Planet Telex

Starling stood and watched as Feathers of Scarlet unpacked the cargo portion of the storage pod. Each Assistant was issued with a series of uniforms, as well as a few booklets of documentation -- one for the Assistant, outlining their new legal duties and rights, and one for the owner, listing various intricacies of the mental interface chip. A few pages of documentation were also included -- an amended Hatching Certification, large black blots covering over what was once the Assistant's name, their identifier replacing it underneath.
"It's a good thing they come in these crates." Scarlet said, holding the metal box of uniforms. "I've not a place to put them -- or you -- otherwise."
Starling stayed silent, the endorphins from her owner's presence slowly being replaced by fear at the front of her mind. "What do... do you mean?" She asked, nervously.
"Well, this is only a small apartment, after all..." Scarlet said, gesturing out at it, Starling feeling like this wasn't actually the case. "You're not sleeping in my bed, and there's hardly enough space for another, so at the foot of mine will have to do for now. You can put your things there."
Starling grunted at the weight of the box as it was handed to her -- it was certainly metal.
"In my bedroom, just over there." Scarlet said, pointing at the open door behind them, just by the apartment's entry door (and the storage pod just inside it).
"Y-yes, Mistress." Starling replied, remembering her owner's preferred title. She must not forget it, she must not displease her owner...
Through the doorway was Feathers of Scarlet's bedroom. Against the back wall was a large, double bed, base made of a dark wood, with a large headboard and footboard. Starling found it odd that it was made of wood -- especially such a fine one. It must have been a hundred years old at least, or manufactured on a forest-rich colony world...
"Yes, right there." Scarlet pointed at the floor just by the footboard, a blanket and pillow being placed there already. "You can keep your things there. Don't make a mess."
Starling gently placed the box down beside the pillow, whining a little at her sleeping arrangements, but too scared to complain. "Yes, Mistress..." She replied.

"You are mine, and as any property I keep in this house, there are rules." Scarlet said, walking around the house, her Assistant in tow. "You are not allowed in my bed, unless invited. You do not speak unless spoken to. You will do everything I say, without question. Understand?"
Starling shifted uncomfortably in her tight, dark uniform, tugging on the hem of the dress. "Y-yes, Mistress, but..."
Scarlet turned on her heel, looking at her property, her extra height very intimidating when so close. "But?"
"I-I woke up on a table a few hours ago, and, and, I don't know what's going on!" Starling said, her fear and confusion coming to a head. "A-and I don't know why I'm your Assistant now!"
Scarlet thought to herself, looking around the combination lounge/kitchen for a certain folder, which she found on the dining table. "Sit down."
Starling did so after her owner, looking over at the folder that Scarlet pulled towards them.
"The upper echelons decided I deserved a reward, and, well, getting a personal assistant is one such thing an officer can ask for during promotion." Scarlet said, gesturing at the officers insignia on her uniform. "And I asked for a weak one. One I'll get to have fun with. One that won't be able to resist. And they sent me you."
Starling blushed, looking down at herself in her own uniform. She wasn't the strongest, but she is sure she could... sure she could... give in... no, no, resist, that was it... was it? Starling couldn't remember, her train of thought somehow broken.
"And, they even fulfilled the request for a memory suppression."
Starling's eyes went wide. "A-a-a-a... a..."
"Mmhmm." Scarlet opened up the folder, neatly stapled and organised papers held within. "In here is an analysis of everything that was suppressed. Only two copies exist. This one -" Scarlet tapped the papers of the folder. "- and the copy sent for storage and analysis in the Ministry."
Starling whimpered, looking at the thick stack of pages. "Is... is that why..."
"Why you can't remember much? Who you are? What your name was? Yes, it is. I decided that instead, I will know that, and you will not. And if you ever want a chance of rediscovering it -" Scarlet held up a few pages, hands as if she was going to rip it in two. "- you will do exactly as I say. Every minute of every day, until I decide you deserve even one memory back."
Starling reached out for the paper that Scarlet was threatening to rip, it being pulled back in response.
"Nuh uh uh, Assistant. For that..." Scarlet made a little rip in the side of the page, the sound enough for Starling to pull her hands back and desperately whimper.
"N-no! I'll... I'll do what you want! Please!"
"Do what I want..."
"Do what you want, Mistress!"
"Better."

