by John Norman
"Do not touch me!” she said.
"Forgive me, Lady,” he said.
She drew her robes more closely about her.
"Lord Arcesilaus,” she said. “It is my understanding that you have had prepared a state breakfast."
"Yes,” he said.
"Shall we then to the tables?” she asked.
"There is no place prepared for you,” said Lord Arcesilaus. He, naturally enough, still muchly thought of her as a pet, and so no place would have been prepared for her, no more than for the slaves.
"She shall have my place,” said Lord Grendel. “I will stand behind her chair."
There were cries of anger and dismay, both from Kurii and men on the dais.
"It is my wish,” said Lord Grendel, and none would gainsay him.
"I think this is a world of Kurii,” said the Lady Bina, “not of humans. I have heard of Gor. I think I will see what it is like. I think it would be interesting to live on the surface of a world, rather than within a world."
"Lady?” said Cabot.
"I shall wish,” said the Lady Bina, “to be given transportation to Gor. Others, as I understand it, are being indulged in this particular."
"Gor is dangerous, Lady!” said Cabot. “You are attractive, and you have no city, no village, no Home Stone. You might end up in the markets."
"In the markets?” she said.
"Being sold,” he said.
"I,” she laughed, “being sold! Absurd! I am a free woman!"
"I assure you,” said Cabot. “There is danger."
"I am a free woman,” she insisted.
"So, too, once, were most slaves,” said Cabot.
"Then they were not true free women,” said the Lady Bina. “They were only uncollared slaves.” She then looked at Cecily, who feared to meet her gaze. “Is that not true?” she asked.
"I do not know,” whispered the slave.
"But it is true of you, is it not?” asked the Lady Bina. “You were merely an uncollared slave."
"Yes, Mistress,” said Cecily. “It was true of me. I was only an uncollared slave."
"And the collar belongs on you, does it not?” asked the Lady Bina.
"Yes, Mistress,” said Cecily. “The collar belongs on me!"
"Are you insolent?” asked the Lady Bina.
"No, Mistress,” said Cecily, quickly. “Forgive me, Mistress!"
"Slave,” sneered the Lady Bina.
"Yes, Mistress,” said Cecily. “I am a slave, and should be a slave."
"Quite true, slave girl,” said the Lady Bina. Then she looked at Cabot. “I will need funds,” she said.
"If you are determined,” said Cabot, “I will provide some rubies, and I would suppose that Lord Grendel might contribute something, as well."
"Surely,” said Lord Grendel.
"You will accompany me,” she said to Cabot. “I will need guidance, and protection."
"Not I,” said Cabot.
"I will reward you richly,” she said, “for I intend to become a Ubara."
"Do not be absurd,” said Cabot.
"My beauty,” she said, “will win me influence, and soon a throne."
"Do not be foolish,” said Cabot. “There are thousands of women on Gor as beautiful as you, if not more so, and a great many of them are in cages, on shelf chains, and in coffles."
"Am I to understand that, despite their beauty, they are for sale?"
"It is largely because of their beauty,” said Cabot, “that they are for sale."
"They are slaves?"
"Of course,” said Cabot. “They are slaves."
"Then,” she said, “it is appropriate for them, as they are slaves, that they be for sale."
"Certainly,” said Cabot.
"Slaves?” she said.
"Yes,” said Cabot.
"Men have made them so?"
"Of course."
"I am a free woman,” she said.
"Yes,” said Cabot.
Cabot thought it a shame that the Lady Bina was a free woman. Was there not there a waste of slave? Cabot thought that at a man's feet, naked and collared, under his switch, she might be much improved. Certainly she was beautiful, even slave beautiful. Many free women are slave beautiful, of course, but they have not yet been brought to the feet of men, and put in their collars.
Only then, mere slaves, reduced and exalted, in love and fulfillment, might they become truly beautiful.
