Spy of Gor Ch. 07

This story is based on the John Norman Chronicles of Gor series of novels. (As always, copyrights are the property of the copyright-holder(s).) Translations for Gorean words (those whose meaning cannot be determined by context) can be found at a number of websites. And for those Gor fans who quibble with details or believe this goes too far afield of the Chronicles of Counter-Earth, remember ... this is fiction.

*

"There are apparently no witnesses."

Marius was standing inside the compound where he had killed Tarsk. For the first time within the walls of the compound, he was clothed. Marius was standing, arms crossed trying to look nonchalant, with a guardsman, clad in a red and gold tunic, as well as an Initiate, head shaven and in white robe, Qamar, and Talibah, Marius' superior, who like Marius was a member of the blue caste.

"It was a scalpel," said a guardsman, clad in a red and gold tunic. "Driven almost completely into him. Stabbed in the heart."

Marius had left the compound not knowing where he was in Ar. But by finding the Central Cylinder, the tallest cylinder in Ar, he determined that he was about 10 pasangs from his chambers by a direct route. He walked as quickly as he dared while avoiding main streets and intersections, and returned to his chambers by dawn. After checking his chambers thoroughly to make sure no one lurked inside, he pulled off Trask's tunic and boots, stuffed them inside the medical bag, cleaned off Trask's dried blood off his body as best he could, and dressed in his own clothing before going to the Central Cylinder to report on his previous two days.

"I have spoken with the slaves," said Qamar. "No one claims to have heard or seen anything."

"You were the first to find him?" asked the guardsman.

"Yes," he said. "I walked through the compound in the third Ahn. I saw a trail of blood coming from his chamber. I went inside and discovered him."

"Do you know who might have been interested in killing him?"

Qamar had an expression of thought on his face. In spite of himself, Marius had to suppress a smile. "I am unaware of anyone."

"Are we certain that this is not suicide?" asked Talibah.

"It is possible," said the guardsman. "He was a physician, so he would know where to place a knife if he wished to kill himself. There are less painful ways to commit suicide, however."

"Who knows what lurks in a man's mind," said Talibah.

Just then, Marius saw Tarana looking at him in a doorway, mostly obscured by the shadow against the bright sun. She appeared immensely relieved.

"I know what lurks in my mind — black wine," said Marius. "I have not slept well these past nights. Pardon me a moment."

Qamar suppressed a smile of his own. Marius walked toward Tarana, saying loudly, "Kajira! I ask your favor! Black wine, first slave!" so that the others would not notice how he was looking at her.

Marius then stood near the doorway looking back at Talibah and the others, affecting nonchalance. Qamar pretended to notice something on a wall and walked toward him while not looking at him.

"You did not need your quiva after all," said Qamar just loudly enough for Marius to hear.

"He attacked me," Marius said. "Which turned out to be his undoing. His final miscalculation. At any rate ... my thanks. We were of the same chain."

"It was ... unfortunate how our paths crossed," said Qamar.

After a pause, Marius said, "I said you have more options than you realize. The man in the blue robes over there is my superior. I'm going to tell him I think you would make an important contribution for us."

After a longer pause, Qamar answered, "It would be foolish to not listen."

Marius thanked Tarana, holding her eyes for a moment longer than needed, and brought out the platter that contained six cups of black wine and one of bosk's milk. Qamar casually followed him to not appear as though he was following him. The initiate and Qamar declined, so Marius drank theirs.

"There are irregularities here," the guardsman said, looking at Talibah and Marius while drinking his black wine. "There are many irregularities here."

Marius shrugged.

"That is your opinion," said Talibah. "Ar is a marvelous environment for irregularities."

The guardsman looked at Talibah skeptically. "This will be further investigated."

"As it should be," replied Talibah.

The guardsman went back inside. Talibah took Marius aside, the Initiate following him.

"I am unaware that your instructions included killing this man," said Talibah.

After Marius' escape, he had reported to the Chamber of the Council and informed Talibah about his kidnapping, his discovery of Tarsk's Kurii weapon, and what he had been told about Tarsk's Kurii activities.

"Is not the penalty for association with an enemy of Ar death?" asked Marius.

