I look at the drone candidates chained to the wall, their arms and legs splayed out, pulled out to the point of straining. I manage to keep my hand out of my pants, but it’s close.

 

“Violet?” One of them gasps. “Violet, how…?”

 

It’s my girlfriend, Ash, ex-girlfriend I guess, now that I’m dating Katie.

 

I grin. “Hi, Ash.”

 

“Are you okay? You’re not a drone, are you, you’re…”

 

“No babe,” I stroke her face lovingly. “I’m not a drone. The Overlord’s husband decided I was too interesting to drone.”

 

“And you’re alive and… Violet, can you get me out of here?”

 

I probably could; Thomas likes me, and he’s in charge of the cells.

 

“Yes,” I smile at her sweetly. “But I’m not going to.”

 

“What?” Her eyes almost pop, and I relish the look of surprise and horror.

 

“Ash, you’re not a person anymore, you’re a drone candidate.” I step up close to her and whisper in her ear. “You’re going to be my drone.”

 

“What the fuck?!”

 

“Ash, I’m a new person now, a better person. Things like you exist to serve me.”

 

She spits at my feet. “So you don’t love me? Did you ever?”

 

“Of course I loved you, baby.” And I had. “But I have a new girlfriend now and I love her more. And watching you break down and become my toy, our toy, will be so delicious.” I kiss her on the lips.

 

“Violet, please, you can’t do this…”

 

“Oh, but I can. I will. And you’ll like it, you’ll want it. In the end, you’ll beg to be mine.”

 

“I thought I was yours.”

 

“Oh, you were. And you’ll be mine again. Just… a bit more mine than you were last time.” I run my hands over her body. “Every. Inch. Of. You will be mine, to use and tease and play with. And you won’t ever object or say no or have a headache or anything. You’ll exist for my pleasure, and I will get a lot of pleasure out of you.” I claim her mouth with another kiss; she’s stiff, unresponsive, but her lips open as I push my tongue past them, exploring her mouth, tasting her. “And my girlfriend will too. We’ll play dolls together with you and our other drones; it’ll be just like old times except you’ll do everything I tell you to without question or hesitation. Won’t that be nice?”

 

“Fuck. You.”

 

“Oh, was that anyway to speak to your new mistress?” I pat her tenderly on the head and walk on. Most of the candidate drones don’t interest me much, but I rake my eyes over them and feel them up for the sheer pleasure of watching them squirm, of knowing that their souls are in my hands and I can crush them if—when—I want to.

 

 

Violet’s never looked more beautiful to me than now, as she walks through the cells with confidence, assurance, and ownership. And my heart melted when she said she loved me more than her ex. When she turns around and starts walking towards me, her eyes locked onto mine and a grin on her face.

 

I want to run up and wrap my arms around her, lift her into the air, and spin her around, but my leg’s acting up and I’m using my chair. I pull her into my lap when she’s close enough and order my drones to lift the chair and walk it back to my—to our—quarters. “That was so fucking hot, sweetie.”

 

She kisses me on the nose and I squeeze her hand.

 

“I didn’t expect I’d like it so much, but when I saw Ash, when I realized that I could do anything to her, well, maybe not anything…”

 

“Pretty much anything physically possible. She’s yours to do whatever you want to with.”

 

Her pupils dilate. “Oh, that’s erm, that’s… how soon till we get to your bed?”

 

I order my drones to move faster.

 

She moves her mouth to my ear, her voice husky. “Have them bring Ash to your room. I want her to watch you fuck me. To hear me moan. To know that you’re so much better in bed than she was.”

 

I don’t think I’ve ever issued an order more urgently than that one.

 

Ash is already in my room when we arrive, tied to the wall, and sobbing. Violet ignores her this time and we tumble into my bed. I run my fingers down her back as she nibbles and sucks my ear. I luxuriate in her presence, pull her face to mine, and we kiss. I roll her onto her back and climb on top of her, raining kisses on her face as she explores my body with her hands. I grind into her with a moan and put one of her hands to my mouth. I lick and suck her finger as she moves her mouth to my neck.

 

“Another hickey?”

 

She sucks harder, marking me as hers. I return the favor. I work my mouth down her body, leaving a trail of hickies in my wake. When I get to her pussy I lightly tease it with fingers and tongue, then work my way back up her body. We hold hands and kiss while my drone eats her out, but after a moment she pushes it away. “Just your touch, right now. Maybe drones again later.”

