The Spy by DCFTEF

(06/02/2022)

https://desuarchive.org/mlp/thread/38160819/#q38179350

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>It seemed like she'd been sitting in the police station for hours
>There was no clock...probably intentional
>It was mostly silent too
>That made the time seem to drag on longer
>Occasionally, a scream or a moan of anguish could be heard outside the locked door
>That was certainly intentional too
"Okay, don't lose your nerve...you're trained for this."
>But the real world was much more intense than training

>At last the door opened with a loud metallic slam
>The young mare could see two uniformed guards outside
>But only the Political Officer came in
"You are Miss...Sweetie Drops?"
>The mare nodded with a gulp
>Acting more nervous than she should be
>It wasn't difficult, she really was nervous
"You were taken into custody inside a restricted area near the Kabardian Hydroelectric dam."
>Sweetie kept up her act and timidly answered
"I...I was hiking. I'm sorry, I didn't know I had wandered into a restricted area."
>The Political Officer wrinkled his snout and wrote something down
"You did not see the signs, posted every 5 meters?"
>There had been a lot of signs
>But Sweetie Drops lied
"N-No, Sir. I must have missed them."
>It was obvious that he did not believe her
>Still, denial was her only defense at this point
>So she followed her training and kept up the act
"I find that hard to believe, Miss.
"Kabardia is not an approved tourist area."
>She blushed and tried to act dumb
"I like to get off the beaten path."
>The Political Officer wrote in his notebook again
>For a long time
>Sweetie Drops could just sit nervously and wait
"The exclusion zone around our most important hydroelectric facility is indeed 'off the beaten path', Miss."
>He took a deep breath and finally got to the point
"Stalliongrad does not take kindly to spies, even those of our neighbor & ally, Equestria."

>Sweetie Drops gulped nervously
>She knew this was coming
>Just stick to the plan
"Spies? Sir...please, I'm not a spy!
"I'm just a student, here on a 30 day tourism visa!"
>The Political Officer grinned 
>It really scared her
"Yes, you were in possession of a camera when you were arrested."
>Sweetie nodded emphatically
"Yes sir...it's just a standard off-the-shelf model...not any fancy spy camera!
"It's not even that expensive."
>The Political Officer opened a folder
>It contained photographs she recognized
"We have developed your film."
>She pointed at them, hopeful they would get her off the hook
"So you see? They're just snapshots to show my friends & family back home."

>The Political Officer sneered
"Miss, do you think we are stupid here in Stalliongrad?
"Who goes on vacation and does not take a single...selfie?"
>oh crap
>Sweetie Drops knew she was busted now
>Total rookie mistake

"Miss...whatever your real name is...it is clear that you were sent by Celestia's government to gather information on our glorious infrstructure."
>Well, he's right about that
>But Sweetie Drops admitted nothing
"You took photos of bridges, guard stations, prisons, and of course our hydroelectric facility.
>She had a lie ready
"Umm, my Dad is an engineer. He likes that stuff."
>The Political Officer's face told her he wasn't buying it
>Not for a second.
"Miss, your visa only has 13 days left.
"Your trespassing offense is enough to detain you for the remainder of that time."
>Crap, 2 weeks in a Stalliongrad jail
"However, photographing restricted facilities carries its own penalty."
>Uh ho...this sounded bad.
>Years in prison maybe?
>Would the Equestrian Embassy be able to get her out before she was an old mare?

