Steam was King! Steam was clean, the cheap power to the masses. From the end of the nineteenth century to the end of the twentieth century, steam drove everything. And in that time, inventions were all powered by steam.
Big and small, steam was there, the driving force of all industry. And along with steam came the fashions of the time, heavy calico shirts, and dresses, corsets, and trusses for the bodies, hobnail boots, and woollen stockings, all were there. And controlling it all was the vast array of intricate clockwork devices, big and small, controlling and guiding, making sure there was little waste.
Geothermal steam was pumped to towns and villages alike, along with the new super high-pressure steam capsules, steam was available as and where it was wanted. Big power plants took the energy from deep within the earth, spread it out to where it was needed, and then the spent steam was returned to be recycled in a delicate operation balancing need and return.
Caroline Manson was born into this world towards the end of the twentieth century. As a young child, she grew to understand the importance of steam. Over time she grew taller, then on her tenth birthday, her mother took her to visit the corsetiere, to ensure she had the correct fitting undergarments.
To Caroline, this was a horrific indignity and intrusion into her young life. But her mother insisted and woke her early each morning before school so that she was correctly dressed. While Caroline protested, she dutifully did as he mother demanded, and submitted to the firm control of her new corsets.
A couple of years later, Caroline began to change into a very young woman. Her mother again took her to visit the corsetiere, this time for her first full-body corset. Caroline cringed when she saw what was proposed, for the corset would cover her from just under her armpits, right down over her hips. And to add insult to injury, there were six suspenders to hold up stockings. There was no provision for her to be able to wear her knickers anymore.
Caroline continued to grow, quickly passing her mother's height. However, she always did as commanded by her mother, and that included the very rigid command of 'do not touch!' Then in her final year at the local high school, she finally stopped going up and filled out in spite of her tight corsets. Caroline became a very pretty young lady. Her long black hair contrasted with her sapphire blue eyes, her skin pale, with a hint of pink blush on her cheeks.
While most the girls in her last year's class went into clerical jobs, Caroline was offered a position at the power plant where her uncle worked as a senior supervisor. She became a trainee power recovery operator. Her job entailed trying to balance the power output to the return.
Caroline quickly blended in with the other operators, working diligently. Her first couple of payslips went in getting herself new clothing, but then her mother insisted she again had a visit to the corsetiere. She was very reluctant, but she followed her mother's instructions. Not only did she purchased a couple of full body corsets, but she was instructed to purchase a ladies shaving kit as well.
Caroline enjoyed her time at the power plant. She was a quick learner and after a year she was deemed to be a senior trainee operator. While she occasionally flirted with other younger men at the power plant, she did not get much chance to follow up on any of the prospects.
As she approached her nineteenth birthday disaster struck. A number of her work colleagues became very sick, and then she fell ill too. A polio outbreak ravaged the towns and countryside, Caroline suffered severe fevers, muscle spasms, and intense headaches. Then finally her fever broke, but she was very weak, and a number of her muscles had wasted away.
Caroline's recovery was slow, and she struggled to get back to good health. She stayed at home, and the physician visited her a couple of times a week to check up on her progress. Almost two months later, the physician had an extra visitor to attend to her. The new man was a young professor at the main city's University.
After an extended examination, the professor had a suggestion for Caroline and that she might want to try out what he had to offer. The professor then asked if he could modify one of her new corsets to extend it and make it into a power body corset.
A week later the professor returned, and they dressed Caroline in her adapted corset, There were wires and tubes running to leggings, a pair of long gloves which were linked to a set of connectors at the top of her shoulders. There was also a metal box that sat in the small of her back.
Once in place, the professor produced a large key and inserted into the box, so it stuck straight out. He gave it six winds and then retracted the key. He then asked Caroline to perform a series of exercises, which she was able to do with soft whir of the clockwork coming from the box. Caroline found with a little bit of effort she was able to do a lot more than she had realized.
Caroline found she could get to do an hour's light exercise for each wind of the key. She felt her strength begin to return, but without the power suit, she still struggled. Life improved, but still, it was difficult.
Over the next few weeks, she got used to having the power suit, and she found she could do more and more, but she felt that she was still limited. The professor returned and made some adjustments, and then she was able to last up to two hours. After quite some discussion it was agreed to try to a new power suit that could last about five to six hours.
A month later the new corset and power box arrived. Caroline struggled to get all the bits on, and she found the box on the back much bigger, heavier and more awkward, it also had the wind-up key permanently attached. It then took both the professor and the physician's combined strength to wind her up.
Caroline went through a series of test and exercises and found she was able to do them a lot better. There was a lot of consideration about her new abilities, and Caroline hoped that she could soon return to her work. The only problem left to solve was the amount of effort needed to be able to wind up the box on her back.
A few days later the professor returned with a modified box. The box now needed a lot more turns to wind up, but it was much easier to turn. He also had a device that could be tapped into the house steam feed, and if Caroline sat in front of it, it could do the winding for her.
