The Swordsman of Mars (7 page)

"And you think it was Sel Han who struck the blow?"

"More likely one of his hired assassins. He, and no one else, had much to gain by the death of our beloved Rad. And he alone profited by it."

"Perhaps there was an enemy with a grudge."

"That is not likely. The Rad never left Takkor except to hunt in the marshes or the desert, or to secretly do what he could for our deposed sovereign and his daughter. So he had no opportnity to make enemies in other than his own raddek. And I'll swear that there was not a man, woman or child among his people who did not love and revere him. Moreover, the dagger was of foreign make and delicate workmanship, not the plain sturdy kind our Takkor folk are wont to carry. I hid it in the castle, hoping that it might some day afford us proof of the identity of the assassin."

At this juncture two guards with drawn swords in their hands stopped before Thorne.

"Are you he who calls himself Sheb Takkor?" asked one.

"I am," Thorne replied.

"The Dixtar has sent for you. Come with us." Thorne stood up, but as he did so Yirl Du flung himself between the Earthman and the guards. "Wait! Don't take him! Take me! I am Sheb Takkor!"

One of the guards laughed contemptuously. "Out of the way, O great oaf, ere I cut you down. My comrade and I sat on the wall and saw this man defeat Sur Det, the killer. Do you think you could pass for him? Moreover, have we not eyes to read the numbers on your collars?"

Yirl Du turned to Thorne. "I fear it is the end, my lord," he groaned. He saluted. "Farewell, my lord. Deza grant you life, yet if that be not His will, a brave death."

Thorne returned the salute. "Farewell, my friend," he answered.

The Earthman was led through a gate into what was obviously one of the streets of a large city. It was paved with a tough, resilient material of a reddish-brown color, and was thronged with people and strange vehicles of many descriptions. There was one thing, however, which the vehicles all had in common. They did not travel on wheels, but ran about on multiple sets of jointed metal legs shod with balls of the resilient reddish-brown substance. The smallest of these odd vehicles had only two pairs of legs, but some of the larger ones had so many that they reminded him of gigantic caterpillars, moving smoothly and swiftly along the thoroughfare.

In a moment an open vehicle with twelve pairs of legs drew up before the gate and stopped. There were three saddle-shaped seats with high backs, one in front and two side by side in the rear. A canopy overhead shaded the passengers. The front seat was occupied by a driver in military uniform. In one of the rear seats sat the Jen of the Prison Guards.

"The Dixtar has commanded that I bring you before him," he said. "Give me your word that you will not attempt to escape while in the custody of Kov Lutas, and I will spare you the ignominy of chains."

The Earthman thought for a moment. If he gave his word, once out of the custody of Kov Lutas, he could, with honor, make the attempt.

"I give my word that I will not try to escape while in your custody."

The Jen ordered the guards to remove Thorne's prison collar, and when this was done, dismissed them with a wave of his hand. "Get in," he invited.

Thorne climbed into the vacant saddle. The driver, who sat holding two levers that projected up through the floor at either side of his saddle, now slowly moved these forward. At this, the vehicle started silently and was soon moving through the traffic at a considerable speed.

Thorne saw that when the driver wished to turn to the right he advanced the left lever and drew back the right, and heye reversed the process to turn to the left. To increase the speed, he pushed both levers forward, and to decrease it drew them backward. When they were drawn back to a certain point, the vehicle came to a full stop.

Having satisfied his curiosity regarding the vehicle, Thorne turned his attention to the strange sights about him.

Noting the Earthman's interest in his surroundings, Kov Lutas said: "Apparently this is your first visit to Dukor. Perhaps you would like to have me explain some of the sights of the city."

"I should be grateful," Thorne replied.

"Dukor is divided into four equal quarters by the intersecting triple canals, Zeelan and Corvid. We are now in the northwest quarter of the city, and about to cross the Zeelan Canal into the northeast quarter, where the palace which formerly belonged to the Vil, but is now occupied by the Dixtar, is located."

