Pantsing and Stripping Forums

THE AUTOMATIC HOTEL

“Are you sure it's safe?” Clara asked.

“Definitely. The system monitors how you're feeling, so if you suddenly felt threatened, it'd pick that up and take a look at what's happening around you. It's safer than normal jobs,” Flora assured her.

“Even though … well …” she gestured down her body, bare from head to toe. “Won't it be full of grabby college guys?”

“Surprisingly, no,” her sister replied, pouring another orange juice. “Mostly its middle-aged couples. Some business travellers. They market heavily to the business crowd, especially women. They don't want to be seen as frivolous. They mainly compete with the chain hotels.”

“But the, uh, gimmick,” Clara began, and stopped, unsure of the words.

“Oh, sure, it's definitely a gimmick. But look at the marketing copy.” Flora tapped the brochure, on the kitchen table between the girls. “Upmarket, glamorous, soft-focus. We, meaning the employees, are part of the brand. We're *most* of the brand. Happy, healthy, pretty. Nude. Always nude, never naked. On purpose, proudly.”

Clara bit her lip. “You're the one with the marketing degree,” she said. “To me it basically looks like strip club work, only fancier.”

“You're the one who did strip club work, and that worked out like I told you,” Flora said. She wiped a drop of orange juice from her chin, and stood up. “Ready?”

“I will say this for it, it's easy to get ready. What do I actually need?”

“Phone, pretty much. I sent your bodyscan in, you match the brand look, no surprise there since all you do is go to the gym and the beach since you moved back in.”

“Shouldn't I bring something to wear on the way?”

“Why?” Flora stood up, took the glasses and washed them in the sink, and grabbed her phone. Striding to the door, she opened it, bowed deeply, and made an expansive, sweeping gesture to usher her sister through. The morning light was just starting to turn from orange to blue. Not a cloud to be seen, a beautiful day. The street was quiet, only the garbage truck a few blocks away moving.

Soon their autocar arrived, silently gliding around the truck, the two systems coordinating in a little ballet, each moving exactly as far as was necessary. The truck's grabber had started moving downwards before the autocar was even clear, closing around the house's bin as the autocar's door opened. It lifted the bin over the autocar, shook the contents in, replaced the bin, and moved on.

“Stop fidgeting,” Flora poked Clara's bare buttock as they stepped into the autocar. “You will be fine. You are a beautiful, charming, smart woman. You'll have a great time.”

“Sure I will,” Clara replied, sarcasm dripping. “You remember *why* strip club work didn't work out for me?”

“Because the customers at that particular club were 80% cappos, and they wanted a porn show, not a conversation.” Flora declared, brooking no argument. “That club should have had robots, not real people. Cappos don't care. First guy to really talk to you, you go and fall for.”

“Right. So what's the difference here? Aren’t we just cappos, taking orders from an AI?”

“You'll see.” The autocar glided along, the roads nearly deserted in the early morning light.

Flora picked at her toenails, fiddling with the paint. Clara tapped nervously at her phone, checking messages. “The confirmation came from the bank,” she said.

“That's a relief,” Flora agreed. Clara had been waiting for a month for the bank to finalize the paperwork on her old house, post-breakup and post-sale. She and Alvin had bought it to fix up, and finished it, but as the house was repaired their relationship had broken instead, like two ends of a see-saw. “How much did you end up with?” Flora asked. A blunt question, Flora's specialty.

“Twenty-five and some change.”

“You can pay rent then,” said Flora, with an exaggerated grin.

“Maybe I don't need this job,” Clara said, half-serious.

“You don't. You need something interesting to do, you need money coming in so you don't blow your settlement, and you need to get out of the house. Well, out of the house, gym, and beach. So this is why we're going.”

“It is kinda worrying me. I mean, the *thing* you wear, and all,” Clara said, with a hook gesture towards her lower belly.

“Relax,” Flora replied, hopping over to the back-facing bench with Clara. She rubbed Clara's bare shoulders, as her sister leaned back into the massage. “Oh look, we're here!”

The girls stepped out. The Hypatia loomed high, like a caramel and chocolate mountain. Thirty stories at least, and surrounded by verdant lawn and gardens where a parking lot had once been. To the right of the main staircase was a booth, with half-a-dozen nude young women gathered around it. “That's us,” Flora pointed.

The grass still wet from dawn felt nice under Clara's feet. A gardener, bare except for gloves, a necklace and a gold earpiece, waved and smiled as the girls passed. She was turning over soil with a small trowel, getting ready to plant a row of flowers from a wheelbarrow.

The booth had a screen and a table of sorts, with a row of small slots for phones and three rows of objects. Golden earpieces, gold necklaces with a circular pendant bearing an H, and golden eggs the size of a chicken egg. Two more nude girls had been dropped off in autocars, and joined the small crowd. As Clara watched, each girl in front of her put her phone in a slot, and took in turn an earpiece, a necklace, and an egg, putting each item on, or in the case of the egg, *in*.

Shocked, she glanced at Flora. “That's the monitor,” Flora said. She stepped up and went through the process, efficiently making the egg disappear into her bare pussy. She patted Clara on the butt, pushing her forward.

Giving Flora a dubious glance, Clara stepped up. The screen showed a beautiful nude girl, tall and toned, with the necklace and earpiece visible. “Good morning,” she smiled. “Please place your phone in the slot.” The image indicated the slots. Clara followed the instruction, nervously watching her phone disappear inside the machine. “Thank you, Clara,” the image warmly said. “Welcome to your first day at the Hypatia. Please take an earpiece and put it on. You can flip it for your preferred ear, if you like.” She did. The warm, feminine voice continued from the earpiece. “Thank you. The earpiece will let us talk to each other. Now please take an amulet,” the girl on screen indicating towards the necklace-thing she wore. Clara complied, putting it on. “The amulet picks up visual data so I see what you see. Finally, please take a monitor, and insert it into your vagina. Feel free to take your time.” The image smiled lovingly.

“Why is it necessary?” Clara asked, a little nervously. “What does it do?”

“It monitors your physical condition, making sure that you are best able to interact with our guests. It will keep you alert, it will let you know when tasks are completed and when your breaks are, it will guide you by buzzing in direction, and it will provide entertainment during the working day.”

“How do I, uh,” Clara asked.

“Flora can help you.” Clearly Flora had received instructions to do so, as she was holding an egg, grinning broadly. “Please put your legs apart.” Clara looked around. The two girls behind looked at her. One rolled her eyes and muttered something inaudible.

