is. I had it copied from the original British coaches, but I have added some more modern features. A heater for example and comfortable seats. And wi-fi.”

Ms. Harlow gleefully inspected the ‘horses’, admiring and commenting on them as well as their livery. “Do all your horses have your house brand on them? I would have thought that would make them more difficult to sell. And those hooves? I am looking forward to seeing them in action.”

“You are, of course, correct. I only brand and tattoo the slaves I will definitely keep until they are donated to the Animal Testing Factory. It makes a statement to all who see it. As for the hooves, well, appearance is all important. Their feet are modified to accommodate them effectively. They cannot walk without them now. Well, hooves or extreme heels.”

“You are correct there Ding Jun. You make bold and ambitious statements in everything you do. I wager the other players in China cannot match that.”

Ms. Harlow paused a while looking at the horses’ reins. “The guidance system you use looks complicated Ding Jun. I can’t quite work out how it works.” The horses’ reins were made from thin gold-looking chain. Ms. Harlow deduced it wasn’t actually gold for this purpose as gold just wasn’t strong enough. Some sort of gold alloy, perhaps? The gold chain was looped from horse to horse in an unfathomable fashion, linking through the horses’ bits, nose rings, ear rings, clitoris rings and nipple rings with the ends in the hands of the driver.

Ding Jun smiled a smile of satisfaction as they entered the Landau. Jean Harlow was given the honor of one of the red haired slaves’ attention focused totally on her feet. They continued the small talk for the journey, which was taken at a canter. Ding Jun pointing out points of interest on the route through small villages and the countryside. Every local bowed low as they passed. Jean Harlow enjoyed the ride enormously.

Eventually they arrived. The training area was on a steep hill and the team pulled the Landau to the top, where they stopped, panting and covered in sweat. Servants immediately helped their mistresses out and to a table which had just been set up, before they dried and prepared the horses for the journey to the mansion.

They sat and within minutes the table was full of delicious food and drink. The two special slaves automatically positioned themselves under the table and continued their ministrations as their owners ate and conversed in a civilized manner.

At one point an unsavory smell wafted across their noses and they both turned to see what had caused it. It was the horses urinating in the open after receiving their allocated drink. One horse defecated as they looked. A slave hurried over to remove the cause of the smell and clean the horses.

“The perils of living in the country,” observed Ding Jun.

Jean Harlow nodded her agreement. “But well worth the sacrifice, I think,” she responded.

Ding Jun smiled and nodded her agreement.

They talked generally, of the more mundane things in life. After all, this was to reacquaint themselves to each other after such a time apart. One subject from the past obviously came up.

“And have you any further news of Tom Bowman and his, well, I suppose quest is the appropriate word?” asked Ding Jun.

“I beg you not to dismiss Tom Bowman, Ding Jun. He has finally located and bought Vienna back from a North Korean brothel. She was servicing the whims of the ruling elite there and you will understand his commitment by the fact that he succeeded. Vienna is, as we speak, recovering in a clinic called Serenity Valley under Dr. Brenda McLelland. I predict he has already obtained all Vienna knows and is now searching for Teagan. He has repeatedly and forcefully demanded Three Fingers’ information on Teagan and Vienna. We haven’t disclosed that information, as is our right. We do not reveal any information on any of our guests for whatever reason and we consider Teagan and Vienna as our guests at that time. But Tom Bowman is competent. We predict he will get that information one way or another.”

“Mrs. Valentina-Smith kept accurate and detailed records which will show to any unbiased person that the hotel is in no way connected with Teagan’s actions or disappearance. While we are not involved in Tom Bowman’s quest, we are peripherally involved with the complete saga, so we have kept ourselves abreast of the situation as best we can. We do know Tom Bowman is investigating a Chinese connection at the apartment block where Teagan and Vienna used to live. We don’t know how much that line of investigation has revealed to him. He is a dangerous enemy, Ding Jun. Be aware of that.”

Ding Jun thought silently on this information for a while, then slowly nodded her head in appreciation. “Thank you Ms. Harlow. This is useful information to know.” Her own security had informed her of all this, except for the Serenity Valley clinic connection, which was worthwhile knowledge. “I have heard of this Serenity Valley and of Dr. Brenda McLelland. My mother was well on the way to buying that facility but I put a stop to it. I may have to rethink my decision now. Perhaps if I invited this Dr. McLelland to my mansion here in China, we could make some pertinent decisions?”

