Fic: Rainbow's Freedom (RobinSong Arc) (27/41)
Title: Rainbow’s Freedom (RobinSong Arc) (27/41)
Author: BradyGirl
Pairings/Characters: (this chapter): Clark/Bruce, Kathy Kane, Martha Kent (Clark does not appear in this chapter)
Series Notes: In the 23rd century, Earth is a technologically-advanced society that practices the ancient institution of slavery. As Bruce and Clark try and adjust to being lovers as well as Master and slave, on a warm spring night a new member of the Wayne Household is added: a little boy whom Bruce sadly identifies with. Dick Grayson further pushes Bruce along the path of Abolitionism as the child brings further Light into the Manor. The entire series can be found here.
Genres: Drama, AU
Rating: (this chapter): PG-13
Warnings: None
Spoilers: None
Summary: Bruce meets with Kathy and Martha to strategize his deeper involvement with the Abolitionist Movement.
Date Of Completion (First Draft): January 2, 2008
Date Of Posting: September 12, 2008
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, DC does, more’s the pity.
Word Count: 1167
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
"Find it in your hearts
To grant slaves the right
Of human dignity."
"The Moral Case For Abolitionism"
Lecture given by Martha Clark Kent,
Convention of
The National Abolitionist Society,
Topeka, Kansas
June 18, 2246 C.E.
XXVII
"AS THE PRINCE OF GOTHAM GOES,
SO GOES GOTHAM SOCIETY"
“Thanks for hosting this meeting, Cousin.”
“Glad to do it, Cousin.”
Bruce smiled and shook hands with Martha, who was sitting at the solarium table with his cousin Kathy at Maplewood, the Kane estate. Martha was dressed in green, perfectly complementing her red hair. Kathy wore sunny yellow, beaming at Bruce.
He took a seat, setting a pad and stylus down on the table.
“Ladies, I want to take a greater role in the Society.”
Kathy and Martha exchanged pleased looks.
“How so, Cousin?”
“I’d love to openly advocate abolition, but I can’t and won’t sell my slaves.”
“So what do you propose?” Martha asked.
“I want to start educating people.”
“How so?”
“Fashion, m’lady, fashion.”
Puzzled, Martha looked at Kathy, who was grinning in delight.
“I approve,” said Kathy.
“All right, what is this, some family code?” Martha pretended to be miffed, but her curiosity was afire. Bruce Wayne would be a huge catch for the Society, but if he wasn’t going to sell his slaves and begin open advocacy, what was next?
“First, I want to assure you that not only will my donations continue, but they’ll be increasing.”
Pleased, Martha twirled her stylus. “That’s always good news.”
Bruce grinned. “I thought so.” He steepled his fingers. “As for education, it occurs to me that the NAS does that admirably already, but by its very nature it has to be pedantic to a degree.”
“And you propose…?”
Teeth gleamed. “Education through Society. My Society.”
Martha raised an eyebrow.
Bruce laughed. “As the Prince of Gotham, Gotham Society follows my lead.”
Kathy nodded, excitement in her face. “ ‘As the Prince of Gotham goes, so goes Gotham Society’,” she quoted.
“If I stress humane treatment of slaves and publicize certain things…”
“…it would become the fashionable thing to do.” Light dawned in Martha’s eyes. “Brilliant!”
Kathy tapped the table with a manicured finger. “No stridency, but definite advocacy.”
Bruce nodded. “I’d like to start a campaign: magazine articles, television, my committee work.” He leaned back in his chair. “I was on the Parks Improvement Committee and the issue of restrooms came up. Slaves weren’t allowed to use them! A simple human dignity, and it was denied them.”
“They built separate facilities, didn’t they?”
Bruce rolled his eyes. “It would’ve been cheaper just to allow slaves to use the free restrooms, but of course there were objections. But at least slaves don’t have to do their business in the bushes anymore.”
Martha sighed. “I’ve heard horror stories in my years with the NAS, but sometimes it’s the mundane things that get you.”
Kathy nodded. “Simple human dignity is so difficult for some freemen to allow.”
“That’s because slaves aren’t really human to them.” Martha looked troubled.
“My slaves are human to me,” Bruce said quietly.
“Oh, Bruce, we know,” Kathy assured him. “You don’t have it in your heart to be cruel to anyone, slave or free.”
“Are you sure about that?” Bruce asked worriedly, looking at Martha. “I keep not just the butler who runs my Household and the child who is my Squire, but the man who is my pleasure slave. He was initially purchased to serve me in bed.”
“And now?” Martha asked.
“He’s much more. My companion and assistant.”
Martha nodded. “So he’s more than just an object to you.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll be honest, Bruce. I don’t fully approve of you keeping a sex slave, but you don’t need my approval.
“But I do see how much you care. I would venture to guess that your Prize is not averse to fulfilling his major…duty.”
Bruce blushed as Martha smiled and Kathy grinned delightedly. She watched her cousin, noting how much more relaxed he seemed. She had noticed the change since Thanksgiving.
Ah, Cuz. Your heart’s in the right place, but you’ll never give up Alfred to fully become one of us. Can’t say that I blame you. The man raised you after Aunt Martha and Uncle Thomas were murdered.
