The Swordsman of Mars (8 page)

After locking the door and leading them down another corridor, Dir Hazef conducted them through a room where a number of officers sat in swinging chairs, sipping pulcho and conversing, or playing gapun, a game which consisted of rolling little engraved pellets of gold or silver at numbered holes in a board, the highest number winning all the pellets risked. Although he had never before seen Martian money, Thorne recognized at once that these pellets must be the medium of exchange.

A number of apartments opened into this officers' club room, and into one of these Dir Hazef led them. "I'll leave you here to bathe and change. Vorz, your orderly, will bring your new uniforms and weapons. You, Kov Lutas, are to go on duty at once, and Sheb Takkor will relieve you at the time of the evening meal."

The apartment was plainly but comfortably furnished with a swinging bed and a swinging chair for each man, a wardrobe and an arms rack. In one corner was a metal box about eight feet in height, one side of which stood open. It was lined throughout with a gray metal resembling block tin, and this lining was perforated with many holes. Beside it was rack on which hung a number of wisps of what looked like dry moss.

As soon as Dir Hazef was gone, Kov Lutas began removing his clothing and weapons. "I'll bathe now, if you don't mind," he said, "as I must go on duty first."

"Of course," replied Thorne. He was puzzled as he saw no sign of a tub or bathroom.

His curiosity was soon satisfied. Kov Lutas stepped into the square metal box in the corner and drew the side shut. Immediately there was the sound of rushing water, accompanied by much gurgling, blowing and gasping. A few moments later the side swung open, and the officer emerged, dripping and rubbing the water from his eyes. Then he reached for a bunch of the moss-like material and began briskly rubbing himself.

Thorne, who had meanwhile removed his clothing, now entered the box and drew the side shut. As he moved about, he accidentally trod on a round plate in the center of the metal floor. Instantly he was surrounded by a swirl of warm, scented water which came up to his chin. The water soon receded as suddenly as it had risen, and several jets opened overhead, deluging him with a fragrant creamy lather.

After about a minute of this there was a click as of some automatic mechanism, the jets ceased to spray, and the swirling water rose once more. While it rinsed off the lather this gradually grew cooler until it reached an almost icy temperature. Another click, and it drained away automatically. He opened the side, sputtering and gasping, and blindly reached for a bundle of drying material. As soon as he had the water out of his eyes he saw that an orderly had arrived with the new uniforms, and was helping Kov Lutas into his.

Thorne rubbed himself until his skin glowed warmly. Vorz, the orderly, then assisted him to don his new uniform and buckle on his weapons. His new sword and dagger hilts were fashioned like those he had found himself wearing on his first advent on Mars, but were of gold powdered with jewels instead of plain brasstemperatur the eyes of the serpents were large rubies.

The orderly, after bustling in with a three-legged stand on which were a pot of pulcho and two cups, hurried out. Kov Lutas filled the cups, and handing one to Thorne raised the other. "May we die like brave soldiers."

Thorne joined him. "It is a strange toast. Why do you speak of death?"

"Because it is so near. To be appointed as guards to the Dixtar's daughter is equivalent to a death sentence."

"I don't see why," Thorne replied. "Certainly--every man who guards her isn't going to be so foolish as to lose his head over her."

"To lose his head' is indeed an apt expression. More than a hundred have already lost their heads, even as those two we saw this afternoon. Neva is said to be a heartless flirt, bent on conquest. Her father wants her to marry Sel Han, but she will not have him. And it is said that she flirts with every eligible male who crosses her path, just to spite them both. She is reputed to be irresistible, and her guards, of course, can't run away from her. Nor dare they affect to despise her advances, for her anger is fully as terrible as that of her father."

At this juncture an officer entered and saluted. "Which of you is Kov Lutas?"

"I am," replied the young Jen, returning his salute.

"If you are ready you will come with me to relieve the temporary guard of the Dixtar's daughter."

"I am ready," Kov Lutas told him. "Let us go."

