Prolog
How the Game Begins
by Trystl
1
�A courier brought this letter for Mikki Manorin.�
Sondra recognized Shrendi�s voice, and turned around; smiling as she noticed the wide, pleated cummerbund that was the only thing the Amorian beta was wearing. �Lovely outfit,� Sondra said, taking the letter Shrendi held out, and admiring the Amorian beta�s finer attributes. All Kandic betas shared the thin, athletic but feminine frames, the small but firm breasts and the well-developed male anatomy hanging from a hairless pubic mound. Shrendi was no exception, except that her face was eerily beautiful; her lithe body was particularly graceful; and her muscles, without being overly massive, were even more clearly defined than most of her kind.
The Amorian sexes were all very confusing to Sondra�there were at least three sexes among the Amorian races: the alph, the beta, and the drone. A few races also had a fourth sex, called the secondary-beta�most did not. But what really made things confusing, was that each Amorian race had it�s own configuration of sexual elements�most, but not all, had basically feminine looking characteristics about their face and bodies; some were flat chested, others might have developed or undeveloped looking male or female genitals, or they may have both male and female genitals. It seemed entirely random to Sondra, but the Amorians seemed to find some order and logic to it. An Amorian healer could even predict what the sexual outcome would be whenever two Amorian races mated. Such offspring were often sterile, but they were also often capable of birthing a completely new and consistent race of Amorians�so their were literally hundreds if not thousands of minor racial breeds, each with their own distinctive racial characteristics.
At Leskral, the problem of which gender pronoun to use was simplified. All Amorian�s, except drones, who were male, were referred to using the female pronoun�regardless of their appearance or their sexual apparatus. The Amorian�s undoubtedly had their own pronouns to distinguish each race�s gender, but in the interest of peace they had all adopted the human tongue, and accepted its limitations concerning sexual differentiation. This was not only practical, but necessary since humans could not produce many of the sounds in the various Amorian languages. They lacked the secondary vocal apparatus known as tymbals, which lay along either side of every Amorian�s neck.
�I�d be happy to let you see the rest of me,� Shrendi said, smiling as she took a step back and did a little pirouette.
�There�s not much left to see,� Sondra said, letting her eyes take in the Kandic beta�s beautiful body and the small, but obviously swollen dick that hung between her legs.
When she wore clothes, Shrendi looked so nearly human that Sondra could forget that she was not. There was an exotic look to her face, but Sondra had seen human women, of mongrel breeding, with faces just as unusual. Even Shrendi�s tymbals weren�t very obvious. Unless she was using them they were little more than puckered looking skin along the sides of her neck.. However, when Shrendi chose to wear the less formal attire that she had just recently become so fond of, Sondra found it difficult not to stare at her.
It wasn�t just the strange juxtaposition of male and female, or even the other differences, like her naturally hairless pubic mound and underarms�all Kandic betas looked much the same, with their thin, athletic frames, small but firm breasts and well developed male anatomy. Shrendi would have been no exception if her face hadn�t been eerily beautiful; her lithe body particularly graceful and her muscles, while not overly massive, more defined than most of her kind.
�You really shouldn�t tease me like this,� Sondra said reaching out and pinching Shrendi lightly on the ass. �You make it very difficult to keep my hands off.�
�That�s the idea,� Shrendi assured her. �I�m old enough to start advertising for lovers.�
�And cute enough to find as many of them as you could want,� Sondra said with a smile. �But what of that cute human girl you�ve been seeing? From what I hear she�d rather keep you to herself.�
�Unfortunately, Shulada can�t have me all to her self,� Shrendi said. �Having only one sexual partner isn�t natural.�
Sondra shrugged. �Some humans are like that, Shrendi.�
She looked down at the envelope she�d been holding and noticed that it was from Yueva Manorin, who still lived in the Zanadian territory, and was the sister Mikki and Loreena Manorin.
�Are you?�
For a moment Sondra wasn�t sure what Shrendi was asking, then she shrugged. �I enjoy a bit of variety,� she admitted. �But I�d hate to cause needless friction. There�s already too much tension among the sisterhood. I wouldn�t be a very good leader if I added to that.�
�Who says Shulada would have to know?�
�People talk,� Sondra said. �Besides, she isn�t the only one who would like to have you for herself.�
�We could do it here, right now in your office. The door locks and the rug is thick. No one would know it was a social occasion�I�m here on official business often enough.�
Sondra laughed. �That�s a tempting offer, Shrendi. But right now I have too much to do to even consider it�not the least of which is finding Loreena so I can give her this letter. She�ll want to give it to her younger sister, Mikki; and neither of them will be likely to forgive me if I wait very long and don�t have an ironclad excuse.�
�You�re making excuses. Aren�t you?�
Sondra smiled. �Yes, Shrendi, I am.�
2
She found Loreena, still lying amidst a tangle of wool blankets, in their bed.
�I suppose I should get up,� Loreena said, stretching with an exaggerated yawn as Sondra sat down on the edge of the bed, one knee tucked under her body so that she could face Loreena comfortably. �I don�t know how you can get up so early after last night.� Loreena stared up at her with a look of admiration�or perhaps it was envy.
�Practice,� Sondra said. �Believe me, I�ve had a lot of it.� She watched Loreena sit up. The blankets fell away from her, and she made no effort to cover herself as she comb her fingers through her thick tangles of blonde hair.
