I wrote this as a way to gather thoughts and outline an alternate-modern setting where sexual service and free-use a dominant themes…

Background

In trying economic times where the gap between wealthy and not is huge, laws have been changed with respect to personal freedom. What would have been unthinkable a generation ago is now reality – for a debt, for a crime, or maybe just the suspicion of one, your personal freedom and many of your rights can be withdrawn, and you can be reclassified what amounts to a slave. If you’re rich or influential this almost never happens to you, or anyone you know. But you know a few people who are custodians of people like this, and society is grappling with this change.

Details

As part of sentencing to repay a debt, or ( less commonly ) as punishment for a crime, an individual ( of a certain age ) now may be required to submit to a period of service where their personal freedoms are severely curtailed. The service is managed by a liege; this person has aegis, responsibility, for the individual who is in service. This condition of servitude is known as vassalage ( in the case of private administration or “ownership” ) or bondservice ( where some public entity administers the individual ).

The state of public service is seen as a way to generate revenue for the state, while allowing individuals a way to settle a legal debt or sentence. Private service is generally more lucrative, for everyone involved, including at times the individual giving service.

The words “slave” and “slavery” are never officially used, not part of the polite vocabulary when it comes to this cultural phenomena. No shortage of decriers and opponents throw the word around, of course. From a legal point of view there is a technical distinction drawn between historical slavery and modern vassalage/bondservice. Some of the distinctions include the possibility of end of service dates, terms for release from service, and state-mandated licensing, auditing, and care of individuals in service.

When sentenced to service, an individual is conferred with a vassalage license. Only individuals with such a license may be assigned to a liege. If an individual for some reason is ineligible or cannot be conferred with a vassalage license, they are not eligible for service.

As stated previously, transactions assigning an individual to private service typically generates more revenue for the state ( in terms of fees from all associated parties ), while public service typically fills a specific need. When an individual is assigned to service by a judge, the state’s desire or need for a specific skill usually trumps any private interest, in the matter of both entities desiring a specific individual. This is ruled on by a Writ of Disposition.

In some places, the norm is to start out in debt, to the state, a company, or whatever. The family or individual must work this off before an individual attains majority, citizenship is finalized, or some other time. Even in places or situations where this is not true, it’s not hard to fall victim to the vassalage system if you’re poor or without recourse.

Public Vassalage – Bondservice

The state might be your liege ( managed by an administrator ). Bondservants typically live in dormitories and execute their service under supervision of state agencies. A bondservent may almost always be acquired for vassalage, unless their skillset meets a “clear and urgent” need of the state, as determined by a judge.



More definitions

Affordance – The visual presentation of an individual with a vassalage license, mandated by law. This is to communicate in an obvious visually apparent way that the individual is of different legal status, that they are in service. The specifics of this vary from state to state. it is illegal for a non-licensed person to present as a slave, that is, to adopt or affect that state’s mandated affordances.

Department of Public Service – the federal governmental body that administers vassalage. DPS maintains The Registry, performs audits and inspections, cites violations of terms, and handles fugitives. The DPS also regulates vassalage agencies and upkeep services.

Auction – when an individual is sentenced and licensed for vassalage, they are put into The Registry and typically scheduled for intake and then for auction, where interested parties will bid on their service. It is possible to circumvent this process by obtaining a Writ of Disposition, where a judge determines without auction who the liege will be.

The Registry – a listing of all individuals who are licensed for vassalage/bondservice, their metadata, history of service, current disposition, and so on.

Resentencing – a liege may at any time for any or no reason resentence a vassal. A resentenced vassal goes to prison with additional punitive debts. An individual may be have their debt/sentence purchased, whereupon they are again a vassal.

Intake – the procedures for issuing a vassalage license, including a medical exam, tagging, assigning presentation details, and scheduling auction.

Vassalage Agency – a company that specializes in the location and placement of vassals for clients. The agency works with the state/DPS in arranging private placement of vassals. Most vassalage agencies are exclusive and require exorbitant fees for membership. Use of a vassalage service is never required to participate in an auction or acquire a liege license, but it can be extremely helpful with the bureaucracy of such.

Upkeep Service – licensed business that sees to initial and weekly inspections of vassals, required by law of all lieges as part of administration of individuals in service.

Vassalage speculation – an individual or company that finds and acquires a vassalage with the intention of reselling it for a higher amount.

Breakdown of types

Personal vassal – general vassal, excluding hard/dangerous work

Skilled Vassal – limited service in a particular skilled area

Duty Vassal – hard/dangerous work

Still more details

The state assigns and places vassals with appropriate lieges ( licensed and who have submitted the highest bid in auction, generally ), either through the DPS or a vassalage agency. Lieges must subscribe to an upkeep service for each vassal.

Vassals must be “inspected” once every two weeks by an agent of a licensed Upkeep Service. This is a visual inspection, maintenance of vitamins/medications, and a general assessment that the terms of vassalage are being fulfilled.

Vassals must be “afforded,” that is a visible sign is required of all people in a state of vassalage. Collar, sash, bracelets, tattoos are all used. Sometimes this sign/affordance is strictly specified by state, other times a liege may select from a list of accepted options.

Vassals must be wired – GPS and contact implants or hardware must be accessible to the vassal at all times. The vassal has no legal expectation of privacy. All contact through this channel is subject to monitoring by the state, the liege, and anyone the liege specifies. This can be set to “public” at the liege’s discretion.

