Gedric marched into Vortas' cabin and closed the door with a controlled slam. He paused, let out a single sharp breath, and spun towards the Lord Admiral's desk. He stood ramrod straight, hands at his sides, head held high. "I submit my formal apology for my conduct with the Urisi Ambassador earlier this morning, my Lord," he said in a tense voice.

Vortas regarded the young Fleet Captain as he leaned back, the creaking of his chair loud in the silence. "At ease."

Gedric folded his hands behind him and spread his feet slightly, but did little to relax his rigid stance.

"You are not here to be reprimanded," Vortas announced. "Now, at ease. Sit down."

Gedric frowned and glanced about, as if surprised that anything for his comfort would exist in this room. He found a chair on the other side and dragged it forward. He dropped into it, still holding himself straight, his shoulders barely touching the back of the chair.

Vortas let out a gusty sigh and wiped his face with his hand. "Yes, it is true you seemed to forget everything I had told you on the importance of being a diplomat."

"I offer no excuse for my behavior, my Lord."

"I don't want an excuse," said Vortas. "But I sure in blazing hellfire want an explanation."

Gedric frowned and gave Vortas a single confused shake of his head.

Vortas stood and selected a gourd from the shelf behind him. "I chose you for the position of Fleet Captain because I was under the impression you had a cooler head than that," said Vortas as he plucked a goblet from another shelf. "From your prowess in battle, I had assumed you knew how to keep calm under fire."

Gedric again said nothing, his eyes flicking towards the Lord Admiral's hands as they placed the goblet on the table and filled it with bright red wine from the gourd. He finally sighed and forced his eyes to meet those of Vortas. "And are you having second thoughts about that assignment, my Lord?"

The statement was spoken with great calm and aplomb, which made Vortas hesitate as he raised the goblet to his lips. He lowered it, giving Gedric a baleful gaze. "And is that what you would like me to do, Captain?" he declared.

A pause. "No, my Lord."

"And yet you hesitated." Vortas sat down and took a sip of his wine. He set the goblet down and folded his hands. "Why?"

Gedric let out a measured breath, not quite a sigh. "Is it not a moot point, my Lord?"

"Once more: why?"

"Because I have a duty, and that duty is the captaincy of this fleet," said Gedric in a sharp voice. "I will execute that duty faithfully for as long as I have it."

Vortas sat in silent contemplation for another moment before he swept the goblet into his hand. The contents sloshed against the rim, and a few drops trickled down the side. "For as long as you have it," the Lord Admiral said in a neutral voice.

Gedric bolted to his feet. "With all due respect, Lord Admiral, I fail to see why you insist on implying I will do anything less than what is expected of--"

"Enough!" declared Vortas. "I did not give you leave. Sit down."

Gedric paused, then fell with a heavy thump into his seat.

Vortas stared at Gedric, his eyes uncertain. He finally uttered a tired sigh and took a long drink of his wine. "Now it is I who must apologize to you."

"I beg your pardon, my Lord?"

"I did exactly what the insufferable Urisi Ambassador did to you earlier and has done to me on more occasions than I care to count. I baited you."

"I do not understand," said Gedric. His voice suggested genuine confusion, but his eyes blazed accusation for a moment.

"Oh, but you do. Captain V'riis, when you spoke with the Ambassador, you lived up to every expectation of your Noble heritage."

Gedric said nothing, but his body tensed, and one of his hands at his sides clenched into a fist.

"And I want to make it very clear, Captain: I do not intend that as a reprimand."

"Then why bring it up, my Lord?" Gedric snapped. "If not as a means to bring my perceived deficiencies to my attention."

Vortas frowned over the lip of his goblet and set it down without taking a drink. "I beg your pardon?"

"I have stated that I have formally cut all ties to the Nobility as demanded by the Charter. I have had no direct contact with the Nobility whatsoever."

"No contact at all, Captain?"

"I have obeyed the directives set forth in the Charter to the letter."

"That is not what I asked."

Gedric's eyes wavered, and he let out a sigh which betrayed both frustration and resignation.