�A letter came, for your sister.� Sondra held out the envelope.
Loreena�s eyes widened in surprise. This was the first letter that had come addressed personally to Mikki in the two years since the sisters had been with the women�s movement. Their mother wrote to them occasionally, but her letters were always addressed to the both of them.
�Of course,� Sondra said. �It�s from your sister, Yueva. She would like Mikki to come visit her for a while.�
Loreena frowned. �Why?�
�Don�t you trust her?�
�It just doesn�t sound right Why should she all of a sudden want Mikki to come visit her?�
Sondra smiled. �I�m glad we agree on that. But I�ll be damned if I can think of how Lospodas could be using her.�
�Neither can I.�
�Perhaps Yueva was simply waiting until Mikki came of age, so that she could go into Zanadian territory without any risk.�
�Perhaps,� Loreena agreed. �But if she planned to do that, you would think she would have kept in touch. Written at least one letter before now.�
�Well, I hate to keep mail from anyone, especially when she�s an adult now. And neither of us can think of any specific reason to withhold it.� She shrugged. �I�ll leave it up to you, I suppose.�
3
The morning sun slanted through the arches of the great hall, seeming deceptively tangible against the torch light: an eerie half darkness sliced asunder by the diagonal shafts of light in a parallel row down the Great-Stone corridor.
From the Great-North hall came a sudden rush of people.
Loreena pressed herself against the cold, polished rock, the silk sleeve of her blouse brushing against her arm. Shivering, she stayed against the morning-chilled wall, watching for her sister in the crowd.
Instead she spotted Stristar, a young, attractive alph whom she had been involved with before Sondra. They were still friends, and still saw one another romantically on occasion.
Now they exchanged smiles.
�Hello Stristar.� Loreena gave her a light kiss on her cold cheek. �Where is everyone going?� she asked.
�To the cafeteria for the Sisterhood Unity Observance,� Stristar said. �Are you coming?�
�Ah, I had forgotten.� She took Stristar�s hands�cold in the morning chill�then they embraced in a less formal greeting. The cold press of her blouse, made Loreena shiver. There was never any warmth in Stristar, except what came from her surroundings.
Amorians were semi-cold-blooded creatures, for their bodies did not have the same human mechanisms for regulating body temperature, but for some reason they had the ability to withstand temperatures that could kill a human. Since their bodies were all but immune to the most extreme weather, they rarely needed clothing for warmth. But unlike Shrendi, Stristar preferred to go fully clothed, just as most of the humans did.
Cold skin was one of the things about the Amorian race that Loreena found a little unpleasant, but for the most part, she found them intriguing�with all their peculiar traits and attributes and confusing genders.
�I�m glad I saw you,� Loreena said. �I�d forgotten it was Unity Observance today.�
�Are you going somewhere now,� Stristar asked. �Or can you take the meal with me?�
�I was looking for Mikki,� Loreena said. �I have a letter for her�from our blood-sister, Yueva who still lives in Essoria.�
Stristar nodded. �I believe I saw Mikki earlier with BOOTZ NOar.�
�Then I might as well go with you,� Loreena said with a laugh. �When those two are together it�s impossible to find them.�
Stristar smiled. �It�s a friendly letter, I hope.�
Loreena nodded and fell into step beside her friend. �Too friendly, perhaps. It seems wrong. All this time we�ve been here Yueva hasn�t made any effort to contact Mikki or me�and now suddenly she wants Mikki to come for a visit. Maybe she was just waiting until Mikki came of age, but� I keep thinking about some kind of trap or something �
Stristar furrowed her eyebrows in a very human-like gesture of suspicion. �How long has it been since you�ve seen her?�
�Almost five years,� Loreena said. �My father bequeathed Yueva about three years before Mikki and I came to Leskral; and we�ve been here about two years.� They came to the central courtyard, and turned right down the great Southwest-hall.
�I can�t think of anything Lospodas might be planning for her. Now that she�s come of age, Leskral has leveraged her rights from my father. And we�ve processed her citizenship papers with a Zanadian magistrate. We have several notarized copies of both transactions on file, as well as the personal copies that Mikki keeps with her at all times.�
�Lospodas can�t do anything without the help of your father.�
�Yeah, well, my father isn�t the kind of man who�s quick to forgive, I wouldn�t put it past him to try something devious. He could be really cruel when he wanted to be, too. Especially to my mother�although she came to him in an arranged marriage that I think he would have preferred to avoid. Anyway, he seemed to hate her for it and he took a great deal of pleasure in doing things to make her life a little more miserable. At least until her health began to fail, then he just neglected her almost totally. He never called for a healer or anything, even though he could easily have afforded it.�
�You blame him for her death?�
�Very much so. He was glad when she finally died, and I hated him for that. That�s why I finally came to Leskral. I was always closer to my mother. Father always had a lot of different women and he always had his choice. I mean, almost every women loved him, even my mother. It didn�t matter that he was mean to her. Women were pranced and hung on him, trying to get his attention as if he were wealthy�not that we were poor, you understand�my father had enough money to take on at least a few more new women each year. There was never a shortage of those who were eager to become his.
