Kur of Gor (26 page)

Some Goreans claim that it is the existence of beautiful women that is the justification of the slave collar. Other Goreans claim that it is the existence of women which is the justification of the slave collar.

"Behold,” said Peisistratus, “she approaches."

The dancer knelt before Cabot, and, with both hands, lifted the chain to him. “I offer you my chain, Master,” she said.

Cabot took the chain and jerked it against the back of her neck, and she gasped. “I take it, if I wish,” he said.

"Yes, Master,” she whispered, frightened.

"You like her?"

"She is lovely."

"You may take her home with you, to the hillside villa in the Steel World,” said Peisistratus, “and keep her as long as you wish."

"You are generous,” said Cabot.

"The Kurii are generous,” said Peisistratus.

Ah, thought Cabot, Peisistratus is interested in this slave.

"She is muchly concerned to please a man,” said Peisistratus.

"Does she fear the whip?"

"Very much,” said Peisistratus.

"Good,” said Cabot. It is useful to the master that the slave girl is terrified of the whip. Thus it seldom needs to be used. She knows, of course, that it will be used on her if she is in the least bit displeasing. Accordingly, she does her best to be found pleasing, and fully so.

Cabot noted that the slave cast a look of misery at Peisistratus, and that the hands on her thighs lifted slightly, as though she would expose her palms to him, but then she quickly returned them to her thighs, palms down.

"She has been deprived?” inquired Cabot.

"Yes,” said Peisistratus, “to prepare her for you."

"Girl,” said Cabot to the dancer, “return to your cage, or kennel."

She leapt up, gratefully, cast another look at Peisistratus, and hurried from the room, departing through the beaded curtain. It shook behind her.

One of the Kurii growled menacingly. It was obviously displeased.

Cabot thought that Peisistratus leaned back, a bit.

"You did not send her to another, as with Lehna?” said Peisistratus.

"Let her rest, from the dance,” said Cabot.

"I see,” said Peisistratus.

One of the Kurii, Cabot noticed, was looking toward the beaded curtain.

"You did not find her attractive?” asked Peisistratus.

"She is very attractive,” said Cabot.

"There are others, of course,” said Peisistratus. “Would you like to inspect them?"

"No,” said Cabot.

"Nature has designed them all, and well, for the collar,” said Peisistratus.

"I am pleased to hear it,” said Cabot.

"All would sell well."

"I am sure of it."

"And all have been readied for you."

"As the paga of Temus?"

"Yes,” said Peisistratus.

"I am grateful,” said Cabot.

"Perhaps you are interested in the brunette from the stall, the pet of Pyrrhus?” asked Peisistratus.

"The one whose hair is too short?"

"Yes."

"Why would one be interested in her?” asked Cabot.

"Agamemnon could easily arrange for her to be brought to you,” said Peisistratus.

"She is the pet of Lord Pyrrhus,” said Cabot.

"He does not want her,” said Peisistratus. “He only took her to anger you. Indeed, he might kill her."

"That would be a waste of slave,” said Cabot.

"There are others,” said Peisistratus, “from the cylinder, even from the cattle pens. Humans are cheap."

"Where is Zarendargar?” asked Cabot.

The bluntness, the suddenness, of this question, startled Peisistratus. He looked uneasily back at the two Kurii behind them.

"I do not know,” he said.

"Tell me,” said Cabot.

"He is not in the Steel World,” said Peisistratus. “He was removed from the domain of Agamemnon, under custody, seven days ago."

"He was merely used to bring me to the Steel World?” said Cabot.

"I fear so,” said Peisistratus. “He was intent to rescue a friend, with whom it is told he had once shared paga, to save him from death or dishonor at the hands of Priest-Kings, a noble endeavor, but instead he brought him unwittingly into the grasp of Agamemnon."

"I see,” said Cabot. This did not come to him as any great surprise, for he had supposed as much, having neither heard nor seen aught of Zarendargar after his extrication from the Prison Moon.

"Agamemnon will want his answer soon,” said Peisistratus.

"I understand,” said Cabot.

"Tomorrow,” said Peisistratus, “you are to go hunting."

"Hunting?"

"On the game world,” said Peisistratus, “with Lord Pyrrhus."

"Are there weapons here, in the Pleasure Cylinder?” asked Cabot.