Many a free woman, naked before her sandal slave, might inquire, “What do you think? Am I not beautiful enough to be a slave? Would I not sell well?” And to this the sandal slave, kneeling before her mistress, might well respond, and truthfully, “Yes, Mistress.” The sandal slave might then be lashed, and informed that the beauty of a free woman is far superior to that of a slave, any slave, to which she had best reply, “Yes, Mistress,” one of the few lies which a slave might safely utter. After all, what could a collar do for her mistress, really, other than enhance her beauty, and make her a thousand times more desirable to men? The sandal slave might think, “Be sold, great lady. I would bring more on the block than you!"
"I wish you to accompany me,” she said.
"I will ship with you,” said he, “to the surface of Gor, then we part."
"I will accompany you, Lady,” said Lord Grendel, quietly.
"No!” cried Lord Arcesilaus, and several others, amongst the Kurii. “Remain with us,” said a Kur. “Here you stand high in the rings,” said another. “Here you are champion, and hero!” said another. “Stay with us!” begged another.
"On Gor,” said Cabot, “you will be seen as no more than a beast!"
"What am I other than that here?” said Lord Grendel. He lifted his hand, which bore only five digits, not six. Some of the Kurii looked away. “And my voice,” said Lord Grendel, “is different. It is not fully Kur."
"You have rendered great services to the world,” said Lord Arcesilaus. “We will cheerfully overlook such deformities."
"Keep the slut here, and chain her to a ring,” said Cabot.
"No,” said Lord Grendel.
"Go to Gor, yes,” said a Kur, “but later, and only in war, to win her, and claim her, for the folk!"
"Stay with us, and help us to conquer Gor,” said another.
"No,” said Lord Grendel.
"Perhaps he should go,” said one of the Kurii.
"Perhaps there is, truly, no place for him here,” mused another.
"It is true, he is a monster,” said one of the Kurii. “There is no gainsaying that."
"But we salute him,” said another.
"Yes,” said another.
"He must be permitted to go, if he wishes,” said Lord Arcesilaus. “I, for one, will cruelly regret his departure, but I would not oblige him to remain, nor attempt to influence him to do so, against his will."
"You may accompany me then,” said the Lady Bina. “I may have need of you, if what friend Cabot suggests is true, that some peril might obtain. You may be my protector, rather like a sleen, my beast, my pet."
"Collar her,” said Cabot.
"She is a free woman,” said Lord Grendel.
"I may need a serving slave,” said the Lady Bina. She then looked upon Cecily. “That is a pretty slave,” she said. “What do you want for her?"
"She is not for sale,” said Cabot, “not now."
"Later?"
"Perhaps,” said Cabot.
Cecily looked at her master, in fear. She was property, of course, and could be disposed of, as the master might please.
"I think you want her,” said the Lady Bina, “—perhaps for slave use."
"Of course,” said Cabot. “Why do you think men make slaves, buy them, and such?"
"That they may have slave use from them?"
"Of course."
"Doubtless you make her grovel and squirm,” said the Lady Bina.
"Certainly,” said Cabot.
"She seems quite modest, and quite demure now,” said the Lady Bina.<
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"Now,” agreed Cabot.
"Doubtless she is different, in your arms, or under your whip."
"Of course,” said Cabot.
"She is a pleasure slave,” said the Lady Bina.
"Yes,” said Cabot.
"Why is she kneeling, then, with her knees together?"
"She is in the presence of a free woman,” said Cabot.
The Lady Bina then looked at Cecily. “Show what you are, slut,” she said.
"Before a free woman, Mistress?” said Cecily, frightened.
"I like the word ‘Mistress’ on your dirty little slave lips,” said the Lady Bina. “It belongs there."
"Yes, Mistress,” said Cecily.
"Now!” said the Lady Bina.
Cecily spread her knees.
The Lady Bina then laughed, merrily.
"Grendel,” said the Lady Bina.
"Lady?” said he.
"I do not too much care for this hood, and all these veils,” she said. “I think it better if my hair were seen, attractively flowing, and if my face were visible, that my beauty might be the better noted."
"Lady?” said he.
"And some adornment would be appropriate, for my head and hair,” she said.
