Birds of a Feather: Chapter 4
By Theodoric of York and Wardall Clark.
Warning: NO PORTION of this work may be REPRODUCED FOR SALE for any purpose. DC Comics retains full copyright to Superman, Wonder woman and the other characters mentioned here and John Norman retains full copyright to the planet and society of Gor. Birds of a Feather contains explicit sex and violence, including scenes of rape and torture. This story is not for anyone under the age of consent in their jurisdiction to read such materials. Authors Notes: This is the conclusion of an ongoing series melding John Norman's World of Gor with DC Comics heroes and heroines. At the end of each chapter is a short glossary of terms and names. If you find yourself completely baffled by Gorean customs, terms, or politics try reading the series in order: (1) A Cat and a Fiddle: a Cat and a Bat on Gor by Theodoric of York, (1a) The Cat and the Shackles, (1b) Under the Shadow of the Bat (2) Diana and the Ubar (3) The Princess and the Mercenary [all by Wardall Clark.] and (4) The opening chapters of Birds of a Feather.
Lois Lane and photographer Morgan Croft fell into a trap and were raped, and kidnapped by Gorean interplanetary slavers along with 61 other women, including a runaway nicknamed Mouse. Supergirl had fallen prey to a Gorean slaver in the opening scene of Diana and the Ubar. After Batman rescued her she was admitted to Arkham Asylum for treatment. When Batman and Superman visit Supergirl to arrange for her release, they quarrel about the practice of slavery and Lois' prospects of resisting being broken into a submissive as Supergirl was. Meanwhile, Diana has taken up with a Gorean warrior from Tyros in hopes of freeing her friend Verna and eventually rescuing her sister from the clutches of Gor's most sadistic ruler, Lurius of Jad, the Ubar of the Empire of Cos. Supergirl submitted herself as a slave to Superman who has been contacted by Mulkar about coming to Gor to rescue Lois.
Chapter Four: ADVANCING TO THE PLATE
Superman was pacing the deck of the space craft in frustration. Mulkar walked up to him, a smile on his face. He asked, "Are you sure we cannot get you anything, coffee perhaps?" Superman snapped, "You can get me to Gor!" Mulkar shrugged his shoulders, answering, "We will be there soon enough. Are you certain you don't want me to accompany you? You have never been to Gor, after all." Superman answered, "I should be all right. Because of that serum that you gave me, I am learning your lingo quickly enough. And Kara is fully fluent in Gorean customs and language." Mulkar nodded his head in agreement. He said, "I must admit that she is well trained." Seeing Superman's icy cold stare, he quickly added, "Sorry." Superman asked, "You've had her, haven't you?" His tone was disapproving and distinctly hostile. Flushing, Mulkar answered, "Look, this might not be the best subject for us to talk about. Perhaps we could change the subject?" "No, We Will Not!" The Man of Steel thundered. "You've slept with her, haven't you?" Red faced and trying hard to cover his fear of one of the few men who could break him apart in his bare hands, Mulkar muttered. "I was under the impression you had given her permission to do as she wanted in that regard?" "You took advantage of a girl in a confused state of mind to satisfy your lusts." countered Superman. "I am sorry you disapprove, but I did. She is a beautiful, needful woman trained to know how to create desire and give pleasure to a man. It is now second nature to her. She certainly did not think what she was doing wrong and neither did I. It seemed quite natural. Besides, she is Supergirl." He grinned sheepishly, "How many American men would give up the chance of making love to Supergirl if she made them an offer? To be quite frank, I am surprised that you have not succumbed to her charms more often. You really are the Man of Steel!" "I am sorry. What you see as a sexy slave, I see my as my cousin, the victim of months of torture and psychic abuse. I don't find her sexy at all." It was a whopping lie, but Clark was damned if he would admit otherwise to the man who used the former Batgirl as his sex toy and Girl Friday.
"I understand, but you are also going to have to realize that she is your slave girl, either that, or allow me to accompany you to Gor."
"There is little to fear on Gor for either Kara or myself."