�I could never understand the attraction. I don�t know why, but I didn�t like it when he tried to touch me. Yueva was in love with him like all the others, she actually cried when he sent her to Merik.�
�You�ve never told me about this before,� Stristar said as they came to the cafeteria and looked for seats near the back wall where they could continue talking in relative privacy
Loreena shrugged as they sat down, �I don�t usually like to dwell on it. I guess it makes me feel a little guilty, knowing that I felt that way about my own father. Old ways of thinking are hard to get rid of. All the other women used to look at me as if I were crazy when I didn�t want to go to him. Even Yueva used to ask what was wrong with me.�
�Was Yueva close to Mikki?�
�They were, before Yueva was married. But between when she went to live with Merik and the time we left for Leskral, they only saw each other twice. Both times when Mikki went to visit her for a few days, just like she�s requested this time� There�s really no reason to worry, I�m sure. It�s just� what if I�m wrong.�
�Every sister who goes into Zanadian territory takes a risk.�
�I know. But we don�t let those with the greatest risk go. The fact that Mikki wasn�t of age when she came to Leskral bothers me. I keep thinking there�s some way they can use it against her.�
�Maybe you can�t anticipate what they�ve planned because it isn�t legal. It wouldn�t be the first time, you know.�
�I know. But I�m not worried about that so much. If they do something obviously illegal we�ll have some grounds for fighting it. The Magistrates may not be very sympathetic to our movement, but they are subject to laws, and I believe that most of them pass their judgments according to those laws.�
�When they want to,� Stristar agreed.
Loreena smiled at Stristar�s skepticism, but she didn�t argue; and they were quiet for a few moments, watching as the room slowly filled up as other people began taking chairs that were closer to them. �I�ve been trying to put my finger on what bothers me about all this,� Loreena said at last.
�And?�
�I keep wondering why my father didn�t push Mikki�s purchase price way up.�
�How high did he push it?�
�That�s just it, he didn�t. He barely acknowledged Leskral�s purchase inquiry�said he had disowned her and didn�t care to have anything more to do with her.�
�I�m surprised! Didn�t your father contested when Leskral made a purchase inquiry on you?�
�Oh yeah. He drove my price way up with an outrageous counter offer. For a while I was afraid that Leskral might not be willing to match it. So believe me, no one could have been more surprised than me. Mikki was his favorite after Yueva left. When I took her with me, he tried to have me convicted of kidnapping her. I couldn�t even go into town until this year when Leskral�s advocate finally convinced the magistrate to dismiss the charges. Mikki wrote a letter testifying that she�d left of her own free will. My father tried to get the magistrate to say that it was inadmissible. It was a mess. Eventually the magistrate accepted it�but it took a substantial amount of money to convince him, you can believe that.�
�So why didn�t he contest Mikki�s purchase if she was his favorite, as you say, and he isn�t a forgiving man.�
�I don�t know. Maybe he never blamed Mikki for leaving the way he blamed me for taking her. He was always good to her, I have to admit that. Maybe once he�d had more time to cool off he just decided to let her go. He would have known that Mikki would need her Zanadian citizenship so that she could gain the few rights she has under Zanadian law.�
�Mikki is a sister now,� Stristar said, the tone of her voice suggesting that it wouldn�t make any difference if Mikki denounced her Zanadian citizenship altogether.
Loreena smiled patiently. �I know how you feel about this, Stristar. But I still say: all of us who can, must keep our Zanadian citizenship intact. We may not be citizens in good standing, and the Zanadian militia harasses us sometimes�but we do have certain rights, and access to things that, unfortunately, Amorians do not. Leskral needs a few sisters who can walk freely into a Zanadian city and go where they want. Without that we couldn�t buy what we need or trade and sell what we have. The movement isn�t self-sufficient, you know. Leskral relies on the Zanadian government�s desire to maintain the trade routes into the Undercaves, and the Amorian�s unique ability to navigate there and find the cave�s wonders... but without Zanadian citizens, to give us rights under Zanadian law, so that we can go into their territory to sell and trade, the rest would be meaningless.�
�It�s thinking like that, that keeps us trapped in these hills with our backs against the Undercaves,� said a dark skinned, Slarn, alph as she joined them across the table. �I say we should form our own raids, just as the Zanadians do; and kill two of them for every one of us that they capture or kill.�
Loreena Looked over at the Slarn and raised her hand in formal greeting. Unlike Stristar, who was a Kandic alph, and looked almost like a human woman, Slarn alphs were flat chested, and had both male and female genitals. They also had a rather masculine look to their face and figure, and Loreena still had a slight twinge of awkwardness trying to think of them as female.
She decided to take the initiative. �I am Loreena,� she said, �This is Stristar.�
�I am OrMEEgan,� the Slarn said.
�I would agree with you, OrMEEgan� Loreena said. �Except that Zanadia would take the same approach�and they have superior forces and weaponry, while our only advantages are the refuge of these hills, and the Zanadian desire for the magic of the Undercaves. The hills give us an immense defensive advantage, but they could easily drive us into the Undercaves again if they came with enough force.
