Comfort the Workers

These were the days that the Workers wanted for nothing, unlike days past. The Providers learned that maximum productivity was achieved by keeping Workers in a place of needlessness. Gone were the days of denial and workers hiding and increasing Time Waste siphoning off of the Providers' productivity. This time came from much disagreement and debate, but the result was positive and profitable and those that Owned the Products found that keeping their Workers content was simple and cost them far less than lack of productivity.

Workers needed little time at their individual Replenishment Compounds. There had been the age where time was split fairly equally between Productivity and Replenishment, but when the Providers learned how to offer many of the things they had found Workers sought from Replenishment, time away from Productivity was less and less required.

It has been this way successfully and profitably for so long that few Workers even remembered the way things had been Before. Why would a Worker have even desired to leave their station to stay at their Replenishment Compound which was far inferior by comparison? It seemed to be an obsolete concept that nobody remembered the purpose for.

All Productivity Pods offered Recreational Enclosures where a Worker could view any outing in any environment he could imagine complete with climate controlled virtual reality experience with none of the danger or discomfort. Why any worker would choose to be cold, wet and risk a broken part to ski, swim, sail, or hike dangerous terrain when he could encounter the full experience in a Pod was lunacy. There were thousands of available recreational options with nearly limitless variations should a Worker feel the need for a distraction. The Worker could choose Adrenaline, Endorphins, or any other supplemental surge he desired to accompany the Recreational Experience. The Providers found this experience far more cost effective than the ancient concept of vacation or even weekends.

He felt grateful for his life. Good Feelings coursed inside of him, particularly after his morning dose of Health, and he found himself greatly looking forward to his visit to Restoration. His Providers were particularly known for their careful attention to the Refreshment, Rest, and Comfort stations and he knew he was fortunate to have been assigned here. The Refreshments offered were varied and fulfilling, the Rest platforms were soft and comfortable and his Providers encouraged Rest whenever needed (although it was known that rests that lasted too long could indicate a disinterest in the contracted Work and the worker might be transferred to a different Provision Pod), and Comfort was available at any time during the day or night and encouraged as often as needed.

Not all Comfort stations provided Receptacles that were visually appealing, but his Providers were known for their attention to detail. The textiles used to upholster the Receivers were top quality, the Comfort cubicles were created to encourage a feeling of contentment and solitude, and the Receptacles seemed well maintained. The Workers enjoyed their Comfort more than any other place they had been Contracted. The Providers found that the better maintained and more available the Comfort Receptacles, the less often a Worker requested Replenishment. There simply was no reason to leave the Productivity Compound.

He made regular use of Comfort when his Rest and Refreshment were complete and, at times, several other times each Work cycle as well. He was careful to follow Provider Policy and to be mindful of timeliness. Comfort was permitted as often as needed, but Workers were advised to be brief and conscientious of the other Workers' need to receive Comfort and not to overuse the Receptacles with a lengthy stay. Efficiency was paramount. As long as the rules were obeyed, his Provider could provide the most efficient and enjoyable Living Experience at the Productivity Pod. He could no longer remember why he would want to leave to attend Replenishment.

This work cycle had been particularly demanding and he required several cycles of Restoration. He found himself feeling needs for Restoration at a greater urgency than he was used to. Somehow, the Refreshment Charge had paid particular attention to his cues and provided plates of particularly pleasing Refreshments for him. He was never quite sure how they were able to anticipate needs he didn't articulate, but when he found a need for More.. it was provided without request or any sense of discomfort.

He found no Rest in the rest pod today even when he adjusted the light to a comfortable and pleasing setting. He felt so unsettled that Comfort was the only thing he could concentrate on and so he decided to allow himself Comfort again today. He hoped he would find a particularly pleasing Receptacle.

In reality, a Worker was permitted to browse and select any Receiver they chose, but few bothered. The differences were subtle and unnecessary and the encounter would not take long enough to matter. The comfort was free, frequent and pleasing each time, of course.

He unhinged the fabric flap that contained his Need. He stopped briefly at the Preparation Station to rub the comfort solution on his sleeping organ until it was ready to enter the Receptacle.

This was a particularly demanding cycle. His Provider compound did not permit Workers access to external glass walls or primitive environmental cues, so he was never truly clear on time passing. There was no need to be. Providers did not measure time for the Workers. All needs were met so that the Workers were free to produce and replenish on site as needed. Still, he felt unsettled at this time, whenever this time was, and he did not feel he was functioning at his Worker Best. He could not remember the last time he left the Compound for Replenishment and could no longer remember why he would want to.