Kathy felt a twinge of regret for selling her own loyal slaves, but she had found good homes for them and was working to eventually free them, so it was worth the sacrifice.
She had to keep telling herself that.
“I’d like to also meet with Jim Gordon and give him more legitimate backing than Batman for better oversight of the slave pens at Knickerbocker Hall.” Bruce leaned back in his chair.
“Batman’s not legitimate enough?” Martha asked in amusement.
“He’s a vigilante. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for a Police Commissioner trying to buck the system."
“But the backing of the Price of Gotham will do it,” Kathy said in satisfaction.
“Well, I know from Princes,” Martha said. “The Luthors play that role in Metropolis.”
“Both Luthors?”
Martha nodded. “Though Lionel is more like an Emperor, but Lex is definitely the Crown Prince.”
Kathy and Bruce exchanged smiles. She said, “We know Lex. He’s not so bad.”
“I know him, too.”
“You do?”
“Uh huh. Lionel ‘banished’ him to Smallville some years ago to run the plant they own right outside of town. He stayed only a few years but seemed nice enough.”
“What’s his stand on freeing slaves?”
“We talked about it once. This was during my early involvement with the movement, after…” Martha abruptly stopped. “Well, he’s not someone who’s actively against it, but he wouldn’t object to freeing slaves, either.”
“Well, that’s something.” Kathy nodded her thanks as her maid brought refreshments. Her free staff was just as efficient as her slave staff had been. “Oh, and it’s Abolitionism with a capital ‘A’ now.”
“Oh?” asked an amused Bruce.
“Yes. A capital letter adds more weight.”
“How shall we start this campaign, Bruce?” Martha asked, smiling at Kathy’s announcement.
“I think I’ll make a call to Perry White. The Daily Planet’s Sunday magazine section is as widely read as Time, Newsweek, or The Galactic Gazette. If I express interest in a personal interview, they might be willing to send a reporter.”
Kathy laughed. “Are you kidding? They’ve been trying to get you for months since you gave The Gotham Gazette that exclusive last year.”
“Yes, last spring.”
Kathy realized that had been long before her cousin’s purchase of his Prize. People were fascinated by why, after years of going solo, the Prince of Gotham had purchased a beautiful pleasure slave to grace his bed.
A hook for The Planet? Oh, yeah.
“Good start,” Martha said. “Let’s plan out your strategy.”
“Excellent,” Bruce said, eagerness almost making Kathy laugh again.
Oh, Cousin. That Prize of yours must be a helluva lay to get you all excited to preen in front of him.
Amused no end, Kathy joined Bruce and Martha in more strategizing.
Author: BradyGirl
Pairings/Characters: (this chapter): Clark/Bruce, Kathy Kane, Martha Kent (Clark does not appear in this chapter)
Series Notes: In the 23rd century, Earth is a technologically-advanced society that practices the ancient institution of slavery. As Bruce and Clark try and adjust to being lovers as well as Master and slave, on a warm spring night a new member of the Wayne Household is added: a little boy whom Bruce sadly identifies with. Dick Grayson further pushes Bruce along the path of Abolitionism as the child brings further Light into the Manor. The entire series can be found here.
Genres: Drama, AU
Rating: (this chapter): PG-13
Warnings: None
Spoilers: None
Summary: Bruce meets with Kathy and Martha to strategize his deeper involvement with the Abolitionist Movement.
Date Of Completion (First Draft): January 2, 2008
Date Of Posting: September 12, 2008
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, DC does, more’s the pity.
Word Count: 1167
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
"Find it in your hearts
To grant slaves the right
Of human dignity."
"The Moral Case For Abolitionism"
Lecture given by Martha Clark Kent,
Convention of
The National Abolitionist Society,
Topeka, Kansas
June 18, 2246 C.E.
XXVII
"AS THE PRINCE OF GOTHAM GOES,
SO GOES GOTHAM SOCIETY"
“Thanks for hosting this meeting, Cousin.”
“Glad to do it, Cousin.”
Bruce smiled and shook hands with Martha, who was sitting at the solarium table with his cousin Kathy at Maplewood, the Kane estate. Martha was dressed in green, perfectly complementing her red hair. Kathy wore sunny yellow, beaming at Bruce.
He took a seat, setting a pad and stylus down on the table.
“Ladies, I want to take a greater role in the Society.”
Kathy and Martha exchanged pleased looks.
“How so, Cousin?”
“I’d love to openly advocate abolition, but I can’t and won’t sell my slaves.”
“So what do you propose?” Martha asked.
“I want to start educating people.”
“How so?”
“Fashion, m’lady, fashion.”
Puzzled, Martha looked at Kathy, who was grinning in delight.
“I approve,” said Kathy.
“All right, what is this, some family code?” Martha pretended to be miffed, but her curiosity was afire. Bruce Wayne would be a huge catch for the Society, but if he wasn’t going to sell his slaves and begin open advocacy, what was next?
“First, I want to assure you that not only will my donations continue, but they’ll be increasing.”
Pleased, Martha twirled her stylus. “That’s always good news.”
