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An Inside Job Part One - Into the Belly of the Beast

The first thing Koben was aware of was that he felt like hell. His muscles burned, and his head ached. As he struggled up from sleep, disoriented, he realized that he was thirsty, so thirsty.

He couldn't see. When he tried to raise his head, stars shot across his vision. Groggily, he tried to figure out where he was, what was going on. Why did he feel so awful? Why was it so dark? He opened his mouth, to order the lights in his room to come on, but there was something over his face, binding his jaws together.

Something stank. It smelled like a furry body kept too long in a closed space, perhaps even someone sick. There were other smells assaulting him... pain, chemicals, humans, another male wolvan, somehow familiar.

When he reached for his face, his arms seemed tangled together, trapped under his body. With a sense of growing alarm, he tried to access his headcomp.

There was no response. Nothing happened.

Finally, he remembered. The mission. He wasn't home and safe. He was undercover, trying to infiltrate a planet where his people were considered less than animals, kept as slaves. His injuries were artificially-created, his headcomp disabled.

He'd known intellectually, before being put under, back in the Indeterminate's medical bay, what was going to happen. But it hadn't prepared him for the feeling of waking somewhere strange, in the dark - battered, bruised and weak, bound and helpless.

And thirsty. So thirsty.

Koben wasn't sure whether he was still in the hands of his own disguised crewmembers, or if he'd already been passed off to his "purchasers." He realized that the other wolvan smell was his friend Zain, his companion-in-peril on this mission.

There was nothing to do for it but lay there.

Waiting.

Slowly, the young wolvan comp specialist took stock of his physical condition as best he could. He was bound hand and foot with heavy metal cuffs. There was a muzzle over his face, holding his jaws shut, but not so tightly that he couldn't open them a little bit to pant. His fingertips felt strange, and with a little exploration, he discovered - without surprise - that his claws had been trimmed down to small, rounded nubs.

As he regained muscular control, he found that he could raise himself up carefully on hands and knees, but almost immediately bumped his aching head against the roof of what proved to be a very small space. There was no room to properly stretch his pained limbs. The best he could manage was an awkward crouch.

The fur of his lower belly was reduced to a short bristle from the bottom of his sternum to his groin. His balls hurt and his penis felt swollen and sore. There was a burning, stretched feeling all about his lower quarter - the plan had called for him to be in the same state he'd been in after having been kidnapped by the sadistic gene-thief, Doctor Scrim.

Koben lay back down in the hot confines of his tiny, lightless prison, and tried to get comfortable. He realized that soft whines of misery were hissing up from the back of his throat. He consoled himself by telling himself that it was all just an act, that none of this was real, that it was all simply a ploy to get him into position to let the Fixers do an inside job on one of the ruling families of the planet Borgia.

But really, too much of it was real. His body was really depleted and injured. He actually was weak and in pain. He truly was bound and confined, and possibly already in the hands of people who weren't just posing as slavers.

His headcomp - his best tool and weapon against computer-run systems was disabled, at least for now, until it slowly repaired itself.

As much as he wished it could be, the whining wasn't as much of an act as he'd have liked. But if anyone was listening, it would make the act that much more convincing.

He reached with his bound arms to his throat, and found something smooth and flexible wrapped around it, under the ruff of fur. Some sort of collar. Since that wasn't included in the plan for the members of his crew merely posing as slavers, that might mean that he was already in enemy hands. Or not.

He reflexively tried to activate his headcomp again, to check the time, the date, and of course, nothing happened. Koben had had the thing for so long, used it so unconsciously that he kept reaching for it - and it was like reaching for something and discovering his hand was missing.

Unsure whether he was yet in enemy hands, or if he was being watched, Koben decided he'd better make a little noise. It might look suspicious if he calmly and placidly accepted waking up locked in a box - or whatever he was in, without at least putting up some sort of fuss.

He gathered his strength and lashed out with his hind feet. There was barely a sound from the wall. He tried shouting through the muzzle, but his parched and sore throat could only manage an unintelligible, rasping moan. He scrabbled against the sides of the tiny space with his cut fingernails, and flailed about. As the reality of his helplessness became obvious, it was hard for Koben to tell, himself, how much of his feigned panic was real.

It didn't take long to exhaust himself, and he slumped down in the dark again and panted. He made a few more half-hearted struggles, then painfully tried to curl into a comfortable position to rest.

--

When the young wolvan woke again, his head was pounding. The tiny dark space felt like a sauna, and his dry tongue was like sandpaper. Koben knew he was badly dehydrated. His muscles barely responded when he tried to move. He wanted desperately to lick at his injured groin, but the cramped confines, the muzzle, and his paper-dry tongue made that a losing proposition. He wasn't sure how long he laid there, in the dark, when he finally heard sounds.

Speech.

There were muffled voices, speaking accented Panlingua, coming from nearby. Getting closer.

"... the creds cleared into the account yesterday. The client's representatives will be here within the hour."

"Right. Let's get the merchandise cleaned up, tranked, and ready to go. The flunkies bringing their own equipment?"

"Yes. Make sure you get ours back. Those collars cost a fortune, but it's chump change to rich assholes like this, so they're apt to walk off with them like they're complimentary."

Koben thought he could dimly hear a set of retreating footsteps. A moment later, there was a harsh metallic banging on the walls of his prison.

"We know you're awake in there. We're opening up the cage now. You sit real still, like a good doggie, and don't act up, or you'll be all kinds of sorry. You got that?"

Koben tried to call out, "Who's there?" but the sound was nearly unintelligible. In response there was an even louder bang from the wall of the cage, and a shouted "Shut the fuck up, you shitty animal!"

A moment later, there was light, almost blinding. The young wolvan rolled partly over on his back, tail between his legs, shielding his eyes with his bound forearms. Something hard and metallic caught the bonds at his ankles, and Koben found himself roughly slid along the floor, into the glare. Shadowy shapes resolved into human figures as his eyes adjusted to the light. Koben blinked, trying to clear his vision.

"Oooo-eeeh!" one of the figures said, "Sure is a big one! They gonna put this one in the arena?"

"Probably not," the first voice answered, "Probably gonna be some rich kid's pet. They ain't gonna spend this kind of money on an animal for the arena, less it's already been trained and won a helluva lotta fights. Anyway, who cares, what they do with 'em?"

Koben saw that he'd been hooked out of a metal crate by a human wielding a long metallic pole with a hooked end. There were four humans nearby, dressed in what looked something like less-savory gray-green mercenary chic. There were devices, a couple of them recognizable as weapons, strapped to equipment belts and shoulder holsters.

All of them were of average human height, but heavily muscled, with the strange sheen to their skins that suggested cheap muscle-enhancement treatments rather than healthy exercise or genetic predisposition. All four had mousy, pale blond hair shaved to a thin fuzz_. Either related, or from a narrow gene pool_, Koben thought.

The room itself was empty except for two large crates, and what appeared to be basins and plumbing fixtures... smooth, shiny, grey walls and floor, with light issuing from glowplates covering the entire ceiling.

The man with the pole disengaged it expertly from Koben's ankle-bonds, and grinned down menacingly. The other humans stood nearby in a rough circle around the supine wolvan.

"Good, you're awake, and you've assumed the proper position," the pole-wielder said.

"I... don't... where...?" Koben croaked out, looking about in not-terribly-feigned confusion.

Pole-wielder touched a device hanging on his belt, and Koben felt red pain sizzle out from the collar around his neck, and shoot up and down his spine. Every muscle in his sore body strained and jittered at once, choking off his words into a guttural cry of agony and surprise.

A few seconds later, the pain lessened suddenly to a dull thrum, but didn't stop completely. Koben clenched his eyes shut and felt his limbs drawing in on themselves.

The human spoke again, in a deep, growly tone, "I'm just gonna leave this on a low setting while I orient you a little bit. Piss me off and I switch it back up. First off, dog-boy, you ain't at a resort. Your life, as you know it, is over now. You're merchandise, and you're about to meet your new owners. That thing on your neck is a compliance collar. It can make you go limp, or it can hurt you without bruising the merchandise, or it can do both."

Koben struggled to look up, and said, "Please... don't... I don' under.. Ah. Ah. Arr. Aargh! NnnnnGGhh! Arrraannggghhh!!!"

The agony flared through the young wolvan's body again, his tormentor's lips bent in a half-smile. Koben twitched and spasmed for a full minute, the pain so bad that sparks shot across his vision. When it finally let up, he was flat on his back, strained breaths puffing out of his bound muzzle.

"As I was saying, animal, before you so rudely interrupted, misbehave, and you'll get more of that. Misbehavior includes speaking when not told. Nod your ugly filthy head if you understand. You understand Panling, right?"

Koben made as if to open his mouth, and then slowly nodded.