"That is true from the native population of humans, but not from the Priest Kings and their agents. We have the technology to make your life very uncomfortable, if not destroy you. If that happens, then Lois Lane will remain a slave and Princess Diana of Themyscira will eventually be hunted down and neutralized. If Wonder Woman is lucky she will simply be killed and brought to the Sardar to be dissected. If she is unlucky, she will fall back into the hands of Lurius of Jad. You don't want to think of her fate if that happens."
Superman answered, "You are right about one thing. Your Priest Kings do have technology to make my life incredibly painful, if not destroy me. They made that abundantly clear more than once to dissuade me earlier from coming to Gor. So you'll understand if I don't want their flunky tagging along, keeping taps on me." "Their flunky could also run interference for you. I am not your enemy!" exclaimed Mulkar. Superman asked, "If there came a time when my being on Gor again interfered with the plans of the Priest Kings, then where would your loyalties lie? What would you do then? Would you help direct that magnificent technology against me, or would you continue to run interference for me? Don't bother to answer. I would not believe you if you said you would continue to help." Mulkar answered, "I just want to help!"
"You will understand if I say this all seems a little too convenient; Lois being abducted just when Wonder Woman supposedly needs me, and now the Priest Kings allowing me to come to Gor, out of the goodness of their multiple hearts, so I can save the woman that you yourself claim they are hunting down with all the advanced technology that could be used against me."
"Then why are you coming?"
"Because you are right about one thing and may be right about another; Lois does need me and Wonder Woman may need me also."
"But you will still stick to your word? You will make no effort to disrupt Gorean Society more than absolutely necessary to the mission? You will make no obvious use of your powers, if at all? I beg you to use them sparingly. It would be ideal if you used them not at all. If the Priest Kings hear about a man who can fly, or whom swords and crossbow bolts bounce off of, they will take action to eliminate the source of the rumors."
"As Clark Kent I have lived as a normal human most of my life. Being Superman is only a sideline. I should have little problem in that regard."
"Have you come up with a good cover story?" Mulkar inquired. "I would strongly advise you not to go as a warrior. Sometimes warriors get poked with pointed objects. It would raise embarrassing questions when you did not bleed or die." Superman answered, "I plan to travel about as Clark of Kent, mild-mannered wandering scribe. Does that satisfy you?" "That should be adequate." Mulkar commented. Superman asked, "I still do not understand why Kara has to accompany me as my slave. Why can't she be my assistant or my traveling companion?"
"She will be both as your slave. Slaves serve their masters in all sorts of ways, as their assistants in their work, as their companions, and as their beasts of burden."
Superman snorted, "I certainly do not need a beast of burden."
Mulkar refuted him at length:
"That 's where you are going wrong. This sort of thing is what I am talking about. If you carry too great of a burden yourself you will draw notice. You can't use a cart hooked up to a bosk or a sleen. They are not like horses on Earth. It would be best that you share the burden of your gear and supplies with another human, such as a slave."
If Kara is traveling as a free woman she cannot help you with your bundles. A free woman carrying a bundle all over Gor would draw attention to herself. A free woman just accompanying an iterant scribe all over Gor would also draw attention. But a slave helping with her master's burdens would seem quite natural.
Besides all, Kara does not act like a free woman. She does not move like a free woman. She hasn't the manners or attitudes of a free woman. I guarantee you that when Gorean people look at her, even under robes of concealment, they will not see a brutalized cousin. Just as I do, they will see an alive and vibrant slave girl following the Master she has loved and adored nearly all her life."
He paused at Superman's reaction, then continued,
"You may not believe it, but she HAS idolized you all of her life. She now sees you as the master she dreams of. While you see her only as a crushed woman, needing your pity, one who waits to be reformed into the image of the girl she once was, she is actually a capable, confident, and immensely talented woman who only wishes to serve and aide you. Becoming your slave is her fondest wish."
Superman answered, "You know what Bernard Shaw said about wishes. There is only one thing worse than not getting your fondest wish and that is getting it." Mulkar answered, "Keep that in mind while you are on Gor!"
Pikachu woke up in Rollo's arms. She looked up to see Rollo smiling down at her. He teased, "My little Vulo is awake." "Yes she is, Master!" answered the girl as she snuggled deeper into Rollo's arms. She had spent the night blissfully being held just this same way. She continued to lay her head against his chest, listening to his comforting heartbeat.
