Jim awoke to find that he was alone in Aisha's room. He was in Aisha's bed, and he dimly remembered that he had fallen asleep on Aisha's big belly. He yawned hugely and wondered where Aisha went. Then. he noticed that Aisha had left him a note on the bedside table. He picked the note up and read it:


Jim,

Like I said last night, I went to the store early this morning to buy something. What am I buying? That's my little secret. Anyway, don't leave the room, this place is filled with Ctarl-Ctarl that'll eat you as soon as they catch sight of you. I expect to be home by 9:30 or so. I'm meeting the crew of the Orta Hone-Hone at noon.

Aisha


Jim looked up at the clock, which read 8:45 AM. Gee...Aisha must be a early raiser then. If Jim had eaten that big of a meal, he'll sleep for a day! Jim was amazed how much food Aisha could eat...when he and Gene first met her, she drank from a soup bowl that could feed four people..and she had seconds! Aisha usually ate normal food when she was around Jim and Gene...trying to "fit" into the group, as it were. But now that Aisha has her old command back, she'll be snacking on Terrans from now on. But she would never eat Jim..she would starve rather than eat her Terran friend.
Jim turned on the TV and started to watch the local news. There was some news on the Sentiel III attack. Almost 2,300 people died in the attack and 300 were wounded. Jim wondered if Gene was among the dead. Jim switched the TV over to a movie channe, which was showing an action movie. Jim hummed to himself and finally noticed a small plate of food for him. Jim ate the two eggs and two pices of bacon while he watched Jackie Chan fighting hoodlums.
There came a loud knocking at the door, followed by the whooshing sound of the opening door. Jim looked around and saw that Aisha had come back with a bag full of stuff. Aisha put the bag down on the small table.
"Morning" said Aisha brightly to Jim.
"Morningf" said Jim, his mouth food of egg.
"Come over here, Jim" said Aisha. "I have some stuff for you"
As it turned out, Aisha had gotten a collar for Jim, along with a lease. The collar was made out of leather-like material, and so was the three-foot long leash. The collar was inscribed with Jim's name.
"What's all that for?" asked Jim.
"Well, you're my slave" said Aisha. "and slaves where these special collars with explosioves on them...if a slave gets too far away from master, slave go BOOM! But this collar hasn't got explosives on it, though"
Jim sighed. Aisha was enjoying the fact that Jim was now her propety. Jim looked at what else was in the bag, though Aisha tried to stop him. Jim pulled out a little box of what looked like pills. The box was labeled with "Consumption Pills --For use of teaching your slave a lesson" Aisha grabbed the box of pills before Jim could read more.
"Aisha, what are those for?" asked Jim.
"A Ctarl-Ctral that owns a slave usually have these pills" said Aisha. "the pills...they, ah...stop the stomach from producing acid, thus the Ctarl-Ctarl can teach a slave a lesson by placing them in thier stomachs without digesting them"
"AISHA!" yelled Jim. "I thought you said..."
"Quiet down, Jim" said Aisha. "and don't worry so much. These pills work every time and..."
"You're planning on eating me if I don't follow your orders?" asked Jim.
"In public, yes" said Aisha. "it's the standard form of punishment on Ctarl-Ctarl ships"
"Won't you starve?" asked Jim. "if you can't digest anything?"
"Oh, the pills have a time limit" said Aisha. "these pills run out in 12 hours, and I can digest food again"
Jim sighed.
"Now, let me put on your collar to see if it fits" said Aisha. Jim had no choice but allow Aisha to put on that collar on him. That collar showed Jim as Aisha's slave and future meal. It meant that no other Ctarl-Ctarl could eat Jim...if they did, they would be court-martailed and most likely get thrown out of an airlock without a spacesuit on.
The collar fit perfectly, but Jim didn't like it much. He felt like a dog with the collar on, but it was the only way to survive on the Orta Hone-Hone.