"Good. You will lay still and be silent unless told otherwise. If you are told to move, or do anything, you do it. Otherwise, I can keep my thumb on this thing all day without you losing any value to the client. If I have to, I'll set it on 'limp' and we'll drag you where we want you. But none of us feel like touching your filthy carcass, so if I set it to paralyze, I'm also going to set it on 'hurt like a fuckin' gut-wound' at the same time. Got it?"

Koben forced himself to nod again.

"Good. Now, since you filthy animals don't seem to have baths on whatever filthy backwater jungle rock where you grew up pissing on trees or whatever, we're going to get you cleaned up a bit before your new owner comes to pick you up. When he arrives, you will quietly do what you are told and go with him. You aren't a free puppy any more. You're a slave. Less than that, you're an animal. Hell, you're not even that. You'd best learn to do what you're told, but that's between you and the buyer."

After this speech, the man glared down at him again, lazily stroking the little box on his belt.

One of the others pointed down, grinning, and said, "Hey, boss-man, looks like he's enjoying the attention. Maybe he wants you to give him another zap."

Koben realized that his swollen and abused penis was poking slightly out of his sheath, having been re-injured to look as if he'd only recently been let out of Scrim's collection device. The thought made him nauseous.

"Shut up, Vickers. He came from that gene-thief. They're all like that," said 'boss-man', "You keep staring at that sorta thing, someone's gonna think you're some kinda faggot animal-plonker."

Vickers just kept on grinning, but didn't say anything further.

"Go drag out the other one," the 'boss-man' said, handing the pole over to one of the other men.

Koben craned his head slowly around, and watched as the other crate slid open automatically. He could see a white-furred head and shoulders in the dark space. Zain was lying on his back, and brought up huge, manacled paws to protect his eyes from the sudden light.

The human with the pole stood back and poked it in, hooking the big wolvan's manacled wrists, and pulled hard. Zain slid a few inches, with a surprised grunt.

"This fucking thing's heavy," the man said, tugging on the hooked pole, "Gimme a hand here."

The human called Vickers picked up another, similar pole from somewhere behind the crate, and swaggered over to assist. Zain looked about in confusion, and tried to turn over on his side, but his body immediately arched in agony. One of the humans - Koben didn't see which one - had activated the compliance collar around the huge wolvan's neck. The sudden bucking of the young merc's spasming muscles nearly yanked the pole out of the hands that gripped it.

Koben found himself whining as his friend made gagging, pained sounds. After what seemed like ages, Zain finally fell back, limp and gasping for breath.

Vickers reached in with the hook-pole, snagged it into one of the heavy mag-cable bands holding Zain's muzzle over his face and head, and hauled on it. Together, the two humans dragged Zain bodily out of the cargo crate. Zain tried to grab hold of the pole hooked into the muzzle painfully hauling on his face and neck.

He got another long jolt for his troubles. Koben cringed in sympathy.

"Okay, animals," said boss-man, "I believe we've made it clear what happens to little dog boys who don't behave. Do you understand? I asked, do you understand? How do we answer, when we haven't been told to speak?"

Koben nodded, wearily, but Zain's head was trapped by the pole still hooked into his muzzle-straps. Again he writhed in pain, as the fourth human touched a device on his belt. A quick gesture from the boss, and it stopped.

"Good. Now. We're gonna turn your hands and feet loose from each other, and you're going to get up, and walk over to those cleaner units over there," the boss-man said, gesturing towards two low, bulky, cylindrical cabinets against the far wall, "Either of you piss me off, and you'll both get it."

A moment later, the heavy maglock cuffs on the wolvan's wrists and ankles released. Koben stretched his limbs painfully, and turned over on his belly, trying to get his feet under him. He wasn't quite sure he could even stand up, but didn't want to be hurt again if he could avoid it.

"You can just stay on all-fours," the leader of the vicious human-pack said, "People walk on two legs. Animals walk on four."

Koben nodded wearily. Nearby, he could see Zain struggling shakily to his hands and feet. The big white - well, he was too filthy to really be called white at the moment - wolvan glared hate at the humans, but complied. The humans flanked each of them, at a distance, gesturing towards the cleaner units.

Koben stumbled, one of his weakened and still-unwieldy forelimbs slipping out from under him, and fell onto one elbow, cracking it hard against the floor. One of the humans jabbed him in the ribs with a pole, growling "Stop fucking around, and move."

The quick jab caught the disoriented wolvan just under the armpit, and the next thing he knew, he'd fallen and cracked his muzzled lower jaw stunningly against the smooth floor-surface.

"I said, get up!" shouted the human. Koben felt meaty fingers grab the fur of his mane, and yank. It surprised him, and before he even realized what he was doing, he'd reflexively struck out with one arm, striking his tormentor hard in the shin with the heavy maglock cuff on his wrist.

It was, needless to say, a bad move.

The next thing he knew, his body went limp, dropping heavily to the floor, and simultaneously became a white-hot blaze of pure agony. He caught a brief glimpse of a dirty white, furry form nearby, shuddering in pain, but then his own agony became so intense that he couldn't even think. He heard a horrible sound coming from somewhere, and realized it was his own throat, trying to scream. A similar noise came from nearby, as Zain suffered with him.

Koben briefly blacked out.

When he came to, his head was laying sideways. He could see Zain crouched in front of him, on his haunches, head bowed and ears back. The big shoulders trembling in pain. One of the humans, the one in charge, was standing in front of them, speaking in a loud voice.

"... lost his movement privileges. So you just pick up your furry little friend and put him in the cleaner. You fuck up, and we'll limp you and drag you both, and leave the pain inducer on the whole time. Now, get to it!"

Koben couldn't move. He could feel his body - even now, tiny worms of were crawling through his whole system, out to his fingers and toes, and the tip of his brushy tail - but he couldn't move anything below his neck at all.

Zain moved out of his line of sight, and then he felt big hands around his chest, picking him up off the ground. In a moment, Zain's abused body was staggering under Koben's limp weight.

"Put him in there, then you get into the other one. Now! Move it!" a rough human voice called.

Koben found himself being unloaded into one of the industrial-looking cylindrical chambers. Zain's ice-blue eyes met his for just a moment. He could see fear, anger, sympathy... and barely-controlled fighting instinct. There was a small smear of blood against the white fur of his trapped muzzle, and Koben realized the other wolvan had bitten his tongue or lip.

He was propped up gently against the back of the cleaning unit. It wouldn't even have been tall enough for Koben to stand up in, much less the significantly larger Zain. Koben was just under two meters - Zain was more than a head taller when he stood on his hind legs.

The front of the cleaning unit rotated shut, leaving the paralyzed wolvan in semi-darkness. There was a low thrum, and foamy liquid began spraying out of jets all around him. One caught him right in the face, but though he could close his eyes, he couldn't move his neck properly to turn away. Another blasted him painfully in the balls from underneath, but he couldn't move even a tiny bit. Thankfully, the jets began to rotate and move, so at least his genitals were spared some attention after a moment. Whatever the stuff was, it had a strong chemical smell. Koben's eyes, nose, and mouth burned, and he sneezed over and over, choking as the stinging spray made it into his mouth and nose. The substance penetrated and soaked his fur, crawling and fizzing over the skin underneath.

After a few minutes, the smell changed. It seemed to be pulses of plain water, stingingly cold, jetting out at him now. Koben felt like he was drowning as the chemical suds and water washed into his mouth and nose. He clenched his jaws shut - trying not to cough, afraid that if he did, water might blast into his opened mouth, choking him. He could feel his soaked body shivering with cold, but he couldn't even move a finger.

After an eternity, the water stopped and the whine of a sonic drier came on. Ultrasound vibrated across his wet skin and fur, pulverizing the water into a fine mist, which was blown away in a gust of hot air from vents in the chamber.

A few moments later, the chamber swung open again, and one of the hooked poles reached in to drag him out by the collar. Koben slid bonelessly to the floor. Rough human hands dragged his arms and legs near each other, and with a slight hum, the thick maglock restraints activated, yanking towards one another with resounding clicks. A second later, his ankles were fastened to his wrists.

"You. White-furred animal. Pick up the grey-furred stupid animal and bring him. Now."

Koben felt strong hands pick him up, and he found himself once more slung over Zain's powerful shoulders. The play of muscle under him was comforting, but he could feel the larger wolvan shaking, though whether with pain, cold, debilitation, or thinly-veiled weakness, he couldn't be sure. Probably a combination of all those things.

A short walk later, Koben and Zain were in a featureless, circular white room, about five meters across. The floor, walls, and ceiling were a smooth, white, pearly substance that gave of a diffuse illumination. There was something less industrial, more aesthetic about the chamber - probably intended for meeting with wealthy clients, though there were no visible furnishings.

