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Beam Piper. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + .tr { text-align: center; + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-top: 5%; + margin-bottom: 5%; + padding: 1em; + background-color: #f6f2f2; + color: black; + border: solid black 1px;} + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .blurb {margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%;} + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + .sidenote {width: 20%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em; margin-left: 1em; + float: right; clear: right; margin-top: 1em; + font-size: smaller; color: black; background: #eeeeee; border: dashed 1px;} + + .bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + .bl {border-left: solid 2px;} + .bt {border-top: solid 2px;} + .br {border-right: solid 2px;} + .bbox {border: solid 2px;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Space Viking, by Henry Beam Piper + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Space Viking + +Author: Henry Beam Piper + +Release Date: March 3, 2007 [EBook #20728] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SPACE VIKING *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, William Woods and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. +<p> +<a href="#Space_Viking"><b>Space Viking</b></a><br /> +<a href="#They_stood_together_at_the_parapet"><b>They stood together at the parapet,</b></a><br /> +<a href="#II"><b>II</b></a><br /> +<a href="#III"><b>III</b></a><br /> +<a href="#IV"><b>IV</b></a><br /> +<a href="#V"><b>V</b></a><br /> +<a href="#VI"><b>VI</b></a><br /> +<a href="#VII"><b>VII</b></a><br /> +<a href="#VIII"><b>VIII</b></a><br /> +<a href="#IX"><b>IX</b></a><br /> +<a href="#X"><b>X</b></a><br /> +<a href="#XI"><b>XI</b></a><br /> +<a href="#XII"><b>XII</b></a><br /> +<a href="#XIII"><b>XIII</b></a><br /> +<a href="#XIV"><b>XIV</b></a><br /> +<a href="#XV"><b>XV</b></a><br /> +<a href="#XVI"><b>XVI</b></a><br /> +<a href="#XVII"><b>XVII</b></a><br /> +<a href="#XVIII"><b>XVIII</b></a><br /> +<a href="#XIX"><b>XIX</b></a><br /> +<a href="#XX"><b>XX</b></a><br /> +<a href="#XXI"><b>XXI</b></a><br /> +<a href="#XXII"><b>XXII</b></a><br /> +<a href="#XXIII"><b>XXIII</b></a><br /> +<a href="#XXIV"><b>XXIV</b></a><br /> +<a href="#XXV"><b>XXV</b></a><br /> +<a href="#XXVI"><b>XXVI</b></a><br /> +<a href="#XXVII"><b>XXVII</b></a><br /> +</p> + End Autogenerated TOC. --> + +<p class="tr">Transcriber's note:<br/> +This etext was produced from <i>Analog Science Fact—Science Fiction</i> +November 1962, December 1962, January 1963, and February 1963. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the copyright +on this publication was renewed.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> +<h1>SPACE VIKING</h1> +<h2>A great new novel by H. Beam Piper</h2> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image001.jpg" width="600" height="584" + alt="SPACE VIKING; A great new novel by H. Beam Piper" + title="SPACE VIKING; A great new novel by H. Beam Piper" /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h1><a name="Space_Viking" id="Space_Viking"></a>Space Viking</h1> + +<div class="blurb"><p style="text-align: center;"> +Vengeance is a strange human motivation—<br /> +it can drive a man to do things<br /> +which he neither would nor could achieve without it ...<br /> +and because of that it lies behind some of the<br /> +greatest sagas of human literature! +</p></div> + +<h2>by H. Beam Piper</h2> + +<h3>Illustrated by Schoenherr<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span></h3> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image002-3.png" width="800" height="343" + alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p>They stood together at the parapet, +their arms about each other's +waists, her head against his cheek. +Behind, the broad leaved shrubbery +gossiped softly with the wind, and +from the lower main terrace came +music and laughing voices. The +city of Wardshaven spread in front +of them, white buildings rising from +the wide spaces of green treetops, +under a shimmer of sun-reflecting +aircars above. Far away, the mountains +were violet in the afternoon +haze, and the huge red sun hung in +a sky as yellow as a ripe peach.</p> + +<p>His eye caught a twinkle ten +miles to the southwest, and for +an instant he was puzzled. Then he +frowned. The sunlight on the two +thousand-foot globe of Duke Angus' +new ship, the <i>Enterprise</i>, back +at the Gorram shipyards after her +final trial cruise. He didn't want to +think about that, now.</p> + +<p>Instead, he pressed the girl closer +and whispered her name, "Elaine," +and then, caressing every syllable, +"Lady Elaine Trask of Traskon."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, Lucas!" Her protest +was half joking and half apprehensive. +"It's bad luck to be called by +your married name before the +wedding."</p> + +<p>"I've been calling you that in my +mind since the night of the Duke's +ball, when you were just home from +school on Excalibur."</p> + +<p>She looked up from the corner +of her eye.</p> + +<p>"That was when I started calling +me that, too," she confessed.</p> + +<p>"There's a terrace to the west at +Traskon New House," he told her. +"Tomorrow, we'll have our dinner +there, and watch the sunset together."</p> + +<p>"I know. I thought that was to +be our sunset-watching place."</p> + +<p>"You have been peeking," he +accused. "Traskon New House was +to be your surprise."</p> + +<p>"I always was a present-peeker, +New Year's and my birthdays. But +I only saw it from the air. I'll be +very surprised at everything inside," +she promised. "And very +delighted."</p> + +<p>And when she'd seen everything +and Traskon New House wasn't +a surprise any more, they'd take +a long space trip. He hadn't mentioned +that to her, yet. To some of +the other Sword-Worlds—Excalibur, +of course, and Morglay and Flamberge +and Durendal. No, not Durendal; +the war had started there +again. But they'd have so much +fun. And she would see clear blue +skies again, and stars at night. The +cloud-veil hid the stars from Gram, +and Elaine had missed them, since +coming home from Excalibur.</p> + +<p>The shadow of an aircar fell +briefly upon them and they looked +up and turned their heads, in time +to see it sink with graceful dignity +toward the landing-stage of Karval +House, and he glimpsed its blazonry—sword +and atom-symbol, the +badge of the ducal house of Ward. +He wondered if it were Duke Angus +himself, or just some of his people +come ahead of him. They should +get back to their guests, he sup<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span>posed. +Then he took her in his arms +and kissed her, and she responded +ardently. It must have been all of +five minutes since they'd done that +before.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>A slight cough behind them +brought them apart and their heads +around. It was Sesar Karvall, gray-haired +and portly, the breast of his +blue coat gleaming with orders and +decorations and the sapphire in the +pommel of his dress-dagger twinkling.</p> + +<p>"I thought I'd find you two +here," Elaine's father smiled. +"You'll have tomorrow and tomorrow +and tomorrow together, +but need I remind you that today +we have guests, and more coming +every minute."</p> + +<p>"Who came in the Ward car?" +Elaine asked.</p> + +<p>"Rovard Grauffis. And Otto +Harkaman; you never met him, did +you, Lucas?"</p> + +<p>"No; not by introduction. I'd +like to, before he spaces out." He +had nothing against Harkaman +personally; only against what he +represented. "Is the Duke coming?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, surely. Lionel of Newhaven +and the Lord of Northport +are coming with him. They're at +the Palace now." Karvall hesitated. +"His nephew's back in town."</p> + +<p>Elaine was distressed; she started +to say: "Oh, dear! I hope he +doesn't—"</p> + +<p>"Has Dunnan been bothering +Elaine again?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing to take notice of. He +was here, yesterday, demanding to +speak with her. We got him to +leave without too much unpleasantness."</p> + +<p>"It'll be something for me to +take notice of, if he keeps it up +after tomorrow."</p> + +<p>For his seconds and Andray Dunnan's, +that was; he hoped it +wouldn't come to that. He didn't +want to have to shoot a kinsman +to the house of Ward, and a crazy +man to boot.</p> + +<p>"I'm terribly sorry for him," +Elaine was saying. "Father, you +should have let me talk to him. +I might have made him understand."</p> + +<p>Sesar Karvall was shocked. +"Child, you couldn't have subjected +yourself to that! The man is +insane!" Then he saw her bare +shoulders, and was even more +shocked. "Elaine, your shawl!"</p> + +<p>Her hands went up and couldn't +find it; she looked about in confused +embarrassment. Amused, Lucas +picked it from the shrub onto +which she had tossed it and draped +it over her shoulders, his hands +lingering briefly. Then he gestured +to the older man to precede them, +and they entered the arbored walk. +At the other end, in an open circle, +a fountain played; white marble +girls and boys bathing in the jade-green +basin. Another piece of loot +from one of the Old Federation +planets; that was something he'd +tried to avoid in furnishing Traskon +New House. There'd be a lot of that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> +coming to Gram, after Otto Harkaman +took the <i>Enterprise</i> to space.</p> + +<p>"I'll have to come back, some +time, and visit them," Elaine whispered +to him. "They'll miss me."</p> + +<p>"You'll find a lot of new friends +at your new home," he whispered +back. "You wait till tomorrow."</p> + +<p>"I'm going to put a word in the +Duke's ear about that fellow," +Sesar Karvall, still thinking of +Dunnan, was saying. "If he speaks +to him, maybe it'll do some good."</p> + +<p>"I doubt it. I don't think Duke +Angus has any influence over him +at all."</p> + +<p>Dunnan's mother had been the +Duke's younger sister; from his +father he had inherited what had +originally been a prosperous barony. +Now it was mortgaged to the +top of the manor-house aerial-mast. +The Duke had once assumed Dunnan's +debts, and refused to do so +again. Dunnan had gone to space +a few times, as a junior officer on +trade-and-raid voyages into the Old +Federation. He was supposed to be +a fair astrogator. He had expected +his uncle to give him command of +the <i>Enterprise</i>, which had been +ridiculous. Disappointed in that, +he had recruited a mercenary company +and was seeking military +employment: It was suspected that +he was in correspondence with his +uncle's worst enemy, Duke Omfray +of Glaspyth.</p> + +<p>And he was obsessively in love +with Elaine Karvall, a passion +which seemed to nourish itself on +its own hopelessness. Maybe it +would be a good idea to take that +space trip right away. There ought +to be a ship leaving Bigglersport +for one of the other Sword-Worlds, +before long.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>They paused at the head of the +escalators; the garden below was +thronged with guests, the bright +shawls of the ladies and the coats +of the men making shifting color-patterns +among the flower-beds and +on the lawns and under the trees. +Serving-robots, flame-yellow and +black in the Karvall colors, floated +about playing soft music and offering +refreshments. There was a continuous +spiral of changing costume-color +around the circular robo-table. +Voices babbled happily like +a mountain river.</p> + +<p>As they stood looking down, +another aircar circled low; green +and gold, lettered PANPLANET +NEWS SERVICE. Sesar Karvall +swore in irritation.</p> + +<p>"Didn't there use to be something +they called privacy?" he +asked.</p> + +<p>"It's a big story, Sesar."</p> + +<p>It was; more than the marriage +of two people who happened to be +in love with each other. It was the +marriage of the farming and ranching +barony of Traskon and the +Karvall steel mills. More, it was +public announcement that the +wealth and fighting-men of both +baronies were now aligned behind +Duke Angus of Wardshaven. So it +was a general holiday. Every industry +had closed down at noon today,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span> +and would be closed until morning-after-next, +and there would be +dancing in every park and feasting +in every tavern. To Sword-Worlders, +any excuse for a holiday was +better than none.</p> + +<p>"They're our people, Sesar; they +have a right to have a good time +with us. I know everybody at +Traskon is watching this by +screen."</p> + +<p>He raised his hand and waved +to the news car, and when it swung +its pickup around, he waved again. +Then they went down the long +escalator.</p> + +<p>Lady Lavina Karvall was the +center of a cluster of matrons and +dowagers, around which tomorrow's +bridesmaids fluttered like +many-colored butterflies. She took +possession of her daughter and +dragged her into the feminine +circle. He saw Rovard Grauffis, +small and saturnine, Duke Angus' +henchman, and Burt Sandrasan, +Lady Lavina's brother. They spoke, +and then an upper-servant, his +tabard blazoned with the yellow +flame and black hammer of Karvall +mills, approached his master with +some tale of domestic crisis, and +the two went away together.</p> + +<p>"You haven't met Captain Harkaman, +Lucas," Rovard Grauffis +said. "I wish you'd come over and +say hello and have a drink with +him. I know your attitude, but he's +a good sort. Personally, I wish we +had a few like him around here."</p> + +<p>That was his main objection. +There were fewer and fewer men +of that sort on any of the Sword-Worlds.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="II" id="II"></a>II</h2> + + +<p>A dozen men clustered around the +bartending robot—his cousin and +family lawyer, Nikkolay Trask; +Lothar Ffayle, the banker; Alex +Gorram, the shipbuilder, and his +son Basil; Baron Rathmore; more +of the Wardshaven nobles whom he +knew only distantly. And Otto +Harkaman.</p> + +<p>Harkaman was a Space Viking. +That would have set him apart, +even if he hadn't topped the tallest +of them by a head. He wore a short +black jacket, heavily gold-braided, +and black trousers inside ankle-boots; +the dagger on his belt was +no mere dress-ornament. His +tousled red-brown hair was long +enough to furnish extra padding +in a combat-helmet, and his beard +was cut square at the bottom.</p> + +<p>He had been fighting on Durendal, +for one of the branches of the +royal house contesting fratricidally +for the throne. The wrong one; he +had lost his ship, and most of his +men and, almost, his own life. He +had been a penniless refugee on +Flamberge, owning only the clothes +he stood in and his personal +weapons and the loyalty of half a +dozen adventurers as penniless as +himself, when Duke Angus had +invited him to Gram to command +the <i>Enterprise</i>.</p> + +<p>"A pleasure, Lord Trask. I've +met your lovely bride-to-be, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> +now that I meet you, let me congratulate +both." Then, as they were +having a drink together, he put +his foot in it by asking: "You're +not an investor in the Tanith +Adventure, are you?"</p> + +<p>He said he wasn't, and would +have let it go at that. Young Basil +Gorram had to get his foot in, +too.</p> + +<p>"Lord Trask does not approve of +the Tanith Adventure," he said +scornfully. "He thinks we should +stay home and produce wealth, +instead of exporting robbery and +murder to the Old Federation for +it."</p> + +<p>The smile remained on Otto +Harkaman's face; only the friendliness +was gone. He unobtrusively +shifted his drink to his left hand.</p> + +<p>"Well, our operations are definable +as robbery and murder," he +agreed. "Space Vikings are professional +robbers and murderers. And +you object? Perhaps you find me +personally objectionable?"</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't have shaken your +hand or had a drink with you if +I did. I don't care how many +planets you raid or cities you sack, +or how many innocents, if that's +what they are, you massacre in the +Old Federation. You couldn't possibly +do anything worse than those +people have been doing to one +another for the past ten centuries. +What I object to is the way you're +raiding the Sword-Worlds."</p> + +<p>"You're crazy!" Basil Gorram +exploded.