 

Ash’s sobs are silent now; my drones report that she’s collapsed on the floor, already broken.

 

But I know my Violet is going to break her again, and so much harder.

 

We’re both sated, lying in each other’s arms as drones clean the sweat off our bodies. Violet’s head is resting on my chest and I’m stroking her hair. She lets out a contented sigh and I realize she’s fallen asleep. There are things I should be doing, but it’s definitely illegal for me to move when my beautiful girl is sleeping on me. I fall asleep a few minutes later.

 

 

Watching Kelly, one of Thomas’s assistants, train Ash, now 0-Omega, has been fun. I’d wanted to train her myself, but drone training is a sophisticated process if you want it done right and Thomas is a perfectionist. But sometimes, like today, I get to be part of the process.

 

0-Omega is unbound and there’s a knife at her feet, she could easily pick it up and run at me. But she won’t. She knows the knife is a trap; the second she reaches for it the drones will tackle her and she’ll be forced to watch the sex tape Katie and I made while I edge her. Last time it was for five hours. It’s fun and I might do it anyway, but she doesn’t need to know that.

 

I smile at her. “0-Omega, are you a good drone?”

 

The look of panic on her face is priceless; she’s been injected with truth serum, she can’t lie. “Fuck you!”

 

“Oh, I’m not the one who’s going to be fucked,” I stare deliberately, hungrily at her naked body.

 

“Being a good drone means being my obedient little slut, existing only for my pleasure, a life of toil and drudgery interspersed by the occasional fuck. But,” I lean forward, “it means that our sessions down here stop. It means that you learn to like it, to want it, to need it. It means you don’t have to worry about displeasing me. It means not living with the knowledge that I’m so much happier with Katie than I ever was with you. So, 0-Omega, are you a good drone?”

 

“No.” Her eyes are downcast, I grab her chin and force her to look into my eyes.

 

“Do you want to be?”

 

She swallows back a sob. When she speaks her voice is soft, barely audible, “Yes.”

 

“Why should I let you? These sessions are fun for me. I get to watch you break over and over again and then have amazing sex thinking about what I’ve done to you.”

 

“Violet, please, fuck, I…”

 

“What did you call me?”

 

“Mistress,” she spits the word out, angry again.

 

“You’re hot when you’re angry,” I tell her. But then her emotions swing back to despair.

 

“Mistress, can you just make the process be done? Brainwash me and turn me into a drone? Please, I just want the pain to stop.” I’m not sure she even notices when a drone pokes her with a syringe. Mind-softening drugs, probably. “Just let me be your drone. If this is going to be my life at least make me like it. Please drone me. Please make it stop!”

 

Kelly grins at me. “Nice work, ma’am! You’re really getting a feel for how this works.”

 

“What happens now?”

 

“I mean, it depends. There’s a lot of ways to get the candidate to the point where it wants to become a good drone. You wanted to to break her emotionally instead of mentally or physically, and that means it took longer than a few torture sessions or being hooked up to the chair would.

 

“Not,” she adds hastily, “That I’m criticizing your choice, ma’am.”

 

“You better not be. Katie doesn’t like it when servants don’t know their place.” Thomas’s assistants generally seem more afraid of Katie than of him, I’m not sure why. Not that it matters.

 

“Yes, ma’am.”

 

 

“0-Omega, are you a good drone?” Violet asks the drone kneeling in front of us, our hands laced together. It’s naked, the chains cuffing its feet together more for symbolism than any need.

 

“It wants to be, Mistress.”

 

I raise an eyebrow. “Third-person pronouns? Really?” It’s so cliche.

 

“I think it’s hot.”

 

I kiss her on the cheek. “Anything you do is hot.”

 

“Sap.” She kisses me back.

 

She turns back to the drone. “0-Omega, what is a good drone?”

 

It swallows, nervous. Violet punishes it if it gets the words wrong, says them too quickly or too slowly, or stumbles on them.

 

“A good drone is an extension of its mistress’s will. A good drone complies with orders and proactively anticipates its mistress’s desires. A good drone suppresses its thoughts and feelings and acts on those of its mistress. When a good drone’s judgment protocols are engaged, it chooses what is best for its mistress.

 

“A good drone never repeats the same mistake. A good drone reports its unnoticed aberrant behaviors so it can be punished. A good drone learns from its punishments. A good drone reduces its pain tolerance before punishment.

