Kur of Gor (78 page)

"But how?” asked a Kur.

"Does it matter?” asked another.

"Poor Mitonicus,” said Cabot. “Loyal to the Kur paths despite to what horror or madness they might lead."

"We have other things to think of,” said Flavion.

"True,” said a Kur.

"Weapons will not be permitted,” said Flavion. “We must put them aside. I will lead you to the habitats. Doubtless anyone, Kur or human, found hereafter, unaccounted for, in the forests, will be outlawed, hunted down, and destroyed."

"Much in the Kur way is foolish, perhaps insane,” said Cabot.

"No more so than much in some human ways,” said Statius.

"You do not understand Kur,” said Lord Grendel.

"Surely you do not approve,” said Cabot, angrily.

"As Kur I understand it,” said Lord Grendel. “Kur ways, such as striking first, retaliating instantly, seeking vengeance, annihilating an enemy, eliminating weakness, punishing failure, improving the folk, pledging loyalty, and keeping it, unquestioning obedience to command, ruthlessness, breeding for Kur virtues, power and energy, savagery, if you like, are hard ways, but they have brought us to a supremacy amongst species. They have made us Kur."

"They are our ways,” said Statius.

"If we surrender the ways,” said Lord Grendel, “we cease to be Kur."

"At the arsenal, dear Grendel, you spared two agents of Agamemnon, allowing them to return to their base with weapons, in the Vale of Destruction you permitted a tending of enemy wounded, after the battle you freed four hundred prisoners."

"I was weak,” said Lord Grendel.

"No,” said Cabot. “You were human."

"Yes, weak,” said Lord Grendel.

"Yet,” said Cabot, “I think few are as Kur as you."

"What is Kur?” said Lord Grendel.

"Let us cast down our weapons, emerge from the forests, and place ourselves before great Agamemnon,” said Flavion.

"As surrendered, helpless penitents?” asked Lord Grendel.

"Sadly, needfully,” said Flavion.

"Someone comes, someone comes to the gate!” cried Archon.

There was a pounding at the gate.

Weapons were leveled at the gate, cover sought, defensive positions occupied.

"Who is there?” called Lord Grendel.

"Word, word from Mitonicus!” cried a voice, gasping.

"Open the gate!” said Lord Grendel. Two Kurii hurried forward, and opened the gate a yard, and assisted a Kur within. He was gasping, and was scarcely able to stand. He was held by the two who had opened the gate and was brought before Lord Grendel.

"It is a runner,” said Statius.

"How did you find us?” asked a Kur.

"I was searching for you,” he gasped. “I could not find you. I was lost. And then I was driven here, brought here, by a giant sleen."

"One lame!” cried Cabot.

"Yes,” gasped the runner.

"He was not attacked,” said Statius.

"Speak, speak!” cried Lord Grendel.

"I bring word from Mitonicus,” said the Kur.

"Speak,” said Lord Grendel.

"Victory!” he gasped. “We brought concealed weapons to the theater of death, and when they readied their weapons, to fire upon us, it was we who first fired, and attacked. We slew hundreds!"

"How would you dare to do this?” cried Flavion.

"In vengeance for the slaughter of the amnesty!” he gasped. “And we were joined by others, some four hundred, and others, as well."

"Four hundred!” said Archon.

"So what is the situation now?” pressed Lord Grendel.

"Agamemnon has withdrawn to the habitats, and the palace!” said the runner, who then collapsed, shuddering, into the arms of the two Kurii who supported him.

"Tend him,” said Lord Grendel.

"What do we do now?” said Cabot.

"We march on the palace,” said Lord Grendel.

Chapter, the Sixty-First:

A STABILITY OF POSITIONS;

THE REPORT OF FLAVION;

THE ACCOSTING OF THE LADY BINA;

A REFERENCE TO OMENS

"There,” said Lord Grendel, pointing, “off there, in the valley, to the right, see the dome? That is the palace."

"I see,” said Cabot.

With Lord Grendel and his human ally, Tarl Cabot, were several others, Kur and human.

The habitats lay muchly below them, some pasang or so away.

The revolutionaries controlled most of the world's territory, but this was primarily forested area, even wilderness, the remoter villages, and such.