She had acquired her new name early in the evening, after she had told some stories about Pokemon episodes she remembered. She kept trying to remind her audience that Pikachu was a magical mouse-like creature and was Ash's closest companion and friend. But she realized that the audience was having a hard time visualizing that concept. They seemed much more reassured when she changed the story and Pikachu become Ash's magical slave girl. That they could relate to. Of course Ash and Misty became older. It would not do to have a ten year-old children owning stables of slave girls.
Some wanted even more changes. They insisted that Misty also become Ash's slave. But Mouse insisted that in this land humans could not be slaves, only Pokemon. That made some sense to the crowd, by that time it had become a crowd. Many of them could not understand a word she was saying in that she was speaking English, which was a language they did not understand. Yet there was general if nervous agreement that this had some sort of logic. Since Misty owned Pokemon herself she could not be a slave girl.
Rollo asked for Mouse to tell a story about how Misty becomes a Pokemon so that Ash could own her also. Mouse assured him she would think about it. Rollo was quite confused about Brock's desire for a girl friend. Mouse reminded him that in the original stories, Pokemon were magical little creatures and not slave girls. In the original stories you could not have sex with them. He countered that now that the Pokemon were slave girls the problem was solved and so there was no reason for Brock to be moping around. That led Mouse to ask, "Master, have you not ever had a girl friend, a free woman that you loved?"
Rollo confessed that he loved his mother and his sisters, but he thought that was not the love that she was talking about. He had to confess that he was distinctly uncomfortable around free women and was confused as to how someone could or would want to love a free woman who was not his relative.
Arbus explained to Pikachu that most free companionships were political or economic relationships and not matches of love. The concept of romantic love was largely foreign to most Goreans, except for the occasional deep affection that might that might develop between a master and his slave.
Mouse asked Arbus, "Master, have you never loved anyone in such a way?" There was an uncomfortable silence as the men of the slavers house remembered the spectacular Kafka, and then Arbus got up and said, "I have enjoyed your children's stories. You have a gift. Goodbye, our little Pikachu." "Pikachu?" the girl asked, confused. Arbus answered, "Yes, that will be your slave name. You are Pikachu until your owner says otherwise." Then he added, "Don't worry, little Pikachu, we will find your Ash for you, you can serve him and he can protect you." She said, "Master, Pikachu does not need protection. If anything, she protects her master!" He answered, "Not on Gor. Slave girls do not protect their masters, least of all you." Then he walked away.
Soon others walked away as well, so that Pikachu was alone with Rollo. She continued to tell him stories, for he seemed to enjoy those most of all. All the while, he gently rocked and cradled her until she eventually fell asleep in his arms.
Now she looked up at him with a contented smiled. It felt like being back in her Daddy's wonderful safe arms. The giant Viking continued to hold her, until at last Arbus walked up.
He warned, "Don't think you are special, Pikachu. You will be worked hard, harder than most slaves, because you are a kettle girl in a slaver's house and there are many pots and bowls to be cleaned here." Then he threw her a small leathery slave tunic. It was an old garment, which showed signs of being well-worn**. "Here," he said,** "wear this."
Reluctantly, she slid out of the embrace of Rollo's arms and slid the garment over her head. It was quite brief. It stopped very high on her thighs and left a quite a lot of cleavage showing. Her Pikachu tattoo was clearly visible. It was soft and clingy to the touch. It was tight upon her body but did not confine her. It felt wonderful to Pikachu to move in such a garment. As she moved, it seemed to tickle every nerve ending the garment came in contact with, giving her body a gentle pleasure it had never felt before.
Arbus commanded, "Run down the hallway to Sylvia. It is time for your branding and for you to start learning Gorean." She looked over her shoulder, frightened. "Branding?" she asked. He answered, "Of course, did you think that you would be treated any different than any other slave? We will work you, train you and, when we can make a profit off you, you will be sold." "Yes Master!" she answered, weeping, when she ran down the hallway. Rollo asked, "Was that necessary? She seems to have so little joy in life." Arbus answered, "I am being kind to her. No matter what the circumstances that brought her to Gor, she is now a barbarian kajira. In the end, it will do her no good to be treated as anything else."
