"2568-38" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jerome Bigge - Warlady 6 - In Harms Way)"IN HARM'S WAY" AN ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN By Robert J. Simmons Chapter Thirty Eight "I didn't think you were `opposed' to such things," Carol said. I don't think she ever read Lorraine's books very well. I was well aware of the "fact" that Lorraine had once sought to end the sort of slavery that existed now, but had quickly found it to be impossible. There is also the possibility here that the "at- tempt" on her life made back in 2565 was related to this issue... Jon Richards standing there taking this all in, smiling to him- self. I supposed that he was "content" with Lorraine, who is not a hard woman to live with as long as you let her have her "way". He was once "involved" with Maris Marn, although I think he did find the "right" wife in Lorraine, who is quite unlike the Queen of Dularn. Lorraine being a woman who "thinks like a man" in a number of ways, as is noticeable if you read her books carefully. "The `enslavement' of women for reasons other than crime is wrong," the Queen of Trelandar smiled back. "Unfortunately I do not have the `power' to put an `end' to such things," she added. "Women could stand together, and `demand' it," Carol said. "This is not the Twentieth Century," Lorraine smiled back. "The men of this time are not the `castrated wimps' of your era." "There are issues that can be `settled' only on the battle- field," I said, interrupting this delightful interplay of theirs. The men of this time had drawn a "line" that no woman, not even Queens dared cross. I knew of "mad" Queen Kathis, of her death. "Most men don't own slave girls," Lara then commented here. "But many dream of doing so," her husband interjected then. "I suspected that you weren't totally `invulnerable'," Lor- raine said to me, the heat inside the Diana like that of an oven. Most of the repairs had been made, but the burned wood of the su- perstructure still remained as a "memory" of what had happened... "The Mexican didn't hesitate to use fire," I said to her. "The `nature' of the Diana is known to them," she said. "What is so `attractive' about a slave girl?" Carol said to me as she laid there beside me in bed, her eyes glowing into mine as we talked. I knew she'd been talking to Lara, even Lorraine. Jon Richards and her had been engaged in a long talk earlier now. I supposed that he found Carol's "feminism" delightfully radical. Carol was the sort of "feminist" that you "listened" to, I knew. A cool breeze off the gulf driving away the heat of the day now. "She is `yours'," I answered her, "Totally and completely `yours' in a way that no wife or mistress ever can, I suppose..." "Most slave girls are not `beautiful'," Carol said then. "Their masters find them `attractive'," I smiled in reply. "There could be an `alternative'," Carol suggested then. "It would be `hard' to find one," I said, "puzzled" now. "Prostitution is legal everywhere," Carol explained then. "There is a `difference'," I explained, fingering a nipple. "What is it about slave girls that makes them `different' from a woman that might be hired to perform the same `services'?" Carol asked. This is not as "outlandish" as it may sound, espe- cially not here in an era where prostitution was looked upon in a different light than it had been back in our own time. Here the prostitute had a "Guild", an "organization" behind her, protect- ing her from anyone who wished her harm. The Prostitute Guild is politically powerful throughout all of western North America now. One can "hire" women for such purposes. It is often done among certain circles where one might "need" a woman as a "companion". It is quite commonplace in large Imperial cities such as Sarn and Trella as a part of "business practices" among the Merchants, the Prostitute Guild even having a "hand" in such stuff in "training" women to perform in such "roles". The Guild itself is the "in- vention" of Lara, although with considerable "aid" from Darlanis, dating back to 2555 or so from what I understand, Lara having at that time been falsely accused of fomenting revolt in Trelandar against the Empire. (I believe she might have been "guilty" to a certain degree judging from what Sanda Talen told me recently) I suspect that Darlanis, who is "smarter" than she looks, decided that Lara might be "useful" to her and so decided to spare her on the basis that perhaps such a woman as Lara could be "used". We should remember here that Darlanis has always portrayed herself as being a "merciful ruler", (This is the basis of the "SHE-RA" myth about the Empress invented by Sharon Duval) and no doubt she felt with good reason that a "grateful" Lara could be "used" for the purposes of the Empire if Darlanis herself was willing to give Lara certain things