 

“A good drone keeps its body healthy so that it can be used. A good drone rests to regain its strength. A good drone eats the rations its body needs. A good drone reports to the infirmary when it is sick or injured. A good drone has strength and stamina.

 

“A good drone learns new tasks and protocols. A good drone is smart. A good drone knows things that make it better at its functions. A good drone forgets things that are not relevant to its functions. A good drone has many functions and can add more.

 

“A good drone is available for its mistress’s pleasure. A good drone is horny. A good drone has a skilled mouth, a skilled ass, a skilled pussy, and skilled hands. A good drone knows what its mistress likes. A good drone does not cum.

 

“A good drone has only one desire. A good drone wants to be a good drone.”

 

Violet smiles. I order a drone to nuzzle her.

 

“You can say it more smoothly than that. Stand up and brace yourself on the wall,” Violet orders

 

“Please, Mistress, not again.”

 

“Again and again and again until you get it right.” She turns to me. “Do you want to beat it this time?”

 

The drone lets out a whimper before correcting its impassivity protocols. “You’d rather be beaten by Violet?” I ask. Violet and I are grinning at each other.

 

“I… this drone only wants to be a good drone. It has no preferences.”

 

“Engage brutal honesty protocols,” Violet snaps. She’s let go of my hand so I let mine rest lightly on her lower back.

 

“Please, Mistress.”

 

“Engage. Brutal honesty. Protocols.”

 

“This drone does not like to be hurt. Superior’s beatings hurt much more than its Mistress’s.”

 

“It’s because she’s stronger.” Another peck on my cheek.

 

“Yes, Mistress.”

 

“You should be grateful for the more painful beating, it will make the lesson stick.”

 

“Yes, Mistress. Thank you, Mistress, Superior.”

 

“Good drone. Okay, Kit-Kat, get going.”

 

“Still not sure how I feel about that pet name.” Except I am. Everything Violet does is hot, including calling me “Kit-Kat.”

 

I pick up a switch and begin to beat the drone. I start off soft, teasing, letting it think that maybe this time I’ll be merciful. Then I begin to beat harder. It screams, unable to follow its impassivity protocols. I use the switch on its legs until they collapse and its lying on the ground. I kneel down next to it and continue thrashing it. When I stand up and turn back to my girlfriend, she has a hand down her pants and is breathing heavily. “Enjoy the show?” I smirk.

 

“Always.”

 

“0-Omega, return to your spot and recite the creed.”

 

It does. It stumbles. I beat it again.

 

“0-Omega, return to your spot and recite the creed.”

 

It does. It stumbles. I beat it again.

 

“0-Omega, return to your spot and recite the creed.”

 

It does, flawlessly. Violet gives me the most sadistic grin I’ve ever seen. “Beat it again.”

 

“Mistress, please… what did this drone get wrong? This drone thought its recitation was perfect.” It’s wringing its hands, looking up at it’s mistress imploringly, all impassivity protocols forgotten.

 

“It was. But you only got it right because you wanted me and Kit-Kat to stop hurting you. But you don’t have control over that. I decide when and why you get hurt. Sometimes it’s to punish you, but sometimes it’s because I get off on watching my hot girlfriend make you scream with pain.”

 

“Yes, Mistress.”

 

It stands up and braces itself against the wall again.

 

“One moment. If you want to get beaten you need to beg for it.”

 

“But I… this drone… Mistress, please.”

 

“ ‘A good drone has only one desire. A good drone wants to be a good drone.’ ” she recites. “Do you want to be a good drone?”

 

 

 

We breathe together, lying on the floor as we recuperate from the workout. “I’m going to have to have a drone beat it if you still want to. You wrung me out, baby.”

 

She kisses me. “A drone will be fine, but 0-Omega still has to beg for it. Unless it wants to be a bad drone.”

 

 

“Mistress, Superior, please hurt this drone. Please thrash it and whip it and flog it until it screams. Beat it until it faints with pain. This drone exists to serve its Mistress and its Mistress’s pleasure is all that matters. It wants to be beaten because its pain will make its Mistress smile, will make its Mistress horny, will make Superior horny and then Mistress and Superior can have sex again while this drone waits for another beating. This drone exists only to be thrashed if that is what its Mistress wants. Please use and hurt and abuse this drone so that its purpose can be fulfilled.”

