not doubt. Her feet, which had been in the mire earlier, were clean, except for some dust on the soles. On her left ankle, which seemed the place for such things, there was a chain and disk. It was similar to, but of a different construction from that which the maids in the hostel had worn. Brenner liked her chain and disk better. The chain was black-enameled, as was the lock, and the disk was larger. Indeed, he liked her better than the maid at the hostel. He was glad he had not remained at the hostel. Then he put such a horrid thought from his mind.
She looked up at him.
Brenner found the bar very hot. It was not merely that he was emotionally disturbed by the proximity of the young woman, but the temperature was objectively hot. Zards tended to like warm temperatures, even very warm temperatures, and accordingly tended to keep their dwelling areas, places of business, and such, quite warm. Even the girl, who wore almost nothing, would presumably have felt the temperature to be quite warm, perhaps even too warm.
Brenner sniffed the air. He could not place the aura, but he liked it. He had barely sensed it before. It was quite subtle.
He was not certain of its source, but he suspected it. Had he thrust his mouth and lips to the girl’s throat its source would have been clear to him.
“It is perfume,” she said. “I have a better upstairs.”
“It is a substance you put upon your body?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said.
“You are apparently intended to be found delightful by many senses,” he said.
“Yes, sir,” she said.
“I think you may go now,” said Brenner.
“Please be kind to me,” she said.
Rodriguez laughed, and she looked at him with fear.
“I have no intention of being unkind,” said Brenner.
“I am sorry!” she said. “I am sorry I behaved badly!”
“No apology is necessary,” said Brenner. “As I told you it was as much, or more, my fault than yours.”
“Please forgive me!” she said.
“No forgiveness is necessary,” said Brenner.
“I do not want to be tied naked to a post in the back yard!” she said.
“How is that done?” asked Brenner.
“My hands are tied behind my back,” she said, “and I am roped to it by the neck!”
“Excellent,” said Rodriguez.
She cast him a glance of fear, as at one who knew the handling of women.
“Barbarous,” said Brenner, disbelievingly.
“Do you want me to remove my silk?” she asked, looking up at Brenner.
The thought of seeing her so, then with only the appurtenance on her ankle, the chain, the lock, and disk, almost made Brenner scream with joy.
“No!” he said. “No!”
She looked back, fearfully, at the zard, but the creature did not look up.
“Remove the chain,” said Brenner.
“I cannot do that,” she said.
This pleased Brenner exceedingly, that she could not remove that device.
At this point the other woman, the blonde, the waitress, or whatever we might wish to call her, she who had seemed to share some secrecy with Rodriguez, emerged from the back, bearing a large tray, steaming with food.
Brenner was famished.
The blonde set the tray on one table, a serving table, and then, carefully, in a certain order, set another table. She glanced back once at the zard, but he paid her no attention. Then she gave Rodriguez a look of secretive confidence which he received impassively and declined to return. In a few moments the other table was prepared, complete with napkins, utensils, drinks, a nail wash and such. These arrangements were traditional with zards. Also, it might be mentioned that zards tended to use females of various species, including their own, for such services. It might also be mentioned that such females must in serving serve the males first and the females second. They are forbidden to do otherwise, and disagreements as to this sort of thing will elicit an invitation from the management for disgruntled patrons to depart. Zard restaurants were not common on the home world.
“Sirs,” said the blonde, turning to face them.
The table was prepared.
Rodriguez brought his glass of Heimat to the table, and Brenner followed suit, with his cooler. The girl who had been at Brenner’s feet, he noted, followed him, as though he might represent some sort of security for her, to the table. There were two rings set in the floor, one on either side of the table. These made Brenner nervous. Their purpose was not clear to him. One was a bit in front of him to his right, and the other