"Interesting," said a man.

"Are these two," asked a man, "from Mill 7?"

"Yes," said Aemilianus. "They are the two found there."

"You needn't depend on the mills, of course,"

"You can buy in the market."

"You could also buy trained slaves to man.

"They are more expensive," said a man.

"That is true," he agreed.

"I shall show you one advantage of the anus. "Emily," he said, "do you wish to mill?"

"No, Master!" she said.

"Tiffany?" he asked.

"No, Master!" I cried.

"The motivation of mill girls, as you can see," said Aemilianus, "is high. Accordingly, they may be expected to train swiftly, desperately and superbly." "Have you discussed your ideas with Mintar?" asked a man.

"Yes," said Aemilianus, "and he has given me license to proceed." "Would this be involved with the enterprises of Mintar?" asked a man. "No," said Aemilianus. "It would become one of the enterprises of Aemilianus." My uncle, of course, will extend the initial loans at nominal rates," said Aemilianus.

"I see," said the man.

"I am not sure this is practical," said a man.

"It will be a difficult field to break into," said another man.

"It is a question," said Aemilianus, "of providing a quality service at competitive prices."

"Perhaps," said a man.

"Emily, would you please come around the table and kneel here, beside me?" asked Aemilianus.

Emily instantly leapt to her feet and scurried to kneel in the indicated position.

This left me, somewhat disconcerting me, alone before the table.

"Would you please stand up and remove your silk, Tiffany?" said Aemilianus. Immediately I stood and slipped from the silk. I held it dangling, from my right hand.

"That is a mill girl?" asked a man, skeptically,

"Yes," said Aemilianus.

"Those are slave curves, if I have ever seen them," said a man.

"True," said another.

"You are very pretty, Tiffany," said Aemilianus.

"Thank you, Master," I said.

"How long have you been enslaved?" he asked.

"Some five months, Master," I said.

"And are you trained?" he asked.

"Only by the instructions of some men who have used me," I said, "and, of course, to work the loom."

There was laughter.

"We may then say, may we not," asked Aemilianus, Eethat for most practical purposes you are untrained."

"Yes, Master," I said.

"Drop the silk," he said.

I did.

"Now get on your belly on the tiles, Tiffany," he said.

Immediately I lowered myself to my belly on the tiles. I looked up at them, the palms of my hands on the floor.

"Are you familiar with floor movements, Tiffany?" he asked.

"A little, Master," I said. "I saw some once in a slaver's house." This had been in the house of Kliomenes, when I had been taken on a tour there long ago by Drusus Rancius. I had been free then, of course. Now I was as much a slave as the girls I had seen there at the time.

"I am going to signal to the musicians, Tiffany," said Aemilianus. "When they begin to play, you may begin your performance."

"Yes, Master," I whispered. When I had seen such movements in the house of Kliomenes I had never dreamed that they might, horrifyingly enough, one day be required of me.

In few modalities is a woman's slavery made clearer or more manifest than when she must perform floor movements, than when she must, in effect, dance before men, never rising higher than her knees.

Then the music began.

Almost as soon as I had begun to dance I saw Emily tear back her slave silk, exposing her breasts to Aemilianus, and to kiss him. He held her against him with his left arm about her body and held her two hands, their wrists crossed, in his grip, captured, across his body. He held her in this fashion, helpless. And both, then, were watching me.

Once I had been Tiffany Collins. I now writhed, a Gorean slave, at the feet of men.

I do not know how long the music lasted, perhaps only about four or five Ehn. Then, swirling and climaxing, it suddenly ended. I lay, gasping and sweating, on my belly on the tiles. I looked up. I hoped that I had pleased the masters. "Very good, Tiffany," said Aemilianus.

"Superb," said one man. "Superb!" said another.

"What do you want for her?" asked a man.

"I will give you a silver tarsk," said another. I looked wildly at him. I wondered if I would be sold. A silver tarsk! I wished Drusus Rencius had heard that! He had thought I would only bring fifteen or twenty copper tarsksl And I was not even trained!

"You did very well, Tiffany," said Aemilianus.

"Thank you, Master," I said.

"Did you see, Gentlemen," asked Aemilianus, "and she only an untrained mill girl."

"Yes, Aemilianus," said a man. "Yes," said another. "Yes," said yet another. "Teela," said Aemilianus.

"Yes, Master," she said, quickly.

"Take Emily to my room and chain her by the neck to the foot of my couch." "Yes, Master," she said.

"Thank you, Master," cried Emily.

"On your feet, Slave," said Teela to Emily. "Cross your wrists, touching, behind your back, close your eyes and put down your head. You will uncross your wrists and open your eyes only when you feel the locking of the couch collar on your neck."

"Yes, Mistress," said Emily.

She was then led from the room, bent over, by the hair, her eyes closed and her wrists crossed, and touching, behind her back.

"You are going to be sent to school, Tiffany," said Aemilianus.

"Thank you, Master," I said.

"Does that please you?" he asked.

"Yes, Master," I said. "I have never been taught to read."

There was laughter.

"It is not that sort of school," he said.

"Gentlemen," said Aemilianus, "and kind sirs, I thank you for your presence here this evening, and for your kind attention. Your comments, your thoughts and your counsel have been much appreciated. If any of you wish to remain the night, feel free to make use of the rooms which were put at your disposal before supper. Similarly if any of the slaves interest you, any of those who served you, or any other in the house, with the exception of our little Tiffany, take her to your room. She is yours for the night. If you are not fully pleased in the morning, let me know and I will have her thoroughly punished, and then sent to you for the week, that she may learn to improve her service."

"I will take this one," said a man, indicating one of the girls.

"And I will take this one," said another.

These two girls ran to their masters of the evening and knelt before them. "I would like to have the one you call "Teela' licking at my feet," said a strong, mature fellow.

"She will be sent to your room," said Aemilianus.

"My thanks, Aemilianus," he said.

"And what of this meaningless, squirming little pleasure bundle?" asked one of the men looking at me.

I was now kneeling before the table. I blushed. I did not know if I appreciated being referred to as a meaningless, squirming little pleasure-bundle. On the other hand, these were Gorean men and I knew that I, in their hands, if they wished, would find myself transformed into little more than just such a squirming pleasure-bundle. I had learned this from Tenrak on the floor of a slave wagon.

"With your permission," said Aemilianus, "I would rather she did not serve tonight. I would like her to get a good rest. I would like her to get a good start in the morning."

"As you wish, Aemilianus," said a man.

"I am not td serve tonight, Master?" I asked.

"No," he said. "You must get up early tomorrow."

"Master?" I asked.

"You must get up early for school," he said.

"Yes, Master," I said.