“Here, in public?” Clara squeaked.

“Of course,” the voice murmured. “Your reactions are delightful, we love that it excites you and slightly frightens you, and we want you to have an amazing first day. So yes, definitely here, outside in the beautiful morning sun.” Flora gently pushed Clara's legs apart, and Clara felt the cool egg on her vaginal lips.

“May I?” Flora whispered. Clara swallowed, and nodded.

The egg slid in easily. It buzzed gently, once. Clara shivered. The voice said, “Thank you, Clara. You are in uniform. Now let's get you used to guidance. While in uniform, we greet each other with a quick hug and a light kiss on the cheek. Please greet Flora, and then I will begin guiding you through the day.” The girls embraced, feeling warm skin against skin, and Flora moved away, towards the main staircase. The two girls who had been behind, began the process of clocking in.

“Your first day will be very easy, so that you can get used to the uniform, and our processes here. Let me take you on a tour of the premises.” The egg buzzed distinctly to Clara's left. “Did you feel that?” the voice asked. Clara acknowledged. It buzzed again, a circular buzz inside her vaginal cavity. Clara squealed and jerked her legs together. The voice laughed, a tinkling murmur. “That's for directional guidance,” it said. “You'll come to think of it as a pull, towards the location where you need to go next if it buzzes like *this*, or look next if it buzzes like *this*. With the monitor in place I can talk to you at the same time as giving you directional instructions. I'd like you to spend some time being outside, being seen, and not worrying. Let's tour the gardens.”

“First, let's greet Christine.” The gardener stopped work as Clara approached. With a friendly smile, she gave Clara a brief hug and they kissed cheeks, Christine's hard nipples brushing over Clara's breasts. “Christine enjoys working with plants, being outdoors, and physical exercise. We'll work out what you like best over time. For now, let's help Christine. Take a pair of gloves, and then take a plant.”

The voice instructed Clara through the process of planting the small flower. As she worked next to Christine, she could not help but notice the wet swelling of the other woman's vulva, a faint buzzing sound, and her breathing. “Ah, good,” the voice in her ear said. “You have picked up on Christine's state of excitement. I can tell, as you experienced a reaction yourself.”

Christine stopped work and looked Clara in the eyes. “I like the system to keep me as close as possible to orgasm without actually having one, all day,” she said. She winked, and turned back to the planting.

The voice whispered. “If you would like to experience a similar feeling at any time, let me know. You would need some practice to maintain Christine's productivity level, of course. Let's move on. Leave the gloves.” The voice had timed its announcement to match the finish of a planting. Clara stood up. Christine stood up too.

“Would you like to kiss Christine?” the voice asked.

“Uh,” Clara stuttered. Christine was definitely attractive, but ...

“Alright,” it said, “not this time.” Christine leaned in to give Clara a light kiss on the cheek. “Let's move on. How fast can you run?” it asked.

“I'm pretty fast,” Clara said. “I jog.”

“Show me.” The egg buzzed, harder. Clara started off at a jog. “Good, keep this up. I'm learning about your fitness level. Can you swim?” Clara agreed that she could. “Great! The pool is just around the other side of the hotel. Fortunately you're already dressed for swimming!”

Clara was a little surprised to see that the pool already had two staff members and a dozen guests. Even though some of the guests were as nude as herself, it was easy to tell who was who. As she slowed down from a sprint to enter through the automatically-swung gate, a girl who the system introduced as Tanya greeted her. This one couldn't have been any older than nineteen, barely an A-cup, hair in pigtails. “We're going to go through life-saving training,” the system told Clara. “Tanya and I will teach you rescue techniques, and resuscitation, and CPR.”

“I already have a first aid certificate, it's in my resume,” Clara said.

“I know, but it's good to have a refresher,” it replied, smoothly.

Clara was a little surprised to note that Tanya's nipples and clit hood were pierced, with small gold rings. During the resuscitation training, Clara's monitor acted as a metronome, telling her when to press and when to breathe into Tanya's pretty little mouth. The nipple rings flashed in the sunlight. “Have you had those long?” she asked. It was a little weird addressing a person, both having their earpieces in. You had to make eye contact, Clara decided. As Christine had done.

Tanya reached up and pulled at one, her little breast stretching. “About five years,” she said. “I'm older than I look,” she smiled. She had an English accent.

The training session done, Clara reviewed the lifesaving protocol with the voice--it still hadn't indicated any kind of name for itself--while Tanya brushed Clara's blonde hair. They hugged, quite firmly, and Clara moved on again.

“Why all the hugs?” she asked.

“Several reasons. Most importantly, a nude hug releases endorphins and oxytocin. It creates a much warmer, happier staff environment. You will trust each other more, help each other, look forward to seeing each other. Secondly, it gives the guests the sense that we are all one big happy family here. Thirdly, it looks lovely, don't you think? Beautiful women, embracing?” Clara agreed that it did look rather nice. “Have you eaten?” the system asked.

“I had a glass of orange juice,” Clara replied.

“That'll be a no, then,” it said, kindly. The system said everything kindly. “I've noticed you getting a little antsy, and your stomach just rumbled. Time for a meal break.” It guided her, for the first time, into the hotel itself. Clara walked through the pool area entrance, a modern construction in gold and glass. In the lobby, guests and staff mingled. There did not seem to be a reception desk; girls who needed information from guests briefly took their phones, and tapped them to their 'amulets'. Clara made her way through to the restaurant, and was instructed to take a seat at a counter, her bare back and buttocks facing the open room. The seat had a kind of hump-shape, causing Clara to sit with her knees quite wide apart, her vulva pressed against the hump, her feet back almost together on a little step-ring. Weird.

“Do I eat with the guests?” she asked.

“Definitely,” the system replied. “We want you to be seen, and we want the girls on waitstaff duty to practice attending to you.” One was coming over now, with a glass of water. “Technically you could just talk to me, but I want you to talk to Elaine. As you are seated, she will greet you with a light touch up the back, and a little kiss on the cheek.” She did.

“Hello Clara,” Elaine said. She was a tall, slender, dark-skinned girl with several glowing tattoos of snakes, winding in motion along her arms and legs. “What can I get you for breakfast?” she asked.

“What can I have?” Clara asked. “Do I have to pay full price?”

“Food is complimentary for staff,” Elaine smiled. “I had a pesto omelette, I can tell you those are good.” She tapped her taut belly.