Lord Grendel was silent.
"I will need my tiara, again,” she said. “You can find it, can you not?"
"Yes, Lady,” he said.
"Well then,” said the Lady Bina, to Lord Arcesilaus, “shall we now to the tables?"
"Yes,” said he.
Chapter, the Eighty-First:
DEPARTURE
In the narrow, steel corridor, Cabot knelt Cecily, and snapped the short chain about her neck, which would fasten her to the bulkhead. Cecily's eyes were wide, and we fear she was uneasy, but Corinna was similarly secured, near her, and so, too, were several others; all were girls who had been in the pleasure cylinder. This form of custody was not unfamiliar to them.
Each had been accorded, prior to boarding, when they had been stripped, a brief, gray, shipping tunic, which had a number clearly inscribed in Gorean on the upper left side. Cecily's number was 27, and Corinna's was 28. These numbers were correlated with identical numbers at the bulkhead's chaining rings, number 1 with ring 1, and so on. In this manner ship's records might be kept in order. Also, if a girl were to be removed from a ring, say, for pleasure, it would be clear to what ring she was to be returned.
Cabot jerked Cecily's chain against the collar ring, twice, this ring attached to the bulkhead's holding collar, which was rather heavy, which was closed over her slave collar.
In such a way the slave is reminded she is chained, not that they truly need any such reminder. With their small hands they can, if they wish, pull at the chain quite well themselves, and pull it against the ring to which it is fastened, and so on.
"Master?” she said.
"We will be leaving soon,” said Cabot, and left her.
The chain was some three feet in length, as were the others.
Peisistratus, as Cabot, and his slave, had never been, at least consciously, in such an environment, had led them about, the preceding day, introducing them to at least some of the ship's several divisions and systems.
They had visited, for example, the bridge, galley, pantries, mess, crew's quarters, officers’ cabins, engine room, weapon cubicles and turrets, the diverse holds, and such.
Cabot noted that the ship carried propellant, which consumed much space, and functioned on a principle of reaction. In short, the propulsion system of the ship was relatively primitive, at least when measured against what he understood to be the capabilities of the ships of Priest-Kings. For example, if the ship were to lift away from a planetary surface, even one such as Gor, a great expenditure of propellant would be required. This expenditure need not take place, of course, in leaving the steel world. Cabot suspected that certain ships, larger ships, might remain in orbit, while communication to and from a planetary surface might take place by means of shuttle craft. On the ship of Peisistratus, however, which Cabot supposed might be typical, there were no shuttle craft. There were, however, some escape pods. The ships of the Priest-Kings, as Cabot understood, did not carry internal fuel, but drew on the forces of gravity for their propulsion. In this way there was no difficulty in leaving a planet's surface, nor need they face dangers such as the exhaustion of the ship's source of power, the risk of its volatility, and so on. Whereas the force of gravity as normally encountered is, so to speak, a very weak force, widely distributed, obviously it is, in its extent, a titanic force capable of holding moons to a planet, planets to a primary, stars in a galaxy, and so on. The Priest-Kings, Cabot speculated, had discovered a way to gather together or focus this universally distributed force, multiply its effects exponentially, and utilize it for their purposes. Indeed, it was speculated that Priest-Kings could use a planet as what, in effect, it was, a space ship, and shift it, if one wished, from one primary to another, a competence possibly of great value, should alterations or disturbances take place in its local primary.
In one of the holds Cecily was fascinated by closely arranged racks of transparent cylinders, outfitted with various forms of tubing. There were a hundred or more of these cylinders, or containers. Each was now empty.
"What are these?” she asked.
"Slave capsules,” she was informed.
