Kur of Gor

Chapter, the Fifty-Fourth: THERE IS CONVERSE IN A REBEL CAMP

"Dear Cabot,” said Statius, “I find the actions of humans mysterious. I fear I will never understand them."

"You may find this incomprehensible, dear friend,” said Cabot, “but humans, in their turn, do not always understand the doings of Kurii."

"You left the camp this morning,” said Statius, “with a haunch of tarsk, and you returned without it. Scarcely would you devour so much meat in so short a time. What did you do with it?"

"I performed an experiment,” said Cabot.

"And was this experiment successful?” inquired Statius.

"More so than I had hoped,” said Cabot.

"May I inquire into the nature of this experiment?” asked Statius.

"I may respond obliquely,” said Cabot, “if you have no objection."

"No,” said Statius. “Do as you wish."

"Surely you are aware,” said Cabot, “that more than one enemy has perished within pasangs of the camp."

"I have heard so,” said Statius.

"At least four, discovered, and perhaps more, undiscovered,” said Cabot.

"I have heard so,” said Statius.

"The area is dangerous, clearly, for Kurii,” said Cabot, “and yet our human foragers and scouts, alone, and those accompanied by Kurii, our brothers, have traversed the same terrain with impunity."

"It would seem so,” said Statius.

"Indeed, even noble Flavion, alone, in his numerous and courageous excursions in our behalf, has fared similarly."

"True,” said Statius.

"Do these impunities, and exceptions, not seem peculiar?"

"Assuredly."

"And perhaps they require some explanation?"

"Coincidence,” said Statius, “oddities, random fortuities. No other explanation is possible."

"You are familiar with coin gambling?” said Cabot.

"Certainly,” said Statius, “and stick gambling, and pebble gambling, and so on. We are fond of gambling."

"Suppose that the same face on a coin turned up repeatedly,” said Cabot. Say, it turned up a hundred times, a thousand times, would you not find this surprising?"

"Surely,” said Statius.

"Would you deem it a remarkable fortuity?"

"I would want to see the coin,” said Statius.

"Precisely,” said Cabot. “And that is what I did this morning, examine the coin."

"It had the same face on both sides?"

"So to speak,” said Cabot.

"Tal,” said Lord Grendel.

His greeting was returned by Statius and his human ally, Tarl Cabot.

Behind Lord Grendel, pressing closely, came the scout, Flavion.

Greetings were exchanged with him, as well.

"How go matters?” asked Cabot of Lord Grendel.

"Our plans proceed apace,” said Lord Grendel.

"You have dispatched the runners?” asked Flavion.

"Yes,” said Lord Grendel.

"It is unlikely all the bands will be located,” said Cabot.

"It will be easier for us to locate them than for the enemy,” said Grendel, “as they will not vanish before us, as before them."

"I trust that all the groups will be contacted,” said Flavion.

"Surely most,” said Lord Grendel.

"And those with power weapons?"

"We trust so,” said Lord Grendel.

"We will need as many as possible, to conduct a raid upon the palace,” said Flavion. Concern was clear in his Kur, but this concern was not, of course, evident in the dispassionate account rendered in virtue of Cabot's translator.

"Certainly,” said Lord Grendel.

"Do you know the location of the bands?” asked Flavion.

"Of some,” said Lord Grendel, “and of the others, generally. Would you like particulars?"

"No,” said Flavion. “Certainly not! The fewer who know of such things the greater our security."

"True,” said Statius. “Under torture, even a Kur might weaken. And under suitable drugs, even a Kur would speak."

"We will risk all, on this bold stroke,” said Flavion.

"Your role in this is significant, Lord Flavion,” said Lord Grendel, “for, as you know, we must have a secret gathering to marshal our forces and coordinate our plans."

"I have a place in mind,” said Flavion, “a shallow, lonely place, which will not be suspected, yet not far from the habitats, and within a brief march of the palace."

"You will have to scout its safety, and determine its appropriateness for our purposes, before we join there, and we will depend on you in this matter,” said Lord Grendel.

"You may rely upon me,” said Flavion. “If there should prove to be the least danger, or even a semblance of danger, you will be instantly informed."

"Good Flavion,” said Statius.

"Noble Flavion,” said Lord Grendel.