His Need was slow to respond to the preparation, curiously, although he felt a strong need for Comfort. He quickly peeked outside the cubicle and found no lines and let his worry subside. Maybe nobody would know he was being less Brief than was instructed. Nobody would disturb the cubicle. That was an understood courtesy for all Workers. Comfort was private. He continued to rub on more preparation and observed the Receptacle. She was a particularly pleasing Receiver to him although he didn't really typically notice any meaningful difference. The fabrics chosen for this unit were exotic and soft and he enjoyed running his hand over them.. something he rarely took any time to do.

All receptacles were awake for Comfort. He assumed that they were cycled in and out of Rest pods by Maintenance. He wondered if they were given the same Refreshments.. or any refreshments. Receptacles were standard issue - presented to workers prone on their backs with wrists strapped down spread out widely for the safety of Workers. Their legs were splayed widely with ankles strapped down as well. Typically, their communication/refreshment caverns were covered although any worker was allowed to remove this covering for his pleasure if he chose. The receptacles were peaceful and safe.. and of course clean.

He understood that Receivers were not sentient. It seemed that Receivers, at one time, dwelled at Replenishment Pods with Workers, but he could not imagine how that would work efficiently. Why would that even be necessary when they were so well maintained by the Providers? What if something stopped working well? What if the worker no longer enjoyed that particular Receptacle? He felt grateful that he lived in a time when archaic ideas no longer ruled and Progress was king.

His Need was still partly resting, but awake enough to mount the Receiver. He pushed the fabric away from her entry and he probed it with two of his fingers to make sure it was prepared sufficiently for his Need. His lack of urgency distracted him enough to take notice of how interesting it looked to push his fingers in and out of her entry.. that they came back out slick and glazed. This motion appeared to cause this Receptacle some discomfort as her hips moved slightly and her head moved from one side to the other. Interesting. Guiltily, he repeated this action gently pumping his two fingers in and out of her moist cavern feeling what the inside felt like. He had never done anything like this. He had never taken more than a few minutes in the Comfort Pod as there was no need for delay. He was curious.

An actual noise came out of her communication cavern. Something he had never before seen or heard. The shame consumed him as he continued to cause her such discomfort in order to feed his curiosity and he was alarmed to find his Need responding instantly to her unprecedented movements. Yet he could not stop himself. Routine life was satisfying, but this experience was new and interesting. It seemed the more he probed her, the slicker his fingers became and the more uncomfortable she felt. She even cried out in pain very softly beneath her gag.

He could no longer wait nor did he have any compulsion to. Delaying Need was unheard of. He launched himself onto the Unit of Comfort and inserted his Need into its place and began to relieve his experience of need.

It was the sweetest feeling he had ever experienced of all the thousands of times he had helped himself to Comfort and he could not understand why. He found himself wanting desperately to continue the experience and was frightened by his desire to break the rules of Brevity. There were no lines after all and nobody really knew how long he was taking... maybe. Just this one time, the only time it had ever occurred to him, he would not be brief.

Slowly he pushed his Need in and out of the uncharacteristically slick Receiver. Maintenance always regularly oiled the units for use, but this felt different. The Receiver seemed to almost clamp down onto him tightly and rhythmically. He couldn't bear for this once-in-his-lifetime experience to end. He knew his Need would be over in moments as always, so he slowed his movements down, stopped even, and then began again slowly. His guilt consumed him as he experienced the Greatest Comfort ever with the obvious discomfort he was causing the Unit he was using. He knew.. he assumed.. they were not sentient and it really probably didn't matter, but his conscience pricked him. But he was unable to stop himself. He just didn't care enough.

He had never felt such Need. Nothing was enough now. His hands ran up and down this Unit in places he had never explored. The soft mounds below her neck.. the limbs.. and finally, he found himself tearing the fabric gag off her refreshment cavern and covering it with his own plunging his taster into it and licking, exploring. Her pain sounds escaped more and more, so he had to cover her cavern completely now. He could no longer pace his need and he began to literally pound into her with his urgency. Her pained body responded in kind... she must have been in great discomfort as she kept pushing herself into him and thrashing on her platform. Finally his body seemed to explode into a thousand pin points of light and energy and he fell spent and limp onto the Receptacle. She was glazed with his sweat, his spit, and his Need and she panted loudly.

He felt a mixture of shame.. and the greatest fulfilment his life had known to date, and he whispered, "I am so sorry. I am sorry my need hurt you. You comforted me greatly..." He rolled off of her and cleaned himself up, peaked out of the cubicle relieved to find there were still no lines, and snuck quickly into a Rest pod which he found he suddenly needed urgently.

He was sorry for the mess he left for Maintenance.