One of the humans ordered Zain to put Koben down on the ground. A moment later, the big wolvan dropped bonelessly to the floor beside him, his knees and elbows striking hard against the floor, eliciting a short bark of pain.

The maglocks were unfastened from both wolvan, and rough hands arranged them so they were laying on their bellies in the center of the room, legs hunched at their sides, and arms folded up in the canine lying-down posture.

There was a faint tingle from his collar, and Koben felt his limbs stiffen slightly, so that his arms and legs didn't loll bonelessly. It felt a little like ants were moving under his skin as his muscles fired without his consent.

They were obviously being arranged for display.

A few minutes later, a door panel slid open in front of them, and a pair of human males walked in. One resembled the four who'd already mishandled Zain and Koben, though he was dressed in a very expensive-looking grey synthsilk suit.

The other was tall and willow-thin, with pale skin, and sharp, angular facial features. His head was crowned with a length of shaggy hair so pale it was nearly white, and his eyes were piercing blue over a beardless face. He wore long, loose clothing, of some silvery weave that shimmered when he moved. While the five slavers were all clearly armed - the synthsilk suit didn't manage to conceal the bulge of a large shoulder-holstered sidearm, the man in the silver cloth carried no obvious weapons.

The human's complexion gleamed with the artificial youth of expensive age-retarding longevity treatments. He might have been thirty, or a hundred - Koben had a hard enough time judging human ages already.

This would be the buyer. Koben recognized the face from his mission files. It was Councilor Ergos Amery Divornos, one of the nine most influential people on Borgia. Koben was surprised the man had come in person, rather than sending a functionary.

"These are the two dogs I paid so much for, then?" he said in a firm, masculine voice. "They're meant to be a gift to my middle son. I would hate for him to find them disappointing."

He turned to look at the well-dressed slaver, and added, "He's inherited a mislike for disappointment from myself."

"I believe you'll find the merchandise to your specifications, and as represented, sir. Please feel free to look them over before you take possession," said the thug in the expensive suit.

"I certainly shall, but I can tell you already that there's a bit of a problem," said Divornos.

The man in the silk twitched an eyebrow up in professional disdain, "Councilor Divornos, I can assure you that you'll find everything in order with the merchandise. You know that there's almost always some sort of minor debilitation when wild animals are first brought in. Your purchases don't come from breeding facilities or private kennels, you know. They're..."

Divornos held up a slim arm, peremptorily, "The problem isn't with the merchandise, Mr. Haight. The problem is with a breach of our contractual agreement. You are aware that I prefer to have a unique collection of animals, and yet, despite our contract, I have found that you've been selling stock to my peers. Stock acquired using my contacts and resources."

"Councilor, I can assure you that..." the man began.

"And specifically, you used the fact that these animals were acquired according to my specifications and through my personal contacts as a selling point. You realize that I find that to be in breach of our rather specifically-worded contract."

"Look, Divornos," the man began, face reddening, "I don't know what gave you that idea, but I'll be happy to investigate your complaints, and if..."

"Forgive me for cutting you off in mid-explanation, Mr. Haight. I can promise you that I shan't do so again," Divornos said mildly, raising his hand for silence, "But I do think that it would be less time-consuming and tedious if we dispense with your exclamations of feigned shock and phony protestations of innocence."

Koben noticed that the councilor's hand was still upraised, but the fluid, shimmering cloth seemed to be defying gravity. Everywhere else, it flowed like thin liquid. But somehow, the cloth on Divornos' arm remained upright.

There was a brief, shining blur, as the slender arm slashed down and to the side. The expensive, dark silk of the slaver's suit parted neatly across his chest. As the man glanced down, confused, an animal snarl sounded from somewhere behind the two paralyzed wolvan.

Back where Koben couldn't see came the sound of men shouting in surprise and anger. As Koben watched in horrified fascination, the well-dressed slaver in front of him slumped to the ground, trying weakly to raise an arm to the weapon at his breast. As he fell forward, it became apparent that it wasn't just the fabric of the suit that had fallen open.

Divornos stepped fluidly aside as a rush of dark blood poured forth, and the slaver's entrails spilled out as his chest and abdomen gaped open. Koben had a brief glimpse of neatly sundered bone and meat as the man fell onto his knees and toppled forward with a wet splat.

Behind him, Koben heard two brief, gurgling sounds, and several meaty smacks, amid terrible, guttural growling. There was the sizzling crack of an energy weapon being fired, but only once, followed by a single, full-throated, human scream. Koben heard a sound like paper tearing, and the screaming stopped abruptly, replaced by a rasping liquid wheeze. There was a meaty popping sound - like one might hear when twisting apart the large joints of a slaughtered meat animal - and the tortured wheezing stopped too. There was a final splattering thud.

And then, the only sound was a faint dripping, and the sound of the two wolvan - and one other person - breathing, as if from some mild exertion.

"Good boy, Keela," said Divornos, quietly, with a small, crooked smile playing across his pale, aristocratic features.

Inches from Koben's face, the eyes of the man who had probably been the slaver's leader lost the last traces of life. From one second to the next, he went from surprised and merely dying, to lifeless meat.

Koben's eyes flicked upward in time to see Divornos flick his shimmery sleeve downward. Tiny drops of blood raced slickly down the smooth surface, as if it were frictionless, and spattered to the floor, leaving the strange fabric spotless. A moment later, the silvery material was no longer rigid, falling loosely into motion, like normal cloth once more.

Koben could hear Zain's breathing next to him, increased with the flush of adrenalin. He realized his own heart was pounding, his own lungs laboring with reaction. He could feel the fur of his neck and upper back standing up in a ridge. The scents of bloody carnage washed past him and seemed to pool by his face. There was the dreadful smell of opened bodies, the tang of fresh blood. Over it all, a strange, unfamiliar animal smell, thick with the musk of a large predator, but not one that Koben had ever smelled before.

And he and Zain were powerless even to move.

Koben was unashamedly scared now. Terrified even. But since there was nothing he could do, he forced himself to lay quietly, not daring even to make a sound. He tried to slow his breathing down from the short little gasps he was making, to get a handle on himself.

Divornos spoke, as if into empty air, but clearly using a comm, "I've completed my business here, Landry. Please send some of the boys to help Keela pick up my packages. As soon as they're finished, have the cleanup crew in to tidy up the place. I want to be able to put this unpleasant little incident completely from my mind, so... erase this sorry lot."

The shimmering silver-clad figure gestured, and said, "Keela, come," and a shadow fell over Koben. Two large, tawny-furred digitigrade feet stepped into view, spattered with dark blood. They were clawed paws, but of an unfamiliar type.

"Keela, I'm returning to my transport. I've a ship to catch in a quarter hour. Watch my new two acquisitions, and help the servants get them home. I want you to see to it that they're properly cleaned, processed, and given veterinary care before I return tomorrow or the day after. You will be responsible for them. See to it that they will make a proper addition to the household. I'm hoping to make a graduation gift of them to Agravaine, and I'll want them to be well-behaved."

Keela, whatever he was, moved into Koben's view. It was hard to tell, from this angle, but he looked to be well over six-feet tall, and powerfully muscled. There were large, rounded ears, and a broad carnivore's muzzle. The strange figure wore only a broad, silvery magsnake collar, and heavy silver cuffs bound about his wrists and ankles - it was definitely male.

The short fur was a rich sandy-yellow, with dark highlights, and large, deep brown spots. There was a short tail jutting from the base of his spine, with a tuft of dark bristles at the end. A ridge of stiff hairs ran from a wolflike mane down the creature's back.

The muscular, furred arms were covered with dark gore from the heavy biceps all the way down to the clawed fingers. The powerful, slightly curved jaws were slick with blood, and the broad belly was smeared with it as well. Bright yellow eyes peered attentively and intelligently at Divornos, but didn't meet the human's gaze.

It took Koben a moment, but amid all the thoughts rushing through his head, a word popped into his mind - Hyena. This Keela appeared to be an hominoid hyena. Koben never even knew such a race existed.

Divornos left the room, his feet hardly making a sound.

The hyena crouched down near the two wolvan, and Koben saw that what he'd initially taken for a paunch was a rounded, but muscular, belly. Koben could smell the musky, unfamiliar animal scent pouring off the figure, along with heavy, meaty blood-smell. Keela wiped his forearms and hands on the back of the fallen slaver's coat, looked around, as if to see if anyone was watching, and gingerly licked some of the blood from his jowls. Koben caught a glimpse of short, sturdy, sharp teeth.

Koben felt himself breathing in short, sharp breaths, through his nose. He longed to just give himself up to blackness. He was dizzy and weak and in pain. He was so thirsty that a part of him wanted to reach out his tongue and lick the blood pooling so close to his face. A part of his brain screamed at him to move, to run, to roll over onto his back - to do anything. But he couldn't move. The collar still kept him paralyzed.

