A Slave's Entrance

The sun of Yriel Fen blazed overhead, its heat by degrees sapping the strength from me. The primitive dirt road I was on cut between two vast farms, ranks of indentured workers toiling at producing Yriel Fen's portion of the super-crop that fed Known Space. I could feel the intensity of their gazes upon my unclothed feminine curves, the lust in their eyes, as I shuffled past, the two Reodari guarding me keeping the workers in the fields by just being there. The large serpentine humanoids wore thick armour festooned with weaponry, all of it positioned for easy access, and their main guns were mag-locked to heavy-looking thigh-plates.

We all belonged to the same person one way or another, the planet's Veretek ruler B-Sala-Prin, and my being taken to his palace the way I was was clearly a show of power. The displaying of station for both me and the farm workers. Despite the heat I shivered in fear, trying to not imagine being given to the men whose desire was thick in the air. That fear had me scrambling to stay on my feet after a stumble, moving so quickly neither Reodari altered their pace. Or would they have stopped? Both had been on my yacht when I was taken, sticking with me ever since, but it wasn't clear if they cared enough to ensure I reached B-Sala-Prin.

The farms abruptly came to an end, an old-fashioned stone bridge fording a moat briefly replacing the road. A plasteel tower sat at its far end though, the gun emplacement at the peak possessing a clean field of view, and one of the Reodari put a restraining hand on my shoulder whilst the other stepped onto the bridge.
"Asht ar! Aasht faa maast!" I was unfamiliar with the Reodari's sibilant language but a rough-looking Human soon appeared atop the tower, the man looking down at us. "Boos Tomas' huun, sis aasht."
The combination of my being lightly shoved forward and hearing the name Tomas gave me a clue as to why I'd been snatched. Mikhail Tomas was my fiancee, the commander of a patrol squadron operating in the Border Regions, and visiting him was the only reason I'd leave the Home System.

The Human leered at me with interest and plucked a communicator from his belt, speaking rapidly into it. I heard my own name, and Mikhail's, before after a final exchange the Reodari were allowed to cross the bridge. I trudged between them, gazing at the sprawling palace in front of us with more than just a hint of trepidation. In a round tower set ahead of the main complex a large plate of metal began descending into the ground, exposing a long archway, and a berobed Human man strode from the building.
"Captain Koura. B-Sala-Prin thanks you for the delivery of Captain Tomas' beloved. Payment will be transferred to your account." A snap of fingers saw more people emerge from within the palace. "The slave is to be taken to the lord's sanctum."

I was grabbed by those summoned, a mix of Humans, bulky Kantarians, and a lone Reodari. After throwing a concealing cloak over my flesh they hustled me through the palace, never stopping until we were at the peak of the central tower. A turquoise-skinned Samayan woman, her toned body barely hidden beneath a tight bodysuit, was waiting for us, a scowl on her face.
"This is the new slave? I can't work with this."
"Why not Dru?"
The men had looked at me in confusion, unsure what she saw that they didn't, while I attempted to match the Samayan's scowl.
"Too much fat." I tried to recoil as she sharply jerked open the cloak and poked my left breast, only to find myself in the strong grip of one of the Kantarians. "And down here too. Can't train her."
"Dru'neka, my little water nymph, you don't have to train her." The berobed man had joined us and the change in Dru'neka was obvious, the woman's attitude becoming coquettish. "Merely prepare her for presentation."
"Of course mi'caan."

---

Hours seemed to flash past while I was confined within the sanctum. I shared the circular room with three other women, all Humans, who were seemingly content with being property. Dru'neka was teaching them dance moves, some lascivious routine designed only to entice, but I was leashed to a pillar, forced into idleness and ignored. That rest let me recover my physical energy. The collar sitting snugly around my neck, on the other hand, was a drain on my mentality, its weight another imposition of my new status.

The sound of a gong bought Dru'neka's lessons to an end, the Samayan moving towards me with one of the other slaves in tow.
"Ugly girl will behave?"
I watched her partially remove a key from a pouch, waiting for a response, and finally nodded. With a quick step Dru'neka removed my cloak, hurling it aside, and detached the leash from my collar. Again she scowled upon looking at my curves but turned to the slave, shooting off a series of instructions. After a moment the slave returned with two scraps of black fabric, placing them at my feet when Dru'neka nodded in approval.
"These?" The scraps were garments barely large enough to cover anything and I made no move to take them. "Is there nothing else?"
"Behave!"
Dru'neka's voice had risen in anger, the Samayan taking a firm hold of my arms, and we both turned as a Kantarian entered the sanctum a moment later, the imposing alien already grasping for the whip at his waist.