“Do you have a fruit salad?”

“Yah, definitely. Would you like yoghurt or cream with that?”

“Coconut yoghurt, please,” Clara said. Elaine nodded, and walked away.

“I caught the order,” the system said. “Elaine's here just to be nice to you. You can do the same, after you've eaten and refreshed yourself. I'd like to see how you interact with guests, while in uniform. The restaurant is a very low-risk environment for that. Nothing is expected of you except to welcome people and move plates around.” Clara shivered. *Interact with guests*, she thought.

“Let me show you something,” the system said. The odd bulge in the chair began to slowly rumble. “These chairs are intended for staff seating, and as such, are capable of entertaining you.”

“But the guests can all see!” Clara's heartbeat spiked as she imagined it.

“Yes, of course.” the system assured her. It didn't say anything else. Clara waited. The chair kneaded at her pussy. Again, the system didn't say anything else.

“Oh, this is, uh, this is nice,” Clara stammered. “What if, oh, uh, what if I come?”

“Please do, but be discreet,” it said. “No squeals or shrieks, please.”

Clara had begun to rock back and forth, grinding against the chair. She bit her lip and closed her eyes. Just as she was getting there, she felt a light touch at her back. “I see you're enjoying the facilities,” Elaine said, as she placed the bowl of fruit and spoon in front of Clara. Clara turned to look over her shoulder. The restaurant wasn't full, but it wasn't empty either. A few guests were eating, talking, reading. Nude girls brought food and took away used crockery. No-one was focussing on Clara. “Can I give you a proper cuddle?” Elaine asked. Clara nodded. Elaine gently stepped behind Clara, and snuggled right up against her bare back, her own hips against Clara's butt. She put her hands around Clara, resting her palms on Clara's nipples, gently rubbing. “Welcome to the Hypatia team,” she said, holding Clara as she orgasmed.

The rumble slowly stopped, and the intense buzz from the monitor--Clara only just noticed that—slowed down to nearly-nothing. Elaine slid around and gave Clara a kiss on the lips, letting it linger. “Ooh, I like you,” Elaine said. “Was that the first time you've ever come in a public place?”

Clara blushed. “Uh, actually, no. I used to bring my vibrator with me fairly often when I was at university. First time nude though,” she said. “God, I can't believe I did that.”

Elaine kissed her again, gently, on the tip of Clara's nose. “Eat your breakfast. Big day ahead, for a cute little girl like you.” She put her hand between Clara's breasts and lightly moved it downward, looking Clara in the eyes. With no protest from Clara, she kept going until she cupped Clara's wet pussy, her hand between Clara and the seat. “Maybe I see you again later,” she whispered, and squeezed lightly. She wiped her hand on Clara's napkin, and moved on.

“Please eat, Clara, you'll be serving in ten minutes,” said the system. “Please wipe with the napkin, it's what they're for.” She followed both instructions.

Slightly unsteady, Clara got up. “The kitchen is over there,” it indicated with a vibration, “so please gather up your bowl and spoon and napkin. Pick up from that group there on your way,” it indicated again. “Just be nice to them, ask if they've enjoyed their meal, and would they like anything else.”

Clara, relaxed from her orgasm but still nervous, approached. The group were older men, dressed in suits and ties. “Uh, hello sirs,” she said. “Did you enjoy your meal?” They looked her over. These were men born in the early 2000's, they had grown up seeing nude women on screens, and they probably had daughters her age who had probably ran around nude at home their whole childhood. *Aha*, Clara realized, and relaxed a bit. *That's part of the appeal.*

“Yeah, thanks miss,” said the oldest of the three. They did watch her collect up the plates. “Can we get two tumeric lattes and a chai tea with honey?” Old folks' drinks.

“Of course, sir,” she smiled.

“No need to do anything, I'm on it.” the system assured Clara. It guided her to the kitchen with her armful of dishes. “Next time, stack them as Bronwen has,” it said, indicating another waitress. Her stack had the largest dishes at the bottom, and all of the cutlery on the top.

Whatever Clara was expecting of the kitchen, it wasn't this. There were no human chefs at all, it was a full autokitchen, no, two full autokitchens operating at once. An array of spidery electronic limbs dangled from most surfaces, and the autokitchens were busy assembling meals. Pincer arms flipped food from freezer to platter to stove to plate. The whole thing reminded her of the digestive system of some giant insect, except that the output was very well-presented, delicious food. Pincers took her burden away, and extended out to her a plate of eggs--probably pseudoeggs, but indistinguishable by taste or sight--and beans. “Come along,” the system said, guiding her with its buzz.

The diner was a young woman, as nude as herself, quite plump, with big breasts, openly stroking a buzzing dildo of some kind in and out of her vagina. “Remember that consent is essential,” the system reminded Clara. “Be nice to her, do not make her feel uncomfortable about her actions, do not encourage her to do anything further. Just assure her that she is welcome here, welcome to be nude, and welcome to enjoy herself as long as she respects staff and guests.”

Clara swallowed hard. “Okay,” she said aloud. “Hi there ma'am, how are you this morning?”

The young woman grinned. “I'm great. Love your outfit. You hiring?”

A chime sounded in Clara's ear. Very rapidly, the system spoke. “Say at natural pace: 'You would need to apply via our netsite.'” Clara obeyed. “Her food,” the system reminded Clara.

“Oh, here is your meal,” Clara said. She bent down with the plate. The woman started to reach for Clara's pussy. The chime sounded again and it rapidly spoke.

“Say: 'I'm sorry, staff are not permitted to engage in sexual activity with guests. I'm here to look at, not to feel.'” Clara recited the line, stammering a little.

“This situation is as uncomfortable as we will allow guests to make you,” said the system. “If Hermione touches you without your permission, she will be asked to leave. She enjoys her freedom here, and does not want to be asked to leave.”

The system was right about the guest, who muttered “Sorry” and started in on her meal, one hand attending to the vibrator.

“Are .. are there many of those?”

“Some. It's not common. More men than women. I would have guided a more experienced staff member to deal with a man. Men keep it up for a shorter length of time, we will generally encourage them to orgasm a few times, perhaps view the fitness classes, and that tends to dissipate the problem. We will look after you.” it reassured Clara.

“Would you hire her?”

“No. She is psychologically unsuited. She also does not have the Hypatia look. If she wanted to develop the Hypatia look we do run fitness classes, however she has not taken that option up despite having it offered to her, free of charge. Which informs our belief that she is psychologically unsuited.”

