Liddy knocked on the doors as she walked down the hall to get everyone awake at the early hour. After a long night of work, most were exhausted, but they needed to get ready for the party. The soldiers were awake and ready almost immediately, but the rest needed some prodding. Ving was awake and trying to wake up Hannah with her tongue between her legs. Liddy walked in on them and shouted at them for dallying. Easy and Mari were kissing while getting themselves dressed, but at least they were moving. The rest were just slow getting up, but were ready soon enough.

“Alright. Everyone except Inky and Leira is coming to this party,” Liddy started to explain. “Ship will be locked up so you shouldn't have much to worry about. The rest of us are going to the party. Aside from Foxy and Conna, you soldier-girls will be armed and on guard. Working girls, we are getting uniforms of some kind provided by the hotel. So just worry about your hair and makeup. We go in, greet and serve guests, then at some point, they will take their liberties with us until sometime around noon when the shindig is supposed to end. If it hits noon, and they are still fucking us, then we keep going and I just add the time to the bill. Already received a bank note for the first half of the payment, so there is no backing out. Any questions?”

“Will we have any more time to sleep after the party before taking on more clients in the afternoon?” Mari asked while feeling up Easy as she sat on her lap.

“I have it on good scientific authority that human beings can live over a week without sleep and that Emberborn aren't much different in that regard. So I’m going to say maybe, but it doesn't really matter. Anyone else?”

“Are we allowed to eat or drink at the party?” Conna asked.

“Limit yourself to what they offer. Afterwards, we can just take what's left.”

“How many guests are expected?” Hannah chimed in.

“Dozen or so. Never really know at these kinds of gatherings, but about that. They are upper class as well, so mind what you say. Anyone else?” Liddy waited for a moment. “Okay, then. Grab a bite now and meet on the docks. Foxy, a word.”

As everyone filed out, Foxy came over to Liddy. “Yes, Ma’am?”

“How's Leira? I know she wanted to work, but I can't do that to her.”

“Honestly, Ma’am, she is nowhere near as bad as you think. Rough around the edges, but she's been through a lot.”

“That's what has me concerned.”

“She needs time and people to care for her. There really isn't anywhere else she could get that. Nobody would take an Emberborn in. Plus, she seems keen on working for you. It won't hurt her if that's what you are worried about. It might even help.”

“You two had sex, didn't you?”

“I… should have made your bed afterwards. I’m sorry, Ma’am”

Liddy’s eyes widened in surprise. “In MY bed?” She sighed as Foxy had her turn to be surprised. “No worries. You know her better than I do at this point, and if anyone is going to be protective of her, it's you. If you say she can handle it then I will trust you.”

Foxy was surprised at her captain's trust. Nobody outside her squad ever trusted her like that. “Thank you.”

Liddy received a gentle lick of a kiss from Foxy on her cheek before watching her join the others outside. Inky approached with a smile on her face.

“That girl doesn't trust new people easily, but she really is starting to like you,” Inky explained.

“So I'm starting to realise. She believes that Leira is good to work. I'd like your opinion on her as well. Get to know her and see how she reacts to you. I'd like to give her a home here, but not if it does her more harm than good.”

“Understood. Have a fun time at the party.”

“Oh, I plan to. Getting laid where I can watch the others getting laid. It's sex and a show, of sex.”

“I was tempted to join in, but someone had to stay behind, and I don't feel right getting fucked in front of my squad.”

“Fair enough. I will see you sometime after noon.”

Inky watched Liddy go wrangle the girls on the dock and lead them off towards the hotel. She was happy that they had a proper escort with them. After losing sight of them, she turned to go look for the mermaid and found her in the bath under the water. She watched for a moment, before seeing some movement and suddenly Leira broke the surface with a smile.

“Oh hello. Who are you?”

“I’m the ship's chief security officer. Crew call me Inky. You must be Leira. Foxy told me a bit about you.”

