Part 39 (1/2)

”You too.” Kor grinned and finally dropped his hand. ”I've heard so much about you-it's good to finally meet you in the flesh.”

”I guess so.” Donald looked at him awkwardly. ”I heard about you as well.”

”Yes, well...sorry about that.” Kor shrugged, his broad shoulders rolling. ”I know you probably feel like I stole Maggie away from you but I just couldn't resist her. I mean, how could I help falling in love with the most beautiful female in the galaxy?”

”Kor!” Maggie didn't know whether to laugh or scold. Kor really didn't need to lay it on so thick-poor Donald was obviously befuddled enough as it was.

”Well...” Donald tucked his crutches back into place under his arms. ”I hate to leave so soon but I'm wanted in therapy. Now that I see you're well I should be going.”

”All right.” Maggie smiled. ”I'm glad you're feeling better. And good luck on your research.”

”Thank you,” Donald said stiffly. ”I will be going on a shuttle to do some actual field work on unexplored worlds. Just as you did.” He frowned. ”Or were supposed to do, anyway.”

”Before she got sidetracked with me, right?” Kor laughed. ”Don't worry-Maggie's still going to Gaia. I'm going with her as her personal bodyguard and a.s.sistant.”

”Oh, well then...” Donald cleared his throat.

”Have fun when you go,” Kor told him. ”You never can tell what you might find out there on some distant planet. Could be the love of your life or something new and mysterious-like a fruit that wants to eat your head and tastes like a creamy crisp nut-do.”

”That's Krispy Kreme donut.” This time Maggie did laugh. ”And I'd think you could get it right by now. After all, you've inhaled several dozen since we got back to the Mother s.h.i.+p.”

”Only because you sent me to fetch them and they smelled so good I couldn't help myself,” Kor protested, going back to stand by her bed.

”That's an understatement. You liked them so much, the first few times you came back with one of those huge dozen donut boxes with only one left for me,” she complained.

”You're right-I should be careful I don't get fat.” Kor patted his muscular abs where there wasn't a spare ounce of flesh. ”You might not love me anymore.”

”That's not going to happen.” Maggie reached up for his s.h.i.+rt. ”Come here, you.”

This time it was her turn to pull Kor into a kiss but when they finally broke contact, she remembered that she was supposed to be saying goodbye to Donald. Looking at the doorway to her room, she saw that it was empty.

”Oh dear-he must have slipped away.” Maggie put a hand to her face. ”Probably he thought we were showing off to make him feel bad.”

Kor frowned. ”Weren't we?”

”You-” Maggie pretended to hit him and he dodged away, laughing.

”Just kidding, sweetheart. I forgot he was there too. Certainly is a tiny little fellow, isn't he? About the size of that slave that belonged to Lady Pope'nose-you know, the one you said couldn't carry you because of all the cuplakes you ate?”

”Cupcakes,” Maggie corrected him. ”You eat those by the dozen too-Lauren says she can't keep the chocolate coconut cream ones in stock because of you.”

”They're really good,” Kor admitted. ”But what was the name of that slave? I should remember-he was always the one she brought with her when she wanted to gloat over me.”

”I think it was Jonas. But Kor...” Maggie bit her lip and took his large hand in both of hers. ”Listen, there's something that's been bothering me-something I want to ask you.”

”What? Ask me anything,” he murmured.

”It's just...” Maggie took a deep breath. ”You never exactly told me what you did to Lady Pope'nose. You just said she got what she deserved. I mean, she was a horrible person but I just...I need to know...did you...”

”Did I kill her?” Kor asked directly.

”Exactly.” Maggie nodded earnestly. ”I mean, I would understand if you did. But I just want to know.”

Kor shook his head. ”No, I didn't kill her. I took her with me when I went to the Flesh Bazaar to find you.”

”You did?” Maggie looked at him, surprised. ”But...I never saw her anywhere.”

”You were too busy coming all over my fingers, to think about anything else, as I recall.” Kor's deep voice came out in a l.u.s.tful growl.

”Kor...” Maggie's cheeks got hot. ”Stop trying to distract me and tell me what you did to her.”

He shrugged. ”All right, I don't mind telling...I sold her.”

”You what?” Maggie looked at him wide-eyed. ”Seriously?”

He nodded gravely. ”Seriously. I'm afraid she didn't fetch a very big price-not even a fourth as much as I paid for you. Actually, it's a wonder I found anyone to buy her at all.”

”But who...who did buy her? Oh my G.o.d, is she somewhere being someone's s.e.x slave?” Maggie didn't know whether to feel horrified or delighted at the thought of the tables being turned so neatly on the nasty Lady Pope'nose.

Kor snorted. ”Hardly. In the end I had to sell her as a fresher maid because she was saying such awful things and causing such a scene n.o.body wanted her as anything else.”

Maggie frowned. ”A fresher maid? What's that?”

”You know-someone who cleans the fresher after others use it? What's your word for it-the bathroom?”

”Oh my G.o.d.” Maggie put a hand to her mouth. ”You sold her to someone who was going to make her scrub toilets?”

Kor nodded. ”The merchant who bought her owns a large all you can eat restaurant which serves Dihoria food. Unfortunately, though the cuisine is delicious, it also gives most people, ah...how do I put this nicely?” He frowned. ”Oh yes, intestinal difficulties. Meaning that almost as soon as they eat the food, they need to um, expel it.”

Maggie shook her head. ”You're kidding me-right? You have to be kidding.”

”I'm afraid not.” Kor grinned. ”He told me that he has a fresher pot-or toilet, I guess you call it-for every seat in the restaurant. Just so none of his customers have to wait. With such a large amount of usage, his freshers get pretty messy and he's constantly looking for good slaves to clean them. I a.s.sured him that Lady Pope'nose would be the perfect fresher maid-with a few modifications, of course.”

”Oh, Kor-no! You didn't tell him to give her another breast or cat whiskers or something. did you?” Maggie protested.

”Of course not. I just recommended a mute collar-so he wouldn't have to hear her complain.” Kor raised an eyebrow. ”So you see, I really did give her what she deserved. Don't you think?”

Maggie thought about it as she played with his hand, lacing their fingers together. ”I hate to say it but yes. Yes, I think you did.”

”Good. I wouldn't want you to be upset about her fate. After all, if it wasn't for Lady Pope'nose, we never would have gotten together in the first place.”

”Oh, I don't know about that.” Maggie gave a secret little smile. ”I think the G.o.ddess would have found another way to get us together. You know...oh, Kor!” she broke off.