Male Kurii had chosen to act.
No longer would they content themselves with less than the men of Gor.
"Have some Kurii departed from the world, for Gor, recently?” asked Cabot.
"Yes,” said Lord Arcesilaus. “Some before your return, some afterwards. They were former adherents of Lord Agamemnon, and so it is perhaps just as well for the world, that they take their departure."
"Where is Lord Agamemnon?” asked Cabot.
"He is in the palace,” said Lord Arcesilaus.
"Have no fear,” said a Kur. “He has no body."
"Friend Cabot,” said Zarendargar, “sometime before we part, before we diversely take ship, perhaps this evening, I would enjoy speaking with you."
"That would give me great pleasure,” said Cabot.
"Perhaps we might once again share paga."
"That would give me great pleasure,” said Cabot.
"Look,” said a Kur. “Lord Grendel, I believe, is approaching the gate."
"Excellent,” said Lord Arcesilaus. “We may all go in then, soon, to what I have had prepared, a state breakfast."
"May the slaves come?” asked one of the men of Peisistratus.
"Certainly,” said Lord Arcesilaus. “They may kneel behind you, or to the side, and you may, if you wish, feed them, or throw some food to the floor for them, whatever you wish."
The throwing of food to the floor for an animal, incidentally, is not that unusual. For example, it is commonly done with sleen. Slaves, too, may be fed by hand. Usually they have their food in a dish. Often they may feed from the dish much as a free person would, though their head is usually to be lower than that of their master. For example, if the master sits upon a bench at table, his dish will be upon the table, whereas the slave's dish, as she kneels near him, is likely to be on the bench itself; similarly, if the master reclines on a supper couch, the slave, kneeling, is likely to have her dish upon the couch's step, where footwear may be placed. Sometimes the slave's food and water dish is placed on the floor, and they must partake, heads down, on all fours, without the use of their hands, rather as would a sleen, another form of domestic animal.
This is not uncommon in the training of a new girl.
It helps her to understand that she is a slave.
As the inquiry of the man of Peisistratus might have seemed to some readers somewhat anomalous, it should be mentioned that on Gor slaves are not permitted in many public buildings, rather as other animals would not be permitted in them. Accordingly, public slave rings are frequently available in piazzas, plazas, squares, forums, agorae, and such, and along public streets, for the convenience of masters, to which their slaves may be conveniently chained. One sort of building in which slaves are never permitted, and may be slain if found within, are temples. It is felt by Initiates, the alleged representatives and servants of Priest-Kings, understandably enough, that the presence of a slave in such a place would be a profanation of sacred precincts. Provisions are made for their caging or chaining outside such places, in nearby lots, removed to a decent distance.
"Lord Grendel was somewhat distressed at the disfigurement of his pet, as I understand it,” said Lord Arcesilaus.
"At the gross tearings and multiple mutilations of the free woman, Bina,” said Cabot.
"Yes,” said Lord Arcesilaus, “that is it."
"You are from Earth, are you not?” asked a Kur.
"Yes, once,” said Cabot.
"If those of Earth, or Gor, wished to bother with such things, despite their unimportance,” asked the Kur, “how might they address themselves to the business?"
"What business?” asked Cabot.
"The repair of the pet,” said the Kur.
"They would use knives,” said Cabot, “and various metal implements, to cut tissue, relocate it, and such."
A small, weird sound came from Cabot's small translator, which was not really a word. It was not clear what it was.
Lord Arcesilaus, whose translator had, of course, assisted him in understanding Cabot's response, shuddered.
"That is disgusting,” said the Kur.
"Barbarous,” said another.
"I have looked upon the Lady Bina,” said Cabot, with a shiver. She is beyond even such help."
"Help?” said a nearby Kur.
"Knives?” said another.
"Our science,” said Lord Arcesilaus, “is not public, as is yours, and as is, to some extent, that of Goreans. We recognize the dangers of science, and how it may be misused, and so we reserve its knowledge and techniques to a carefully chosen few."
"The Priest-Kings,” said Zarendargar, “as I understand it, behave similarly, at least where humans are concerned."
"That is true,” said Cabot. “The Priest-Kings prohibit certain areas of science and technology to humans, certain forms of weaponry, and such, for they fear the stupidity and aggression of humans."
"Justifiably,” said Zarendargar.
"Certain other areas,” said Cabot, “are apparently deemed unobjectionable."
"They have not put space flight at the disposal of Gorean humans,” said a Kur.
"No,” said Cabot. “They have not."
"We have,” said another Kur.
"I am aware of that,” said Cabot.
"Even many Kurii,” said Lord Arcesilaus, “are kept ignorant of our science, and what it can accomplish."
"I suppose that is a good idea,” said Cabot.
"Some at hand, indeed, at your elbow,” said Lord Arcesilaus, “are amongst our scientists."
"I am honored,” said Cabot.
Two of the Kurii present inclined their heads, acknowledging this compliment.
"Lord Grendel,” said a Kur, “is within the gate, and at the foot of the stairs."
"Good,” said Lord Arcesilaus, “when he joins us we may soon to breakfast."
"I feel,” said one of the Kurii to Cabot, “that you may not appreciate the nature, extent, and quality of Kur science, as it is often concealed."
"You are a scientist?” said Cabot.
"Yes,” said the Kur.
"Much of it is obvious and impressive,” said Cabot. “There are the steel worlds themselves, the vacuum ships, the power weapons, the translators, even such seemingly simple things as the heat knife, the customized weapon sheath, and such."
"Such things are trivial,” said the scientist. “They are applications of engineering, largely matters of budget, the allocation of resources, and such. Other things are more interesting."
"Doubtless,” said Cabot, uncertainly.
"Biomolecular studies, for example,” said the scientist.
There is, incidentally, no exact equivalent, as far as I can determine, for the Kur expression actually used. As the studies involve levels of life, subtle architectures, hereditary coils, and such, I have chosen, with reservations, and considerable uneasiness, the term ‘biomolecular'. My reservations are largely founded on what, from the Kur point of view, is a false dichotomy or division, between the living and the nonliving, between, say, the living biological and the nonliving molecular. Kurii certainly recognize a distinction between, say, a rock and a sleen, but our science tends to think less of life and nonlife, as of levels, or strata, of energy, of activity, or, as we think of it, life. In this sense, even the stone, properly understood, is a mysterious thing, in its way alive, vibrant with invisible latencies, churning, twisting, in its depths.