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“Whydoes it only run once a month?”Andiasked, feeling irritated.Whatkind of service was so infrequent?
“Why, because we only got one pilot, of course,”Oo-lah said. “Itold you the males used to rule the roost—they wouldn’t let women train to fly spaceships—no way!Theonly reason we have evenonepilot is because one of the women had a husband who trained her in secret-like.She’strying to teach some others, but it’s a complicated business, from whatIhear.”
Andithought of the vast array of buttons and dials on the instrument panel of the long-range shuttle and had to agree with her.
“Allright,” she said nodding. “Iunderstand.ThenIguess…IguessIneed to find a place to stay until theMoonshuttle comes back.Arethere any hotels or motels or anything like that around here?”
“Well…GoodieTight-azz keeps a boarding house—it’s up the road apiece, across fromGoodieBo-long’s mansion, don’tcha know.ButIdon’t know if she’d take you or not.”
“Whynot?”Andiasked.Ifthis was the only place in town to stay, she needed to be accepted there.
“Well,GoodieTight-azz is aNewOrderbeliever,”GoodieOo-lah explained. “Them’sthe women who don’t believe we ought to have no procreational contact with theManimals, don’tcha know.Noteven if theManimalin question was your husband beforeTheIncident.Shewillallow for the control of yourManimalwithSweetDrops—though she prefers a control collar.Absolutelyno other intimate contact though.”
“Thatshouldn’t be a problem,”Andisaid quickly. “AsIsaid before,Cadeis my coworker, not my boyfriend or husband—Ihave no intention of having, er,intimatecontact with him.”
Asshe spoke, her cheeks got hot as she remembered how the bigKindredhad latched onto her nipple earlier, but she tried to push the memory aside.Ithad been an accident—a one time thing.Nothinglike that was ever going to happen again—she was sure of it.
“Well, if you assure her of that, shemighttake you—not with yourManimalwearing clothes though,”GoodieOo-lah said, frowning. “He’sgot to be bare—otherwise how can you tell if he’s getting riled or not before it’s too late?”
“Oh, um…”Andibit her lip.Shereallydidn’t want to take offCade’sclothing, but it was beginning to sound like she had no choice.
“Youcan get him undressed over here in one of our changing booths,”GoodieOo-lah said helpfully. “Thatway you can bring him right from my store toGoodieTight-azz’s house with no problem.”
“Shereally won’t take us unless he’s, uh, naked?”Andiasked desperately. “You’resure she won’t make an exception for off-worlders like us?Peoplewho aren’t used to your ways?”
“GoodieTight-azz make an exception?”GoodieOo-lah laughed as though the idea was ridiculous. “No, she won’t make no exception.She’svery strict, she is.Sobe sure you don’t let her catch you doing nothing you shouldn’t—she won’t stand for it.”
Andididn’t see how she could be sure she wasn’t doing something she shouldn’t when she didn’t really understand the laws or social norms ofZo’rathThreeand the conversation withGoodieOo-lah hadn’t helped a great deal.Butshe hoped that maybe if she andCadecould just stay out of sight, it wouldn’t be a problem.
“Er, thank you,” she said toGoodieOo-lah. “I’llbe careful not to do anything improper.”
“Good—then let’s get yourManimalout of them clothes.Comeon—this way.”
AndGoodieOo-lah stumped away, plunging back into the jumbled store and leavingAndito follow.
14
CADE
Cadewas confused when his female led him into a small dark booth with a cloth over the front of it.Whatwas the meaning of this place?Whywas he here?
Thenshe started unfastening the front of the fabric that was covering his chest and arms and back and pulling it off him.
Cadefelt immediate relief.Hehadn’t liked being covered in fabric—it was so constricting—but it was all fastened on him in such a way as to make it seem impossible to get it off.Nowhis mate was taking it off for him—how kind she was!
Herumbled with approval and leaned down to rub his cheek against hers.Heloved her sweet scent and the softness of her skin.
“Allright now, you don’t need to do that,” she murmured.
Cadedidn’t understand the words, but then she reached up to stroke his head in the way that he liked, so it seemed that she approved of his gesture of affection.
“Let’sget back to business,” she said after a moment. “Theseclothes aren’t going to take themselves off.”
Shepushed him gently down on a bench and pulled the heavy, long foot-covers off next.Cadewas even happier with this.Hehad been wishing to take them off from the first moment he woke up in the strange space that looked and smelled familiar but otherwise appeared strange to him.
Next, she started pulling at the stiff coverings that covered his lower half.
“I’mreally sorry about this,Cade,” she murmured, as she tugged them open. “Idon’t want to be doing this, butIhave no choice.”