</p> + +<p>"Young man," Harkaman reproved, +"the conversation was +between Lord Trask and myself. +And when somebody makes a statement +you don't understand, don't +tell him he's crazy. Ask him what +he means. What <i>do</i> you mean, +Lord Trask?"</p> + +<p>"You should know; you've just +raided Gram for eight hundred +of our best men. You raided me for +close to forty vaqueros, farm-workers, +lumbermen, machine-operators, +and I doubt I'll be able to replace +them with as good." He turned to +the elder Gorram. "Alex, how +many have you lost to Captain +Harkaman?"</p> + +<p>Gorram tried to make it a dozen; +pressed, he admitted to a score and +a half. Roboticians, machine-supervisors, +programmers, a couple of +engineers, a foreman. There was +grudging agreement from the +others. Burt Sandrasan's engine-works +had lost almost as many, of +the same kind. Even Lothar Ffayle +admitted to losing a computerman +and a guard-sergeant.</p> + +<p>And after they were gone, the +farms and ranches and factories +would go on, almost but not quite +as before. Nothing on Gram, nothing +on any of the Sword-Worlds, was +done as efficiently as three centuries +ago The whole level of Sword-World +life was sinking, like the +east coastline of this continent, so +slowly as to be evident only from +the records and monuments of the +past. He said as much, and added:</p> + +<p>"And the genetic loss. The best +Sword-World genes are literally<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> +escaping to space, like the atmosphere +of a low-gravity planet, each +generation begotten by fathers +slightly inferior to the last. It +wasn't so bad when the Space +Vikings raided directly from the +Sword-Worlds; they got home once +in a while. Now they're conquering +planets in the Old Federation for +bases, and staying there."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>Everybody had begun to relax; +this wouldn't be a quarrel. Harkaman, +who had shifted his drink +back to his right hand, chuckled.</p> + +<p>"That's right. I've fathered my +share of brats in the Old Federation, +and I know Space Vikings +whose fathers were born on Old +Federation planets." He turned to +Basil Gorram. "You see, the gentleman +isn't crazy, at all. That's what +happened to the Terran Federation, +by the way. The good men all left +to colonize, and the stuffed shirts +and yes-men and herd-followers +and safety-firsters stayed on Terra +and tried to govern the galaxy."</p> + +<p>"Well, maybe this is all new to +you, captain," Rovard Grauffis +said sourly, "but Lucas Trask's +dirge for the Decline and Fall of +the Sword-Worlds is an old song +to the rest of us. I have too much +to do to stay here and argue."</p> + +<p>Lothar Ffayle evidently did intend +to stay and argue.</p> + +<p>"All you're saying, Lucas, is +that we're expanding. You want +us to sit here and build up population +pressure like Terra in the First +Century?"</p> + +<p>"With three and a half billion +people spread out on twelve +planets? They had that many on +Terra alone. And it took us eight +centuries to reach that."</p> + +<p>That had been since the Ninth +Century, Atomic Era, at the end +of the Big War. Ten thousand men +and women on Abigor, refusing to +surrender, had taken the remnant +of the System States Alliance navy +to space, seeking a world the Federation +had never heard of and +wouldn't find for a long time. That +had been the world they had called +Excalibur. From it, their grandchildren +had colonized Joyeuse and +Durendal and Flamberge; Haulteclere +had been colonized in the next +generation from Joyeuse, and Gram +from Haulteclere.</p> + +<p>"We're not expanding, Lothar; +we're contracting. We stopped expanding +three hundred and fifty +years ago, when that ship came +back to Morglay from the Old +Federation and reported what had +been happening out there since the +Big War. Before that, we were +discovering new planets and colonizing +them. Since then, we've +been picking the bones of the dead +Terran Federation."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image010-11.jpg" width="750" height="350" + alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>Something was going on by the +escalators to the landing stage. +People were moving excitedly in +that direction, and the news cars +were circling like vultures over a +sick cow. Harkaman wondered, +hopefully, if it mightn't be a fight.</p> + +<p>"Some drunk being bounced." +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> +Nikkolay, Lucas' cousin, commented. +"Sesar's let all Wardshaven +in here, today. But, Lucas, +this Tanith adventure; we're not +making any hit-and-run raid. We're +taking over a whole planet; it'll +be another Sword-World in forty +or fifty years."</p> + +<p>"Inside another century, we'll +conquer the whole Federation," +Baron Rathmore declared. He was +a politician and never let exaggeration +worry him.</p> + +<p>"What I don't understand," +Harkaman said, "is why you support +Duke Angus, Lord Trask, if +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> +you think the Tanith adventure is +doing Gram so much harm."</p> + +<p>"If Angus didn't do it, somebody +else would. But Angus is going to +make himself King of Gram, and +I don't think anybody else could +do that. This planet needs a single +sovereignty. I don't know how +much you've seen of it outside this +duchy, but don't take Wardshaven +as typical. Some of these duchies, +like Glaspyth or Didreksburg, are +literal snake pits. All the major +barons are at each other's throats, +and they can't even keep their own +knights and petty-barons in order.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span></p> + +<p>Why, there's a miserable little war +down in Southmain Continent +that's been going on for over two +centuries."</p> + +<p>"That's probably where Dunnan's +going to take that army of +his," a robot-manufacturing baron +said. "I hope it gets wiped out, +and Dunnan with it."</p> + +<p>"You don't have to go to Southmain; +just go to Glaspyth," somebody +else said.</p> + +<p>"Well, if we don't get a planetary +monarchy to keep order, this planet +will decivilize like anything in the +Old Federation."</p> + +<p>"Oh, <i>come</i>, Lucas!" Alex Gorram +protested. "That's pulling it out +too far."</p> + +<p>"Yes, for one thing, we don't +have the Neobarbarians," somebody +said. "And if they ever came +out here, we'd blow them to Em-See-Square +in nothing flat. Might +be a good thing if they did, too; it +would stop us squabbling among +ourselves."</p> + +<p>Harkaman looked at him in +surprise. "Just who do you think +the Neobarbarians are, anyhow?" +he asked. "Some race of invading +nomads; Attila's Huns in spaceships?"</p> + +<p>"Well, isn't that who they are?" +Gorram asked.</p> + +<p>"Nifflheim, no! There aren't a +dozen and a half planets in the +Old Federation that still have +hyperdrive, and they're all civilized. +That's if 'civilized' is what +Gilgamesh is," he added. "These +are homemade barbarians. Workers +and peasants who revolted to seize +and divide the wealth and then +found they'd smashed the means of +production and killed off all the +technical brains. Survivors on planets +hit during the Interstellar Wars, +from the Eleventh to the Thirteenth +Centuries, who lost the machinery +of civilization. Followers of political +leaders on local-dictatorship +planets. Companies of mercenaries +thrown out of employment and +living by pillage. Religious +fanatics following self-anointed +prophets."</p> + +<p>"You think we don't have plenty +of Neobarbarian material here on +Gram?" Trask demanded. "If you +do, take a look around."</p> + +<p>Glaspyth, somebody said.</p> + +<p>"That collection of over-ripe +gallows-fruit Andray Dunnan's recruited," +Rathmore mentioned.</p> + +<p>Alex Gorram was grumbling that +his shipyard was full of them; +agitators stirring up trouble, trying +to organize a strike to get rid of +the robots.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Harkaman pounced on +that last. "I know of at least forty +instances, on a dozen and a half +planets, in the last eight centuries, +of anti-technological movements. +They had them on Terra, back as +far as the Second Century Pre-Atomic. +And after Venus seceded +from the First Federation, before +the Second Federation was organized."</p> + +<p>"You're interested in history?" +Rathmore asked.</p> + +<p>"A hobby. All spacemen have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> +hobbies. There's very little work +aboard ship in hyperspace; boredom +is the worst enemy. My guns-and-missiles +officer, Vann Larch, is a +painter. Most of his work was lost +with the <i>Corisande</i> on Durendal, but +he kept us from starving a few +times on Flamberge by painting +pictures and selling them. My +hyperspatial astrogator, Guatt Kirbey, +composes music; he tries to +express the mathematics of hyperspatial +theory in musical terms. I +don't care much for it, myself," he +admitted. "I study history. You +know, it's odd; practically everything +that's happened on any of +the inhabited planets happened on +Terra before the first spaceship."</p> + +<p>The garden immediately around +them was quiet, now; everybody +was over by the landing-stage +escalators. Harkaman would have +said more, but at that moment he +saw half a dozen of Sesar Karvall's +uniformed guardsmen run past. +They were helmeted and in bullet-proofs; +one of them had an auto-rifle, +and the rest carried knobbed +plastic truncheons. The Space Viking +set down his drink.</p> + +<p>"Let's go," he said. "Our host +is calling up his troops; I think the +guests ought to find battle-stations, +too."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="III" id="III"></a>III</h2> + + +<p>The gaily-dressed crowd formed +a semicircle facing the landing-stage +escalators; everybody was +staring in embarrassed curiosity, +those behind craning over the +shoulders of those in front. The +ladies had drawn up their shawls +in frigid formality; many had even +covered their heads. There were +four news-service cars hovering +above; whatever was going on +was getting a planetwide screen +showing. The Karvall guardsmen +were trying to get through; their +sergeant was saying, over and over, +"Please, ladies and gentlemen; your +pardon, noble sir," and getting +nowhere.</p> + +<p>Otto Harkaman swore disgustedly +and shoved the sergeant aside. +"Make way, here!" he bellowed. +"Let these guards pass." With that, +he almost hurled a gaily-dressed +gentleman aside on either hand; +they both turned to glare angrily, +then got hastily out of his way. +Meditating briefly on the uses of +bad manners in an emergency, +Trask followed, with the others; +the big Space Viking plowed to +the front, where Sesar Karvall and +Rovard Grauffis and several others +were standing.</p> + +<p>Facing them, four men in black +cloaks stood with their backs to +the escalators. Two were commonfolk +retainers; hired gunmen, to +be precise. They were at pains to +keep their hands plainly in sight, +and seemed to be wishing themselves +elsewhere. The man in front +wore a diamond sunburst jewel on +his beret, and his cloak was lined +with pale blue silk. His thin, +pointed face was deeply lined about +the mouth and penciled with a thin<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> +black mustache. His eyes showed +white all around the irises, and now +and then his mouth would twitch +in an involuntary grimace. Andray +Dunnan; Trask wondered briefly +how soon he would have to look +at him from twenty-five meters over +the sights of a pistol. The face of +the slightly taller man who stood +at his shoulder was paper-white, +expressionless, with a black beard. +His name was Nevil Ormm, nobody +was quite sure whence he had +come, and he was Dunnan's henchman +and constant companion.</p> + +<p>"You lie!" Dunnan was shouting. +"You lie damnably, in your +stinking teeth, all of you! You've +intercepted every message she's +tried to send me."</p> + +<p>"My daughter has sent you no +messages, Lord Dunnan," Sesar +Karvall said, with forced patience. +"None but the one I just gave you, +that she wants nothing whatever +to do with you."</p> + +<p>"You think I believe that? You're +holding her a prisoner; Satan only +knows how you've been torturing +her to force her into this abominable +marriage—"</p> + +<p>There was a stir among the bystanders; +that was more than well-mannered +restraint could stand. Out +of the murmur of incredulous +voices, one woman's was quite +audible:</p> + +<p>"Well, really! He actually <i>is</i> +crazy!"</p> + +<p>Dunnan, like everybody else, +heard it. "Crazy, am I?" he blazed. +"Because I can see through this +hypocritical sham? Here's Lucas +Trask, he wants an interest in +Karvall mills, and here's Sesar +Karvall, he wants access to iron +deposits on Traskon land. And my +loving uncle, he wants the help of +both of them in stealing Omfray +of Glaspyth's duchy. And here's +this loan-shark of a Ffayle, trying +to claw my lands away from me, +and Rovard Grauffis, the fetchdog +of my uncle who won't lift a finger +to save his kinsman from ruin, and +this foreigner Harkaman who's +swindled me out of command of +the <i>Enterprise</i>. You're all plotting +against me—"</p> + +<p>"Sir Nevil," Grauffis said, "you +can see that Lord Dunnan's not +himself. If you're a good friend to +him, you'll get him out of here +before Duke Angus arrives."</p> + +<p>Ormm leaned forward and spoke +urgently in Dunnan's ear. Dunnan +pushed him angrily away.</p> + +<p>"Great Satan, are you against +me, too?" he demanded.</p> + +<p>Ormm caught his arm. "You +fool, do you want to ruin everything, +now—" He lowered his +voice; the rest was inaudible.</p> + +<p>"No, curse you, I won't go till +I've spoken to her, face to face—"</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image020-21.png" width="750" height="375" + alt="Dunnan interrupts wedding party" + title="Dunnan interrupts wedding party" /> +</div> + +<p>There was another stir among the +spectators; the crowd was parting, +and Elaine was coming through, +followed by her mother and Lady +Sandrasan and five or six other +matrons. They all had their shawls +over their heads, right ends over +left shoulders; they all stopped<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> +except Elaine, who took a few +steps forward and confronted Andray +Dunnan. He had never seen +her look more beautiful, but it was +the icy beauty of a honed dagger.</p> + +<p>"Lord Dunnan, what do you +wish to say to me?" she asked. +"Say it quickly and then go; you +are not welcome here."</p> + +<p>"Elaine!" Dunnan cried, taking +a step forward. "Why do you cover +your head; why do you speak to me +as a stranger? I am Andray, who +loves you. Why are you letting +them force you into this wicked +marriage?"</p> + +<p>"No one is forcing me; I am marrying +Lord Trask willingly and +happily, because I love him. Now, +please, go and make no more +trouble at my wedding."</p> + +<p>"That's a lie! They're making +you say that! You don't have to +marry him; they can't make you. +Come with me now. They won't +dare stop you. I'll take you away +from all these cruel, greedy people. +You love me, you've always loved +me. You've told me you loved me, +again and again—"</p> + +<p>Yes, in his own private dream-world, +a world of fantasy that had +now become Andray Dunnan's reality, +in which an Elaine Karvall +whom his imagination had created +existed only to love him. Confronted +by the real Elaine, he simply +rejected the reality.</p> + +<p>"I never loved you, Lord Dunnan, +and I never told you so. I +never hated you, either, but you +are making it very hard for me +not to. Now go, and never let me +see you again."</p> + +<p>With that, she turned and started +back through the crowd, which +parted in front of her. Her mother +and her aunt and the other ladies +followed.</p> + +<p>"You lied to me!" Dunnan +shrieked after her. "You lied all +the time. You're as bad as the rest +of them, all scheming and plotting +against me, betraying me. I know +what it's about; you all want to +cheat me of my rights, and keep my +usurping uncle on the ducal throne. +And you, you false-hearted harlot, +you're the worst of them all!"</p> + +<p>Sir Nevil Ormm caught his shoulder +and spun him around, propelling +him toward the escalators. +Dunnan struggled, screaming inarticulately +like a wounded wolf. +Ormm was cursing furiously.</p> + +<p>"You two!" he shouted. "Help +me, here. Get hold of him."</p> + +<p>Dunnan was still howling as they +forced him onto the escalator, the +backs of the two retainers' cloaks, +badged with the Dunnan crescent, +light blue on black, hiding him. +After a little, an aircar with the +blue crescent blazonry lifted and +sped away.