"If so, why did you give her that tunic? If my eyes did not deceive me that was Sylvia's favorite tonic until you bought her a replacement. It was made of the soft furs of the vulo, especially treated to make it feel lush and decadent. I certainly enjoyed sliding against it those times that I had Sylvia and she was wearing it. I can only imagine what it feels like to be wrapped in one of those garments."
Arbus answered, "It's an old rag. Sylvia has a replacement. Besides, it should be therapeutic for Pikachu. Perhaps if we can get her to feel joy at being touched, we can sell her without taking too much of a loss." Rollo answered, "She seemed to enjoy my embrace."
"Rollo, you are far too wise and kind. Most Gorean masters are not going to be satisfied with cradling her as if she was a child. Before long they are going to demand that she yield as a slave girl."
"What if she is never ready to accept that embrace?"
Arbus thought about it for a moment and answered, "Well, I don't know. For the time being I am patient. Maybe it will not matter. I do plan to find her Ash. With luck, he will not care."
"Could she not become a permanent slave of our house, like Eta, Sylvia, or the Urbrinas? We could use a well-trained kettle slave who likes to tell stories. You yourself said that a good story is a rare find."
"Rollo, it is not a good idea to get too attached to a slave. Someday her Ash will come along and you would be left heartbroken. In the end, they are just animals to us, to be bought and sold, and used as we please, nothing else. If you start thinking of them as anything more, your days as a successful slaver are numbered."
Verna had indeed proved glad for the opportunity to escape. Like Diana she had no more taste for being a man's showpiece than his sex toy. Though it had been more than a decade, Verna held out the hope that she might one day discover the whereabouts of Marlenus of Ar and reunite with the man who had conquered her heart and body.
Verna was 8327 years old, the majority of men, however muscular or virile they might be, seemed like children to her. At roughly 7500 years old, Marlenus was the oldest and strongest-willed man Verna had ever had dealings with. It made Verna's blood sing and her knees weak just to be in the great conqueror's presence. Before she departed, Verna said something to Diana about finding a way to visit the mountain city of Treve.
The men on the warship did not note Verna's absence because Diana visited each man with her golden submission rope on the evening of Verna's escape. Now Firnax's men believe that they had come to the Northern Forests in search of Verna only to learn from dozens of captured panther girls that she had left for parts unknown. Deprived of their original prey, they had captured the notorious Larl Woman and thus learned of Lurius of Jad's deceit and dishonor. All considered their mission very much a success.
* * * *
Besides Pikachu, only one other girl in the room was clothed. She wore a diaphanous silken slave chaka of a turquoise shade of green. She had carefully placed a bowl in front of each of the new slave girls. But none of the girl's attention was on the empty bowl. Instead, each of the girl's attention was focused on the brazier heating irons and the branding rack in the corner of the room.
Eta attempted to ignore the brazier and the branding rack, but she was all too familiar with its use. It was not much time ago that she had felt the kiss of the branding iron marking her as a slave. Before that, she had been a prominent member of the Caste of Physicians, taking her daughter to the Fair at the Sardar. People were expected to attend one of the fairs, at least once in their lives. In that way every woman has to, at least once, expose themselves to the danger of slavery without the wall and Home Stone of their city to protect them. It was not much of a risk. The caravans were well guarded and only a tiny percentage, much less than one percent, was ever taken.
But the foolish free woman who was now Eta the kajira had made the mistake of starting up a friendship with Arbus and Rollo. The pair of slavers was going to the fair to sell some of their wares and perhaps pick up some good prospects. The four greats Fairs on the Sardar Plain were good neutral times and places for slavers from all over Gor to meet and discuss matters of mutual concern. Even slavers like to 'talk shop.'
Arbus was quickly taken with the intelligent, articulate, and charming woman, who was not afraid to be flirtatious. Eta had not been like most of the cold and distant free women that he knew. What he could see of her olive skin tone he found enticing. Arbus quickly recognized the advantages of owning a slave who had been of the Caste of Physicians. One day she came into his tent and did not emerge until she had been branded and legally made his slave. She bore a new name, Eta. Given that they were of different cities and thus did not share the same home stone there were no legal problems. Most people agreed that she brought it on herself by acting too much like a slave girl in the first place.
