Kur of Gor (66 page)

"Perhaps Agamemnon is more inventive, or enterprising, or less honorable, or bolder, or more daring, than you suppose,” said Cabot.

"He is Kur,” said another.

"But,” said Cabot, “as Lord Grendel once called to my attention, ‘What is Kur'?"

"Desist, desist,” said Lord Grendel.

"Very well,” said Cabot.

"Many of those opposed to us, the purple scarves, now have power weapons,” said Lord Grendel. “We know this from Lord Flavion, and, indeed, from others, as well."

"Some could destroy the world,” said a Kur.

"It would be madness to use them,” said another.

"There are smaller weapons,” said Cabot.

"Many,” said another, “but contained in the arsenals, at the terminations of the world."

The world, as may be recalled, was cylindrical. The ends of the world, then, were the flat caps, or poles, closing the cylinder, at each end. If one might imagine a horizontal axis stretching between these caps, that would constitute what, in effect, would be a gravity-free zone, rather like that in the shuttles. To ascend to this zone by climbing the flat caps, toward their center, can be dangerous or difficult. Caught by the rotation, one could be hurled downward, and dashed to the ground, and, without aid, it could be an almost insurmountable climb to ascend against the rotation, until one had ascended far enough for it to be neutralized, and one would have approached the gravity-free, or low-gravity, axis. One of these caps, that nearest the habitats, was, however, affixed with rings and grasps, by means of which one might approach the arsenal. Agamemnon's aerial scouts utilized these conveniences, until flight became possible. One such scout, or flier, had been detected some time ago, by Cabot and Lord Grendel, while on the raft, on Lake Fear. At that time they had supposed themselves unnoted. Later events suggested that their surmise had been mistaken.

"One such arsenal has been accessed,” said Lord Grendel. This would be the arsenal nearest the habitats, that nearest, as well, the palace, and enclave, of Agamemnon.

"True,” said a Kur. “It is from it that Agamemnon has armed his minions."

"What of the other arsenal?” said Cabot.

"It is unreachable,” said a Kur. “It is unfurnished with appurtenances."

It is interesting to note that if the ends of the world had been hemispherical, or conical, as in several of the worlds, the approach would have been, while still dangerous, yet more practical, as the rotational gravity would have pressed one against a resistant surface, it lessening, of course, as one approached the axis. The flat caps, on the other hand, provided no such purchase.

"All is lost,” said a Kur.

"Two possibilities suggest themselves,” said Statius, he who had once been a nondominant. “First, we storm the nearest termination of the world, utilizing the grasps at hand, and attempt to avail ourselves of weapons."

"The arsenal will be guarded,” said a Kur.

"Of course,” said Statius. “We expect to fail."

"If one could approach the axis,” said a Kur, “one might, if winged, then attempt the far arsenal, by flight."

"Build wings,” said Lord Grendel.

"The other possibility,” said Statius, “is far more dangerous. It is to attempt the far arsenal."

"Directly?” asked a Kur.

"Yes,” said Statius.

"There are no grasps, no rings,” said a Kur. “It is reached by flight, from the vicinity of the nearer arsenal."

"Spikes, driven into the metal?” said a Kur.

"It is solid steel, feet thick,” said Statius.

"Air can provide a seal,” said Cabot. “Cups of rubber, pressed against the steel."

"We have no such material,” said a Kur.

"Nor, if we had, even the means to form such devices,” said another.

"Something similar,” said Statius. “Adhesive substances. Ropes, and such substances."

"It is madness,” said another.

"Let a hundred try,” said Lord Grendel.

"I will lead them,” said Cabot.

"And who will attempt the arsenal of Agamemnon?” asked a Kur.

"I,” said Lord Grendel, “and any mad enough to follow me."

"I am with you,” said the Kur.

"And what of you, Lord Flavion?” asked Grendel.

"It is madness,” said Flavion, “but I, too, am with you."

"Good,” said Lord Grendel. “Let us begin to build wings."

"Water, Sirs?” asked the Lady Bina, who held a ewer.

"How long has she been here?” asked a Kur.

"Not long,” said a Kur.

"Kill her,” said Lord Flavion.

"No,” said Lord Grendel.