</p> + +<p>"Lucas, he's crazy," Sesar Karvall +was insisting. "Elaine hasn't +spoken fifty words to him since he +came back from his last voyage—"</p> + +<p>He laughed and put a hand on +Karvall's shoulder. "I know that, +Sesar. You don't think, do you, +that I need assurance of it?"</p> + +<p>"Crazy, I'll say he's crazy," +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> +Rovard Grauffis put in. "Did you +hear what he said about his rights? +Wait till his Grace hears about +that."</p> + +<p>"Does he lay claim to the ducal +throne, Sir Rovard?" Otto Harkaman +asked, sharply and seriously.</p> + +<p>"Oh, he claims that his mother +was born a year and a half before +Duke Angus and the true date of +her birth falsified to give Angus +the succession. Why, his present +Grace was three years old when she +was born. I was old Duke Fergus' +esquire; I carried Angus on my +shoulder when Andray Dunnan's +mother was presented to the lords +and barons the day after she was +born."</p> + +<p>"Of course he's crazy," Alex Gorram +agreed. "I don't know why the +Duke doesn't have him put under +psychiatric treatment."</p> + +<p>"I'd put him under treatment," +Harkaman said, drawing a finger +across under his beard. "Crazy men +who pretend to thrones are bombs +that ought to be deactivated, before +they blow things up."</p> + +<p>"We couldn't do that," Grauffis +said. "After all, he's Duke Angus' +nephew—"</p> + +<p>"I could do it," Harkaman said. +"He only has three hundred men +in this company of his. Why you +people ever let him recruit them +Satan only knows," he parenthesized. +"I have eight hundred; +five hundred ground-fighters. I'd +like to see how they shape up in +combat, before we space out. I can +have them ready for action in two +hours, and it'd be all over before +midnight."</p> + +<p>"No, Captain Harkaman; his +Grace would never permit it," +Grauffis vetoed. "You have no +idea of the political harm that +would do among the independent +lords on whom we're counting for +support. You weren't here on Gram +when Duke Ridgerd of Didreksburg +had his sister Sancia's second husband +poisoned—"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="IV" id="IV"></a>IV</h2> + + +<p>They halted under the colonnade; +beyond, the lower main terrace +was crowded, and a medley of old +love songs was wafting from the +sound outlets, for the sixth or +eighth time around. He looked at +his watch; it was ninety seconds +later than the last time he had +done so. Give it fifteen more minutes +to get started, and another +fifteen to get away after the marriage +toasts and the felicitations. +And no marriage, however pompous, +lasted more than half an hour. +An hour, then, till he and Elaine +would be in the aircar, bulleting +toward Traskon.</p> + +<p>The love songs stopped abruptly; +after a momentary silence, a trumpet, +considerably amplified, blared; +the "Ducal Salute." The crowd +stopped shifting, the buzz of voices +ceased. At the head of the landing-stage +escalators there was a glow of +color and the ducal party began +moving down. A platoon of guards +in red and yellow, with gilded<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> +helmets and tasseled halberds. An +esquire bearing the Sword of State. +Duke Angus, with his council, Otto +Harkaman among them; the Duchess +Flavia and her companion-ladies. +The household gentlemen, +and their ladies. More guardsmen. +There was a great burst of cheering; +the news-service aircars got into +position above the procession. Cousin +Nikkolay and a few others +stepped out from between the +pillars into the sunlight; there was +a similar movement at the other +side of the terrace. The ducal party +reached the end of the central +walkway, halted and deployed.</p> + +<p>"All right; let's shove off," +Cousin Nikkolay said, stepping +forward.</p> + +<p>Ten minutes since they had come +outside; another five to get into +position. Fifty minutes, now, till +he and Elaine—Lady Elaine Trask +of Traskon, for real and for always—would +be going home.</p> + +<p>"Sure the car's ready?" he asked, +for the hundredth time.</p> + +<p>His cousin assured him that it +was. Figures in Karvall black and +flame-yellow appeared across the +terrace. The music began again, this +time the stately "Nobles' Wedding +March," arrogant and at the same +time tender. Sesar Karvall's gentleman-secretary, +and the Karvall lawyer; +executives of the steel mills, +the Karvall guard-captain. Sesar +himself, with Elaine on his arm; +she was wearing a shawl of black +and yellow. He looked around in +sudden fright; "For the love of +Satan, where's our shawl?" he +demanded, and then relaxed when +one of his gentlemen exhibited it, +green and tawny in Traskon colors. +The bridesmaids, led by Lady +Lavina Karvall. Finally they +halted, ten yards apart, in front of +the Duke.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>"Who approaches us?" Duke +Angus asked of his guard-captain.</p> + +<p>He had a thin, pointed face, almost +femininely sensitive, and a +small pointed beard. He was bareheaded +except for the narrow golden +circlet which he spent most of +his waking time scheming to convert +into a royal crown. The guard-captain +repeated the question.</p> + +<p>"I am Sir Nikkolay Trask; I +bring my cousin and liege-lord, +Lucas, Lord Trask, Baron of +Traskon. He comes to receive the +Lady-Demoiselle Elaine, daughter +of Lord Sesar Karvall, Baron of +Karvall mills, and the sanction of +your Grace to the marriage between +them."</p> + +<p>Sir Maxamon Zhorgay, Sesar +Karvall's henchman, named himself +and his lord; they brought the +Lady-Demoiselle Elaine to be wed +to Lord Trask of Traskon. The +Duke, satisfied that these were persons +whom he could address +directly, asked if the terms of the +marriage-agreement had been +reached; both parties affirmed this. +Sir Maxamon passed a scroll to the +Duke; Duke Angus began to read +the stiff and precise legal phraseology.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> +Marriages between noble houses +were not matters to be left open +to dispute; a great deal of spilled +blood and burned powder had +resulted from ambiguity on some +point of succession or inheritance +or dower rights. Lucas bore it +patiently; he didn't want his +great-grandchildren and Elaine's +shooting it out over a matter of a +misplaced comma.</p> + +<p>"And these persons here before +us do enter into this marriage +freely?" the Duke asked, when the +reading had ended. He stepped +forward as he spoke, and his +esquire gave him the two-hand +Sword of State, heavy enough to +behead a bisonoid. Trask stepped +forward; Sesar Karvall brought +Elaine up. The lawyers and henchmen +obliqued off to the sides. +"How say you, Lord Trask?" he +asked, almost conversationally.</p> + +<p>"With all my heart, your +Grace."</p> + +<p>"And you, Lady-Demoiselle +Elaine?"</p> + +<p>"It is my dearest wish, your +Grace."</p> + +<p>The Duke took the sword by the +blade and extended it; they laid +their hands on the jeweled pommel.</p> + +<p>"And do you, and your houses, +avow us, Angus, Duke of Wardshaven, +to be your sovereign prince, +and pledge fealty to us and to our +legitimate and lawful successors?"</p> + +<p>"We do." Not only he and +Elaine, but all around them, and +all the throng in the gardens, +answered, the spectators in shouts. +Very clearly, above it all, somebody, +with more enthusiasm than +discretion, was bawling: "<i>Long live +Angus the First of Gram!</i>"</p> + +<p>"And we, Angus, do confer upon +you two, and your houses, the right +to wear our badge as you see fit, +and pledge ourself to maintain your +rights against any and all who may +presume to invade them. And we +declare that this marriage between +you two, and this agreement between +your respective houses, does +please us, and we avow you two, +Lucas and Elaine, to be lawfully +wed, and who so questions this +marriage challenges us, in our +teeth and to our despite."</p> + +<p>That wasn't exactly the wording +used by a ducal lord on Gram. It +was the formula employed by a +planetary king, like Napolyon of +Flamberge or Rodolf of Excalibur. +And, now that he thought of it, +Angus had consistently used the +royal first-person plural. Maybe +that fellow who had shouted about +Angus the First of Gram had only +been doing what he'd been paid to +do. This was being telecast, and +Omfray of Glaspyth and Ridgerd +of Didreksburg would both be +listening; as of now, they'd start +hiring mercenaries. Maybe that +would get rid of Dunnan for him.</p> + +<p>The Duke gave the two-hand +sword back to his esquire. The +young knight who was carrying the +green and tawny shawl handed it +to him, and Elaine dropped the +black and yellow one from her +shoulders, the only time a re<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span>spectable +woman ever did that in +public, and her mother caught and +folded it. He stepped forward and +draped the Trask colors over her +shoulders, and then took her in +his arms. The cheering broke out +again, and some of Sesar Karvall's +guardsmen began firing a pom-pom +somewhere.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>It took a little longer than he +had expected to finish with the +toasts and shake hands with those +who crowded around. Finally, the +exit march started, down the long +walkway to the landing stage, and +the Duke and his party moved +away to the rear to prepare for +the wedding feast at which everybody +but the bride and groom +would celebrate. One of the bridesmaids +gave Elaine a huge sheaf of +flowers, which she was to toss +back from the escalator; she held +it in the crook of one arm and clung +to his with the other.</p> + +<p>"Darling; we really made it!" +she was whispering, as though +it were too wonderful to believe.</p> + +<p>Well, wasn't it?</p> + +<p>One of the news cars—orange and +blue, that was Westlands Telecast +& Teleprint—had floated just ahead +of them and was letting down +toward the landing stage. For a +moment, he was angry; that went +beyond the outer-orbit limits of +journalistic propriety, even for +Westlands T & T. Then he laughed; +today he was too happy for anger +about anything. At the foot of the +escalator, Elaine kicked off her +gilded slippers—there was another +pair in the car; he'd seen to that +personally—and they stepped onto +the escalator and turned about. +The bridesmaids rushed forward, +and began struggling for the slippers, +to the damage and disarray +of their gowns, and when they +were half way up, Elaine heaved +the bouquet and it burst apart +among them like a bomb of colored +fragrance, and the girls below +snatched at the flowers, shrieking +deliriously. Elaine stood, blowing +kisses to everybody, and he was +shaking his clasped hands over his +head, until they were at the top.</p> + +<p>When they turned and stepped +off, the orange and blue aircar +had let down directly in front of +them, blocking their way. Now +he was really furious, and started +forward with a curse. Then he +saw who was in the car.</p> + +<p>Andray Dunnan, his thin face +contorted and the narrow mustache +writhing on his upper lip; +he had a slit beside the window +open and was tilting the barrel +of a submachine gun up and out +of it.</p> + +<p>He shouted, and at the same time +tripped Elaine and flung her down. +He was throwing himself forward +to cover her when there was a +blasting multiple report. Something +sledged him in the chest; +his right leg crumpled under him. +He fell—</p> + +<p>He fell and fell and fell, endlessly, +through darkness, out of consciousness. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="V" id="V"></a>V</h2> + + +<p>He was crucified, and crowned +with a crown of thorns. Who had +they done that to? Somebody long +ago, on Terra. His arms were +drawn out stiffly, and hurt; his feet +and legs hurt, too, and he couldn't +move them, and there was this +prickling at his brow. And he was +blind.</p> + +<p>No; his eyes were just closed. He +opened them, and there was a white +wall in front of him, patterned with +a blue snow-crystal design, and he +realized that it was a ceiling and +that he was lying on his back. He +couldn't move his head, but by +shifting his eyes he saw that he +was completely naked and surrounded +by a tangle of tubes and +wires, which puzzled him briefly.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> +Then he knew that he was not on +a bed, but on a robomedic, and the +tubes would be for medication and +wound drainage and intravenous +feeding, and the wires would be to +electrodes imbedded in his body +for diagnosis, and the crown-of-thorns +thing would be more electrodes +for an encephalograph. He'd +been on one of those robomedics +before, when he had been gored by a +bisonoid on the cattle range.</p> + +<p>That was what it was; he was +still under treatment. But that +seemed so long ago; so many things—he +must have dreamed them—seemed +to have happened.</p> + +<p>Then he remembered, and struggled +futilely to rise.</p> + +<p>"Elaine!" he called. "Elaine, +where are you?"</p> + +<p>There was a stir and somebody<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> +came into his limited view; his +cousin, Nikkolay Trask.</p> + +<p>"Nikkolay; Andray Dunnan," +he said. "What happened to +Elaine?"</p> + +<p>Nikkolay winced, as though +something he had expected to hurt +had hurt worse than he had expected.</p> + +<p>"Lucas." He swallowed. "Elaine +... Elaine is dead."</p> + +<p>Elaine is dead. That didn't make +sense.</p> + +<p>"She was killed instantly, Lucas. +Hit six times; I don't think she +even felt the first one. She didn't +suffer at all."</p> + +<p>Somebody moaned, and then he +realized that it had been himself.</p> + +<p>"You were hit twice," Nikkolay +was telling him. "One in the leg; +smashed the femur. And one in the +chest. That one missed your heart +by an inch."</p> + +<p>"Pity it did." He was beginning +to remember clearly, now. "I threw +her down, and tried to cover her. +I must have thrown her straight +into the burst and only caught the +last of it myself." There was something +else; oh, yes. "Dunnan. Did +they get him?"</p> + +<p>Nikkolay shook his head. "He +got away. Stole the <i>Enterprise</i> and +took her off-planet."</p> + +<p>"I want to get him myself."</p> + +<p>He started to rise again; Nikkolay +nodded to someone out of sight. +A cool hand touched his chin, and +he smelled a woman's perfume, +nothing at all like Elaine's. Something +like a small insect bit him +on the neck. The room grew dark.</p> + +<p>Elaine was dead. There was no +more Elaine, nowhere at all. Why, +that must mean there was no more +world. So that was why it had +gotten so dark.</p> + +<p>He woke again, fitfully, and it +would be daylight and he could +see the yellow sky through an open +window or it would be night and +the wall-lights would be on. There +would always be somebody with +him. Nikkolay's wife, Dame +Cecelia; Rovard Grauffis; Lady +Lavina Karvall—he must have slept +a long time, for she was so much +older than he remembered—and her +brother, Burt Sandrasan. And a +woman with dark hair, in a white +smock with a gold caduceus on her +breast.</p> + +<p>Once, Duchess Flavia, and once +Duke Angus himself. He asked +where he was, not much caring. +They told him, at the Ducal Palace.</p> + +<p>He wished they'd all go away, +and let him go wherever Elaine +was.</p> + +<p>Then it would be dark, and he +would be trying to find her, because +there was something he wanted +desperately to show her. Stars in +the sky at night, that was it. But +there were no stars, there was no +Elaine, there was no anything, and +he wished that there was no Lucas +Trask, either.</p> + +<p>But there was an Andray Dunnan. +He could see him standing +black-cloaked on the terrace, the +diamonds in his beret-jewel glittering +evilly; he could see the mad face<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> +peering at him over the rising barrel +of the submachine gun. And then +he would hunt for him without +finding him, through the cold darkness +of space.</p> + +<p>The waking periods grew longer, +and during them his mind was +clear. They relieved him of his +crown of electronic thorns. The +feeding tubes came out, and they +gave him cups of broth and fruit +juice. He wanted to know why he +had been brought to the Palace.</p> + +<p>"About the only thing we could +do," Rovard Grauffis told him. +"They had too much trouble at +Karvall House as it was. You +know, Sesar got shot, too."