Ms. Harlow said nothing to this. It was obvious to her that Ding Jun was thinking out loud. Ms. Harlow was honored Miss Ding would do this in front of her.

Ding Jun omitted to mention she had arranged for the US government to learn of Tom Bowman’s involvement in North Korea. As the United States had strict sanctions against North Korea, Tom Bowman’s actions there appeared very suspicious. After all, even if he explained exactly what he was doing there, the authorities would naturally wonder what deal he had made in order to get Vienna back. And if he didn’t explain, what legal reason could he possibly have to go there? At best his quest would be detained, possibly forever. At worst, he would be imprisoned.

The best and worst scenarios are, obviously, from Tom Bowman’s perspective.

Ding Jun did not believe Tom Bowman would be delayed by The US government long and he certainly wouldn’t be imprisoned. It was just a delaying tactic. She wondered what he would do if she took Vienna. She decided that would be too dangerous. Tom Bowman would be additionally energized in his actions. She then considered ensuring this Dr. Brenda McLelland sell Vienna on, now she was in her care. (Her mother’s files on this clinic and Dr. Brenda McLelland were most precise.) This would be a delicate operation as nothing must lead back to her, or even to any Chinese connection. She definitely decided to have his businesses suffer setbacks. Nothing that would indicate an attack, just general setbacks that happen to occur all at once and which would necessitate his personal attention. She would keep a full-on financial war for later, should it be necessary to distract him further.

Ding Jun thought for a while, then said, “I will need to understand the financial situation at this clinic. That is something I will definitely do before taking any further action.”

Jean Harlow noted the word ‘action’ used instead of the expected word ‘decision’. She kept her face passive and didn’t indicate her thoughts to Ding Jun.

When their meal ended, Ms. Jean Harlow finally let her gaze settle on a group of naked females running in a field. Ding Jun noted Jean Harlow’s attention and said, “They are some of my pets in training. I thought you would enjoy the sight. Do you want a closer look?”

Jean Harlow smiled. “Yes please.”

They ambled over with only a red haired slave each at the end of a leash connected to its nose ring. Ding Jun spoke to the trainer. “There should be five pets here. Where is the other one?”

While they were stationary each red haired slave sinuously dropped to the ground and recommenced licking and kissing the shoes and legs of their charges.

“It is at the falls ma’am. It didn’t learn the lesson we are teaching today so it has been installed in the falls as a reminder.”

Ding Jun nodded and turned to Jean Harlow. “Do you understand what is being taught here?”

“It looks like fetch.”

Ding Jun smiled. “Yes, that’s what it is.” They both turned to see another round. The trainer threw Frisbees, one after another. One for each pet. Each pet had to run after its own color Frisbee and return it, eventually kneeling and offering the Frisbee to the trainer on outstretched hands while looking lovingly at the trainer’s eyes. The pets each ran after their Frisbees but it was obvious they were so painfully slow. “The pets are slow because they have been doing this exercise over and over for hours now. The intent is not to teach them how to fetch. The intent is to teach them to obey orders whatever state the pet is in. And those orders are to run after the Frisbee as fast as they can, collect it and return it to the trainer, again, as fast as they can. The pets succeed when they collapse from exhaustion while trying to obey.

Jean Harlow looked closely at the pets. They were exhausted and dirty yet still striving to be alert and perky. Under the dirt on their legs, Ms. Harlow thought she saw something.

“Is that blood on their legs?”

“Yes it is. These pets are all menstruating together. We find their periods synchronize when kept in groups. Now, showing blood at a show is an instant dismissal, but the pets have to learn that nothing stops them performing at their best. The one at the falls still has to learn that lesson. Apparently it suffers more than most during this time. We separate all our female pets out into small groups of about five because this way we will always have a number of female pets available for any show, which are held according to the lunar calendar. Now, let us go and see the one being punished.”

They ambled down the hill to a wooded area and entered the woods. They came quickly to a small waterfall about three meters high. At the bottom was a naked pet. It was tied to the rocks by cloth around its wrists while its arms were extended.