“Oh, are you here to fuck me, too? Because that Fox was a total riot in bed. I didn't think other women could be such sluts like me, but she wanted it just as bad. All the other women I met before her either didn't want it from a woman or anywhere near as often if they did. Though, I suppose if you get paid to fuck like sluts, it helps if you are one. That's why I wanna work here. Get to fuck all the rich assholes, right?”

“Wow. She wasn't kidding about the foul mouth. Lucky for you I’m in the military. No, I’m not here to ‘fuck’ you. The rest are off the ship at a party and I wanted to not be bored out of my skull. Since we hadn't met, I figured I'd introduce myself and get to know you. I don't have sex with clients. At least not yet. But that is what the rest of the women do. Though the captain is a bit worried about if that's healthy for you, after all of your trauma.”

“What happened to me with the slavers has nothing to do with me wanting to get fucked. Though I do get what she is worried about. I saw a lot of really broken people in the market. That's why I pretended to act like them. All spaced out and shit. Hoped it would get me into a position to escape or something. I might not have all my shit right in my head, but I’m not some basket case anyone needs to worry about.”

“That's what Foxy said. More or less. And the captain is inclined to agree. I still want to get to know you even if there is no other reason to do so aside from having a new friend on board. Seems like the crew is rather ‘inclusive’, so I’m just doing my part.”

“Yeah. I didn't think people like me were allowed to be anywhere without collars. Never met any others outside the market. Yet here, shit’s all different.”

“Well, this place is unique. There are freed slaves here and there in most cities, but life is almost always worse for them. You have no idea how lucky you are. Granted, you shouldn't have had to endure any of this crap. Same with the rest of the Emberborn. But given the world we live in, you lucked out.”

“Yeah, growing up I was always told I was lucky to be there. Thought they just said that to make me think they were doing me a favour by fucking me. Like, they would have gotten rid of me if I wasn't pretty enough for it. Suppose it was a bit of both. Dunno. Can we still fuck, though?”

“Let’s just calm down for a bit. Working with clients requires patience and some discipline. Convince me you have both and I will tell Liddy you can work.”

“Oh. Why do I always want things that are hard?”

Inky chuckled lightly. “Because it's better than limp?”

Leira looked confused for a moment before getting the joke and laughing. “Cock hungry whore.” She shook her head. “Don't worry, I am, too.”

****

A little while later at the hotel, Liddy got everyone into the staff room they were to be using to get ready.

“Alright! Listen up,” she announced. “The showers are over there. Please do NOT have sex in them. Get turned on but save it for the clients.” Liddy got a few annoyed but understanding looks. “Once you are all clean, you can get your hair and makeup done by those mirrors.”

“Found the uniforms!” Soldier Kilty called out.

Liddy went over and found the bin where everything was stored. “This is a mess! Nothing was folded or pressed. Are we sure it's clean?”

“Bin is marked clean, Ma’am. We’ll get them ready for you.”

Kilty and the other soldiers not seeing clients got to work sorting through everything to get it ready for when they were needed. Black shoes with a slight heel were behind the bin, and the girls found ones that fit them. The rest of the uniforms were black nylon stockings with garters. White pleated skirts that went past their knees. White blouses with burgundy vests. White bras and panties were also in the bin in many different sizes.

“I would not run a hotel like this. They just threw everything they had in one bin. We don't even know if they have all our sizes.” Liddy huffed.

“Why don't we ditch the underwear and blouses?” Mari suggested. “Roll the skirts to make them shorter without cutting them. Have the vests and stockings with the shoes. That way we don't have to fumble with anything to work and nobody has to iron blouses without actually having irons.”

“I think you underestimate what we can do with military kit,” Kilty commented with a smug smirk.

“You are both right. Ditching the blouses and such saves us time getting ready and working. Save your barracks laundry skills for the vests and skirts. While we get ready, just try and sort out sizes and hope everything fits.”

