“Alas, I know no one!” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“At some risk to myself, I could be such a one,” said the masked figure.
“Your lordship!” exclaimed Tuvo Ausonius.
“But there is a serious difficulty.”
“Your lordship?”
“I admire your insight and courage, your insight in detecting that the former Sesella Gardener was rightfully, and naturally, a female slave, and your courage, despite the risks involved, in attempting to see justice done, to bring about her fitting reduction to embondment, thus bringing to an end her pretensions as a free woman.”
“It is nothing, your lordship,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“Such insight, such intelligence, such daring, such courage,” said the masked figure, “are such as are needed by a confidential agent, of the sort I mentioned earlier.”
“One attached to the palace, a tenth-level imperial civil servant?”
“Certainly, but one who would report only to a given individual.”
“Who?” asked Tuvo Ausonius.
“The arbiter of protocol.”
“I have heard of him,” said Tuvo Ausonius, shuddering.
“There would be considerable compensations, pecuniary and otherwise, involved in such a post,” said the masked figure.
“I would be honored even to be considered for such a post,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“There is a serious difficulty, of course,” said the masked figure. “There are the charges of peculation which, even though we both know them false, might bring about your arrest and sentencing to hard labor on a mining planet.”
“Perhaps your lordship might consider sheltering me from such dangers,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“It is not impossible,” said the masked figure.
“What of the matter of the slut?” asked Tuvo Ausonius.
“That matter is done,” said the masked figure. “I have already cleared you of that. Your enemies, even if they wished, can no longer make use of it.”
“The woman herself?”
“She is now a property,” said the masked figure. “She has no legal standing, no more than a pig or dog.”
“I am deeply grateful to you, your lordship.”
“You are then interested in my suggestions, in the possibility of promotion, of rewards, even riches, of perquisites and favors, of various sorts, of service to the empire and palace?”
“Yes, extremely so, your lordship.”
“You understand that these matters are confidential, that they may involve matters of delicacy, of state importance, and that your allegiance, devotion and service must be complete and unquestioning?”
“Of course,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“You will be contacted,” said the masked figure.
“Yes, your lordship,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“In the beginning you will be on a probationary basis.”
“Of course, your lordship,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“An officer will be at the guard station, at the end of the hall. He will arrange to have your clothing returned to you.”
“Thank you, your lordship.”
“When you receive it, I think you will discover that a letter of credit will be enclosed in the left inside jacket pocket, in the amount of a thousand darins.”
“My thanks, your lordship!” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“In one of the pockets of your jacket,” said the masked figure, “we discovered a ticket to the commissioner’s auction, to be held this evening.”
“Oh?” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“Perhaps you planned to attend?”
Tuvo Ausonius shrugged.
“As a matter of curiosity, of sociological illumination,” said the masked figure.
“Possibly,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“You are correct that a certain slave will be put up for sale,” said the masked figure.
“Oh?” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“It might be interesting,” said the masked figure, “to see her exhibited naked for the men, perhaps on a neck chain, forced to move, and pose, as the auctioneer requires, knowing herself subject to his ready, even eager, whip at the least sign of unwillingness or hesitancy.”
“Perhaps,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“The experience should do her good,” said the masked figure. “I myself intend to attend, though you will not recognize me there.”
“No, your lordship,” Tuvo Ausonius assured him.
“I will have an agent bid for her,” said the masked figure.
“Oh?” said Tuvo Ausonius, in disappointment.
“On your behalf, of course,” he said.
“Your lordship!”
“It is nothing,” said the masked figure. “That is just one of the perquisites of which I spoke.”
“Thank you, your lordship,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“After the sale, return to your quarters. She will be delivered to you, hooded, by midnight,”
“Thank you, your lordship,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“You will recall how she rushed upon you and struck you when you were helpless?”
“Yes,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“She will be yours, by midnight,” said the masked figure.
“Thank you, your lordship,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
CHAPTER 22
“Are you pretty?” asked the fellow.
“You can see very little through the grille,” said another, irritably.
“Please feed me, Masters,” she said.
“Come closer to the grille,” said another, bending over the crate.
“Bring it out, farther, into the light,” said another.
Three of the mariners turned the crate about and slid it out, scraping on the plating, from the wall, more under a light, fixed in the ceiling of the hold.
“The virgin seal,” said one in disgust.
“Who would know?” asked another.
“They could tell, if the seal was broken,” said another.
“You could lose your certification,” said another.
“I am not crated, Masters!” called a feminine voice from across the hold. There was a sound of chain on the steel plating. “Content me! Feed me!”
“Be silent, if you want to keep your blanket,” said one of the mariners.
“Are you pretty, in there?” asked one of the mariners, tapping on the grille with a finger.
“Some men have seemed to find me pretty, Masters,” said a frightened voice, from within the locked, sealed box.
“What is your name?” asked one of the mariners.
“Whatever Masters please,” she said.
“You answer to ‘Flora’?” said one of the men, reading the label.
“I answer to whatever name is given me,” she said. “That was my house name, in the house where I was boarded.”
“I know that house,” said one of the mariners, with a laugh. “They train girls there, as well.”
“Are you trained?” asked one of the men.
“A little, Masters,” she said. “We are trained, as Masters please.”
“A trained girl,” said one of the men, approvingly.
“Only a little, Masters!” said the woman.
“I am trained!” called the voice from across the floor. “Content me! I will be good! Feed me!”
“Take her blanket,” said one of the men.
One of the fellows walked across the hold.
There was a tiny cry of misery.
In a moment, with a blanket, folded, he returned. He dropped the blanket to the side.
“Put the side of your face up, next to the grille,” said one of the men.
The girl in the box did so.
“I can see a little of her,” said a man.
“She looks interesting,” said another.
“We could break the seal and claim we knew nothing of it,” said one of the mariners.
“The key is here, taped to the top,” said another.
“The box was logged in, and the seal checked,” said one of the men. “Who has access to the hold? Do not be foolish.”