Kajira of Gor (53 page)

pleased that it had been she and not I who had been the object of this second

identification. I felt sorry for her. I saw that she now, like I, was only a

slave. Not only are there masters on Gor, but there are sleen. We strive to be

pleasing. We do what we are told.

“May I speak, Master?” asked Sheila of Hassan.

“Be silent!” said Ligurious.

“You may speak,” said Hassan to his slave.

“I confess all,” she said. “I was the true Tatrix of Corcyrus! The woman next to

me is innocent. She was brought to Gor as an unwitting dupe, one selected to

serve as proxy for me in case our plans should go awry. She had no true power,

save a pittance which we, for our purposes, were sometimes pleased to accord to

her. What crimes there are here are mine, or those of the free woman I once was.

It will not be necessary, therefore, to impale us both. I alone am she whom you

seek. I was captured in Ar by Hassan, of Kasra, who is now my master. The reward

of fifteen hundred gold pieces is thus rightfully his. I am prepared now to be

turned over, as a slave, to Claudius, the Ubar of Argentum, and the high council

of Argentum, to face their justice.”

“Fool!” cried Ligurious. “Fool!” He struggled in his manacles. They held him

well.

I regarded Sheila wildly, almost disbelievingly. She had acknowledged her

identity. I was now an exonerated slave, at least of her crimes, if not of mine,

those of pettiness, of pride, of selfishness and cruelty, crimes for which a

woman on Gor can be regarded as fittingly enslaved.

“You have me naked and in chains now before you, I who was once Sheila, the

Tatrix of Corcyrus, your enemy,” she said. “I am now yours to do with as you

please.”

“Fool!” cried Ligurious.

“What of the speculations of Menicius,” Inquired Claudius, “those having to do

with affairs of worlds, of the business of Priest-Kings and others.”

“They are sound, Master,” she said.

“Be silent!” said Ligurious.

“Speak,” said Claudius.

“Hold, Caludius,” cautioned a man. “Consider whether or not it is proper for

mere mortals to inquire into such matters.”

“Such thoughts are surely to be reserved for the second or third knowledge,”

said another man.

“I am a man,” said another. “I repudiate the distinctions between knowledges.

Knowledge is one. It is only knowers who are many.

“We are not Initiates,” said another man. “Our status, prestige and livelihood

do not depend on the perpetuation of ignorance and the, propagation of

superstition”

“Heresy!” cried a fellow.

“I shall inquire into truth as I please,” said another. “I am a free man.”

“It is our world, too,” said a fellow.

“Surely it is permissible to inquire into such matters,” said another, “if we do

so with circumspection and respect.”

“I think,” said Claudius, “in these matters both our fears and our noble,

belligerent vanities are out of place. Gods, for example; I trust, do not have

need of the silver of Argentum, nor do they have need of fiery ships for plying

the long, dark roads between worlds. Gods, I trust, do not leave spoor in

subterranean chambers nor deep wounds in remote turfs. These things of which we

speak, I think, are things which can eat and bleed.”

“We do not speak, then, of Priest-Kings,” said a man, relieved.

“Who knows the nature of Priest-Kings?” asked a man. “Some say they have no

form,” said a man, “only that they exist.”

“Some say that they have no matter,” said a man, “except that they are real.”

“Surely they are like us,” said a man, “only grander and more powerful.”

“Let us not waste time in idle speculations,” said a man.

“Speak,” said Claudius to Sheila.

“There are two worlds involved, Master,” she said, “Gor, and the world called

Earth.”

“Lying slave!” said a man. “Earth is mythical! It is only in stories. It does

not exist.”

“Forgive me, Master,” she said, “but Earth is real, I assure you. I am from

Earth, and so, too, is the slave to my right.”

The man looked at me, closely.

“Yes, Master,” I whispered, frightened.

“That Earth is real is in the second knowledge,” said one of the men, a fellow

wearing the yellow of the Builders, a high caste.

