Chapter 6
by 
Abdulalahazred
They approach...
... warily.
There were shafts and crevasses all about which allowed light into the gloomy depths - he'd seen holo schematics of the winding tunnels and chambers and catwalks and stairs taken by satellite. The place was an Escheresque labyrinth. He knew where the four escape tunnels began and led too, having memorised the layout.
He hoped. Mirrors and tubes like fibre optics allowed light down, cross ventilation and convection currents kept the air moving. In the heat up here living in a cave seemed wise.
He loosened his burnoose and smiled at the man. "We're here on business. Buying slaves." He said, slipping the man some backsheesh.
The money made the doleful man smile, a sight that was more disturbing than his usual staid visage. "Yes. Yes. This way. Many slaves we have." He spoke an odd dialect of confederation common. He lead them into the small chamber and down a steeply winding stair into a smelly corridor lit by grotesque crawling fungi and shafts of weakly reflected sunlight. Their guide motioned on then turned and returned to his post.
They crossed a catwalk over a broad square lit by luminous toadstools tall as trees where exotic veiled and turbaned people hustled and bustled amongst animals and stalls laden with wares - food, trinkets, tools, fabrics... Everything imaginable. The rank smell of acrid sweat, perfumes, spices, animals, feces, urine, sheesha, burning oil and other things was indescribably complex.
Down another stair through the jewel and metals market. Then they arrived at the **** market.
They came to a stall selling lizard kebabs, one of those giant predatory beasts slowly turning on a spit in scorched rictus, more simmering in fricaseed mushroom sauce. It smells incredible.
Klim motions for one and some sewer aromatic tea. You sit down amongst pillows circling a nargelah and plates of odd pale blue meat, tuberous yams and pink green fungi are laid out before you. Klim takes a draft on the hookah and then slowly eats some of the food.
"We should buy a **** girl. A well bred docile one already addicted to the **** ****. We'll bind and gag her and use her as a vessel for our quarry. They want him dead, but I'd like to find out why, what secrets he knows..." Klim says.