First Channel

A short distance from town, he made camp. Kadi would be bone-weary, and probably hungry once she knew she was safe. As he had not brought enough food for a Gen, he did a little shopping and found a barber shop to help him put on his "prosperous jaded gentleman" look. With his boots shined, a fresh change of clothing, and barbered to neatness, he knew he gave the appearance of a man looking for an exotic kill. His increasing need only added to the effect.

He tied Wolf to a tree and went down the central street toward where he had last seen Kadi. There was a crowd in front of the display. Kadi had been dressed in a bit of filmy green material, and placed on a velvet couch between a blonde in blue and a brunette in red. Quite a picture they made; clearly that merchant knew prime merchandise when he found it.

Kadi was sitting very straight, keeping her legs together —the only way she could keep either dignity or modesty the way they had dressed her. She could hardly move anyway; the jeweled collar about her neck was attached by a fine chain to a stake driven into the dirt. All around her men and women were so displayed, three' to a couch, each in a jewel-like setting. Guards in crisp livery made sure none of the customers examining the merchandise got carried away and took a kill before paying.

By concentrating, Rimon could sort Kadi's field out from the others'. She had gone numb again—her spirits undoubtedly drooping even lower. He couldn't let her see him now. He had to wait until something else stirred her emotions, or the salesman might suspect something.

A couple approached her, the woman saying, "The sign says she's from in-Territory. I wouldn't want to develop such expensive tastes."

"You're right, of course, Bea," said her husband, "but she intrigues me. See how steady she is? We could keep her for a long time. I wouldn't take her accidentally, like the last one."

"And look at her hands," said the woman. "She's used to hard work. We can get a lot out of her while we work her up."

A salesman came over. "You'll certainly get your money's worth with this one. Just zlin that field—solid and packed and still rising. And she's well broken—a bit slow to respond right now because she's been rushed through production. Fresh in today. It makes them a little numb at first, but there's the added advantage of not getting used merchandise—almost like home-grown."

The woman became intrigued. "And just how much would you want for such a one?"

The salesman named an outrageous figure. Kadi looked up for the first time and said with a slight sneer, "The likes of you could never afford me."

Startled, Rimon watched the three Simes zlin her. Then the salesman said, "As I said, folks, when they snap out of it, they come on very strong. Just zlin that nager!"

But the woman linked arms with her husband, pulling him on. "The likes of you, my dear, could never handle the likes of her—let alone afford her."

The salesman turned to Kadi and gritted in an undertone, "No supper for you tonight, and if you scare away any more customers, I'll take stronger measures."

Kadi looked up at him, then away. He didn't scare her. She leaned against the back of the couch, still carefully preserving her dignity. She cares, thought Rimon. Something in Kadi refuses to give up her humanity, even when she thinks she doesn't care anymore.

As Kadi was staring at her hands in her lap, Rimon dared move closer. She looked much better now, clean, her hair shining again—but the scratches and bruises showed plainly on her fair skin. Another customer stopped, this time a tall blond man. The salesman said, "Have you ever felt a more seductive nager? She's ripe now, but I guarantee she'll get better in a month or two."

"How much?" the man asked, putting one foot up on the platform. A nearby guard unlimbered his whip, coming to full alert. The Sime said, eyes riveted on Kadi, "May I take a closer look?"

Rimon watched Kadi take in the bulging ronaplin glands along the man's arms, the trembling of leashed need. For the first time, he detected a faint glimmer of fear in her– and saw what it did to the Sime before her. His laterals licked out of their sheaths, and he leaned forward as the salesman named a figure. He was in no mood to haggle. "I'll take her."

Rimon felt a rush of pure pain and deadly fear that the man would take Kadi then and there. He made one step forward, but the salesman said, "You may examine the merchandise, but remember please that the price will be the same, and a private kill will be much more satisfying than taking her here with all these other fields interfering."

Kadi's contempt reflected Rimon's own—contempt for the man's public display of his need. He expected the man to back off at the derision pouring in from all sides– even from the Gen before him. Yet the Sime came even closer to Kadi, reaching out a tentacle to caress her bare thigh, savoring her nager. Rimon stepped up behind the man, expecting Kadi to look up then, but she didn't. She was staring at the Sime before her, her momentary fear gone—and because she did not fear, she was holding him mesmerized with her nager. Rimon had never seen such a thing. Slowly, Kadi's contempt faded, as did the soothing aura of her field. She was… deliberately stimulating the man's need!

"Are you going to let him do that?" Rimon snapped at the guard, who was just as fascinated as the customer. He came to just in time—the Sime's self-control snapped, and he seized Kadi's arms for a kill.

The guard's whip cracked, and the attacking Sime was doubled over, weak with the shock of shen. Rimon seized the moment.

"What's going on here?"

To his own shock, his voice rang in his ears exactly like his father's authoritative tones.

The salesman turned to look at the intruder, and his belligerence melted as he took in Rimon's carefully pla

Taking his time, savoring the way people parted at his approach, Rimon circled the salesmen and guards and looked Kadi up and down as if he had never seen her before. But out of eyeshot of the Simes, he gave her a quick tentacle signal—let me handle this.

Kadi kept still, her nager ringing with surprise—but that was all right. Everyone on the platform was surprised, no one more than Rimon himself. But now he had to play out the role. "Yes, this one will do. There's nothing better here, and I'm in a hurry today. How much?"

The salesman named a figure twice what he'd asked of the attacker. Controlling his fields and swallowing a lump in his throat, Rimon nodded casually. "Fine."

By this time, the Sime who had attacked Kadi had pulled himself together. He confronted Rimon, still clutching his middle. "This Gen is already sold."

Rimon di

With another bow, the salesman said, "Shall I have her prepared for you here, N'vet? The Sultana Suite is vacant for the day."

Rimon looked down at the man. "Certainly not. I have my own methods. Have her prepared for the trail. I'll pick her up in ten minutes—no more than that." The only way he might possibly get away with it was to rush them, so they had no time to think. Yet he had to play the role.

He deliberately looked Kadi up and down again, then reached under his cloak for the leather bag of money, which he tossed negligently to the salesman. "That should cover it, and a nice tip for you, too." As he turned away, he reminded, "Ten minutes."