Arbus did feel sorry for her daughter, though. He arranged that a sale price for her mother was delivered to the daughter, which everybody agreed was generous indeed. Arbus hoped that she made it back to her home city safely and did not suffer the same fate as her mother. But whether the girl did or did not was of minor concern to Arbus. He had what he wanted.
Eta adapted quickly to her new condition. Gorean women were conditioned from birth with what would be expected of them if they should fall into slavery. Arbus allowed her to continue to practice her profession within the city of Ar itself, at least when her services were not needed for members of the house of Arbus.
This morning, though, her services would be needed within the house itself. She had spent the early morning ministering to Sylvia. She assured Arbus that no permanent damage had been done to his First Girl. She applied some salve to Sylvia's bruises and recommended to Arbus that he allow the slave to take it easy for a day or two.
Sylvia would have none of it. The First Girl of the house had duties to perform. Arbus reminded her curtly that she was first and foremost a slave girl, and she would do what he told her to do. She relented, but was clearly unhappy at being babied; she was one hundred and seventy two years old, after all. At that moment, cradled in Arbus's arms, she was clearly more annoyed than comforted.
Eta knelt in front of Lois. She carefully measured and then poured a portion of bluish serum into the bowl. She smiled at Lois reassuringly and gestured that Lois was to drink the liquid.
Lois asked, "What is it?"
In an expressionless voice, Sylvia answered thoroughly.
"It is a language serum developed by the Caste of Physicians. It will stimulate a part of your brain for about ten hands of days. It is the part of the brain that children use to master language. Children are much more adapt at learning language than adults because adults use the wrong part of their brains for the task. The serum will enable you to pick out and master words and phrases more efficiently.
By the time the effect of the serum wears off you should understand at least the basic fundamentals of Gorean. You may always speak with an accent. But most masters find that interesting in their girls. This is the last time anybody in this house will converse with you in your native tongue. If you are found speaking any other tongue than Gorean after this you will be severely whipped. Do you understand?"
Lois involuntarily shivered. She well knew what Sylvia spoke of. She had felt the whip in the warehouse and all the girls except Mouse had been forced to watch Cricket's punishment for her disobedience the day before. She lifted the bowl to her mouth. She let her tongue slide through her lips to taste the fluid. She was surprised. It tasted surprisingly inviting and refreshing. She allowed the fluid slid down her gullet. She began to feel truly alive. Sylvia ordered, "Now, lick the bowl clean." Lois answered, "Yes Mistress." in Gorean. All the girls had been taught some simple phrases in their new tongue. Satisfied, Arbus, Eta, and Sylvia moved onto the next girl. The procedure was done again, including the commands made by Sylvia, though every girl in the room heard them in the first place. By the time the group had come to Pikachu they had almost memorized the speech. But when Sylvia looked down at her she said something different. She commented, "You are looking remarkably stylish for a kettle girl. I was wondering where my old rag of a tunic went to." Pikachu grabbed the hem of the garment to take it off. "I am sorry, Mistress. I will take it off." But before she could do so Sylvia answered**, "Don't bother. It looks good on you." Then she said,** "You know the spiel. Drink up." Pikachu did as she was told, licked the bowl clean and placed it before her. Now only Cricket was left. She watched Eta take out a different container and pour a different liquid into her bowl. She looked up at the trio, frightened and confused. In the most submission tone she could managed she inquired "May Cricket speak?" "Yes," answered Arbus, "but make it brief."
"Why am I not being given the language serum?"
"You are a Pony slave now. Pony slaves do not need to know how to speak Gorean. All they need to know are a few brief commands and the pull of the reins on their bridle. That serum would be wasted on the likes of you." answered Arbus. "Master, what does this serum do?" begged Cricket. Sylvia answered, "It merely modifies your language sense and voice box so that you will no longer be able to make human sounds. You will now only make the sound of the animal that you now are. She screamed in horror**. "Please Master!" she begged**. "Not this, anything but this!"