Starling tried to hide her blush behind her hands, having no spare clothing to do it with. Scarlet was flipping through the pages, reading memory synopses, finding things that Starling would much rather she not.
"Mmmm. So, maybe it's rather fitting that you're an Assistant..." Scarlet said, flipping through one particular set of pages in interest. "Wings of Teal, that name ring a bell?"
The name meant nothing to Starling before Scarlet said it, but the mention of it brought back many, many memories that the mind chip was suppressing. "Oh goddess... N-no, pl-" She forced her arms to her sides, resisting trying to grab the paper out of Scarlet's hands.
"Mmm, girlfriend to Starling, relationship length eight months, ended due to off-world research assignment. Making partners in research, were we? We all know that never ends well." Scarlet grinned, Starling shrinking from her gaze.
"It was just... just a short term thing!" Starling blurted, desperately wanting no more to be read.
"And it seems I am not the first you called Mistress... heh. That's kind of cute."
Starling went even redder, mind focusing on one specific memory. A pair of avians, together... Oh goddess, she was the one in the collar and the leash, calling Teal 'Mistress', all snuggled up on the couch in afterglow...
"Tell me what else you did. I have it all here, so I know if you're lying to me." Scarlet put the papers back down, elbows on the table, looking directly at her new Personal Assistant.
"It was just... just a bit of, a bit of pet play, I was just a pet!" Starling stammered, bright red under her dull feathers. "And I... and I..."
"Cared for her talons, hm?" Scarlet said, smugly.
"Yes... yes Mistress..." Starling replied, giving in. "I cared for her talons..."
"Good." Scarlet said, audibly kicking off her boots. "How kind of you, to do that for someone, when you didn't even have to? But now, it's kind of different, isn't it?"
Starling's eyes went wide as she heard the heavy leather boots falling onto their side. "What... what do you... Mistress, please... please don't..."
"Down you get." Scarlet said, firmly.
"But, please, Mistress, I-"
"Down." Scarlet growled in return, narrowing her eyes. "Do not make me ever have to tell you twice."
Starling's eyes looked between her owner and the pile of papers, whimpering as she realised she had no choice but to obey. With a little, defeated nod, she pulled her chair back and slipped down to a kneeling position under the dining table. Scarlet held out her sock-covered feet, which Starling obediently tugged off, exposing terrifyingly pointed talons.
"I made sure they were nice and sharp for you..." Scarlet said, pulling them together, showing them off. "Now, why don't you tend to them for me?"

That evening, Starling curled up in her blanket, tired mind thinking over all that had happened. Her blush was still there, embarrassed by what she'd been made to do during the day. Scarlet lay fast asleep in the bed, Starling just having to make do at the foot of it, like she was ordered. She was allowed a single cushion, her blanket, and a pillow -- something told her that the uncomfortableness was deliberate. Like Scarlet wanted to break her. Which, as Starling's thoughts wandered in her sleepy state, is something that she can't let happen. Can't she? Is it an inevitability? It might be... maybe it was the right thing. She was an Assistant.
"Mnh..." Starling muttered, rolling over and pulling her thoughts back. She didn't know why she was having so much difficulty thinking about things she wanted to -- about how she wasn't an Assistant, about how she was independent, how she could just totally walk out the front door and escape... but the start of any such thought eventually led into reinforcing in herself that it was a bad idea. Was this the mind chip? Was she being manipulated? She didn't know all it could do, and frankly, she was afraid. Scarlet has her memories on a printout, will she be able to get her thoughts as well?

Maybe it was better if she didn't resist, Starling thought, as she drifted off to sleep. Nothing can change this now. She'll just have to be the best Assistant she can be.