With the soldiers having something to do, they got to work while Liddy got naked and stepped into the shower room. She had to snap her fingers at Easy, who was showing off her long tongue to Conna, but mostly they were keeping to task. It was hard to tell how much of Ving and Hannah's rubbing down Foxy was just helping with her fur or having fun, but it looked like the fox needed help with so much to wash that she let it go.

Once everyone was all dolled up, they got into uniforms that Liddy was impressed to find wrinkle-free. The skirts were abominably long by any of their standards, never mind how short Mari would normally wear hers. Rolling them up helped, but felt thick around their waist.

“We sure you don't want us cutting these?” Kilty offered.

“No, but we better not. Last thing we want is a client angry because his entertainment damaged the hotel's property.”

“You really think a hotel is going to complain to anyone in the noble class about that?”

Liddy paused. “Okay, fuck it. Cut them cleanly and stitch them quickly.”

While the rest got into their nylons and vests, the soldiers got to cutting and sewing. Liddy wasn't sure if their sewing supplies were standard soldier kit or they were just that well prepared. Thankfully, Mari was too busy trying to fit her breasts into the largest vest they could find to request her skirt be even shorter. Even before they had their skirts done, the girls were out getting drinks and trays ready without shame. The fact that there was nobody in the hall was irrelevant of course, since none of her girls minded being so exposed. Also, Easy had to have her vest cut to accommodate her wings.

Only a few minutes before the guests started showing up did someone come up and help Liddy into her skirt. She, Hannah, Ving, and Mari were ready to greet guests when they arrived, while Easy and Foxy were behind the bar. Emma was with Conna helping speed the skirts along as two of the soldiers went to guard the front door.

“Hello and welcome.” Liddy greeted someone who was not the client. “Please have a seat and make yourself comfortable.”

It would be easy to say that he was surprised at the greeting. Not because of what was said so much as the provocative nature in which it was presented.

“Oh, my. Yes.” He stammered, looking at each of the women in turn.

He was a middle-aged man but without the obvious signs of being married. Undoubtedly not the first- or second-born of his siblings. A bit overweight and lonely looking. Exactly the kind of man who would have been invited to such an event. Qualities that, more or less, were shared with the other guests as they arrived. Now with skirts on, everyone Liddy could see drinks and hors d'oeuvres delivered from the kitchen being brought around. It did seem odd to Liddy that everyone in attendance seemed to be surprised at their appearance, but even if you are told to expect something, it's different than experiencing it. Thankfully nobody seemed to react poorly to any of the Emberborn. A jovial mood was filling the room, as the guests started to relax around the women -- who seemed to be far more distracting than they were used to.

A light boot stomp on the hardwood floor at the door brought Liddy back to attention. Another guest had walked in, but this one wore a purple and red dress. The young woman's eyes widened in surprise as she took in the view of the hall and its servers.

“Hello. I am Catherine Bell. My father is running late and asked me to host until he arrives. Announce me.”

Liddy made a curt bow towards the noblewoman, looking appreciatively at her cleavage and raven-black hair done up in ladylike fashion.

“Welcome guests,” Liddy announced. “May I present to you, your hostess Lady Catherine Bell.”

Some guests were surprised, but certainly didn't mind the company of an additional beautiful woman. She went around, meeting and greeting each man in turn. Liddy sighed at the poor girl being thrust into the situation because of the unprofessional man she had as a father. The frivolity of the noble class chafed at Liddy. Did he forget he was throwing a sex party for men? If she was there for sex as well, that was one thing, but he simply seemed to have sent her because he couldn't be bothered to think on the matter. Liddy winked at the soldier at the door, who came over promptly.

“Astra is it?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Keep an eye on the Lady. If she looks like she is getting in trouble, kindly offer your assistance. She might need an excuse to leave the room. I doubt she knows what the party really is, so if it gets to be too much, then I don't want her feeling trapped.”

“Understood.”

“But if she likes it and plays along, then let it go. It can go either way.”

“Understood. Everyone else is on a door. We are secure.”

“Good. I don't think there will be any more guests. But if there are any late arrivals, then show them in and tell them to enjoy themselves if they freak out at the sex.”