“I was taught that, too,” said the fellow with him, also in the yellow of the

Builders. “Do you think it is really true?”

“I suppose so,” said the first man. The classical knowledge distinctions on Gor

tend to follow caste lines, the first knowledge being regarded as appropriate

for the lower castes and the second knowledge for the higher castes. That there

is a third knowledge, that of Priest-Kings, is also a common belief. The

distinctions, however, between knowledge tend to be somewhat imperfect and

artificial. For example, the second knowledge, while required of the higher

castes and not of the lower castes, is not prohibited to the lower castes. It is

not a body of secret or jealously guarded truths, for example. Gorean libraries,

like the tables of Kaissa tournaments, tend to be open to men of all castes.

“Gor, and the world called Earth,” she said, “are prizes in a struggle of

titantic forces, the forces of those whom you call Priest-Kings and of those

whom you think of as others, or whom we might think of as beasts.”

“And what is the nature of these Beasts?” asked Claudius.

“I have never Seen one,” she said.

“Ligurious?” asked Claudius. *

“I choose not to speak,” he said, sullenly.

“Continue,” said Claudius to Sheila.

“Both Priest-Kings and Beasts possess powerful weaponry and are masters of space

travel,” she said. “Intermittently, it is my understanding, for generations,

they have been involved in combat. Probes and skirmishes are frequent. As yet

outright force has been unable to prevail. In many respects Priest-Kings seem to

be tolerant and defensive creatures. For example, they permit native beasts on

Gor, marooned beasts, and such, provided such obey, their laws, particularly

with respect to weaponry and technology. And never have they pursued the beasts

to their steel lairs in space, pursuing temporary advantages in these perennial

conflicts. The beasts, it is my surmise, having hitherto failed to win Gor by

overt conquest, attempt now to obtain power on this world by specific and

detailed subversions, mixing in, and influencing, the politics and affairs of

cities. Indeed, in this way, perhaps they, too, hope to prepare the way for an

eventual full-scale invasion, one which could then be supplied and supported by

a number of strategically located cities, or leagues of cities. I know little

more, specifically, in these, matters than my own role. By means of the wealth

of beasts and the influence of Ligurious, the first minister of Corcyrus, I was

brought to power in Corcyrus. There, supported by the influence and Wealth of

beasts, and abetted by Ligurious, I ruled. I grew soon fond of the throne.

Testing i~y power I found it real. I Was exhilarated. I became ambitious to

expand the sphere of Corcyrus’s influence and, in particular, to obtain, if

possible, for my own wealth, the mines of Argentum. In these things I exceeded

my authority. Ligurious, against his better judgment, at least initially,

pleaded my case with beasts and protected me from them, convincing them to

accept my proposals. Ligurious was smitten with me. I seduced him to my

projects. I played with his feelings. I toyed with his emotions. I exploited his

sentiments. I made him dance like a puppet to my will. I deprived him of his

leadership and manhood.”

I looked at Ligurious. His face was dark with anger as he looked down at Sheila,

now another man’s slave.

“These projects, to be sure, were dangerous,” she said. “Too, I was a valued

agent. Thus, through Ligtirious, an order was placed with the beasts, that a

double might be obtained for me. The girl selected was the collared slave to my

right, how the slave, as I understand it, of Miles of Argentum. He was brought

to Gor and taught that she was Sheila, the Tatrix of Corcyrus. She came to

accept this identity. Some knew me as the Tatrix. Some knew her as the Tatrix.

That there were actually two women involved was a carefully guarded secret,

known only to a handful of trusted followers. We miscalculated seriously in at

least one matter. We did not think that Ar would honor its treaty commitments

with Argentum, that it would risk all-out war with the Cosian Alliance, in which

Corcyrus was implicated. As it turned out, of course, Ar did support Argentum

and, as it also turned out, we were not supported by Cos. Defeated in war and in

the face of an uprising, too, within our own city, Ligurious and I, with some

others, fled. The slave on my right, she who was brought to Gor as my double,

was left behind on the throne, to be captured and, in my place, bear the wrath

of the enemy. As you know, she escaped. A vast, intense and lengthy search was

undertaken to recover her. In this search, as you know, as well, both of us were

eventually apprehended. Now both of us, she who was the Tatrix and she who was

her double, now both no more than slaves, kneel stripped before you, helpless In

your chains.” She put down her head.