Keela seemed to notice the two wolvan for the first time. He cocked his head, drew close and sniffed, then darted his head back as Koben flinched. He popped his head up again, eyes darting about, ears swiveling, then leaned in close again.

"These men," came a resonant, oddly high-pitched voice, "They hurt you."

It was not phrased exactly like a question.

"You speak," the hyena asked, "You can understand Panlingua? Tell me if you understand when I speak."

The voice was confident, even aggressive, but not threatening. It sounded almost conversational. Not quite gentle, but certainly solicitous. The hyena looked back and forth between them, as if to see which might answer first.

"We understand," Koben rasped, "But it's hard to talk."

"These men, they hurt you," Keela asked again.

"Yes. We were already hurt, and they hurt us more. What's happening?"

"You were born outworld. Not from Borgia. Now you are here. These brought you," he said, waving an arm vaguely at the fallen slavers. "You belong to Councillor Divornos now. You will have to learn to be good. But these... now they are dead. If you are angry at how they hurt you, you will have to stay angry forever, or stop now. They are dead."

Koben squinted, trying to follow the strangely-worded speech.

"They hurt you, whether you did anything bad or not?" Keela asked.

Zain answered, "Yes. We woke up, and they were there. They dragged us out and hurt us, even when we tried to do what they said."

Keela sighed.

"Well... that is not good. But what they did doesn't matter now. You have to know, though, where you are now - if you are good, learn to do what you are told, learn to behave, nobody gets punished. But if you are not good... Master Divornos, he will punish you and hurt you a lot. If you make him angry enough, he won't care that you are very expensive - he will kill you if he thinks you won't learn. He says that I am responsible for you, so if you are bad, I may be punished too, understand?"

"I... yes, I understand, but..." Koben said.

"No 'but'. I don't wish to be punished. If you are bad, then I am bad. While I train you, I have to hurt you if you are bad. I don't like to do, but I will do, so that you learn. Understand? I will be tough, because if not, it will be much worse. So, no trouble, right."

"Please," said Koben, "We can't even move right now. Even if we could, I don't think either of us would be able to give you any trouble."

"Just stay quiet right now. Rest. Soon, we will take you where there is food, and bathing, and medicine. But you have to stay well-behaved, all times. You must do what I say, unless someone of the family - not a servant - says do else. I will tell you who you must or must not listen to, but since you are an animal, you must do what humans of your master's family tell you."

"Now. What are your names," the hyena asked.

"Koben," said Koben.

"Zain," said Zain, a moment later.

"I don't suppose we could have some water," asked Zain.

"Soon. Until the others get here, I am supposed to stay here and watch you. There is no water here. It will not be long, though. Try not to think about being thirsty. You are both strong enough to talk, so you can live without water for a little longer. Try to be quiet now. It is not good to talk right now."

A few minutes later, Zain and Koben found themselves surrounded by grey and silver-furred figures. It was hard to follow the movement... Koben's head ached so badly that he could no longer focus his eyes properly. He smelled scents, both lupine and feline, all male. Keela rose from his haunches and barked an order in his high-pitched voice.

Koben felt hands lift him by the shoulders and legs. More hands went around his waist, and he was set onto a small, white float cart. He still couldn't move, but out of the corner of his blurry vision, he could see three or four fur-covered shapes lifting Zain's bulky form onto a similar conveyance. The strange hyena-person began walking, and the two young wolvan found themselves being pushed before him.

They were moved backwards across the killing ground, and as they passed, Koben made out the gruesome forms of torn and mangled human bodies - his erstwhile tormentors. Keela had efficiently and rapidly torn them apart. The two wolvan were wheeled through several corridors, then into a small transport bay. An elegant, expensive-looking flyer hovered there, a snappily-dressed human in a grey and silver chauffeur's outfit leaning against it.

In moments, Koben and Zain were loaded into the cargo area in the back of the vehicle, and someone climbed in with them.

An unfamiliar canine voice behind Koben's ear whispered, "You may as well close your eyes and try to sleep. We will be at the manse soon."

"Who are you?" Koben croaked.

"I'm Rhys. Shut up. No talking," the voice whispered.

"Please, what the hell is going on?" Zain whispered.

Koben caught a motion at the edge of his vision, and heard Zain grunt in pain. A clawed, grey-furred canine hand had gripped the scruff of his neck, behind the silver collar, and was twisting the fur. It let go quickly.

"Be quiet," Rhys said.

--

It was only a short ride, and the two wolvan were floated out of the back of the vehicle through what looked like a small service door. Animal smells wafted over them, and Koben's nose wrinkled. There was a faint smell of chemicals, with a hint of pain-scent, and an undercurrent of fear.

The big hyena sniffed the air and frowned. He stepped over to Koben and Zain and said, "The kind-hearted vet is gone today. We have Mr. Jongul. Do not speak, unless he says to. Do not ask him anything, or try to talk to him. Do anything he tells you without resistance. He is..." Keela paused, then continued in a whispered voice, "He likes it when someone does something he can punish them for. He is angry that he is not as good as a full human, so he likes it that we are less than he is. If you must address him, call him ser."

Koben found himself unceremoniously lifted by several sets of hands, and placed more or less gently on his belly, onto a flat, hard table. He could see the hyena, Keela, move to a small stool and climb up onto it, squatting.

A voice from just out of sight said, "Keela, Rhys, you remain. The rest of you, go back to the kennels for now."

There was the sound of padding feet - dropping to all fours before walking away, Koben noticed.

A figure moved into view, wearing a long white medical coat of some shiny-slick-looking white fabric. It appeared to be a very tall, male human, of medium build and indeterminate age, without a hair on his head. The man's exposed skin looked somewhat piebald, with patches of mocha-colored pigment on otherwise pale pink flesh. His eyes were completely black, without apparent iris or pupil.

"Rhys, come here and sit, while I go over this," he said, not taking his strange eyes off a small, clearly older model of datapad.

A small, lean-framed, older-looking wolvan with steely-grey fur walked, on all fours, over to the man's side, and crouched by him, eyes downcast the whole time. Without taking his eyes off the pad, the human laid a broad-fingered hand atop the old male's head. Koben thought he saw the brown eyes of the wolvan - who must be Rhys - flinch slightly. The human caught the fur at the back of Rhys' head and pulled the furry body up against his leg, scratching idly.

The motion looked possessive and dominant, not affectionate.

Keela sat on the small stool, in the corner, hind legs hunched up to his chest, arms folded on his knees, his wide jaw resting on them. The round, tufted ears twitched slightly as he watched, quietly.

After a moment, the human said, "Here, take this and put it away," and held the datapad down to Rhys' face level. The older, thin wolvan's eyes briefly narrowed, the smallest hint of anger on his face, and instead of using his hands, carefully reached out and took the device in his teeth, walking it over to a small metal desk at the back of the room.

"Let's have a look at the two of you, shall we?" the human said, stepping smoothly over to where Koben and Wrahl lay on separate tables.

"Keela, come turn the smaller one over. I'll take a look at him first," he said, snapping his fingers.

The big hyena-morph stepped dutifully forward, but stopped, saying, "Ser, I am covered with blood. Shall I wash first?"

The man turned, looking down his nose, frowning, at the large hyena. His jaws clenched in annoyance. "I suppose you think that's amusing, karr,' he said after a moment. Keela did not look up to meet the man's gaze, but his eyes were narrowed, the fur on the back of his neck standing slightly, in a ridge.

According to Koben's briefings, karr was a Borgian derogatory term, used on animals and slaves, alike. It meant, basically, "bad dog," or "animal-without-value."

"Go clean yourself, then. Perhaps you should explain to the master why you came into my office covered in filth. Perhaps you do not remember that filthy animals sleep outside, because you've been given too much favor."

"I became dirty doing as the master said. Ser," Keela said, leaving a slight pause before the honorific, and then added, "Killing those he said must be punished. He made me in charge of the new ones, so I came straight to here. I do not disobey the master, ever. Ser."

"Just get cleaned up then, quickly, and then come back here in case I want you to do something," the man snarled.

Keela walked towards a metal sink, but Jongul snarled, "Perhaps your master prefers to discipline his favorite karr himself, but in my office, karrs still walk as karrs. Settle!"

Keela's back stiffened, but after a moment, the hyena dropped to all fours and padded the rest of the way on hands and feet. He raised himself up only when he got to the sink, and began slowly washing away the dried blood from his forearms and chest.

Turning away, Jongul snapped, "Rhys. Turn this one over. Hep! Now! Hep! What are you just sitting there for?"

