The Shift

You quickly catch up and position yourself across the table from from your naked superior and start sorting. "Let's just agree...", Ms Stevens suddenly says "... that we are not blaming one another for errors. We are both new to this, we are both, I am guessing, stressed from all that is happening... If we get something wrong, it is fine. We get paddled and move on". You readily voice your agreement. You definitely feel lucky to have her out of all people around.

"I have to say...", Ms Stevens continues talking, while her hands are moving seemingly faster than yours. "... I understand why they'd want us naked. It would be foolish to deny there was a culture problem. Spanking makes sense too, for the same reason. Very effectively humbling, as I guess you realised by now. Gym sessions - yes, please, actually. But this? This is such a waste of our time and it will not teach us anything like respecting the labour of those below us, whatever that means. It will only show us that anyone can do these jobs."

You carefully suggest that changing work for a short period may help the mind refocus and see the ongoing tasks from a different angle, hopefully figuring out a way to solve them. Ms Stevens laughs politely. "Very well", she says. "Let's try this then". She begins to tell you the problem she has been working on recently. You keep up with your sorting, but listen with fascination - hers, after all, is the position you hope to be in in a few years' time (although you do wonder how career ascension will feel if you are to remain naked and sore-bottomed most of the time on top of that for the foreseeable future). She pauses after about five minutes having finished describing the issue in general terms. "Might I ask what is wrong with the obvious solution?", you say, knowing that she knows what you mean. Usually the answer to her problem would be quite straightforward, but obviously she is not considering it.

Ms Stevens opens her mouth to reply... And then freezes, almost comically. Then she starts laughing. "Well, case in point", she says, getting herself under control but still giggling like a girl, with her bare breasts wobbling slightly. "There obviously was a problem, but I just figured out a way around it. I think. Thank you, wouldn't have done it without you!!" Lovely as it is to hear the boss of your boss say that, you feel it is best to deflect the compliments (after all, it was all her, really - unless one counts the Rulebook, that is). You also feel you should not let your attention wander from sorting mail too much. After all, her attitude will not even protect her own bottom... Never mind yours.