</p> + +<p>"No." So that was why Sesar +hadn't come to see him. "Was he +killed?"</p> + +<p>"Wounded; he's in worse shape +than you are. When the shooting +started, he went charging up the +escalator. Didn't have anything +but his dress-dagger. Dunnan gave +him a quick burst; I think that was +why he didn't have time to finish +you off. By that time, the guards +who'd been shooting blanks from +that rapid-fire gun got in a clip of +live rounds and fired at him. He got +out of there as fast as he could. +They have Sesar on a robomedic +like yours. He isn't in any danger."</p> + +<p>The drainage tubes and medication +tubes came out; the tangle of +wires around him was removed, and +the electrodes with them. They +bandaged his wounds and dressed +him in a loose robe and lifted him +from the robomedic to a couch, +where he could sit up when he +wished; they began giving him +solid food, and wine to drink, and +allowed him to smoke. The woman +doctor told him he'd had a bad +time, as though he didn't know +that. He wondered if she expected +him to thank her for keeping him +alive.</p> + +<p>"You'll be up and around in a +few weeks," his cousin added. +"I've seen to it that everything at +Traskon New House will be ready +for you by then."</p> + +<p>"I'll never enter that house as +long as I live, and I wish that +wouldn't be more than the next +minute. That was to be Elaine's +house. I won't go to it alone."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>The dreams troubled his sleep less +and less as he grew stronger. Visitors +came often, bringing amusing +little gifts, and he found that he +enjoyed their company. He wanted +to know what had really happened, +and how Dunnan had gotten +away.</p> + +<p>"He pirated the <i>Enterprise</i>," +Rovard Grauffis told him. "He had +that company of mercenaries of his, +and he'd bribed some of the people +at the Gorram shipyards. I thought +Alex would kill his chief of security +when he found out what had +happened. We can't prove anything—we're +trying hard enough to—but +we're sure Omfray of Glaspyth +furnished the money. He's been +denying it just a shade too emphatically."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Then the whole thing was +planned in advance."</p> + +<p>"Taking the ship was; he must +have been planning that for +months; before he started recruiting +that company. I think he meant +to do it the night before the wedding. +Then he tried to persuade the +Lady-Demoiselle Elaine to elope +with him—he seems to have actually +thought that was possible—and +when she humiliated him, he +decided to kill both of you first." +He turned to Otto Harkaman, who +had accompanied him. "As long as +I live, I'll regret not taking you +at your word and accepting your +offer, then."</p> + +<p>"How did he get hold of that +Westlands Telecast and Teleprint +car?"</p> + +<p>"Oh. The morning of the wedding, +he screened Westlands editorial +office and told them he had the +inside story on the marriage and +why the Duke was sponsoring it. +Made it sound as though there was +some scandal; insisted that a reporter +come to Dunnan House for +a face-to-face interview. They sent +a man, and that was the last they +saw him alive; our people found +his body at Dunnan House when we +were searching the place afterward. +We found the car at the shipyard; +it had taken a couple of hits from +the guns at Karvall House, but you +know what these press cars are +built to stand. He went directly to +the shipyard, where his men already +had the <i>Enterprise</i>; as soon as +he arrived, she lifted out."</p> + +<p>He stared at the cigarette between +his fingers. It was almost +short enough to burn him. With an +effort, he leaned forward to crush +it out.</p> + +<p>"Rovard, how soon will that +second ship be finished?"</p> + +<p>Grauffis laughed bitterly. "Building +the <i>Enterprise</i> took everything +we had. The duchy's on the edge +of bankruptcy now. We stopped +work on the second ship six months +ago because we didn't have enough +money to keep on with her and still +get the <i>Enterprise</i> finished. We were +expecting the <i>Enterprise</i> to make +enough in the Old Federation to +finish the second one. Then, with +two ships and a base on Tanith, the +money would begin coming in +instead of going out. But now—"</p> + +<p>"It leaves me where I was +on Flamberge," Harkaman added. +"Worse. King Napolyon was going +to help the Elmersans, and I'd have +gotten a command in that. It's too +late for that now."</p> + +<p>He picked up his cane and used +it to push himself to his feet. The +broken leg had mended, but he was +still weak. He took a few tottering +steps, paused to lean on the cane, +and then forced himself on to the +open window and stood for a +moment staring out. Then he +turned.</p> + +<p>"Captain Harkaman, it might be +that you could still get a command, +here on Gram. That's if you don't +mind commanding under me as +owner-aboard. I am going hunting +for Andray Dunnan."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span></p> + +<p>They both looked at him. After +a moment, Harkaman said:</p> + +<p>"I'd count it an honor, Lord +Trask. But where will you get a +ship?"</p> + +<p>"She's half finished now. You +already have a crew for her. Duke +Angus can finish her for me, and +pay for it by pledging his new +barony of Traskon."</p> + +<p>He had known Rovard Grauffis +all his life; until this moment, he +had never seen Duke Angus' henchman +show surprise.</p> + +<p>"You mean, you'll trade Traskon +for that ship?" he demanded.</p> + +<p>"Finished, equipped and ready +for space, yes."</p> + +<p>"The Duke will agree to that," +Grauffis said promptly. "But, Lucas; +Traskon is all you own."</p> + +<p>"If I have a ship, I won't need +them. I am turning Space Viking."</p> + +<p>That brought Harkaman to his +feet with a roar of approval. +Grauffis looked at him, his mouth +slightly open.</p> + +<p>"Lucas Trask—Space Viking," he +said. "Now I've heard everything."</p> + +<p>Well, why not? He had deplored +the effects of Viking raiding on the +Sword-Worlds, because Gram was +a Sword-World, and Traskon was +on Gram, and Traskon was to have +been the home where he and Elaine +would live and where their children +and children's children would be +born and live. Now the little point +on which all of it had rested was +gone.</p> + +<p>"That was another Lucas Trask, +Rovard. He's dead, now."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="VI" id="VI"></a>VI</h2> + + +<p>Grauffis excused himself to make +a screen call and then returned to +excuse himself again. Evidently +Duke Angus had dropped whatever +he was doing as soon as he heard +what his henchman had to tell him. +Harkaman was silent until after he +was out of the room, then said:</p> + +<p>"Lord Trask, this is a wonderful +thing for me. It's not been pleasant +to be a shipless captain living on +strangers' bounty. I'd hate, though, +to have you think, some time, that +I'd advanced my own fortunes at +the expense of yours."</p> + +<p>"Don't worry about that. If +anybody's being taken advantage +of, you are. I need a space-captain, +and your misfortune is my own +good luck."</p> + +<p>Harkaman started to pack tobacco +into his pipe. "Have you +ever been off Gram, at all?" he +asked.</p> + +<p>"A few years at the University +of Camelot, on Excalibur. Otherwise, +no."</p> + +<p>"Well, have you any conception +of the sort of thing you're setting +yourself to?" The Space Viking +snapped his lighter and puffed. +"You know, of course, how big +the Old Federation is. You know +the figures, that is, but do they +mean anything to you? I know they +don't to a good many spacemen, +even. We talk glibly about ten to +the hundredth power, but emotionally +we still count, 'One, Two, +Three, Many.' A ship in hyperspace<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> +logs about a light-year an hour. +You can go from here to Excalibur +in thirty hours. But you could +send a radio message announcing +the birth of a son, and he'd be a +father before it was received. The +Old Federation, where you're going +to hunt Dunnan, occupies a space-volume +of two hundred billion +cubic light-years. And you're hunting +for one ship and one man in +that. How are you going to do it, +Lord Trask?"</p> + +<p>"I haven't started thinking about +how; all I know is that I have to +do it. There are planets in the Old +Federation where Space Vikings +come and go; raid-and-trade bases, +like the one Duke Angus planned +to establish on Tanith. At one +or another of them, I'll pick up +word of Dunnan, sooner or later."</p> + +<p>"We'll hear where he was a +year ago, and by the time we get +there, he'll be gone for a year and +a half to two years. We've been +raiding the Old Federation for over +three hundred years, Lord Trask. +At present, I'd say there are at +least two hundred Space Viking +ships in operation. Why haven't +we raided it bare long ago? Well, +that's the answer: distance and +voyage-time. You know, Dunnan +could die of old age—which is +not a usual cause of death among +Space Vikings—before you caught +up with him. And your youngest +ship's-boy could die of old age +before he found out about it."</p> + +<p>"Well, I can go on hunting for +him till I die, then. There's nothing +else that means anything to me."</p> + +<p>"I thought it was something like +that. I won't be with you, all your +life. I want a ship of my own, like +the <i>Corisande</i>, that I lost on Durendal. +Some day, I'll have one. But +till you can command your own +ship, I'll command her for you. +That's a promise."</p> + +<p>Some note of ceremony seemed +indicated. Summoning a robot, he +had it pour wine for them, and they +pledged each other.</p> + +<p>Rovard Grauffis had recovered his +aplomb by the time he returned +accompanied by the Duke. If Angus +had ever lost his, he gave no +indication of it. The effect on everybody +else was literally seismic. The +generally accepted view was that +Lord Trask's reason had been unhinged +by his tragic loss; there +might, he conceded, be more than +a crumb of truth in that. At first, +his cousin Nikkolay raged at him +for alienating the barony from +the family, and then he learned that +Duke Angus was appointing him +vicar-baron and giving him Traskon +New House for his residence. Immediately +he began acting like one +at the death-bed of a rich grandmother. +The Wardshaven financial +and industrial barons, whom he had +known only distantly, on the other +hand, came flocking around him, +offering assistance and hailing him +as the savior of the duchy. Duke +Angus' credit, almost obliterated +by the loss of the <i>Enterprise</i>, was +firmly re-established, and theirs +with it.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span></p> + +<p>There were conferences at which +lawyers and bankers argued interminably; +he attended a few at +first, found himself completely uninterested, +and told everybody so. +All he wanted was a ship; the best +ship possible, as soon as possible. +Alex Gorram had been the first +to be notified; he had commenced +work on the unfinished sister-ship +of the <i>Enterprise</i> immediately. Until +he was strong enough to go to the +shipyard himself, he watched the +work on the two-thousand-foot +globular skeleton by screen, and +conferred either in person or by +screen with engineers and shipyard +executives. His rooms at the ducal +palace were converted, almost overnight, +from sickrooms to offices. +The doctors, who had recently been +urging him to find new interests +and activities, were now warning +of the dangers of overexertion. +Harkaman finally added his voice +to theirs.</p> + +<p>"You take it easy, Lucas." They +had dropped formality and were on +a first-name basis now. "You got +hulled pretty badly; you let damage-control +work on you, and don't +strain the machinery till it's fixed. +We have plenty of time. We're not +going to get anywhere chasing +Dunnan. The only way we can +catch him is by interception. The +longer he moves around in the Old +Federation before he hears we're +after him, the more of a trail he'll +leave. Once we can establish a +predictable pattern, we'll have a +chance. Then, some time, he'll +come out of hyperspace somewhere +and find us waiting for him."</p> + +<p>"Do you think he went to +Tanith?"</p> + +<p>Harkaman heaved himself out +of his chair and prowled about the +room for a few minutes, then came +back and sat down again.</p> + +<p>"No. That was Duke Angus' +idea, not his. He couldn't put in a +base on Tanith, anyhow. You know +the kind of a crew he has."</p> + +<p>There had been an extensive inquiry +into Dunnan's associates and +accomplices; Duke Angus was still +hoping for positive proof to implicate +Omfray of Glaspyth in the +piracy. Dunnan had with him a +dozen and a half employees of the +Gorram shipyards whom he had +corrupted. There was some technical +ability among them, but for +the most part they were agitators +and trouble-makers and incompetent +workmen. Even under the +circumstances, Alex Gorram was +glad to see the last of them. As for +Dunnan's own mercenary company, +there were about a score of former +spacemen among them; the rest +graded down from bandits through +thugs and sneak-thieves to barroom +bums. Dunnan himself was an +astrogator, not an engineer.</p> + +<p>"That gang aren't even good +enough for routine raiding," Harkaman +said. "They'd never under +any circumstances be able to put +in a base on Tanith. Unless Dunnan's +completely crazy, which I +doubt, he's gone to some regular +Viking base planet, like Hoth or<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> +Nergal or Dagon or Xochitl, to +recruit officers and engineers and +able spacemen."</p> + +<p>"All that machinery and robotic +equipment and so on that was +going to Tanith—was that aboard +when he took the ship?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and that's another reason +why he'd go to some planet like +Hoth or Nergal or Xochitl. On a +Viking-occupied planet in the Old +Federation, that stuff's almost +worth its weight in gold."</p> + +<p>"What's Tanith like?"</p> + +<p>"Almost completely Terra-type, +third of a Class-G sun. Very much +like Haulteclere or Flamberge. It +was one of the last planets the +Federation colonized before the Big +War. Nobody knows what happened, +exactly. There wasn't any +interstellar war; at least, you don't +find any big slag-puddles where +cities used to be. They probably +did a lot of fighting among themselves, +after they got out of the +Federation. There's still some traces +of combat-damage around. Then +they started to decivilize, down to +the pre-mechanical level—wind and +water power and animal power. +They have draft-animals that look +like introduced Terran carabaos, +and a few small sailboats and big +canoes and bateaux on the rivers. +They have gunpowder, which seems +to be the last thing any people lose.</p> + +<p>"I was there, five years ago. +I liked Tanith for a base. There's +one moon, almost solid nickel +iron, and fissionable-ore deposits. +Then, like a fool, I hired out to +the Elmersans on Durendal and +lost my ship. When I came here, +your Duke was thinking about +Xipototec. I convinced him that +Tanith was a better planet for his +purpose."</p> + +<p>"Dunnan might go there, at that. +He might think he was scoring one +on Duke Angus. After all, he has +all that equipment."</p> + +<p>"And nobody to use it. If I were +Dunnan, I'd go to Nergal, or +Xochitl. There are always a couple +of thousand Space Vikings on +either, spending their loot and +taking it easy between raids. He +could sign on a full crew on either. +I suggest we go to Xochitl, first. +We might pick up news of him, if +nothing else."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image030-31.jpg" width="800" height="293" + alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>All right, they'd try Xochitl +first. Harkaman knew the planet, +and was friendly with the Haulteclere +noble who ruled it.</p> + +<p>The work went on at the Gorram +shipyard; it had taken a year to +build the <i>Enterprise</i>, but the steel-mills +and engine-works were over +the preparatory work of tooling +up, and material and equipment +was flowing in a steady stream. +Lucas let them persuade him to +take more rest, and day by day +grew stronger. Soon he was spending +most of his time at the shipyard, +watching the engines go in—Abbot +lift-and-drive for normal +space, Dillingham hyperdrive, +power-converters, pseudograv, all +at the center of the globular ship.