"Earth-girl slaves,” said Peisistratus, “are normally sedated on Earth, brought to collection points, stored in such capsules for the journey to Gor, disembarked unconscious on Gor, and then brought unconscious to the pens. Thus, in a typical case, a girl might retire as usual, in the comfort of her sheets, with no thoughts save for her quotidian existence of the morrow, totally unaware of her selection, and then, later, to her astonishment, awaken in the pens. To be sure, there is a great deal of variation in these matters. Sometimes, for example, if a girl has been somewhat annoying, she might be surprised in her bed, gagged, stripped, bound hand and foot, and then left there for a few hours, to ponder matters, after which she will be sedated, and things will continue in a more routine matter. Sometimes girls are not taken directly to the pens but, particularly when the patrols of Priest-Kings are unusually zealous, are disembarked in the wilderness, and, while unconscious, coffled. Thus they awaken in the grass, naked, on a slave chain, thence to be marched to some predetermined house or rendezvous. In this way they appear no different, to satellite surveillance, than other such coffles, being taken between cities, and such."
"You, however,” said Cabot to his Cecily, “would have been selected by Priest-Kings and brought in one of their ships to the Prison Moon."
"Might I,” Cecily asked Peisistratus, “have been found of interest by you, or your colleagues?"
"Certainly,” said Peisistratus.
"How are your acquisitions selected?” she asked.
"There are usually a number of parameters involved,” said Peisistratus. “Obviously feminine desirability is important, for they are to be sold. One looks, then, for unusual beauty, high intelligence, helpless sexual needfulness, and such."
"It might be understood, however,” said Cabot, “that one is looking, most essentially, for women who will make superb slaves, women who have slave dispositions, who desire to be slaves, who want to be slaves, who need to be slaves, who will not be happy until they are collared, and such."
"They need not, of course, be fully aware of this on Earth,” said Peisistratus. “It will, presumably, however, be clear enough to them in their dreams, dreams which may frighten them, or in their fantasies, which they will perhaps fear and keep as their most closely guarded secret."
"Some of these women are scouted carefully, as I understand it,” said Cabot.
"True,” said Peisistratus. “Our agents often scout them for days, weeks, even months, observing their characteristics and dispositions, considering what they might look like in tunics and shackles, such things, and careful lists are kept."
"You have some sense of their latencies?�
� asked Cecily.
"Certainly,” said Peisistratus, “we are skilled in the evaluation of slave stock, such as yourself. One can, certainly after a time, sense their needs, and the fires which burn within them, scarcely concealed by their idiotic garments."
"You have lists?” said Cecily.
"Yes,” said Peisistratus, “there are possibility lists, which are, in effect, inspection or assessment lists, and then, if the female is deemed suitable, she is put on an acquisition list. Once on an acquisition list it may still be weeks or months before she is acquired. It is amusing in its way, how they go so naively, so unsuspectingly, about the boring, meaningless trivialities of their daily lives. They do not know that they are already Gorean slaves. They lack only the brands and collars."
"One thing which might be mentioned,” said Cabot, “though you have doubtless noted it in most of your sister slaves, is that almost all of them have the bodies of the natural human female, in height, size, shape, and such."
"With the exciting slave curves of the natural woman,” said Peisistratus.
"The Gorean male,” said Cabot, “tends to find such women pleasing. They are the sort he wants in his collar, at his feet."
"They sell well,” said Peisistratus.
"Cargo the ships,” had called Peisistratus. His men had then carried various supplies aboard. Shortly thereafter, to the crack of a whip, the slaves had been herded aboard, to be put by one of the corridor bulkheads, to be chained in place before departure.
Another object had been loaded as well, a large cage, in which a mighty beast, snarling, wary, impatient, twisting and turning, paced angrily back and forth.
"Are you sure you wish to make this journey, Lord Grendel?” Cabot asked.
"Do not call me Lord Grendel any longer, dear friend,” said Lord Grendel. “Call me by the name of ‘Grendel’ alone, for that is the name of a monster, and I go where I shall not be “lord,” but, at best, a deformity, a beast."
"Remain in the world,” said Cabot. “Here you have prestige, and power."
"I must accompany the Lady Bina,” he said. “She may need me."
"She is a pretentious, treacherous, worthless ingrate,” said Cabot.
"She is very beautiful,” said Grendel.