“Will do.” Astra smiled. “Also, I'd just like to add that I would be fine with taking any of these men myself. So if you ever need me seeing clients, I think I can handle it.”

“Good to know.” Liddy nodded and returned the smile.

The men were already getting amorous with the women. Emma had a hand moving up her skirt while she bent over to set a man’s drinks down on the table. Surprised and pleased to find there was nothing under her skirt to limit access, he explored further as Emma stayed bent over the table, allowing his fingers to find their way inside her. The elf moaned softly and smiled, looking over to Liddy.

Hannah was already on her knees, running her hands over the thighs of her guest. Looking up at him with an innocent pout about his trousers still being fastened. She stroked along where it was easy to see how hard he was, and smiled gleefully when he nodded at her. With practised ease, Hannah got his fly open and took him deep into her mouth. He groaned as her tongue expertly worked over him and her hands gripped tightly in a massage motion.

Sensing the party starting, Easy and Foxy came out from the bar with several bottles of wine each so they wouldn't have to return for refills too often. The noble Lady was surprised when she realised what was going on, and was stunned seeing someone release the tightly packed breasts of the woman covered in ink. Astra stepped forward, sensing she might be needed. One of the men had put his leg under the long dress and started lifting it. When she noticed it, it was because the foot pressed against her causing her to yelp in surprise as she gripped it. Astra stopped moving when she saw the lady holding the foot against her, under her dress, and moving her hips against it.

Liddy was about to go check on her when someone grabbed her by the hips and pulled her onto his lap. After some adjustments, Liddy felt one of the men pushing inside her and she wasn't sure what one it was. Pleasantly surprised by the size of the man inside her, she let Astra worry about the Lady and started moving her hips. Liddy noticed someone had been brave enough to put his manhood down Foxy’s throat past her sharp teeth. It was going to be a long morning.

****

Back on the ship, Leira and Inky were at the bar, going over the different kinds of drinks they might need to mix for clients. Leira had tasted a few but didn't like any of them.

“Well, you might need to drink a lot of things while with clients, and you can't show if you don't like it,” Inky explained.

“I like swallowing the important stuff,” Leira smirked at her reply.

“Well, good. That's at least one thing you have on me. Aside from your breasts.”

“Puffertits.”

“Yes. I know. Anyways.” Inky got back to task. “Just learn to take any alcohol with a smile and you will be fine.”

“Can we fuck now?” Leira whined.

“No,” Inky said for the seventh time. “I told you that you need to learn how to control yourself. Now if you want, we can do something else physical to burn off some energy.”

“Swimming! In the ocean! I was in that box for so fucking long, but I haven't gotten to really swim in all the months I was there.” Leira was bouncing with excitement that caused her breasts to inflate a bit and her hair to wildly shift colours.

“Fine. There is some beach down the coast a bit, away from the docks. We can go swimming there.”

“Then fuck after?”

“No fucking!”

****

In the hotel hall, Conna felt someone pushing into her ass as she straddled another man on the couch. It had been a while since she had first tried it, but whoever was behind her was bigger. She yelped and bit into the upholstery as it got deeper inside. Thankfully it had spent some time in someone else and wasn't trying to go in dry. The man below her didn't seem to mind his girl being shared. He was too busy working himself in and out of her as quickly as possible. She gasped as the man finally got as deep as he could get and began to withdraw. The next thrust hurt almost as much, but she was determined to endure. Mari was bent over a table getting hers worked like a champ. The impressive part was that she could take it while not biting down on the man working her throat. Conna suddenly felt the man below her finally getting his load off, but after a few moments of pause, he resumed his pace.