The sound the whip made when cracked had us freezing. The Kantarian strode forward until he was standing over me and I sank back against the pillar, Dru'neka stepping away with a smirk on her face. At her command I picked up the garments, stepping into the g-string thong and pulling the tiny amount of fabric up the long length of my legs. The top was a flimsy brassiere that opened at the front, slender straps that crossed over each other at the center of my back holding everything together.

I was virtually nude, although that was still a slight improvement, and felt myself uncontrollably blush when the Kantarian let out a snort of approval.
"Make-up. Highlight what little you have."
Dru'neka gestured at a pair of dressing tables, both already occupied by slaves, and while I waited I watched the third clothe herself in a thong and fishnet bodysuit combination. I applied only a little amount of liner to my cheekbones when I was able to use a dressing table, my choice earning a begrudging look of happiness from Dru'neka, and took a moment to look at myself in the mirror.

The black lingerie both contrasted and complimented my fair skin and raven-dark tresses and in any other setting I'd feel as sexy as sin. Here though it would be a detriment and I spun as I felt my hair get tousled, ready to snap at the one responsible. Dru'neka used my movement as an opportunity to attach a new leash to my collar, letting it dangle between my breasts, and slowly nodded before throwing my cloak over me.
"Follow. Stay near back."
As a group the five of us swept past a curtain and into the alcove it concealed, arranging ourselves to Dru'neka's instructions, and then the lift platform swiftly fell, my stomach nearly leaping into my mouth.

---

The throne room was the focal point of the entire palace, the eldest part of the whole complex. Dru'neka led us out, coming to a halt in the middle of the chamber, and dropped into a kneeling position.
"Caan."
From over her head I could see B-Sala-Prin, the octopoid alien staring at us with slightly bulging eyes set low in its head. It had an elevated pool of water as its throne, a score of tentacles draped over the barrier, and I shuddered when it seemed to turn its gaze on us, a tentacle lazily waving.
"Little nymph. There is one more of you."
Dru'neka moved to take hold of my leash as B-Sala-Prin's electronic words faded, hauling me towards the center of the throne room.
"A Reodari gift mi'caan."
"A gift!" Its eyes almost widened, the machine translation rising in pitch. "Scatter your fish little nymph. I would see this gift."
Dru'neka gestured at the other three slaves, each gracefully making their way into a different area of the throne room, before again hurling away my cloak.

I stood, in just scant lingerie, in full view of everyone, utterly alone. As Dru'neka disappeared from my side B-Sala-Prin pushed itself up and forward, drinking in the sight of me.
"Who delivered this fine specimen?"
A Reodari set aside the slave who'd been sitting on his thigh and strode to my side, placing a strong hand on my shoulder.
"I Koura. I bring aasht… gift. Is Captain Tomas' woman."
"Tomas!" Its tentacles thrashing madly B-Sala-Prin turned its attention back to me. "Bring her closer!"
Koura forcibly guided me forward until I was in reach of B-Sala-Prin's longest tentacles, the Reodari pushing me to my knees. I recoiled as a slimy appendage wrapped itself around my neck, gagging at its stench, and tried to cry out as I was painfully dragged up to the edge of the pool.

Cold eyes inspected me, ignored my struggles. There was a terrible will behind them and it took only moments before I tore away my gaze, slumped down against the barrier. I was aware of when B-Sala-Prin attached my leash to its throne, the click of the lock echoing around my head, but showed no sign of acknowledgement. It wasn't until I heard the crackling as a hologram was generated that I lifted my head, a fear of what I'd see seeping into my heart.

Mikhail's life-sized image, gloriously noble in his bearing, calmly glanced around the throne room but his composure briefly cracked when he spotted me.
"You have seen our common acquaintance." A tentacle stroked a shoulder, electronic laughter ringing out when I flinched. "There is an agreement to be made."
I could see Mikhail's fists clench, torn between duty and love.
"What exactly do you want Prin?"
"My ships will be uncontested. At all times."
"And in return my fiancee…?"
"Will have a pleasant time within my palace."
Mikhail sighed and I twisted so that I could see him properly. His gaze flicked down to meet mine, a myriad of thoughts passing between us, before he sighed again.
"I will see what I can arrange B-Sala-Prin. And you…" He looked down at me again, hints of love visible in his eyes. No, don't say anything stupid! "...I'll get you out of there Katarine."