The chosen three led her upstairs. Araminta thought that was daring enough, but the night swiftly evolved into a strenuous sexual adventure as Mr Bovey began teaching her acts that could only be performed as a group. 'Trust me, one of hims said as he opened an aerosol in her face. 'It's a booster. It'll amplify your pleasure, sort of even things up between you and mes. Araminta breathed it down. It was potent.

They gathered round, strong hands supporting her in different positions. She was made to climax with each of hims in turn, with the booster increasing the sensation each time as it gradually saturated her bloodstream. After the third one she flopped back on the mattress in a lovely warm fugue. That was when she saw more of hims had arrived to wait silent and naked around the bed. She didn't protest as they stared down excitedly. 'Yes, she told them. In unison the fresh bodies closed in.

More than once that night Araminta swooned from a combination of exhaustion and aerosol-fuelled ecstasy. Each time he allowed her a small rest before rousing her again. Those were the occasions when she dreamed her strange dream.

She didn't wake up until mid-morning. When she did, the details of the night had merged together into a single strand of relentless animal behaviour. She'd surprised herself by yielding to everything he'd demanded from her.

The diner date Bovey was lying on the bed beside her. He was the only one left in the bedroom. 'Good morning, he said with soft politeness.

'Yeah, Araminta said. She still felt hopelessly tired, as well as unpleasantly sore. The aerosol had worn off, leaving her skin cool and slightly clammy.

'You look beautiful when you're sleeping, did you know that?

'I… No one has told me that before.

'How do you feel?

'Uh, okay I suppose.

'All right, he said in an understanding tone, and stroked some dishevelled hair from her face. 'Let me put it this way; would you like another night like that?

'Yes, she whispered, and knew she was blushing. Despite the frequent outrages he'd committed it had been absolutely the best sex she'd ever had. Exactly the kind of multiple-partner athleticism Cressida always boasted about and she'd been too timid to try. But last night it had technically only been one man; this way she got the thrill without the emotional guilt — almost.

'I hoped you would. Not every single can cope with me like that. You're very special, Araminta.

'I… She hesitated, unsure how much to confide. Which is stupid. 'It was like I was becoming part of you. Is that silly?

'No. With an experience that acute there's always a merger through the gaiafield with anyone nearby, though you mostly remained closed to me. Was that by choice?

'I don't have gaiamotes.

He gave her a curious look. 'Interesting. I was sure… nah, skip it. The house is running a bath for you.

'Thank you. So where do we go from here?

'There's a play on at the Broadway Empire, some kind of comedy, with real actors. I've booked for tonight.

Which wasn't quite what she wanted qualifying. 'Lovely. And after?

'I would like you to come back here, back to this bed. I'd really like that.

Araminta nodded demurely. 'I will. She didn't think it could ever be as exciting as last night had been. First times were always special, but if hes were just as randy tonight it would still be the hottest sex in town. She eased herself off the bed, drawing a sharp breath as she straightened up. 'Um, how many bodies have you got?

It was his turn to seem reticent. 'Over thirty.

'How many… last night?

'Six, he said with a very male grin of satisfaction.

'Ozzie! That's it, I'm now officially a complete trollop. Can't wait to see Cressida's face when I tell her that. Six! She'll be as jealous as hell.

'What do you want for breakfast? he asked as she opened the door to the en suite bathroom.

'Orange juice, Bathsamie coffee strong, croissants with strawberry and hijune jam.

'It'll be ready when you are.

The regrav capsule sped low over the scrub desert. Dead and desiccated bushes virtually the same colour as the crumbling jaundiced mud from which they'd grown merged to a speckled blur as Aaron looked down through the transparent fuselage. Their jumbled smear confused his visual perspective, making it difficult to tell if their altitude was one metre or a thousand. He often found himself searching for the capsule's jet-black shadow slithering fast across the low undulations to provide a clue.

A couple of minutes before they reached the ranch, he saw a fence; posts of bleached wood sticking up in a section of desert which appeared no different to the rest of the wretched expanse. Rusty spikewire sagged between them. More fences flashed past underneath as they drew closer. The fields they marked out were smaller, closer together. Eventually the clutter of buildings which comprised the ranch itself were visible, nestling at the centre of a vast web of spikewire.

'What does he raise out here? Corrie-Lyn asked.

'Korrimues, Aaron said.

'I can't see anything moving.

'Wrong season, I think.

She gave the vast desert a disapproving look. 'There are seasons out here?

'Oh yes. It rains every ten years.

'Gosh, how do the ranchers stand the excitement?

The capsule began to circle the ranch. He counted eight large outlying barn sheds, all built from an ancient ginger-coloured composite, while the house in the middle was a white stone structure surrounded by a big emerald garden. An outdoor swimming pool shimmered deep turquoise. Terrestrial horses cantered around a broad paddock.

'Okay, that actually looks rather nice, Corrie-Lyn said grudgingly.

His field functions reported the capsule was being given a broad-spectrum scan. 'Not quite paradise, he muttered. His own passive scan was registering some dense power clumps in the ground. They were arranged in an even circle around the perimeter. A defence ring of some kind.

The capsule settled on a designated zone just outside the garden.

'Can you… he started to say to Corrie-Lyn, then saw her disinterested expression. 'Just leave the talking to me, okay?

'Of course I will. Shall I just stay in here? Or would you like to gag me? Perhaps you'd prefer me stuffed into a suspension pod?

'Now there's true tempting, he told her cheerfully, ignoring the scowl.

Paul Alkoff was leaning on the five bar gate which led to the paddock, dressed entirely in faded blue denim with a Stetson perched on his head. A tall man who was finally allowing his seven and a half centuries to show. His hair was snow white, worn long at the back but perfectly brushed. His movements were noticeably slow, as if each limb was stiff. With skin that was tanned dark brown his pale blue eyes seemed to shine out of his thin face. A neatly trimmed goatee added to his palpable air of distinction. Even Aaron recognized he was in the presence of a formidable man, he immediately began to wonder just how much living had been crammed into those seven hundred and fifty years. A great deal, if he was any judge.

'Sir, thank you for agreeing to see me.

Corrie-Lyn shot him a surprised look at the respectful tone.

Paul gave a small smile then lifted his Stetson an inch off his hair and inclined his head to Corrie-Lyn. 'Ma'am. Welcome.

'Um, hello, a thoroughly confused Corrie-Lyn managed.

'Don't normally allow your kind in my home, Paul said directly to Aaron. 'So you'll understand if I don't ask you in and break bread with you.

'My biononics are for combat, I'm not Higher.

'Uh huh. Don't suppose it makes no difference these days, son. That battle was fought a long time ago.

'Did you win?

'Planet's still human, so I guess we did some good back then.