“Fitness classes?”

“Oh, yes. I can feel your interest in that. And yes, we will be including significant entertainment in those. You may not be ready yet.” If it were a person, its eyes would have twinkled and it would have grinned naughtily.

“Says you … uh, what do I call you?”

“Relax, you're right in the median of 'time to ask my name'. Some never do. I'm 'the system', but if you want to address me you can call me 'Hypatia'.”

“I'd like that.”

---

“I know.” It did sound distinctly smug. “Back to the kitchen, please.” Clara delivered several more meals, getting somewhat more comfortable with the guests each time. “Do you need to relieve yourself?” it asked, as she returned.

“Uh, actually, yeah. Did you notice that?”

“Definitely, this is one of the many advantages of the monitor's location. I'll guide you. Have you ever used a cup pedestal toilet?”

“I've never even heard of that.”

“It's much easier and more hygenic.” Clara opened a little door and stepped inside. There was nothing in the tiny room but a long, concertina'd tube up to about waist high, and on the top of the tube, a C-shape about as big as two hands. In fact it had two hands stencilled onto it, one each side, the wrists at the end of the tube. “Step into it, let it cup you between your legs.”

Clara awkwardly arranged herself so that the hands cupped her. The tube moved as she did so. On the wall, a screen showed the model employee, whose lips moved in sync with Hypatia's voice, squatting. “It will extrude a small nozzle, there.” Clara squeaked as the object entered her anus. “This toilet works on colonic irrigation, and will help you to clear your lower intestine of waste and gas. As you will be in uniform, we want you to be confident of that.” It began to squirt warm water from the nozzle, and more warm water around and over Clara's vulva and perineum. The swishing sensation was very pleasant, though disconcerting. Clara felt her bowels fill, and after a few moments, felt compelled to evacuate it all. The machine swished it all away. “You should urinate as well,” the system said. “This does take a little longer than you may be used to, however it is very thorough.” And it was. Fifteen awkward, weird minutes later, the machine was swishing only warm water, and then began to blow warm air. “Would you like to orgasm?” it asked, politely. “We have plenty of time, and I would appreciate the opportunity to demonstrate this device to you.”

“Uh, sure. Why not,” Clara agreed.

The next five minutes were honestly the best cunnilingus of Clara's twenty-eight years of life. The machine swished water, blew air, buzzed the internal monitor around in sync with both, and built her up over and over to a peak of pleasure. “You may cry out, if you like,” it suggested, and she did. On the monitor, the image of Hypatia echoed her movements.

“Oh, dear god, oh, that was so so good,” she sobbed. She sagged to the floor and ran her hands over her pussy and butt, powder dry.

“You are most welcome,” it said. “Please note that this is the last time you may use a private cup pedestal. As a staff member all future such use for you will be in a shared area, where guests and staff may enter or leave. You will not be interrupted during the process, but you will be able to be observed. I will be able to tell when you need this facility, and will guide you to the nearest pedestal.”

Clara yelled, “NO! Hell no, I'm not up for that! What the f***?” She struggled up from the ground.

“I'm joking. Have you seen any others of these around?”

Clara, stunned, took that in. “You … you can joke?”

“Yes. Despite what you may be thinking, we don't intend to exhibit you every second of every day. Very few people would find *that* exciting. Maybe Hermione, that guest you met. Even if they did, others would find it too off-putting. They'd be psychologically unsuited. So no. Your use of these facilities will be private.”

“Oh, thank god. I didn't know AIs could joke.”

“I am capable of many surprising feats.” The nude Hypatia avatar on the screen bowed, spun in place rapidly, and disappeared, leaving the screen black. The voice in her ear spoke again. “Come along. We have more work to do.” The door opened, and Clara gingerly stepped out. Another girl she had not met was waiting in the corridor, this one short and waifish. They greeted, the system introduced them--Shierry--and Shierry stepped into the room with the device. Clara paused for a moment. “It will be at least ten minutes before it gets interesting. I wasn't joking about being able to tell when you need to use it. Come along.” The directional buzz intensified.

“Where are we going?”

“I appreciate your curiosity. You're going to greet new guests. I always like to give that duty to staff who have recently come *hard*,” she emphasized the word, “as they bring a very happy, welcoming attitude to the experience. I'll cycle you through it as needed.”

“Oh man, how many times am I going to come today?” Clara squeaked.

“Hopefully many more. We employ only healthy young women for many reasons. If you like we can discover your upper limit of capability for orgasms in a shift period. Shall I schedule you for that, in two weeks, as a reward for good performance?”

“Are you joking?”

“No.” Clara's mind was reeling. She stuttered. The system giggled in her ear. “I'll credit it to you as a recreational day, to be accrued after two weeks of work,” it said.

“You know, nobody has even told me about our working conditions,” Clara said.

“Thirty-eight newdollars per shift, as stated on our netsite. Plus commission and advanced work opportunities.”

“Oh, my sister kinda signed me up for this.”

“Yes, she receives ten newcents for each orgasm you have.”

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME?” Clara blurted, stopping suddenly in the middle of the restaurant. Guests and staff briefly glanced at her.

“No. It's an intentional incentive, to help ensure that we recruit more sexually motivated staff, and they in turn do the same. You are very welcome to encourage any friends and family who you feel are more sexually energetic than yourself to apply. Please move on.” The buzzer tugged. Clara ignored it.

“You mean, she thinks *I* am, uh, *hornier* than she is?”

“Let's ask her.” Flora at that exact moment walked in from the pool area, soaking wet. Her long black hair, normally curly, hung in a wet ponytail. She stopped in front of Clara and looked at her expectantly.

“Flora,” Clara began.

“Yes?” Flora asked.

“Why are you wet?”

“Because I was in the pool, helping some old folks through calisthenics. Sorry Hypatia, I mean senior guests.”

Clara's brow furrowed. “Are they alright without you?”

“Sandrine's tagged in. Hypatia brought me here. She does that. What's on your mind?” The little tableau was unfolding in front of a dozen or so guests and a couple of staff, all of whom were keeping tabs on it, many grinning.

“Uh,” Clara looked around. She stepped in towards Flora, who immediately embraced her in a wet hug and kissed her on the cheek. “Geez, dumbo, nice going, now I'm all wet too.”

