按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
eneschal came out and bowed Madison in。
〃Her Majesty is in the third music salon；〃 he said。 〃Follow me； please。〃
Expecting to see Teenie being played to with soft airs suggested by the climate and beauty of the place； Madison was a little startled to find her stripped to the waist； wearing a pair of blue pants with red side…stripes and nothing else。 She held a stinger in her hand。
〃Madison；〃 she said without preamble； 〃you just got no idea how dumb these （bleepards） are！〃
Madison had no idea who she was talking about。 They were the only ones in the room。 There were mirrors on all the walls which cross…multiplied their images； and although there seemed to be several hundred Madisons and Teenies； that did not make them any less the only occupants of this large and ornate salon。
〃Watch this；〃 said Teenie。 She barked out； 〃Hike！〃
A woman； dressed in noble clothes； entered by a far door。 With leisurely and cultured steps； idly gazing about her； she wandered toward a pedestal which must be a performer's platform。 Madison recognized one of Teenie's Palace City maids。
〃Let him go！〃 cried Teenie。
Instantly； from another door； a man in officer's uniform raced into the room。 He spotted the woman。 He made a beeline for her。
He tore the robe off her。 He knocked her down。 He hauled her over to the performer's platform。 Keeping one foot on her so she couldn't escape； he half tore off his own clothes。 He leaped on her and was just about to spread her legs when Teenie moved forward with a yell。
〃No； no； NO！〃 cried Teenie and stabbed him in the butt with her stinger。
That didn't stop him。 Not for a second。 Teenie grabbed hold of the hair of his head and sought to pull him upward。
Two sergeants had rushed in and they backed up Teenie。 They got the man out of and off the maid and held him there。
〃Madison； that's the third God （bleeped） time he got it wrong！ In a row！〃
〃Teenie； maybe he doesn't understand what he's supposed to do。〃
〃Oh； he understands all right；〃 she snarled； jabbing him in the belly with the stinger。 〃He is supposed to walk up to her and bow； then kneel and kiss her hand and request her pany for a stroll in the park； AFTER which he is supposed to make an improper proposal。 But they know （bleeped） well that after the proposal they just get sent back to barracks； so they use these lessons as a chance to get by me and tear off a piece before I can stop them。〃
〃Well； Teenie；〃 said Madison； looking at the wilted officer； 〃I wouldn't dare to advise you； but has it occurred to you that if you let him actually take a girl to a bedroom and do it； IF he did all the rest right； they might revert to protocol？ It's called 'reward' in animal psychology。 I know； I studied it in college。〃
〃You got it all wrong；〃 said Teenie。 〃That's the trouble with them。 They're acting like a bunch of beasts！ Five hundred God （bleeped） noblemen； my （bleep）。 They're just five hundred God （bleeped） animals！〃
〃I think even their fathers and grandfathers were led to the queen with an electric collar on them；〃 said Madison。 〃I think maybe their protocol requires them to act that way。〃
Teenie became thoughtful。 She sent for Governor Spurt。 He came racing； all dressed up； now that the chests had been unlocked。 He came to a halt with a clank of office badges and bowed low。
Teenie dragged him over to the side and had a low…voiced conversation with him。
She came back shortly。 〃By God； Madison； you're right。 It wasn't animal psychology that was missing… who'd miss it…it was the standing Royal orders！ Queen Hora wanted to be hit and stripped and raped！〃
Governor Spurt soon returned acpanied by a clerk in black and three footmen carrying a table and other things。 They set them down。
Teenie； with their help； drew up a document which altered former Royal orders。 The clerk； with a flourish； handed her the Royal Seal of Flisten…a two…pound carved emerald…and she stamped and signed it。
〃It won't do any good to do any more training until the heralds yell it all over the island to make it legal。〃 She got up； a maid dropped a cloak over her shoulders and Madison followed her out onto the terrace。
Teenie sat down on a balustrade and stared out across the valley。 A footman handed up a silver tray which held a piece of bubble gum； bowed and withdrew。
She chewed for a while and； when she could blow a bubble； did so。 〃This queening business is pretty tricky； Madison。 You can get away with anything so long as you do it with the proper legal actions。 But I'm learning。〃
〃This certainly is a lovely place；〃 said Madison。 〃Birds singing and the air is like perfume。 They're really making progress fixing it up。〃
〃Oh； the contractors are getting the panels and machinery working。 I've got two air…coach trucks making daily runs now。 I'm having trouble with the villages： they keep organizing dancing festivals of wele。 But the main holdup is in mercial City： they never heard of some of these torture instruments and they're having to be handmade。 How's it going with publicity？〃
〃You mean PR。 I think I'll be in business in another two or three weeks。〃
Teenie sighed。 〃I guess I'll just have to resign myself to it。 How long do you think it will be until I get my hands on Gris？〃
〃Two or three months；〃 said Madison。
She looked at him crossly。 〃You sure are slow！ Well； you didn't e down here sightseeing。 What do you want now？〃
〃I just wanted your permission to send in a camera crew and get some blank passes。 I want a little travelogue。〃
She shrugged。 Then she said； 〃While you're at it； tell your cameraman to be sure and take some pictures of that dungeon。 I want something to remind you with in case you get ideas of not ing through。 Call it animal psychology。〃 And she popped her bubble gum emphatically in his face。
Chapter 8
One week later； Madison called his staff together。
〃I think we're all organized；〃 he said。 〃I just want to tell you that if anybody flubs； he will be subjected to one or both of two penalties。 He or she will be forced to take a dose of LSD and if the offense is very bad； the offender will be forced to have a psychiatric treatment。 Is that understood？〃
They squirmed。 It must be pretty bad if the chief； a known murderer； looked that grim about it。 They shivered； they went pale under their newly acquired tans。 They said they understood。
〃All right；〃 said Madison。 〃It's all systems go！〃
The five circus girls rushed off； got dressed as noble ladies。
Five air limousines took off； headed for five different social functions。
Five false identoplates that said； incontestable that they were noble ladies from distant Confederacy planets got them entrance to estates and ballrooms。
The PR war was on。
They had their orders。 They had been drilled and drilled。 They were to circulate amongst the guests and at any opportunity； talk about the marvelous new doctor from a planet of very advanced culture named Earth that had developed a marvelous thing called psychiatry。 And would you believe it？ The root of all mental disturbance was sex？ Amazing！ But he was curing people in droves。 It was the latest thing； quite the rage。
For days and days； on and on； for dozens and then hundreds of soirees and balls and at homes； the whispering campaign pounded on。
The two offi