The sound of the steel door swinging open wakes me from sleep. I look around but the big Association guy who was next to me is gone. Two soldiers enter, uncuff me and escort me down the hall. We pass another steel door and turn down a different hallway. They direct me to enter what looks like an office. There’s a big desk in the back with a man sitting at it looking through papers. The guards stand at attention outside the door, waiting. Without looking up the man at the desk says, “Close the door, you’re dismissed.”

The guards do as he instructed. As soon as the door is closed the man stands up, walks over to it and turns the lock.

“I’m really sorry about all of this. Oh, look at you, you’re filthy. There’s a bathroom with a shower right through there, please feel free to use it.” He motions towards a door at the back of the office.

I’m not sure what to think. I don’t sense any ill will—if I met him in another context I would guess he’s a kindergarden teacher. He’s looking at me expectantly. I decide to risk it and do as suggests.

Through the door is a tiny bathroom. I notice that the soap dispenser and everything else in here is firmly screwed into the wall. I look around for any loose items that I might snag for later use, but I’m out of luck.

I take off my clothes and shower. The warm water feels fantastic, as do I after washing days worth of grime off my skin. When I slide the shower door open I find that my clothes have been replaced by a white robe made out of thin fabric. I wonder what’s going on as I towel off and wrap myself in the robe.

When I reenter the room he’s back behind the desk.

“Please sit, you can pull up one of those chairs.” He points to a set of wooden chairs near the door. “Oh, and I got this for you.” He opens a desk drawer and takes out something wrapped in paper. He hands it to me as I sit. I open it and it’s a loaf of bread. I’ve eaten so little since I’ve been here that I don’t hesitate to dig in.

“Eat, please. When I found out a hermi was brought in I got so excited, I put in my request to transfer here that second. I mean I’ve never met one before—oh, I’ve always really wanted to, there just aren’t any Oliot who are and it’s never talked about, so I haven’t gotten the chance and—”

He puts his hand over his mouth. “I’m sorry, I’m rattling on, aren’t I? I tend to do that. I’m Binauld, the medic here. I’ve been issued a top-priority order from the supreme commander to give you a full checkup. He wants to make sure you’re healthy it seems!” I imagine with Trenauk it’s more about making sure I stay alive so the punishment can continue.

“Would you mind sitting on the desk? I’m sorry, I don’t have an examination table.” He clears away the papers and I lift myself onto his desk. He moves to touch my lower arm. “May I?”

“Uh, sure”

Binauld delicately lifts my arm and inspects it closely. “Have to check everywhere—wouldn’t want to leave any infected cut untreated! Oh, your elbow looks horrible; multiple abrasions and bruising. Here, I have some cream for that.” He pulls a bottle out of a black medical bag and slowly rubs some of the contents into my elbow. The pain eases a bit.

The checkup continues with my other arm and legs. He applies a different cream to my injured knee. “May I ask you to stand please?” I stand and he turns me so I’m facing away from him. “May I remove the top part of your robe?”

I nod, and he carefully pulls the robe down from my shoulders so it’s hanging off my waist. His fingers focus on each part of my back, examining every scar and abrasion. A few times he tenderly rubs cream into a raw spot.

“How does your neck feel? Has there been any trauma? It’s a little red there.”

“I think it did get strained, yes.”

“Let’s see if I can help with that.” Binauld works his thumbs into my neck muscles, feeling out where the problems are. He increases the force he’s using, kneading the tissue most deeply where it’s needed. It hurts a bit but mostly feels really good. Warmth spreads through my body as I feel the stiffness in my neck loosen.

“I would like to ask you take off the robe. If you don’t feel comfortable with that you need not.”

I could tell where this was going from a planet away. I’ve always thought that if faced with a situation like this I would not at all be above using sex to get what I want. I suppose in this case I don’t have complete free will and should resist but… fuck that.

I untie the robe and it drops to the floor. Binauld gets down on his knees and runs his fingers along the curve of my buttocks. His hand lightly skims the underside of one butt cheek and runs across and up the other. I feel his fingers now trace down the outline of my hips.

“If you would… please, uh, turn to face me.” His voice cracks a little at the end.

I slowly turn around and he gasps.

“Oh my god, you’re beautiful!” His eyes are wide, and he covers his mouth with his hand. He seems to be faintly trembling.

He stays frozen like that for some time and then slowly stands. He gingerly touches his fingertips to my cheek, my eyelids, my nose, my lips. His fingers continue down my neck to my chest. He traces an outline around a nipple and feels each rib one by one.

Then he pulls back. I see him looking downwards, but he doesn’t do anything but stand there.

“Would you like to touch it?” I ask.

“Oh no, I couldn’t do that, no, that would be wrong, I just couldn’t—”

I take his hand and put it between my legs. His eyes get wide and he stays perfectly still. He slowly builds up the courage to move his hand and feel what’s there. He closes his eyes and moans.

He’s barely feeling the outline of my genitals now. His fingers are trembling. He gets more bold and touches every protrusion, every flap of skin, subtly increasing the force of his fingers. I close my eyes and feel the tingling increase.

He goes on like this for quite a while. I forget where I am and slide into a state of quiet bliss. I open my eyes to find that Binauld is sitting on the chair, vacantly staring straight ahead. He snaps out of it and clears his throat.

“I’m sorry about not being able to properly clean your clothes for you, but you can wash them in the sink if you’d like. They’re on the shelf right there. Is it alright if I put down you have anemia so that we’ll need to do more frequent checkups?”