"Yes Master," she said. She rose quickly to her hfeet and ran softly to him. He took her by the arm. "She whom you seek is a slave, is she not?" she asked. "She is a legal slave," I said, "she is not a true slave."
She was then conducted to the small side door, thougt which the attendant had emerged. Beyond it, I gathered would lie such things as the kitchens, the offices, the cellars and pantries, the storaqge rooms, the dressing rooms, the discipline chamber and the kennels. At the door the attendant let her paus and she turned to me. "Good hunting, Master," she called to me, "Show her no mercy," she said. Then she brushed a kiss with the tips of her fingers in the Gorean fashion. I returned this gesture. She was then conducted through the door. In a short time I heard the sliding downward and locking in place of a kennel gate. Shortly afterward the attendant returned to the floor and let me out, thought the main entrance. I heard it being bolted shut behind me. I stood then in the streets of Ar. I looked up at the moons and stars, beyond the cylinders and bridges. I then turned my steps toward the Street of Tarns, that somewehere among its many shops and cots, I might arrange transportation northward, toward the Salerian city of Lara.
2. The Victory Camp
"Greetings, Lady Tima," I said.
"Jason!" she said, struggling in the straps. "Do not hurt me!"
The night sky was red with the glare of the burning city.
"It will be a tarsk bit, said the fellow walking down the long line of pleasure racks. I placed a tarsk bit in the small leather sack nailed to the frame of the rack.She pulled back in the straps.
"I will take you no closer to Lara than this," had said the fellow who had flown the tarn which had brought me to this place. "Tarnsmen of Ar," had said he, "patrol the corridor between Vonda and Ar, but are insufficient in numbers to guard the sky beyond the corridor.Too tomorrow, as the cavalries mass for attack, the guard on the corridor itself will be abandoned."I had nodded and paid him, crawling from the heavy basket.On his return trip he would doubtless take refugees or perhaps bound girls from Vonda, back to Ar.
"What news of the war is there?" I asked the fellow who was guarding the long line of pleasure racks. "I have just come from Ar."We have been successful here," he said, "defeating in battle both the forces of Vonda and those of the tarnsmen of Atemidorus of Cos.Vonda is geing sacked.The city burns. This is a victory camp, one for loot and pleasure."Surely the Salerian Confederation is not commited to war, " I said.
He shrugged. "Forces from Lara, march south? said he "forces from Port Olni are within a hundred pasangs, marching south. They are delaying now only to match their strike with that of the men of Lara."I nodded, it would be a pincher move, to take the men of Ar, far from their supply line, on two fronts.
"We must now retreat." I said. He laughed "No, said he. "While those of Port Olni dally in camp we are marching upon them. We will taken them separately. Defeating them we will return south to meet the forces of Lara, perhaps even here, in the sight of the ashes of Vonda. "I see," I said.
"We fear only that the forces of Ti will be committed," he said. Ti was the largest and most populous city of the Salerian Confederation. It had, to date, refused to involve itself in the machinations of Vonda and Cos."Surely it will be only a matter of time," I said.
"I suspect so," said the man."Even now Ebullius Gaius Cassius, of the Warriors, Administrator of Ti, meets with the high council Ti."Their delay seems inexplicable." I said.
"Those of Cos enemies to Ar, and merchants of Vonda," said the man, "have precipitated the war, hoping to engage the entire confederation."A minor party then, " I said, "is maneuvering the situation." I think so," said the man. " I doubt frankly that either Ti or Ar wishes a full-scale conflict.
"How much is this one?" called a man, a few racks from us. It was a blonde, strapped on her rack.
"Excuse me," said the man, turning away from me, "A tarsk bit," he said to the fellow. "Surely," I said.
It was evening, fires, on high poles, illuminated the area. Many men were about, moving here and there. From where I stood, I could see many tents, long tents, and holding areas where there were temporary stockades or circular embankments. Within thses enclosures ther were, for the most past, goods and prisoners. Two drunken soldiers stagggered past.
"How were you taken?" I asked the Lady Tima.
"By soldiers in the city," she said. "with others." She looked at me. "Be kind to me Jason," she begged. "I am absolutely helpless."
"How were you brought here?" I asked. "On a rope," she said. "I was brought here, stripped and fastened on the rack." I looked down the long rows of pleasure racks, aligned under the high tourches. The blonde a few racks away in the same line was crying out for mercy.
"Your market and goods?" I asked. "The market was burned," she said, "and the goods and slaves taken." "Did many of those of Vonda escape the city?" I asked. «Many» she said.
"In flying over this area," I said, "I saw several stockades, mostly filled with women." "We were hunted more relentlessly," she said bitterly. "Yet some women must have escaped the city" I said. "Yes," she said, "Particularly those who fled early. Many have gone as refugees to Lara."
The blonde a few racks away began to squrim and sob in her straps. "No, no," she begged. But she was not being shown the mercy for which she pleaded.
"What of the House of Andronicus?" I asked. "Gone," said said, "burned, its slaves and personnel fled or taken." "What of the Lady Gina?" I asked. I remembered her with some fondness. "Shackled," she said, "In the food tens, where she waits upon men." "Do you think she enjoys serving them?" I asked."They enjoy having her serve them," she said angrily.
"Doubtless," I said. "Do you recall the slave, Lola, of the House of Andronicus?" I asked."Yes," she said. "I do not know her fate," Lola and Tela had been the girls who had first taught me Gorean.They had been the first Gorean slae girls I had ever seen. I had never forgotten my first sight of them. That such women could exist and be slaves had been a stunning and welcome revelation to me of certain of the realities of Gor.
"You had an assistant," I said, " a superb actress, who, pretended to be a mere Earth-girl slave, even to the collar and Ta-Teera, well prepared me for for my sale in your market."
"The Lady Tendite," she said. "Don't touch me!" Yes, she," I said. "She well made a fool of me."
"Please don't Jason,"I believed her," I said. "Jason," she begged. "No!" I believed her, " I said, "completely."I am completely helpless, Jason," she said. "Please have mercy on me!"
"The sale must have been amusing," I said. "Your hands!" she wept."Did you plan it togeteher?" I asked. "Your body seems smaller and more helpless than I rememberd it," I observed. "Yes, yes," she sobbed, "but it was her original plan, her ideas. She thought it would be amusing to do it to you.," "I see," I said. "Please stop touching me," she begged.
Suddenly a few racks away, the blonde throwing her had back and rearing helplessly in her straps, screamed her submission.The Lady Tima shuddered, and then suddenly lifted herself to me. But my hand did not quite touch her."Where is she?" I asked. "She fled from Vonda," she said. "She went to Lara. Please do not stop touching me."Are you prepared to beg to be touched?" I asked. "Yes," she said, I beg it!"
"How do these things work?" I asked, looking at the rack. "Jason, please!" she whispered. "I note that you are not yet branded," I said, "nor, I suppose are the others." "Jacon!" she pleaded. "Speak," I said.