"We are not to speak of such things."

"Are there?"

"In the ships,” said Peisistratus.

"Are the ships accessible, and free?"

"They require authorization to depart, to dock, and so on,” said Peisistratus. “And they are not a match for the speed or armament of Kur ships."

"They are slavers’ ships?"

"Yes."

"What does one hunt on the game world?” inquired Cabot.

"Animals of various sorts,” said Peisistratus.

"And humans?"

"Yes."

"This is a test of sorts, I suppose,” said Cabot.

"I suppose so,” said Peisistratus. “They probably wish to see if you will kill humans."

"I see."

"But, too,” he said, “these are unusual humans, and our hirsute friends may be interested to see if they kill you."

"Unusual humans?"

"They have been bred to be elusive, dangerous prey animals. Some have slain Kurii."

"And if these unusual humans kill me, I would thus be proven a poor choice to abet the schemes of Kurii?"

"Yes, and then they could turn to others."

"Tomorrow then I shall go hunting."

"Cabot,” said Peisistratus.

"Yes?"

"Beware of Lord Pyrrhus."

As Cabot made ready to access the shuttle and return to his hillside villa on the Steel World, he heard the blows of a lash and the screams of a whipped slave.

"It is Corinna,” said Peisistratus. “She is being punished."

"Why?” asked Cabot.

"Our friends will have it so,” said Peisistratus.

"But, why?” asked Cabot.

"She failed to seduce you,” said Peisistratus.

Chapter, the Twelfth:

THE GAME WORLD

"I think there is nothing here,” said Cabot.

"No,” said Pyrrhus. “You are here."

There are five subsidiary cylinders easily reachable from the Steel World by means of shuttles. The largest of these are the agricultural cylinders, of which there are two; the next largest is the forest world, or game world; the next is the industrial cylinder; and the pleasure cylinder is by far the smallest.

The forest world, or game world, is essentially a sport world for Kurii, who are fond of the hunt. The forest world associated with the Steel World under the governance of Agamemnon is something in the neighborhood of one hundred square pasangs.

Cabot could see trees, as though from above, far over his head. Similarly forested areas sloped up to the curved horizons until they reached the green sky. He could see, far above him, amidst the trees, what appeared to be a lake.

"It is lovely, is it not?” came from the translator of Pyrrhus.

"Yes,” said Cabot. “Where are the others, the hunting party?"

"We have come early,” said Pyrrhus.

"You carry only a net, a spear, a knife,” said Cabot.

"We do not use power weapons in the hunt,” said Pyrrhus.

"It would not be sporting?"

"No, and if we did so, the range would soon be overhunted."

"I would have thought your claws and teeth would be sufficient,” said Cabot.

"There are beasts in the forests other than humans,” said Pyrrhus.

"And they prey on humans?"

"Some,” said Pyrrhus, “larls, sleen."

"It was not necessary to have shown me the cattle pens before we boarded the shuttle,” said Cabot.

"They would make poor game animals,” said Pyrrhus.

"Doubtless,” said Cabot.

Cabot had not been pleased to see the extensive pens in which the cattle were crowded, scarcely able to move about, feeding and watering at side troughs, milling about, grunting, pressing against the bars.

"I am sorry if you were distressed,” said Pyrrhus, “but you must understand that your species is a food species. I did spare you the squealing at the slaughter bench."

"They are not speeched,” said Cabot.

"For the most part, not,” said Pyrrhus. “Occasionally we put a speeched one amongst them, who understands what will be done, but he is unable to communicate with the others."

"I see,” said Cabot.

"Do not be concerned for them,” said Pyrrhus. “It is the only life they know. They fear only that their food troughs will not be filled on time, that the water troughs may be dry."

"I see,” said Cabot.

"Have you ever tasted human?” asked Pyrrhus.

"No,” said Cabot.

"Would you like to do so?"

"No,” said Cabot.

"Yet,” said Pyrrhus, “humans have often eaten human."

"I suppose that is true,” said Cabot.

"But you do not care to do so?"

"No."

"I do not blame you,” said Pyrrhus. “I do not care much for human myself. Do you recall my pet?"

"I think so,” said Cabot.

"I do not think I would care to eat her myself,” said Pyrrhus, “as I do not care that much for human, but I am thinking of selling her to another who might find her tasty."