"If there is anything you need to tell me, I insist you--"

"And why would I need to tell you?" Gedric said, his voice rising. "Have the Urisi demanded as such? Are you about to say they are targeting me?"

"Are they?"

Gedric blinked once. "What?"

Vortas leaned forward. "You tell me. We have speculated as to why the Urisi are so interested in the crew manifest, why this lout Norlan insisted on browbeating me within a finger-breadth of my tolerance to force me to reveal that which I do not have."

"And is that it, Lord Admiral? Are you looking to me to furnish a convenient tidbit to the Urisi to--"

Vortas suddenly slammed the flat of his hand upon the table, rattling the goblet and splashing more wine to the table. "Blazing hellfire, must you be so confrontational?!"

Gedric opened his mouth, his gaze hot, as if intending to live up to the Lord Admiral's assessment. Instead, he stood and turned, taking a few steps away from Vortas. When he spoke again, it was in a voice of forced calm. "I could say the same of you, my Lord."

"Perhaps I have a reason to be," said Vortas in a lower voice.

Gedric lowered his gaze. "Very well. I maintain contact with one Noble Lord." He paused and took a short, deep breath. "Quite possibly a former Noble Lord by now ... who mentored me before I had decided to join the Navy. I believe I mentioned him before."

Vortas nodded. "Tarras K'riis of Carolas."

Gedric turned to face him. "Yes. I have a great deal of respect for him, my Lord. Despite the fact I ultimately rejected the trappings of Nobility, much of what he taught me transcends that. I owe a great deal to him, and thus I maintain contact, but by letter only. No Farviews. I do not have a pearl bound to him, nor him to me."

Vortas folded his hands and considered for a moment. "And that is all?"

"That is all, my Lord. On my honor as a sailor if nothing else."

Vortas nodded and pulled the goblet towards him, though he did little more than give its contents a morose look.

Gedric took a step forward. "I feel I must ask, my Lord. Did you seriously believe I may have engineered this incident to relieve myself of the Fleet Captain position?"

Vortas shook his head. "No. And if I had, it would have been dispelled after this conversation. But the truth remains: you do not want the position."

"It is hardly worth the debate at this point," Gedric said in a dark voice. "This fleet will cease to be when the Urisi decide what to do with us."

"One would think one such as you would want the position."

Gedric said nothing, but simply maintained a level look with the Lord Admiral.

Vortas' voice softened, and the chair creaked as he leaned back. "You may no longer be of the Nobility, but as I understand it, old habits die hard. Noble clans are practically bred to lead."

Had the statement been made in anything less than a casual tone, Gedric may have tendered another sharp retort he would regret. He already wished this awkward conversation would come to an end. It would have been better had he been reprimanded after all. "Perhaps you should take my encounter with the Ambassador as an example of just the sort of leader I could be were I given the opportunity."

Vortas' brow knit in confusion as he regarded the Fleet Captain with a questioning gaze.

"Is that all you need from me at the moment, my Lord?"

For a moment Vortas appeared ready for a retort of his own. Instead, he forced his voice to an even tone as he said, "The Urisi plan to deliver slaves to us for our pleasure this evening. I wish for all the men to have fair opportunity to partake of what may be the last time they can enjoy such amenities."

"I will pass that along, my Lord."

"And that includes you."

Gedric leaned back, as if recoiling. "I beg your pardon?"

"You may avail yourself of the Urisi slaves."

Gedric drew himself straight and squared his shoulders, and for a moment he took on the same haughty look he had given the Ambassador. "I will pass, if it is all the same to you."

Vortas slowly nodded. "That is your prerogative, of course. I am curious as to why, but you need not answer."

One corner of Gedric's mouth twitched. "I personally find Urisi slaves to be ... somewhat lacking." He paused and continued in a flat voice. "Perhaps I have not shed as many of the trappings of Nobility as I would like to think."

The Lord Admiral's eyebrows rose, and his eyes reflected first revelation and then guilt. He quickly suppressed both and gave the Fleet Captain a curt nod. "Very well. Dismissed."

