Planet of Pain by B. A. Bradbury Page A

down.’
    â€˜Of course we will,’ Jo said, looking round for Bel.
    â€˜Thanks. I’m especially worried about Malka. She was crying when we went up, and Quinn had to threaten her with a flogging before she would go in. Now I can’t get a word out of her.’
    â€˜Who’s Malka?’ Jo asked, finally catching Bel’s eye.
    â€˜Malka Vesely.’ She pointed to the young woman with the tattoo on her cheek, the one who kept asking about her husband.
    â€˜Major,’ Bel said as she joined them, ‘you survived it, I see.’
    â€˜I’m reserving judgement on that,’ Nina said, forcing a smile. ‘I’ve asked Jo to talk to the others… offer a little moral support, you know. Can you also make sure nobody misses supper?’
    â€˜Sure thing,’ Bel said.
    â€˜I hate to drop this on you, but I’m beat.’
    â€˜Don’t worry about it. Go take a nap; we’ll wake you when the chow arrives.’
    Nina went off, and Jo and Bel talked to the other women. The answers were generally monosyllabic, or just a nod, with the occasional tired smile that made the whole exercise worthwhile. Malka was a tougher challenge but they finally got through to her, at which point she burst into tears. Bel hugged her, and eventually the tears dried up.
    â€˜Sorry,’ she said. ‘I’m really sorry. It’s just… I keep thinking about Ben…’
    Bel listened sympathetically while she poured out her troubles, and when she finally ran out of steam Bel took her through to the dormitory and put her to bed.
    Jo sat down, more depressed than ever. She had an awful feeling that Malka Vesely was just the first to break down, and that eventually all of them would suffer the same fate. Her only hope was that Nina could somehow pull off a miracle and come up with a viable escape plan, but right now, given what she knew, that seemed impossible.
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Chapter 9
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    The eight members of A-shift trailed along behind Sergeant Vaughan in single file. Jo was among the first to be called forward this time, so she pretty well knew what to expect. Sure enough, as she followed the sergeant into the cabin four faces turned towards her.
    â€˜Jeez!’ one of them said. ‘They actually sent us a pretty one.’
    â€˜Come right on in, sweetpea,’ another said, stepping towards her. ‘Let’s get you out of these nasty old prison rags.’
    â€˜Kaz is a real gentleman,’ the first one said, grinning at Jo. ‘Help a lady out of her clothes any day.’
    â€˜Shit, that’s no lady,’ a third chipped in, ‘that’s the Reiver bitch we’re gonna fuck till she don’t know what day it is.’
    Jo was having trouble taking it all in. She hadn’t been prepared for the verbal assault and panic came out of nowhere, overwhelming her. She felt totally intimidated by the situation, and the thought of being left alone with these men was more than she could handle.
    â€˜All right, pipe down,’ Vaughan said. ‘I want her intact when you deliver her up again, you hear? There’s a whole bunch of guys waiting their turn, and they won’t appreciate damaged goods.’
    â€˜Hey, trust us sarge,’ one said, while another laughed.
    Jo struggled for sanity and control, knowing that if she lost it now she might never get it back. When in trouble, rationalise . Instructor Red’s course on Battle Psychology; and she fought hard to put it into practice. She looked at the room, which was bigger but more Spartan than an officer’s cabin: just four bunks complete with footlockers along the left-hand bulkhead, and four tall lockers on the right. On the back bulkhead was a digital display of ship’s time, alongside a big poster showing a trio of naked, smiling women on a beach.
    â€˜We’ll treat her real good, honest.’
    â€˜Yeah, like a fucking princess.’
    She looked at the