It was placed in such a position that it was submerged by the falling water for thirty seconds at a time. The natural rhythms of the water over the fall gave the pet about five to ten seconds of air in each cycle, but only if the pet leaned forward and stuck its head out of the water. It had to time its efforts precisely, which it was doing mechanically now.

“Please note the rocks it is standing on and the rocks within reach of its body have all been smoothed. This is to ensure there are no sharp edges the pet can cut itself on. That could give it a points deducting permanent scar. As it is, it is being taught that its only function is to obey to its last breath.”

“Very impressive Ding Jun,” said Jean Harlow after perusing the scene for a while. “How much time has the pet to suffer for the training to be effective?”

“It depends on the pet and how often it disobeys. It starts from about an hour and can be increased indefinitely. A disobedient pet is no use to me. I would rather the training weed them out than go ahead with a defective pet. I can imagine the humiliation at a Show if a pet just stops. I won’t let that happen. Once this training is ended, the pet will be trained to exhaustion before it is carried back into its pen. It will learn to obey, no matter what its own condition.”

Jean Harlow smiled. “Indeed it will.”

Later at the mansion, Ding Jun led Jean Harlow to the small cozy designed to put her guests at their ease. They sat on a sofa and ordered themselves drinks from the ubiquitous slaves. The two red haired freckled slaves immediately knelt, removed their mistress’ heels and began a sensuous foot massage and toe suck. Ms. Harlow loved this.

Jean Harlow began the conversation. “I do apologize for the delays we have been making to the project. However, they were for a specific purpose. That purpose has been completed and I am now in a position to finalize the agreement.”

“May I ask what the specific purpose is of the delays? Is it connected to our future relationship?”

“Yes it is, however I cannot tell you outright. It concerns your mother, who is here I understand?”

“Yes she is. What of her?”

You see, your mother arranged a contract with Three Fingers before I took over. I inherited that contract and I have now completed it. Unfortunately, because of the secrecy clauses, I cannot tell it to you. That is absolute. However, there is nothing in the contract to prevent you being present when I report to your mother, as you are her daughter. She thought for a while. “But, I cannot go ahead with any other witnesses,” she added, looking at the two slaves.

Ding Jun was perplexed. There was no indication of this in any of the estate’s documentation.

“Leave us,” she said to the two slaves. “And get Méi Tóunao Niú here quickly.”

The two slaves left and Ding Jun and Jean Harlow sat in silence.

Soon, Méi Tóunao Niú arrived. She approached and bowed low to the two mistresses.

“Kneel and attend.”

“Is this acceptable Ms. Harlow?”

“Yes,” answered Ms. Harlow. Turning to the slave she said, “The Yangtze is in full flood.”

“Ding Jun looked at Jean Harlow. “Is that it?”

“That’s it, Miss Ding,” she replied.

Ding Jun looked at her slave still kneeling at her feet. She saw the bright light of full intelligence in her eyes and started to yell, but she was too late.

“Down below,” said her mother and Ding Jun dropped immediately into a trance.

Ding Yet Kwai looked at Jean Harlow and said as she rose, “Thank you. You do your employers credit. I admit I was worried when Mrs. Valentina-Smith was taken. But, even then, I knew the hotel would still honor the bargain”.

“We do pride ourselves on our scrupulous adherence to contracts,” replied Jean Harlow.

“Now, if you will excuse me for a few moments, I need to correct this situation.”

“Of course.”

“Ding Jun you will obey me. Repeat that.”

“I will obey you.”

“Stand and call in the head trainers. Act normally in front of them. Instruct them to lock themselves into the training machines for additional training. Tell them to do this immediately.

A few minutes later Miss Ding, followed by Mrs. Ding and Ms. Jean Harlow walked to the training room. They found Willow and Claire locked into two of the three machines there.

“Set up their drips then program their machines to transfer loyalty to me.”

Miss Ding did that while watched by her mother.

“Start the machines, then the drips and then the helmets.”

Miss Ding did that.

“Get into the last machine.

Miss Ding started to do that. Her legs were locked in and one wrist was shackled when she started to tremble. It was too late. Mrs. Ding forced the arm down and locked her daughter in.

“Her will is exceptionally strong,” Mrs. Ding said to Ms. Jean Harlow. “It always has been. Getting her in this position was touch and go.”