"You will serve 14 days in a detention center for trespassing, then be deported from the country.
"For your illegal photographs, the choice is yours."
>Sweetie took a deep breath
>She was going to be tempted with a deal
>But she was a trained agent; she knew she could not betray her orders
"What do you mean, Sir?"
>He scooped up all the photos and put them back in their folder
"If you are willing to admit you are an Equestrian spy..."
>She stood up, acting dismayed, and denied it
"But I'm not!"
>Only slightly annoyed, the Political Officer continued;
"If you admit you are indeed a spy you will be dealt with as a diplomatic problem.
"After your 2-week sentence you will be turned over to your embassy."
>But not before Stalliongrad put her on the cover of every newspaper in the country
>CAPTURED SPY CONFESSES
>She couldn't allow that, it would be a major diplomatic embarrassment for Equestria and the Princess
"But if you continue to insist that you are a student tourist you will be dealt with as a criminal."
>She gulped
>She hoped that didn't mean what she thought it meant
"The penalty for illegally photographing our facilities is 30 lashes.
"The choice is yours; Miss Sweetie Drops"
>He said the name with a curled lip, like he knew it was made up
"But I must have your answer now."

>She took a deep breath
>She stuck to her story
"Sir, please. I didn't know I was doing anything wrong.
"You have all my photos, you can destroy the negatives!
"Please, just let me go home!"

>His face was unmoved, like a statue
"Very well, I will take that as your decision."
>Sweetie Drops' rear end clenched as he said that
"GUARDS!"
>The door opened and two uniformed soldiers came in
"Transport the criminal to the detention center for Corporal Punishment."
>He turned to Sweetie one last time
"I hope you do not regret your decision."

>The young mare was chained and led out of the police station to a waiting wagon
>They made a big deal of locking her in, like she was going to try to escape
>Where would she go? She was in hostile territory.
>The ride was short
>Neither of the soldiers spoke a word to her
>Just as well.

>At the Detention Center the guards made a big show of presenting the paperwork
>Sweetie Drops found this show tedious but had to put on a fearful face to keep up her act
"Please...won't any pony listen?
"I'm not a spy! This is all a mistake!"
>Nobody answered her
>The Officer taking custody of her acted irritated until he finally declared
"You are LATE."
>How could I be late? I was only sentenced a few minutes ago.
>But Sweetie kept her mouth shut
"You must wait for a time slot to open."
>At least she wouldn't have to face her 30 lashes right away.
"Take her to the bench!"
>For the first time the two soldiers who'd brought her laughed
>It was a cruel, vindictive laugh
>Like they were in on a joke she hadn't heard yet
>Sweetie was sure she'd be the butt of the joke

"Oh my Celestia..."
>When she caught her first glimpse of the bench she didn't think it was funny
"Oh, no no no."
>She didn't have to act scared
>She really was
>Sweetie Drops had been warned about this but hadn't considered it a real danger

>The "Bench" was not just a place to wait
>It was a torture device meant to break her resolve
>Made of metal and too high for a pony's hooves to touch the ground
>Underneath was a charcoal brazier
>The seat was kept at just the right temperature
>Hot enough to burn painfully but not quite hot enough to do physical damage
"Y-You can't do this! It can't be legal!"
>The Discipline Officer sneered
"Perhaps you wish to reconsider your earlier statement?"
>Sweetie Drops gulped
>She knew she could not admit to being a spy
>Even if it saved her rump
>She kept up the student-tourist act but her fear was genuine
"Sir, whatever you think...please...I'm not a spy!"
>He motioned to the two soldiers and they went about their duty

>Sweetie Drops cringed as they sat her down on the bench and strapped her in
>The heat was a shock as it hit her rear and mare bits
>But so far it was only warm...not torturously hot 
>Yet
>A bar was lowered over her lap as if she was riding a roller coaster
>Her front hooves shackled to the bar
>A desperate wiggle confirmed she could not move
>And the heat was already building
"Oww...Ow! Please, Sirs! I haven't done anything wrong...how long do I have to stay here?"
>The heat under her rear-end was starting to make her squirm
>All 3 Stalliongrad officers laughed at her predicament
"We go check now!"
>To her horror they all left together
"No! Please...come back...don't leave me here!"
>But the 3 stallions disappeared around a corner
>Sweetie Drops was left on her own
>And her bottom was beginning to BURN. 

cont...