“The males treat their females shamefully,” the man agreed. “But we’re only here for a little while longer, Lalish, my love.”
Suddenly, a little boy with black hair and bronze eyes came running into the room.
“Mumma! Poppa!” he yelled. “I saw a man coming—one of the lizard people.”
“Where?” The woman went to the front window and looked out of it, her eyes troubled. “It’s those men from the Crimson Blades Clan, Taurex. What if they’re here to demand a cut of our profits again?”
“They can forget about it,” the man said grimly. “We don’t even know them and we don’t owe their Clan any allegiance! Don’t worry, my love, I’ll take care of this.”
“All right—just be careful. They scare me,” the woman said. “They’re so cold and unfeeling.”
Suddenly an arm waved the clouds of blue smoke away from her face and the vision of the man and woman and their son disappeared. Bobbi coughed again and looked around, feeling dazed, like she had just woken up from a very deep dream.
“What…where did they go?” she asked, looking around in confusion. “I know them! At least, I think I do.”
“You have to watch the dream weed smoke—it can trap you in visions of the past if you’re not careful. We call that ‘getting the echoes’.”
It was a tall, thin Saurian who was talking to her. At first, Bobbi thought he might be another dream. But then he smiled, showing rows of sharp teeth, and she realized she was back in reality.
“Who…who are you?” she asked, still feeling dazed.
“Why, I’m Rep. Wheezler, my dear. I was under the impression that you wanted to see me about a business proposition?” He raised his eyebrow ridges at her and Bobbi remembered why she was there.
“Oh, yes! Yes, of course—please forgive me,” she said quickly. “That smoke…” She coughed again, covering her face with her elbow.
“Yes, it can be quite intense when you first experience the echoes—most disorienting. Would you care to have a seat while your head clears?”
Rep. Wheezler gestured politely towards a couch and Bobbi took a seat gratefully—she was still feeling rather lightheaded.
“Thank you,” she said. But she couldn’t get what she’d seen out of her mind. “Would you mind telling me—these ‘echoes of the past’—does everyone see the same thing when they inhale the dream weed smoke?”
“Mainly they see things that happened in the past. Things that pertain to them. So one of my Pleasure Girls smoking might see herself with a client she had three weeks ago. Sometimes that befuddles their minds and they get lost in that past episode and forget what’s going on in the present,” Rep. Wheezler explained.
“But isn’t that a problem? I mean, why do you let them smoke it?” Bobbi asked.
“Because in their profession, they need to forget, my dear,” Rep. Wheezler murmured. “It’s not pleasant for them, you know. So I try to provide whatever recreation I can to make them more comfortable.”
More compliant, you mean, Bobbi thought, looking narrowly at the pimp. She had never been much into recreational drugs, but she could tell already that the dream weed must be addictive. Probably he got all his girls hooked so they had less initiative to run away.
But there was no point in saying that out loud and insulting him—she needed to keep on his good side if she was going to get Keelah away from him, Bobbi thought.
“Thank you for answering my questions,” she said, smiling her best, professional smile—the one she used when interviewing people during her cultural studies. “I’ve never heard of dream weed before—and the idea of getting to see echoes of the past is truly fascinating.”
“You’re very welcome, Res…” He raised his eye ridges at her questioningly.
“Res. Bobbi,” Bobbi supplied. “I’m, er, engaged to be married to Rep. Dragon of the Crimson Blades Clan,” she added, hoping that Dragon’s name might carry some weight.
“Ah yes—I have heard of him—the mammalian enforcer adopted into the leading family of the Crimson Blades Clan.” Rep. Wheezler nodded gravely. “He is said to be a fearsome fighter—though he has never darkened my doorway.”
“He doesn’t go in for Pleasure Girls much, I don’t think,” Bobbi said. Then she had a sudden inspiration. “But I think you have one here that he would like and I want to buy her for him, as a wedding present.”
“You want to buy your husband-to-be a Pleasure Girl as a present?” Wheezler raised his eye ridges even higher, in apparent surprise. “Well, that’s certainly a unique idea.”
“I know, isn’t it?” Bobbi gushed, pretending excitement. “He’s going to be so thrilled!”
“I’m sure he will,” Rep. Wheezler said blandly. “And I take it you have a particular girl in mind?”
“Yes, I do and I’m willing to pay well for her,” Bobbi said quickly. “She belonged to Dragon’s adoptive brother and Dragon always expressed an interest in her. But of course he couldn’t have her while she belonged to his kin. Then, just this morning, I was told that she’d been sold to you. And since she’s free now, I thought, ‘what a perfect present!’ You know?” She smiled at him eagerly. “So I’m really hoping you still have her.”