Hannah was impressed at the Lady on the floor. One man had just finished and pulled out to let another take his place, and she didn't even pause with the men she was holding in each hand. Her mouth diligently worked between the two as her breasts started to bounce again from the impacts of the thrusts inside her. Hannah herself had a good view of the action, having been lifted up so that her guest could fuck her freestanding. It got easier for him to hold her up when another man moved behind her. At first she expected to enjoy the same penetration Mari was enjoying and Conna was adjusting to, but instead, it pushed up against the other cock in her and they shared the same hole. That was a lot, even for Hannah to endure, as every man she had seen so far were unusually well endowed. She wondered in between gasps how one went about inviting people like that to parties. Did they already know? Minimum erect penis size on the invites? Hannah laughed at the silly notion, feeling her breasts being gripped tightly and bitten roughly. They were all going to have marks by the end of the morning.

****

Walking down the beach, Inky and Leira found a small sheltered lagoon where they stripped out of their clothing. Leira would have been examining the tanned skin of her new friend, except she was already diving into the water to swim more freely than she had been in a long while. Inky, on the other hand, hadn't been swimming since she learned how as part of her training in boot camp. She lost sight of Leira for several minutes, when suddenly the mermaid broke the surface far out from shore. Inky went into the deeper water to meet her, but lost her again when Leira went back under the water.

Suddenly startled, Inky felt a hand between her legs as Leira came up in front of her.

“All this cold water and you are fucking hot down there.” Her fingers began to explore.

“I suggested this instead of fucking.” Inky was trying to stay afloat and couldn't stop Leira from pushing inside her.

“I know, but let's face it. You want it as fucking badly as I do.”

“Yes, but I can restrain myself. You need to learn to do the same.”

“Fine.” Leira withdrew her fingers from Inky and dove back under the water.

Preferring to get back to the shallows, Inky swam back to shore and was about to re-enter the lagoon when she spotted movement. She tensed and kept low in the water. It wasn't long before Leira came up beside her, quietly having seen her movement change from below. Two men scurried into the lagoon wearing dock-hands coveralls. One checked over the hill to see if they had been noticed before joining his friend in stripping down. Well-built muscled men dove into the water, laughing when they should have been in the middle of their shift.

“I won't tell you if you won't,” Leira whispered to Inky.

“Well, there's discipline and patience. But you also need to learn when to seize upon opportunity.”

The women stood up and walked over to the men in the lagoon, who were suddenly very surprised at the tanned beauty and the scale-covered mermaid walking towards them. They shared a look between themselves, as if they couldn't believe what was happening was real.

“Ladies,” one muttered, while the other nodded for some reason.

“Well, it seems we aren't the only ones to find this spot,” Inky commented. “A swim is a good way to spend a break in the day's labour. Don't you agree?”

It was hard for them to focus on her voice instead of her naked body, but they both nodded in agreement. Inky felt she could have recited the proper techniques for digging a trench and they would have nodded with enthusiasm.

“But it's not the only way to have fun in the water, is it?” Leira asked, as if she was genuinely unaware of what their answer might be.

Taking the hints, the men stood up and walked over. Both were already erect as the ladies moved in to embrace them. Inky didn't waste time and guided the man right inside her as they embraced. She kissed deeply, moving her hips hard against him as they sank deeper into the water. Her breasts in his grip at the surface of the water.

Leira turned around and bent over a large rock, presenting her backside to her partner, and felt him as he got down and licked her. He only spent a minute or two twisting two fingers inside her before getting up and pushing himself inside. It was an easy slide in, and he gripped her by the hips to hold her steady as he rammed repeatedly inside her.

****

Back at the hotel, Ving felt another burst of seed on her face. On her knees over the man inside her, surrounded by four men in front of her, all working themselves to cover Ving. She was certain they had all blown loads on her already, but they kept working at it mustering up even more. Her breasts were covered, and Easy worked tirelessly to clean her off with her tongue. The fairy leant Ving back to lick and clean her face and breasts while they waited for the next man to go. Easy was held up by the man behind her, pulling on her wings as he thrust inside her.

