Prize of Gor by John Norman Page B

fantastic to you?” he asked.
    “Yes,” she said.
    “On such a planet,” he said, “presumably the dominant life forms would supervise, to some extent, the technology of human beings.”
    “I suppose so,” she said.
    “They would not wish, for example, to allow human beings to develop a weaponry which might threaten them, or to develop in such a way as to impair the viability of the planet for organic life, such things.”
    “I suppose not,” she whispered.
    At this point Tutina, carrying a tray, in her brief silk, and anklet, followed by one of the two men who had been outside, entered the room. The man behind her carried a small table, which he put down, before the older woman. Tutina, then, placed the tray on the table. On the tray, tastefully arranged, with napkins, was a plate of small pastries, a saucer and cup, some sugars and creams, some spoons, and a small pot of coffee.
    The man who had brought the table withdrew.
    Tutina regarded the older woman with hatred, unseen by the young man, as her back was to him.
    The older woman returned her stare, coldly.
    Tutina, of course, must await the consent, the signal, of the older woman.
    The older woman made her wait, for several seconds. Then she said, sweetly, “Yes, please.”
    Tutina then poured the coffee, carefully, and then replaced the small container on the tray.
    Then Tutina waited.
    “Thank you,” said the older woman, politely dismissing her.
    Tutina then backed away, gracefully, her head down, humbly. She knew that she was under the eye of the young man. The older woman smiled inwardly. She suspected that that serving, and humble withdrawal, had cost Tutina much. Tutina then knelt again, as she had before, at the side of the desk. The older woman did not neglect to look down at Tutina where she knelt, and smile upon her, sweetly.
    “One does not know the full nature or extent of the technology at the disposal of the alien life forms on such a world,” said the young man, “but it is doubtless not only powerful but sophisticated and widely ranging. For example, they may have, we might suppose, unusual, though it seems not perfect, surveillance capabilities. Should they detect a breach of one of their ordinances, say, one forbidding certain varieties of weapons to humans, it seems they are capable of imposing swift, unmistakable and effective sanctions.”
    “I do not understand any of this,” said the older woman.
    “You understand it on some level, surely,” said the young man.
    “Yes,” she admitted.
    “On such a world what do you conjecture would be the nature of human culture?” he inquired.
    “I do not know,” she whispered.
    “Please eat something,” he said.
    She looked at the plate before her. Her lower lip trembled.
    “It is perfectly all right,” he said. “It is not poisoned. It is not drugged. When we wish to drug you in the future, it will usually be done with your full awareness. A syringe will be used.”
    “Let me go,” she begged.
    “We did not bring you here to release you,” he said. “Too, you are now ours, literally ours, in a sense far fuller, far deeper, and far more perfect, than you can even begin at present to comprehend.”
    Her dismay was obvious.
    “Please,” he said.
    Under his gaze she obediently lifted one of the small pastries to her mouth, and began to eat. Then she sipped the coffee. Then, in a moment, so hungry, she began to eat voraciously. Angrily she noted Tutina regarding her, and smiling. To be sure, the desperation, the eagerness, with which she ate seemed scarcely compatible with the dignity of a Ph.D., particularly in one with a degree in gender studies.
    “On such a world,” continued the young man, “being subjected to externally imposed limitations, those of the alien life forms, for example, various limitations on weaponry, transportation and communication, human cultures would exist, and develop, and express themselves rather differently, at least in some respects, than they