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> +Living quarters and workshops +went in next, all armored in collapsium-plated +steel. Then the ship +lifted out to an orbit a thousand +miles off-planet, followed by +swarms of armored work-craft and +cargo-lighters; the rest of the work +was more easily done in space. At +the same time, the four two-hundred-foot +pinnaces that would +be carried aboard were being finished. +Each of them had its own +hyperdrive engines, and could +travel as far and as fast as the ship +herself.</p> + +<p>Otto Harkaman was beginning +to be distressed because the ship +still lacked a name. He didn't like +having to speak of her as "her," or +"the ship," and there were many +things soon to go on that should +be name-marked. <i>Elaine</i>, Trask +thought, at once, and almost at +once rejected it. He didn't want +her name associated with the things +that ship would do in the Old +Federation. <i>Revenge</i>, <i>Avenger</i>, <i>Retribution</i>, +<i>Vendetta</i>; none appealed to +him. A news-commentator, turgidly +eloquent about the nemesis +which the criminal Dunnan had +invoked against himself, supplied +it, <i>Nemesis</i> it was.</p> + +<p>Now he was studying his new +profession of interstellar robbery +and murder against which he had +once inveighed. Otto Harkaman's +handful of followers became his +teachers. Vann Larch, guns-and-missiles, +who was also a painter; +Guatt Kirbey, sour and pessimistic, +the hyperspatial astrogator who +tried to express his science in music; +Sharll Renner, the normal-space +astrogator. Alvyn Karffard, the +exec, who had been with Harkaman +longest of all. And Sir Paytrik Morland, +a local recruit, formerly +guard-captain to Count Lionel of +Newhaven, who commanded the +ground-fighters and the combat +contragravity. They were using the +farms and villages of Traskon for +drill and practice, and he noticed +that while the <i>Nemesis</i> would carry +only five hundred ground and air +fighters, over a thousand were +being trained.</p> + +<p>He commented to Rovard +Grauffis.</p> + +<p>"Yes. Don't mention it outside," +the Duke's henchman said. "You +and Sir Paytrik and Captain Harkaman +will pick the five hundred +best. The Duke will take the rest +into his service. Some of these +days, Omfray of Glaspyth will find +out what a Space Viking raid is +really like."</p> + +<p>And Duke Angus would tax his +new subjects of Glaspyth to redeem +the pledges on his new barony of +Traskon. Some old Pre-Atomic +writer Harkaman was fond of +quoting had said, "Gold will not +always get you good soldiers, but +good soldiers can get you gold."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>The <i>Nemesis</i> came back to the +Gorram yards and settled onto her +curved landing legs like a +monstrous spider. The <i>Enterprise</i> +had borne the Ward sword and +atom-symbol; the <i>Nemesis</i> should +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> +bear his own badge, but the bisonoid +head, tawny on green, of +Traskon, was no longer his. He +chose a skull impaled on an upright +sword, and it was blazoned on the +ship when he and Harkaman took +her out for her shakedown cruise.</p> + +<p>When they landed again at the +Gorram yards, two hundred hours +later, they learned that a tramp +freighter from Morglay had come +into Bigglersport in their absence +with news of Andray Dunnan. Her +captain had come to Wardshaven +at Duke Angus' urgent invitation +and was waiting for them at the +Ducal Palace.</p> + +<p>They sat, a dozen of them, around +a table in the Duke's private apartments. +The freighter captain, a +small, precise man with a graying +beard, alternately puffed at a cigarette +and sipped from a beaker of +brandy.</p> + +<p>"I spaced out from Morglay two +hundred hours ago," he was saying. +"I'd been there twelve local +days, three hundred Galactic Standard +hours, and the run from Curtana +was three hundred and twenty. This +ship, the <i>Enterprise</i>, spaced out +from there several days before I did. +I'd say she's twelve hundred hours +out of Windsor, on Curtana, now."</p> + +<p>The room was still. The breeze +fluttered curtains at the open windows; +from the garden below, +winged night-things twittered. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I never expected it," Harkaman +said. "I thought he'd take the ship +out to the Old Federation at once." +He poured wine for himself. "Of +course, Dunnan's crazy. A crazy +man has an advantage, sometimes, +like a left-handed knife-fighter. He +does unexpected things."</p> + +<p>"That wasn't such a crazy +move," Rovard Grauffis said. "We +have very little direct trade with +Curtana. It's only an accident we +heard about this when we did."</p> + +<p>The freighter captain's beaker +was half empty. He filled it to the +brim from the decanter.</p> + +<p>"She was the first Gram ship +there for years," he agreed. "That +attracted notice, of course. And +his having the blazonry changed, +from the sword and atom-symbol +to the blue crescent. And the ill-feeling +on the part of other captains +and planet-side employers about the +men he'd lured away from them."</p> + +<p>"How many men and what kind?"</p> + +<p>The man with the gray beard +shrugged. "I was too busy getting +a cargo together for Morglay, to +pay much attention. Almost a full +spaceship complement, officers and +spacemen of every kind. And a lot +of industrial engineers and technicians."</p> + +<p>"Then he is going to use that +equipment that was aboard, and +put in a base somewhere," somebody +said. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span></p> + +<p>"If he left Curtana twelve hundred +hours ago, he's still in hyperspace," +Guatt Kirbey said. "It's +over two thousand from Curtana +to the nearest Old Federation +planet."</p> + +<p>"How far to Tanith?" Duke +Angus asked. "I'm sure that's +where he's gone. He'd expect me +to finish the other ship and equip +her like the <i>Enterprise</i> and send her +out; he'd want to get there first."</p> + +<p>"I'd thought that Tanith would +be the last place he'd go," Harkaman +said, "but this changes the +whole outlook. He could have +gone to Tanith."</p> + +<p>"He's crazy, and you're trying to +apply sane logic to him," Guatt +Kirbey said. "You're figuring what +you'd do, and you aren't crazy. Of +course, I've had my doubts, at +times, but—"</p> + +<p>"Yes, he's crazy, and Captain +Harkaman's allowing for that," +Rovard Grauffis said. "Dunnan +hates all of us. He hates his Grace, +here. He hates Lord Lucas, and +Sesar Karvall; of course, he may +think he killed both of them. He +hates Captain Harkaman. So how +could he score all of us off at once? +By taking Tanith."</p> + +<p>"You say he was buying supplies +and ammunition?"</p> + +<p>"That's right. Gun ammunition, +ship's missiles, and a lot of ground-defense +missiles."</p> + +<p>"What was he buying them +with? Trading machinery?"</p> + +<p>"No. Gold."</p> + +<p>"Yes. Lothar Ffayle found out +that a lot of gold was transferred +to Dunnan from banks in Glaspyth +and Didreksburg," Grauffis said. +"He got that aboard when he took +the ship, evidently."</p> + +<p>"All right," Trask said. "We +can't be sure of anything, but we +have some reasons for thinking he +went to Tanith, and that's more +than we have for any other planet +in the Old Federation. I won't try +to estimate the odds against our +finding him there, but they're a +good deal bigger anywhere else. +We'll go there, first."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="VII" id="VII"></a>VII</h2> + + +<p>The outside viewscreen, which +had been vacantly gray for over +three thousand hours, was now a +vertiginous swirl of color, the +indescribable color of a collapsing +hyperspatial field. No two observers +ever saw it alike, and no +imagination could vision the actuality. +Trask found that he was +holding his breath. So, he noticed, +was Otto Harkaman, beside him. +It was something, evidently, that +nobody got used to. Even Guatt +Kirbey, the astrogator, was sitting +with his pipe clenched in his +mouth, staring at the screen.</p> + +<p>Then, in an instant, the stars, +which had literally not been there +before, filled the screen with a +blaze of splendor against the black +velvet backdrop of normal space. +Dead in the center, brighter than +all the rest, Ertado's Star, the sun<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> +of Tanith, burned yellowly. The +light from it was ten hours old.</p> + +<p>"Pretty good, Guatt," Harkaman +said, picking up his cup.</p> + +<p>"Good, Gehenna; it was perfect," +somebody else said.</p> + +<p>Kirbey was relighting his pipe. +"Oh, I suppose it'll have to do," +he grudged, around the stem. He +had gray hair and an untidy mustache, +and nothing was ever quite +good enough to satisfy him. "I +could have made it a little closer. +Need three microjumps, now, and +I'll have to cut the last one pretty +fine. Now don't bother me." He +began punching buttons for data +and fiddling with setscrews and +verniers.</p> + +<p>For a moment, in the screen, +Trask could see the face of Andray +Dunnan. He blinked it away and +reached for his cigarettes, and put +one in his mouth wrong-end-to. +When he reversed it and snapped +his lighter, he saw that his hand +was trembling. Otto Harkaman +must have seen that, too.</p> + +<p>"Take it easy, Lucas," he whispered. +"Keep your optimism under +control. We only think he might +be here."</p> + +<p>"I'm sure he is. He has to be."</p> + +<p>No; that was the way Dunnan, +himself, thought. Let's be sane +about this.</p> + +<p>"We have to assume he is. If we +do, and he isn't it's a disappointment. +If we don't, and he is, it's a +disaster."</p> + +<p>Others, it seemed, thought the +same way. The battle-stations +board was a solid blaze of red light +for full combat readiness.</p> + +<p>"All right," Kirbey said. +"Jumping."</p> + +<p>Then he twisted the red handle +to the right and shoved it in +viciously. Again the screen boiled +with colored turbulence; again dark +and mighty forces stalked through +the ship like demons in a sorcerer's +tower. The screen turned featureless +gray as the pickups stared blindly +into some dimensionless noplace. +Then it convulsed with color again, +and this time Ertado's Star, still in +the center, was a coin-sized disk, +with the little sparks of its seven +planets scattered around it. Tanith +was the third—the inhabitable +planet of a G-class system usually +was. It had a single moon, barely +visible in the telescopic screen, five +hundred miles in diameter and fifty +thousand off-planet.</p> + +<p>"You know," Kirbey said, as +though he was afraid to admit it, +"that wasn't too bad. I think we +can make it in one more microjump."</p> + +<p>Some time, Trask supposed, he'd +be able to use the expression +"micro-" about a distance of fifty-five +million miles, too.</p> + +<p>"What do you think about it?" +Harkaman asked him, as deferentially +as though seeking expert +guidance instead of examining his +apprentice. "Where should Guatt +put us?"</p> + +<p>"As close as possible, of course." +That would be a light-second at +the least; if the <i>Nemesis</i> came out<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> +of hyperspace any closer to anything +the size of Tanith, the collapsing +field itself would kick her +back. "We have to assume Dunnan's +been there at least nine +hundred hours. By that time, he +could have put in a detection-station, +and maybe missile-launchers, +on the moon. The <i>Enterprise</i> carries +four pinnaces, the same as the +<i>Nemesis</i>; in his place, I'd have at +least two of them on off-planet +patrol. So let's accept it that we'll +be detected as soon as we come out +of the last jump, and come out with +the moon directly between us and +the planet. If it's occupied, we can +knock it off on the way in."</p> + +<p>"A lot of captains would try to +come out with the moon masked +off by the planet," Harkaman said.</p> + +<p>"Would you?"</p> + +<p>The big man shook his tousled +head. "No. If they have launchers +on the moon, they could launch at +us in a curve around the planet, +by data relayed from the other side, +and we'd be at a disadvantage +replying. Just go straight in. You +hearing this, Guatt?"</p> + +<p>"Yeah. It makes sense. Sort of. +Now, stop pestering me. Sharll, +look here a minute."</p> + +<p>The normal-space astrogator conferred +with him; Alvyn Karffard, +the executive officer, joined them. +Finally Kirbey pulled out the big +red handle, twisted it, and said, +"All right, jumping." He shoved +it in. "I suppose I cut it too fine; +now we'll get kicked back half a +million miles."</p> + +<p>The screen convulsed again; when +it cleared the third planet was +directly in the center; its small +moon, looking almost as large, was +a little above and to the right, +sunlit on one side and planetlit +on the other. Kirbey locked the +red handle, gathered up his tobacco +and lighter and things from the +ledge, and pulled down the cover +of the instrument-console, locking +it.</p> + +<p>"All yours, Sharll," he told +Renner.</p> + +<p>"Eight hours to atmosphere," +Renner said. "That's if we don't +have to waste a lot of time shooting +up Junior, there."</p> + +<p>Vann Larch was looking at the +moon in the six hundred power +screen.</p> + +<p>"I don't see anything to shoot. +Five hundred miles; one planetbuster, +or four or five thermonuclears," +he said.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>It wasn't right, Trask thought +indignantly. Minutes ago, Tanith +had been six and a half billion +miles away. Seconds ago, fifty-odd +million. And now, a quarter of a +million, and looking close enough +to touch in the screen, it would +take them eight hours to reach it. +Why, on hyperdrive you could go +forty-eight trillion miles in that +time.</p> + +<p>Well, it took a man just as long +to walk across a room today as +it had taken Pharaoh the First, +or Homo Sap.</p> + +<p>In the telescopic screen Tanith<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> +looked like any picture of any +Terra-type planet from space, with +cloud-blurred contours of seas and +continents and a vague mottling of +gray and brown and green, topped +at the pole by an icecap. None of +the surface features, not even the +major mountain ranges or rivers, +were yet distinguishable, but Harkaman +and Sharll Renner and Alvyn +Karffard and the other old hands +seemed to recognize it. Karffard +was talking by phone to Paul +Koreff, the signals-and-detection +officer, who could detect nothing +from the moon and nothing that +was getting through the Van Allen +belt from the planet.</p> + +<p>Maybe they'd guessed wrong, at +that. Maybe Dunnan hadn't gone +to Tanith at all.</p> + +<p>Harkaman, who had the knack +of putting himself to sleep at will, +with some sixth or <i>n</i>-th sense posted +as a sentry, leaned back in his chair +and closed his eyes. Trask wished +he could, too. It would be hours +before anything happened, and +until then he needed all the rest +he could get. He drank more coffee, +chain-smoked cigarettes; he rose +and prowled about the command +room, looking at screens. Signals-and-detection +was getting a lot of +routine stuff—Van Allen count, +micrometeor count, surface temperature, +gravitation-field strength, +radar and scanner echoes. He went +back to his chair and sat down, +staring at the screen-image. The +planet didn't seem to be getting +any closer at all, and it ought to; +they were approaching it at better +than escape velocity. He sat and +stared at it.</p> + +<p>He woke with a start. The screen-image +was much larger, now. River +courses and the shadow lines of +mountains were clearly visible. It +must be early autumn in the northern +hemisphere; there was snow +down to the sixtieth parallel and +a belt of brown was pushing south +against the green. Harkaman was +sitting up, eating lunch. By the +clock, it was four hours later.</p> + +<p>"Have a good nap?" he asked. +"We're picking up some stuff, now. +Radio and screen signals. Not +much, but some. The locals +wouldn't have learned enough for +that in the five years since I was +here. We didn't stay long enough, +for one thing."</p> + +<p>On decivilized planets that were +visited by Space Vikings, the locals +picked up bits and scraps of technology +very quickly. In the four +months of idleness and long conversations +while they were in +hyperspace he had heard many +stories confirming that. But from +the level to which Tanith had sunk, +radio and screen communication in +five years was a little too much of +a jump.