They went out, and Thorne, after pouring himself another cup of pulcho, sat down to reflect on the situation. But he had scarcely settled in his swinging chair when Vorz came to the door and announced, "Salute the Deputy Dixtar."

Thorne sprang to his feet and raised his hand smartly in salute. Then he let it fall to his side as he recognized Sel Han.

"Greetings, Sheb Takkor Jen," said the Deputy Dixtar with a grin. "You seem surprised at seeing me."

"And to you, greetings, Sel Han," replied Thorne coolly. "To what do I owe the--er--honor of this unexpected call?"

Without replying, Sel Han walked to the taboret and helped himself to a cup of pulcho. Then he seated himself in Kov Lutas's chair. For a time, he sat there in silence, then spoke suddenly in English. "Shut the door."

Thorne closed the door and returned to his chair.

Sel Han nodded. "I thought so. Understands English."

"Perhaps when you have finished talking to yourself, you will explain your business," Thorne said.

"Don't get stuffy with me. I can put you on the spot, or I can make things good for you. I came to make you a proposition. What do you say, Harry Thorne?"

"I say you're wasting your time, Frank Boyd."

"Ah--I figured you knew. Well, I heard about your run-in with Sur Det. Pretty handy with a sword, aren't you? There wasn't another man in this country who could have made a monkey out of Sur Det the way you did.

"He was my teacher when I came here. I saw I needed to be handy with a sword, so I picked the best teacher I could find. Since I'm younger, faster, and have a longer reach, I got so I could beat him. Then I went and started to cut my way to the top. And I'm pretty close to it now."

"Did you come to entertain me with this modest little sketch?"

"No, I came to get a line on you--and give you a break if you're willing to play ball. I can cut you in on something big.”

"Such as what?"

"I'd be talking out of turn if I told you. First, you do what want you to do, then I’ll make things right for you."

"I don't think we can talk business, Mr. Boyd.”

"Don't be an idiot. Get this--you're taking orders, I'm giving them. Now this girl Neva is supposed to marry me, but she doesn't see it yet. Right now, just to spite her father and me, she's flirting with every man she meets. She’ll probably make a pass at you. If you don't play, she’ll send you to the lines--if you do, her father will have your head. You're on the spot unless you listen to me.

"What bums me now is that she won't even talk to me--calls the guard and has me thrown out every time I drop in to see her. Now here's all I want you to do. I'm going to drop in to see her tonight before I fly to Takkor. She'll probably want you to throw me out. If she does, tell her you can't in honor lay a hand on me, because I won that duel from you at the military school. That will let you out."

At this moment the door opened and an orderly entered with Thorne's evening meal. As he arranged the dishes on the taboret he noticed Sel Han. "May I get the Deputy Dixtar something to eat?" he asked.

“No, I'm dining with the Dixtar," replied Sel Han, rising. He swung on Thorne. "Don't forget I'm not asking you, I'm telling you--and you'd better come through."

Without replying or looking up, Thorne drew his jeweled dagger and turned his attention to the food on the taboret which the orderly had set before him. A moment later he heard Sel Han leave the room. Soon after he finished his meal, an officer came in and saluted.

"It is time for you to relieve Kov Lutas in the apartments of the Dixtar's daughter," he said.

When Thorne, escorted by the palace officer, reached the apartments of Neva, the sun had set, and the luxuriously furnished rooms were lighted by the soft amber radiance of the half-hooded baridium globes which hung from the ceiling on golden chains. The size and magnificence of the suite reserved for the daughter of this apostle of simplicity who would make all citizens equal, was astounding.

The chamber in which he found himself opened onto a broad terrace which led to a private garden, separated from the rest of the palace grounds by a high wall. Kov Lutas, standing in the circular doorway, smiled at their approach.

"Greetings, Sheb Takkor," he said, after exchanging salutes with the two officers. "She whom we guard is resting on the terrace. The orders are to stay always within sight and call, and when she sleeps to stand guard just outside her chamber door."