Gedric nodded respectfully in return and left.

"Dammit," Vortas muttered. He frowned into the goblet and set it aside. He was not sure what upset him more, the browbeating he felt he was forced to give Gedric or the fact that it did not unravel the mystery of what the Urisi really wanted.

Or perhaps he had learned what the Urisi thought they wanted, but it was becoming clear they were on a fool's errand. How could they want someone for his ties to Nobility when that person was doing everything in his power to distance himself from it?

The carriage lurched into and then out of another rut in the road, the timbers straining as the wheels sank into pockets of mud left from the last drenching spring rain. The smell of lingering moisture clinging to the foliage wafted inside, and Amanda had to shake off another unwanted memory.

Amanda gasped as she swayed against the side of the carriage and her feet lifted off the floor, then grunted when the carriage righted itself and her feet slammed back down. She panted as her pussy throbbed and swelled, her jerky movements combining with a fresh dose of the arousal drug to generate a maddening tease in her nether regions. Behind her back, her hands clenched and unclenched within the confines of her shackles.

Amanda spread her legs in a vain attempt at relief. Her unsealed pussy lay open, helpless and glistening, the seat under her damp. She strained against the shackles, pulling the chain which linked them to her collar until it lay taut against her back. She groaned and relented, drawing in her knees and bracing herself as the carriage dipped again.

She heard a deep moan to her left and raised her eyes. One of the other slaves, the blonde one, quivered and panted as if she could not catch her breath. She rubbed her thighs together, moisture squishing and dripping from her sex. She threw her head back and whimpered, shivering hard against the edge of orgasm. Finally the girl's legs went limp, and she keened her distress, her pussy still swollen and unsatisfied.

Amanda tried to feel little sympathy for her fellow slave's predicament. The blonde had been looking directly at Amanda when Larra had faked being slapped, and she had said nothing! Amanda clenched her teeth and looked away. She could not work up even a decent hatred as a means to distract her. At first she had been happy Larra had been spared and left at the palace; now she regretted it.

Amanda's thoughts would not leave her alone. She could not stop thinking about Oceanus. She even entertained the wild notion that Jollis had arranged for the Oceanus fleet just to remind her of what she had lost.

No, not just any fleet. A rogue fleet. But just what did that mean? Was this something significant? Or was it customary for the Lord Ambassador to offer both his and another Lord's slaves to visiting Oceanus sailors?

What if I could offer you an opportunity to return to Oceanus?

Amanda squeezed her eyes shut. She had refused to think about Mandas' words, but now they would not leave her. Did this have something to do with it? If she behaved herself and acted like a good slave ...

She shook her head and opened her eyes, biting her lip as her pussy strained again after a hard bump in the road. There was nothing in Oceanus to which to return. Yet anything had to be better than here.

"Is everyone all right?"

Amanda flinched and turned her head. At one end of the carriage, Marris' head poked through the curtains which separated the slave compartment from the rest of the carriage. Amanda had forgotten he was with them.

No one answered him. His eyes darted among the seven slaves in the coach, two of which were not Norlan's. His gaze fell on Amanda and lingered for a moment before she heard a quick sigh through his nose.

"You should fit right in with these men," Marris said.

Amanda stared. Marris' statement was quite unnecessary, and she had no reply.

The corners of his mouth twitched, as if he were trying to smile and failing. "I mean, they're from Oceanus, and you ... well ... you know how to please them well."

Amanda glanced at the other slaves. Two shot her dark looks, and a third turned away. She whipped her gaze back to Marris. "Any slave here could please them, Master," she said in as crisp a voice as her heightened arousal would allow.

"Well, I know that," said Marris with a slight tone of impatience. He paused, his eyes subdued, and spoke in a more contrite voice. "I mean ... well ... it's important you treat these particular men well. Um, all of you."

Amanda nodded. His gaze never left her.

"And that's coming not just from your Master, Lord Norlan, but from his peer, Lord Mandas."

Amanda's eyes widened. Her mouth opened, then snapped shut.