</p> + +<p>"You didn't lose any men, did +you?"</p> + +<p>That happened frequently—men +who took up with local women, +men who had made themselves +unpopular with their shipmates, +men who just liked the planet and +wanted to stay. They were always<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> +welcomed by the locals for what +they could do and teach.</p> + +<p>"No, we weren't there long +enough for that. Only three hundred +and fifty hours. This we're +getting is outside stuff; somebody's +there beside the locals."</p> + +<p>Dunnan. He looked again at the +battle-stations board; it was still +uniformly red-lighted. Everything +was on full combat ready. He +summoned a mess-robot, selected +a couple of dishes, and began to +eat. After the first mouthful, he +called to Alvyn Karffard:</p> + +<p>"Is Paul getting anything new?" +he asked.</p> + +<p>Karffard checked. A little contragravity-field +distortion effect. It +was still too far to be sure. He went +back to his lunch. He had finished +it and was lighting a cigarette over +his coffee when a red light flashed +and a voice from one of the speakers +shouted.</p> + +<p>"Detection! Detection from +planet! Radar, and microray!"</p> + +<p>Karffard began talking rapidly +into a hand-phone; Harkaman unhooked +one beside him and listened.</p> + +<p>"Coming from a definite point, +about twenty-fifth north parallel," +he said, aside. "Could be from a ship +hiding against the planet. There's +nothing at all on the moon."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>They seemed to be approaching +the planet more and more rapidly. +Actually, they weren't, the ship +was decelerating to get into an +orbit, but the decreasing distance +created the illusion of increasing +speed. The red lights flashed once +more.</p> + +<p>"<i>Ship detected!</i> Just outside atmosphere, +coming around the planet +from the west."</p> + +<p>"Is she the <i>Enterprise</i>?"</p> + +<p>"Can't tell, yet," Karffard said, +and then cried: "There she is, in the +screen! That spark, about thirty +degrees north, just off the west +side."</p> + +<p>Aboard her, too, voices from +speakers would be shouting, "Ship +detected!" and the battle station +board would be blazing red. And +Andray Dunnan, at the command-desk—</p> + +<p>"She's calling us." That was +Paul Koreff's voice, out of the +squawk-box on the desk. "Standard +Sword-World impulse-code. Interrogative: +What ship are you? +Informative: her screen combination. +Request: Please communicate."</p> + +<p>"All right," Harkaman said. +"Let's be polite and communicate. +What's her screen-combination?"</p> + +<p>Koreff's voice gave it, and Harkaman +punched it out. The communication +screen in front of them +lit at once; Trask shoved over his +chair beside Harkaman's, his hands +tightening on the arms. Would it +be Dunnan himself, and what +would his face show when he saw +who confronted him out of his +own screen?</p> + +<p>It took him an instant to realize +that the other ship was not the +<i>Enterprise</i> at all. The <i>Enterprise</i> was +the <i>Nemesis</i>' twin; her command<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> +room was identical with his own. +This one was different in arrangements +and fittings. The <i>Enterprise</i> +was a new ship; this one was old, +and had suffered for years at the +hands of a slack captain and a +slovenly crew.</p> + +<p>And the man who sat facing him +in the screen was not Andray +Dunnan, or any man he had ever +seen before. A dark-faced man, with +an old scar that ran down one cheek +from a little below the eye; he had +curly black hair, on his head and +on a V of chest exposed by an open +shirt. There was an ashtray in front +of him, and a thin curl of smoke +rose from a cigar in it, and coffee +steamed in an ornate but battered +silver cup beside it. He was grinning gleefully.</p> + +<p>"Well! Captain Harkaman, of +the <i>Enterprise</i>, I believe! Welcome to +Tanith. Who's the gentleman with +you? He isn't the Duke of Wardshaven, is he?"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="VIII" id="VIII"></a>VIII</h2> + + +<p>He glanced quickly at the showback +over the screen, to assure himself +that his face was not betraying +him. Beside him, Otto Harkaman +was laughing.</p> + +<p>"Why, Captain Valkanhayn; this +is an unexpected pleasure. That's +the <i>Space Scourge</i> you're in, I take it? +What are you doing here on +Tanith?"</p> + +<p>A voice from one of the speakers +shouted that a second ship had been +detected coming over the north +pole. The dark-faced man in the +screen smirked quite complacently.</p> + +<p>"That's Garvan Spasso, in the +<i>Lamia</i>," he said. "And what we're +doing here, we've taken this planet +over. We intend keeping it, too."</p> + +<p>"Well! So you and Garvan have +teamed up. You two were just made +for one another. And you have a +little planet, all your very own. +I'm so happy for both of you. What +are you getting out of it—beside +poultry?"</p> + +<p>The other's self-assurance started +to slip. He slapped it back into +place.</p> + +<p>"Don't kid me; we know why +you're here. Well, we got here +first. Tanith is our planet. You +think you can take it away from +us?"</p> + +<p>"I know we could, and so do +you," Harkaman told him. "We +outgun you and Spasso together; +why, a couple of our pinnaces +could knock the <i>Lamia</i> apart. The +only question is, do we want to +bother?"</p> + +<p>By now, he had recovered from +his surprise, but not from his disappointment. +If this fellow thought +the <i>Nemesis</i> was the <i>Enterprise</i>—Before +he could check himself, he +had finished the thought aloud.</p> + +<p>"Then the <i>Enterprise</i> didn't come +here at all!"</p> + +<p>The man in the screen started. +"Isn't that the <i>Enterprise</i> you're +in?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no. Pardon my remissness, +Captain Valkanhayn," Harkaman +apologized. "This is the <i>Nemesis</i>.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> +The gentleman with me, Lord +Lucas Trask, is owner-aboard, for +whom I am commanding. Lord +Trask, Captain Boake Valkanhayn, +of the <i>Space Scourge</i>. Captain Valkanhayn +is a Space Viking." He +said that as though expecting it +to be disputed. "So, I am told, is +his associate, Captain Spasso, whose +ship is approaching. You mean +to tell me that the <i>Enterprise</i> hasn't +been here?"</p> + +<p>Valkanhayn was puzzled, slightly +apprehensive.</p> + +<p>"You mean the Duke of Wardshaven +has two ships?"</p> + +<p>"As far as I know, the Duke of +Wardshaven hasn't any ships," +Harkaman replied. "This ship is +the property and private adventure +of Lord Trask. The <i>Enterprise</i>, for +which we are looking, is owned +and commanded by one Andray +Dunnan."</p> + +<p>The man with the scarred face +and hairy chest had picked up +his cigar and was puffing on it +mechanically. Now he took it out +of his mouth as though he wondered +how it had gotten there in +the first place.</p> + +<p>"But isn't the Duke of Wardshaven +sending a ship here to establish +a base? That was what we'd +heard. We heard you'd gone from +Flamberge to Gram to command +for him."</p> + +<p>"Where did you hear this? And +when?"</p> + +<p>"On Hoth. That'd be about two +thousand hours ago; a Gilgamesher +brought the news from Xochitl."</p> + +<p>"Well, considering it was fifth +or sixth hand, your information +was good enough, when it was +fresh. It was a year and a half old +when you got it, though. How +long have you been here on +Tanith?"</p> + +<p>"About a thousand hours." +Harkaman clucked sadly at that.</p> + +<p>"Pity you wasted all that time. +Well, it was nice talking to you, +Boake. Say hello to Garvan for +me when he comes up."</p> + +<p>"You mean you're not staying?" +Valkanhayn was horrified, an odd +reaction for a man who had just +been expecting a bitter battle to +drive them away. "You're just +spacing right out again?"</p> + +<p>Harkaman shrugged. "Do we +want to waste time here, Lord +Trask? The <i>Enterprise</i> has obviously +gone somewhere else. She was still +in hyperspace when Captain Valkanhayn +and his accomplice arrived +here."</p> + +<p>"Is there anything worth staying +for?" That seemed to be the reply +Harkaman was expecting. "Beside +poultry, that is?"</p> + +<p>Harkaman shook his head. "This +is Captain Valkanhayn's planet; +his and Captain Spasso's. Let them +be stuck with it."</p> + +<p>"But, look; this is a good planet. +There's a big local city, maybe ten +or twenty thousand people; temples +and palaces and everything. Then, +there are a couple of old Federation +cities. The one we're at is in good +shape, and there's a big spaceport. +We've been doing a lot of work on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> +it. And the locals won't give you +any trouble. All they have is spears +and a few crossbows and matchlocks—"</p> + +<p>"I know. I've been here."</p> + +<p>"Well, couldn't we make some +kind of a deal?" Valkanhayn asked. +A mendicant whine was beginning +to creep into his voice. "I can get +Garvan on screen and switch him +over to your ship—"</p> + +<p>"Well, we have a lot of Sword-World +merchandise aboard," Harkaman +said. "We could make you +good prices on some of it. How are +you fixed for robotic equipment?"</p> + +<p>"But aren't you going to stay +here?" Valkanhayn was almost in +a panic. "Listen, suppose I talk to +Garvan, and we all get together on +this. Just excuse me for a +minute—"</p> + +<p>As soon as he had blanked out, +Harkaman threw back his head +and guffawed as though he had +just heard the funniest and bawdiest +joke in the galaxy. Trask, himself, +didn't feel like laughing.</p> + +<p>"The humor escapes me," he +admitted. "We came here on a +fools' errand."</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry, Lucas." Harkaman +was still shaking with mirth. "I +know it's a letdown, but that pair +of chiseling chicken thieves! I +could almost pity them, if it +weren't so funny." He laughed +again. "You know what their idea +was?"</p> + +<p>Trask shook his head. "Who are +they?"</p> + +<p>"What I called them, a couple of +chicken thieves. They raid planets +like Set and Hertha and Melkarth, +where the locals haven't anything +to fight with—or anything worth +fighting for. I didn't know they'd +teamed up, but that figures. Nobody +else would team up with either of +them. What must have happened, +this story of Duke Angus' Tanith +adventure must have filtered out to +them, and they thought that if +they got here first, I'd think it was +cheaper to take them in than run +them out. I probably would have, +too. They do have ships, of a sort, +and they do raid, after a fashion. +But now, there isn't going to be +any Tanith base, and they have +a no-good planet and they're stuck +with it."</p> + +<p>"Can't they make anything out +of it themselves?"</p> + +<p>"Like what?" Harkaman hooted. +"They have no equipment, and they +have no men. Not for a job like +that. The only thing they can do is +space out and forget it."</p> + +<p>"We could sell them equipment."</p> + +<p>"We could if they had anything +to use for money. They haven't. +One thing, we do want to let down +and give the men a chance to walk +on ground and look at a sky for a +while. The girls here aren't too bad, +either," Harkaman said. "As I +remember, some of them even take +a bath, now and then."</p> + +<p>"That's the kind of news of +Dunnan we're going to get. By +the time we'd get to where he's +been reported, he'd be a couple of +thousand light-years away," +he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> +said disgustedly. "I agree; we +ought to give the men a chance to +get off the ship, here. We can stall +this pair along for a while and we +won't have any trouble with +them."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>The three ships were slowly converging +toward a point fifteen +thousand miles off-planet and over +the sunset line. The <i>Space Scourge</i> +bore the device of a mailed fist +clutching a comet by the head; it +looked more like a whisk broom +than a scourge. The <i>Lamia</i> bore a +coiled snake with the head, arms +and bust of a woman. Valkanhayn +and Spasso were taking their time +about screening back, and he began +to wonder if they weren't maneuvering +the <i>Nemesis</i> into a cross-fire +position. He mentioned this to +Harkaman and Alvyn Karffard; +they both laughed.</p> + +<p>"Just holding ship's meetings," +Karffard said. "They'll be yakking +back and forth for a couple of +hours, yet."</p> + +<p>"Yes; Valkanhayn and Spasso +don't own their ships," Harkaman +explained. "They've gone in debt +to their crews for supplies and +maintenance till everybody owns +everything in common. The ships +look like it, too. They don't even +command, really; they just preside +over elected command-councils."</p> + +<p>Finally, they had both of the +more or less commanders on screen.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> +Valkanhayn had zipped up his +shirt and put on a jacket. Garvan +Spasso was a small man, partly +bald. His eyes were a shade too +close together, and his thin mouth +had a bitterly crafty twist. He began +speaking at once:</p> + +<p>"Captain, Boake tells me you say +you're not here in the service of the +Duke of Wardshaven at all." He +said it aggrievedly.</p> + +<p>"That's correct," Harkaman +said. "We came here because Lord +Trask thought another Gram ship, +the <i>Enterprise</i>, would be here. Since +she isn't, there's no point in our +being here. We do hope, though, +that you won't make any difficulty +about our letting down and giving +our men a couple of hundred hours' +liberty. They've been in hyperspace +for three thousand hours."</p> + +<p>"See!" Spasso clamored. "He +wants to trick us into letting him +land—"</p> + +<p>"Captain Spasso," Trask cut in. +"Will you please stop insulting +everybody's intelligence, your own +included." Spasso glared at him, +belligerently but hopefully. "I understand +what you thought you +were going to do here. You expected +Captain Harkaman here to +establish a base for the Duke of +Wardshaven, and you thought, if +you were here ahead of him and in +a posture of defense, that he'd take +you into the Duke's service rather +than waste ammunition and risk +damage and casualties wiping you<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> +out. Well, I'm very sorry, gentlemen. +Captain Harkaman is in my +service, and I'm not in the least +interested in establishing a base on +Tanith."</p> + +<p>Valkanhayn and Spasso looked at +each other. At least, in the two +side-by-side screens, their eyes +shifted, each to the other's screen +on his own ship.</p> + +<p>"I get it!" Spasso cried suddenly. +"There's two ships, the <i>Enterprise</i> +and this one. The Duke of Wardshaven +fitted out the <i>Enterprise</i>, +and somebody else fitted out this +one. They both want to put in a +base here!"</p> + +<p>That opened a glorious vista. +Instead of merely capitalizing on +their nuisance-value, they might +find themselves holding the balance +of power in a struggle for the +planet. All sorts of profitable perfidies +were possible.</p> + +<p>"Why, sure you can land, Otto," +Valkanhayn said. "I know what +it's like to be three thousand hours +in hyper, myself."</p> + +<p>"You're at this old city with the +two tall tower-buildings, aren't +you?" Harkaman asked. He looked +up at the viewscreen. "Ought to be +about midnight there now. How's +the spaceport? When I was here, it +was pretty bad."</p> + +<p>"Oh, we've been fixing it up. +We got a big gang of locals working +for us—"</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image049.jpg" width="600" height="899" + alt="Rivington spaceport" title="Rivington spaceport" /> +</div> + +<p>The city was familiar, from Otto +Harkaman's descriptions and from +the pictures Vann Larch had +painted during the long jump from +Gram. As they came in, it looked +impressive, spreading for miles +around the twin buildings that +spired almost three thousand feet +above it, with a great spaceport +like an eight-pointed star at one +side. Whoever had built it, in the +sunset splendor of the old Terran +Federation, must have done so +confident that it would become the +metropolis of a populous and prospering +world. Then the sun of the +Federation had gone down. Nobody +knew what had happened on +Tanith after that, but evidently +none of it had been good.