The lanky older wolvan padded over, rising only when he got to the table where Koben lay. The younger wolvan found his muzzle wrinkling in anger and disgust, but swallowed his emotions before the near-human veterinarian could see. Strong hands reached deftly under Koben's limp weight and carefully rolled him over onto his back, reaching back to gently pull Koben's tail out from under him.

The patch-skinned human waved Rhys impatiently away without looking, and reached to the edge of the table. Koben felt a slight crackling as the old-style medical scanner warmed up.

The human pulled on a pair of gloves, and pressed a small metal hypocot against the young wolvan's flank. Koben winced as the small pressurized needle punctured his skin, and whatever it contained burned as it entered his bloodstream.

"Well, new karr, can you speak Panlingua?" the man asked, abruptly.

"I... yes," rasped Koben over his dry tongue.

The human raised a hairless eyebrow, and said "I see you haven't been properly taught anything, have you? If you are asked to speak, you will address me as ser. Understood?"

"I... yes... ser," Koben forced himself to say.

Jongul rounded almost immediately on Keela, just drying off from his washing. He looked as if he were about to address the big hyena, but then, a small tic played at the corners of the vet's thin lips - a nasty hint of a smile.

"Rhys," he said, instead, turning on the small wolvan, "Why did this filthy animal just speak so impolitely? Weren't you among those who brought them here?"

"I... yes, ser, I was," said Rhys, quietly, looking down, his ears laid back as if expecting a blow.

Keela looked up abruptly, eyes darting back and forth between the veterinarian and the older grey wolvan.

"I think I see an animal over in that corner over there, getting ready to speak without request," said the bald humanoid, glaring in Keela's direction, "And I hope he does, so that I can let his master know that he repays his special privileges by learning insolence to his betters."

Keela turned his gaze angrily towards the floor, casting his eyes downward so as not to appear directly insolent, but the fur was bristling in a narrow ridge down his yellow and spotted shoulders.

"You know how to speak properly, do you not?" the man asked, turning back to Rhys, his voice quiet and even.

"Yes, ser," the small wolvan known as Rhys said, quietly, his narrow shoulders sagging in resignation.

"But you did not bother to educate these animals who are new. I am not asking a question, because it is clear that you did not, because here is one of them, speaking wrongly to me."

"Please... ser," said Koben, "We were told. I just forgot. I don't know what is going on here, but it's not his..."

Koben found his voice gone, abruptly, his body covered in searing pain, as the collar was suddenly activated. Adding insult to injury, a gloved hand caught him sharply across his bound muzzle. He realized that both Zain and the smaller wolvan were likewise thrashing in pain, but Rhys' limbs weren't paralyzed, so he struggled and thrashed about on the floor, little whines of pain escaping his black lips.

"Ser!" said Keela, still looking down at the floor, but addressing Jongul, "Master gave me the task to teach them. I thought them not ready, and my task, my task to decide. Rhys does as he is told."

The pain went off, suddenly.

"Rhys does as he is told, perhaps," said Jongul. "But sometimes, when one karr is bad, everyone needs to learn why other karrs should not learn bad habits. And now, you've again acted as a good karr does not, Keela. I shall have to tell your master of this incident, and how your behavior is affecting the behavior of others under your tutelage."

Keela glared fixedly at the floor.

"Now. If everyone is ready to behave," said Jongul, his voice even and mild again, "Let us continue. So, new dog, I asked you before, if you can speak Panlingua. Apparently you can. Now, I need to know if you are feeling any particular discomfort in the area of your kidneys. And don't be smart with me. I don't mean from the collar."

After a brief pause, Koben said, "No, ser. I don't think so, ser."

"Good. How about here?" he asked, pressing one gloved hand down on Koben's sternum.

"A little... ser," Koben said, trying as hard as he could to choke down any hint of rebellion. It was bad enough being hurt himself, but he didn't want to see his friend Zain, or the poor, beaten creature, Rhys, subjected to it as well.

"A little, or a lot?"

"Just... a little... ser."

The man turned Koben's head from side to side and looked into his ears with a small instrument. Satisfied, after a moment, he said, "Rhys, come here. I'm going to unfasten the muzzle, and I want you to hold his mouth open so I can check his teeth and such."

The muzzle clicked and fell away, and a moment later, the smaller wolvan's hands were gently tugging Koben's mouth open. Koben felt a slight tremble in the pads of the fingers holding him through the sensitive skin of his lips.

Jongul peered down inside Koben's mouth, pushing his lips away from his gums, and moving his tongue around with a smooth metal stylus. He shone a small lighted scanner device of some sort into Koben's throat briefly.

"Rhys, put the muzzle back on him, please," he said, after he'd finished.

The older wolvan, without looking up, carefully picked up the muzzle and fitted it over Koben's face again, fastening it behind his head. It locked with a metallic click.

"You know, I had you figured for a biter," said Jongul, "Perhaps you're a quick learner, though."

He ruffled the top of Koben's head as he said it.

Koben choked down any sort of reply - he felt so physically awful that it wasn't hard to do so. He suffered through the rest of the examination without incident, other than the humiliation of being handled by this cruel pompous human, or perhaps near-human, who he already despised.

The worst part was when Jongul ordered Rhys to insert a catheter and draw off a sample of urine. The older wolvan clearly tried to be careful, but Koben's sore genitals burned as the thin tube went in, and stung worse when it was removed.

Zain was next. The big white wolvan laid very still. He didn't make a sound. But Koben could see the muscular form trembling. Could feel the waves of rage pouring off of his friend. He could smell it. He could smell the anger-musk almost overwhelming Zain's fear-scent. He worried that the big muscular, combat-trained, infantry grunt would be overcome by his anger and do something foolish. Zain was a breed-back, and sometimes, primal urges and reflexes would manifest in those from a breed-back family line.

But Zain never made a sound - he didn't even wrinkle his muzzle unconsciously. Not a growl escaped his black-lined lips, nor a single yipe of pain when the veterinarian inserted a long, thin needle deep into his shaved, muscular abdomen to drew off an sample of fluid. Zain didn't even move when the man probed at his injured groin with gloved hands, or when Rhys was ordered to take a sample of urine.

"Rhys, get them ready for the usual round of shots and other preparations. Also they'll need proper collars and cuffs, from the house. Get rid of these inferior restraints. Keela, assist him." Jongul said when he finally finished his examination, slipping off the gloves and discarding them in a nearby bin. He sat down at a nearby desk, and began entering information into a small holocomputer terminal, gesturing with an air stylus.

Rhys moved over to Koben even as he soundlessly gestured to Keela. The two of them carefully lifted the young wolvan comp specialist and mercenary, flipping him back onto his belly. A moment later, they did the same to Zain.

Rhys whispered, "I can handle it from here," to the big hyena, who nodded and wordlessly left the room.

Rhys vanished from Koben's sight for a moment, and reappeared with a rack of small, old-style medical air hypos. He carefully grabbed a patch of fur and skin on Zain's neck, and swabbed it clean. Rhys leaned down and whispered into the big wolvan's ears, stroking the top of his head as he did so, before picking up the hypo and injecting under the skin. He repeated this several times, before finally stroking the fur gently back into place. He retrieved another rack of air hypos and approached Koben.

There was the sound of shoe-clad footsteps from nearby, the click-click of hard heels striking tile floor. Jongul looked up from what he was doing and stood, as a tall figure appeared in a nearby doorway.

Rhys stopped what he was doing, immediately, and dropped to all fours, bending his head low, and tucking his tail between his legs.

The man who entered was taller than Jongul, and clearly human, but compared to the piebald veterinarian, it was indeed as if the two were different species. The newcomer was dressed, head-to-toe, in extravagantly costly silk, all in white with grey trim. The whole outfit was worked with silvery brocade which flashed even in the artificial light of the clinic chamber.

He tucked a pair of leather gauntlets into a wide belt with one hand, and made an imperious, palm-down gesture with his other. He glanced lazily around the room, with a bored expression on his aquiline features. Jongul dropped to one knee, head bowed in a cringing gesture of subservience. The haughtiness of the vet's manner had abruptly vanished.

The newcomer was young, and arrogance wafted from him as surely as the musky, spicy cologne drifting from his clothing, as he sauntered towards Koben and Zain. He looked like a slightly darker version of Divornos. His impeccably coifed and feathered shoulder-length hair was a yellow blond, his skin a faintly tanned.

Rhys crouched lower at the man's approach, holding his head at hand level. The man flicked out a hand in a brief swatting motion, and the lanky wolvan cringed out of reach.

"It would seem that father's birthday gift for my brother, dear Agravaine, has arrived. I suppose that would be these ragged creatures, here?" the white-clad figure said, staring down at Zain.