The industrial cylinder and the two agricultural cylinders were largely automated; the pleasure cylinder, with its sealed locks and ports, was effectively emptied; and the sport cylinder, commonly used in less troubled times for the hunting pleasure of Kurii, was now depopulated of its human game, though continuing rich with other forms of animal life.

The outcome of the conflict betwixt Agamemnon and his adversaries would be decided in the world.

"They have excellent defensive positions,” said Lord Grendel. “We have probed them. It would be madness, at this time, to undertake a frontal assault. Beyond this, consider the habitats themselves. Who would risk a door-to-door, habitat-to-habitat, war?"

"Agamemnon, if he were in your position, and had the forces,” said Cabot.

"I suppose so,” said Lord Grendel. “One would expect him to be lavish in expending his resources, but he is no longer in a position where he can spend so freely."

"It is a stalemate,” said Cabot.

"A siege, at least,” said Lord Grendel.

"On Gor,” said Cabot, “a fortress, a city, might be starved into submission."

"Not so here,” said Lord Grendel, “the habitats are, in their way, a land, a territory, at least, for most practical purposes, a world in itself. Supplies, too, have been stored there against investments of the world itself. It would take a century to reduce the habitats to surrender with the resources at our command."

"So a stalemate,” said Cabot. “Or a mad rush to certain death, either on our part or on that of Agamemnon."

"Agamemnon will not order such a charge,” said Lord Grendel, “as he, in his wisdom, would well understand not only its futility, but its implicit fatality, the doom to which it would subject his own cause."

"I recall a war, on another world,” said Cabot, “in which leaders flung their forces repeatedly, meaninglessly, for months, into the muzzles of one another's weapons."

"They were insane,” said Lord Grendel.

"They themselves were of course far removed from the fighting, secure in positions of safety, and thus had little to fear personally. Also, they had abundant resources, it seemed, which they did not mind squandering, doubtless in the hope that each would prove to have more to squander than the other."

"This war of which you speak was between humans?” said Lord Grendel.

"Yes,” said Cabot.

"Of course,” said Lord Grendel. “And was this matter resolved?"

"Through the employment of machines, unusual for the times,” said Cabot.

"There are machines here,” said Lord Grendel, “primarily in the habitats, but none I think which will prove effective here, for none could resist the direct discharge of a power weapon."

"Stalemate,” said Cabot, glumly.

"Agamemnon is impatient,” said Lord Grendel. “He will not submit to your stalemate."

"What will he do?” asked Cabot.

"I do not know,” said Lord Grendel. “I know only that he will act."

"Lo,” said Archon, “Flavion approaches."

"Lord Grendel!” said Flavion.

"It seems you are wounded!” said Lord Grendel.

"It is negligible,” said Flavion. He seemed to waver, slightly. There was blood at his left temple.

"Have your wound treated,” said a Kur.

"It is nothing,” said Flavion.

"Stout Flavion,” exclaimed a Kur.

"You bring us intelligence?” said Lord Grendel.

"Yes,” said Flavion, “intelligence of enormous, and, I fear, transitory, import. I have scouted the habitats and have discovered a route within their defenses, a long path overlooked, and consequently undefended, betwixt high structures, one much shielded from observation, that will lead us to the palace itself, where a certain lightly guarded gate, known to me, may be easily forced."

"This puts the palace in our hands!” said Archon.

"Brave and noble Flavion!” cried a Kur.

"But,” said Flavion, “we must act immediately, as soon as darkness falls."

"Why?” asked Statius.

"This weakness in their defenses is certain to be soon remedied, surely by daylight, when the streets are reconnoitered by the guard."

"Our humans will be at a serious disadvantage in the night,” said Statius.

"Let them be led, clutching strings,” said Flavion. “This moment must not be lost."

"And what forces might we invest in this venture?” asked Lord Grendel.

"As many as possible,” said Flavion. “All, if necessary. Once the palace falls, all opposition will cease."

"Act now, Lord Grendel,” urged a Kur.

"Yes!” cried others.

"Go, dear Flavion,” said Lord Grendel, “and have your wound tended."

"There is no time for delay, Lord Grendel,” protested Flavion. “Prepare! Summon the forces! It will be dark soon. This opportunity may never come again! We must act, act!"