in return that the prostitute wanted... "You didn't answer my question," Carol said to me, caressing me. For a "feminist" her love making was flawless, I mused then. "If you give Kathi an order she has to obey," I said to her. "Considering what we `pay' Kathi I don't think she'd be very likely to make `trouble' anyway," Carol pointed out to me in re- turn. Kathi's own "income" was that of most laborers in Arsana! She "earned" more than did most women who did such work for pay!! "Most `housemaids' won't provide sex," I answered my wife. "`Depends' upon the woman," Carol said. Dularnian women had rather different opinions on it than did the women of California. I suspect that Carol was "willing" quite some time before our own "first time". Those bikinis she'd worn back then were "daring"!! "The `Guild' gets `sticky' about `non-members'," I said. I was well aware of "that", as the Prostitute Guild like any "un- ion" is strongly opposed to "scabs". And they are quite likely to express their own "displeasure" at the point of a sword to any woman who decides to "make a little something there on the side". They are also politically powerful, enough now that no one wants to try to take them "on" without very good reason for doing so... This is also "why" you can't buy a slave girl and put her "out" on the "streets" to make money for you by "selling" her "serv- ices" as a prostitute. Lara with Darlanis' "support" stopped this a number of years ago, a "success" that would not have been "possible" I suspect without Darlanis' backing and Warrioresses!! "Slavery is not in the `interest' of the Guild, is it?" Car- ol suddenly said, the "delight" showing in her voice at the idea! "I wouldn't think so," I said, stroking her naked body be- neath the bedcovers. She wasn't "aroused", but on the other hand Carol is the sort of a woman that doesn't take long to "get so". "Let's make love then now," Carol said to me, doing so now. She was "good", better than she usually is, and Carol is "good"! I sensed her "delight", the pleasure she felt at having found a "solution" to the problem of feminine slavery. Whether or not it would "work" was another question, but at least Carol did have a bit of hope now that her "dream" might come true in her lifetime! "You do seem rather `happy' this morning," Lorraine said to Carol as we ate breakfast together. Neither woman really "liked" the other, but both were well aware that they had to work togeth- er. Carol was probably the more "hostile" of the two, but even my wife had gotten over most of her earlier "hatred" of Lorraine. "I found the `answer' to our `problem'," Carol smiled back, going into an explanation of what could be done using the support of prostitutes. Of "expanding" the role of the Prostitute Guild. Lara listening quietly, nodding her head in agreement with Carol. "At the present time it is `illegal' to seize women of other countries as slave girls in both Dularn and the Empire," Lorraine said. "I think we might be able to "extend" this eventually to the point that the only `source' of slave girls will be those who commit crimes serious enough to `merit' enslavement," she added. "We could `suggest' this as a `road to peace' between na- tions," her husband volunteered thoughtfully, glancing at Carol. I expected that he had enjoyed talking to Carol the night before. "Just as Queen Maris did in Dularn!" Carol exclaimed back. "It won't be `easy', and it will take years to do," Lorraine spoke in level tones, her dark eyes meeting my wife's in reply, "But I think it can be done as long as we don't fool with things as they are like Queen Kathis once tried that time in Dularn." ***************************************************************** "Number three slow astern, number one slow ahead one addi- tional notch," I said, the slow "thud-thud" of the Diana's three engines once again echoing through the armored hull of the bat- tleship. No doubt a number of the crew had muchly "enjoyed" themselves in La Paz, which like all seaports is filled with the sort of "dives" and brothels that you'd expect to find here now. The Diana slowing moving out into the harbor, the smoke rising up from its triple stacks astern as we followed the Athena out now. "Number three now slow ahead one notch more," I said, seeing the Diana swing free of the dock. I was getting the "hang" of "ma- neuvering" the armored battleship by the use of its triple screws to the point now that it was no longer necessary to rely on tugs. The Diana now slowly passing through the harbor, all her hatches open against the broiling sun that burned down upon her armored bulk. "Number two one notch ahead of slow," I ordered, the third engine coming on, our speed picking up just a bit now as we fol- lowed Lorraine's steam frigate out into the Gulf of California. "Feels good to be at sea again," Sandra