"It must be a tremendous city."

"There are approximately five million people residing in each quarter," replied Kov Lutas, "or twenty million in all. Also, we have each day about ten million transients who come on commercial or state business, or simply to visit and to see the sights. Dukor is a fair-sized city as cities go. Of course it does not seem large in comparison with Raliad, capital city of Kalsivar, which commands the intersections of four great triple canals, for Raliad is said to have a population of a hundred million."

While he was speaking they came to the approach of a tremendous arched bridge, so long they could not see the farther end of it. In a moment they were out upon it, and Thorne was looking down upon the surface of the first of the three canals which collectively bore the name of Zeelan because they occupied the same huge trench. This canal swarmed with craft of many sizes and shapes, a large number of which were discharging freight into the dock warehouses which lined its banks.

The huge central canal at the bottom of the great trench, which caught the drainage from the two upper irrigating canals, was lined with bathers of all ages who wore no clothing whatever.

The canal passed, they entered a section of the city quite similar to the one they had just left. After a drive of about half an hour in this section, they drew up before an immense and magnificent edifice.

"The Palace," said Kov Lutas. "From this point we walk."

After getting down from the vehicle, they mounted a broad flight of steps which led to the vast and ornate portico. Here they were halted and questioned by guards, who readily admitted them when shown the order of the Dixtar which Kov Lutas carried. Then, after crossing an immense busy foyer and traversing a long hallway, they came before a large circular doorway, closed by two purple curtains in which was embroidered with gold thread, the coat of arms of the Dixtar of Xancibar. Here an officer examined the order carried by Kov Lutas.

"The Dixtar is expecting you," he said. Then he beckoned to one of the guards. "Announce Kov Lutas, Jen of the Guards of Prison Number 67," he said, "and a prisoner."

When the curtain was drawn aside, Thorne followed Kov Lutas through the doorway, and found himself in the presence of Irintz Tel.

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The Dixtar, his hands clasped behind him, was pacing to and fro on a plush-padded dais that fronted a luxuriously cushioned throne, which hung on four heavy golden chains depending from the ceiling. He was a small man, sparely built and quite bald. Thin-lipped, sharp-nosed and beady-eyed, his face bore the unmistakable stamp of the zealot and reformer.

Irintz Tel paced up and down for some time without taking the slightest notice of Kov Lutas and his prisoner.

After a lapse of some minutes, Irintz Tel paused midway in his pacing and, swinging on his heel, faced Kov Lutas.

"Well?" he demanded, in a high-pitched, squeaky voice.

Kov Lutas raised both hands in salute, holding them before his face. "I shield my eyes in the glory of your presence, O mighty Dixtar of Xancibar and Commander of the Kamud."

Thorne was astounded, for he had been told that under the Kamud all salutations of this sort had been abolished.

The Earthman suddenly noticed that Irintz Tel was looking sharply at him, evidently expecting him to follow the example of the Jen; but he kept his hands down.

"Who is this ill-mannered lout you have brought into our presence, Kov Lutas?" demanded the Dixtar.

"He is Sheb Takkor, whom I bring in accordance with the Dixtar's command," replied Kov Lutas.

"His manners are execrable," said Irintz Tel, "but they can be mended, and we hear that he is a good swordsman. It may be that we will find employment for him. We are both blessed and cursed with a beautiful daughter, as you are no doubt aware."

"I have heard of the great beauty of your excellency's daughter," replied Kov Lutas, cautiously.

"It is a fatal beauty that corrupts our most loyal followers and makes traitors of our stanchest patriots. And today we are constrained to part with two more of our best swordsmen. They were her guardsmen, but they chose to let their hearts rule their heads. For such a malady, where our daughter is concerned, we have a most effective form of surgery."

"What is that, excellency?"

"In order that the heart may no longer rule the head, we separate them. A bit drastic, we will admit, but it never fails to cure. We sent for you and this prisoner because we must replace the two excellent swordsmen. Our daughter, as you know, must be well guarded.