Chapter, the Forty-Seventh:

HOW THE TARNS OF VICTORY

CAME TO SURMOUNT THE STANDARDS OF AGAMEMNON

It was a long, weird cry, from Cabot's left, and he reached out his hand, wildly, but could not grasp the outstretched, clutching hand of the human, one from the cages, to his left.

He did see him descending, moving in the air, for some seconds, but did not see him strike the side of the cylinder, as he disappeared through the greenery, hundreds of yards below.

Four others had similarly fallen, who had not reached his own point. Most of those who had come with him had been unable to adhere to the flat surface. Few had managed to climb more than ten to fifteen yards onto the cap, from the cylinder surface. Cabot, and some with him, were the first to essay the climb. They had smeared their bodies and clothing, and the flats of their hands with a resinous, tarlike substance. They were climbing against the rotation. To climb with it, as they would be carried about in the rotation, courted the danger of being flung headlong from the cap before they could approach the gravity-free zone. Climbing against it was difficult but one was less likely to be swept about and dashed to the ground. One would do one's best to adhere to the surface and then, as possible, now and again, move a foot or two, at a time, closer to the center of the cap.

Cabot heard another cry of misery and saw one of his fellows slipping down the surface, scratching at it with his finger nails, and then, he, too, lost the surface, was loose in the air, turning, and disappeared in the greenery below.

"Go back!” cried Cabot to those with him. “Go back! Go back, while you can!"

Inch by inch, he saw two of his fellows, flattened against the steel, moving downward.

"Come with us!” cried a fellow, one from the forest cylinder. Cabot remembered him from the camp of Archon.

Those from the forest world, as noted earlier, were being taught speech. In this way, they might communicate the better amongst themselves, and with other humans. Already most had mastered a thousand or more words.

"Go back!” repeated Cabot, fiercely, and he, himself, moved another perilous foot toward the center.

It was little wonder this area was not guarded.

Humans were lighter, and smaller, than Kurii, and better adapted to this venture than would have been their larger, heavier, allies.

For a Kur it seemed clear this climb would be death.

For a human it might be possible, somehow.

It must be possible, somehow!

Agamemnon, Cabot was sure, in the dark gaming of war, had not anticipated humans intruding into this fearsome venue.

He moved another foot.

He felt the artificial gravity of the rotation seeming to push against him. The sensation was much like lying on a turning disk, from which one might be thrown free, but the consequence of a lost purchase here was not a slipping from the disk to the side, but rather analogous to a plunge from a cliff.

"Hold, hold,” whispered Cabot to the viscous sludge by which he was held to the steel. “Hold, hold!"

And he moved another foot.

"Hold,” he whispered. “Hold!"

Moment by moment, minute by minute, he inched his way toward the center of the cap.

Then, oddly, he felt less thrust against him.

He felt faint. He closed his eyes. He did not look back. He was briefly afflicted with a sensation of giddiness. He had the dreamlike sense that if he were to weigh himself the scale would be little depressed. Now it seemed hard to move against the adherent material with which he had smeared his body, his hands and clothing. It was now as if it were somehow anchoring him, almost balloonlike to the steel. Now it seemed less a salvation than an encumbrance, a nuisance. Then, sensing the possibility, he stood on the steel, his head pointing toward the opposing cap, far distant, almost invisible, at the other end of the world. The sensation now was almost identical to that of the shuttles, in free flight amongst the cylinders. He took several more steps and suddenly his feet left the steel, and he turned about, helplessly, in the air, and he spun about, and tried to thrash toward the steel, and floated some feet from it. His body was suddenly covered with sweat. Then a movement of the atmosphere brushed him, and he twisted his body to it, and waited, and waited, and, in a few seconds, one hand, covered with the adhesive substance used in his climb, struck against the steel, and he pulled himself down to it. Then, keeping at least one limb, a foot or hand, on the steel, he made his way to the arsenal gate.

The plan was to attempt the ascent to the arsenal, to determine its feasibility. If it proved feasible it was then intended for others to follow, and join the leaders, others who would, amongst themselves, bring up tools, and rope, that the gate might be forced, and the stored weapons brought down, to waiting others, who would then act as scouts and guards, bearers and porters.

But, as Cabot now saw, there was no need for these arrangements.

The gate of the arsenal was open, and, as he soon determined, the arsenal itself was empty.