Arbus and Sylvia were stone-faced. Only Eta showed emotion. She smiled and gestured with her hands to drink up.
Cricket refused to move. She cried, "I will do anything!" Give me to anybody. Give me to Martin, anything but this." But Sylvia answered, "But silly little pony; pony slaves aren't his type. Now drink up, lest we have to force feed you. I guarantee you will not like that. I speak from painful experience."
Slowly Cricket lifted the vile concoction to her mouth. She closed her eyes and started to drink it down. Suddenly her tongue and throat started to tingle and then grow numb. Surprised, Cricket let go of the bowl but Eta was there to catch it; not a drop was spilled. Soon the bowl was empty. Cricket became woozy. Then her body slipped to the floor in a faint.
A very short time later, Cricket came to. She looked up at Eta. The physician slave had a reassuring smile on her face, as if to tell her that everything was all right. Cricket opened her mouth to ask, 'What just happened to me?' But to her surprise all that came out was a sound roughly approximating a whinny. She tried to scream but all she could do was make a louder whinny. She tried many different times to articulate some sort of different sound, but no matter what the horrified girl tried it all came out as a whinny. She sank to the floor, crying. Suddenly, the prospect of being branded did not seem so bad to the rest of the girls. Lois said nothing as she was led to the branding rack. As she was being strapped in, Arbus warned her, "You had better scream. The branding iron will remain pressed to your skin until you do. Some particularly stubborn girls allow themselves to be burned to the bone before they allow themselves to scream." "Why are you telling me this?" demanded Lois.
Because you are just the sort of stubborn bosk that would do such a thing."
"Do it!" she spat out angrily. Arbus pressed the iron into her thigh. It was the common kajira mark. Lois screamed a little too quickly, Arbus thought. It was if she was mocking his warning. But he was satisfied. He did not want to burn her to the bone.
The brandings went quickly. None of the girls struggled too hard. The fight had long been taken out of them. Pikachu made a slight "yeep" when it was her turn. Outside of that she showed not much emotion. She figured she had suffered much worse already. The pain was agonizing, but that faded to just a memory fairly quickly. Pikachu's brand was in the shape of a delicate flower wrapped in thorns.
At last there was only Cricket. She was led to the branding rack. As she took her first step she felt the switch on her thigh. Sylvia hissed, in English, "High-step you fool. You are a pony now, act like one. You know how a pony walks." Cricket high-stepped the rest of the way to the branding rack. She was strapped in, belly-down. She felt the press of the iron on her left butt cheek. It was a large circular brand, the brand that Goreans were told was appropriate for one of her stature. She screamed a loud whinny as it was pressed into her flesh. Afterwards, the sobbing girl was lead back to her position. Then Arbus put down Sylvia. He stepped in front of the weeping slave girls. "There is one last order of business. You have been warned not to speak your native tongue even to our staff. Yet two people in this room blatantly ignored those warnings." "Sylvia!" gasped Lois. Arbus stated, "Your concern for Sylvia is unfounded. She spoke to Cricket. The warning was never given to her. The two that are to be punished are you and I. I, for the warning I gave you when you were branded and the talk I am giving now. You, because you answered back." He walked over to the wall. He threw Rollo two whips. He said, "The tharlarion whip is to be used on me. The slave whip is to be used on Lois." He slid his tunic over his head. He walked over to the whipping post. With his two hands he grasped the ring. He admonished Rollo, "Don't hold back!" His body shuddered with the first blow, which left a bloody stripe where the whip fell. On the tenth blow a tear ran down his eye. He looked at Lois, winked and said, "Don't worry, this time you don't have to scream if you don't want to."
The saucer had landed. The pair made ready to leave. Both were dressed in the blue of the Scribes but the blonde slave girl wore a very brief tunic, with a plunging neckline, suitable for her station. Both had bundles on their backs. The male had at first insisted that he carry the larger one, Mulkar insisted that his partner should be the one to carry it.
Quietly Scully approached the pair. She fell to her knees and said, "Master, may I speak frankly with you?" He answered, "Of course Barbara, you know that you always can with me. We are old friends."