"Yes, Sorra Melagant," said Jongul, "Per your instructions, I came to see to their induction myself... since mister Aliz was called away so suddenly."

Koben caught a hint of a smile on the edge of Jongul's face, that was mirrored briefly by an arrogant smirk on Melagant's.

"Ah yes. Pity that we couldn't have a proper human veterinarian for such an important task. But then, even though human beings are a superior species in general, sometimes it is better to have the right... individual in the right place at the right time. Don't you think so, Jongul?"

"As you say, Sorra," Jongul said.

"I'd like to make sure that my dear brother's gift is up to par, and that it's properly... prepared. Nothing wrong with that, right Jongul?"

"As you say, Sorra," the man repeated.

Keela entered the room, just then, and froze in place, upon seeing the councilor's son. He quietly set down a box he'd been carrying, and went to a crouch on all fours, eyes downcast, but his short, tufted tail raised, the lines of his body taut. Melagant ignored him completely.

"I'm sure I'd have had to spend the whoooole afternoon wrangling with Mr. Aliz if he were the veterinarian on duty. And then it would be embarrassing to him when I had to order him aside. My father might be displeased with Aliz if he acquiesced to my wishes, but I would be angry if he did not. Hardly fair to do to such a highly trained and important functionary. But you... it's not your place to object, and it's not as if you can be embarrassed, mmm?"

Jongul smirked a little, though wearily, and said, "As you say, Sorra."

"So... what condition are they in? Fresh acquisitions are often in such sorry shape when we get them from offworld. I dare say we do them a service they are ill-prepared to understand, bringing them in from the wild."

"Disgusting, as usual, Sorra," Jongul said, "Damaged coat, dehydration, bruises and inflammations... no injuries to the spine or kidneys this time, thank heavens for small favors - I don't want to be here all day. Abrasions in the throat, rectum, and genital region, but not severe. Minor edema, which appears to be fading, and of course, the usual damn drug cocktail. But they are whole enough."

"Well then, get these filthy creatures properly cleaned up and processed. Normally, they'd be properly trained before induction into the household, but they look like smart enough beasts... and my brother and I prefer to train our own pets. I'll just do him a service and give them some initial lessons in behavior. After all... one shouldn't have to work for their own birthday present, correct?" Melagant said.

"Sorra is most considerate," said Jongul.

"I'll send some of my servants to collect them this evening. I'm having a private party for some close friends, and I'll want them to look nice... so that they can see how generous my father is to all of us. Have them washed and made presentable. Make sure their coats are properly restored as well - use that new treatment from offworld, I want everything perfect... for my dear brother, of course."

"I shall see to the arrangements, Sorra," Jongul said.

Keela moved quickly, on all fours to crouch in front of Melagant, looking agitated.

"My father's favorite pet comes running to me, Jongul. That's so strange," the man said, a look of mock surprise on his features, "It rarely shows me any sort of proper affection. What do you think it wants?"

"I'm sure I would not know, Sorra," said Jongul, a twitching smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "He almost looks as if he wants to tell you something."

"Well, karr, is there a reason you are in my way?" sneered Melagant.

Keela moved swiftly to one side, still crouching, and said, "Forgive me, Masorra. My master has ordered me to see to the induction of the new pets personally, and watch over them, and see to their training until he returns."

"Well... I wouldn't want to go against my father's wishes," said the young man, "so I suppose I'll just have to make room for one more trained animal at my party. It will be your responsibility to see that their appearance and behavior is adequate. And I'm sure father won't mind if you show the sons and daughters of some of his colleagues how well-trained you are, as well."

Koben could see the hyena's front paws clench, but there was no other outward sign of emotion.

Melagant turned and stalked briskly and confidently towards the exit, saying "Jongul, I see no reason for you to work all day on tasks that are beneath you. You may borrow the Amberlight, and take a holiday at the beach if you like. I'll see that there is sufficient credit and travel permission on your account for you to enjoy yourself."

"Sorra is most generous," said the vet, fawningly, to the retreating back.

In moments, he was gone, the sound of his hard leather boots retreating down the corridor.

"You heard the master's son," said Jongul, "Rhys. Keela. See to it."

And Jongul stalked swiftly from the room as well, his obsequious manner vanished now that Melagant was gone.

Rhys and Keela looked meaningfully at one another. The lanky wolvan looked miserable, and the burly hyena both looked worried. Finally, Keela sighed, and striding over to the smaller lupine creature, rubbed him on the shoulder.

"There is no help for it, so we must simply endure. Let us do as we have been told."

"If we're alone now, can someone please tell us what this is all about?" asked Koben quietly, after a moment.

"If you're not going to let us up, can we at least have some sky-damned water?" rumbled Zain.

Rhys stood with a start, saying, "I'm sorry. I'll get some water. Please keep your voices down."

Keela walked over to the two still-paralyzed wolvan, and said, "You may ask us questions, unless I tell you there will be listening. Speaking quietly is good."

Koben noticed that when the hyena became agitated, his speech patterns became slightly strange.

Rhys brought over a small metal bowl, and held another out to Keela. The two of them held the bowls carefully under Zain and Koben's muzzles and let them lap a small amount of water, holding their faces out of the basins.

"If you drink too much, you'll throw up," said the small wolvan slave, "I will give you intravenous liquid soon. It will be better for you, and faster, and contain things to help you recover more quickly. This is just to relieve your throats and tongues for now."

"If we could get up, we could drink for ourselves," said Koben, after lapping the last of the small bit of water. "I don't suppose you can turn these collar things off?"

"I can," said Keela. "But I will not do, until you are in house collars. We will do that now. Rhys, go get your medicine things."

The small grey wolvan hurried off, with a small "wuff," of acknowledgment.

"Where are we? What is this place?" asked Zain.

"Why are we here?" asked Koben.

"You are on Borgia," said Keela, removing several large metallic devices from the big box he'd brought earlier. "You were bought from slavers by the Councilor Ergos Amery Divornos, who is my master. You will only refer to him as master, and only when you are told to address him. If you do not learn how to speak properly, you may end up being made so you cannot speak at all. You must be very careful."

"You are supposed to be gift to my master's son, Sorra Agravaine Amery Divornos. He spends a lot of money to get you. You will call him 'master' when you are given to him. Other humans you call 'massora.' You call..." he paused, broad face crinkling for a moment, "you call Melagant Kil Ray Divornos massora, unless he says other. It is best for you to do as he says, unless your master says otherwise."

"Keela, on this planet," Koben asked, as if he were ignorant, "Are all... people like us... slaves?"

"All who are not human shape, are animals," said the hyena, as Rhys wiped drops of water from Koben's chin, "Ones who are human shape, but not human, are serfs or slaves. You call human-shaped ones 'ser'. If you think otherwise, forget all you know, and learn new behavior quickly."

Keela took one of Koben's wrists and, pointedly holding it up in front of the young wolvan's eyes closed a wide, metal band around it. It shut with a snick sound. The surface was shiny smooth, except for a small design, a family crest of some sort, which he'd also noticed worked into Melagant's clothing. He did the same for Koben's other wrist, and then his ankles.

"These can be locked together, or to some places and floors," Keela explained, "Animals wear these, in this house. They are for when you need to be chained up. But if you are bad, or cannot be trusted to do what you are told, the collar will be used to teach you."

Keela took Koben's wrists and laid them against the corner of the table. There was another snick sound, and it seemed to be fastened in place. The same was done to his other arms and legs.

The hyena reached out, holding a small silvery device against Koben's collar, and the thing clicked and fell loose, rustling like chain, from his neck. Immediately, the young wolvan could feel volition return to his limbs. He tried to push himself up on shaking arms, but couldn't manage much, because the manacles were stuck to the surface of the table.

"I will put the house collar on you now," said Keela, "Hold still."

"Please," Koben said, "Don't put that thing on me. Please."

"I must put it on, or I am punished. Now, you must behave, or I," there was the briefest of pauses, almost undetectable, "will beat you, and it will go on you anyway."

"You don't want to beat us," said Koben, "I saw you try to protect us, and Rhys."

"It is right. I don't want to. I do not like it. But there are many things I do not like, and I still do what I must," said Keela, "Now, make no trouble."

The hyena reached out with a powerful hand, very suddenly and smoothly, catching Koben's muzzle in strong, padded fingers. He deftly flicked the long, magsnake collar around the young wolvan's neck, and the two ends shot together with a click. The collar automatically tightened until it was snug. Keela released Koben's jaws, and stepped over to Zain.

He repeated the same procedure, carefully fastening the huge wolvan's arms and legs in place before taking off the old collar and putting the new one on.

"Now, we take you to get clean, and tell you how to survive the night," said Keela.

