“Greetings, I am Derren ra Krispus, Assessor for the Trigon Club.” The stocky man dressed in the typical Tis Lepus fashion of a wide brimmed hat and cloak, gave a short bow as he introduced himself to Jarmel sis Nep. “My credential for your inspection.” He removed a satchel from over his shoulder, extracted a laminated card which Jarmel accepted. Camis father looked the assessor over, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. It was the tenth period of the first of two days off.

“Welcome to our humble residence.” Jarmel returned the bow. “Please step in, Master Krispus.” Jarmel turned and spoke to Cami. “Cami, please verify the credentials,” he said as he passed her the identity card.

“Yes father,” Cami replied, taking the card and stepping to the table and activating the comm unit.

In his turn, the assessor quickly scanned the room as he entered. Removing his hat and cloak, which he handed to Kinna, he noted the various expressions of the family members as he did, looking for possible areas of possible trouble. With a twinge of concern, he noted that the oldest son, he had basic information on the whole family, was unable to conceal his dissatisfaction. The second oldest was calmly looking the assessor over. ‘No trouble there,’ Krispus noted. The younger members of the family appeared neutral and the assessor felt that they would go along with whatever the parents accepted.

Quickly and unobtrusively gauging the parents’ attitudes, allayed any concerns there. ‘Good people of Ti Lepus.’ Was his conclusion. The two other daughters would be happy to get the extra room in this cramped apartment he felt. The youngest son, he dismissed as a factor. No, if there was to be any trouble, it would come from the oldest son,

Derren ra Krispus grey eyes followed the young woman, watching her as she moved. He noted that apart from giving him a quick, curious glance she had not looked at him. He watched her movements with hidden satisfaction, holding his face expressionless from long practise.

“Master Krispus, if you please sir, the program needs your implant code.” Cami spoke in her most formal manner.

Noting with approval the manner in which the young girl spoke, the assessor moved to the comm unit, still watching the movements of Cami. Placing his arm at the implant reader, he listened to the audible acknowledgement. Cami read the result, turned and nodded to her father, still ignoring Krispus.

“So what happens now Master Krispus?”

“I do an interview, verify some information and take some images of Cami, in the standard costume of the club as well as in her normal dress.” The assessor replied. “All with your permission of course and all with members of her family as witnesses.”

Dars’ head came up at the mention of costumes but he did not say anything.

“With your permission Master Nep and Madam Nep, we will proceed?”

The parents looked at each other. Yives sis Nep nodded to her husband who nodded back. “Very well, if Cami is ready?”

“Yes mother, father, I am ready!” Cami stood erect, a smile on her face.

Derren ra Krispus did not smile, although he wanted to, instead he simply said, “Let’s start.”

The standard procedures were adhered to. Cami was measured and all her vital statistics were recorded; weight, height, hips, bust etc., all done with laser recording of course, there was no touching. Camis answers to questions were recorded at the same time. Accommodations were explained as well as a school mentioned, both of which were restricted to girls of this and other clubs. The amount of pay was at the discretion of the club and would be revealed at the time of the interview. Means of communication were explained. The family watched with interest, vaguely aware that the questions were done to elicit a response but unaware just how skilled the questioner was.

“Why do you want to go all the way to Lepus Mal, Cami?” Was asked near the end of the session.

“Well, I don’t.” Was the surprising reply. “What does it have that we don’t have here?” She said. “If I wasn’t going to go to the Trigon Club, I wouldn’t think of it. Actually we have access to fresher food from local farms, so we are probably better off than you!”

Krispus was silent for a brief fraction. Tremma kept his face blank but he wanted to smile, it seemed that his sister had surprised the experienced assessor.

“You may be right about the food, Cami.” Krispus finally acknowledged. “Have you checked out the Trigon Club, Cami?” Was the next question.

“Oh yes, it seems very impressive.” Cami nodded.

“It does?”

“Indeed, much better than the ones here and even better than other clubs in Lepus Mal.”

“So you would like to go there?”

“Oh yes!” Cami replied, “I just hope that I am good enough!”

The assessor nodded, than turned to Cami’s parents. “There is one last set of images I need, a set showing Cami in the dress that she will wear in the club. I will tell you now that it is revealing and I recommend that her brothers leave the room while she is wearing it.”

Dar surged to his feet, “No!” he spat out. “I forbid it!”

