Page 68 of No Strings Attached

Valis smiled, gave Friend a final pat, and bounded up, “Certainly, Bahbi. Lead the way.”

Prag led them through the station, along a series of moving walkways and escalators, until they reached the section for VIP residents and visitors. It was through a secured area in the domed part of the station, partitioned off and sealed, with its own life support systems. Bahbi walked in companionable silence with Valis behind Prag, until he led them to a suite of rooms. They entered a large common area with spaces for eating and lounging, including a huge semicircular sofa that could comfortably seat 15 and a massive view screen to watch broadcasts. The screen was on and showing the reception they’d just left, the camera zoomed in on Mister Beastly with a new tray of bite-sized food. They watched him pluck one off the tray and offer it to Friend. Bahbi smiled and looked over at Valis, who was also smiling.

To the left, a door into the master suite, with an enormous bed and private bathing room. To the right, four doors leading offto smaller bedrooms with ship-style efficiency lavatories. Prag showed them how each of those rooms could be configured for a large bed, two small beds, or six bunks.

Prag was standing, hands on hips, as they inspected, tapping the innermost toe talon on his right foot. “Well, will this do? I’ll send meals up twice per day.”

Bahbi smiled, fiddled with his gold medallion, and said, “It looks fine to me. Thank you, Honorable Jarxtan Prag.”

Prag’s features softened at Bahbi’s use of the respectful title. He took a box from his pocket and handed Bahbi a small wafer. “Eat that. I’ve encoded them for a half-life of 10 days. I’ll provide them to the rest of the party below, and we’ll revisit the duration of your stay as I arrange the appropriate transactions and consultations for Queen…Violet. Is this gentleman to be included?” Prag waved a hand at Valis.

Bahbi shook his head, “The Queen is still considering him.”

Prag nodded as Bahbi popped the wafer into his mouth, “Very well. You may now come and go freely, Trallian, but this gentleman will need to be escorted until he’s been given a wafer. I’ll distribute these other wafers to the rest of your party now. Excuse me, please.” He turned and exited the suite.

Bahbi looked at Valis and said, “Let’s stay for a few minutes. I’d like to see how they’re presenting us on the Ogo.” He moved toward the massive sofa and Valis nodded and followed.

Once they were seated, Valis turned toward him and asked, “Queen Violet, what species is she?”

Bahbi looked at him a little suspiciously, “Why do you ask?”

Valis leaned back, arms spread along the back of the sofa. “Because I’ve seen a female on the lower decks that appears to be the same or a very similar species as your Queen. She seems to have the job of advertising for a brothel. Given that brothels are not usually staffed by free females, I assume she is a slave.”

Bahbi stood and said, “Show me.”

They made their way through the crowded warren of shops, food stalls, cantinas, and vendor carts on the third deck below the main, accosted on all sides by beings hawking their wares or their bodies. Bahbi wished fervently that he wasn’t wearing a gold and emerald medallion—illuminated, no less—but Valis had gold bangles on each wrist and ankle, and no one made a move for him. Bahbi stuck as close to him as he could and tried to keep his eyes sharp for what was happening around him, but he was experiencing heavy sensory overload.

As they wove through the crowded corridor, he started picking up a familiar sound that was wholly unexpected in this place. It grew louder as they continued, and Bahbi could tell that the sound was being amplified. It sounded just like Vi in the throes of ecstasy.

Valis threw a glance over his shoulder at Bahbi and said, “We’re almost there. Do you hear her?”

Bahbi nodded, “I know that sound…is someone…fucking her in…public?”

Valis stopped and half-turned. “You know that sound?”

Bahbi had forgotten himself in his dismay, and he said, “Yeah, it sounds just like Vi does during sex.”

“Vi?”

Bahbi had been looking toward the sound, but his head snapped back around, and he met Valis’s eyes.Fuck. “Let’s just get to her, quick.”

Valis studied him for a moment longer, then turned and led them forward.

They found the female placed in front of a brothel, laying restrained within a modified stasis pod—the old kind with a curved glass top. She definitely looked human. She had a mess of curly blond hair, shoulder length, and she was considerably more round in the chest and hips than Vi. Her eyes were closed and her escalating moans of pleasure were amplified into the corridor. Little bots crawled over her nipples and her orgasm button, but Bahbi couldn’t make out what they were doing to those spots. As they watched, her back arched, her eyes rolled back, she let out a longer and louder moan of climax, and then she collapsed back into the thin mattress pad of the pod.

Bahbi hadn’t noticed the huge, muscular Olferian on the stool next to her until he spoke, “Get lost vagrant, Trall. Neither of you can afford anything we’re offering inside.”

Bahbi brought his gaze back to the human female, now looking at him with pale blue eyes. “How much for her?”

“She ain’t for sale or rent. She’s signage for all the females inside whowilltake a cock without trying to bite it off. My boss paid a shit ton of credits to get that one, now he’s just trying to get his money back.”

Bahbi smiled and thought of Vi. He knew there’d be a mighty pile of amputated cocks if someone tried to put her in a brothel. Or maybe not a pile, since Vi would be just as likely to take a severed cock and shove it right up the former owner’s ass.

Valis stepped forward and asked, “Are you authorized to refuse serious offers for purchase on behalf of the proprietor? It sounds like he’d be happy to recoup his investment.” Bahbi was grateful Valis was there because he wouldn’t have thought to ask that.

The grey Olferian shook his head, “You don’t wanna talk to the boss. He ain’t gonna like you and you ain’t gonna like him.”

Valis smiled, “We’re prepared to deal with some unpleasantness for an audience.” He bowed, slightly, “Please, lead the way.”

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