Dancer of Gor

I left the entrance of the tent and walked about the tent, to my left. I wanted to see Ve

"Who is there?" called a guard, a few feet away.

I had not seen him.

"Tuka, the slave," I said, swiftly, kneeling.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I came out for air," I said, "and to see the land. It is so beautiful." "It is not only the land which is beautiful," he said.

"Thank you, Master," I said. Even in the half darkness I blushed. "I shall return instantly to the tent, if master wishes," I said.

"You may remain for a few moments," he said.

"Thank you, Master," I said.

"You may stand there," he said, "where I can see you, and stand straightly." "Yes, Master," I said.

I went toward the back edge of the tent. I stood where the guard had indicated. I stood straight. From where I was, happily, I could see the walls of Ve

Apparently, as the guards had conjectured, they had adjudged "favorable." That being the case it seemed likely the links would soon be returning to the camp. The masters, incidentally, had no bothered to separate out the illicit prisoners from the genuine prisoners, rearranging the chains, as Tupita had expected, but had simply sent those links which contained any illicit prisoners from the camp. This decision was motivated, it seemed, by an understanding that the auspices were to be soon taken, and would be likely to be "favorable," as the councils in Ve

"Yes, Master?" I whispered. His hands on my arms did not permit me to kneel. I realized then he must have been watching me stand there, Ve

"The city and the night are beautiful, are they not?" he asked.

"Yes, Master," I whispered.

"Surely you have business in the tent." He said.

"Yes," I said. "I should hurry back to polish boots. I thank master for letting me stay here for a few moments, master has been kind."

I made as though to move away, to return to the tent, but his hands, from behind, on my upper arms, held me where I was.

"Tela can polish boots," he said.

"She is polishing the shield of Aulus," I said.

"Have you received permission to leave?" he asked.

"No, Master," I said. "Forgive me, Master."

"Do not make noise," he said.

"No, Master," I said.

He lifted me, lightly, in his arms. I felt slightly giddy for a moment, held off my feet by a man. One has no contact with the ground. One is so much in their power.

"Put your arms about my neck," he said. "Kiss me,"

I obeyed. Then suddenly I kissed him again, this time as a slave.

He laughed softly.

I moaned inwardly. How had I changed? What had men done to me?

He put me gently to my back, beside the tent, perhaps not feet from Aulus, the overseer, within, working on papers.

My body leaped to his touch.

I looked up at him, wildly.

Men had done much to me on Gor. they had imperiously, for their amusement and pleasure, summoned forth from me my latent slavery, a slavery which on Earth I had hardly dared acknowledge. They had taken a woman of Earth and lit slave fires in her belly. They had taught me how to feel. They had required that I show my slavery, and yield to it, wholly and honestly. They would let me be the slave I was, lovingly and helplessly. I loved them for it! I kissed the master eagerly.

He drew aside that bit of silk, that slender mockery of a shield.

"Yes, Master," I whispered.

He then used me, as a slave.

"I must polish boots," I said, at last, frightened. "I must polish boots." "be about your chores, girl," he said.

"Yes, Master," I whispered. He then left me. I readjusted the bit of silk. I tried to wipe dirt from my back with my hands. I did not Aulus to know. Perhaps I, a slave, should not have gone out of the tent, clad as I was. There were tears in my eyes. How helpless the touch of men made us!

I hurried back about the tent and reentered it. Aulus glanced up, from the small, low table, behind which he sat, cross-legged, working. I performed obeisance, and then made as though to rise, to hurry to the rear portions of the tent, where my mat was near Tela" s.