Foxy was riding a man on the table, holding bottles of wine, trying to refill the cups as men walked by to feel her up as she did so. The man below her held her by the hips and roughly moved her back and forth, but couldn't keep her from getting most of the wine in the cups. She giggled as she felt more of him bursting inside her for the third time. Someone was lifting her tail and suddenly she yelped, feeling him pushing into her ass. It was the first time she ever had a man going in there and not another woman's finger, but it felt really good for her. She was always told she would need more practice but it slid in without much difficulty. Only inside her a few moments before bursting he didn't stop his thrusts.

The noble lady was totally naked with her dress on the floor, covered in everything that dripped out of her as she was held between two men. Her legs in the air as one held her hips while he filled her up between them. The other holding her by her ribs while he worked down her throat. The two figures watching from above sat in silence as they watched in disbelief.

****

Leira was in much the same situation, only under the water. Inky was over her, kissing one, while the other ate furiously between her legs. Inky wondered how long she would last below the water, but trusted that it would probably not be an issue for the mermaid. Her kissing partner pulled out of Leira, moaning, knowing he was going to go and trying to get it in her face. Inky pushed him down so he was shallow enough for her to put her breasts around him in time. She was a bit late and got a faceful, before finally getting him between her tanned tits and letting him cover them with white droplets.

Leira was a bit upset that he had pulled out and quickly replaced him with Inky’s original partner, and started working her hips over him in the mud on the edge of the lagoon. Inky cleaned off her face and then laid on top of the man she had finished after they moved to the sand. Leira was rolled onto her back as the muddy man got on top and rammed her deeper into the mud than he had been. It was dirty, but Leira moaned in excitement with her arms around his as he braced himself up. Water and mud splashed until finally, he yelled in triumph at pumping her full of his load. She felt his seed flowing into her body, and she almost cried in relief at finally getting what she wanted.

****

Liddy couldn't believe the furious pace of the men she and her girls were entertaining. Skin red and sweaty, they kept going with load after load. She had taken over a dozen herself in or on her, and there was no sign of them stopping. Mari was riding a man slowly, almost exhausted at the effort of such continuous effort, but then he would take her by the hips and move them for her. Empty wine bottles clanked on the floor, having exhausted the supply provided, and they were knocked about during the activities. Astra was even against a wall having lost her uniform and choosing not to tell the guest she wasn't there for that. She seemed to be loving it all the same.

An odd noise under Liddy made her turn around to look at the man who she had been riding. He was snoring. Finally, after two hours of near-constant sex and climax, he was asleep. Liddy got off him and felt everything he had pumped into her pour out. Astra was getting slammed against the wall, when he finally blew his load and almost collapsed. Had she not been holding onto him he would have just fallen over. Over the next few minutes, she watched others start to pass out after one final climax. Something just seemed wrong about all of it. There was no way men could have been expected to function like that naturally. Her own girls seemed to fall asleep on their own, finally able to relax. She walked by Hannah who smiled at her before finally putting her head down on a pillow that had joined her on the floor. The noble Lady could have been anywhere in the mess of bodies.

Liddy finally found Emma clutching her tiny abused pussy as it ached from the pain of entertaining so many of the guests so many times. They were all sore but Emma would have had it worse being the smallest. She didn't complain as Liddy got between her legs and slowly massaged it with her tongue, helping her relax and drift off to sleep and rest her tired little body. Liddy kept licking in the slow rhythm of the elf's breaths until she fell asleep between her legs.

****

Back in the lagoon, Leira and Inky were startled from their sunbathing with the dock workers when another man crested the ridge and started shouting.

“You lazy bastards! What makes you think you can just…” He froze when he saw the women. “Oh. I… Fine. Just this once. Now get your shit on and get back to work.”

The girls giggled warmly as the men redressed and kissed them goodbye. They ran off to follow their surprisingly understanding supervisor. Leira went off for one last quick swim while Inky continued to tan her other side.

****

At the hotel, Liddy wasn't sure how long she had been asleep when Astra shook her awake. Astra had retrieved her clothing from wherever it ended up and helped her into it as the doors opened. The client who had hired her as well as a number of city guards who flanked him.