She did not correct him on her name. He always called her Barbara and it was not a slave's prerogative to correct a free man as to what he called her.
She asked, "Will you find it in your heart to allow my Master to accompany you on your quest? It would mean so much for him. He idolizes you. There is no one he looks up to more than you." He answered, "Barbara, you know that there is no way I am going to let that bastard come near me after what he did to you and Kara." Scully answered, "Actually it was the bad guys that are responsible of Kara's condition. Bruce, Selina, a team of slavers, and dozens of different Gorean men are responsible for mine." "THAT IS IMMATERIAL!" screamed Clark. "I see little difference between Goreans, whether they work for the Priest Kings, the Kurri, or themselves. As for Bruce and Selina, they will have to answer for what they did to you when I get back."
"Forgive Bruce and Selina. I have. As to Goreans, remember this: they are not all the same. There is much difference in them. Allow yourself to see that, please!"
"Barbara, if you want to come along, you can. But I will not allow you to bring your boy friend."
Scully answered, "Master, You know that is impossible, not without his permission, and he is not going to give it." He answered, "Then you know you can't come along." She answered back, "Then God-speed to you, Master. I hope we meet again soon." He answered back. "I wish you the same, Barbara. And we will meet again when this is all over. You will see." Scully did not answer back; she just watched them depart in silence. Mulkar walked up to her and said, "You should watch what you say about God, my kajira. We are on Gor again. If an initiate heard you utter that expression he could have you boiled alive." She looked up at him and said, "So you heard. It is just an expression. I stopped believing in God long ago."
"Then you had better hope that the initiate believes you. I would hate to have you martyred for beliefs you did not really hold. "
Scully answered, "I will strive to be more careful, Master!" They watched the pair disappear over the horizon without further words. At last Scully broke the silence. "Are they are going to be all right? I mean, neither of them can read Gorean, after all." He answered, "Of course they read Gorean. There are scribes. Clark was a reporter!" He paused and exclaimed, "Oh my God! How could I have been so stupid? How could both of us have been so stupid? We spend days discussing what he would need for his adventure and it occurred to neither of us whether either of them could read. I just assumed that he could and he probably assumed that Kara could read. She is quite fluent in a Gorean customs and language." Scully interjected, "But Goreans almost never teach their barbarian slaves how to read." Mulkar asked, "Are you sure that Kara does not know how to read?" Scully answered, "I do not think she can, Master. I am pretty sure she does not."
"Why didn't you mention this before? It was kind of important."
"I just thought of it myself."
"That tears it. No matter what he says, we have got to go along. Now they need us for sure."
It changes nothing, you know that Master. You know he still will not let you come along."
"He has to now! There is no other way!"
"Master, there is another way. I don't know what it is, but he will find it. I know him. He is an intelligent and resourceful man, especially when his back is up against the wall."
Mulkar exclaimed, "For such an intelligent and resourceful man, why does he have to be bosk-headed stupid on matters about Gor?"
"It is his nature, Master! That is why we can't go."
Mulkar snapped, "I don't care what he says. We are going. This time I will make him listen to reason."
"Master, may I tell you a fable of Earth?"
"Make it quick, we got packing to do!"
Scully began to recite the story of the frog and the scorpion:
There was this scorpion and he came across this river that he needs to cross. He searched and searched for a way across but he could not find it. At last he came upon a frog and asked the frog if frog could carry him across. The frog answered, "Do you think me insane. You will sting me and I will die."
The scorpion assured him, "But if I stung you and you died, then I surely would drown." You have nothing to worry about." The frog relented and allowed the scorpion to ride on his back across the river. Half way across the scorpion stung the Frog. Before he died the frog asked the scorpion, "Why did you sting me? Now we will both surely perish!"
The scorpion answered, "I am sorry. I could not help myself. It is in my nature." Superman is facing a wide river that he must find a way to cross. You could help him but some time along the way he will sting you. Then you will die. Superman will die, Kara will die, I will die, Diana will die, and Lois will be forever a slave. He cannot help but sting you, Master; it is in his nature." Mulkar stared at the dark horizon for a long time and then muttered, "God-speed, Superman."