"Doubtless you will do as you wish,” said Cabot.

"I thought you might be interested."

"Why?” asked Cabot.

"I see,” said Pyrrhus. “I had thought you might wish to own her."

"Her hair is short,” said Cabot.

"But is she not a well-shaped female of your species, of the sort that men enjoy owning?"

"She will do,” said Cabot.

"I thought so,” said Pyrrhus.

"You do not approve of the plan of Agamemnon, I gather,” said Cabot, “to utilize humans in the conquest of Gor."

"Why should you say that?” inquired Pyrrhus.

"Because we are here, alone, at the edge of the forest, in advance of the hunting party."

"For a human, you are clever,” said Pyrrhus.

"Agamemnon, I gather,” said Cabot, “does not know I am here."

"Some things, it seems,” said Pyrrhus, “elude even the awareness of the Eleventh Face of the Nameless One."

"An accident of some sort will occur?"

"You were curious,” said Pyrrhus. “You wandered off."

"That was unwise of me,” said Cabot.

"There is little point in eying my dagger,” said Pyrrhus, “for the sheath is locked, and you do not know the releasing touch."

"You would challenge the will of Agamemnon?"

"Agamemnon is astute,” said Pyrrhus, “but he knows little of honor. He would expend humans, swarming them into the Sardar to exterminate Priest-Kings, thus robbing Kurii of the glory of victory."

"Surely this might save many Kurii."

"But at the cost of glory,” said Pyrrhus. “One might as well utilize bacilli to achieve one's ends."

"A victory ill bought is an ill-gained victory,” said Cabot.

"Precisely,” said Pyrrhus.

"But it is a victory."

"One unworthy of Kurii,” said Pyrrhus.

"Too,” said Cabot, “after such a victory you would have to share Gor with your allies."

"Surely you do not believe that,” said Pyrrhus.

"No,” said Cabot, “I do not."

"That deception, too, defiles honor,” said Pyrrhus.

"But it evidences the astuteness of Agamemnon."

"The pledge of a Kur is sacred,” said Pyrrhus.

"Perhaps it should be,” said Cabot.

"The world must not be surrendered to the Agamemnons,” said Pyrrhus.

"More than one world would seem to be theirs,” said Cabot.

"I must not be found here,” said Pyrrhus.

"I suppose not,” said Cabot.

"Remove your tunic,” said Pyrrhus.

Cabot slipped from the simple garment and placed it in Pyrrhus’ broad, extended paw.

"Am I to be killed now?” inquired Cabot.

"Do you think I want to return to the world with your blood on my claws and teeth?” said Pyrrhus. “Or particles of your flesh on my fingers?"

"The hunting party is due to arrive soon?"

"Yes,” said Pyrrhus.

"I am to escape into the forest?” said Cabot.

"If you wish,” said Pyrrhus.

"I may remain here, and address the hunters,” said Cabot.

"If you wish,” said Pyrrhus, “but the hunting party is in league with me."

"You have left little to chance,” said Cabot.

"The hunting party will not be blamed for killing and eating you,” said Pyrrhus.

"A natural mistake, as humans look much alike to Kurii?"

"Yes, and no one would expect to find you here."

"And thus the plans of Agamemnon will be frustrated?"

"For now,” said Pyrrhus.

"And later?"

"Who knows what may occur later?” came from Pyrrhus’ translator.

"Treachery, treason, poison, assassination?"

"I depart,” said Pyrrhus.

"Perhaps I may elude the hunting party,” said Cabot.

"I do not think so,” said Pyrrhus, lifting the tunic which Cabot had surrendered to him, “for they will have sleen."

"Little, indeed, has been left to chance,” said Cabot.

"The hunters may not be your greatest danger,” said Pyrrhus.

"Larls, wild sleen?” said Cabot.

"And humans."

"Humans?"

"Certainly,” said Pyrrhus. “They do not know you."

"They are dangerous?"

"Some have killed Kurii,” said Pyrrhus.

"I will speak to them,” said Cabot.

"They are not speeched,” said Pyrrhus.

Lord Pyrrhus then returned to the shuttle lock, accessed the automated vessel, and left the sport world.

And Cabot entered the forest.

Chapter, the Thirteenth:

WHAT OCCURRED IN THE FOREST

"Tal,” said Cabot, lifting his hand in greeting.