"Have your wound tended,” said Lord Grendel.

"You must act!” said Flavion. “The situation demands it! Otherwise you are casting away the war! If you do not do this, who will care to follow you? Mutiny will assail your camps!"

"Have your wound tended,” said Lord Grendel.

"Yes, Lord,” said Flavion, and, angrily, departed.

"So,” smiled Lord Grendel, to Cabot, and Statius, who was of late, from a conversation the reader may recall, one in which an ally, or friend, figured, now well apprised of their suspicions with respect to a certain member of their company, “shall we cast away the war?"

"Do as Flavion urges,” said Statius, “and the war will well be cast away."

"I suggest,” said Cabot, “that Flavion himself lead the secret march."

"Yes,” said Statius, “chained, and with bells attached to his hands and feet, and neck."

"Did you see his wound?” asked Cabot.

"Yes,” said Lord Grendel. “And I think dear Flavion was correct, it was negligible."

"There was a good deal of blood,” said Cabot.

"Given the wound,” said Lord Grendel, “it is not likely the blood was his."

"He will try to stir up dissension amongst our forces,” said Cabot.

"Then,” said Lord Grendel, “we will have to kill him."

"I would rather you did not do that,” said Cabot.

"Why not?” asked Statius.

"I think he knows the location of a certain female slave,” said Cabot.

"Forget her,” said Statius. “She is meaningless, nothing, only a female slave, no more than a piece of vendible collar meat."

"She is nicely curved,” said Cabot, “and is appealing in a closely fitting locked collar."

"Slaves are cheap,” said Statius.

"She might bring two tarsks in the open market,” said Cabot.

"Forget her,” said Statius. “We can give you slaves who would bring ten tarsks in an open market."

"Better than she?"

"Certainly."

"I shall have to think about it,” said Cabot.

"If you recover the slave,” said Statius, “you would not mind our killing him."

"Certainly not,” said Cabot, “and if we do not find her, I would insist on it."

"At least, my dear Statius,” said Lord Grendel, “you cannot blame this projected treachery on the Lady Bina."

The Lady Bina, as might be expected, was with the rebel forces, as were the others who had been in Lord Grendel's camp, which had now been abandoned. In accord with the orders of Lord Grendel she had now been freed of the thick, broad, heavy, hammered-shut waist belt, with its heavy chains; had been cleaned, and brushed and combed; had been clothed, however excitingly and minimally; and had now been given an ample and nourishing diet, though one somewhat simple; and certainly some of her curves had now filled out and returned to their state of former interest, curves which, had she not been a free woman, would have been vulgarly referred to as “slave curves.” As she was no longer within the camp, confined within its palings, a number of adjustments had taken place in the nature of the security to which she was subject. The widened link on the slave bracelets, which had permitted her to separate her hands, had now again been closed, in such a way that her hands, again, were pinioned behind her back; she had also been placed in ankle shackles, with a linkage of three horts; and chained by the neck to a stake. Also, of course, she still wore the bell. Thus, even had she been free of the shackles and chain, she could not, as her hands were confined, have impeded the sounding of the bell, which would make her easy to follow and locate, even for a human.

"She has treacheries enough to her account to justify a thousand deaths by the most harrowing of tortures,” said Statius.

"You have no intention of acting on the recommendations of Flavion, I trust,” said Cabot to Lord Grendel.

"Certainly not,” said Grendel.

"Flavion does stand high in our war,” said Statius. “Most take him as indispensable, and courageous, and, I fear, he will attempt to undermine the authority of Lord Grendel."

"That of one who is at best no more than a monster,” said Lord Grendel.

"And one who acts in concert with a human, and even with one who was once a despised nondominant,” said Statius.

"He will doubtless insidiously, as he can, capitalize on such things,” said Cabot.

"I fear he will find a ready field for the sowing of such seed,” said Statius.

"Yes,” said Lord Grendel, “particularly as the war does not soon proceed to some clear resolution."

"Too,” said Cabot, “it is clear he wants the death of the Lady Bina, on whom many are eager to impose justice, indeed, of a most hideous sort, and he may, thus, use your dalliance in this matter, and your reluctance to expeditiously prosecute her, as further grounds to undermine your authority, to insinuate your weakness, and such."