Lord Grendel then, accompanied by Statius, turned about, to attend to other concerns.

"You have not groomed me of late,” said Flavion to Cabot.

"May I have the honor of doing so, presently?” inquired Cabot.

"The honor is mine,” said Flavion. “But it had occurred to me that you, though human, stand high in the camp, perhaps highest amongst the humans, save for dear Peisistratus, and that I, though Kur, am lowly, and no more than a scout."

"But you are Kur,” said Cabot, “and I am only human."

"True,” said Flavion. “But I, more appropriately, I think, now command such services from certain of the female slaves of the camp, the Corinna of Peisistratus, for example."

"I have seen her, naked, combing you,” said Cabot.

"I like her naked,” said Flavion.

"That is understandable,” said Cabot. “Too, it is appropriate for her. She is a slave."

"You require such services of female slaves, do you not?” said Flavion.

"Surely,” said Cabot. “We use them to bathe us and towel us, to comb us, to dress us, to tie our sandals, which they bring to us, naked, crawling, on all fours, in their teeth, and such."

"I have seen the female of Statius humbly grooming him, as well,” said Flavion.

"She has been conquered,” said Cabot.

"A worthless she,” said Flavion.

"Statius does not think so,” said Cabot.

"Worthless!"

"She seems now content, and happy, and fulfilled,” said Cabot.

"Worthless!” repeated Flavion.

"I suspect,” said Cabot, “she would now die for him, and he for her."

"I do not understand these things,” said Flavion.

"It is simple,” said Cabot. “She is his slave, and he her master."

"But they are Kur!” said Flavion.

"All rational species have slavery,” said Cabot. “Females seek their masters, males seek their slaves."

"I see,” said Flavion.

"Incidentally,” said Cabot, “in the case of the girl, Corinna, did you speak to Peisistratus, concerning her service?"

"Should I have done so?” he asked.

"One does not put another's slave to use without his permission,” said Cabot.

"But I am Kur,” said Flavion.

"It is a matter of courtesy,” said Cabot.

"I did not know,” said Flavion. “I must hasten to apologize to Peisistratus."

"Your civility is impeccable,” said Cabot.

Flavion hesitated. “With respect to your Lita—” he began.

"Yes?"

"Would you like to recover her?"

"The trail is cold,” said Cabot. “It is no longer possible."

"But would you like to recover her, if it were possible?"

"Certainly,” said Cabot. “She is naive and stupid. She has much to learn about what it is to be a female slave. And I would not mind if she learned it at my feet."

"Perhaps you should not be impatient with her,” said Flavion. “Perhaps she did not fully understand what she was. It seems she was angry, and proud, and terribly upset, and not thinking clearly. Doubtless she felt abandoned. Desolated. In anguish. Doubtless she was swept away by her emotions. Indeed, it may have been from the very love of you that she fled."

"There are no excuses for her,” said Cabot. “She is in a collar."

"Of course,” said Flavion.

"And now she is lost,” said Cabot. “And so let us now put the worthless slut from our mind."

"Perhaps her trail might be found,” said Flavion. “What would you give for her?"

"If we were on Gor,” said Cabot, “perhaps a handful of tarsk-bits, merely to bring her again to my feet."

"She means so little to you?"

"She is only a slave,” said Cabot.

"If I knew where she was,” said Flavion, “I would not charge you so much as a single tarsk-bit."

"You sound,” said Cabot, “as if you knew where she was."

"Certainly not,” said Flavion. “But I have wondered, sometime, if it might not be possible for one to find her trail."

"Not even a sleen could trace her now,” said Cabot.

"Doubtless,” said Flavion.

"But I might be interested in recovering her,” said Cabot, “if only to have her learn what it is to be a female slave, and then, doubtless, to sell her."

"I thought so,” said Flavion.

"Do you think you might be able to find her trail?” asked Cabot.

"It does not seem likely,” said Flavion.

"Then, let us forget the matter,” said Cabot.

"Very well,” said Flavion. “But forgive me now, for I see noble Peisistratus, and I must hurry to him, to beg his forgiveness for imposing upon him, however innocently and inadvertently, in the case of his Corinna."

"Do not overly concern yourself,” said Cabot, “for she is only a slave."

"True,” said Flavion. “But, as you have reminded me, she is not mine."