�But they wouldn�t dare follow us into the chaos lands,� OrMEEgan said. �Humans have no sense for navigating there, and they have no real interest in these mountains. As soon as they abandoned them we would come back out, as strong as ever.�
�Yes,� Loreena agreed. �We are like cockroaches, they can�t get rid of us because we only come out when they aren�t around; and when they come after us we hide or disappear. Our weakness isn�t in this place we call home�it�s in our food source.�
�How so?� OrMEEgan said, waving her hand towards a Slarn drone, one of the many servers who had begun to circulate around the tables holding plates piled high with various breakfast meats, or vegetable fritters, and honey wheat cakes, or an assortment of fruits. �We have food resources of our own.�
�We grow our own crops,� Stristar agreed, pushing back in her chair to make room for the drone to deposit his plate of meats on the table. �How can we be dependent on Zanadia for food?�
�Yes, we have taken great steps to insure that we can produce enough food to feed ourselves.� Loreena said. �We trade openly with Zanadia only for the magic they call technology, and a few other nonessential luxuries�most of the trade we are dependent on comes from Westeria in the Undercaves. But imagine what would happen if Zanadia decided they didn�t need what we could give them from Westeria and launched a full-scale attack on our crops in the fall. If they destroyed even half of our fields�which would not be to difficult�we would not have enough food to last us through the winter.�
�Then we would destroy their fields.� Stristar said spearing a slab of ham on the end of her fork, and dumping it onto her plate.
Loreena shook her head. �No more than an inconvenience to them. The Zanadians have neighbors to the far east who would trade with them for food, whereas our backs are to the caves. Westeria produces most of its own food, but it could not provide enough for us, even if it was willing to do so without accepting Zanadian technology in trade...�
�If what your suggesting is true,� OrMEEgan asked as she cut her meat, �then why haven�t the Zanadians done as you suggest? Surely their leaders are capable of similar deductions.�
�As I said earlier, the Zanadians desire to keep the trade routes open; and they rely on the Amorian�s unique shaping skills which allow them to travel into the Chaos Land, just as we rely on the desire of men to obtain the Undercave�s magic and other paraphernalia. As long as the Zanadian government encourages trade, and we remain within the guidelines of their treaty, they will allow us to remain here on the Leskral reservation, without launching any overt attacks on us. Which brings me back to the point I was trying to make: without Zanadian women, who are Zanadian citizens, the whole thing falls apart. Zanadian law does not recognized Amorians�or women without citizenship�as having any rights separate from their fieflord. Of course, Leskral, as an institution, can serve as their fieflord under Zanadian law, but the problem is that it is also unlawful for an Amorian or a woman without citizenship to walk around unescorted by their fieflord or one of his representatives. So if there were no sisters with citizenship, none of us would be allowed to go into Zanadian territory.
�We don�t need�� OrMEEgan began, but Stristar cut in with an urgent hiss.
�KaVOD YITZ is getting ready to make her speech.�
The three of them turned in their seats as the rest of the room took up a chorus of hushing, then slowly grew quiet as the Slarn leader of Leskral took the stage and began to speak.
4
Mikki took one of the horses from the stable and rode down from the mountains.
Loreena wanted an escort to go with her, but Mikki flatly refused unless it was Loreena herself.
�I don�t have anything I want to say to Yueva,� Loreena had said. �When I told her I was leaving and taking you with me, her last words were less than kind. I think she believed that our leaving would place a stain on her high-society honor.�
�All the more reason you should come,� Mikki said. �It�s time the two of you made up.�
But Loreena just shook her head. �If Yueva wanted me there, she would have asked. No, I�d just ruin your visit if I came. Yueva and I would spend all of our time fighting.�
�So Mikki made the trip alone. And despite her concerns, Loreena allowed it. This was the first time that Mikki had made such a journey�and its significance was more than just a visit with her sister�it was a coming of age rite. A symbol to show that she had finally come into her own. Mikki had never voiced any regrets about going with Loreena, but knowing that she could not safely leave had always seemed like a weight hanging over her head; and now, at last, that weight was gone. Mikki could come and go as she pleased, with no more risk than any other woman of Leskral.
As journey�s go, it wasn�t an extremely long one; but the requisition on her horse was open ended and the supplies she stuffed into her saddlebag were enough for several weeks. She followed the only road down from the mountains until it past the outermost check point; then she cut across the fields, heading west, until she came to the Houachi River, which she followed until it intersected Perimeter Road, which marked the legal border between Leskral�s land and Zanadian territory. Another hours drive west, along the edge of the women�s reservation, brought her to the main road to Essoria. Leskral had few visitors, so the road was little more than a trail, and Mikki saw no one else traveling along it�until the trail emptied into the main road between Essoria and the Lospodas mansion, which curved gradually to the south.
It was mid-afternoon when Mikki finally arrived at her sister�s place on the other side of Essoria.
Although she had never been here before, there was little doubt that this was the right place. A large nameplate in the stonework entrance announced, Estate of Merik Golandas.
That was the name of Yueva�s husband; and from the look of his estate, Merik appeared to be quite wealthy. Even wealthier than Mikki�s father. There were a number of workmen on the grounds, some of who were in charge of Amorian workers who, unlike the men, were keep naked and bound in shackles. Seeing the Amorians this way made Mikki blush. Not their nakedness, for that was not uncommon at Leskral, but the fact that they were bound. The rattling of their chains seemed obscene to Mikki.
�Good morning, young miss,� one of the men working the grounds said. �How can I help you today?�
�I�m here to see my sister, Yueva.�
�You can knock at that second side door,� he advised. Then he reached up and rubbed his fingers across the bridge or her horses nose. �If you�d like, I can see your horse to the stable. I�ll give him a fresh drink of water and some oats, while I brush him down.�
�Thank you,� Mikki said, as she dismounted.
