The spotlights hit the winners, and the crowd roared – though not quite as enthusiastically as might have been expected. Beaming Nikki moved to join Lady Lash, tugging her slave shuffling awkwardly on his knees after her. Rousing music swelled, and support staff dressed as slaves in iron collars and leather loincloths came forth to attend her. Bowing profusely both before and after, one slipped a black silk sash richly embroidered with her title in silver over Nikki’s torso. Another placed a silver crown studded with gaudily huge fake gems on her head. Finally she was handed a similarly gem-studded riding crop with a mother-of-pearl handle.
Flashes strobed all over, the music and applause swelled and rolled on, and balloons and confetti drifted down from above. At last Lady Lash handed th
