Page 38 of Warrior's Captive
“We’re working.”
Tai’ri grimaced. “Even my help is required to present themselves decently.”
“You wouldneverallow your retainers to look so unfashionable,” Yanok said. “But not everyone can have your impeccable standards.”
Tai’ri stared them down some more, distaste crossing his expression. “Oh, fine.”
After he was certain the visual implants had captured everyone’s likeness and transmitted to the team, he looked away, apparently bored.
They entered the shuttle, Tai’ri fussing absently with the fall of the short cloak around his shoulders. Evvek/Yanok sat at his side, expression a blend of adoring and resigned, adjusting the hem of Tai’ri’s cuffs or the drape of his long hair as instructed.
Refreshments were offered during the flight up past the planet’s atmosphere. Tai’ri criticized the bites of intricately prepared food, and lectured the escorts on the wines. Yanok stood next to him, anticipating his every request with a general air of tragic long suffering.
By the time they approached the dock of the massive pleasure ship, Tai’ri had escalated from a punch to wanting to strangle himself. He threw himself into his character—if he had to suffer, so did everyone else.
They disembarked into a shimmering black hallway and approached a scarlet entrance. An escort spoke, and the circle swimmed like liquid, retracting to allow them entrance.
Tai’ri stepped into purgatory.
Music pulsed, aliens of every kind meshed together under a sky of glittering diamonds. The only characteristic that united the mob was their wealth and willingness to circumvent the laws and morals that governed the societies each came from. Anthhori obeyed no maxim other than to please oneself, even if pleasing oneself involved debauchment, enslaving others, glorying in death and depraved sexual acts.
And that was just deck one.
“Follow us,” the escort said. “We have a private suite arranged for your pleasure.”
Tai’ri and Evvek exchanged a look. There had been nothing in this broker’s dossier that indicated the display of wealth a suite onboard Anthhori required.
His shoulders tensed, though he maintained a slightly bored, sneering expression, taking care to whisk his silks out of the way of any inferior people lest they become contaminated.
This could go poorly.
But at least he knew for certain the alien female that would be on display wasn’t Vivian. Vivian was home, safe since the last time he’d checked on her before deactivating and removing his personal comm for this op. Pity stirred, as well as anger, for the female who had been captured and brought forward for his pleasure. He would do what he could for her, to make up for the fact he had to purchase her to maintain his cover.
They wove through the main crowd and up a flight of wide stairs towards narrow silver hallways leading to private suites. Security was posted every several suites, nodding as they passed.
“I see we are expected,” Tai’ri said. “I hope there won’t be any more delays.”
Their escort remained silent, pausing at a door and indicating Tai’ri should enter. Tai’ri stepped forward and an arm fell between him and the entrance.
“What?” he asked, voice icy.
The escort smiled. “Just a verification process, you understand.”
A device appeared in his hand. Tai’ri tapped his foot impatiently as a retinal and fingerprint scan was completed. Not that it would do the enemy any good—from now on any scans done on him would route to false records and as soon as they were accessed, Evvek’s bugs would tag and track. Tai’ri was a ghost again.
“Why wasn’t identity confirmation made on planet?” he snapped. “Incompetence. I should turn around and leave.”
“It’s standard,” Evvek/Yanok soothed. “Remember how you’ve been looking forward to this, sir.”
“Fine.” He scowled as the identification process was completed, and when the arm withdrew, swept into the suite.
Tai’ri hadn’t expected a solo showing, and was unsurprised when his gaze traveled over five clusters of seating strategically arranged to have a full view of the dais but remain private to the other patrons. Servers already attended each buyer, some alone, some with an escort. Tai’ri noted each one, but allowed his gaze to slide away without lingering too long. He was after other fish today, and Evvek’s device would also be recording. But they all were pieces that might prove useful in the game.
“See,” Yanok said, clapping his hands in delight, “so simple. Perfect. Now we can begin. Magnificent.”
Tai’ri glanced around the room, eyeing the empty dais set in the center and a bar manned by a live person along one wall. Richly furnished in reds, purples and blacks—no imagination. These places were all styled by the same kind of decor ever since the discovery of humans. “Adequate, I suppose.”
“He’s delighted,” Yanok murmured to the escort. “Simply thrilled.Suchamenities.”
