The Chieftan

the left side. From one point of view this bit of trim, like a small, folded ribbon, was quite inconspicuous, though it doubtless had some subtle role to play in accenting the gown. From another point of view, however, for those who could read such things, it indicated that she was, however far removed, of the blood itself. That color, you see, was legally worn only by those who were not merely of the honestori but of the patricians. She was, you see, a minor patrician. Indeed, her nobility, as tenuous, as small, as remote as it was, had much to do with her presence on the ship. Had she not been of that class, she would not have been where she was. She glanced again at the bodyguard to the right of Pulendius. Yes! He was looking at her! She looked to the captain of the ship, who glanced at her, not understanding her agitation. Then she dabbed at the dessert on her plate. She was frustrated on her own world. In her, like tides, like movements of the earth itself, there was a very strong sexuality, muchly starved, of course, given the world on which she lived. And so she sat at the table, uncomfortably, looking down at her plate. The bodyguard looked once more upon her. She flushed, seemingly aware of his glance. Was this, we wonder, from the unease, the heat or discomfort, of her own thoughts, or was it because she suspected that she might once more be the subject of his regard? Perhaps it was both. This minor patrician, who so subtly with the tiny purple stripe, that little bit of trim, called attention to her claims and her birth, far above, always, that of a lout like Pulendius, who could buy his way into the honestori, was, as we have suggested, white-skinned, dark-haired and well figured. She was young, beautiful and intelligent. She was, all in all, the sort of woman who, on many worlds, would have brought an excellent price. Too, on many worlds, the bit of trim on the gown, the purple, would not have saved her. On barbarian worlds, it would doubtless have improved her price, and perhaps so, too, in certain other markets, sometimes secret markets, on many of the allied and imperial worlds. Such women were prized, as they made excellent slaves.

“What do you think of her?” asked Pulendius.

The bodyguard, he on the right of Pulendius, to whom the question was apparently addressed, seemed startled.

Pulendius nodded toward the girl who had been serving the table, she who had, but a moment ago, poured kana into the delicate, transparent, shallow bowl.

The bodyguard turned his attention to the servant, as we shall, for the moment, think of her.

She did not lift her eyes, or turn about, to look at him.

Rather she was attentively, even as though she might not know herself now the center of the group’s attention, pouring kana for a ship’s officer, he to the captain’s left.

She was brownish-skinned, and exceedingly exquisite.

The darkness of her skin was set off by the sleeveless, sparkling white serving gown.

She was shorter than the young dark-haired woman from Terennia, whose height was closer to the average for a human female, she of patrician blood, however far removed, but both would have been tiny compared to, say, the bodyguard, he behind Pulendius, and to his right, he who had been addressed.

“Of course,” said Pulendius, “you will see her differently when she is on her knees, in a keb, cuffed, and chained to the stake.”

“Yes, milord,” said the guard.

“I do not understand,” said the young woman from Terennia, irritably.

Pulendius smiled, and looked to the captain.

The young woman serving kana went to the next officer, who declined the refilling of the delicate bowl.

She then went to the next, and, receiving permission, granted by an almost imperceptible movement of the head, accompanied by the proffering of the bowl, head down, poured.

A comment or two may be in order with respect to the appearance of the current subject of the group’s attention. The white gown was her single garment. Too, surprisingly, she was barefoot, her tiny feet almost lost in the luxurious nap of the carpeting of the lounge. On her left ankle, ringing it closely, was a golden band, an anklet of sorts, it would seem. One might take this, it would seem, as her single piece of jewelry.

“Perhaps I may be permitted to explain,” said the captain, a bit apologetically, responding to the encouragement of Pulendius, addressing himself to the young dark-haired woman a few seats down the table, to his left.

“Please, do,” she said, icily.

“Do you truly not understand?” asked one of the ship’s officers.

The young dark-haired woman did not take her eyes from the captain.

There were several differences between the two women with whom we are now concerned, in background, in education, in appearance, and such. But one difference, one which is of importance here, is that the pourer of kana had learned to obey men, instantly, and unquestioningly, which the young dark- haired woman, she from Terennia, had not yet learned to do.

“This is not Terennia,” began the captain.

“Yes?” said the young woman, coolly.

“The line,” said the captain, “here and there, acquires such, on certain worlds, for various purposes.”

“‘Acquires’?” said the young dark-haired woman.

“‘Buys,’ “suggested Pulendius.

She looked at him, with horror.

“On Terennia,” said the captain, “it is my understanding that certain forms of relationship have been declared illegal.”

“Forms of relationship?” she asked.

“Yes,” said the captain.

“Matters having to do with property, certain forms of ownership,” volunteered Pulendius, helpfully.

“Certain things on Terennia may be owned, but not others,” said the captain.

“Land, articles of clothing, such things may be owned, yes,” said the young woman.

“One thinks nothing of the ownership of animals on Terennia,” said Pulendius.

“Certainly,” said the young woman. “One has a full and perfect right to own such.”

“But only certain sorts of animals,” said the captain.

“No,” she said. “One can own any sort of animal.”

“Any sort of animal?” asked the captain, smiling.

“Yes,” she said.

“Are you sure of that?” asked Pulendius.

“Certainly,” she said.

“Are we not all animals?” asked the captain.

“No,” she said.

“Biology, as I understand it, begs to differ with you,” said Pulendius.

“Very well,” she said. “Certain forms of animals may be owned. Certain other forms of animals may not be owned.”

“Surely you recognize the arbitrariness, if not the literal inconsistency, of that view,” said one of the ship’s officers.

She looked at him, with fury.

“You must know,” said the captain, “that slavery is quite legal in the empire.”

“Yes,” she said.

“And on many of the barbarous worlds, as well?”

“Yes,” she said.

“And on many of the most civilized, as well,” he said.

“Yes,” she said, reddening.

“On many worlds there is a body of property law, of considerable complexity and antiquity, pertinent to the matter,” said the captain.

“You are aware of the social utility of the institution, surely,” said one of the ship’s officers, “with respect to such matters as social stability, conservation of resources, population control, and such.”

“On Terennia,” she said, icily, “slavery is illegal.”

“That is true,” said the captain. “On Terennia slavery is illegal.”

“On Terennia,” said a young officer in the imperial navy, one on leave, it seemed, who had not spoken before,