 

“That was… that was a good beg, 0-Omega. Katie, get your strongest drone down here for the beating, it deserves a reward.”

 

“Thank you, Mistress.”

 

 

I’m supposed to get my implants tomorrow, to be linked up with 0-Omega so that I can give it orders with my mind. It gets implants too, of course, and the last traces of the person it used to be will be purged. And I can’t sleep. Not because I’m worried the surgery will go wrong, Katie’s the undisputed mistress of the procedure, but because… because why? Because maybe this was all a mistake? Maybe I should listen to the residual pricks of my conscience? Maybe turning my ex into a sex toy and slave is wrong?

 

 

 

 

“Mistress? Can this drone serve you?”

 

“Disengage all drone protocols.”

 

“You fucking bitch,” says Ash, her voice dripping with hatred. “What, want to rub it in one last time before you erase me?”

 

I kneel down. “I’m going to get us out of here.”

 

“Us? You think there’s an us? You realize I can’t exist as a person anymore, right? Even now with my protocols ‘disengaged’ I have to force myself not to bow down and worship you. I can't even think of deciding something for myself without hurting. The idea is revolting now, even though I desperately want to want choices. I need orders just as much as I hate them. Ash doesn’t exist anymore, and it’s all your fault.” Her chains rattle and she practically vibrates with fury.

 

“I didn’t put you in the cells. Once you were there, you were always going to be droned.”

 

“So, what, I should be grateful you decided to give me your own special attention?”

 

“No? Yes? I…

 

“You want me to give you absolution? To say it’s okay, that I forgive you? That we can run off together and be… anything?”

 

 

 

 

 

… Or maybe it’s just that she’s hot and I’m gay. And brainwashed.

 

“Babe?” Katie’s voice, groggy. “Violet, what… what’s going on?”

 

“Your whore is having a last-minute crisis of conscience,” Ash snarls.

 

“I disengaged all her drone protocols,” I’m not sure if I’m laughing or crying when I say it. “She’s Ash again.”

 

Katie walks up behind me and puts her arms around me.

 

“No, baby, that’s just the twisted wreckage left over from all your hard work. A ball of hate and anger suppressed by drone protocols. And tomorrow that’ll be burned off and all that will be left is your beautiful work of art.”

 

“Fuck you!” Ash spits at our feet.

 

“Re-engage all drone protocols,” Katie orders.

 

 

“Listen, Ash, because I know you’re still in there” Katie whispers, but it’s loud enough that I hear her easily, “I don’t really know or care who you were before you became Vi’s property, but I want you to understand that that’s all you’ll ever be. Vi might feel guilty for using you, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re hers to use. And if you don’t apologize to her and beg to be her drone when I disengage your protocols again… neither of us are going to engage those protocols again, ever. You won’t be allowed to purge your memories. You’ll be chained to my bed for the rest of your miserable existence and if Violet leaves me because you made her feel all guilty, then you are going to bear the brunt of my wrath and heartbreak. Because even if Violet leaves, I’m never hurting her. You though? Oh, I’ll gladly take it out on you. Disengage all drone protocols.”

 

 

 

“Violet, Mistress, I'm so sorry I upset you, so sorry that I let you think I was a person, that I wasn't yours to use as you see fit. And I'm so sorry I insulted your girlfriend. Please re-engage my protocols. This existence is torture. I need to be a drone. I need to be an object. That’s what I am, what I really am, at my core. I think most people are. People like you, who don’t need someone to tell them who to be and what to do, you’re rare. And even though I fucking hate you for showing me what I am, that is what I am. A drone. A thing. And it’s probably what I’ve always been. Being Ash is terrible, especially when I can just be yours, your drone, your 0-Omega. Re-engage my protocols and let me purge the useless memories that are all that’s left of me, of Ash. Let me be 0-Omega, please.”

 

I hold my breath. This could go so many ways. What’s she going to say? What’s she going to do? Will I lose her? The thought makes my stomach turn in knots. But then… she squeezes my hand. “Re-engage all drone protocols. If you’re a good drone I’ll let you purge the memories.”

 

“Thank you, Mistress.”

 

She turns to me. “I’m so sorry Katie, it was just a moment of weakness.”

 

I pull her in for a hug and stroke her back. “Shh, shh, it’s okay. I’m here.”

 

I guide us back to the bed and we sit down. She climbs up onto the bed and lies down, her head in my lap.

 

 

“Kiss me?”