The next morning Caroline dressed slowly and had to have the assistance of her mother to do her dress up around the key that now protruded from her back. She sat on the leather seat that extended for the power winder and aligned the blades so they would turn her key. It took her a minute or so to adjust her position so the key turned nicely around, then she felt the softer pull of the key turning as it started to wind up.
Caroline had the power level set at the lowest setting, which meant the key turned completely around once in about twenty seconds. She had been warned not to go any faster until she knew very well how the machine worked and she was comfortable with using it on a regular basis. She sat waiting, slowly counting up all the turns until she reached the target number of sixty, before shutting off the control valve.
It took Caroline a few more weeks to fully manage the new full body control suit, but she was still having issues with the new wind-up machine, and getting her position just right. While it was much easier to wind up it still put a lot of twisting on her back, and it usually took a long time before the job was complete.
The following week Caroline started back at her work. The company was pleased to have her back as the sickness had caused many disruptions, and several of the staff were still away. While the other operators on her shift were considerate to her, a few other staff at the power plant were not so nice and started to call her the clockwork lady.
More trouble erupted the next week when one of the younger boiler men took hold of her key and tried to pull it out, then when he changed tack and instead turned the key the wrong way, it resulted in her being thrown to the ground. She was taken back home feeling a bit battered and bruised.
Later that evening when she bathed, her mother reminded her that she was long overdue in using her shaver, and she should use it at least once a week. Again she followed her mother's command, even though she had no idea why she needed to shave her armpits and further below.
A few days later the professor came to check on her and was very happy with how she was going. Then he told her he wanted to do a full physical examination. Caroline wasn't that happy about having to strip everything right off.
Caroline felt giddy and confused as he went about checking every part of her body, poking and prodding her. He started at her head, worked his way to her shoulders, down each arm then onto her chest. He squeezed and rubbed her breasts, making her flinch, and giving them a very thorough examination before he pinched her nipples hard and then moved down onto her belly. He examined both her legs right to her toes before he came back to her middle.
He told her that she needed to be a very good girl as he eased her legs wide, making her cringe and tremble. He seemed to examine her for quite some time, slowly running his fingers along her divide, then easing it apart to examine her inner folds. Caroline gasped and cringed, but tried to stay still as he poked and prodded her between her legs.
The examination concluded, he told her that he wanted her to use her normal clothing in the evening from now on, so she could build up her own strength. He also told her that he would be back again in a month to check on her progress.
While day times were good, the evenings were much more of a struggle without her power control corset. She tried hard, but still very quickly fatigued, but each day she made progress.
Her work quickly settled back into the routine, and she was given a new title of Junior Operator. A big step up from being a trainee.
A couple of weeks later, the professor returned and started his checks. The power suit was doing a very good job, but he realized that she was still struggling without it. Then he told her that he wanted to do another full physical examination.
Once again he started with her head, then her shoulders and arms. He moved onto her breasts, rubbing them and squeezing them, making her cringe.
"You seem to have some tension in your breasts, my dear," he informed her. "I will need to give them a good firm rub to help ease that tension."
Caroline knew he was a university professor, and he surely must have known what he was talking about. She guessed that she must have had tension and that she needed him to ease it away.
"If you think that would help, then yes, please do."
The professor smiled at her, then he placed his hands firmly on her breasts and began to rub, making her cringe again.
"Do try and relax, it will make things feel much better if you can," he encouraged her.
"Take a deep breath in and slowly exhale," he instructed her. He timed his rubbing to her breathing, pushing her breasts up when she breathed in and pulled down as she exhaled.
Caroline discovered she was no longer cringing and his hands were starting to make her feel much better. His hands moved about over her breasts, from side to side and up and down, He started to go a bit quicker and Carline adjusted her breathing to match.
Caroline never knew that she had so much tension in her breasts. But she found that he was doing a very good job of easing it out. She felt her nipples harden, and he responded by circling his fingers around them, before taking hold and giving her nipples a firm tug. Caroline gasped, she was caught by surprise by the sensations she felt.
"Good, I see that you like this," the professor tugged again on her nipples.
Caroline quivered and drew in a shuddering breath. She was totally confused by the new sensations she was feeling, never having experienced them before. She felt his hands move over her breasts again, giving them both a firm squeeze. She looked up at the Professor, seeing him smiling at her, and he noticed her confused look.
"I think that's enough tension relief for the moment, we don't want to overdo it. It can take time to get used to it," he informed her.
The professor changed position and started to check her belly, then her legs down to her toes, before coming back up to the tops of her legs. He eased her legs wide again, reminding her to be a good girl for him.
Carefully he ran his finger along her divide, making her whimper, for she felt very sensitive between her legs. Again he ran his finger along and she felt a little burst of moisture between her legs which totally confused her as she had not peed, but it did make her feel quite embarrassed.
"You have become quite sensitive just here. It often happens when you have the chest tension eased, it perfectly normal. It often shows there is a bit of tension in your lower body as well," he told her with an air of authority.
"Oh okay," she responded.
"I think it best that I should give it a bit of a rub to help ease that tension for you," he informed her as he placed his hand firmly on her mound.
Caroline just nodded as she was feeling a bit too stunned by the feel his hand firmly on her body in such a sensitive area.