Bruce grinned. “I thought so.” He steepled his fingers. “As for education, it occurs to me that the NAS does that admirably already, but by its very nature it has to be pedantic to a degree.”
“And you propose…?”
Teeth gleamed. “Education through Society. My Society.”
Martha raised an eyebrow.
Bruce laughed. “As the Prince of Gotham, Gotham Society follows my lead.”
Kathy nodded, excitement in her face. “ ‘As the Prince of Gotham goes, so goes Gotham Society’,” she quoted.
“If I stress humane treatment of slaves and publicize certain things…”
“…it would become the fashionable thing to do.” Light dawned in Martha’s eyes. “Brilliant!”
Kathy tapped the table with a manicured finger. “No stridency, but definite advocacy.”
Bruce nodded. “I’d like to start a campaign: magazine articles, television, my committee work.” He leaned back in his chair. “I was on the Parks Improvement Committee and the issue of restrooms came up. Slaves weren’t allowed to use them! A simple human dignity, and it was denied them.”
“They built separate facilities, didn’t they?”
Bruce rolled his eyes. “It would’ve been cheaper just to allow slaves to use the free restrooms, but of course there were objections. But at least slaves don’t have to do their business in the bushes anymore.”
Martha sighed. “I’ve heard horror stories in my years with the NAS, but sometimes it’s the mundane things that get you.”
Kathy nodded. “Simple human dignity is so difficult for some freemen to allow.”
“That’s because slaves aren’t really human to them.” Martha looked troubled.
“My slaves are human to me,” Bruce said quietly.
“Oh, Bruce, we know,” Kathy assured him. “You don’t have it in your heart to be cruel to anyone, slave or free.”
“Are you sure about that?” Bruce asked worriedly, looking at Martha. “I keep not just the butler who runs my Household and the child who is my Squire, but the man who is my pleasure slave. He was initially purchased to serve me in bed.”
“And now?” Martha asked.
“He’s much more. My companion and assistant.”
Martha nodded. “So he’s more than just an object to you.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll be honest, Bruce. I don’t fully approve of you keeping a sex slave, but you don’t need my approval.
“But I do see how much you care. I would venture to guess that your Prize is not averse to fulfilling his major…duty.”
Bruce blushed as Martha smiled and Kathy grinned delightedly. She watched her cousin, noting how much more relaxed he seemed. She had noticed the change since Thanksgiving.
Ah, Cuz. Your heart’s in the right place, but you’ll never give up Alfred to fully become one of us. Can’t say that I blame you. The man raised you after Aunt Martha and Uncle Thomas were murdered.
Kathy felt a twinge of regret for selling her own loyal slaves, but she had found good homes for them and was working to eventually free them, so it was worth the sacrifice.
She had to keep telling herself that.
“I’d like to also meet with Jim Gordon and give him more legitimate backing than Batman for better oversight of the slave pens at Knickerbocker Hall.” Bruce leaned back in his chair.
“Batman’s not legitimate enough?” Martha asked in amusement.
“He’s a vigilante. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for a Police Commissioner trying to buck the system."
“But the backing of the Price of Gotham will do it,” Kathy said in satisfaction.
“Well, I know from Princes,” Martha said. “The Luthors play that role in Metropolis.”
“Both Luthors?”
Martha nodded. “Though Lionel is more like an Emperor, but Lex is definitely the Crown Prince.”
Kathy and Bruce exchanged smiles. She said, “We know Lex. He’s not so bad.”
“I know him, too.”
“You do?”
“Uh huh. Lionel ‘banished’ him to Smallville some years ago to run the plant they own right outside of town. He stayed only a few years but seemed nice enough.”
“What’s his stand on freeing slaves?”
“We talked about it once. This was during my early involvement with the movement, after…” Martha abruptly stopped. “Well, he’s not someone who’s actively against it, but he wouldn’t object to freeing slaves, either.”
“Well, that’s something.” Kathy nodded her thanks as her maid brought refreshments. Her free staff was just as efficient as her slave staff had been. “Oh, and it’s Abolitionism with a capital ‘A’ now.”
“Oh?” asked an amused Bruce.
“Yes. A capital letter adds more weight.”
“How shall we start this campaign, Bruce?” Martha asked, smiling at Kathy’s announcement.
“I think I’ll make a call to Perry White. The Daily Planet’s Sunday magazine section is as widely read as Time, Newsweek, or The Galactic Gazette. If I express interest in a personal interview, they might be willing to send a reporter.”
Kathy laughed. “Are you kidding? They’ve been trying to get you for months since you gave The Gotham Gazette that exclusive last year.”
“Yes, last spring.”
Kathy realized that had been long before her cousin’s purchase of his Prize. People were fascinated by why, after years of going solo, the Prince of Gotham had purchased a beautiful pleasure slave to grace his bed.
A hook for The Planet? Oh, yeah.
“Good start,” Martha said. “Let’s plan out your strategy.”
“Excellent,” Bruce said, eagerness almost making Kathy laugh again.
Oh, Cousin. That Prize of yours must be a helluva lay to get you all excited to preen in front of him.
Amused no end, Kathy joined Bruce and Martha in more strategizing.