Jarmel paled, then stood himself. “Dar, go to the boys room.” He spoke so quietly it was clear that he was very angry.

“Father, this is demeaning! The whole thing is demeaning. It’s the high status people rubbing our noses in the dirt again.”

“Dar, leave this room now!” Jamel almost hissed. “We will discuss you lack of good manners later.”

Staring around the room, Dar saw that he had no support amongst the rest of the family. Also, the training that he had received up till now still held him in its grip. Tremma had a troubled look on his face while Cami was glaring at him. With a shake of his body he turned to the assessor. His, “I apologise for my outburst, Master Krispus, it was solely in defence of my sister,” was spoken in a wooden monotone.

“Your apology is accepted, Master Nep, you are not the first brother to rise up in defence of his sister.” The polite words spoken as the assessor stood, took some of the tension out of the room.

Surprised, he hadn’t expected the reply, Dar, followed by Tremma and Damma, who also had surprise on his young face entered the boys’ room.

Reaching into the satchel, Krispus pulled out a slim package, after checking that it was the correct size for Cami, he handed over to Yives sis Nep. “Madam Nep, if you would help Cami change. Afterwards she may keep the items, they cannot be returned.”

“Change out here?” Yives face held a look of surprise.

“I think that the girls room would be more appropriate, madam.” The assessor replied politely.

Koral and Kinna both giggled, and followed their mother and sister to the girls’ room. As they did so, Krispus turned to Jarmel.

“I meant what I said, your son is not the first brother or indeed father, to protest this stage. The reaction was anticipated.”

“I imagine so, but leave my son to me.” Jarmel replied coolly.

“Of course, Master Jarmel I meant no offence.”

“And I take none Master Krispus.”

“I have one request, Master Jarmel, your two younger daughters.” Krispus paused.

Jarmel stared. “I hope that you are not going to suggest an assessment of them.”

“Indeed not, what I was going to recommend was that the Trigon Club take an option on them, no more.” Krispus was quick to allay any concerns. An option would stop any other club from making a claim on the two sisters without permission from the club. It also required the parents’ approval. Only the names were necessary, no images would be taken.

The door to the girls’ room opened, slowly, shyly, Cami stepped out and stopped. Her mother and both sisters followed, the younger girls’ eyes wide and fascinated.

“Over here, please Cami.” Krispus tone and demeanor was solidly professional. “No, stop there,” Cami came to a stop well short of Krispus. “I am going to record you and take some images. Now keep still, you will only want to do this once I am sure. When I tell you too, turn slowly all the way around, holding your hands and arms away from your body and stopping when I tell you to.”

The professional tone and confidence of the assessor reassured both Cami and her family, especially Cami who had never worn anything so revealing in her life! She felt like she was naked. While the girls were used to seeing each other in various stages of undress, they had never seen anything like the scanty underwear that Cami was wearing right now, and in front of a stranger, no less!

A fraction later, Krispus nodded. Still without looking at Cami, he said that she could go and get changed. Relief was plain on Camis and both her parents’ faces’ as Cami left.

With a satisfied nod, Krispus packed away his comm unit with its specialised programs and all the files on Cami, first making certain that all the images and other details had been properly saved.

Turning to both her parents he assured them of the best. “I will have no hesitation in recommending your daughter to the club. When they make their decision, they will contact you in regards to the interview. I will also recommend options on both Koral and Kinna. But you shouldn’t tell them anything about that, things could change and it would serve no good purpose.”

Jarmel glanced at the door to the boys’ room. “What about …”

Krispus raised a hand, “That is a matter for you to deal with. It won’t affect Cami.” Then with a formal bow and a word of farewell, Krispus left.

*********

Out in the street, Krispus climbed into the conveyance that he had waiting for him. Entering a command to take him to the station where he could catch the overnight flyer back to the capital took a bare fraction. Only occasionally did assessors come out this far from the capital but Cami was a rare catch and fully deserved the trip. Finally sitting in the comfortable overnight coach, he sat back and relaxed in his comfortable seat as he considered the Nep family.

‘Typical of their status,’ he thought. ‘But the girls could go far,’ and he smiled as he considered the three young ladies. The smile vanished as he revisited Dars outburst. ‘I must send a message to Sessi Dark gen Wattar about him. He is small fry but may lead us to the real trouble makers.’ Satisfied, he sat back in his seat.