Marris forced his gaze away from Amanda. "Yes, that goes for all of you. Be on your very best behavior and be absolutely obedient. The Oceanus sailors and the Lord Ambassadors will expect nothing less of you. He will review all of you before he dares send any of you aboard the fleet."

He ducked out of sight.

Amanda stared at the curtain as it fluttered into place and realized Marris was no good at stealth. She had no idea if that had been a concealed message. She did not dare think Mandas' words had been anything more than a cruel joke.

Or did Marris let slip with a simple pronoun substitution -- he instead of they would review the slaves -- that she was about to find out what Mandas wanted of her?

She stamped her foot, not caring how childish the gesture appeared. She was too frustrated and had no other means to vent it.

"You should not have left that idiot Mandas tending to the disposition of your slaves alone!" High Lord Ardon declared as he vaulted out of his seat. "There is no telling what damage he could do."

"Please, my Lord, calm down," said Norlan, still in his seat in Ardon's parlor. He took a small sip of wine, set aside the goblet, and folded his hands in his lap. "I have a charged Portal ready to take me to the dock as soon as I am done here. I will arrive just as the slaves do. And you have already heard what I have said, so the point is moot."

"And I do not believe you."

Norlan paused. "You imply I would lie to the High Lords?"

"That is not what I meant. I meant you have not looked hard enough."

"I have found nothing because there is nothing to find, my Lord. Nothing at all we can leverage."

"You said Mandas thinks Oceanus is after one man. A man of some importance, a former member of what passed for royalty in the old Oceanus regime."

Norlan spread his hands. "Yes, but what are we to do if this is indeed the case? Bargain with Oceanus? Demand platinum for his extradition?"

"Blazing hellfire, why not?" demanded Ardon. "Technically, no extradition treaties exist between us and Oceanus. No formal treaties of any kind exist, for that matter."

"Oh, come now, my Lord. There are plenty of trade treaties, many of which I negotiated, which are just as good as--"

"No, hear me out! By your own words, we know there has been a spectacular conquest of Oceanus by a foreign power, thus that would repudiate any treaties which ever existed between our nations."

"Much of what I know of the Inonni invasion has never left this room, my Lord. Anyone who knows of the downfall of the Oceanus Nobility assumes it had been commanded by the Emperor, knowing how much acrimony existed between them and the Imperium under Z'haas."

"Perhaps that should change! Perhaps the truth should become more widely known!"

Norlan sighed. He dropped his gaze and folded his hands again as his host made a disgusted noise and turned away. Ardon snatched up his goblet and trudged to the window which looked out over the courtyard of his palace.

"With all due respect, you are not thinking this through," said Norlan.

"And what would you advocate?" asked Ardon in a lackluster tone as he contemplated the goblet. "What would be your solution?"

"We should consider acquiescing to Oceanus' demands. If they wish the officers of the ships, that is what we will give them. If they want the lot tried and convicted of some crime, we will do that as well. If they do want only one man--"

Ardon whirled around, wine splashing and running down the sides of the goblet. "As this fool Mandas thinks!"

"As it is becoming more likely the truth. I am coming around to the conclusion that their Fleet Captain, the one of Noble heritage, is the one they want. Perhaps his loyalties remain with the Nobility, and they fear he will sound a rallying cry for whatever other Noble Lords had escaped Inonni justice."

"And you would just give that away to them?"

Norlan gave the High Lord a level look. "All things being equal, and with no further revelations as to the importance of this man to the Inonni, yes, I would."

Ardon sneered. "Then you do work for the King."

Norlan bolted from his chair and was across the room in several long strides, startling the High Lord into spilling more of his wine. "As opposed to what, my Lord? Working for you? Working for the High Lord Council? I do not work for them, and I do not work for the King. Ultimately, I work for the Urisi Nation."

Ardon rolled his eyes and stepped past Norlan. "Spare me the false sentiment."