“What happened here?!” He shouted. “Catherine! Where are you?”

Her head popped up from behind a couch. “Right here, Father.” Her voice groggy.

“Who did this to you?!” He shouted, running over to her. “Who violated you and these other poor women?”

“I… I’m not really sure. I think most of them.” She responded far more calmly than Liddy would have expected, but she herself was quite out of it.

“Nobody can take the virtue of my daughter and get away with it!” he declared loudly, before speaking again as almost an afterthought. “Oh… and the rest of these poor girls. Such a crime.”

“What crime?” Liddy asked.

He seemed surprised. “Well, they violated you. Your girls. That one there still has someone on top of her!”

Liddy looked at Ving, who was just waking up. “We did what we were hired to do.”

“What?!” He seemed confused that Liddy was debating him at all. “No. You are serving girls. Not…”

“Harlots?” Liddy found the word for him.

“Yes!”

“Did you not look at the bill I gave you? One doesn't pay that much for serving girls. Also, it should interest you to know that my ship is actually called ‘The Lucky Harlot’. Because we are in fact harlots who get paid a lot of money for sex.”

His mouth opened and closed like a fish a few times. “But my daughter wasn't. A pure virgin who has been sullied by someone here, and I will have that man make good on his acts.”

“I’ve watched her,” Mari spoke up, raising her hand to catch attention while she remained lying on the floor. “A virgin doesn't move like she did.”

“How dare you!” He made a move towards Mari when Astra drew her pistol on him, causing him to freeze before looking back at the city guards with him.

Their own weapons were being held down by an older man in casual clothing, his only suit having been confiscated by Liddy on the ship, sniggering at the situation.

“Lord Bell. Perhaps you should ask your daughter who took her virginity.”

“Yes. Catherine. Who was the first?”

“Well…” She started as she slipped herself back into her dress. “That was Henry Gronk.”

“That's the name of your bodyguard when you were only…” he clued in.

“Yes. Then the several others you assigned me after him.” Easy was behind her now, helping her lace up the back of her dress. “Then the gardener, the stable boys, mothers adopted brother, your barber, all your advisors -- except Philip and Greery, and it's hard to tell with their helmets, but at least two of the guards with you for sure. Plus a lot of the boys at school or I spent time with growing up.”

The man clutched his chest in pain as he suddenly doubled over. Liddy had seen enough heart attacks to know one when she saw it. She turned around but Emma was already awake and dressed, rushing over to his side. A few moments with her hands on his chest, and he had settled down and began breathing normally.

“Stay with him, Emma. He might need your help when I show him his new bill.”

“That might not go the way you plan.” The investigator came over to Liddy.

“That bank note he gave me is worthless, isn't it?”

“Afraid so. He's been forging a number of them lately. Let's get everyone awake and dressed. The gentlemen here have a right to hear what they have been made a part of.”

His suggestion had merit, so Liddy and the girls helped their guests get dressed and seated on the cleanest furniture. After fetching water for all of them, the investigator started to speak.

“Aside from my ‘other’ cases,” referring to his deal with the assassin. “I investigate any unusual crimes or incidents that I hear about. One such case was when a few workers in a warehouse drank a bottle of wine from a crate that, as it turned out, was to be delivered here at the request of Lord Bell. Hard-working men snagging a bottle of this or that happens and normally goes unnoticed. Yet this time, there was something different.

Liddy decided she liked the man's flair for the dramatic as he continued. “It was tainted with a very particular substance that causes men to become enormously erect and trigger a manic sex drive. So these poor men suddenly found themselves desperate for a release they couldn't achieve. Two of them masturbated so furiously that they… well, let's just say they tore something and bled out. The third was found sodomising their bodies before dying of a heart attack as they tried to hang him for the newly formed crime of necro-sodomy.”