said with a smile. "IN HARM'S WAY" AN ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN By Robert J. Simmons Chapter Thirty Eight "I didn't think you were `opposed' to such things," Carol said. I don't think she ever read Lorraine's books very well. I was well aware of the "fact" that Lorraine had once sought to end the sort of slavery that existed now, but had quickly found it to be impossible. There is also the possibility here that the "at- tempt" on her life made back in 2565 was related to this issue... Jon Richards standing there taking this all in, smiling to him- self. I supposed that he was "content" with Lorraine, who is not a hard woman to live with as long as you let her have her "way". He was once "involved" with Maris Marn, although I think he did find the "right" wife in Lorraine, who is quite unlike the Queen of Dularn. Lorraine being a woman who "thinks like a man" in a number of ways, as is noticeable if you read her books carefully. "The `enslavement' of women for reasons other than crime is wrong," the Queen of Trelandar smiled back. "Unfortunately I do not have the `power' to put an `end' to such things," she added. "Women could stand together, and `demand' it," Carol said. "This is not the Twentieth Century," Lorraine smiled back. "The men of this time are not the `castrated wimps' of your era." "There are issues that can be `settled' only on the battle- field," I said, interrupting this delightful interplay of theirs. The men of this time had drawn a "line" that no woman, not even Queens dared cross. I knew of "mad" Queen Kathis, of her death. "Most men don't own slave girls," Lara then commented here. "But many dream of doing so," her husband interjected then. "I suspected that you weren't totally `invulnerable'," Lor- raine said to me, the heat inside the Diana like that of an oven. Most of the repairs had been made, but the burned wood of the su- perstructure still remained as a "memory" of what had happened... "The Mexican didn't hesitate to use fire," I said to her. "The `nature' of the Diana is known to them," she said. "What is so `attractive' about a slave girl?" Carol said to me as she laid there beside me in bed, her eyes glowing into mine as we talked. I knew she'd been talking to Lara, even Lorraine. Jon Richards and her had been engaged in a long talk earlier now. I supposed that he found Carol's "feminism" delightfully radical. Carol was the sort of "feminist" that you "listened" to, I knew. A cool breeze off the gulf driving away the heat of the day now. "She is `yours'," I answered her, "Totally and completely `yours' in a way that no wife or mistress ever can, I suppose..." "Most slave girls are not `beautiful'," Carol said then. "Their masters find them `attractive'," I smiled in reply. "There could be an `alternative'," Carol suggested then. "It would be `hard' to find one," I said, "puzzled" now. "Prostitution is legal everywhere," Carol explained then. "There is a `difference'," I explained, fingering a nipple. "What is it about slave girls that makes them `different' from a woman that might be hired to perform the same `services'?" Carol asked. This is not as "outlandish" as it may sound, espe- cially not here in an era where prostitution was looked upon in a different light than it had been back in our own time. Here the prostitute had a "Guild", an "organization" behind her, protect- ing her from anyone who wished her harm. The Prostitute Guild is politically powerful throughout all of western North America now. One can "hire" women for such purposes. It is often done among certain circles where one might "need" a woman as a "companion". It is quite commonplace in large Imperial cities such as Sarn and Trella as a part of "business practices" among the Merchants, the Prostitute Guild even having a "hand" in such stuff in "training" women to perform in such "roles". The Guild itself is the "in- vention" of Lara, although with considerable "aid" from Darlanis, dating back to 2555 or so from what I understand, Lara having at that time been falsely accused of fomenting revolt in Trelandar against the Empire. (I believe she might have been "guilty" to a certain degree judging from what Sanda Talen told me recently) I suspect that Darlanis, who is "smarter" than she looks, decided that Lara might be "useful" to her and so decided to spare her on the basis that perhaps such a woman as Lara could be "used". We should remember here that Darlanis has always portrayed herself as being a "merciful ruler", (This is the basis of the "SHE-RA" myth about the Empress invented by Sharon Duval) and no doubt she felt with good reason that a "grateful" Lara could be "used" for the purposes of the Empire if Darlanis herself was willing to give Lara certain things in return that the prostitute wanted... "You didn't answer my question," Carol