"I have indeed richified the High Lords," said Norlan to Ardon's back. "And I enjoy the favor it conveys upon me. But thoughts of lining the High Lords' pockets with platinum was not the only thing on my mind when I forged the treaty with the Overlords and the clandestine deal with Jollis. The point you and Mandas seem to miss is I care for what happens to the Urisi Nation."

"And we don't?" Ardon said in a low voice.

Norlan paused for a significant moment. "I never said that."

"Nor do you deny it."

"Let me put it this way: whatever faults I may find with the High Lords, they are nothing compared to what I see in the King. He wants to leverage this crisis to gain more political power, and I fear he is willing to stand against a nation whose military power greatly exceeds our own."

Ardon stared and slowly lowered the goblet. "You are not serious. You truly believe they would want war upon us?"

"Were you not worried about the same thing when I first told you of Jollis on the eve of the Inonni invasion?"

"A nation which all but hands us an entire slave market is hardly about to cross swords with us! That would be like lavishing expensive goods on someone only to creep up behind them and cut his throat."

"But he would not be on his guard if he were reveling in his good fortunes. And he would hardly be in a position to stop the gift giver from taking it all back once he was dead."

Ardon said nothing, staring at Norlan as if asking him for the words to use against himself.

"You said yourself the King wants to turn this into a mess and we had to stop it," said Norlan. "You may have to accept this will be no gain for either side. We maintain the status quo and buy us a little more time."

Ardon frowned and raised his goblet. "Very well," he said in a curt voice. "But you will find that time is the only thing your good intentions will buy, and precious little of it at that."

Ardon turned on his heel and marched out of the parlor.

As the last crimson rays of sunset stretched over the deck of the Blaze, the Lord Admiral approached the stranger with a wary step. From the rigid attention at which the crewmen stood on either side of the top of the gangplank and the regal air of the gentleman who stood between them, it was obvious another dignitary had beset them. No announcement had preceded his arrival; the First Mate was told to fetch the Lord Admiral and nothing more.

Vortas drew himself straight. "Good day and good fortune to you, my Lord," said Vortas.

An oily smile greeted him in return. "And do I have the pleasure of speaking with Admiral Vortas?"

"You do. I am at a disadvantage, as I do not know your name."

"Mandas," came the crisp reply. "Lord Ambassador Mandas."

Vortas started to frown, then caught himself. He turned to the men. "Dismissed, and do not disturb the Fleet Captain's dinner."

"Have I come at a bad time?" said Mandas, offering a look of concern as the crewmen saluted and dispersed.

"Not at all. I was simply under the impression Lord Norlan was--"

"Ah, yes, I see the confusion. He likely neglected to mention I was assisting him in this endeavor."

Vortas heard the slight strain in Mandas' voice at the word "assisting" but made no further note of it.

Mandas stepped closer, folding his hands behind his back. "It is unfortunate your Fleet Captain is indisposed. I would very much like to meet him."

"Oh?"

"A report which crossed my desk stated he was instrumental in winning a hard-fought battle with an Oceanus fleet." He looked around, glancing at the other ships of the fleet. "And you still have so many seaworthy ships remaining. Quite the feat, I understand."

Vortas allowed himself a measured smile. "It is good to hear such praise, Lord Mandas."

"Hmm? Oh, let me guess," said Mandas, uttering a dramatic sigh. "Norlan made you feel as if you were the greatest traitors who ever lived."

"He did express some reservations as to our course of action, yes."

Mandas chuckled. "Quite diplomatically spoken, Lord Admiral. Most commendable! But no need for it with me. You may speak as plainly as you like."

Vortas tilted his head. "In that case, Lord Mandas, this is a rather dramatic change of approach. You will forgive me if I suspect an ulterior motive."

Mandas strolled past Vortas, still looking over the ship. "Understandable, Lord Admiral."

"And I must know what your real reason is for wishing to meet my Fleet Captain."

Mandas turned to face him. "The fact he springs from Noble stock has sparked my interest. I never met with the Nobility of Oceanus in my brief stint as Ambassador to the Z'haas government. A pity that will no longer be possible now."

"Then you may be wasting your time, my Lord," said Vortas. "He has repudiated any claims to Noble title or status ever since he joined the navy."