“Speak further,” said Claudius.

The slave lifted her head. “You may put me under tortures, Master,” she said,

“but, woe, I know little more than I have spoken. The beasts keep us much in

ignorance so that, if captured, we can reveal little of their strategies and

plans. What details there are beyond those I have given you would, I fear, be

meaningless or trivial to you, such things as descriptions of the appearances of

agents on Earth, where I was first contacted, and such.”

“As beasts may be allied with men,” said Claudius, “so, too, I suppose, might

men be allied with Priest-Kings.”

“Yes, Master,” she whispered.

“Are there not, then, on Gor, places where such men may be found?” asked

Claudius.

“There are several, doubtless, Master,” she said.

“Name one such place,” said Claudius.

She turned white. She looked to Hassan, her master. His eyes forbade hesitation.

Neither mercy nor lenience were to be shown to her.

“The house of Samos, in Port Kar,” she whispered.

Claudius looked to Menicius.

Claudius then regarded Ligurious.

“I choose not to comment on these matters,” he said, straightening himself. He

seemed very strong. He was the sort of man, it seemed to me, who might serve as

master to the slave in almost any woman. Many times, I knew, I had felt the

helpless desire and fear of a slave in his presence. Sheila did not meet his

eyes. No longer was she a Tatrix. She was now naught but a stripped and chained

slave.

“Tortures, doubtless,” said Menicius, “might be brought to bear upon your

resolve.”

“True,” said Ligurious, “but only at the cost of sacrificing the honor of

Argentum.”

Claudius looked at Ligurious.

“Claudius?” asked Menicius.

“Ligurious, it is true,” said Claudius, “came to us a free man, of his own will.

He has been guaranteed immunity in Argentum, and has been guaranteed a safe

conduct from her walls.”

“He has sought to misdirect our inquiries and has distorted and misrepresented

evidence,” said a man.

“Perjurious abominations he has uttered!” cried a man. “Impale him!” cried

another.

“Impale him!” cried yet another. Men rose to their feet, shaking their fists.

“Impale him!” cried several.

Ligurious smiled. The victory was his. What a small thing would be his

impalement compared to the stain on the escutcheon of Argentum. His freedom was

guaranteed.

“Remove the former first minister of Corcyrus from our presence,” said Claudius,

“lest I be tempted to betray the pledge of my city. Let his shackles be removed

only in his own quarters, to which he is to be closely confined.”

Two soldiers seized Ligurious by the arms,

“We have to inquire into these matters,” said Claudius to Ligurious, “and

resolutions to be made. It is possible we may have need of you for further

testimony, asseverations germane to our proceedings. In any event, your presence

will be retained for our pleasure until our deliberations have been concluded.

Then, and then only, will the pledge of Argentum be honored.”

“Such a reservation is fully in accord with our original arrangements,” said

Ligurious loftily.

“I abide by your decision as willingly as I must also abide by it, perforce.”

“Postpone the deliberations a thousand years!” cried a man.

“That is not the way of Argentum,” smiled Claudius.

At a gesture from Claudius Ligurious was conducted from the room.

“Do you object, Menicius, my friend?” asked Claudius.

“I had not realized the guarantees extended by Argentum,” said Menicius. “You

have, of course, under the circumstances, no choice.”

“I feel sorry for him in a way,” said Claudius, looking after Ligurious. “He is

a strong man, ruthless and powerful, proud and strong, but he permitted himself

to be the dupe of a female, to be wound about the finger of a woman.”

Claudius then pointed to Sheila. “Bring that slave forward,” he said.