"Hail Agamemnon,” thought Cabot, bitterly, “Theocrat of the World, Eleventh Face of the Nameless One. It is little wonder, dear foe, that so many pledge you their heart, their steel, their blood. You are a leader amongst leaders. I wonder if you are mortal. Are you not more than man, more than Kur?"

Cabot lifted his head, suddenly, peering outward from the threshold of the barren arsenal behind him, now no more than an abandoned storeroom, its racks and shelves empty.

Approaching the arsenal, hundreds of yards away, were two figures, one seemingly several yards in advance of the other. From the distance they resembled slowly flying insects. As they approached they more resembled the winged vart, as it might appear if slowly, oddly, in an almost dreamlike progression, coursing the axis. As they neared, discernible became the slow, rhythmic beat of gigantic canvas wings, harnessed to massive bodies.

Cabot shaded his eyes.

The canvas wings sought their purchase in the world's atmosphere, thrusting against it, cleaving it, as they neared.

"Grendel!” called Cabot, as Lord Grendel folded his wings and gently came to rest on the ledge beside him.

"It is empty?” said Lord Grendel, regarding the bareness behind Cabot. His voice rang in the hollowness of the arsenal.

"Yes,” said Cabot.

"We are followed,” said Lord Grendel.

At that point Statius alighted on the ledge. He was covered with blood.

"They were waiting for us at the arsenal,” said Lord Grendel.

"The arsenal seemed open, even unguarded,” said Statius.

"We should have been warned,” said Lord Grendel.

"Then suddenly purple scarves, with power weapons, sprang into view, and fired."

"It was a well-devised ambush,” said Lord Grendel. “But we were fools. We thought Agamemnon's minions were overconfident, unsuspecting, otherwise deployed. We were fools."

"It seems they took us more seriously than we had supposed,” said Cabot.

"We lost many,” said Lord Grendel. “It was a slaughter."

"Some fell here,” said Cabot. “I sent the others back."

"Others are below?” said Lord Grendel.

"Most,” said Cabot. “Your quiver is empty."

"They fired from behind metal shields,” said Lord Grendel. “We could do little."

"You have a bow, arrows,” said Cabot, to Statius.

"Few of the birds of death are left,” said Statius.

"Behold!” said Cabot, pointing down the axis.

"Purple scarves,” said Lord Grendel, resignedly.

It should be understood that the control of the wings, as they are commonly constructed, requires the use of both arms, and, resultantly, it is difficult, and, in some cases, impractical, to use certain weapons while in flight.

"Flee,” said Cabot. “Save yourselves."

"For what?” asked Lord Grendel.

"For Pyrrhus, for Arcesilaus, for the war,” said Cabot.

"There are too many,” said Lord Grendel. “Here, and elsewhere."

"We shall flight against these,” said Statius, “and meet them Kur to Kur, tooth to tooth, claw to claw."

"There are too many,” said Cabot. “They do not know I am here. Lord Statius, give me your bow, your quiver. Then mask my presence."

"Lord Statius?” asked Statius.

"Now!” said Cabot.

"Ah,” said Lord Grendel, his features twisting into an expression of pleasure.

"It will not be only Agamemnon who can arrange surprises,” said Cabot, grimly.

He took the bow from Statius, and the quiver, and grasped four arrows and the bow in his left hand, and set an arrow to the string. Other arrows he put in his belt, and others he put against the gate, at hand.

"Some may have hand weapons,” said Lord Grendel, quietly.

"I understand,” said Cabot.

Such weapons may be most easily used while winged.

"Do not activate your translator,” said Lord Grendel to Statius.

And so Lords Grendel and Statius stood, seemingly convinced that further flight was futile, wings spread, in the great threshold of the barren arsenal.

As the translators were not activated Cabot could only conjecture the exact nature of the exchanges between the purple scarves, of which there were ten, and Lords Grendel and Statius. The general nature of the converse, however, was surely clear. Moreover, Cabot, in his time in the world, had become adept at reading not only the body language of Kurii, which is little harder, if at all, to decipher than that of the larl or sleen, but, to a large extent, also, the character or import of what was being said, for example, challenge, anger, cajolery, impatience, command, and so on. Certainly he was sure that the leader of the purple scarves, from his utterances, was insolent, contemptuous, excited, and flushed with triumph. He also heard a rattle of chain, and gathered that his friends were to be conducted back, securely tethered, to the mercies of Agamemnon.