She unstrapped the saddlebags and carried it to the second side door, where she knocked just as the man had suggested. An Amorian drone answered; and when Mikki explained who she was, he led her into the foyer and left to find his mistress. A moment later Yueva appeared under an arch, and stood staring at Mikki. She smiled a little hesitant, almost sadly, and there was an odd expression on her face. It wasn�t pleasure! Could it be surprise? It looked more like disappointment and fear.
Mikki dropped her saddlebags and rushed forward to giver her sister a hug.
Still, Yueva seemed reluctant, holding her body so tight and close.
�Is everything alright?� Mikki asked.
�Of course,� Yueva said, but without enthusiasm.
�You did write and say you wanted me to come, didn�t you?�
�Yes, but I guess maybe I didn�t really expect you to accept.� She turned away, almost rudely. �Come into the kitchen. We�re eating a late breakfast.�
�Thank you,� Mikki said, following her.
A man was sitting at the table. Mikki wasn�t entirely sure but she didn�t think he was Yueva�s husband. She had only meet Merik once, when she was very young�so she wasn�t sure; but somehow she had the feeling that this man was the reason that Yueva was so tense. Then he looked up at Mikki and glanced over at Yueva. �Is this her,� he asked. When Yueva nodded, the man pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and gave it to Mikki. �My name is colonel Baisurd,� he said. �And this is a bill of sale. If you can read, you will see that it indicates that you are now my property.�
�That�s not possible!� Mikki said to startled to be outraged. �I have papers to indicate that I�m free. My sister�my other sister�registered me on my last birthday. You can check if you like.�
She began to reach for her papers, but the man waved them away. �Yes I know,� he said calmly. �But my claim precedes that one. I purchased you three years ago, long before your registration papers were submitted.�
From the corner of her eye, Mikki noticed two other men moving in to block the doorway. One of them she recognized as Merik. �There was no mention of a purchase lien when my sister went to the register�s office,� she said.
He nodded. �It seems that several records were accidentally misplaced. I have since gone to a great deal of expense to have them found and verified�not to mention the considerable cost of luring you out of hiding.� He glanced over at Yueva, and Mikki�s eyes followed; but her sister was quietly staring at the floor.
�Why,� Mikki asked Yueva, suddenly realizing that she had to be a part of this conspiracy.
�I�ve been waiting a long time to take possession of you,� the man said as he stood up. �But my claim is legally sound, I assure you. Now... will you come willingly or do I have to use force?�
Mikki didn�t answer and when he took her by the arm she didn�t struggle or protest. Her shock was to great to do anything but let him lead her out of the room.
He paused at the doorway. �I appreciate your cooperation Merik. Your wife has proven to be most useful in this matter.�
Merik nodded grimly. �Talstin will help you escort her to your car and see to it that she is secured to your satisfaction before you head back to the Lospodas mansion.�
�Very good,� colonel Baisurd said, as Talstin came forward and took Mikki by her free arm. Together, they lead her out of the house and into a life she knew would never be the same again.
5
Sondra stood just outside the door with the message held in her trembling fingers. Already she had read the letter�since yesterday noon she had read it many times, wondering what to do. She couldn�t destroy it... those Zanadian bastards would only send another letter and another until Loreena eventually found out. She couldn�t hope to hide them all, and she couldn�t afford to have Loreena find out about the letter that way.
The girl was Sondra�s dearest friend; her lover. Someday soon, if all went well, she would begin to take a more active roll in the leadership of the movement. She was a damn fine negotiator, and everyone seemed to like her. Not only did she have a knack for seeing all sides of every issue, but also she had a way of making everyone feel that she was pulling for them. And because they felt they had someone on their side, they were a little more willing to compromise. No, Sondra didn�t want to alienate the girl. So despite the risks, she would just have to let the tragedy unfold and trust the Great Mother not to let the whole women�s movement suffer for it.
From behind the door she heard footsteps and quickly slid the letter into the large pocket of her green frock just as the door opened.
Loreena jumped, but when she saw who it was she smiled.
�My goodness, Sondra, you gave me a start!� She frowned. �What�s wrong, Sondra? What are you doing, standing out it the hall like this?�
�Lets go inside. We need to talk.�
Loreena nodded uncertainly. �Alright.�
Sondra closed the door behind them then went to the bar and began fixing two drinks. When she was done she gave one of them to Loreena �It�s a double. I suggest you drink it.�
For a moment Sondra thought Loreena might refuse to drink it, and insist that Sondra tell her what was going on immediately. But then she tipped the glass to her lips and downed the drink in one gulp. She set the glass down hard and looked at Sondra with growing impatience.
�Have you heard any news from your sister?�
Suddenly Loreena closed her eyes, clutching at her stomach as if someone had just punched her. She took a deep breath, held it for a moment then let it out slowly. �No,� she said, opening her eyes again. �But I take it you have?�
Sondra nodded then looked away. �I opposed Mikki�s trip, from the beginning,� she said, almost defensively as she dug into her pocket. �We received this from a Lospodas colonels last night: a Colonel Baisurd.� She pulled out a smudged and bent envelope.
