Read Online Legion Of The Damned - 01 - Legion of the Damned by William C. Dietz - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: William C. Dietz
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planet named Providence, was repulsed by what she saw. Another part, the part that had driven her off-planet to look for adventure, was titillated. What would it feel like to take her clothes off and roll around on the floor with a perfect stranger?
Damned uncomfortable, she decided, eyeing one such couple and sidestepping another.
She made eye contact with Chien-Chu. “Has it always been like this?”
“Like what?” Chien-Chu asked distractedly. His mind had been elsewhere.
“Like this,” Mosby said, gesturing towards the rest of the guests. “I’ve been to some wild places, and even wilder night spots, but this puts most of them to shame.”
Chien-Chu shifted mental gears. He’d forgotten that Mosby had spent the last two years on Algeron and was therefore unused to the debauchery currently in fashion.
“No, it’s rather recent, actually. It started about six months ago when the Emperor made love to Senator Watanabe during the opening performance of the Imperial Opera. The whole thing took place in his box, but the cheaper seats could see in, and half the people present had opera glasses. The critics said he was marvelous. It’s been like this ever since.”
Mosby laughed. She was having a good time. Chien-Chu was charming and, if the Emperor lived up to even half of his reputation, would be interesting as well. She couldn’t wait to meet him.
“Where is the Emperor anyway? Will he arrive soon?”
Chien-Chu shrugged and guided her towards the far end of an enormous buffet table. Mosby had presented him with a choice. He could be honest, and tell her that the Emperor spent a lot of his time conversing with people no one else could see, or he could play it safe, and say something less risky. The second choice seemed better.
“The Emperor’s a busy man ... it’s hard to say when he’ll arrive. Here ... try some of this lab-grown beef ... it looks quite good.”
Mosby liked food and was quickly overcome by both the quality and the quantity of the feast spread before her. Lights had been positioned to illuminate the Emperor’s offerings and they were generous indeed. She saw the beef that Chien-Chu had mentioned, ham, two or three kinds of fowl, alien flesh from something called a “snooter,” several varieties of fish, vegetables, great bowls of fresh hydroponically grown fruit, and enough baked goods to feed a company of legionnaires for a week.
Mosby’s plate was quite full by the time that she reached the far end of the table and required both hands to hold it. Chien-Chu brushed her elbow.
“Shall we find a place to sit?”
“Let’s,” Mosby agreed. “How about that side room over there?”
Chien-Chu looked in the direction of her nod. “Are you sure? The blue room gets pretty raunchy sometimes.”
Mosby smiled. “Excellent. After two years on Algeron ‘raunchy’ sounds good.”
Chien-Chu shrugged and followed her across the floor. The door was open and a servant found them seats towards the back of a packed room. It was dark, and that plus some carefully placed spotlights served to keep all eyes focused on the impromptu stage.
Standing towards the center of the stage, just removing the last of her clothing, was a beautiful woman. She was twenty-five or thirty, with black kinky hair and the body of an athlete, or a dancer, for there was discipline in the way that she moved. Her breasts were small and firm, her waist was narrow, and her legs were long and slender.
But there was something else, something Chien-Chu couldn’t quite put a finger on, something that disturbed him. What was it? A pallor about her face? A tremor in her hands?
Yes, in spite of her attempts to appear serene, the woman was frightened. Why?
The woman stepped into a shower stall. It gleamed under the lights. Everything, even the plumbing, was transparent, allowing the audience to see every move she made.
The woman started the water, allowed it to cascade over her head, and began a long, leisurely
Damned uncomfortable, she decided, eyeing one such couple and sidestepping another.
She made eye contact with Chien-Chu. “Has it always been like this?”
“Like what?” Chien-Chu asked distractedly. His mind had been elsewhere.
“Like this,” Mosby said, gesturing towards the rest of the guests. “I’ve been to some wild places, and even wilder night spots, but this puts most of them to shame.”
Chien-Chu shifted mental gears. He’d forgotten that Mosby had spent the last two years on Algeron and was therefore unused to the debauchery currently in fashion.
“No, it’s rather recent, actually. It started about six months ago when the Emperor made love to Senator Watanabe during the opening performance of the Imperial Opera. The whole thing took place in his box, but the cheaper seats could see in, and half the people present had opera glasses. The critics said he was marvelous. It’s been like this ever since.”
Mosby laughed. She was having a good time. Chien-Chu was charming and, if the Emperor lived up to even half of his reputation, would be interesting as well. She couldn’t wait to meet him.
“Where is the Emperor anyway? Will he arrive soon?”
Chien-Chu shrugged and guided her towards the far end of an enormous buffet table. Mosby had presented him with a choice. He could be honest, and tell her that the Emperor spent a lot of his time conversing with people no one else could see, or he could play it safe, and say something less risky. The second choice seemed better.
“The Emperor’s a busy man ... it’s hard to say when he’ll arrive. Here ... try some of this lab-grown beef ... it looks quite good.”
Mosby liked food and was quickly overcome by both the quality and the quantity of the feast spread before her. Lights had been positioned to illuminate the Emperor’s offerings and they were generous indeed. She saw the beef that Chien-Chu had mentioned, ham, two or three kinds of fowl, alien flesh from something called a “snooter,” several varieties of fish, vegetables, great bowls of fresh hydroponically grown fruit, and enough baked goods to feed a company of legionnaires for a week.
Mosby’s plate was quite full by the time that she reached the far end of the table and required both hands to hold it. Chien-Chu brushed her elbow.
“Shall we find a place to sit?”
“Let’s,” Mosby agreed. “How about that side room over there?”
Chien-Chu looked in the direction of her nod. “Are you sure? The blue room gets pretty raunchy sometimes.”
Mosby smiled. “Excellent. After two years on Algeron ‘raunchy’ sounds good.”
Chien-Chu shrugged and followed her across the floor. The door was open and a servant found them seats towards the back of a packed room. It was dark, and that plus some carefully placed spotlights served to keep all eyes focused on the impromptu stage.
Standing towards the center of the stage, just removing the last of her clothing, was a beautiful woman. She was twenty-five or thirty, with black kinky hair and the body of an athlete, or a dancer, for there was discipline in the way that she moved. Her breasts were small and firm, her waist was narrow, and her legs were long and slender.
But there was something else, something Chien-Chu couldn’t quite put a finger on, something that disturbed him. What was it? A pallor about her face? A tremor in her hands?
Yes, in spite of her attempts to appear serene, the woman was frightened. Why?
The woman stepped into a shower stall. It gleamed under the lights. Everything, even the plumbing, was transparent, allowing the audience to see every move she made.
The woman started the water, allowed it to cascade over her head, and began a long, leisurely
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