HR have a new office

You assume the HR department would not have moved and indeed you are correct. In fact, the only change on the outside is that the usually neglected plaque now can outshine the sun itself. That, and a lady wearing a headscarf and a conservative top but nothing from the waist down with cane marks across her cheeks polishing it. The changes become a bit more pronounced once you enter the office itself; the bulletin board is replaced by three flat screens, only one of which still lists current announcements. The other two are titled “Monthly DVD Contents” with the last and the current months. Both are lists of female names and corresponding misdeeds, mostly just single, but some pairs and even groups are featured too. This month’s latest entry refers to Jessica Miggins. You know her as an acquaintance, but at the end of this month you will be able to watch her caned on her buttocks and breasts for not meeting a client's deadline. You start to realise why being punished in front of your colleagues is not considered to be bad as far as public humiliation goes. The other option is having your misfortune saved for posterity in the monthly release (distributed free of charge to employees and partners and for a symbolic fee through charity shops, according to the small text at the bottom of the screens).

After taking your time to look around you enter the waiting area. The sign announces that you must wait till called if you have an appointment and ring the bell if you are here for a collection; after hours there may be a waiting time, you are warned. You do as instructed and prepare to wait; you know somehow that this is because after hours only staff members conducting (or receiving) punishments are present. Even though the sofa is soft and inviting, for some reason you decide not to sit down and instead focus on the TV screen in the corner; DisciplineTV is on. You study the advertisements for a new AutoSpanker model and a care kit for wooden implements. Once the adverts are over, the view shifts to a full-scale news studio that does a recap of the CPEs debate and then turns to another issue: budget airlines plan to scrap spanking areas and instead have all disciplinary action carried out over the laps of passengers. Shorter but heavy paddles will apparently be provided to compensate for possible difficulties.

When you hear a door open you nearly jump, having nearly forgotten about while you are here, fascinated with the world you have created, but the door was the one you just entered through. A young woman you are quite certain you have never seen before walks in quickly, visibly out of breath; you see her short skirt and massive cleavage before you discern her other features, but you are glad once you do. The redhead is gorgeous but although she eyes your naked body with an ill-concealed interest in her green eyes, you are somehow quite certain it is not of the sexual kind. Not entirely, at least.

“Hi, I am Lorelei...” she greets you and you return the greeting and offer her your name too. “I was invited to watch Ms Miggins' caning to represent her client company . I was hoping to be here a bit earlier but one of my colleagues... asked me to stay for a bit.” She licks her glossy cherry-red lips nervously. Her voice is somewhat timid, even though you can scarcely imagine looking less formidable than you do now. The newcomer's auburn hair descends in waves down to her gorgeous breasts. Restoring eye contact with a difficulty, you tell her that you are confident Jessica will be treated justly but you yourself will have no role to play in that, you are in the department for a different reason entirely.

"Oh, sorry, I should have asked instead of just launching into a monologue," Lorelei says. "I feel bad for Jessica, I know she tried her best, but I must say I am jealous how efficiently you are dealt with. We only get disciplined by each other when it's too obvious or by our boss, but he's too young to know one end of the cane from the other. It must be so nice to have a dedicated disciplinarian." A part of you wants to tell her she is welcome to take Jessica's place in that case, or yours for what already happened and what is yet to come. You also realise, however, that it is exactly the presence of people like her that tells you you are not a freak for making this whole thing happen. You thus begin to express an agreeing sentiment, when you hear a door opening again. This time it is an inner one.