01 Taxilas Children

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TAXILA'S CHILDREN There was a ghost of a smile behind the beard. He turned without a word and drew aside the curtain. He beckoned to someone beyond. Steve's heart started to hammer. This was a version of the local population that he had not previously met. "My Lord, I present to you Hara." The woman moved forward into the light shed by the lamp and knelt and kissed his hand, which he had left carelessly draped on the blanket. Her lips were warm, it didn't feel a very reverential kiss but that might have been imagination. All those that he had met up to that point, wore a kind of shapeless shift. A sort of rough spun tunic that left the arms free and was fairly low cut at the neck. It ended at knee level in a kind of skirt. On Hara, it was far from shapeless, her arms were slim and brown and it seemed not to stretch far enough at the neck or the knee. Steve let out his breath slowly. His exhalation was a little ragged. Hara was having an effect on him that was not unusual. He hoped that she wasn't able to read all that was going through his mind. He had an uneasy feeling that Jabez could. He reluctantly took his eyes away from the top hem of her dress and tried to keep his thoughts on the business in hand. "Are you able to look into my mind, Hara?" She lifted her head and stared into his eyes. There was something in the look that answered his question. "I am able to, My Lord." Her voice and her thoughts sounded the same - melodious. "Will she do, Lord?' Jabez sounded anxious. "Most decidedly!" He wasn't going to take the chance that she was going to be spirited away from him as soon as they had met. She promised to be the best thing that had happened to him in a very long time. So, he had hired himself a teacher. The arrangement was that she would spend the evening with him after her normal duties - whatever they might have been. It sounded a good arrangement that might lead to anything, until it was put into practice. Jabez proved to be a very efficient chaperone. Steve made good progress with his lessons, his natural aptitude, coupled with a genuine talent on the part of his teacher, caused him to pick up the rudiments of their tongue in a surprisingly short time. The pattern continued, he spent each day alone. He used the time to become more mobile. The weather was glorious, cool nights, followed by warm, sunny days. It wasn't long before he decided to bask on the paved area outside of his room. He was a little cautious at first, not wanting to be observed by anyone visiting the small community. His basking naked did not worry him but he wanted to avoid a confrontation with elements of the local population who might inhibited enough to object to nude men sprawling around on their walkways. He need not have worried, no one mentioned the matter although it must have been obvious that the healthy tan he soon developed, hadn't come about by laying all day in his bed. It was a good, lazy life and appealed to the indolent streak in his nature. He built up his strength, knowing that things couldn't remain as they were. He stayed close to the building. It was his bolt-hole at the first sign of trouble. He needed to gain strength before he explored beyond the limits he had set himself. Another problem was that he had no clothes and he might have been taken for an exhibitionist, if he had a chance meeting with someone. He took the bull by the horns and spoke to Jabez. He was at pains to paint a gracious picture. 24
TAXILA'S CHILDREN CHAPTER 5 "I need to know more of your people. I would like to see how you live and where you work. I know so little about you and you have extended such a warm hospitality that I wish to become your friend. Hara tells me that I am making good progress with your language. I would like to practice my skills with your people and see if I can make myself understood." Jabez seemed to hesitate. Steve wasn't sure whether it was reluctance or solicitude for his state of health. Whatever the reason, it was quickly over. Jabez frothed: "My Lord overwhelms his servant with his kindness. That my Lord should wish to wear the garments of a lowly man is exaltation to me!" Steve interjected. "It's either that, or I walk around naked. I might frighten the children!" Jabez permitted himself a rare response of humour. He actually smiled! The old man promised to provide something suitable. In a further departure from habit, he left Steve and 25
Page 1 and 2: TAXILA'S CHILDREN “"Give your ass
Page 3 and 4: TAXILA'S CHILDREN "Your concern is
Page 5 and 6: TAXILA'S CHILDREN identify the mate
Page 7 and 8: TAXILA'S CHILDREN He screamed in sh
Page 9 and 10: TAXILA'S CHILDREN on desperation? H
Page 11 and 12: TAXILA'S CHILDREN Lyot nodded accep
Page 13 and 14: TAXILA'S CHILDREN CHAPTER 3 Someone
Page 15 and 16: TAXILA'S CHILDREN "Now, we're makin
Page 17 and 18: TAXILA'S CHILDREN Steve began to fe
Page 19 and 20: TAXILA'S CHILDREN CHAPTER 4 Jabez c
Page 21 and 22: TAXILA'S CHILDREN The problem was t
Page 23: TAXILA'S CHILDREN whether it had su
Page 27 and 28: TAXILA'S CHILDREN "If my Lord would
Page 29 and 30: TAXILA'S CHILDREN crouched - like h
Page 31 and 32: TAXILA'S CHILDREN Jabez brought up
Page 33 and 34: TAXILA'S CHILDREN "When?" "If my Lo
Page 35 and 36: TAXILA'S CHILDREN more distant. The
Page 37 and 38: TAXILA'S CHILDREN The hilltop was a
Page 39 and 40: TAXILA'S CHILDREN They stared at ea
Page 41 and 42: TAXILA'S CHILDREN He lay there for
Page 43 and 44: TAXILA'S CHILDREN A cry rose from t
Page 45 and 46: TAXILA'S CHILDREN "It is not the ti
Page 47 and 48: TAXILA'S CHILDREN With an invitatio
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Page 51 and 52: TAXILA'S CHILDREN Whatever was to h
Page 53 and 54: TAXILA'S CHILDREN The cat man's hea
Page 55 and 56: TAXILA'S CHILDREN "Is it possible t
Page 57 and 58: TAXILA'S CHILDREN "Don't be petulan
Page 59 and 60: TAXILA'S CHILDREN Jabez hesitated a
Page 61 and 62: TAXILA'S CHILDREN born. He didn't h
Page 63 and 64: TAXILA'S CHILDREN "It is my servant
Page 65 and 66: TAXILA'S CHILDREN There was no conv
Page 67 and 68: TAXILA'S CHILDREN punished or train
Page 69 and 70: TAXILA'S CHILDREN It sounded foolis
Page 71 and 72: TAXILA'S CHILDREN superstition and
Page 73 and 74: TAXILA'S CHILDREN the planet, despi
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN If they had been
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN "It has an evil a
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN "Do you realise t
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN "You are talking
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN There was one of
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN Lyot's estate see
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN Steve stopped and
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN They dropped thei
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN They walked in si
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN Steve felt an ill
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN It had been said
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN "This isn't the o
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN that his image co
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN Steve shrugged an
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN "Restrict your mo
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN frank curiosity,
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN "Did it trouble y
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN Hans-Jurgen Haupt
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN CHAPTER 19 Danyk
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN "Hara may allow t
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN crept the rest of
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN CHAPTER 20 On the
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN for him - perhaps
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN Danyk marched fro
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN CHAPTER 21 Rho Or
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN the Council Chamb
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN "I am aware of th
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN CHAPTER 22 Steve
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN man within him ha
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN Steve sighed, it
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN There was no resp
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN He walked round a
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN "Do the Adepts co
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN situation which h
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN Holt had fought h
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN "Ask Taxila!" "I
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN He felt Zayez soo
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN "Taxila is one of
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN "The Race Masters
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN Steve roared in f
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN His sleep was ver
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN "Perhaps, you are
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN Lyot raised his e
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN qualities he can
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN "You have not bee
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN Once again, he wa
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN The conversation
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN emergence of the
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN "In the mythology
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN ever - and we can
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN It was a precipit
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN off because of in
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN himself to Steve
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN "Shaita likes to
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TAXILA'S CHILDREN "Deactivate." The
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