</p> + +<p>At first, the two towers seemed +as sound as when they had been +built; gradually it became apparent +that one was broken at the top. +For the most part, the smaller +buildings scattered widely around +them were standing, though here +and there mounds of brush-grown +rubble showed where some had +fallen in. The spaceport looked +good—a central octagon mass of +buildings, the landing-berths, and, +beyond, the triangular areas of +airship docks and warehouses. The +central building was outwardly +intact, and the ship-berths seemed +clear of wreckage and rubble.</p> + +<p>By the time the <i>Nemesis</i> was following +the <i>Space Scourge</i> and the +<i>Lamia</i> down, towed by her own pinnaces, +the illusion that they were +approaching a living city had vanished. +The interspaces between the +buildings were choked with forest-growth, +broken by a few small<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> +fields and garden-plots. At one time, +there had been three of the high +buildings, literally vertical cities in +themselves. Where the third had +stood was a glazed crater, with a +ridge of fallen rubble lying away +from it. Somebody must have landed +a medium missile, about twenty +kilotons, against its base. Something +of the same sort had scored on +the far edge of the spaceport, and +one of the eight arrowheads of +docks and warehouses was an indistinguishable +slag-pile.</p> + +<p>The rest of the city seemed to +have died of neglect rather than +violence. It certainly hadn't been +bombed out. Harkaman thought +most of the fighting had been done +with subneutron bombs or Omega-ray +bombs, that killed the people +without damaging the real estate. +Or bio-weapons; a man-made plague +that had gotten out of control and +all but depopulated the planet.</p> + +<p>"It takes an awful lot of people, +working together at an awful lot of +jobs, to keep a civilization running. +Smash the installations and kill the +top technicians and scientists, and +the masses don't know how to rebuild +and go back to stone hatchets. +Kill off enough of the masses and +even if the planet and the know-how +is left, there's nobody to do the +work. I've seen planets that decivilized +both ways. Tanith, I +think, is one of the latter."</p> + +<p>That had been during one of the +long after-dinner bull sessions on +the way out from Gram. Somebody, +one of the noble gentlemen-adventurers +who had joined the company +after the piracy of the <i>Enterprise</i> and +the murder, had asked:</p> + +<p>"But some of them survived. +Don't they know what happened?"</p> + +<p>"<i>'In the old times, there were sorcerers. +They built the old buildings by +wizard arts. Then the sorcerers fought +among themselves and went away,'</i>" +Harkaman said. "That's all they +know about it."</p> + +<p>You could make any kind of an +explanation out of that.</p> + +<p>As the pinnaces pulled and nudged +the <i>Nemesis</i> down to her berth, he +could see people, far down on the +spaceport floor, at work. Either +Valkanhayn and Spasso had more +men than the size of their ships indicated, +or they had gotten a lot of +locals to work for them. More than +the population of the moribund +city, at least as Harkaman remembered +it.</p> + +<p>There had been about five hundred in all; +they lived by mining the +old buildings for metal, and trading +metalwork for food and textiles +and powder and other things made +elsewhere. It was accessible only by +oxcarts traveling a hundred miles +across the plains; it had been built +by a contragravity-using people +with utter disregard for natural +travel and transportation routes.</p> + +<p>"I don't envy the poor buggers," +Harkaman said, looking down at +the antlike figures on the spaceport +floor. "Boake Valkanhayn and Garvan +Spasso have probably made +slaves of the lot of them. If I was +really going to put in a base here, I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> +wouldn't thank that pair for the +kind of public-relations work +they've been doing among the locals."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="IX" id="IX"></a>IX</h2> + + +<p>That was just about the situation. +Spasso and Valkanhayn and some +of their officers met them on the +landing stage of the big building in +the middle of the spaceport, where +they had established quarters. Entering +and going down a long hallway, +they passed a dozen men and +women gathering up rubbish from +the floor with shovels and with +their hands and putting it into a +lifter-skid. Both sexes wore shapeless +garments of coarse cloth, like +ponchos, and flat-soled sandals. +Watching them was another local in +a kilt, buskins and a leather jerkin; +he wore a short sword on his belt +and carried a wickedly thonged +whip. He also wore a Space Viking +combat helmet, painted with the +device of Spasso's <i>Lamia</i>. He bowed +as they approached, putting a hand +to his forehead. After they had +passed, they could hear him shouting +at the others, and the sound of +whip-blows.</p> + +<p>You make slaves out of people, +and some will always be slave-drivers; +they will bow to you, and +then take it out on the others. +Harkaman's nose was twitching as +though he had a bit of rotten fish +caught in his mustache.</p> + +<p>"We have about eight hundred of +them. There were only three hundred +that were any good for work +here; we gathered the rest up at +villages along the big river," +Spasso was saying.</p> + +<p>"How do you get food for them?" +Harkaman asked. "Or don't you +bother?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, we gather that up all over," +Valkanhayn told him. "We send +parties out with landing craft. +They'll let down on a village, run +the locals out, gather up what's +around and bring it here. Once in a +while they put up a fight, but the +best they have is a few crossbows +and some muzzle-loading muskets. +When they do, we burn the village +and machine-gun everybody we +see."</p> + +<p>"That's the stuff," Harkaman +approved. "If the cow doesn't want +to be milked, just shoot her. Of +course, you don't get much milk +out of her again, but—"</p> + +<p>The room to which their hosts +guided them was at the far end of +the hall. It had probably been a +conference room or something of the +sort, and originally it had been +paneled, but the paneling had long +ago vanished. Holes had been dug +here and there in the walls, and he +remembered having noticed that +the door was gone and the metal +groove in which it had slid had +been pried out.</p> + +<p>There was a big table in the middle, +and chairs and couches covered +with colored spreads. All the +furniture was handmade, cunningly +pegged together and highly polished. +On the walls hung trophies<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> +of weapons—thrusting-spears and +throwing-spears, crossbows and +quarrels, and a number of heavy +guns, crude things, but carefully +made.</p> + +<p>"Pick all this stuff up off the locals?" +Harkaman asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, we got most of it at a big +town down at the forks of the river," +Valkanhayn said. "We shook +it down a couple of times. That's +where we recruited the fellows +we're using to boss the workers."</p> + +<p>Then he picked up a stick with a +leather-covered knob and beat on +a gong, bawling for wine. A voice, +somewhere, replied, "Yes, master; +I come!" and in a few moments a +woman entered carrying a jug in +either hand. She was wearing a blue +bathrobe several sizes too large for +her, instead of the poncho things +the slaves in the hallway wore. She +had dark brown hair and gray eyes; +if she had not been so obviously +frightened she would have been +beautiful. She set the jugs on the +table and brought silver cups from +a chest against the wall: when +Spasso dismissed her, she went out +hastily.</p> + +<p>"I suppose it's silly to ask if +you're paying these people anything +for the work they do or for the +things you take from them," Harkaman +said. From the way the <i>Space Scourge</i> +and <i>Lamia</i> people laughed, it +evidently was. Harkaman shrugged. +"Well, it's your planet. Make any +kind of a mess out of it you want +to."</p> + +<p>"You think we <i>ought</i> to pay +them?" Spasso was incredulous. +"Damn bunch of savages!"</p> + +<p>"They aren't as savage as the +Xochitl locals were when Haulteclere +took it over. You've been +there; you've seen what Prince Viktor +does with them now."</p> + +<p>"We haven't got the men or +equipment they have on Xochitl," +Valkanhayn said. "We can't afford +to coddle the locals."</p> + +<p>"You can't afford not to," Harkaman +told him. "You have two +ships, here. You can only use one +for raiding; the other will have to +stay here to hold the planet. If you +take them both away, the locals, +whom you have been studiously +antagonizing, will swamp whoever +you leave behind. And if you don't +leave anybody behind, what's the +use of having a planetary base?"</p> + +<p>"Well, why don't you join us," +Spasso finally came out with it. +"With our three ships we could +have a real thing, here."</p> + +<p>Harkaman looked at him inquiringly. +"The gentlemen," Trask +said, "are putting this wrongly. +They mean, why don't we let them +join us?"</p> + +<p>"Well, if you want to put it +like that," Valkanhayn conceded. +"We'll admit, your <i>Nemesis</i> would +be the big end of it. But why not? +Three ships, we could have a real +base here. Nikky Gratham's father +only had two when he started on +Jagannath, and look what the Grathams +got there now."</p> + +<p>"Are we interested?" Harkaman +asked.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Not very, I'm afraid. Of course, +we've just landed; Tanith may have +great possibilities. Suppose we reserve +decision for a while and look +around a little."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width:750px;"> +<img src="images/image040-41.jpg" width="750" height="250" + alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>There were stars in the sky, and, +for good measure, a sliver of moon +on the western horizon. It was only +a small moon, but it was close. He +walked to the edge of the landing +stage, and Elaine was walking with +him. The noise from inside, where +the <i>Nemesis</i> crew were feasting with +those of the <i>Lamia</i> and <i>Space Scourge</i>, +grew fainter. To the south, +a star moved; one of the pinnaces +they had left on off-planet watch. +There was firelight far below, and +he could hear singing. Suddenly he +realized that it was the poor devils +of locals whom Valkanhayn and +Spasso had enslaved. Elaine went +away quickly.</p> + +<p>"Have your fill of Space Viking +glamour, Lucas?"</p> + +<p>He turned. It was Baron Rathmore, +who had come along to serve +for a year or so and then hitch a +ride home from some base planet +and cash in politically on having +been with Lucas Trask.</p> + +<p>"For the moment. I'm told that +this lot aren't typical."</p> + +<p>"I hope not. They're a pack of +sadistic brutes, and piggish along +with it."</p> + +<p>"Well, brutality and bad manners +I can condone, but Spasso and Valkanhayn +are a pair of ignominious +little crooks, and stupid along with +it. If Andray Dunnan had gotten +here ahead of us, he might have +done one good thing in his wretched +life. I can't understand why he +didn't come here."</p> + +<p>"I think he still will," Rathmore +said. "I knew him and I knew +Nevil Ormm. Ormm's ambitious, +and Dunnan is insanely vindictive—" +He broke off with a sour +laugh. "I'm telling <i>you</i> that!"</p> + +<p>"Why didn't he come here directly, +then?"</p> + +<p>"Maybe he doesn't want a base +on Tanith. That would be something +constructive; Dunnan's a destroyer. +I think he took that cargo +of equipment somewhere and sold +it. I think he'll wait till he's fairly +sure the other ship is finished. Then +he'll come in and shoot the place +up, the way—" He bit that off +abruptly.</p> + +<p>"The way he did my wedding; I +think of it all the time."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>The next morning, he and Harkaman +took an aircar and went to +look at the city at the forks of the +river. It was completely new, in +the sense that it had been built +since the collapse of Federation +civilization and the loss of civilized +technologies. It was huddled on a +long, irregularly triangular mound, +evidently to raise it above flood-level. +Generations of labor must +have gone into it. To the eyes of a +civilization using contragravity and +powered equipment it wasn't at +all impressive. Fifty to a hundred +men with adequate equipment could<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> +have gotten the thing up in a +summer. It was only by forcing +himself to think in terms of spadeful +after spadeful of earth, cartload +after cartload creaking behind +straining beasts, timber after timber +cut with axes and dressed with +adzes, stone after stone and brick +after brick, that he could appreciate +it. They even had it walled, with +a palisade of tree-trunks behind +which earth and rocks had been +banked, and along the river were +docks, at which boats were moored. +The locals simply called it Tradetown.</p> + +<p>As they approached, a big gong +began booming, and a white puff of +smoke was followed by the thud +of a signal-gun. The boats, long +canoe-like craft and round-bowed, +many-oared barges, put out hastily +into the river; through binoculars +they could see people scattering +from the surrounding fields, driving +cattle ahead of them. By the time +they were over the city, nobody +was in sight. They seemed to have +developed a pretty fair air-raid +warning system in the nine-hundred-odd +hours in which they had +been exposed to the figurative +mercies of Boake Valkanhayn and +Garvan Spasso. It hadn't saved +them entirely; a section of the city +had been burned, and there were +evidences of shelling. Light chemical-explosive +stuff; this city was +too good a cow for even those two +to kill before the milking was +over.</p> + +<p>They circled slowly over it at +a thousand feet. When they turned +away, black smoke began rising +from what might have been pottery +works or brick-kilns on the outskirts; +something resinous had evidently +been fed to the fires. Other +columns of black smoke began rising +across the countryside on both +sides of the river.</p> + +<p>"You know, these people are +civilized, if you don't limit the +term to contragravity and nuclear +energy," Harkaman said. "They +have gunpowder, for one thing, +and I can think of some rather impressive +Old Terran civilizations +that didn't have that much. They +have an organized society, and +anybody who has that is starting +toward civilization."</p> + +<p>"I hate to think of what'll happen +to this planet if Spasso and +Valkanhayn stay here long."</p> + +<p>"Might be a good thing, in the +long run. Good things in the long +run are often tough while they're +happening. I know what'll happen +to Spasso and Valkanhayn, though. +They'll start decivilizing, themselves. +They'll stay here for a while, +and when they need something they +can't take from the locals they'll +go chicken-stealing after it, but +most of the time they'll stay here +lording it over their slaves, and +finally their ships will wear out +and they won't be able to fix them. +Then, some time, the locals'll +jump them when they aren't watching +and wipe them out. But in the +meantime, the locals'll learn a lot +from them."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span></p> + +<p>They turned the aircar west +again along the river. They looked +at a few villages. One or two dated +from the Federation period; they +had been plantations before whatever +it was had happened. More +had been built within the past five +centuries. A couple had recently +been destroyed, in punishment for +the crime of self-defense.</p> + +<p>"You know," he said, at length, +"I'm going to do everybody a favor. +I'm going to let Spasso and Valkanhayn +persuade me to take this +planet away from them."</p> + +<p>Harkaman, who was piloting, +turned sharply. "You crazy or +something?"</p> + +<p>"'When somebody makes a +statement you don't understand, +don't tell him he's crazy. Ask him +what he means.' Who said that?"</p> + +<p>"On target," Harkaman grinned. +"'What <i>do</i> you mean, Lord +Trask?'"</p> + +<p>"I can't catch Dunnan by pursuit; +I'll have to get him by interception. +You know the source of +that quotation, too. This looks to +me like a good place to intercept +him. When he learns I have a base +here, he'll hit it, sooner or later. +And even if he doesn't, we can +pick up more information on him, +when ships start coming in here, +than we would batting around all +over the Old Federation."