said to me, caressing me. For a "feminist" her love making was flawless, I mused then. "If you give Kathi an order she has to obey," I said to her. "Considering what we `pay' Kathi I don't think she'd be very likely to make `trouble' anyway," Carol pointed out to me in re- turn. Kathi's own "income" was that of most laborers in Arsana! She "earned" more than did most women who did such work for pay!! "Most `housemaids' won't provide sex," I answered my wife. "`Depends' upon the woman," Carol said. Dularnian women had rather different opinions on it than did the women of California. I suspect that Carol was "willing" quite some time before our own "first time". Those bikinis she'd worn back then were "daring"!! "The `Guild' gets `sticky' about `non-members'," I said. I was well aware of "that", as the Prostitute Guild like any "un- ion" is strongly opposed to "scabs". And they are quite likely to express their own "displeasure" at the point of a sword to any woman who decides to "make a little something there on the side". They are also politically powerful, enough now that no one wants to try to take them "on" without very good reason for doing so... This is also "why" you can't buy a slave girl and put her "out" on the "streets" to make money for you by "selling" her "serv- ices" as a prostitute. Lara with Darlanis' "support" stopped this a number of years ago, a "success" that would not have been "possible" I suspect without Darlanis' backing and Warrioresses!! "Slavery is not in the `interest' of the Guild, is it?" Car- ol suddenly said, the "delight" showing in her voice at the idea! "I wouldn't think so," I said, stroking her naked body be- neath the bedcovers. She wasn't "aroused", but on the other hand Carol is the sort of a woman that doesn't take long to "get so". "Let's make love then now," Carol said to me, doing so now. She was "good", better than she usually is, and Carol is "good"! I sensed her "delight", the pleasure she felt at having found a "solution" to the problem of feminine slavery. Whether or not it would "work" was another question, but at least Carol did have a bit of hope now that her "dream" might come true in her lifetime! "You do seem rather `happy' this morning," Lorraine said to Carol as we ate breakfast together. Neither woman really "liked" the other, but both were well aware that they had to work togeth- er. Carol was probably the more "hostile" of the two, but even my wife had gotten over most of her earlier "hatred" of Lorraine. "I found the `answer' to our `problem'," Carol smiled back, going into an explanation of what could be done using the support of prostitutes. Of "expanding" the role of the Prostitute Guild. Lara listening quietly, nodding her head in agreement with Carol. "At the present time it is `illegal' to seize women of other countries as slave girls in both Dularn and the Empire," Lorraine said. "I think we might be able to "extend" this eventually to the point that the only `source' of slave girls will be those who commit crimes serious enough to `merit' enslavement," she added. "We could `suggest' this as a `road to peace' between na- tions," her husband volunteered thoughtfully, glancing at Carol. I expected that he had enjoyed talking to Carol the night before. "Just as Queen Maris did in Dularn!" Carol exclaimed back. "It won't be `easy', and it will take years to do," Lorraine spoke in level tones, her dark eyes meeting my wife's in reply, "But I think it can be done as long as we don't fool with things as they are like Queen Kathis once tried that time in Dularn." ***************************************************************** "Number three slow astern, number one slow ahead one addi- tional notch," I said, the slow "thud-thud" of the Diana's three engines once again echoing through the armored hull of the bat- tleship. No doubt a number of the crew had muchly "enjoyed" themselves in La Paz, which like all seaports is filled with the sort of "dives" and brothels that you'd expect to find here now. The Diana slowing moving out into the harbor, the smoke rising up from its triple stacks astern as we followed the Athena out now. "Number three now slow ahead one notch more," I said, seeing the Diana swing free of the dock. I was getting the "hang" of "ma- neuvering" the armored battleship by the use of its triple screws to the point now that it was no longer necessary to rely on tugs. The Diana now slowly passing through the harbor, all her hatches open against the broiling sun that burned down upon her armored bulk. "Number two one notch ahead of slow," I ordered, the third engine coming on, our speed picking up just a bit now as we fol- lowed Lorraine's steam frigate out into the Gulf of California. "Feels good to be at sea again," Sandra said with a smile. |
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