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dominate the commerce of the river to their respective advantages. Ar has no navy, being an inland power, but it has developed a fleet of river ships and these, often, skirmish with the river ships of Cos, usually built in Cos, transported to the continent and carried overland to the river. The delta of the Vosk, for most practical purposes, a vast marsh, an area of thousands of square pasangs, where the Vosk washes down to the sea, is closed to shipping. It is trackless and treacherous, and the habitat of marsh tharlarion and the predatory Ul, a winged lizard with wing-spans of several feet. It is also inhabited by the rencers, who live upon rence islands, woven of the rence reed, masters of the long bow, usually obtained in trade with peasants to the east of the delta. They are banded together under the nominal governance of the marsh Ubar, Ho-Hak. They are suspicious of strangers, as are Goreans generally. In Gorean the same expression is used for ‘stranger’ and ‘enemy’. The situation on the Vosk is further complicated by the presence of Vosk pirates and the rivalries of the river towns themselves.
    “The engagement was sharp,” said Samos, “but the ship, its crew, passengers and cargo, fell to Bejar as prize.”
    “I see now,” I said, “the girl was slave cargo on the ship which fell to Bejar.”
    Samos smiled.
    “It was not a slave ship, I gather,” I said, “else it is likely her head and body hair would have been shaved, to reduce the degree of infestation by ship lice in the hold.” I looked at him. “She could have been, of course, in a deck cage,” I said. These are small cages, fastened on deck. At night and in rough weather they are usually covered with a tarpaulin. This tends to prevent rust.
    “It was not a slave ship,” said Samos.
    I shrugged. “Her thigh was as yet bare of the brand,” I said, “which is interesting.” I looked at Samos. “Whose collar did she wear?” I asked.
    “She wore no collar,” said Samos.
    “I do not understand,” I said. I was genuinely puzzled.
    “She was clothed as a free woman and was among the passengers,” said Samos. “She was not stripped until she stood on the deck of the ship of Bejar and was put in chains with the other captured women.”
    “She was a passenger,” I said.
    “Yes,” said Samos, “a passenger.”
    “Her passage papers were in order?” I asked.
    “Yes,” he said.
    “Interesting,” I said.
    “I thought so,” said Samos.
    “Why would an Earth girl, almost totally ignorant of Gorean, unbranded, free, be traveling on a ship of Cos?”
    “I think, clearly, it has something to do with the Others, the Kurii,” said Samos.
    “That seems likely,” I said.
    “Bejar,” said Samos, “one well known to me, discerning that she was both unbranded and barbarian, and ignorant of Gorean, and knowing my interest in such matters, called her to my attention. I had her, hooded, brought here from his pens.”
    “It is an interesting mystery,” I said. “Are you certain you do not wish me to question her in her own language?’
    “No,” said Samos. “Or certainly not at present.”
    “As you wish,” I said.
    “Sit down,” said Samos. He gestured to a place behind the small table on which we had had supper.
    I sat down, cross-legged, behind the table, and he sat down, cross-legged, across from me.
    “Do you recognize this?” asked Samos. He reached into his robes and drew forth a small leather packet, which he unfolded. From this he took a large ring, but too large for the finger of a human, and placed it on the table.
    “Of course,” I said, “it is the ring which I obtained in the Tahari, that ring which projects the light diversion field, which renders its wearer invisible in the normal visible range of the spectrum.”
    “Is it?” asked Samos.
    I looked at the ring. I picked it up. It was heavy, golden, with a silver plate. On the outside of the ring, opposite the bezel, was a recessed, circular switch. When