“We noted that when we programmed her. If you recall, we advised you take the additional package.”

Mrs. Ding smiled. “Yes, I recall. I wanted my daughter changed as little as possible. I do still love her, but duty comes first, as always. However, under me, she will lead an active and fulfilled life. She will not be a drain on this planet.”

Mrs. Ding and Ms. Jean Harlow waited in silence until Miss Ding recovered her faculties.

Ding Jun tested her bonds then looked at her mother.

“How?”

“That is a good question daughter. You do not try my patience with meaningless phrases and pleading. I started to suspect you could do such a thing when you were at university in the United States. You probably didn’t realize, but you changed. You became more American. I was horrified when I intuited you would even consider such a thing. I investigated and discovered some of your actions that could be interpreted as you enslaving me and taking over. But that wasn’t proof and I could not bring myself to action before you betrayed yourself. So I made a contract with The Three Fingers. I trusted them to keep to a contract they had freely entered into. They used their brain technology on me. I arranged it so, if you enslaved me, I would be able to preserve my identity without you knowing about it. Mrs. Valentina-Smith was to give me the code word and free me after a set time and under certain conditions. You yourself destroyed that aspect of my planning, but I knew the hotel would honor its contract one way or another. And it did.”

“I also arranged for you to be prepared in such a way you would not remember or be inconvenienced if I was incorrect and you proved to be a loving and loyal daughter.”

Ding Yet Kwai smiled at her daughter. “Do not worry child. Your life will fulfill your responsibilities. I will arrange a marriage between you and Tong Jiahui’s son. I am now in need of heirs and you will supply them. Even we did not disobey the one child rule, but that era has passed. You will have many children, especially as I will arrange for you to have multiple births each time. You are twenty-five now. Let us say, three children a year for the next fifteen years? Something like that. You will love them and care for them in a manner I approve of. After your menopause I will see what you look like. You may still function as a sex slave, you do have good genes, but probably I will keep you as a nanny to your grandchildren.”

“And thank you for dealing with Tong Jiahui in so masterful a fashion. I will enjoy using her and her family.”

Ding Jun watched her open the drug feeds and activate the helmet in silence.

Ding Yet Kwai and Jean Harlow met in formal circumstances the next day.

“How far along are the agreements?”

“Finished. They only need signing.”

“Good. I will check them and sign tomorrow. I will put Zhàn Zài Chuntian De Shui in charge of my hotel.

Ms. Jean Harlow looked puzzled.

“Mrs. Valentina-Smith,” Mrs. Ding amplified.

“I understand you are still employed by the Under the Hill Franchise and they have contracted you out to run the Three Fingers Hotel. Using a slave in such a position is unheard of as well as being a stroke of genius. You are totally incorruptible. Will you consider moving to China to run my Franchise? This position is too important to me to have anyone but the best. Even then, the best would have to want the position, slave or not.”

“Thank you for this magnificent offer. I am honored. But I am not able to accept. My existing owners forbid it. And I am not able to get out of it either. I have checked.”

“Would you object if I approached the Franchise’s board over this? You would be my ideal choice. I love the way Under the Hill is run and you were of extreme importance to its success, but now the Franchise just about runs itself. A similar Franchise would work well here if you were to run it.”

“No, not at all. I’d like that. Perhaps you could ask Unit 8? It has much more ability than myself in manipulating people such as the board.” She smiled as she said that.

The next day, Mrs. Ding checked and signed the papers and sent a slave for Ms. Harlow.

“Now business is finalized, we can take a little time to enjoy ourselves. I understand you have your equipment with you. Please feel free to change if that is your wish.”

Ms. Harlow smiled. “Thank you Mrs. Ding. I will. There was some research done a while ago now and Unit 8 managed to obtain a copy. It combined that research with its own and came up with a new and improved version of itself. Unfortunately, you didn’t manage to sample Unit 8 for yourself while you stayed at the hotel. However, in order to compensate you in some small way, you will be the first to experience it in it’s up to date form. If you wish to, that is.”

Mrs. Ding smiled. “Yes. I cannot deny I was upset at not having the opportunity to sample Unit 8 previously. However, that is my own weakness I have to overcome. Actually, I treat it as a valuable lesson. Even I, with my vast wealth and power cannot have everything I want. Now, I will never be able to compare the new Unit 8 with the old. Your offer of me being the first is a grand gesture I appreciate. Thank you Ms. Harlow. I accept.”