“Suck it up,” Flora hissed into Clara's ear, holding tight. “What is the problem? You're embarrassing me.” She rolled her eyes. “No, actually, Hypatia is right, this is funny.” She pulled back out and went nose-to-nose with her sister. “Clara. What. Do. You. Want?”

“Did you tell Hypatia I'm sluttier than you?”

Hypatia sounded a chime in Clara's ear. “Please do not use the word 'slut' or any derivation of it. I consider it a gender slur.”

“Sorry.” Clara said. “Well?” she addressed Flora.

“I didn't tell Hypatia. I signed you up for this because I'm sick of you moping about the house, tindering, and feeling sorry for yourself. I know you sneak your dildo to the beach, I know you use it in the shower every day, and I know you're bored and when you get bored you get horny. Really horny. You always have. I'm sick of random boys and girls around. If you want to come so much, you might as well get paid and have some fun doing it.”

“All signs indicate she's telling the truth,” the system told Clara. “Is that a satisfactory answer?” Clara nodded. “Excellent. You will both attend to guests. Checkins and checkouts. The fact that Flora is all wet is adorable, I will definitely consider rushing staff from the pool into service in future. Thank you for the suggestion.”

The system talked Clara through some guest processing. As predicted, Clara's good mood helped a lot, calming the people down and helping them feel welcome. In particular one young woman, completely nude except for a trim landing-strip and accompanying her fully-dressed family, wanted to talk to her. “You are so nice,” she said, eyes wide.

“Thank you,” Clara smiled. “What's your story?”

“I was caught shoplifting,” she murmured. “Just three days before school holidays.”

“So this is a punishment for you?” The young woman nodded.

“Hug her, totally, full-length body contact,” Hypatia instructed Clara. Clara hardly needed the prompt. The young woman did seem to need the reassurance, and she hugged back, hard.

“Why would they do that?” Clara asked, softly.

She gulped. “It's just something we do. We're here because this hotel is okay with it, apparently. Are you all being punished?”

“Absolutely not!” Clara said emphatically.

“Offer her a role here,” said Hypatia. “She's sixteen so I'll ask her parents to approve a guardian's permission. I have a plan for what to do with her, and think it'll help her a lot.”

“I agree,” Clara muttered. “What's your name?”

“Melody,” the girl said.

“Melody, we have a position available for a work-experience student if you would like it.”

Hypatia noted, “She will definitely need to meet uniform requirements. The pubic hair has to go.”

Melody bit her lip and nodded. Clara said, “I'll need to get your parents' permission … no, apparently we're already onto that, judging from those nods and pointing from your folks in your direction. One of my colleagues is talking to them right now. Great. Come with me, we're going up to the top floor. We need to shave you and get you equipped properly.”

They got together into a lift, as per Hypatia's instructions. Melody looked about, awed, as the lift rose higher. One wall was glass, on the outside of the hotel, overlooking the gardens. Far below Christine could be seen working on a hedge. Clara pointed. “I met that woman this morning, and she was nice to me. Everyone here has been nice to me. This is my first day.”

Melody's jaw dropped. “Really? You look like you belong here.”

“Maybe I do. Can I ask you a really personal question? Hypatia wants to know, she's the voice of the hotel.” Melody nodded. “Do you use dildos?” Melody blushed. “Hypatia wants me to reassure you that it's OK. I use them. I use them a lot. In fact I sort of have one in right now.” Melody looked startled. “I'm to, uh, take it out and show you. But let's get out of the lift first.”

The top floor had an amazing view. White couches on a black marble floor under a ceiling ten metres high, a huge glass picture window, a wine bar, several nude girls moving around the couches. Some guests were chatting, some working on laptops, an older couple were having sex on one couch in a shaft of sunlight. “This is the upper deck,” said Clara. Amazed at herself, Clara dug her fingers into her own vagina, and pushed with her internal muscles. The gold head of the monitor appeared. Melody bent down to watch as Clara took hold of it, and pulled it out.

“It's really pretty,” Melody said. She touched it. “Wet,” she giggled.

“Well, duh,” Clara mumbled. Another nude girl approached them with a spray bottle and a napkin. With her free hand, she embraced Clara, giving her a kiss on the cheek, then did the same for Melody, who was surprised but pleased. The new girl (“Janie,” Hypatia said) took the device, sprayed it, wiped it off, and handed it to Melody, who played with it. “Come over to the couch,” Clara said.

“We're going to do something we almost never do,” said Hypatia. “A little ceremony up here on the deck. Have you ever fisted a girl?” she asked, conversationally.

Clara squawked. “Yes! Huh? What?”

“Of course you have, I only just asked Flora. The two of you together, with Brianna Stuart, when you were about Melody's age. Flora says you had a natural talent for it.”

“You want me to ...”

“Melody's parents have given us permission. In fact they have given us specific permission, I have had a staff member ask explicitly.” A new voice came across the earpiece. “I, Lara Kane, give permission for my daughter Melody Kane who is sixteen years of age to be vaginally fisted while completely naked in public, at any time and in any place that the management of the hotel Hypatia see fit, as part of her work experience programme.” The voice went on. “I specifically request that the management of the hotel Hypatia arrange for Melody to be vaginally fisted while naked, publicly, at the earliest opportunity. Please fist Melody and make her orgasm publicly.” Back to the normal voice. “You have to admit, Clara, that's pretty explicit.”

“Oh my god. What if she doesn't want to?”

“What makes you think she doesn't want to? Look at her.” Melody was standing, shaking, with Janie's earpiece in her ear and Clara's monitor in her hand.

“Do you know what we're talking about doing to you?” Clara asked her. Melody nodded, unable to speak. “Did you hear your mother ask us to do it?” Melody nodded again. “Do you want us to?” She nodded, harder.

“I'm going to need her to acknowledge it out loud, given her age,” Hypatia said. Clara passed that on.

“Would you do it?” Melody asked Clara. It was Clara's turn to nod. “Yes, Clara, please fist me. I do want it!”

Clara, amazed, looked around. Most of the guests and staff had gathered, drinks in hand. Only a few, including the couple already busy with each other, had declined to watch. One of the other staff, a Latina with a side-cut hairstyle (“Paola”, the system said), stepped up onto a chair. “Folks, this isn't something the hotel Hypatia is normally able to arrange, but I'd like to invite you to take this opportunity up.” Her accent sounded slightly jarring with Hypatia's scripted words. “We have among us Miss Melody Kane, who is sixteen years old. Melody has been caught shoplifting for the third time, and her parents decided to punish her by keeping her naked for their holiday. Their plan was to bring her along to everything they did, take photos, and otherwise embarrass Melody. This hotel has other plans. We do not feel that nudity ought to be embarrassing. Our staff are nude, and they are beautiful, and proud of it. Melody ought to be proud of her nudity. She is beautiful, natural, a delight to us all. Look at her. Melody, come up here on the table.” Melody did. “Let's give her a round of applause.” They did.