"Is your role to administer sentences?" said Talibah.

"I wonder how long Kahire possessed the silver tube," said Marius in answer, looking at the Initiate. "The Priest-Kings are supposed to administer the Blue Flame to any possessor of Kurii weapons within a year, are they not?"

The Initiate started to answer, then felt better of it. "I must return to the chamber" was his ultimate answer. "The High Initiate has asked for a report."

"And what will you tell him?" asked Talibah.

"That the guardsman cannot determine whether it is suicide or murder," he answered.

Talibah raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

After the Initiate had left, Talibah said, "The amount of random crime in this city should be of concern to the council."

"Yes," said Marius, earning a look of skepticism from Talibah. "Including kidnapping free men off the streets, I should think."

"You appear to be unharmed," said Talibah.

"Only because of my skills and wits," answered Marius.

"And your humility, no doubt. You continue to take liberties, don't you?" said Talibah, and in a flash of insight Marius noticed how much he sounded like Trask. "You really should be more careful what you say in the presence of the Initiates."

"It was a legitimate question," said Marius. "And it is a legitimate question. What does it say that we had to ferret out this alliance and the Priest-Kings had no knowledge of it?"

"You cannot assume that," said Talibah. "The Priest-Kings have their reasons, and discerning those reasons is usually a futile exercise." After a few steps, he added, "I forget that you do not believe in the Priest-Kings."

"It is difficult to believe in something one has never seen," Marius replied after a few more steps. "But belief is not the point; I assume they exist. I assume I work for them, but I do not worship them."

"What do you worship ... other than yourself?"

"Your sense of humor is occasionally impenetrable," said Marius. "I was not aware that worship was required for this profession of mine." He paused. "I believe there is a kajira in Trask's house who believes I saved her life."

"Indeed? What did you do?"

"I ... intervened to prevent Kahire from killing her."

"And he did not kill you?"

"Evidently not," Marius said dryly. "I remain curious that Kahire chose to abduct me. It is as if he believed he was being suspected."

"He may have," said Talibah. "It is said that the assassin fears a knife lurking behind every tree."

"Perhaps I need to start looking for knives lurking behind trees," said Marius. "I had no warning before I was abducted. And I still do not know why he would have suspected me, given that I had never heard of this Trask Kahire before two days ago." He walked a few additional steps, thinking about how say what he said next. "Had I not known better, I would have suspected someone from inside the city was working with Trask."

"Finding that out from Trask would have been useful," said Talibah, letting the slight reproach hang in the air.

Marius chose to ignore it. "Well, he wasn't all bad — he seemed to keep a pleasant house. From what I was able to see of it. What will happen to it?"

"The city is taking over ownership because of the nature of the crime committed here," answered Talibah. "The council wants to be satisfied that Kahire was an independent agent of the Kurii, and not part of a larger conspiracy. And I want to be satisfied that Kahire had no associates within the council.

"What will happen with his property?"

"The city will retain his property as well." Talibah turned to Marius. "Which is what I want to discuss with you." He paused. "The Ubar is pleased with your work in this matter. He is displeased that we ... stumbled upon this in this fashion. The Ubar believes that had it not been for your abduction, we would not have discovered that Trask was an agent of the Kurii. And it is ... difficult to argue otherwise. And I suspect the Initiates would have to agree."

That sounded suspiciously like thanks from Talibah. Since Marius had never heard thanks or all but minimal praise from Talibah, he couldn't be sure.

"The final disposition of Trask's property has not been determined," Talibah continued. "It would be advantageous to the council for you to reside here while that disposition is determined ... as well as a more effective counterstrategy against the Kurii."

"That would be agreeable," said Marius.

"I thought you would approve," said Talibah with a hint of sarcasm.

"While you're considering more effective counterstrategy," Marius added, "I believe you would find that Kahire's ... former bodyguard would be a useful addition for us."

"The more people involved, the more people will know who we are," said Talibah.

"It already seems some people who should not know about us already do," replied Marius.

After a few moments, Talibah answered, "We will consider him. Bring him to us ... after this situation resolves itself."

***

That night, Marius lay in Trask's — no, his — bedchamber. Two of Gor's three moons shone through the window on the clear night.