"We will first take the case of the prisoner, here. Word came to us today of his defeat of Sur Det, the killer, so we decided to personally examine into the charges against him. He is accused, we find, of impersonating the dead Rad of Takkor, of wearing a sword of the Ma Gongi, and of slaying a soldier of the Kamud, and as evidence there have come to us this Takkor family medal," lifting it from a small taboret beside the throne, "and this sword which he was alleged to have been wearing when captured. What say you to these charges, prisoner?"

"I could not impersonate the Rad of Takkor without impersonating myself," replied Thorne. "I was reported dead because my crippled gawr fell with me after I was attacked. But we fell into a small lake. After freeing myself from the safety chains and the weight of my weapons, I swam ashore. There I was attacked by a party of Ma Gongi, and after wrestng the sword from one of them, beat off the others."

"We can well believe that. But why did you slay one of our soldiers?"

"Because he attacked me on my own doorstep. In answer to that charge I plead self-defense."

The Dixtar paced the dais for some time, chin on chest. Then he suddenly turned and looked at Thorne.

"We hereby declare you innocent and discharged of all liability on all three counts," he said brusquely.

"And as a recompense for the indignities which you have suffered, we raise you to the rank of Jen and appoint you night guard to our daughter Neva."

He turned to the Jen of the Prison Guards. "You also, my worthy Kov Lutas, we have decided to honor. You, henceforth, will guard our daughter by day."

The face of Kov Lutas went as suddenly pale as if a sentence of death had been passed on him.

Despite Kov Lutas's dismay, he managed to retain control of his features. "I am deeply grateful that our Dixtar has chosen to distinguish me by this honor."

Irintz Tel beckoned Thorne to him and handed him the medal. "Take back this badge of your ancient race and wear it with honor. We regret that we cannot return your title as well, but under the present social order there are no more rads. Nor can we make you our deputy, for upon hearing of your supposed death we immediately dispatched Sel Han to Takkor to represent us, as he knows our wishes and is high in our councils."

"The Dixtar is most generous," murmured Thorne. Irintz Tel now called to the officer at the door. "Ho, Dir Hazef, conduct these two to the officers' quarters and see that they are suitably arrayed as palace Jens. On the way you will permit them to witness the fate which overtakes those who are unfaithful to their trust, and show them the Halls of Heads. Let a sword and dagger decked with the Takkor serpent be brought from the armory for the one who is weaponless, as he is entitled to carry them."

The two men saluted, and Dir Hazef conducted them to a small balcony which overlooked one of the inner courts. In the center of the court stood an officer. Dir Hazef signaled to him, and he, in turn, signaled to some one in a nearby doorway. A moment later there emerged two soldiers, driving before them two young officers with their hands bound behind them. Following the soldiers came a tall fellow bearing a long, straight-bladed sword and accompanied by a boy who carried a basket.

The two prisoners were forced to kneel in the center of the courtyard. Then the tall man stepped behind them. Once, twice, his long blade flashed in the sunlight, and with each blow a head rolled to the pavement, to be garnered by the boy with the basket.

"Those two," said Dir Hazef, "were the guards of Neva, daughter of the Dixtar. They had the good taste but the bad judgment to fall in love with her and contend for her favors." He turned, and walking to a door behind them, opened it. "Enter."

Thorne stepped through the doorway, followed by Kov Lutas and their conductor.

"This," said Dir Hazef, "is the Hall of Heads, a monument to the Dixtar's justice and a warning to those who would betray him."

They were in a long, narrow room, lined wth shelves on both sides clear to the high ceiling. On the shelves stood row after row of crystal jars. Each jar was filled with clear liquid, and in the liquid floated a severed human head. There were thousands of heads of young men and old; even heads of women and children.

Thorne tore his eyes away from the exhibit with a shudder, and turning, saw that Kov Lutas had already preceded him through the doorway.