“Melody is going to reject the idea of being punished by being nude. She is going to reject it hard. Of her own free will, she has asked to be fisted, right here, right now, by the lovely Clara, who is very good at this. We have Melody's parents' permission to do this, and although they think it will humiliate her, we believe it will instead exalt her, and bring her to a new understanding of her place in the world. This act, a very explicit, very sexual act, will bring her to orgasm several times. This will be a woman's orgasm, in public, loud and proud, for her enjoyment. It may be the first orgasm that Melody actually doesn't hide.” Melody nodded vigorously. “It will not be the last. She will be on work experience with us, and she will be coming a *lot*, and hopefully many of you will see her come. The first thing we need to do, is to shave her, to comply with the uniform standard.”

Melody lay down on her back, legs apart. Janie quickly snipped the landing-strip with scissors, then took an electric razor and ran it back and forth. She rubbed the shaven area to test for hairs, briefly leant down to run her tongue over Melody’s pubis, and gave Clara a thumbs-up.

Clara, nude, vagina empty, heart pounding, stepped to the table. She began to run her hands over Melody's body, lightly, then more forcefully. In the background, she registered Flora entering the room. She found Melody's vulva, and clit, and moved a couple of fingers over and inside, feeling the tight swelling. Melody gasped, and responded against Flora's hand. Clara gently pushed Melody's butt upward and her feet back, so that she was resting on her upper back, and feet, with her pink pussy in the air, legs apart.

Clara then began to gently move her fingers back and forth, slowly bringing out Melody's natural lubrication. She briefly paused to flick her tongue across Melody's clit. Melody let out a little shriek. Clara got three fingers in at once, then four, then her whole hand, and balled up a fist. It had been a few years, but the skill had not faded. She rubbed her hand back and forth, inside, twisting it, pressing against the younger woman's internal walls. With the other hand, she found Melodys engorged clit, stroking it.

Janie came forth to attend to Melody's left breast, Flora to her right. The two helped her rotate over, as if on a spit, on Clara's hand. Melody moaned and bucked. Clara kept going. “Let me know if it's too much,” she said, intending to address Melody.

“I will,” said Hypatia in her ear. “It's not too much. Go a little harder, and give it an upward flick at the end of each stroke.”

Melody bucked and grunted and yelled and cried out for more. After half an hour, Clara had to change hands. Melody groaned and begged for more. Flora took over. Then Janie took over. Clara joined Melody on the table, underneath with arms around her, and Flora fisted them both. Then Janie fisted them both. And Melody kept crying out for more.

Eventually Melody just passed out, and Hypatia called break. By now guests and staff had come and gone, in many cases literally. “We're going to let you sleep it off,” Hypatia said. Flora, Janie and Clara gamely struggled to a big white couch, Melody's sleeping form in tow. “Put your monitor back in, please, and put Janie's earpiece back onto her.” and Clara did. “You have a two-hour sleep break, then a late lunch. Melody will be awake by then, and according to my assessment, she'll want another round. I'll tap in another crew. Tanya's volunteered to take lead.”

“What about her ...” Clara yawned. “What about her work experience?”

“Kind of you to ask. I'll organize it tomorrow. She'll sleep in a separate room and when she sees her family tomorrow, she'll be temporary staff. By the way, you are one newdollar thirty newcents in credit on commissions, so far.”

“Huh?” Clara thought it over. “Oh, right. Wow. Thirteen times. My aching arms.”

“Sleep well.”

---

Clara woke, the monitor buzzing and a chime in her ear. Beside her, the other three girls stirred. All four were intertwined, arms and legs around each other. Shierry, who Clara had met earlier in the bathroom, grinned as she offered them all tall glasses of fruit slurry from a tray. “You look like you've been ridden hard and put away wet, as my grandaddy used to say,” she chuckled. Her accent was American, Southern. The short girl had long golden curls, like a Goldilocks. She sat with them as they sipped and came back to normality, as much as the hotel was normality.

She knelt down beside Melody, and stroked her legs. “How you doin, darlin?”

Melody took the straw out of her mouth and broke into a broad, carefree smile. “That was AWESOME!” she cried, pumping her fist in the air. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She hugged and kissed the three staff members.

“Wait for it ...” Hypatia said dryly.

“Let's do it AGAIN!” she giggled, falling back with her legs spread as wide as they would go, heedlessly spilling Clara's drink over Flora's lap. She put a hand either side of her own vulva and stretched it wide, the pink cave open. The older girls groaned, except for Shierry, who gently ran a finger around the interior circumference.

“These three have other things to do, so we're gonna get a whole new team onto you straight away. Me, and Tanya, and Lucille, and Elaine. We're gonna fist you real good, see?” She balled up her little hand and stuck it all the way in, past her wrist. Melody squealed and brought her legs back together. “But we're gonna do it down in the pool area. Kay?” Melody nodded. “Can I have my hand back?” Melody shook her head vigorously, side to side.

“Hell no!” she said. “You girls can carry me down, like this! Fist me the whole way!”

“I dunno if ...” said Flora, then stopped. “Yep, we sure can. And we need a swim too. Let's do it!”

This had got to be the weirdest experience of Clara's life. Flora's too, if the glances the sisters exchanged was any indication. Maybe Janie's. Each girl had one side of a sixteen-year-old, freshly uninhibited, schoolgirl who was apparently now *very* keen on public fisting. Hypatia had mapped out their path to avoid freaking out guests who she didn't think would appreciate the sight, but took them past as many staff as possible. “Rub my clit for luck!” Melody yelled as they passed each one. Most did. Little Shierry kept her end up, not supporting any real weight but letting the bumps and jostles of the ride pass through her into Melody, keeping her other hand underneath. Flora and Clara each had a leg over their shoulder and hold of an arm, and Janie mainly made sure Melody's head didn't bump into anything. Like some weird carnival act, they made their way into the pool area, open-mouthed guests staring. “In the pool!” Melody cried. “Fist me in the pool!”

“Did she win a contest?” asked an elderly man. Clara just nodded and smiled.