Loreena was puzzled. �What does he want?�
�Lospodas has your sister, Loreena. They want you to meet with them before they�ll release her.�
�Lospodas? Why? �
�It�s all legal� supposedly.� Sondra pulled from her pocket a piece of paper that Loreena recognized as a sales document.
�There has to be some mistake,� Loreena exploded. �Mikki�s a citizen, now! She�s come of age. They can�t touch her!�
�Apparently your father sold her� last year.� Sondra made an effort to keep the emotions from her voice, but it wasn�t easy. Mikki was her friend too. �He sold her to them when she was still under age,� she went on. �It doesn�t matter that he didn�t have her to give to them. They�ve sent an official copy of the original sales document, and that aspect of the sale was specifically covered.�
She gave Loreena the document but she hardly glanced at it.
�How much? How much did he get for her?�
�Two thousand Marks.�
�Two thousand Marks!� She leaned forward angrily. �He sold Mikki for a measly two thousand Marks.�
Sondra nodded, but she didn�t know what to say.
�That bastard must really hate us,� Loreena said.
�What did you expect?�
�I would have thought, after all this time, that� maybe he would have forgiven us.� Suddenly she looked up at Sondra. �How did they know she was going to visit Yueva? No one should have known outside of Leskral!�
�Your sister knew. She wrote the letter of invitation.�
�She wouldn�t!�
�It�s been a long time,� Sondra said. �People change.�
�Yeah,� Loreena said. �People change� It couldn�t be a coincidence that she wrote that letter, could it. How long has it been since she�s spoken to either of us; and then she writes that letter. No way it�s a coincidence.�
�The letter could have been written by someone else. The signature could have been forged easily enough.�
�No,� Loreena said. �It was Yueva�s hand writing, the way she talked. It was Yueva, I�m... sure of it.�
�She could have been forced,� Sondra said in an effort to comfort her friend. �There�s no way of knowing.�
Loreena ran her fingers through her hair and wrapped her head in the crook of her arm, tears suddenly forming in her eyes. �I�m sorry,� she said. �I thought I was ready to cope with this sort of thing if it happened, but...� She wiped her eyes without finishing. �The damnedest thing,� she said. �Is that they could have written that document yesterday, but as long as they can get a magistrate to notarize it, that doesn�t matter.�
�There�s more, Loreena. They also sent her freedom locket, so we would know that they really have her. And they sent us a picture of her.�
Sondra didn�t move. �I think I�d better fix you another drink,� she said starting to stand.
�Sondra, please. Just show it to me.�
She looked at Loreena for a moment, saw the quiet determination in her eye and shrugged. She reached into her pocket. Loreena�s hand was trembling as she took the picture. It showed Mikki in the center of a large room, stripped and bound tightly to a stool to prevent movement. A man was holding her head so she had to face the camera. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying; her body was covered with red welts and bruises.
�And here is her locket,� Sondra said.
Loreena�s took the locket and turned it over in her hands to look at the inscription on the back. She nodded her head in silence. �What does he want? If they�ve gone to all this trouble to let us know they have her then there must be something we can do to get her back.�
Sondra reached out and took Loreena�s hands, squeezing them tightly. �For now he wants you,� she said. �And we can�t give him that.�
�Me? But, I�m still a citizen!�
Sondra nodded but said nothing.
�My father can�t sell me, I was already of age when I left. My papers were filed with a magistrate a long time ago.�
Sondra held out the letter, and reluctantly Loreena took it.
�I can�t tell you for sure what they want,� Sondra said, �but you can be certain it isn�t you they really want. But they�ll use you to get what they want. Never doubt that.�
Quickly Loreena read through the letter, then leaned back and let it fall on the tea table. �There going to use her as a Dungeon Girl: one of their dungeon girls... unless I come and talk to them.�
�I know.�
�I don�t understand... why me?� She laid her head in her hands, trembling.
�You�re a lot more important than you know,� Sondra said. She moved to Loreena�s side and cradled her friend�s head on her breast. �You may not be a member of the council, but you walk with the inner circle, you know the routes to the Undercaves and you can even transverse them a little bit. No small accomplishment for a human. Moreover, you come from a respectable Zanadian family but most important of all, you�re vulnerable, because they have control of your sister.�
Tears welled up in Sondra�s eyes. �You�d not only be risking yourself, but the movement. The risk is just too great.�
�Mikki didn�t think she was doing anything to hurt us either... don�t you see! Simply by agreeing to see them you�re implying that you�re ready to take the next step in their plan. And believe me they have a plan for you and your sister. They can twist your motives; I�ve seen them corrupt our best. They have ways to take away your will, and make you turn on us. I tell you, the risk is just to great.�
�By the Holy Mother, Sondra.� Tears spilled from Loreena�s eyes. �I can�t leave her to them. They keep some of their Dungeon Girls alive for years...
Sondra stroked Loreena�s hair gently. �I love Mikki too, little sister, but we have to let her go; I�m asking you to let her go... We are all told the risks when we take our pledge to the good of the Sisterhood. Remember, Loreena? The good of the many outweighs the good of the few�no matter what the personal price.