Marius' now living in Trask's compound included his kajirae. Marius decided to make Tarana his First Slave, reenacting her collaring and opening first before the others. Their ceremony was in his bedchamber; the others would be in the courtyard. The thought of stripping the others naked — he planned to burn their silks on a fire to symbolize the end of their previous ownership and the beginning of his ownership, a detail he did not intend to tell his superiors — then ritually reopening them and having their yielding screams echo throughout the house put a smile on his face.

Tarana first prayed the kajira's prayer, asking to be allowed to "be able to show, each day, her love of her service to him," to "learn to please him beyond herself," to be given "the strength to please us both," and to be allowed to "love herself in loving him. For it is this girl's greatest wish, this one's highest power, to make his life as he has made hers."

Marius could not remember the last time something had moved him as that has. He blinked his eyes a couple of times and cleared his throat before he said, "Submit."

She knelt down on the floor, her head down, her thighs open, her wrists crossed over her head. She wore the clothing he said he preferred of her — none.

After she gave the oath to "herewith submit myself, completely and totally, in all things," he procured her new collar with "Tarana, of Marius Razi of Ar" engraved on it.

When he snapped shut the collar, she said, "I am yours, Master."

"Who were you?" he said, completing the ceremony."

"I was Tarana of Ar."

"What are you?"

"I am your slave, Master."

"What is your name?"

"Whatever Master wishes."

"You are Tarana."

"Yes, Master, I am Tarana."

She then moved from submission to obeisance, kissing Marius' foot.

She then got up and went to a bola, and poured sweet wine into a goblet. She offered him the glass. He fed her some of the wine, and then took the goblet for himself.

"Tarsk's paga?" said Marius, recognizing the taste, smiling. "You insolent wench. I should have whipped you when I had the chance."

"A girl begs forgiveness," said Tarana. She took the goblet, drank it and locked mouths with Marius, moving the paga from her mouth to his.

She then walked to the furs and knelt into nadu.

"The girl begs her master to take the Second Wine," she said.

"Bow," Marius said.

Tarana bent backward to place her head on the floor, hands by her head.

Marius refilled his goblet, then poured it from the top of her fadu. He then put his mouth to her fadu, picking her up by the hips, then putting her legs over his shoulders. Tarana yielded nearly instantaneously as Marius tongued her, screaming.

Marius thought in the back of his mind that Tarana needed to be taught to ask to yield. Then he asked himself: Why bother?

Marius set her back on the furs and entered her. Unlike in the usual opening, where the kajura is in sula because she has never been raped, Tarana wrapped her legs around Marius for deeper penetration.

"Slave!" he said, thrusting.

"I am a slave!" she answered, her fadu tightening around his chaq. "I am a slave!" she repeated before her scream — a scream that sounded like the loveliest played double flute to Marius' ears. He felt her fadu pulsing around his chaq and climaxed.

"Can a girl say that she loves her master?" asked Tarana afterward.

"I believe that is acceptable," answered Marius. Tarana was laying on top of him in his bed.

"This girl loves her master," she said.

"Oh? Which master?" Marius asked in a slightly impudent tone.

"Tarana loves Marius," she replied, kissing his chest. "Marius saved Tarana's life. Marius chose Tarana."

"Kajirae need to be more careful about who captures them," he replied.

Tarana looked up at Marius. Seeing his smile, Tarana kissed his chest again.

"Tarana is happy with Marius," she said.

Marius did not answer. He was her master, so he did not have to answer. But Marius felt something in his heart that he did not remember feeling before that moment. It startled him to realize that he had submitted to Trask, endured all of Trask's degradations, to prevent harm to Tarana. The 94th warrior aphorism suddenly came to mind: "Be aware of your masculine nature, but by understanding the feminine way, you shall be to the world like a deep pool, wherein strength forever abides."

Marius kissed the top of Tarana's head, and stroked her hair. "Marius ... is happy with Tarana," he said softly.

Later, as he started to fall asleep, Marius thought that, after his experience in Trask's house, he might not be interested in women for some time.

Then Tarana stirred in her sleep, her buttocks pressed against Marius' groin.

And Marius discovered his assumption was wrong.