CATSUIT. The Slavendelian Mission. (4)

Fearing her cover had been blown, agent River considered running, but the arrival of the military force made that option suicidally dangerous. She had little choice but to surrender. To her surprise it was the police that made the arrest, the soldiers only standing ready to assist. She learnt why by listening in on their conversations. Apparently they did not suspect her true identity at all, mistaking her for a Rebeka Heideck, a young woman who had ran away from her duties with the League of Slavendelian Girls. River knew from her briefings that this was a serious crime, important enough that the Major in charge of the military unit felt justified in employing his forces to help the police arrest a single unarmed runaway. But not as serious as being a foreign spy. She saw no reason to correct their mistake.

In order to appear strong and vigilant, the Slavendelian Justice Directorate maintains that the public display and humiliation of prisoners is vital for most crimes (for certain other charges, suspects simply disappear never to be heard of again). And so River was lead under armed guard to the village hall, where she was restrained in an apparatus for that very purpose, until such time as the central authorities could arrange to pick her up. In fact the real Rebeka Heideck had been recaptured earlier and the case closed. The message that River had been arrested in this village simply got lost in the labyrinthine Slavendelian bureaucracy.

Throughout the day a steady stream of visitors from this and nearby towns and villages flocked to see the runaway. Civic dignitaries competed to denounce her, the local priest alternated between praying for redemption and condemning her to hell. Children, bussed in from local schools, seemed confused, having been told only that she was a 'bad girl', but not what she was supposed to have done. Adults seemed disturbed and even a little frightened. Believing implicitly in the supremacy of the state, the idea that some one could choose to throw off their duties was almost incomprehensible.

Young men looked at her, their crude emotions easily readable in their eyes. They whispered amongst themselves, holding coats awkwardly over their laps, telling with bravado how they would sneak back here later when the police had gone and she was all alone. And the young women...

The young women, either in the uniform of the League of Slavendelian Girls, or with a proudly displayed lapel badge. They stared silently with contempt and cold disdain, believing her to be one of their own who had let the side down. Dereliction of duty. More than a crime, a sin. Contempt, disdain, and, perhaps, just a hint of envy...


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The League of Slavendelian Girls was founded as a volunteer organisation by the Commission for Cultural Heritage (CCH). It's aims were to instil it's young charges with a sense of civic pride and virtue, an appreciation of Slavendelian history and culture, and a host of useful skills. Gradually, as the CCH was absorbed by the Office of Political Purity (OPP), the League changed. It became compulsory for girls of eleven and over---the six and up youth wing was still voluntary, but there was heavy encouragement to join---and the emphasis shifted from education to indoctrination. It's members were encouraged to root out traces of subversion or dissent amongst their own families, friends and schools.

At the age of eighteen, Slavendelian girls are inducted into state service, as maids, nurses, secretaries and so on. Most return to civilian life after a year, but their are exceptions. Someone who shows great aptitude for a task will remain in it, especially if there is a shortage of talented applicants for that job. Those who show leadership skills and devotion to the state will be promoted, watching over the new recruits for the next few years. And some are unfortunate enough to catch the eye of a high ranking official and are transferred to his personal staff, until such time as he tires of her.



The Empire Of Slavendel is the brain child of Satudays24 and Echotango151. You can find out more about the regime in the group empire-of-slavendel.deviantart…
Please note that I am taking certain liberties with the concept to fit in with my own fictional universe, and what I portray may not match the 'real' Slavendel. Any contradictions are my own. Also, be advised that Slavendel features abduction, mind control and similar themes that may not be to everyone's taste.