"Touche!" The females in the laboratories back on earth had never
touched his hand or called him by his first name. He wondered about the
man with whom she had been drinking. Also he was very uneasy about her
real reason for being here. No woman with good sense would make the
rough rocket trip to Mars for a vacation; presuming she did come to
Mars, she would not willingly come to this place. But Jennie Ware was
here, an enigma wrapped up in a beautiful smile. He took his eyes off
her long enough to look around the place again.
In Mars Port, he had seen the native dives, but Mars Port had nothing
like this. To the natives, this was a place of pleasure, filled with
sights, sounds, and smells that made them happy. Over against the
farther wall a tribal chieftan was absorbing _narseeth_ through
the skin of his hands, thrusting them again and again into the sirupy,
smoky-colored mixture in the bowl in front of him. Every so often
he stopped, whereupon the Martian female with him carefully dried
his hands. After they were dry, he made fumbling passes at her. She
accepted the passes without resistance. Ronson stared at the sight.
"Relax. You'll get used to it," Jennie Ware said.
At another table a huge Martian was sitting. Two others were with him.
One sat facing the rear, the other faced the front. Ronson had the
impression of two alert dogs guarding their master. A little chill
passed through him at the thought.
Odors were in the place, of sweat dried into _dothar_ skin
garments, of stale drinks. Dim but distinct was the all-pervading
clinging, cloying odor of _tamil_, the Martian equivalent of musk.
Through an opening at the right, Ronson could see females lounging at
ease in what was apparently a reception room to a brothel.
Unease came up in him again. How could this place be the way to Les Ro?
But the rumors he had picked up and carefully checked in Mars Port had
all been in agreement, if you wanted to see Les Ro, you came here. What
happened after that was obviously fate.
Watching, Ronson saw that no Martian entered the circle on the floor.