would continue for several days. 'Oh!' said she who had been the next to be assessed, then the first in line, now, turned about, at the rear of the long line, stretching still across the platform, down the ramp, and across the Plaza of Tarns. 'Oh!' said the woman who had spoken to the guardsman, who had been second in line, and now, turned about, was second to last in the long line. The light cord, little more than twine, but strong enough not to be broken by a woman's strength, had been knotted about her neck, and then carried forward to the woman before her, where it was tied similarly, and thence forward again, being unwound from a long spool. It is common to coffle women from the back of the line forward, to minimize the temptation to bolt. I did not know if the women were to be marched back to the Stadium of Blades or only to a rendezvous with cage wagons, to be thence transported to the stadium's holding areas. I did not think, at any rate, that the Cosians would send cage wagons for them in dull daylight to the Plaza of Tarns, in the view of a crowd. After all, these were free women of Ar, not female slaves. An additional security in which the women were held, aside from the coffling and guardsmen, auxiliary and regular, was the fact that they were barefoot and clad only in the robes of penitents. In this way was their status well marked out. More women, tonight, incidentally, and doubtless for the next few nights, at least, would be reporting to the great theater. Thence I supposed they would be transported to the Stadium of Tarns, as had been the first batch of women, in their turn to be incarcerated, given the robes of penitents and assigned their place in line.
'Captain,' said Talena, 'in the room of the Ubar, in the Central Cylinder, we are planning a small supper this evening. I do hope you will honor us with your presence.'
The Cosian regarded her.
'There will be delicacies from as far away as Bazi and Anango, she said, 'and we shall open vessels of Falarian from the private stores of the Ubar.'
'A sumptuous supper, indeed, he commented.
'Nothing pretentious,' she said, 'but nice.'
'There is hunger in the city,' he said.
'Unfortunately,' said the Ubara, 'there is not enough for everyone.'
'I see,' said he.
'Let them suffer for their crimes against Cos,' she said.
'Of course,' said he.
'Shall we expect you?' she asked.
'Is there to be entertainment?' he asked.
'Czehar music,' she said, 'and, later, the recitation of poetry by Milo, the famed actor, to the music of the double flute.' The instrument which is played by the flute girls is a double flute, too, but I had little doubt that the player involved would not be a flute girl but someone associated with one or another of the theaters of Ar. Similarly the instrument would undoubtedly be far superior, in both range and tone, to those likely to be at the disposal of flute girls.
'I was referring,' said he, ' to entertainment.'
'Whatever, Captain, could you have in mind?' she asked.
'I have duties,' he said.
'Surely you do not mean 'entertainment' in which females might figure?' she said.
'Is there another sort?' he asked.
'You have free woman in mind,' she asked, 'perhaps lute players.'
'No,' said he. 'Females, female slaves.'
'I see,' she said.
'Dancers,' he said.
'I see,' she said.
'Or perhaps such as might figure as contestants in games, or as prizes, and such.'
'Of course,' she said.
'Perhaps Earth-girl slaves,' he suggested.
'That would not do at all,' said Talena. 'They are the lowest of the low.'
'Some are rather nice,' he said.
'Perhaps we could find some girls from Turia,' she said.
'Or Ar,' he said.
'Captain!' she exclaimed.
'Ubara?' he asked.
'The women of Ar,' she said, 'are not suitable for such things.'
'What of the women you consigned to the chain?' he asked.
'Well,' she conceded, 'such as thosea€”'
'I assure you,' he said, 'that the women of Ar, imbonded, grovel and lick and kiss, as well as other women.'
'Undoubtedly,' she said.
'It is necessary only to put them in their place,' he said, 'the place of females. The woman of Ar, in her place, the place of a female, is as hot and helpless, as eager and obedient, as devoted and dutiful, as any other slave.'
'Undoubtedly,' she said, angrily.
'Forgive me, Ubara,' said he, 'if I have offended you. I am not a courtier, not a diplomat. I am a soldier, a plain man, and I speak bluntly.'
'I take no offense of course,' said Talena, Ubara of Ar.
'I meant only to suggest,' said he, 'that there are women in Ar who are marvelously beautiful and exciting.'
'I understand,' she said.
'Ubara?' he said.
'I was thinking,' she said. 'What you say is undoubtedly true, that there must be some women of Ar at least, in all Ar, who are not only suitable for the collar, but belong in it.'
'Of course,' he said.
'I can think of some entertainment in which you might be interested,' she said. 'Ubara?' he asked.
'By nightfall,' she said, 'Claudia Tentia Hinrabia, of the Hinrabians, will be a collared slave.'
'Yes,' he said.
'Would you not be curious to see her dance?' she asked.
'She is not a dancer,' he said.
'Surely she could be put through slave paces, and made to perform under a whip,' she said.
'Of course,' he said.
'And do you men not say that any woman can dance?' she laughed.
'To one extent or another,' he said.
'And to the extent that her performance is unsatisfactory, she may be whipped,' she said.
'Of course,' he said.
'And perhaps I myself shall reserve the judgment on that matter,' she said. 'As is your prerogative, Ubara,' he said.
'I think that will be amusing,' she said, 'to have the Hinrabian brought as an entertainer to my supper party, and have her perform as a slave, before men, in my viewing.'
'Quite amusing,' he said.
'When you return to your headquarters,' she said, 'please request your polemarkos, Myron, to also honor us with his presence.'
'Your wish,' he said, bowing, 'is my command.'
'I wish to have her perform as a slave before him, as well,' she said.
'Your vengeance on the Hinrabian is profound indeed, Ubara,' he said.
She laughed.
'The performance of the Hinrabian will be reserved for late in the evening, I gather?' he said.
'Yes,' she said. 'To accompany dessert.'
'That seems fitting,' he said.
