The pads made Chain’s already broad shoulders look positively massive and were held in place by two thick leather straps which crisscrossed over his bare, muscular chest.
The look was completed by his knee-high black boots and leather vambraces that strapped to the backs of his forearms. He was also wearing his red scatterlight cloak fastened at the neck and it went nicely with the rest of the outfit.
The big Kindred looked positively mouthwatering, Vicky couldn’t help thinking as she stared at him. In those clothes and with his wild, dark hair and piercing midnight-blue eyes he reminded her of a celebrity filming an epic about ancient Rome or Greece.
“Well? What do you think—will I pass for a scholar?” he asked, twirling slowly in front of Vicky so she could get the full effect.
“Not in any school I ever attended or taught at,” she said dryly. “But there’s no denying you look spectacular. I didn’t know you had an outfit to wear too, though. I wonder why Kat didn’t tell me?”
“She said I should keep it a surprise and show you before we went down to the planet’s surface,” Chain said. “And she also said to tell you, ‘you’re welcome’ whatever that means.” He shrugged, his broad shoulders rolling with the gesture.
Vicky knew well enough what it meant. She had only just met Kat but it appeared that the other woman had a sense of humor. She had probably known good and well what effect seeing her Kindred dressed like this would have on Vicky.
But he’s not my Kindred, she reminded herself sharply. We’re only here to play a part and get the T’lix-Kruthe—that’s all.
Still, she couldn’t help feeling proud to be on Chain’s arm when they got permission to land and stepped out onto the surface of Priima Belle for the first time.
Chapter Fifteen
“Oh my dear—here you are. I’ve been expecting you!”
The voice surprised Vicky and she looked up to see a woman who looked to be in her mid-forties coming towards them, over the interlocking gray stones of the neatly paved landing and parking area.
The place they found themselves in looked very like a university campus to Vicky. There were broad expanses of rolling pearly gray-green lawns, neatly manicured and clipped short and dotted with slim, willowy trees that had silvery-purple flowers instead of leaves. These were interspersed with tall, distinguished looking gray buildings which might have been lecture halls from any old and eminent college back on Earth.
The woman who was calling to her had on the same kind of fluttery “goddess gown” Vicky was wearing herself, only hers was in shades of blue and silver. Her hair was in an elaborate up-do and her eyes were heavily made-up with kohl, just as Vicky’s were.
Vicky was pleased to see that Kat had been absolutely right about the fashion here. Although, she noticed, that the woman who was greeting her didn’t have any way to close the “teaching slits” in her gown. From time to time her small breasts flashed through the openings in the fabric, though she didn’t seem to think anything of it.
Kat had hit the nail on the head with Chain’s outfit too—though he certainly filled out the leather kilt and shoulder pads look much better than the rather scrawny young man who looked to be in his early twenties scrambling along behind the woman who had come to greet them.
“I’m Professor Lornah from the Cake and Dish University,” she said, coming up to Vicky and grasping her hand with a smile. “And you must be Professor Victoria from the Mother Ship.” She kissed Vicky warmly on both cheeks.
Vicky felt a little strange about being called “professor,” but she reminded herself she was playing a part and decided to just go with it.
“Oh yes, I am. It’s so nice to meet you—thank you for coming to greet us,” she said, smiling and kissing Professor Lornah back. At least the people here seemed friendly so far.
“We’re so pleased to have an instructor from such a far-distant place,” Professor Lornah told her. “This is Lorn, my student.” She nodded to the scrawny young man who bobbed his head respectfully at Vicky. “And this person must be your student?” Professor Lornah asked her, nodding at Chain.
“Oh, uh, yes. He’s a student, anyway. This is Chainor,” Vicky said, indicating Chain, who smiled and nodded in a friendly way.
However, his response didn’t appear to satisfy Professor Lornah.
“So…you don’t name your students after their professors on the Mother Ship?” she asked doubtfully. “Or is this, er, Chainor not properly your student? For I’m afraid you won’t be welcome in any of the lecture halls without a proper student.”
“Oh, he is my student—of course he is,” Vicky said quickly. “And no, we don’t name our students after us on the Mother Ship. We believe they deserve to have their own academic autonomy,” she added, hoping that sounded snobbish enough to satisfy the other woman.
“Well…” Professor Lornah gave Chain another once over and then sniffed. Leaning closer to Vicky, she murmured, “He’s a handsome specimen, no doubt of that, my dear. But, well, don’t you think he’s a bit old for you?”
“I’m sorry?” Vicky wasn’t certain she’d heard her correctly. “Did you ask if Chain was too old for me?”
“Well, yes!” Professor Lornah exclaimed. “Why, he must be past his second decade my dear. How do you expect to train a student properly when you take one on so late in life?”
“Late in life? You mean Chain’s life?” Vicky said blankly. “But I’m sixteen years older than him. I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
“Well,