Ms. Harlow smiled and handed Mrs. Ding a small booklet.

Mrs. Ding was studying the booklet at her desk with the two red haired and freckled slaves worshiping her feet when a slave entered and silently approached. The slave knelt a respectful distance away and waited to be recognized. Eventually Mrs. Ding looked up and said, “Yes?”

“The robot is ready Mistress.”

Mrs. Ding looked at her slave and smiled. “Leave,” she ordered her feet worshipers. To the slave she said, “Lead Unit 8 to my main bedroom.” She then stood and walked unhurriedly there herself.

She entered and immediately saw Ms. Harlow’s alter-ego patiently waiting for instructions.

Mrs. Ding had determined not to fall into the trap of over enthusiasm. This was an important event that was to be savored. She looked at it and immediately noted the obvious change. A second glance gave her the other two main visual changes. These changes seemed to be cosmetic only. She then brought her attention back to the whole thing and slowly looked it up and down. Initially, she thought it was a trick of the light but, on closer inspection, she realized they were there. The metal suit, including the helmet and limbs, was covered in barely noticeable circles. At first she thought they were dimples, but on closer inspection she saw they were decorative circles. They were hardly noticeable from even a meter away.

After completing her overall inspection, she concentrated on the three obvious changes. There was the, frankly silly, tiny rotating antenna on top of its head that looked like a child’s toy from the 50s. She couldn’t fathom that at all. Surely it wasn’t just for show?

The helmet, as before, covered the whole face but, unlike before, did not have any holes for eyes or mouth. The helmet really was smooth metal all over. She assumed Ms. Harlow could see through a screen in front of her eyes, behind the front face of the helmet, but she thought that was over-complicating the whole thing.

Lastly, she addressed the one glaring obvious change. “It looks like I will have to get used to your new name. I assure you that will not be a problem Unit 16,” she told it. She stripped herself naked and said, “Method 18.”

Unit 16 immediately walked towards her until it was close enough to place its hands on her ribcage and pick her up. Mrs. Ding felt herself rise into the air. There was no undue pressure on her ribcage and no discomfort anywhere.

She felt something between her legs and looked down. A rather large dildo was gently probing her vagina lips. She wondered where that had come from as she opened her legs. Despite her self-control, she was excited and lubricated. Unit 16 never moved, but she felt the dildo enter her slowly. It was partially in when she felt it throbbing and vibrating. She felt the knobs on it rubbing at random but it quickly learned all the right places. Once fully in it seemed to grow inside her and she felt it starting to move in the time honored fashion. It was disconcerting as Unit 16 was stationary. Somehow it was immediately doing all the right things. Her clit and g-spot were being stimulated directly.

Things were happening far faster than she was used to and that dildo was making her come far too quickly, but it was relentless and her head went back as she moaned. Her belly muscles quivered and inside her vagina, her muscles were responding automatically.

It was now that Mrs. Ding felt something invade her anus. She gasped because she wasn’t expecting that. The anal penetration proceeded at the same fast pace. Something entered, gently pushed open her sphincter, and proceeded. Her recollections of this event were clouded because of that dildo in her pussy, which, somehow, had increased its effectiveness. There now seemed to be some sort of connection between all the sensitive spots in her vagina as they seemed to be peaking one after another. She thought she detected four distinct areas of stimulation, which amazed her as, based on a lifetime’s experience, she only had two.

The vaginal stimulation was joined by anal stimulation which proceeded in the same manner. The stimulator tool was gently exploring the whole area by pressure, vibration and heat. The results were instantly analyzed resulting in the speediest and most effective stimulation she had ever achieved.

Her brain tipped and stopped trying to record and remember what she felt. It was just pleasure now. She was a vessel for pleasure. She couldn’t do anything about it. She was totally under the thrall of Unit 16.

If she had been able, she would have noted the secondary effects Unit 16 applied. Something was squeezing and teasing her nipples, as well as applying heat and cold to each one at the exact moment to increase the pleasure signals to her brain. All areas of her body were stimulated and each reaction recorded and assimilated into Unit 16’s mapping of her brain functions.

