The Cosmos, The Arrivals, Book 1, Chapter 3, Babs Anticipates Tiffany, Robyn & Steph: Roommates, Day 1, Section 7, Babs Briefs Seven Cosmos: Roommate Games & Garments.
Babs turns away from the Mirror and faces the row of six bunks on the opposite wall. No windows here in the Bunkroom. No windows up here at all.
Babs knows, I must focus on the now and the future, even if in the days ahead Gamers sleuth the morgue and drudge up further humiliations from my Pledge days.
“Perverts!”
Bikini Babe knows from last Term that the Bunkroom Mirror can also become one giant Screen or many smaller ones. And that it possesses stimulating touch properties. Except now it is I who programs the Screens inside the Cosmos House, BB confirms to herself. So I have some control over my past, and as long as I remain diligent about my movements and posture my Bikini I will keep my babambas and bush and bumpkins contained.
In her mind Boss Babe conjures up her seven Pledge side-by-side in front of their bunks. She commands, “Lineup, stand spread surrender position!” And they obey, fingers intertwined behind necks, legs in a wide stance, chests forward, necks high, armpits exposed, mouths ovaled, and eyes looking forward at themselves in the Mirror. BB fills her lungs with air, and prepares to practice an orientation lecture. She retreats, lets the air out of her lungs, considers her Caste and role, and inventories her virtual Lineups: Two newbies, two ex-Strippers, two former Cosmos. And the potential of one ex-Whore/Porn Star.
“You are my Seven Cosmos Pledge Lineup,” Boss Babe pans her eyes across this a chorus line holding a uniform static surrender position. “I have arrived with two pieces, my bra and nombril Bikini, and I am on an uptick. Momentum is important in the Game, and I should have enough momentum to retain my Monitor Caste—if not advance costume and Caste and become a MomCap next Term.”
Babs considers the practicality of this bold assertion. The Lineup of Pledge can hold surrender position while BB indulges in introspection. Yes, I did enroll in the School willingly. And yes, I got high marks last Term.
Babs experiences claustrophobia for a moment. Still, this Term does engender her first promotion. It is only by a combination of skill and luck that I’m a Monitor this Term. Babs quietly assesses. I need to remember that and not over-estimate my good Karma over the vagrancies of Fate. I thought once I promoted I would know more, but that’s not turning out to be the case. Babs twitches a nostril. Promotion now me to assume more responsibility... and face new trials.
Comes with the territory when one takes charge of Cosmos.
Babs frets what the Lineup might be wearing—or baring. All navelage, for sure. And lots of cleavage, bellage, leggage, rugage, buttage, and -age in general. Perhaps even topless. Raw tits.
Babs steadies herself, focuses on her imaginary Lineup, and accepts that two Pledge who present raw tits disturbs her. BB expands her ribcage with air and orders, “Cross your arms over your breasts.” And they obey. Babs squares her shoulders. I know there are three ways to form handbras, and two ways to cross your arms.
Babs thumbs her waistline and ensures her seam is trim. She considers. Most of my Pledge have more Terms in the Game than I do. And that could be dangerous. That is dangerous.
BB furrows her brow at this thought; only the two invisible newbies arrive inexperienced, and so Babs focuses her remarks toward them, saying, “Think of yourselves in a Garment race. It doesn’t matter what Garments you arrive in. The clothes you end up with need not be the same, let alone equal in number. However, your costume count determines the outcome of the Game, your Fate.” BB speaks as clearly as she knows how. “At the end of this Term, any Cosmos with two or more pieces shall Opt Monitor next Term, and Cosmos with one or no pieces shall Opt Strip next Term. That’s the Fate of eight Cosmos and twelve Garments. Fate is very simple.”
Except that Fate’s not simple at all.
Babs turns her head to the side and looks back toward the hallway, her own Bedroom, and the stairs leading down to the Kitchen. She walks her mind downstairs and outside to review Penny and Coco’s naked defeat in the Mudpit, then inside to remind herself about their explicit Dining Room baseboard pictures. Boss Babe returns her eyes to her Seven Cosmos Lineup standing spread arms-crossed position. She hikes her bra, fingers her underwire, and stiffens her frame.
“You will all admire the Baseboard Strippers downstairs spreading their pink,” she declares. “I had to defeat them in order to be the Monitor of the Cosmos House.”
Babs casts her eyes obliquely. Maybe Janet helped me crush Penny and Coco last Term when we were all Pledge, but now I have to crush Pledge all by myself. Except maybe I don’t really have to do that!
Babs smiles and gains confidence. “Will I determine which of you Pledge Opt in what direction?” BB addresses this question to her imaginary Lineup holding its position.
Boss Babe answers, “Put it this way. On one hand, all Pledge are equal.” BB lets them wait for the next beat. “But some of you are trending one way or another; some of you are acquiring Garments as you arrive, and some are shedding your clothes. There is momentum afoot, and it affects your coverage in the future, even if you keep the same number of Garments.”
Boss Babe answers her question about her own limits of power. “I contribute to your Fate,” she confesses out loud to her virtual Lineup, “but I don’t have to determine which of you Opt Monitor or Opt Strip.” Babs finds herself breathing faster but calms her nerves, “So I don’t have to pick winners and losers. Because you’re the ones who are going to tango with each other to determine your own outcomes!”
BB pauses and claps her hands, leans forward and laughs. “So I don’t need to interfere. All I have to do is referee!” She claps again. BB likes the way the room echoes. “I can do that! I will do what is expedient for me. Because you’re the ones who are gonna play the Games. Starting right off with Roommate Games.
“You know,” BB snides, “sometimes Roommates contest against each other in order to determine who shall Opt Up or Down, and thus be Roommates Apart; sometimes Roommates form alliances and struggle against other pairs of Roommates, and in these struggles the Roommates rise or fall Roommates Together.”
Babs falters, casts her eyes to the floor. Do I have it in me to do this? And not make idle threats? BB knows the answer. She draws in a chest full of air and rises to her full height to address truth to her standing spread cross-breasted Lineup. Truth to Seven Cosmos Pledge.
“You will play Games with each other whether you want to or not, and you will play to win and lose costumes. I will allow you to practice and compete, make sure you play fair, and when the Clock strikes Midnight at the end of this Term, you Cosmos shall prograde or retrograde,” Boss Babe declares, and adds cheerfully, “Just like astronomy. Or physics. Or whatever.”
Boss Babe blinks twice and discharges her virtual Lineup. She spins around, squares herself to Mirror, pulls her legs together, and girds her Black Bikini. She strides back to her Bedroom and has no sooner entered when the Front Door Cam trips an alert and its image to the top of the Desktop. The doorbell rings.
And BB carefully bites her upper lip.