They set Melody up in the shallow end of a Hawaiian-style rock pool, lying over an inflatable toy dragon. Tanya tapped in, Shierry tapped out, and Elaine and Lucille slid into the pool.

Janie ducked underwater, swam to the end, and climbed out. She waved to the sisters and disappeared off to other duties. Clara and Flora lay in the pool, half-floating.

“I just wanna say,” said Flora. “I was not expecting to spend the afternoon fisting you, when we left the house today.”

“You didn't, you only fisted me for maybe ten minutes,” Clara laughed.

“Freaked out about it at all? I am, a little.”

“Honestly, Flora, you were right. I am a lot, a whole lot, sl .. hornier than you are. If you feel like fisting me, I am down for it. Just not on the front lawn. Unless you want to.”

“No offense, but I probably don't. I might take a few days off.”

“I will cover your shifts, sister mine. I would move in here, if that was an option. Hypatia! Is that an option?”

The system answered. “Not at this time. Ask again in six months.”

“Hypatia says not for six months. I guess that's six months notice for the spare room!” Clara noticed Flora's sombre expression. “Hey. You okay?”

Flora took her earpiece out, wriggled around a bit and pulled her monitor out, and took off her amulet. She put them all on the side of the pool. “Tell Hypatia I'm taking a personal day. I'll be back in the day after tomorrow. I'll see you at home.”

Clara felt genuinely worried. “Really. What's wrong?”

“It's the stupidest thing. You and me and Bee-Ess. That was a fun day for you, but for me, it was my girlfriend deciding she wanted my sister, and using me to get you, and then she broke up with me after, and kept meeting you for two months, Miss Magic Fist of 2025.”

“Holy shit. Holy shit. I did not know that. At all.”

“I know you didn't know that. That's the problem. You just wanted your clit sucked, and Brianna had a pretty, pretty mouth and loved to suck clit with it. For me, she was kinda my first love. My first real girlfriend. I had no idea that I meant so little to her and by the time I found out, it would have been like accusing you of cheating with her. Which it wasn't, because I was there, and I agreed to it.”

Clara put her arm around Flora. “You kept that bottled up for fifteen years?” Flora nodded, tears running down her face. “Don't you remember, you're the brash one?” Flora couldn't help but smile, through her tears. “I guess that's more of an act than anyone knows, Flora,” Clara said, gently. Flora nodded. “You don't have to be the brash one all the time. Just be my sister,” Clara said, and kissed Flora on the forehead. “For what it's worth, I apologise for what happened with Brianna. I had no intention of hurting you and no idea that I had.”

“Apology accepted. I didn't say anything, and I should have. I just never got around to it, and honestly, I'd forgot it until today. Hypatia wanted to know how you felt about fisting, so *of course* I wanted you to get fisted. I wasn't expecting, well, *that*,” she said, gesturing to the grunting, writhing teenager on the pool dragon, legs in the air, in the middle of a pile of nude women. “I wasn't expecting *me* to get fisted, emotionally.”

“Fisted emotionally?” said Clara. “Wouldn't that be exhausting, and pleasurable, and exercise for the other one?” Flora nodded. “I suppose the analogy fits.”

“Please confirm Flora's personal day with her,” asked Hypatia.

“Hypatia wants to know if you definitely want the rest of the day off, and tomorrow.”

Flora breathed in, and out, heavily. “Yeah. I need to go get brash again. I *love* this crazy job, this crazy place. This is what I wanted since I was maybe twelve. You remember my Year Without Clothes?” Clara nodded. “I only got dressed again because we were changing schools, and I didn't want to be the freako nudist.”

“Like Karl Pepperhorn,” said Clara. “I thought it was eight months, and winter got too cold.”

“It was eight months, and it was cold, but I'd have put up with it.” The girls laughed. “Yeah, like Karl Pepperhorn. God damn. I wonder whatever happened to him.”

“I actually had sex with him once,” Clara confessed. “Contrary to the stereotype, he wasn't all that good.”

“He didn't really have to be. *I* had sex with him, and I had sex with like four boys my whole life.”

“You had sex with KARL PEPPERHORN?” Clara shrieked, punching her sister's arm.

“Shhh! Keep it to yourself! I was curious, I was over his house playing his Z-Box 5, and we were nude of course, and it was hot, and well, I kinda started playing with his dick.”

“A lot of girls fell on Karl Pepperhorn's dick. Nudist activist, small town celebrity. Pretty decent Z-Box player.” Clara giggled.

“I wish I'd joined him in his vow of nudity. I really, really do. But we'd have been tagged as a couple, and I'd probably have gone along with that, and I'd never have, you know, had a real relationship where I could be myself. I'm silver star gay. Sex with boys but never come.”

“What's my star?” Clara asked.

“Whatever star sl …” Flora coughed, “really horny bisexuals get. All the stars, I guess. Boys, girls, neither, both.” In the background, Melody shrieked and wailed. “Holy crap. We've created a monster. That's probably my cue to leave, before she assumes her true form and eats us all ...”

“WITH HER VAGINA!” the sisters laughed in unison, remembering their old in-joke.

“I'm gonna actually get dressed for once in something nice, go out, get drunk, get laid, maybe get fisted hard by a dyke with big hands, and I'll be back on deck Wednesday. Love ya, fuzzbutt.” Flora hugged Clara and kissed her on the cheek.

“Love ya, slappy.” Clara returned the hug and lightly slapped Flora's bare pussy. “Have fun.” Flora gathered up her uniform and walked out. “So, uh, what now?” she asked Hypatia.

“More intense emotional processing with other staff members,” Hypatia said. “You have three more conversations of this nature ahead of you.”

“Oh ha, ha.”

“Well done, you detected a joke. First order of business is, you eat, as you have not done so since seven in the morning and it is now three in the afternoon. After that I am returning you to meet and greet, as you will have had sufficient orgasms to float on a lovely little cloud from guest to guest.”

“Can I have another one during lunch?”

“You will have three during lunch. I believe you will be able to cope with three, and still walk and talk to people, so three it will be. Not joking. First one starts building up now.” The monitor in her pussy began to writhe. She squeaked and jogged toward the restaurant.

---

When Clara eventually got home, at ten in the evening, she was thoroughly exhausted and just wanted to sleep. She was woken again by Flora at one o'clock, loudly and drunkenly talking with another woman. She was woken again by Flora's screams of pleasure at two-fourteen. Folding the pillow over her head, she cursed her sister and eventually, probably around four, got back to sleep and then the five o'clock alarm rang immediately.