�I know, Sondra. But she�s my blood; and it�s more than that, I... I let her get into this. I talked her into coming with me. It�s my fault she�s there.�
Sondra kissed Loreena passionately, the tears falling freely from both their eyes. �Sweet little sister,� she sobbed. �How can I ease your pain? What�s done is done; we cannot look to correct the Past. Don�t throw your life away. You�ll jeopardize us all. Mikki knew the risks, and she took them�but she is not the first to suffer. She will not be the last. Many of us will have to suffer for the cause of freedom. Chasing after your sister will only lead to greater tragedy. It can�t possibly make things any better.�
Sondra breathed a deep sigh when she saw the look of determination in Loreena�s eyes. �We both know I can�t stop you,� she said. �If I tried, it would turn you against me� and against the movement... but as one of the leaders of the movement, how can I let you go? So I�m asking you, Loreena. No, I�m begging you: please, don�t go! As my sister in the movement, as my friend, I�m asking you. Don�t do this thing.�
Loreena pushed Sondra away, and stood up wiping her eyes; her breath coming raggedly as it deepened, and for a few moments she fought for control. She braced herself.
There was a deep sadness in Sondra�s eyes.
�I would die for the movement without hesitation.� Loreena said. �Or for you. You know that. But this is something far more difficult.�
Sondra nodded. �I know. Go to the temple and think about what you will do,� she said; but in her heart she knew that Loreena had already made up her mind. Loreena was about to speak but Sondra raised her hand. �I will come to you in an hour. We will talk more, then. Go now and think about what you will do.�
Loreena nodded and turned to go.
�And Loreena...� She looked back over her shoulder. �Promise me you won�t leave before we�ve talked. Do that much for me? Please.�
Loreena looked away. �I promise,� she said.
6
Sondra found Loreena sitting by the central water fountain in the temple. She approached quietly and when her friend made no move to recognize her presence, she placed a hand gently on her shoulder.
�I�m going!� Loreena said without facing her.
�I know.� Sondra sighed. �I should have you killed right here and now��
�I know.�
�But I can�t�no more than you can keep yourself from going. I just hope our choices won�t come back to haunt us.� There was an awkward silence for a few moments; then Sondra said, �I�ll contact all the in-territory publishers that have been sympathetic to our cause in the past and try to raise some public outrage over all this. I wouldn�t expect much, after all, this was technically legal, but at least it will provide a public record of our intent, before you get there. I�ll also give you an official declaration of Leskral�s financial support. Register it with a magistrate before you go to Lospodas.�
Sondra dug in her pocket and pulled something out, holding it tightly in her hand. �Take these,� she said with a soft intensity. �Just in case!� She gave Loreena what she held. �You know what they are?�
Loreena looked at the two flat, black capsules in her palm.
�Death capsules.�
Sondra nodded. �We both know it isn�t likely they�ll sell her back to you.�
Loreena nodded.
�Then you know what you�re really going there to do?�
Loreena closed her eyes and nodded again.
�I�m sorry Loreena, but I couldn�t let you leave without being sure you understood.�
�I understand!� she snapped angrily, raising a clenched fist to her lips. �Just tell me how to use them.�
�Place both of them against one cheek,� Sondra said. �Their shape forms a suction against the side of your cheek that helps holds them safely away from your teeth, but you must be especially careful when you eat because that can dislodge them�and if you accidentally bite hard enough to break their shell... They�re bitter as hell, so you�ll know if one breaks in your mouth. If that happens, you wont have more than ten minutes to live.
�If it comes loose, you might also swallow it. If you do, make yourself throw up and find them. The shell wont dissolve, even in the stomach, but you can�t afford to be weaponless against them... if you�re sure they have no intention of letting Mikki go�try to see her. But, you mustn�t give them reason to suspect what you�re trying to do, or you�ll never get close to her... you�ll have to be very patient and creative. Keep in mind that this won�t be the first time this has been tried on them, so they�ll be expecting it�which means they aren�t likely to let you see her�oh, torturing her, yes... but I doubt they�ll let you get close to her without a good reason!�
�Damn it, Sondra,� Loreena closed her eyes. �I don�t really have much of a chance, do I.�
�No you don�t, Loreena. That�s why I urge you not to go. If you fail, you can be certain they�ll make both of your lives unbearable.�
Loreena took Sondra�s hand and pressed it between her own. �But I have to try! You see that don�t you?�
�Yes, little sister!� Sondra said. �I understand. And I know this will be the hardest thing you will ever have to do. You will have to be strong, if you�re going to succeed...bide your time, even when they torture Mikki and force you to watch. They must believe you have been broken by what they do... and the easiest way to convince them of that is to wait as long as you possibly can. Allow them to bring you as close to actually breaking as you can, before you give in.� Sondra wiped tears from her eyes. �It will be hard, but believe me. It�s the only way.�
Loreena kissed the older woman passionately. �I love you Sondra,� she said.
They clung to each other for a long moment; then Loreena finally broke away. �I have to go now. I must set my life in order, before I leave.�
�Of course. I will go and write the letter I promised you.�
***7***
The next day, Loreena left the mountains, where she had lived for the last five years, with a heavy heart. There was no one to see her off. No one but Sondra even knew where she was going, and she refused to come. They had already said their good-byes, and as Loreena got into the beat up old van that Sondra had given her permission to take, she had the distinct feeling that this was the last time they would ever see each other again. As she drove the van down the streets of Leskral, the women�s reservation, it was with a sense of loss. She was being cast adrift in a violent and unfriendly sea; it was anybody�s guess which shore she would wash up on. But it wasn�t likely to be this one.
