Cisco forced a patient smile and cleared his throat. "Well, my lord, it isn't exactly a slave tag." He gestured broadly at the crowd, his words smooth and deliberate. "Think of it instead as… a necessary token of existence. Without it, you cannot function in this society. No place will accept you, no service will be given to you. Food, lodging, even travel, none of it will be accessible without that small card. With it, however…"
He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice conspiratorially, "the government will indeed have information about you. They'll know your name, your birthdate, even your face. But for someone like you, my lord, that is a good thing. It makes you invisible. To them, you'll just be another ordinary man, blending seamlessly into the herd."
Baelgor's brows rose, a flicker of intrigue crossing his face. "So… it is a mask. A disguise."