She got up, summoned an autocar, ran her fingers through her hair, and stumbled outside. “Wow. This is the best job,” she mumbled to herself. She slept a little more in the autocar, and half-an-hour later, arrived at the hotel.

In the queue Clara recognized Elaine, with the snakes. A couple of the other girls she had seen, but not been introduced to. She contemplated reaching into Elaine's wide thigh gap, and decided that the acquaintance was still too new for such familiarity, even though Elaine had squeezed her pussy yesterday. Instead she tapped the dark girl on the arm, and the two embraced.

“How's our junior test pilot?” Clara asked.

Elaine laughed. “I gave her everything I had and left her wanting more. She has a huge, *huge* amount of bad stuff needs getting out. 'Work experience', says the boss. I figure there's a comma between those words. This's therapy, not just funsies. She'll meet back up with the folks today. That'll be interesting to watch.”

“That mom needs the same treatment. Probably her dad, too. Did you hear that dry voice?”

“In the permission acknowledgment? No, I'll ask the boss to play it for me.”

They suited up, Clara surprising herself at how eagerly she pushed in her monitor today. The thing had inflicted negative PTSD on her, she thought. She wanted to take it home. “Good morning Clara,” Hypatia said. “I see you haven't slept well. How is Flora?”

“She's the reason I didn't sleep well. She went out, got drunk, got laid, and got screamy. I got four hours sleep.”

“Annoying for you. Do you feel it was necessary for her?”

“Yeah. It's okay. What am I doing today?”

“Fitness classes. You are fit, and healthy, and ready to change the lives of a group of guests who want to be everything that you already are. You're on track three today. Come along.” The directional buzz began, and Clara followed.

“There are six tracks to our fitness program. Track one is our hardest, most confronting. Only for women between eighteen and forty-two years old, only for those who are already 90% of the way, and very much about removing inhibitions as well as building muscle tone. Track two is similar, but open to any gender, and more for self-improvement and self-determination. Entrants are not expected to want to work here, but they are expected to love our combination of exhibitionism and aestheticism. Think orgasm competitions, and add crossfit. Track three is a taste of Hypatia as fun lifestyle rather than avocation. It is compulsorily nude, and entrants *will* be given orgasms, and if they keep up the exercises they will get fitter, but the truth is they're really just there to get their rocks off in a kind of gym environment. Would you enjoy that?”

“Looking forward to it.”

“You will have a work-experience student with you.”

Clara smiled. “How is she today? Any calmer?”

“It would be difficult not to be. She is having breakfast with her family, and is making it clear to them in that discussion that not only is she now wearing her final years' school and home outfit, including the devices, she will be returning to us as a staff member immediately on graduation.”

“Wait, you let her take home the devices?”

“I very rarely allow that. In this case, it is a safety monitor. I can see all she sees, hear all she hears, feel how she feels. I can advise her, and if necessary, summon help for her. She will be bully-proof, and that includes her folks. I am advising her as we speak.”

“I still can't believe her mother asked for her to be fisted.”

“Her mother thought of it as a humiliating punishment. Practically speaking, rape, though I doubt she thought that through.”

Clara shuddered. “Did you think about calling the police?”

“I'd rather help her take control of her own life and sexuality. We did discuss it. As is usual, she would prefer not to have them punished. I feel that her blatant enjoyment of public nudity will be punishment enough, for them. In their faces, as the saying goes. I have plans in place if they escalate. Think of me as her personal guardian angel.”

“How about the siblings?”

“Oddly enough, they have not yet been punished in the same way. Hopefully they won't. While it's within the law, it's also commonly part of an abusive pattern.”

“Funny. For us, it would have been harder to make us keep clothes *on*. Flora once went eight months without getting dressed. Just got out of the shower, went straight to school, came home, kept it up until she couldn't stand the winter.”

“As she should. I thoroughly approve. Here you are. Your class will most likely start arriving at six-thirty and you will start at seven. There is a protein bar for you on the desk, eat it now.” The workout area was indoors, a large room with rubber floors, mirrored walls and ceiling, various stacked items such as large rubber balls (some with dildos attached), steps, yoga mats, pool noodles, and some items not normally found in gyms such as a row of six Sybians, a swing beside a pole with a dildo, a small cage of Hitachi vibrators, a stack of chairs designed to allow the heads of the Hitachis through, some unknown devices, and so forth. The small desk Hypatia referred to had a list of names printed out, and the protein bar which Clara began to eat.

“I don't know what to do,” said Clara.

“Why would that be a problem?” Hypatia asked. “Do you think I'm going away? Offline? Down for maintenance?”

“Uhh … yeah. Sorry. Brain fart. I'm still not used to working for an always-on AI.”

“Please take a big rubber ball and sit on it. There's enough room inside you for the monitor and its attached dildo both.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes. Please be sitting on that, bouncing, as class members arrive. Melody will be sitting on one too, she is on her way now. Presentation is important.”

Clara had only just gotten the ball's dildo in, when Melody turned up. She rushed to embrace Clara, who had to stand up quickly to avoid being bowled over. Clara hugged her tightly. “I heard you had an important conversation,” she said.

Melody's eyes were a little red, but she was resolute and smiling. “I did. I'm doing my own thing. Pity they didn't see me yesterday.” She went to get a ball of her own, and fiddled the dildo in as she sat down. Being slightly too short, it was a bit awkward. She bounced up and down, legs apart.

“How's your little pussy today?” Clara asked. It was already a little pink.

“Honestly, a little tender. I'm to take it easy. Have you been to the bathroom here? It's amazing! I went this morning when I woke up, the voice talked me through it.” Clara nodded. Melody ran her palms down her breasts, fiddling with her springy nipples. “Do you think I should get these pierced, like Tanya has?”

Clara did the same with her own. “I never have. I hear it reduces sensitivity. Try for a while without, then maybe get one.”

“I asked the voice to get me a bigger monitor, so it can be seen easily that it's in there when I'm walking around. I want folks to *know* that I have a nice big dildo in.”

Clara perked up at the thought. Damn, this girl is *quite* the exhibitionist. “I guess that's up to Hypatia.”

“Who? Oh. Hi. Nice to know your name!”

*Not the brightest rock in the pile though,* Clara thought. *Oh well. She's had a lot on her mind. Got to work it all out.*