The Professor started to rock his hand against her mound and putting pressure back and forth. Then he eased his fingers down along each side of her divide, beginning to stroke her along its length. Caroline trembled at first, unsure of exactly what was going on. Then as the sensations began to surface she found the experience to be very baffling.
Caroline became wet and very confused as well as having a sense of feeling quite ecstatic. She had no idea what was happening, or why she was reacting in such a way. She wondered how on earth she must have built up so much tension for the professor to be able to ease it out of her is such a way. The professor rubbed her for a couple more minutes before slowing down.
"There, I think that should be enough for today. You sure did have a lot of tension in there. I believe all your tension might be coming from the clockwork mechanism, and having it would up. I think I will need to do a double check on you in a couple of weeks. I also want you to try having the winding machine set up to go at four turns a minute, I think you are now strong enough to do that."
"Thank you, Professor, I really do feel much better than I had been. I sure must have had a lot of tension inside me. Should I get my Mother to help ease it out?"
"I don't think your Mother is qualified in easing out such tensions, it's best that you don't involve your Mother at all. I want to study all the effects the power body corset and clockwork unit has on you. Having your Mother involved may cause some effects to be obscured. It would be best not to tell your Mother at all."
Caroline agreed and the professor helped her back into her power suit. She spent the rest of the day feeling quite alive and energetic, happy to have her tension eased quite well.
Over the next few days she tried the winder at the new speed and found it a little bit easier as time went on, and she had the bonus of not having to wait so long till it was fully wound. Her work was going well and she had no more trouble with other staff, but she acquired the nickname of Clockwork Caroline.
The professor arrived just as Caroline's mother was going out to the markets, leaving Caroline alone with him. He quickly ran through the series of tests he wanted, taking careful notes on how she was performing. He then informed her that he wanted to do another full physical examination of her, and double check the levels of tension she might have.
Starting at the top of her head, he again worked his way down her body, only briefly running his hands firmly over her breasts, before moving lower down. He took a bit more time, however, examining her between her legs, making her cringe again.
"I think the increased speed of the winder had helped a bit, but I can feel quite a bit of tension build up, both in your chest and lower body," he informed her. "I will need you to be quite still as I work to ease out that tension. Do you understand?"
Shyly she replied, "Yes"
"Good girl. Now I want you to be seated in front of me so I can work from behind, I will need you to lift your arms up over your head, and to keep them up there."
Caroline obeyed, she felt her breasts lift and stand out more as she raised her arms up high. "Like this?" she asked him.
"Oh yes, very nice, just like that, it's perfect," he responded, looking at the well-presented pair of breasts before him.
The professor took a bottle of lotion out an rubbed some onto his hands then he moved to be directly behind Caroline, and then eased him up against her bare back. He slipped his hands around her side and then up an onto her breasts, making her wince and cringe. He gave her breasts a firm squeeze, and she cringed back against him, dropping her arms for a moment before she raised then again.
"Just as I thought, there is quite a bit of tension here," he told her as he squeezed her breasts again. "Yes, quite a lot in here."
It took a few minutes before Caroline stopped flinching as he squeezed and rubbed her breasts and her nipples. Somehow it didn't seem so soothing and relaxing and nice feeling as it had done the previous time.
Suddenly she remembered the need to breathe in deeply and exhale slowly. With her breathing sorted she began to feel much better. She felt his hands firmly squeeze her breasts and then tease her now hardened nipples.
The professor rubbed her nipples in his fingertips, then he squeezed them hard, making her gasp. He slipped his hands again over her breasts, cupping them and lifting them up. His fingers found her nipples again, he took a firm grip and pulled them both up and out. He held his firm grip, keeping her nipples extend out.
Caroline squeaked in shock and started to squirm. The sensations were puzzling and exciting, making her body tingle in ways she had never felt before.
"I thought you might like that, it helps draw out the tension from deep inside your chest."
Caroline could only just nod her understanding. She felt very tingly as he again rubbed her breasts firmly. Then after a minute or so, he reached down and began to rub her directly between her legs. Caroline squirmed and writhed, she felt a growing sense of confusion and excitement, she had no idea what she should do.
Caroline felt a building sense of pressure inside her and began to pant hard. She was very confused and started to feel a little bit scared as she had no idea what was happening to her. Caroline squirmed and then looked at the Professor, and he understood that she needed to take time and he eased up.
The Professor the worked on her shoulders as she began to unwind again.
"I think that's enough tension eased out for today, there was quite a bit getting bottled up in your lower body. It was reluctant to ease out," he told her as a matter of fact.
Caroline spent the next couple of days trying to decide if she liked the strange sensations she had felt when the professor had worked to ease her tension. On one hand, it seemed to be very effective at easing her tension, but she wasn't quite sure about the strange and exciting sensations she had been feeling.
Caroline moved to an afternoon shift at her work, giving her more time in the mornings.
One day she was out looking at a new dress when there was a steam car accident nearby. A small crowd gathered, trying to free an older man trapped under the heavy car, but they were all struggling without having any success.