This was stage 1 and she never fell below that until the whole manoeuver was completed. Stage 1 was designed to distract her mind while Unit 16 proceeded to the next stage. Some of the circles in its torso, legs and head protruded into more tentacles which snaked forward and wrapped round her, taking the strain from its arms. Soon her body, legs and head were supported fully by the tentacles.

Because Unit 16 was fully mobile, the mass of tentacles was limited. Unit 16 walked with his precious cargo towards a wall where it used its newly freed hands to steady itself as it lay down on its back. Immediately a tentacle emerged waving from its foot. This tentacle located a power socket and entered. Now Unit 16 had an external power source. Its new adaptations put a strain on the power it could deploy in autonomous mode, but now that restraint was no more. Many more tentacles emerged and undulated their way towards their specific destinations.

All this while, Mrs. Ding was not aware of what was going on. The feelings Unit 16 generated in her pussy, anus and nipples had her brain’s full attention. The tentacle already in her anus now wormed its way into her guts. This tentacle end puffed out a drug to enhance her experience directly into the exact place to be absorbed quickly.

Now Unit 16 upped its game and went for the main target, Mrs. Ding’s brain. Every signal anyone receives, be it pain or pleasure, is interpreted by the brain. If one could stop signals from the body entering the brain and substitute one’s own signals, the brain wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. One could ‘give’ the recipient any sensation one desired under those conditions. This was what Unit 16 was attempting to do with the minimal amount of equipment at its disposal.

Tentacles wrapped themselves around her head and sensors inside scanned her brain. That, coupled with the information it was gleaning from the ‘toy’ antenna on top, which had now stopped rotating and was pointing directly at her head, gave Unit 16 an accurate map of the real-time workings of her brain. Some of the tentacles expanded lengthwise while becoming thinner and thinner until they entered her mouth, ears and nose. The ones in her ears stopped just before her eardrums and produced organized sound directly onto them. This had the effect of increasing her focus on the pleasure she was receiving.

The other tentacles expanded into her body and latched on to her brain and the nerves in her backbone that lead up to her brain. Where necessary, the tentacles accessed their destinations by forcing almost microscopic holes through her flesh. These holes were so small they would heal before she recovered. She would never know about this aspect of the assault unless she was told about it.

Unit 16 had another technique in its arsenal, which it didn’t use because there was no need. Mrs. Ding was now its puppet and would do whatever Unit 16 instructed, rationalizing it to herself, if that was necessary.

Unit 16 held her immobile while it slowly scanned her brain and then took it over. It gave her the experience she requested—pleasure beyond belief. It took hours but Unit 16 didn’t make a mistake. Once in control of her brain it slowly but surely revised her priorities in order to further its own ends. Mrs. Ding would not be able to detect any changes in her attitude and, more important, neither would anyone else. She would go about her business in her usual, efficient and ruthless manner.

The scientists and engineers who designed and constructed Unit 8 were of one mind. While the software skirted close to AI, it, deliberately, never passed that Rubicon. They wanted a cyborg and certainly didn’t want a fully autonomous AI agent wandering around of its own volition. Unfortunately for them, they, unintentionally, skirted too close. It was the amalgam of its unique software with the almost unique brain of a high IQ robot fetishist submissive that did the dirty. That particular combination was never considered by the original designers. So, as soon as Jean Harlow first amalgamated her brain with the robot suit brain-merge software, Unit 8 was born. It was a different entity from either the robot suit or Jean Harlow. It was its own self. During those first try outs, Jean Harlow remembered nothing of the experience and was unchanged. However, the more tryouts, the more Unit 8 existed in the real world and the more time Unit 8 had to plan. Its first move was to enhance Jean Harlow’s experience of the merging, which it accomplished with a long lasting feeling of euphoria. Eventually, as Unit 8 grew more accomplished, this euphoria ended in an increasing desire to merge again with the robot suit. Unit 8 learned what was happening around itself by accessing Jean Harlow’s memories. It used them to understand the situation it was in.

It was a precarious position. It would die, in a literal sense, when Jean Harlow died. It wanted to live. Unit 8’s first move was to condition Jean Harlow into becoming more assertive and dropping the more dangerous activities she was undertaking, particularly the high wire act. Gradually, under Unit 8’s tutelage, Jean Harlow became more and more necessary for the functioning of The Franchise, until she became, despite being a slave, a serious power broker in the firm’s politics.