It was almost enough to change her mind and make her turn back. But then she thought of the expression on Mikki�s face in the picture Sondra had shown her, and she knew that she couldn�t turn back. She wouldn�t be able to live with herself if she did.
Perhaps the best solution would be to kill herself. But that wouldn�t do anything for Mikki.
After a quick visit to a magistrate�s office, Loreena made her way to the Lospodas compound. Its perimeter was a familiar landmark. Loreena had seen the chain-link fence, with it�s three rows of loose barbwire at the top, numerous times when she had gone for supplies in town. It was heavily guarded with armed sentries at each gate and more that patrolled the grounds just inside the fencing.
This was the first time that Loreena had actually approached one of the gates, however.
The Guard who greeted her did so with cold, but professional courtesy; and she returned the attitude as she identified herself with her legal papers.
�What�s your business with Lospodas?� The guard asked.
Loreena unfolded the letter from colonel Baisurd, then; and handed it to him. After a careful reading, she was waved through the gate.
�Keep on the road,� the guard told her.
Loreena had no intention of leaving the well-paved road. Even if she had, she didn�t think she would get very far. Tall fencing surrounded her on either side as the road wound lazily around small grassy hills and idyllic pools of water. As she drove, Loreena slowly began to realize just how large the Lospodas grounds were; and how well they were guarded. Leskral, by comparison, was a virtual invitation to raiding. The main purpose of their numerous guard posts were to sound an alarm if they were breached by unauthorized personnel; but they had a secondary alarm which they were to use if they spotted the Zanadian army advancing. When the second alarm was sounded, the Leskral sisters fled into the Undercaves.
Here at Lospodas, however, the barriers were designed to keep out the unwanted... and to keep the wanted in. Already, Loreena was beginning to feel trapped.
Finally she came to the inner gate. Here the fence was replaced by a massive stonewall, and the gate was huge planks of banded wood. Again she showed her own papers to a guard, but this time he only glanced briefly at the letter from the colonel before passing her through. As she drove under the thick stonewall, she had the unpleasant feeling that, free or not, she was passing a point of no return�committing herself permanently into the hands of Lospodas. She knew it was an irrational fear. They couldn�t hold her against her will, and yet... she began to recall some of the horror stories she had heard about this place, and she was gripped with a sudden and intense fear. It had been foolish for her to come here, she thought.
Then she was passing through into what seemed to be a large garage facility.
A guard greeted her formally. �Good afternoon, Mrs. Manorin,� he said. �If you will come with me, RanHoren will see to parking your car.� He turned to indicate an elderly Amorian drone that appeared to be a parking attendant. At first she had thought that he was human, but she could see the pointy, Qualdian ears peeking out from under his cap. He was dressed in a uniform that was not the same as the ones worn by the other guards Loreena had seen. �Colonel Baisurd is expecting you,� he said.
Reluctantly, Loreena turned her carriage over to RanHoren, and followed the guard. He led her through some doors and down a hall past more gourds. They took a flight of stairs, and walked down more halls, turning corners, and passing through doors and rooms; more stairs, and more halls. Before long she was hopelessly lost; and her fear of being irrevocably in the hands of Lospodas became even stronger.
At last the guard paused in front of a door, easily pushing it open. �If you would wait in here,� the guard said. �Colonel Baisurd will see you shortly.�
Loreena walked into a large and luxurious room.
�This will be fine,� she said.
She turned around just in time to see that the door didn�t have a handle before it closed with an audible click.
To Loreena�s surprised, there were two large rooms, one with a huge comfortable bed, as well as a kitchen and a bathroom with a tub large enough for three or four people to be comfortable in. If this was a prison cell, it was far nicer than anything she had been allowed back at Leskral.
After a few hours of waiting, Loreena succumbed to the temptation of bathing in the hot water�which was a precious commodity on the free-women�s reservation.
When she finally came out of the water she found that a tall guard was waiting for her. The clothes she had been wearing were gone, and what looked like a plum colored dress had been left in their stead.
�Colonel Baisurd would like you to dress and follow me,� the guard said.
�Then why don�t you leave so I can get dressed?�
�I�m here to escort you.�
�You could have brought me a towel at least,� she said.
When the guard didn�t answer, she sighed deeply, knowing that this was a deliberate ploy to infuriate her�to shame and humiliate her. Yet she sensed that the guard had his orders, so it was probably pointless arguing the matter. If she wanted the chance to see Mikki she would have to do as he said. So she got out of the tub, dripping on the carpeted floor as she walked over to the clothing that had been laid out for her. She held it up, and looked at it in disbelief.
�Your sister is waiting.� The guard said. He stood at ease, coldly watching her every move. She asked again, but he showed no indication that he even heard, he just stood there, his eyes roaming up and down her naked body. She had no choice but to dress in front of the guard since he wouldn�t turn away, as if he suspected that she might try to hide something to use as a weapon.
After using the dress as a towel, she put it on without further complaining. It clung to her damp body, especially through the tightly laced sleeves; and it flared slightly below the hip line. Above the flare, the dress fit snugly but was open in a deep V shape that plunged well below her naval, and left her breasts and most of her stomach uncovered. A leather thong, laced through eyelets from just above her pelvis to her sternum, molding the dress tightly to her body.
When she was dressed she turned and followed the guard again through the maze of halls.