Mandas nodded. "Yes, I was aware of that requirement of your sailors, but I suppose I had hoped ... well, even the strictest rules are bent now and then."

"That is not the case here."

"And yet I still have a need to show my sympathy for the loss of the Oceanus Nobility, a true tragedy of our times."

Vortas raised an eyebrow. "I am not sure I understand, my Lord."

Mandas drew close and lowered his voice. "I have held an admiration for your people, Lord Admiral. Not something one in my position cares to admit openly. I would be willing to contribute some of my vast wealth to assist them in coming back to power."

"You will definitely be disappointed if you believe you could work such a miracle through Fleet Captain V'riis."

"Alas, I realize that now." Mandas smiled. "But perhaps he would accept a small token of appreciation."

"Such as?"

"In less than a candlemark, slaves generously provided by my colleague will arrive. There is one that is particularly good. If he would but ask for her, I would be ... yes?"

Vortas had begun shaking his head. "I fear I must disappoint you yet again, Lord Mandas."

Some of Mandas' smile faded. "Oh?"

"The Fleet Captain does not wish to make use of any slaves."

Mandas' lips puckered. "I see."

"I am sure he will appreciate the offer, my Lord, and see it in the light in which it was intended."

"May I ask why he does not wish a slave?"

Vortas paused.

One corner of Mandas' mouth rose. "Remember what I have said, Lord Admiral. You may speak plainly."

"Very well. He does not care for Urisi slaves in general."

Mandas' smile suddenly returned. "Ah, yes, I should have realized. Given his heritage, he is likely used to Oceanus-bred slaves."

"I am sure no slight was meant against--"

"What if he were to know there is an Oceanus slave among the offerings?"

This time, Vortas refused to suppress his frown or the cold tone in his voice, "You mean one of those who were taken ... ah, that is, purchased from Oceanus?"

"And what if he were to know this slave has retained all of her Oceanus-bred qualities?" Mandas smirked. "Much to the consternation of her Master, I suspect."

"With all due respect, Lord Mandas, that is a rather bold claim, considering what I have heard of Urisi slave training techniques."

"But if it were indeed true -- and I swear on my reputation as a Lord Ambassador it is -- would that sway his opinion?"

"I cannot speak for him, my Lord, I can only relay your stated intentions."

Mandas strolled past Vortas and towards the gangplank. "Then do so, please. If it will help, I further guarantee he will be quite satisfied with her."

Vortas watched him go, clenching his teeth to hold his tongue. The words exploded from his mouth anyway. "Why are you doing this?"

Mandas flashed him another oily smile. "Because I feel this will be mutually beneficial."

"We have already stated time and time again we have no more to offer in--"

"No, Lord Admiral, I understand that quite well," Mandas said, dropping all pretense of joviality. "Thus you must ask yourself now: why would Oceanus want your Fleet Captain, and what can we do about it?"

Vortas' eyes widened. "My Lord, is that what you have heard from Oceanus? Have they stated that plainly--"

"Good day to you, Lord Admiral," Mandas said as he headed down the gangplank.

"I do not like this, my Lord," Gedric declared in Vortas' cabin as dusk turned to evening. "They play stupid games with us!"

"Agreed," said Vortas, his cheeks flushed from the half-finished goblet of wine before him. "But at least he let slip something important."

"If we are to believe him."

"You think he lies?"

"What would you have me believe, my Lord? I have told you the absolute truth. I have had no direct dealings with any Noble Lords since I joined the navy. I cannot fathom why Oceanus would wish to incarcerate me. And now you would ask me to invite one of these ... I can hardly dignify them by the term women ... to my bed for the sake of politics."

"Worse has happened in Noble circles," said Vortas into his goblet.

"Perhaps that is one of the reasons I left such circles."

Vortas put down his goblet. "He has an Oceanus slave."

"Yes, you said. This Ambassador can claim all he wants."

"But if it were true, would you consider--"

Gedric drew himself straight. "My Lord, are you ordering me to take this slave to my bed?"

