Instead of answering, I waved my hand and cleared the call without first announcing my intention. Murdock McKenzie was enjoying my torment, was gloating over my helplessness. When I returned from Rimilia a free woman again, I would have my revenge on him. Rathmore Hellman was keenly aware of all disservices done him, but also habitually acknowledged good turns. When I was successful, I would ask a favor.
I retired to my bedroom again to consider what I’d recently learned. There was only one “voyage” Tammad would be taking, so he was soon to return to his planet. If we were to register for the flight in Tallion City, he was no longer an unregistered alien to be hidden away. Also, the flight would take place within three days, reservations never being taken earlier. I was not unhappy at the thought of leaving Central; on the contrary, I wished the business over and done with. Since we first had to leave before I would be free to return, I was anxious to be started.
The barbarian said nothing to me about our visit to Tallion City until the next day. At the first meal, he calmly announced our destination and handed me a sheet of paper.
“The writing contains your instructions,” he said. “Read them well and dress yourself, for I would leave as soon as possible.”
I glanced at the paper, confirming my guess that he was to continue as “my associate from Dremmler’s sector,” and also to see what flight we were to book on, then handed it back without comment. The barbarian narrowed his eyes at me.
“Have you no further need of it?” he asked with something like suspicion. “No questions on our destination?”
“We leave for your world within three days.” I shrugged. “What more do I need to know?”
He stared briefly at me, then nodded his head. “It is no less than I would expect you to know. Dress yourself then, and let us be about it.”
We both dressed, he in a casual, dark gray coverall, I in a knee-length, fitted smock, then went again to my speedster. The trip to Tallion City was of its usual length, and I had little difficulty in finding the flight reservations office. I had been there before, but not often and not lately Prime assignments generally require special and immediate transportation.
Tammad and I were assured our cabins aboard a medium-sized transport that would leave Tallion City Outer Port late the following day, and I was then free to show the barbarian around the city. People come to rubberneck at Tallion City from all over Central, but why they do it is completely beyond me. There are very few Neighborhoods anywhere on the planet that don’t think of Tallion City as purely basically, evil, as most of Central is more backward than one would imagine possible. Our distant citizens want nothing whatever to do with people of other worlds, unless they themselves, choose to do the traveling, and visiting citizens of other worlds have even found themselves locked up if they dared to venture beyond Tallion City and its immediate Neighborhoods. More than a few Neighborhood Chairmen have been chosen for their posts because of outspokenly firm stands against Tallion City and its “unnatural” practices, and once a year, representatives from most Neighborhoods descend on the city demanding to know what is being done to save our planet from the savages and barbarians who are lined up waiting to invade and pervert us. All planetary governmental offices were located in the city, and governmental employees tended to live in and around the city just so they could live the sort of peaceful lives they prefer. Casual alliances between men and women aren’t permitted in other Neighborhoods, and if a cohabitation agreement isn’t firmly in evidence, the guilty couple is immediately ejected—if they’re lucky. If they aren’t lucky, they might find themselves the unwavering objects of Peacemen attentions, and thereafter find themselves explaining to a totally unsympathetic Neighborhood Chairman why they should not be punished in some way for their inexcusably heinous behavior. Natives of Tallion City tend to avoid non-natives, but it isn’t always possible, especially when those non-natives come thronging to sightsee in total disapproval. Nothing about our city appeals to them, but they continue to come in their hundreds and thousands, frowning and shaking their heads and spending as few of their Earning Pluses as possible.
That day was no different from any other, and the barbarian and I spent hours fighting our way through the crowds. I was asked why this and why that so many times that I lost count, eventually taking to answering as mechanically and shortly as possible. Why were people given numbers when joining buying audiences? Why was merchandise displayed on a large screen in the center of each category buying room? Why were harmless animals kept behind force screens where people stared at them? Why were there no greetings exchanged between people? How did one buy things when no one seemed to have dinga? I answered in desperation that people were given numbers so that they would be identified when ordering merchandise, that the merchandise could be more easily seen by all when displayed on the screen, and still not be shopworn, that most of the animals behind the force screens were far from harmless, and even if they weren’t, no one wanted them wandering around loose, that people exchanged greetings only with those whom they knew, and most of the people around us were strangers to each other, that one bought things with credit issued by the government, the same amount issued to all; the only time extra needed to be spent was when someone wanted something that wasn’t considered a necessity and then Earning Pluses, issued for necessary work done for Central central, were used. We went from place to place, and Tallion Central Exchange, two miles high and half a mile broad, impressed my guest no end, but I haven’t much of the sightseer in my soul. Museums and art exhibits held no interest for him, and riding the various speed slidewalks is a necessity, not an entertainment. I finally purchased a late meal for us in an eating place open to anyone, then suggested that we return to my home. “I would see more of this city first,” Tammad decided with a shake of his head as he examined the multicolored decorations and listened to the loud, blaring music with what was obviously approval. “Never have I imagined such things could be. Also, I have seen no saddle animals about. For what reason, then, are those watering places in so many locations?”
“Those aren’t watering places.” I told him with a yawn. “They are decorative fountains, to be looked at and appreciated, not used and dirtied.”
“The desert dwellers of Hamarda would use them well.” He grinned, leaning his arms on the small table between us. “Their beasts would roll beneath the spray as would the nomads themselves. They worship the fall of rain from the skies, reveling for days after such an occurrence. One may know the timing of such rains from the spate of nomad brats dropped at the end of their women’s cycles.”
“Fascinating.” I commented, sipping at my wine. After a day of Seeing Tallion City, I’d needed the wine as never before.
“There is one thing you must show me,” he continued, a little too casually. “I have twice now heard mention of that which are called ‘reals.’ The men who offered these to you seemed anxious that you accompany them—for a reason which I believe may be all too clearly seen.”
He was rating me with his eyes again, but this time there was disapproval involved, perhaps at the idea that others found me attractive. I didn’t understand his attitude, but that didn’t stop me from resenting it.
“Well, whatever their reason,” I said frostily “at least they asked, not demanded. They don’t consider a woman theirs for the taking.”
“Perhaps they spend too much time in the asking,” he murmured, staring at me from below half closed eyes. “I have not seen many children in this magnificent city of yours. Are the children kept elsewhere?”