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- No, it's not Catwoman Part 2. (sorry!) This time it's a science
- fictional setting of my own creation, with characters of my own.
- The story is told in four parts, which I will post separately. It is
- important that they be read in order... so if they come out backwards
- at your end, try and go through 1,2,3,4... *And thanks to Elf for
- convincing me to post it.*
-
-
- Telepaths Don't Need Safewords
-
- by cecilia tan
- copyright by cecilia m. tan
-
- @BEGIN_FILE_ID.DIZ
- Part One of Four: The Arrival@END_FILE_ID.DIZ
-
-
- Arshan tugged on the leash and gave me a bare-toothed
- smile, insistent and yet as catty as if he had winked. I
- replied with a sullen look, half a sneer really, saying with
- the look what I thought -- You know how much I hate this
- leash and you know how much I love this scene. He dangled
- the leash over his shoulder, leading me across an open plaza
- toward the Hall. I kept my eyes down, not out of submission
- but to keep an eye on his feet. Arshan stands about 6'4".
- With the leash over his shoulder, I didn't have much room to
- avoid his long legs. I may have been playing the slave, but
- the last thing I wanted was to look like a klutz. I could
- feel him smiling.
- At the door we exchanged looks again, and he thought, *It's
- been a while.*
- *I know. But I'm up for it if you are,* I assured him,
- making a last mental check on our costumes. He carried no
- weapon, no instrument, no tool, save pieces of his costume
- which had more than one use. We'd worked hard perfecting it,
- the belts, the waist length cape, the boots. His colors, as
- always, were black and dark green. My own costume had less
- elements--a basic black halter stretched over my breasts and
- black dancers' tights came to mid-calf. Oh, and the leash.
- Barefoot, I believe in traveling light. I draped myself
- against him as he presented our pass to the door man. We
- donned simple eyemasks, and proceeded down the carpeted
- hallway. *Think people will remember us?*
-
- The Hall's inside ceiling is about fifty feet high, I
- think, perhaps higher, with one long wall made entirely of
- glass, overlooking the Galdarin River. Balconies dot the
- opposite wall, and crystals and lights and chandeliers
- everywhere. Arshan made his way straight for Cleopatra, one
- of our old friends.
- She dripped with black beads, completely covered, and yet
- not covered at all by a complex network of beaded strands,
- hanging in long wings from her arms, and cascading down her
- back from her black hair. She turned from the conversation
- when she saw us, throwing up her hands and kissing Arshan on
- the cheek. "Arshan! You've arrived! We've missed you, you know.
- And you, Mriah." she added, turning to me. "It got very dull here
- for a while." She sighed, fluttering her eyelids. I love
- Cleo's act. And she loves ours.
- Arshan smiled. "It's good to be back."
- "Easy for you to say," I said, tossing my head.
- He turned on me, shortening up the leash and speaking
- harshly. "I am trying to converse with the Lady Cleopatra.
- Now, will you be quiet or will I have to cut your tongue
- out?"
- I gave no answer at all except to nod my head toward Cleo.
- She smiled. "As I said, it was getting very dull around
- here."
-
- (part two coming your way!)
- --
-