Vortas' face darkened. "You know I can do no such thing."

"But you wish it. That is as good as an order."

Vortas rose to his feet and spoke in an earnest voice. "Something is happening here, Fleet Captain, something I had not anticipated. There is a much bigger game afoot, and as much as we do not like it, we are the pawns."

Gedric said nothing and averted his gaze.

"The slaves arrived a short time ago," Vortas continued. "There is a girl among them who looks familiar. I believe I may have seen her when I was at the D'ronstaq Manor."

Gedric stared. "A D'ronstaq slave? Here?"

A corner of Vortas' mouth twitched upwards. "Is that enough to whet your appetite, Fleet Captain?"

Gedric's eyes burned. "With all due respect, my Lord, please do not patronize me."

"I have seen the Manor slaves myself. What great beauty there was to be had! And intelligence! This girl could be so far above a Urisi slave that--"

Gedric threw his hands in the air. "All right!" He lowered them with a sigh. "I will ask for her and take her into my cabin. But that will be as far as she gets if she is nothing more than a Urisi sex-starved slut. I do not take soiled things into my bed."

He marched out of the cabin, slamming the door shut.

When the carriage finally rattled to a stop, the sounds of gasping and panting slaves filled the space instead, a rolling wave of sexual heat which was slow to ebb. Amanda's thighs trembled, damp with unsatisfied desire. She forced her breathing to a more even cadence, sitting perfectly still until her pussy retreated from the brink.

Marris stepped into the compartment. His eyes flickered over Amanda for a moment before shifting to no place in particular. "All slaves, on your feet," he said in a neutral voice.

Amanda slowly stood. She uttered a relieved sigh when her pussy did not rise again. Marris went from slave to slave and removed the short chain which linked the shackles to the collar. The shackles were left in place, but Amanda was still relieved she could flex her arms some, though she winced when her stiffened muscles protested at the first attempt.

The air was thick with heavy breathing and musky arousal. When Marris opened the door, the sudden blast of chilly, briny air was welcome despite how her skin prickled. She blinked at the deep twilight as Marris directed the slaves into a single, rigid line. She had lost all track of time; it may well have been days inside the carriage.

The short walk down the steps at the carriage door inflamed her pussy once more, and she clenched her thighs after she took her place in line. She looked at the ship, a brooding wooden shadow in the encroaching darkness, and her heart started to pound. She could not stop staring at it. It was a little piece of home.

Amanda swallowed. Home. She had called Earth home when she was struggling to acclimate herself to life on Narlass. Yet now Oceanus seemed so much more like home than Earth ever had. She never wanted the Urisi Nation to become that in her mind.

A figure passed between her and the ship, and she nearly flinched when she gazed into the cool and scrutinizing face of Norlan.

Norlan regarded her without a word, his eyes hard if tired. His hands were folded behind his back, his chest thrust outward. He stared at Amanda, standing rigid and still for so long she wondered if she had been presented with only a statue of her owner.

Had he found out about Larra's accusation or Bessa's deception? Amanda thought she had started to learn to read him, but now it seemed he kept his emotions more guarded than ever.

Norlan finally turned away from her and began to speak, looking at no one in particular as Marris had done, and his words were no less succinct. "You will treat these men as you would me or a High Lord. You will obey. You will question nothing, and when you return, you will remember nothing of what you hear or see. To my slaves: if there is even the smallest complaint about any of you from your temporary Masters, you will all be given to the Slavemasters by morning."

"Oh, what a stirring speech, Norlan!" a voice sounded from the shadows of deepening twilight. Amanda stared into the dark until the voice's owner stepped into the light spilling from the open door of the carriage. A brief but intense shiver shot down her spine. "I am so glad I was able to hear it. Bravo!"

Norlan turned, and Amanda saw his hands were clenched rather tightly behind his back. "Don't you have something better to do, Mandas?"

"Things better than working with you? A great deal many, yes. But things I am supposed to be doing, alas, no."

Norlan glanced towards the ship. "You were speaking with the crew."