“Now,” he said, trying to move from the uncomfortable topic. “Even if Lord Bell was not responsible for tainting the wine himself, this should have prevented him from serving it. Yet that is not the case, and I believe it was because the poisoning was intentional. You see, he is without any funds of any kind. Keeping this a secret with forged bank notes, his plan seems to have been wedding his daughter to someone of wealth. Since most have their weddings arranged if they are first- or second-born, he invited those unmarried to the party and sent his daughter in his stead. Hoping that the wine would result in her being violated and the perpetrator forced to marry her.”

“The other edge of the plan was that a great number of you men here would have been disgraced by either violating the girls or sodomising each other. Assuming you didn't die from the whole experience. So enough of a power vacuum would exist in the city for her father, capitalising on the guilt and sympathies of your families, would move back into a position of power.” He paused for breath.

“What you, Lord Bell, didn't plan on, largely because you didn't pay any attention to the details of your plan, was the total willingness of the women you hired to satisfy the men here, repeatedly- until the effects of the toxins ran their course and simply caused exhaustive collapse and minor dehydration. When the women are so willing...” he kicked a bottle of cooking oil. “...and sufficient lubrication is found, there is little risk of any tearing and blood loss. As a result, nobody died or had any need to resort to sodomy.”

Conna coughed loudly and obviously with a mildly grumpy look on her face.

“Oh, well, I mean illegal sodomy. With men. Hmmm…” He paused, considering, while he blushed.

“What of the effects on women? I know we all must have drunk a little,” Foxy asked.

“From what I have been reading on the topic, it seems to react with testosterone. Women having significantly less than men, coupled with the fact that you lack a penis, it simply wouldn't have done more than make you somewhat more amorous and perhaps less inhibited.” He paused again. “Though, in this case, that might be more difficult to know for sure. Regardless, you were never in danger of the wine. Only the men, but that wasn't an issue for you either.”

“You can't prove anything!” Lord Bell shouted, slowly standing up. “That is all speculation! You can't prove these women weren't violated or that I…”

Liddy cut him off. “I must point out to you that my own armed guards were posted at the door. Had there been any violation, they would have made sure your entrance into this room was atop a pile of corpses.”

“Also,” the investigator added. “There is a great deal of paperwork bearing your seal and signature that links you to the wine. Also, added to that, the chemist you paid with the forged banknote will testify to your interest in a particular substance.”

“Don't speak to me like that! You common scum have no right to judge me.”

“Good point,” the investigator agreed. “Guards. Arrest this man so he can be judged by people of status.”

Lord Bell yelled furiously as he was hauled away by the burly armed men, who took more than a few glances at the girls as they did so. Lady Bell followed him quickly after.

“Sorry, you got caught up in this,” the investigator consoled Liddy.

“Sorry we threw you off the ship naked.”

He laughed. “Not the first time. Though I would like my suit back.”

“After this, I feel I owe you a new suit. Even though I realise I’m not getting paid for all this trouble.”

“You saved us all a great deal of trouble.” One of the men spoke up, after turning away from a huddle of them. “It would be remiss of us not to compensate you for not only saving our lives and reputations, but also for the quite pleasing memories and experience.”

“I think that would be wonderful.” Liddy was surprised. “I think after this we all need some rest, but if you come to my ship after you have done, so we can settle the details.”

“Of course. Make the bill out to whatever you would have charged him.” He nodded towards the door Lord Bell was hauled through. “That way we can add it to his debt when we seize whatever might be left of his assets.”

“Fair enough. Thank you again.” Liddy curtsied before turning to her girls. “Let's get our things and get back to the ship. No work tonight. Just rest.” Then she turned to the investigator, offering her hand. “Liddy.”

“Calhan. A pleasure, Captain.”

****

After a long trek from the beach, Inky and Leira got back to the ship and sat down in the lounge. They knew Liddy and the others should be back soon enough, and didn't want to be off the ship when they arrived.

“How do you think they are doing? Fucking lots?” Leira asked.

“Maybe. Assuming any of those noble flakes can get it up in the first place,” Inky replied critically.