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.The two hadthen taken charge of Hans.In fact, they took very close charge of the man.Ling, with one look at hisstricken face, had settled him in an alcove in the common room and then racedoff to Latif to beg for him a bottle of forbidden alcohol.Page 109 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"Sure, why not?" the whoremaster had shrugged."You're one of my best girls.I can spare you a bottle in a worthy cause.for, let us say, fivedinar?""Don't be a pirate, Latif," Ling had answered."The stuff's worth no more thana few dirhem.""For you," Latif countered, "four dinar.""Twelve dirhem."They'd finally settled on "one dinar, five dirhem" objectively outrageous, butLing had had little alternative to be added to Ling's freedom price.Since shewas not just a slave, but a chippie and hence could never be truly free, thatseemed a small matter to her.Now, Ling and Petra poured the stuff into Hans while he poured forth hisstory."It's monstrous," he said, not merely visibly shaken but visibly shaking,despite the copious amount of unfamiliar alcohol he'd taken on."What goes ondown in that castle is just.beyond belief.they're infecting people with a disease just to see if itworks and to see if they can turn it off on command.Mostly old slaves buttoday they brought in a shipment of children.Can you imagine? Children?"A little voice in Ling's head told her, Get him to shut up.At least get himout of there.What he's talking about so freely could get you all put todeath."Come on, Petra," Ling said, as naturally as if there were no voice."We'lltake him to my quarters.This is too public."Expertly, the girls got Hans to his feet and maneuvered their way under hisarms.This was not so unfamiliar a sight in the common room that any of theother clients really paid any attention, though Ling, of course, immediatelyalerted on her contact.At least, none of the customers paid attention until Hans screamed, "Monster"and launched himself at a newly arrived customer, a tall, slender white typein clothing that screamed, "Infidel."Hamilton had remembered a picture book from his childhood, showing a fairycastle then lost behind the "Iron Veil" of theCaliphate.As a boy, the romance of the thing, the beauty in the pictures,hadn't moved him nearly so much as the crenellated battlements and towers.Thedifferences he saw in the exterior of the castle were substantial enough thathe had doubts the two images were even of the same structure.And, of course,the thing hadn't been painted in a very long time.White had changed to a dirty gray.Even the golden dome didn't really shine.It was all rather sordid and disappointing.The inside of the place was still pretty splendid, Hamilton had to admit.Better than thethatched roofs and dirt floors of Moroland, in any case.And that's evenbefore counting the hookers in.A doorman, elegantly dressed and of medium build, took Hamilton's heavy coatand asked, "How shall I sign you in, sir?""Johann De Wet, Boer Republic of South Africa," Hamilton answered.By now theuse of the false name came easily."Very good, Mineer De Wet.And may I ask, is there a particular kind of girlyou're looking for or would you prefer to look around?"Being in no particular hurry, not wanting to make himself obvious by askingfor the uniquely exotic Chinese chippie by type, and knowing Bongo could usethe time to scout out the castle, Hamilton answered, "They all look so nice.Why don't I just look around?"The doorman bobbed his head appreciatively and said, "Then, sir, I recommendthat you take a table in the common room.The girls are trained not to beaggressive this isn't that kind of place but if you see one you like just callher over.They are trained to be accommodating."Page 110 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"Thank you.I think I'll do that."There were signs, written in three languages, pointing the way.Hamiltonfollowed those.With no art, neither statuary nor paintings, to adorn the walls, Hamilton hadno reason or excuse to draw the passage out.He went directly up the broadstaircase and then proceeded on to what he would have known, from the noise,to be the common room even if the signs hadn't indicated it.Walking through the main door, Hamilton was unsurprised to see two girlscarting off an obviously drunken soldier.He recognized the uniform as beingvery similar to those worn by the guards at the other castle.He also noticedthat his contact was one of the two girls.Notwithstanding, he was immediately very taken by the other, the one on theleft, a tall and svelte blonde much to his taste.The closer she came the moreintrigued he became.She wasn't Laurie Hodge, if anything this girl wasprettier, but she could have been a close cousin, or even a sister.Thus it was that Hamilton was taken completely off guard when the uniformedsoldier screamed "Monster!" and launched himself at him.Both girls were bowled over by Hans' mad charge.By the time they managed toget to their feet Hans and the stranger were grappling on the floor, tradingineffectual punches and kicks.A couple of patrons grabbed their drinks andtheir girls and backed away from a table just in time to avoid Hans andHamilton's knocking it over on them.Latif was at the scene in an instant, accompanied by two amazingly beefyguards.These latter pulled Hans and Hamilton apart effortlessly even as Latifbellowed, "What in the one hundredth name of Allah is going on here?"Ling glided over to stand in front of Hans."He must have been fed somethingbad to drink,"she said, lifting her head defiantly.And you don't want to get in trouble forfeeding alcohol to a janissary, do you?The whoremaster nodded.No, as a matter of fact I don't.Yet this will comeout of your hide before it comes out of mine."Take him to your quarters," hecommanded Ling."And don't let him out until he's sober." To one of the guardshe said, "Assist her."Petra made as if to follow Ling until Latif held up one hand to block her.Latif glanced from the now bedraggled-looking new customer to Petra and backagain.Yes, he's interested in her.To Hamilton he said, "Would it be considered adequate recompense, sir, for theinsult you have suffered in my house if this woman is turned over to your usefor.say.a week?"Pity it isn't the chippie that he offered.Still, the two look like they worktogether so this may be useful.But be a Boer, Hamilton thought.Bargain."A week is hardly ""Two then.Surely that will assuage your honor.""Two," Hamilton agreed, with a solemn nod."And the hospitality of the house," Latif said, loudly enough for the staff tohear."Must be something serious for Latif to give out free booze," said one of thenonhooking staff to a currently unattached girl."No shit," the houri answered.InterludeKitzingen, Federal Republic of Germany, 30 June, 2006"Push," the doctor said, gently but firmly and encouragingly
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