"Nothing gets past you, I've always said."

"I do hope we are not at war with Oceanus now."

Mandas smiled. "Your ego, as inflated as it may be, is still intact. I found nothing you have not already found yourself. Or do you hope the slaves will loosen their tongues?"

Norlan let out a quick sigh and glanced towards the slaves. His eyes flicked from one to the other before settling on Amanda for a lingering moment. "You really are quite a boor, Mandas. I find it interesting you accuse me of being uncultured, yet you discuss important matters before ears unsuited to hear such things."

No, you're upset he's finally rattling you, Amanda thought. You never let him get to you like that before.

"In that case, we should get the slaves to their waiting Masters." He turned his head towards the pier. "Before they tip the ship over, that is."

Amanda raised her eyes to the ship. As her eyes adapted to the dark, she saw a gathering on the deck at the railing facing the pier, a roiling wave of men which swelled larger each passing moment. She narrowed her eyes and discerned some pointing while others jockeyed for a better look.

Norlan took a step closer to Mandas. "We?"

"Allow me some of the honor of delivering the slaves to the Oceanus men."

"Why?"

"So I may inform the High Minister of State I have contributed in some meaningful way!" Mandas snapped. "You are so adamant about working as if you were alone ... but then again, this is not a conversation for 'certain' ears."

Norlan paused and glanced towards the ship and then the slaves, as if calculating every possibility of duplicity Mandas could be planning with either. "I suppose if you've already spoken with the Lord Admiral, you've done what damage you can do. Very well, I leave them in your capable ... well, your hands, anyway."

Norlan stepped to the side, but lingered at the edge of the dock, scrutinizing Mandas. His fellow ambassador stepped forward and drummed his walking cane on the ground. Amanda flinched when she remembered the night of the High Feast and drew herself into the line with alacrity.

"Marris!" Mandas barked.

Marris emerged into the dim light. "Yes, my Lord?"

"You have the keys to their restraints I assume? They will need to be removed once they are on board."

Norlan cast a level gaze at Mandas.

Mandas returned it with a small smile. "You of all people should know Oceanus men prefer their slaves unfettered." He snatched the wide metal ring of keys from Marris as soon as it was within his reach. He turned to the slaves. "Now, form up in front of me."

Several slaves hesitated. Mandas swatted one upon her ass with his cane. She yelped and surged into position, breathing hard when the strike inflamed her lust.

"Yes, in front!" Mandas called out. "That is another Oceanus tradition. We will honor every one of them. Now, move."

The slave at the head of the line hesitated, not used to having no one to follow. She was prompted to move when the one behind her nudged her forward. They passed Norlan, eyes forward, betraying little reaction to his hard gaze. Amanda, second to last in the line, was about to take a step forward when her shoulder was seized in a tight grip. She heard another swat and a yelp behind her, and the slave who would have been last trotted around her. The pressure vanished, and a hand pushed her hard between her shoulders.

Norlan had been too focused on appraising the slaves as they passed to see any of the incident.

Amanda took one quick, deep breath and steeled herself to pass her Master. She heard Mandas' heavy footfalls behind her and the tap of his cane against the ground with every other step. She kept her gaze rigid, locked on the back of the head in front of her. Silence descended, save for her own lust-labored breathing, until the girl at the front of the line stepped onto the end of the gangplank.

"You will not so much as turn your head, Amanda," Mandas said in a low voice. "You will not visibly acknowledge in any way you are hearing me speak."

Amanda tensed her neck to quell an automatic nod of her head.

"You will be seeing to the pleasure of a man named Gedric V'riis."

V'riis. Amanda was sure she had heard that name before, or something similar to it.

"You will find out everything you can about him."

Amanda again wanted to do something to show she had heard and understood, but she clenched her teeth and kept her gaze locked forward.

They passed into the shadow of the main mast. Mandas bent forward and whispered directly into her ear. "He is the key to your freedom."

Amanda mouthed the words "yes, Master" as she stepped onto the deck of the ship, and only now heard the whistles and hoots of approval from the gathered men.

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