Thorne took up Kov Lutas's position in the doorway. "I'll try to carry out orders. A good dinner and a sound rest to you."

"And to you a pleasant vigil," replied Kov Lutas.

Not until both officers had gone out did Thorne steal a glance at the girl he was to guard. He was unable to suppress a gasp.

Her eyes, languorous beneath the fringed curtains of their sleepy lids, were liquid pools of lapis lazuli. Her small nose was a most exquisitely chiseled bit of sculpture. Her red lips, sightly parted, revealed teeth that were matched pearls. And her hair was spun gold and sunbeams.

For some time she was motionless, gazing pensively out over the garden. Presently she crossed the terrace and descended to the garden. Watching her, Thorne stood bemused, wondering if it were possible that the scrawny, rat-faced Dixtar could be the father of so beautiful a daughter.

So potent was the spell cast over his senses that he lost sight of her in the shrubbery before he remembered his orders, and ran down the steps into the garden.

For some time Thorne hurried blindly about in the garden. Then the nearer moon, suddenly blinking above the rooftops to the west, came to his assistance. By its pale light he saw Neva not fifty feet from him, seated on the rim of a limpid pool in the center of which a fountain babbled.

Slowly he moved closer and halted at a distance of about twenty feet. As he stood there he was recalled to mundane considerations by a burning sensation in the region of his knees. Lowering his hand to investigate the cause, he discovered that heat rays were emanating from an ornate globe about two feet high which stood beside the path.

He had seen many such globes at various points around the garden and on the terrace. Although it had not occurred to him to wonder why the garden had not grown cold after nightfall, he now understood the reason.

In order to escape the discomfort caused by the proximity of the heating globe, he moved a few steps nearer the fountain. A dry twig snapped beneath his foot, and the girl looked up, a startled expression on her face.

"Have no fear," said Thorne. "I am Sheb Takkor, your new guard."

"I know," she replied. "It was the noise that startled me. You see, I am expecting some one I am not at all anxious to meet."

Though he felt quite sure he knew who that some one was, Thorne did not venture to say so.

Heavy footsteps sounded on the garden path. A shadow fell athwart the pool. Thorne glanced across to where the shadow began. Behind Neva stood Sel Han. "The Dixtar's deputy salutes his fair daughter," he said.

Without replying or even turning her head, Neva called to Thorne, "A trespasser has intruded upon my privacy, guardsman. Remove him."

The Earthman strode forward and stood facing his enemy. "It seems you are not wanted," he said quietly. "I trust that, under the circumstances, you will not have the bad taste to remain."

Sel Han laughed contemptuously. "Out of my way, worm," he ordered. "You dare not raise a hand against me." He sat down familiarly beside Neva. "Your guardsman is a spineless coward. Once he faced me, sword in hand, but grew so frightened before a blow had been struck that he ropped his weapon and fainted."

Thorne ground his teeth in impotent rage. He knew that under the Martian code he must suffer in silence any abuse which this fellow might choose to heap on him, physical violence or an assault with a weapon excepted.

"I would have you know, Sheb Takkor," Neva said, ignoring the presence of Sel Han, "that
all
the details of that unfortunate affair of yours at the training school are known to me. It was cowardly of your opponent to slash you when you were weakened from loss of blood and numbed by the virus of a desert blood-fly. And in full accord with that craven blow is his present refusal to again meet you, while he relies on the passivity which his technical victory imposes on you."

At this, the deputy forced a derisive laugh.

"Would it please the Dixtar's daughter to have her guard slain before her eyes?"

"It would please her guard," retorted Thorne, "to have the opportunity of defending himself."

"No doubt it would," grinned Sel Han. He moved closer to Neva. "Come," he said, "send away this cowardly guard who is powerless to help you. There is something I want to ask you."

Familiarly he passed his arm around her shoulders. And when, with blazing eyes, she would have leaped away from him, he held her tightly.