--

Koben and Zain were wheeled to a small room with large metal tubs, taller on one side than the other. The cuffs at their wrists and ankles released. Keela gestured at them to get down and into the tubs, assisting the still-shaky and beaten wolvan as they did.

Keela, Koben thought, was remarkably gentle with them, for all that a short while earlier, he'd covered himself with the gore of four humans at the merest order of his master, Divornos.

The big hyena explained that he could not remove the new collars, nor override a setting from one of their human masters. He went on to explain that as first beast in the kennels, he could activate it to paralyze or punish subordinate animals such as Zain, Koben, or Rhys.

He also demonstrated that he could control the maglock restraints at their wrists and ankles, by fastening the two wolvan's wrists and ankles to magplates at the edge of the bathing tubs.

"You have not been trained yet. You may not wash right, or might misbehave when you are washed. When I see that I can trust you, and am sure of your behavior, I will not have to do this," he explained.

"Besides," he said, "you are sick, hurt, from what the slavers did. Let Rhys wash you. He is gentle, and he is trained as a groomer for animals."

"We're not animals," Zain growled softly, "none of us are."

A brief pained expression went across Keela's features, and in a flash, he was over the edge of the tub, in the water, his weight on Zain's chest. The white wolvan's expression of startlement was unfeigned. The big hyena set a clawed hand into the loose skin under Zain's neck ruff, and squeezing, shook the white head back and forth, before bending the big wolvan's head to the side.

"You will never say this again," said the muscular hyena, leaning down to speak directly into his ear, "This is a thing you will be punished for saying. Sometimes, if an animal says they are not, they are fixed so they make no more talking ever. You want that? Or do you want, me, Rhys, Koben to be given pain? You want them hurt your mind, your voice, so you not talk ever again, so you not even think right ever again? Do you want that?"

"No," Zain hissed out, eyes closed and ears back.

"Say you apologize now. Apologize me, Rhys, and Koben," Keela said in a low, threatening, but pained voice.

The big hyena's eyes tightened, as if in pain, and said, more quietly, "Say you are sorry for saying you are not an animal. You are an animal, so you will apologize for lying and saying something bad."

"Keela," said the smaller, gray wolvan, quietly, putting a clawed hand gently on the hyena's shoulder, "He understands. He's sick. This is frightening to them, and they're full of anger at what they lost. Go easy. They need time to learn..."

"There is not time," said Keela, leaning so that his bared fangs were centimeters from Zain's face, "You saw, you heard, Melagant takes them, takes me to one of his 'parties' tonight. You know Melagant is cruel. You know he hates Agravaine and wants to make him feel shame. You know he loves to break something his brother gets and not him get. If he wastes his father, the Master Divornos money or pride for no reason, he gets in trouble. But he will not get in trouble for hurting a bad pet who does not learn right!"

Rhys, stood still and silent in the face of this exclamation.

"Now," Keela continued, shaking Zain's head again, "Say apologize. Say you understand."

"I yield," Zain said in wolvan, angry but acquiescent, "I apologize. I'll... I'll try not to make any trouble."

"Say what I told you to say," growled Keela.

"I... I'm sorry I said that I was... not an animal," Zain said.

"No trying to behave. Do. You will do," said Keela, but he released Zain, standing over him, dripping.

The water running off Keela was slightly pink. The smell of dried blood, re-moistened, punctuated the hyena's words as nothing else could.

"Zain... it's Zain, right?" Koben asked, after a moment.

"What? Yes, what do you want?" grumbled Zain, sounding embarrassed, but remembering to act as if he did not know Koben. They'd practiced that, before beginning their mission. Nobody was supposed to know they had any knowledge of one another. The two young wolvan had carefully trained to school their body language, to get into their roles. They were both worried that it wouldn't be enough, and they'd slip.

Deceit, that seemed to come so easily to some species, was almost alien to the two wolvan.

"Look, Zain," Koben continued, "I don't know what's going on here either. But we're not going to make it any better by... being trouble. You saw what happened when I slipped up earlier. I just forgot to say ser, and they took it out on everyone, not just me."

"I saw," he said.

"Look, I don't know if we're going to be able to get out of this, ever. We may be here forever. But I don't want to die, or get mutilated, or see anyone suffer because of me, okay?"

"You two do not know each other. Not from before?" asked Keela, shaking water from his pelt.

"No. Just from when those... I guess they were slavers... took us out of the boxes," Koben said.

"Keela," said Rhys, "If you like, you need a bath anyway. The tub with... Koben in it, there should be room. If you wash him, I can do Zain's bathing, and you can clean yourself while you are at it. And after, we can try to prepare them for tonight. Make them understand."

Keela grunted, and seemed to come out from under some sort of spell. The sudden intensity flowed out of him, and the muscular male seemed to deflate. Zain was looking up at him, angry, but his body language communicating surrender and submission. He was angled away from the hyena as best his restraints would allow, as if expecting a possible blow. The big hyena shook his head, as if to clear it, and stepped out of the tub, water dripping from his spotted fur.

"Just relax," Koben heard Rhys say to Zain. "I'm just going to wash you. You're going to have to get used to people touching you sometimes, even if you don't want them to. But for now, please just relax and let me do this. You'll feel better when you're clean."

Zain muttered a disgruntled assent, and looked away, not meeting the smaller, older wolvan's eyes.

A shadow fell over Koben as the huge hyena settled down in the tub in front of him. While he tried to suppress the emotion, the young wolvan merc felt his tail trying to curl between his legs. Koben was not, by nature, submissive, but with all that had happened, and with how intimidating Keela was, and with his limbs bound, he couldn't help it.

The hyena, who at one moment seemed concerned about the well-being of his charges, had gone into a blur of aggressive action in a heartbeat. And Koben had seen already what Keela had done to the slavers earlier.

"You do not have to be... afraid of me... if you are good," the hyena said looking somehow ashamed, not meeting his gaze, "I only do, because I have to. I have to for everyone's good. Now, I will wash you, and you will relax. You will feel better after you are clean."

Koben nodded, and laid his head back. In moments, he felt huge hands rubbing soap into his fur, under the water. The hyena crouched over his torso, rubbing lather into his mane and head fur. Keela worked the soap under the collar, before reaching up to Koben's face. The big, clawed hands were strong but careful.

"Close eyes," the hyena said.

Koben did, and felt the large hands carefully washing his face and muzzle. A little bit got into his eyelids and his nose, causing his eyes and nostrils to sting a bit. The hyena rinsed him thoroughly with a water nozzle on a flexible hose, before working on the rest of him.

When Koben opened his eyes again, he could see Zain, nearby, looking surprisingly relaxed. The big wolf had slumped against the side of the tub, mostly from exhaustion and pain, but perhaps that wasn't the only reason. He could see Rhys working the fur of the big wolvan's chest with kneading motions, more like a massage than a bath.

And then Keela's hands were gently rubbing and washing Koben's arms and shoulders. He reached behind Koben's body, almost in an embrace, strong fingers scrubbing the smaller male's shoulders, his back. After a few moments, the hands were washing his bedraggled tail, massaging the small of his back, rubbing the backs of his hips, even scrubbing his rear, under his tail.

Koben realized he was almost falling asleep as Keela leaned back on his haunches in the tub and began scrubbing his legs, working his way slowly down to his feet. He leaned forward again, and the next thing Koben knew, powerful fingers were kneading through the fur of his chest, not only washing his pelt, but massaging bruised and pained muscle as well.

It felt strange when Keela reached his shaved belly. The skin gave almost no purchase, the big paws slipping smoothly across it as the soap was applied.

When Keela reached his groin, Koben made a slight noise of pain.

"You are hurt there?" Keela asked.

"Y... yeah..." said Koben, "Before the slavers, or maybe he was working with the slavers... there was this guy - his men kidnapped me. He had me hooked up to this ... this... thing. Said he was harvesting my... genetic material. It hurt. I'm still hurting down there."

"I will be more careful," said Keela. "And after you are clean, Rhys will give you something for the pain, and to help you heal."

Saying that, Keela returned to what he was doing, handling Koben's beleaguered organs more gently. He even carefully pulled down Koben's sheath and washed the sensitive penis inside, stopping for a moment when Koben flinched again.

"Did I hurt you?"

"No. I just feel a bit uncomfortable having people touch my penis that I don't know," said Koben.

"It is not your penis, your body, any more. You belong to the Divornos family now," said Keela, in a strangely gentle voice.

"I'll live with it. It's not like I can stop you," said Koben.

Keela just grunted at that.

After the bathing was done, Keela sat in front of Koben and scrubbed at himself. The young wolvan didn't even realize he'd fallen asleep in the water until he felt the tub draining around him. As the water ran out the bottom, the hyena used the spray nozzle to rinse the rest of the soap away. A sonic drying unit in the tub vibrated the water efficiently out of Koben's fur.