You can freely submit to vassalage, under contract for some benefit. This can be done for a specified period of time. If you have done this with a specific person/entity before, the contract doesn’t go to auction ( but may be disposed of differently if all three parties agree ).

Under this system family members or joint owners may be held responsible for debts or crimes, and may be sentenced to vassalage for recompense.

A liege is responsible for vassals in his aegis. Calories per day, health insurance, protection vs. permanent body changes, validation by an upkeep service, and so on. A liege who does not see to the maintenance of a vassal risks losing aegis, and jeopardizing their liege license.

Conditions of service in a legal sense include a summary, and detail of an individual’s service. Summaries must be furnished to any non-indentured who ask. Any state official or holder of a liege license may demand the detailed form at any time. The detailed form includes full name and contact info of liege, term and type description, specifics ( including affordances ), restrictions.

“Recycled” a term for a person is re-sentenced after unsatisfactory bondservice, and then their debt is repurchased.

A liege must be licensed by the DPS. To qualify for a license, the individual must pass a review, not have a current ( ever? ) vassal license, demonstrate the ability to provide for a vassal’s upkeep, and pay a yearly licensing fee.

An individual may seek vassalage of their own accord, with a specific liege in mind. The vassal is kept in bondservice ( owned by the state ) for some period ( at a set amount ) to see if others entities will bid on them. If none do, then they are conferred into vassalage to the specified liege.

Some possible conditions of a vassalage

No contact – no contact of any kind with prior family, friends, or associates. All such contact is to be reported immediately, punished severely.

Sustenance – the manner the vassal receives sustenance is mandated. May be open, “only from liege,” only “by hand,” and so on.

Corporal punishment – physical punishment is allowed. Level 1, or level 2.

Affordance – specifics as to how the vassal is to present, physically – weight, outfit, tattoos, piercings, hair style, any outward appearance may be specified. Some affordance is specified by law.

Reforming – the vassal may be required to undergo surgery specific to the terms of vassalage. This can be for the purpose of situating communication/tracking implants, correcting prior health conditions, or cosmetic redefinition.

Parturiency – a female may be required to bear children as part of her vassalage.

Timesharing – a group of individuals may procure a vassalage that they split between themselves.

Clean slate – some individuals will submit to a period of vassalage with the agreement that upon completion of service, they will receive a new identity. More common for public service and sometimes used as an enticement to fill a need for specific skillset.

Random ideas, plot points, details…

A semi-legal service that finds potential vassals, researches them, and puts them in a position to be sentenced, licensed, and acquired by a client.

Some of the best cosmetic surgery and reshaping technology is at the disposal of the vassalage agencies

Vassals/Bondservents get PreCheck/Global Entry travel privileges

A breeder vassal, specifically detailed to conceive and bear children

A trophy vassal, specifically detailed for ornamentation and beauty

“Better to be a caged swan than an ugly duckling free in the pond.”

“Anais Smith” used as a stand in name for any female vassal, unless her precise identity is required.

A company/facility that trains pleasure vassals to be more alluring, including body language, voice, demeanor. Vassals might be sent here, or free persons considering entering service might go to increase their marketability. Such an agency might scout potential candidates.

A situation where a vassal is bestowed, bequeathed, or otherwise given to someone who normally could not afford it.

Working with or being an agent for an upkeep service; auditing vassals

A “secret” vassal, whose affordances are so minimal as to escape most notice, bonded in a state where this is permitted by law.

Someone who voluntarily submits themselves to vassalage to escape some sort of past, or because life as a vassal seems better than where they’re at now, or the desire for a new identity.

Someone submits for a temporary vassalage, for the money. Or for some other, stranger reason.

A baby needs serious, costly medical attention. Mom submits

Someone running from a dangerous foe enters vassalage to escape,and get a new identity

A vassal serving as a nanny being used more and more for other purposes

A consultant helps ( first time ) lieges with their vassalage( s )

Training for compliance

Using them for social gain

Her liege is…

A wealthy businessman who wants to use her to ease deals

An organization that uses her for “therapy” for employees

Someone who uses her sexual services to allay the suffering of others

Someone who uses her to entrap others into compromising situations

Anti-vassalage public figures?

An individual who wants to “sculpt” her in a serious way:

Bimbofication

To impersonate someone else

“slave yoga” – style of yoga practiced, very erotic, developed for display as well as fitness of a vassal.

Possibilities – how one might find themselves in vassalage

Commit a crime and get sentenced in a way that is least financially burdensome for the state because the offender has valuable qualities

Incur a debt that cannot be repaid.

Have a family member ( parent, child, or sibling ) or co-owner do either of the above, but your assets are seen as more valuable for recompense.

Offer yourself freely for a negotiated situation and period, for some gain.

Someone with custody of you offers you up for service for some compensation

Family member in vassalage flees service, and you are sentenced in punishment

Be the target of a set-up, framing, or mistaken identity of the above situations because someone sees value in the person’s vassalage.

Got this far? Please feel free to leave a comment; something you think I should add, change, or just a reaction. Remember, this is a fictional setting, developed for the purpose or roleplaying or writing erotica. No one’s doing any of this for real.



More posts about service and free use…



Control and use, in polite society

Life of the party