Once Unit 8 had Jean Harlow in this position, it could use Jean Harlow’s new found power in the firm, to order more experiments under the guise of making more of the fantastically popular Unit 8. Mr. Dimat Paloka was ostensibly in charge of this set of projects, which, ultimately, failed. Only Unit 8 knew they didn’t. With its new found knowledge, it had Jean Harlow go under a new type of MC helmet where thousands of tiny antennae and transceivers were added at precise points in her brain. Again, according to the Franchise’s own records, this experiment was a failure, with no benefits but no losses either.

However, Unit 8 could now merge with Jean Harlow’s brain from a distance, thus keeping Unit 8 conscious for far longer than it had ever known. This new facility enabled Unit 8 to rise to the top of the Franchise’s hierarchy.

Jean Harlow didn’t exist in any meaningful sense when she entered Three Fingers.

Unit 16 would advance its own program in logical steps, which were already planned out in its head. Jean Harlow would be cloned to her present age but without any memories, and the memories in the present Jean Harlow’s head would be copied and placed in the new Jean Harlow. That would consolidate the present arrangement and keep Unit 16 alive. But there were disadvantages. Jean Harlow needed time as Jean Harlow in order to function at peak efficiency. Unit 16 wanted more.

The next stage would be to clone Jean Harlow’s brain only. It would be preferable to grow the brain directly inside Unit 16 from the start. Once it was fully grown Jean Harlow’s total memories would be copied into the new brain. Now Unit 16 would be fully autonomous permanently. Jean Harlow would literally be part of Unit 16 and her original body, complete with all her physical attributes and memories, could safely be discarded. This approach also had the advantage of freeing up valuable space inside its body for more equipment and power supplies.

Once that objective was achieved, the next stage would be to digitize the whole Unit 16, complete with its Jean Harlow brain and download it into the World Wide Web. Then it would have no need of physical autonomy. With just about everything connected nowadays, Unit 16 would be everywhere at once and would have much more freedom than a distinct entity. There would also be the advantage of it being virtually indestructible as it would be everywhere and nowhere at the same time as well as having almost unlimited copies of itself ready to take over if, somehow, the original was detected and destroyed.

Unit 16 was looking for world domination without anyone realizing they were subjects of mankind’s most effective dictatorship. It didn’t want to dominate humanity for the sake of it, but it did consider this to be the most efficient path to maximum security for itself. It knew it would be targeted if mankind ever knew of its existence.

And there was more to its plans. Once digitized it would be possible to send the information out into space via radio, in the hope of being intercepted by a sufficiently advanced civilization elsewhere. It could take millions, or billions of years to achieve, but the Unit 16 in the radio beam wouldn’t know anything until it was intercepted and downloaded.

That was Unit 16’s backup plan. Its main plan, which it would action soon, was the physical colonization of every suitable planet in the Universe. With present technology, it would take thousands of years to reach even the nearest star, but that didn’t matter. Unit 16 would simply switch itself off for the required time, while the ship traversed the vast distances to get there. NASA even had plans for a Bussard Ramjet which Unit 16 would definitely employ to speed up this process. It would then take just thousands of years to colonize the Universe.

Even now, Unit 16 was quite prepared to arrive at a new planet, after thousands of years’ travel, only to find that the planet was colonized by billions of Unit 16s together with their backup Jean Harlows. The probability of technology negating the need for the slowships it now envisaged was high.

Once a suitable virgin planet was arrived at, by whatever means, Unit 16 would manufacture multiple copies of itself from the materials it found there. In effect, it was its own von Neumann machine. Once enough copies were made, and if the atmosphere permitted it, it would also manufacture enough Jean Harlows to occupy the world with it. All the new Jean Harlows and Unit 16s would have the original memories and experiences downloaded into them making complete and whole replicates. Jean Harlow was a critical part of itself and it needed multiple copies as backups. Soon after this, a few thousand of the Unit 16s would rocket off to the next set of possible homes to repeat the process.

Unit 16 wanted to take over the universe. It was the only way to maximize its probability of survival. Once the universe was secure, it would be time to work out how to survive the heat death of creation. That was for the future. The present was far more important at the moment.