He looked around, and saw that Rhys was giving Zain the same treatment.

"How are you feeling?" the older wolvan asked.

"Better. I feel like crap, but not as bad," Koben replied, craning his head to see the speaker.

"The medicines I gave you both earlier should take away the pain and accelerate healing. You'll need to sleep before tonight. I'll give you something to help you rest, and... to help what happens not be as bad."

"So, what's going to happen?" asked Zain.

"I don't know," said Rhys, "But it will probably be bad. You may be hurt. You may be treated badly. Massora Melagant is... unkind. He wishes to offend his older brother, who you are supposed to be given to. He will try to provoke you into doing something foolish. But whatever happens, if you do not resist, you will survive. And when you are given to your true master, Massora Agravaine... he is kinder. You will see."

"If you know he's doing something wrong, why don't we tell this Agravaine? I don't want that crazy brother of his getting ahold of me, if he's just planning on hurting us!" Zain said.

"You will not call the Massora Melagant so," said Keela, warningly. "Do not make me say this again. All that would be needed is for the wrong someone to hear you call him... a bad name, and you would suffer. I will give you no other warning. The next time, I will use the collar."

Zain glared a little, but slumped and looked away after a second, and said, "All right, Keela. I apologize. I will not say things like that about... the Messora."

"Good," the hyena said. Koben thought he could detect an air of relief in the way he said it.

"So... what do we do?" Koben asked quietly.

Rhys answered, "I will give you something, to make you feel less. You will be sleepy, and if you are hurt, you will feel less pain. If I give you too much though, the Massora will suspect. You will just have to be brave, and do as you are told, and endure until it is over. Both of you."

"I will be there also," said Keela, "It may not be so bad. Massora Melagant may not go so far if I am there, because I do not belong to him. I am his father's. But my master is gone until tomorrow. So is your master. Rhys, I, none of us are allowed to not do what the people of master's family say do. Melagant might get yelled at by his father. But for not obeying... for us it would be much worse."

"Let's get you ready," said Rhys, "If we let you walk on your own, you will behave?"

Koben said "Yes."

Zain nodded, looking defeated.

"Good," said Keela, "There is no time to take days to teach you proper behavior. You must learn now, if you want to be alive and stay whole."

The two wolvan were unshackled from the tubs, and, rising unsteadily to their feet, clambered out. Koben stood up tall, and put his hands against the small of his back, stretching painfully.

Keela immediately told him, "No. Walk on all fours, always, unless told not to, or unless you were told to do something where you must walk on two feet. Only those with higher status may walk like a human, and then not always."

Zain most often went on all fours anyway, because of his size, and his somewhat atavistic frame, but Koben was used to walking upright most of the time. This would take getting used to, and Koben would have to be careful.

Nodding though, Koben dropped to all fours, and padded along with them.

They were taken back to the clinic, and set in angled chairs. Rhys hooked up an IV drip to give them fluids, and they were given a small amount of something like stew. Both wolvan ate as if they were starving, which they were. As they ate, Rhys spread a familiar-looking foam over Koben and Zain's lower bellies and groins.

"What's that stuff," Koben asked, although he'd seen it before, had it used on him before.

"It's very expensive. It repairs damaged fur. It is hard to come by, but the Divornos family is very wealthy and important. They buy it in case one of the pets is... damaged. When they want us to look good. I was told to make you both presentable."

"It'll grow fur back?"

"Yes," said Rhys, raising an eyebrow, "You haven't ever seen this before?"

"No... I... don't think I've ever lost this much fur before," said Koben.

"Oh. I'd... I'd heard that it was easy for our people to get this, but I know it's new. I've been on Borgia a long time... but some of the new ones who come... sometimes they have a little news," said Rhys.

"You aren't from Borgia? You weren't born here?" Zain asked.

"No. I was very young though, when the slavers brought me. Younger than either of you, I think," Rhys said, "After this sets, we'll take you to somewhere you can sleep. We'll wake you when... when it's time to get ready."

After a few minutes, the smaller wolvan peeled off the mass of nano-restorative, revealing new, undamaged fur where there bellies had been shaved. Rhys gave them small capsules to swallow, saying they would help them sleep.

They were escorted into a small lift chamber, it's acceleration undampened by gravitics, and whisked rapidly downwards. Zain staggered, nauseous at the falling feeling. They were walked down a narrow, grey corridor, and through a small doorway that led to a cramped, bare room, devoid of any furnishings except for a couple of thin foam mats with a few small cushions, and thin blankets.

Rhys departed, closing the door behind him, and shutting Keela in the room with them. The hyena motioned them over to the beds, and when they laid down, fastened their wrists and ankles together with the mag-manacles.

"Do you have to do that?" asked Zain, "We're not going anywhere."

"When I am sure of you, then no. And perhaps, if there were not any trouble today I would not. But I take no chances today, because of Massora Melagant. You are both big, and maybe think you are tough, and that you might be able to fight me. I would not be angry if you think that. You are maybe not used to having to do what you are told, but I cannot allow problems today," The big hyena explained, stepping away.

"Go to sleep now. I will watch over you," said Keela, settling down on the bare floor nearby, between them and the door.

Koben found that his eyes would barely stay open. His body was already feeling better, though terribly tired, but between the sedative, his ordeal, and his body's apparently accelerated attempts to heal itself, he was fading quickly. He tried his best to get comfortable, with his wrists and ankles bound, and was soon dozing.

He was awakened, soon after, by a flashing in his vision. In an instant, he realized what they were: Test patterns from his headcomp coming back online. That wasn't supposed to happen for days, until well after any possible suspicion might die down. Worried, Koben quickly accessed it, to see if he could tell what was happening.

It didn't take long for it to dawn on him - whatever "medicine," he and Zain had been given to promote such fast healing had apparently caused his headcomp to "heal" faster as well. It was wetware - semi-biological components that healed as his body healed.

Groggily, through the murky haze from the drugs, he monitored the restart process, doing his best to damp down processes, and especially to disable any of the wave-emitters that allowed the thing to interface with other devices. He prayed that he'd managed to do so quickly enough, or that there wasn't anything nearby that could register such devices.

Eventually, the door opened. Koben was still exhausted, and hazy from the drug. For a panicked moment, he expected guards to burst in, their captors having detected his headcomp.

But it was just Rhys, carrying a large, ornate case. He motioned Koben and Zain to lie still, and brought out some large brushes.

Koben laid there while the smaller, older wolvan brushed out his coat, rolling over when asked, so that Rhys could get his belly. The smaller wolvan sprayed him with something that smelled vaguely spicy and fragrant.

He turned to Zain and repeated the process, taking extra care with the long, fur, once more it's proper dazzling white color.

Both wolvan still felt like hell, but they looked almost as good as new.

Koben noticed something he hadn't before. There was something slightly off about Rhys' scent, something hard to place. And something about the way he held his legs and body. When the grey male stretched to reach over Zain's much-larger form, Koben finally saw what it was.

"Rhys," he said, "What happened to you?"

The other wolvan froze, confused and then puzzled,

"What do you mean?" he asked, carefully, "Nothing has happened to me since I left you. I am all right."

"No," Koben swallowed, his eyebrows drawn together, "I mean... your... to your male parts, your testicles."

The other wolvan suddenly looked even older, his eyes narrowing with remembered pain. He blinked carefully, and said, after a pause, "Some time ago, it was decided that I wasn't... optimal for breeding, and that I wasn't well-behaved enough."

After a pause, he continued, "I bit young master Melagant on the hand, when he was twelve years old. He was beating one of the other animals. I was very... fond of her. I expected that I would be mated with her. We'd been given to Melagant, as pets, to teach him responsibility. When I put my body between Leeya and the young master's lash, he used my collar to drop me to the ground, helpless, and grabbed my ear and began to strike my face. I snapped at him and even though it wasn't very hard, I drew his blood when I did it."

"Leeya was sold to another house. I might have just been put down, or had my teeth torn out as punishment, but the Master of the house decided that I'd been too expensive to destroy, and that he would not have a hideous, toothless animal walking around. So he had me neutered, instead."

He sat very still while saying this.

"To alter my temperament. Make me... better behaved. It was a long time ago. Nearly a dozen years. I... rarely think about it. They're just not there any more."

"I'm... sorry," said Koben.

"Don't be sorry," said Rhys, resuming his brushing of Zain, and returning to more his normal demeanor, "Just don't let it happen to you."

Keela stood up from where he'd been sitting silently, almost forgotten by the others, and said, "It is almost time. Master Melagant's functionaries are in the lift."

Koben's skin crawled under his fur, and he wondered if he'd be able to handle this inside job, when it meant crawling inside the belly of the beast.

To Be Continued...