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15

Corran Horn felt miserable. The cover story prepared for his entry into Coruscant called for him to be swathed in multiple layers of cloth—most of it oppressively heavy and hot—forming the purple and red robes he wore. The collar on the shirt he wore closest to his skin had been starched and pressed until its edge felt like a razor, especially where it pressed up against his larynx. A big, old, rounded cylinder hat crowned him while the skirts of the outermost robe dragged on the deck of the Jewel of Churba’s exclusive ultra-deck.

He kept his hands hidden in the sleeves of the robe, as he had been instructed a good Kuati telbun would do. The goal of the clothing was to render him all but genderless, and were he traveling on Kuat with Erisi, he would be considered all but invisible by the upper crust of society. On Jewel he had been a curiosity and the combined object of envy and pity.

Erisi’s appearance had been the source of envy for every male in ultra-class. She wore tight blue leggings beneath a loose blue blouse flecked with scintillating points of light that flashed gold and silver. A belt gathered the blouse at her waist, which was just as well because it had no fasteners and lay open from throat to tails. Thus, though she was fully clothed, anyone with enough intelligence to outwit a Kowakian monkey-lizard could imagine what Erisi looked like naked, and the idea of having to share a cabin with her doubtless seemed wonderful to plenty of men.

Pity came when people saw how she treated him. Erisi berated him mercilessly—on those occasions she chose to acknowledge his presence consciously. Most of the time he trailed respectfully after her, paying for things she bought, carrying things she wanted carried, picking up after her, and apologizing graciously in her wake. While her conduct was far from graceless, she appeared to draw strength from the cruelties she inflicted upon him. Theirs appeared to be a symbiotic relationship where Corran endured abuse in return for sexual favors.

In the final analysis, despite Erisi’s beauty, no one thought it was an even bargain.

Erisi tapped her foot impatiently as a stocky female Customs official wandered along from the previous docking foyer to where they waited. Erisi folded her arms and gave the woman a withering stare. At first the official hesitated, then she smiled slowly. The expression on her face all but broadcast her thoughts to Corran. She’s remembered she has the power here, at this moment, and will make Erisi pay for her disrespect.

The official glanced at her datapad. “Ris Darsk?”

Erisi nodded coldly.

“I have a travel file with the appropriate visas for you, but not for him.”

“He is Darsk Ristel.” Erisi waved her left hand dismissively. “He is there.”

“I only show one passenger.”

Erisi reached out with one finger and punched a button on the woman’s datapad. “There. Baggage.”

A scowl settled over the official’s face. “State the purpose of your visit to Imperial Center.”

“It is a private matter.”

An oily smile spilled over the scowl. “That is insufficient for our records.”

Erisi glanced at Corran, then she produced a razor-edged smile that slashed into the official’s confidence. “Mine is a pleasure journey here, though I anticipate very little of it.”

The official turned toward him. “The purpose of your visit, sir?”

Erisi answered for him. “His is a business trip.”

“Business and pleasure? Should it not be one or the other?”

Erisi shook her head slowly. “Not when my pleasure is his business. He is telbun.”

The official’s head drew back, trapping an extra chin against her throat. “Telbun?”

“Exactly. My telbun bore me here on Imperial Center so, in keeping with my family’s tradition, I have come here with this telbun to conceive.”

“To conceive? A child?”

“You understand.”

“Telbun. I see.” The official looked at Corran and he averted his eyes. “Telbun.”

Telbun were drawn from the middle classes on Kuat. They were raised and trained by their families to excel in academics, social manners,