</p> + +<p>Harkaman considered for a moment, +then nodded. "Yes, if we +could set up a base like Nergal or +Xochitl," he agreed. "There'll be +four or five ships, Space Vikings, +traders, Gilgameshers and so on, +on either of those planets all the +time. If we had the cargo Dunnan +took to space in the <i>Enterprise</i>, we +could start a base like that. But we +haven't anything near what we +need, and you know what Spasso +and Valkanhayn have."</p> + +<p>"We can get it from Gram. As +it stands, the investors in the +Tanith Adventure, from Duke Angus +down, lost everything they +put into it. If they're willing to +throw some good money after bad, +they can get it back, and a handsome +profit to boot. And there +ought to be planets above the rowboat +and ox-cart level not too far +away that could be raided for a lot +of things we'd need."</p> + +<p>"That's right; I know of half a +dozen within five hundred light-years. +They won't be the kind +Spasso and Valkanhayn are in the +habit of raiding, though. And +besides machinery, we can get gold, +and valuable merchandise that +could be sold on Gram. And if +we could make a go of it, you'd +go farther hunting Dunnan by +sitting here on Tanith than by +going looking for him. That was +the way we used to hunt marsh +pigs on Colada, when I was a kid; +just find a good place and sit down +and wait." +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span></p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p><!--Beginning of 2nd installment.--> +They had Valkanhayn and Spasso +aboard the <i>Nemesis</i> for dinner; it +didn't take much guiding to keep the +conversation on the subject of Tanith +and its resources, advantages and +possibilities. Finally, when they had +reached brandy and coffee, Trask said +idly:</p> + +<p>"I believe, together, we could +really make something out of this +planet."</p> + +<p>"That's what we've been telling +you, all along," Spasso broke in eagerly. +"This is a wonderful planet—"</p> + +<p>"It could be. All it has now is possibilities. +We'd need a spaceport, for +one thing."</p> + +<p>"Well, what's this, here?" Valkanhayn +wanted to know.</p> + +<p>"It was a spaceport," Harkaman +told him. "It could be one again. And +we'd need a shipyard, capable of any +kind of heavy repair work. Capable +of building a complete ship, in fact. +I never saw a ship come into a Viking +base planet with any kind of a +cargo worth dickering over that hadn't +taken some damage getting it. +Prince Viktor of Xochitl makes a +good half of his money on ship repairs, +and so do Nikky Gratham on +Jagannath and the Everrards on Hoth."</p> + +<p>"And engine works, hyperdrive, +normal space and pseudograv," Trask +added. "And a steel mill, and a collapsed-matter +plant. And robotic-equipment +works, and—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's out of all reason!" Valkanhayn +cried. "It would take twenty +trips with a ship the size of this one +to get all that stuff here, and how'd +we ever be able to pay for it?"</p> + +<p>"That's the sort of base Duke Angus +of Wardshaven planned. The +<i>Enterprise</i>, practically a duplicate of +the <i>Nemesis</i>, carried everything that +would be needed to get it started, +when she was pirated."</p> + +<p>"When she was—?"</p> + +<p>"Now you're going to have to tell +the gentlemen the truth," Harkaman +chuckled.</p> + +<p>"I intend to." He laid his cigar +down, sipped some of his brandy, and +explained about Duke Angus' Tanith +adventure. "It was part of a larger +plan; Angus wanted to gain economic +supremacy for Wardshaven to forward +his political ambitions. It was, +however, an entirely practical business +proposition. I was opposed to it, +because I thought it would be too +good a proposition for Tanith and +work to the disadvantage of the home +planet in the end." He told them +about the <i>Enterprise</i>, and the cargo +of industrial and construction equipment +she carried, and then told them +how Andray Dunnan had pirated +her.</p> + +<p>"That wouldn't have annoyed me +at all; I had no money invested in the +project. What did annoy me, to put +it mildly, was that just before he took +the ship out, Dunnan shot up my +wedding, wounded me and my +father-in-law, and killed the lady to +whom I had been married for less +than half an hour. I fitted out this ship +at my own expense, took on Captain +Harkaman, who had been left without +a command when the <i>Enterprise</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> +was pirated, and came out here to +hunt Dunnan down and kill him. I +believe that I can do that best by establishing +a base on Tanith myself. +The base will have to be operated at +a profit, or it can't be operated at all." +He picked up the cigar again and +puffed slowly. "I am inviting you +gentlemen to join me as partners."</p> + +<p>"Well, you still haven't told us +how we're going to get the money to +finance it," Spasso insisted.</p> + +<p>"The Duke of Wardshaven, and +the others who invested in the original +Tanith adventure will put it up. +It's the only way they can recover +what they lost on the <i>Enterprise</i>."</p> + +<p>"But then, this Duke of Wardshaven +will be running it, not us," +Valkanhayn objected.</p> + +<p>"The Duke of Wardshaven," Harkaman +reminded him, "is on Gram. +We are here on Tanith. There are +three thousand light-years between."</p> + +<p>That seemed a satisfactory answer. +Spasso, however, wanted to know +who would run things here on Tanith.</p> + +<p>"We'll have to hold a meeting of +all three crews," he began.</p> + +<p>"We will do nothing of the kind," +Trask told him. "I will be running +things here on Tanith. You people +may allow your orders to be debated +and voted on, but I don't. You will +inform your respective crews to that +effect. Any orders you give them in +my name will be obeyed without +argument."</p> + +<p>"I don't know how the men'll take +that," Valkanhayn said.</p> + +<p>"I know how they'll take it if +they're smart," Harkaman told him. +"And I know what'll happen if they +aren't. I know how you've been running +your ships, or how your ships' +crews have been running you. Well, +we don't do it that way. Lucas Trask +is owner, and I'm captain. I obey his +orders on what's to be done, and everybody +else obeys mine on how to +do it."</p> + +<p>Spasso looked at Valkanhayn, then +shrugged. "That's how the man +wants it, Boake. You want to give +him an argument? I don't."</p> + +<p>"The first order," Trask said, "is +that these people you have working +here are to be paid. They are not to +be beaten by these plug-uglies you +have guarding them. If any of them +want to leave, they may do so; they +will be given presents and furnished +transportation home. Those who +wish to stay will be issued rations, +furnished with clothing and bedding +and so on as they need it, and paid +wages. We'll work out some kind of a +pay-token system and set up a commissary +where they can buy things."</p> + +<p>Disks of plastic or titanium or +something, stamped and uncounterfeitable. +Get Alvyn Karffard to see +about that. Organize work-gangs, and +promote the best and most intelligent +to foremen. And those guards +could be taken in hand by some +ground-fighter sergeant and given +Sword-World weapons and tactical +training; use them to train others; +they'd need a sepoy army of some +sort. Even the best of good will is no +substitute for armed force, conspicuously +displayed and unhesitatingly +used when necessary.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span></p> + +<p>"And there'll be no more of this +raiding villages for food or anything +else. We will pay for anything we get +from any of the locals."</p> + +<p>"We'll have trouble about that," +Valkanhayn predicted. "Our men +think anything a local has belongs to +anybody who can take it."</p> + +<p>"So do I," Harkaman said. "On a +planet I'm raiding. This is our planet, +and our locals. We don't raid our +own planet or our own people. You'll +just have to teach them that."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="X" id="X"></a>X</h2> + + +<p>It took Valkanhayn and Spasso +more time and argument to convince +their crews than Trask thought necessary. +Harkaman seemed satisfied, +and so was Baron Rathmore, the +Wardshaven politician.</p> + +<p>"It's like talking a lot of uncommitted +small landholders into taking +somebody's livery-and-maintenance," +the latter said. "You can't use too +much pressure; make them think it's +their own idea."</p> + +<p>There were meetings of both +crews, with heated arguments; Baron +Rathmore made frequent speeches, +while Lord Trask of Tanith and Admiral +Harkaman—the titles were +Rathmore's suggestion—remained +loftily aloof. On both ships, everybody +owned everything in common, which +meant that nobody owned anything. +They had taken over Tanith on the +same basis of diffused ownership, and +nobody in either crew was quite +stupid enough to think that they +could do anything with the planet by +themselves. By joining the <i>Nemesis</i>, +it appeared that they were getting +something for nothing. In the end, +they voted to place themselves under +the authority of Lord Trask and Admiral +Harkaman. After all, Tanith +would be a feudal lordship, and the +three ships together a fleet.</p> + +<p>Admiral Harkaman's first act of +authority was to order a general inspection +of fleet units. He wasn't +shocked by the condition of the two +ships, but that was only because he +had expected much worse. They were +spaceworthy; after all, they had gotten +here from Hoth under their own +power. They were only combat-worthy +if the combat weren't too severe. +His original estimate that the +<i>Nemesis</i> could have knocked both of +them to pieces was, if anything, over-conservative. +The engines were only +in fair shape, and the armament was +bad.</p> + +<p>"We aren't going to spend our +time sitting here on Tanith," he told +the two captains. "This planet is a +raiding base, and 'raiding' is the operative +word. And we are not going to +raid easy planets. A planet that can +be raided with impunity isn't worth +the time it takes getting to it. We are +going to have to fight on every planet +we hit, and I am not going to jeopardize +the lives of the men under me, +which includes your crews as well as +mine, because of under-powered and +under-armed ships."</p> + +<p>Spasso tried to argue. "We've been +getting along."</p> + +<p>Harkaman cursed. "Yes. I know +how you've been getting along;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> +chicken-stealing on planets like Set +and Xipototec and Melkarth. Not +making enough to cover maintenance +expenses; that's why your ship's in +the shape she is. Well, those days are +over. Both ships ought to have a full +overhaul, but we'll have to skip that +till we have a shipyard of our own. +But I will insist, at least, that your +guns and launchers are in order. And +your detection equipment; you didn't +get a fix on the <i>Nemesis</i> till we were +less than twenty thousand miles off-planet."</p> + +<p>"We had better get the <i>Lamia</i> in +condition first," Trask said. "We can +put her on off-planet watch, instead +of that pair of pinnaces."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>Work on the <i>Lamia</i> started the +next day, and considerable friction-heat +was generated between her officers +and the engineers sent over from +the <i>Nemesis</i>. Baron Rathmore went +aboard, and came back laughing.</p> + +<p>"You know how that ship's run?" +he asked. "There's a sort of soviet of +officers; chief engineer, exec, guns-and-missiles, +astrogator and so on. +Spasso's just an animated ventriloquist's +dummy. I talked to all of +them. None of them can pin me down +to anything, but they think we're going +to heave Spasso out of command +and appoint one of them, and each +one thinks he'll be it. I don't know +how long that'll last, it's a string-and-tape +job like the one we're having to +do on the ship. It'll hold till we get +something better."</p> + +<p>"We'll have to get rid of Spasso," +Harkaman agreed. "I think we'll put +one of our own people in his place. +Valkanhayn can stay in command of +the <i>Space Scourge</i>; he's a spaceman. +But Spasso's no good for anything."</p> + +<p>The local problem was complicated, +too. The locals spoke Lingua +Terra of a sort, like every descendant +of the race that had gone out from +the Sol system in the Third Century, +but it was a barely comprehensible +sort. On civilized planets, the language +had been frozen unalterably in +microbooks and voice tapes. But +microbooks can only be read and +sound tapes heard with the aid of +electricity, and Tanith had lost that +long ago.</p> + +<p>Most of the people Spasso and +Valkanhayn had kidnaped and enslaved +came from villages within a +radius of five hundred miles. About +half of them wanted to be repatriated; +they were given gifts of knives, +tools, blankets, and bits of metal +which seemed to be the chief standard +of value and medium of exchange, +and shipped home. Finding +their proper villages was not easy. At +each such village, the news was +spread that the Space Vikings would +hereafter pay for what they received.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>The <i>Lamia</i> was overhauled as rapidly +as possible. She was still far from +being a good ship, but she was much +closer to being one than before. She was +fitted with the best detection equipment +that could be assembled, and +put on orbit; Alvyn Karffard took +command of her, with some of Spasso's +officers, some of Valkanhayn's, +and a few from the <i>Nemesis</i>. Harkaman +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> +was intending to use her for retraining +of all the <i>Lamia</i> and <i>Space +Scourge</i> officers, and rotated them +back and forth.</p> + +<p>The labor guards, a score in number, +were relieved of their duties, issued +Sword-World firearms, and +given intensive training. The trade +tokens, stamps of colored plastic, +were introduced, and a store was set +up where they could be exchanged +for Sword-World items. After a +while, it dawned on the locals that +the tokens could also be used for +trading among themselves; money +seemed to have been one of the adjuncts +of civilization that had been +lost along Tanith's downward path. +A few of them were able to use contragravity +hand-lifters and hand-towed +lifter-skids; several were even +learning to operate things like bulldozers, +at least to the extent of knowing +which lever or button did what. +Give them a little time, Trask +thought, watching a gang at work +down on the spaceport floor. It won't +be many years before half of them +will be piloting aircars.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>As soon as the <i>Lamia</i> was on orbital +watch, the <i>Space Scourge</i> was +set down at the spaceport and work +started on her. It was decided that +Valkanhayn would take her to Gram; +enough <i>Nemesis</i> people would go +along to insure good faith on his +part, and to talk to Duke Angus and +the Tanith investors. Baron Rathmore, +and Paytrik Morland, and several +other Wardshaven gentlemen-adventurers +for the latter function; +Alvyn Karffard to act as Valkanhayn's +exec, with private orders to +supersede him in command if necessary, +and Guatt Kirbey to do the astrogating.</p> + +<p>"We'll have to take the <i>Nemesis</i> +and the <i>Space Scourge</i> out, first, and +make a big raid," Harkaman said. +"We can't send the <i>Space Scourge</i> +back to Gram empty. When Baron +Rathmore and Lord Valpry and the +rest of them talk to Duke Angus and +the Tanith investors, they'll have to +have a lot more than some travel +films of Tanith. They'll have to be +able to show that Tanith is producing. +We ought to have a little money +of our own to invest, too."</p> + +<p>"But, Otto; both ships?" That worried +Trask. "Suppose Dunnan comes +and finds nobody here but Spasso +and the <i>Lamia</i>?"</p> + +<p>"Chance we'll have to take. Personally, +I think we have a year to a +year and a half before Dunnan shows +up here. I know, we were fooled trying +to guess what he'd do before. But +the sort of raid I have in mind, we'll +need two ships, and in any case, I +don't want to leave both those ships +here while we're gone, even if you +do."</p> + +<p>"When it comes to that, I don't +think I do, either. But we can't trust +Spasso here alone, can we?"</p> + +<p>"We'll leave enough of our people +to make sure. We'll leave Alvyn—that'll +mean a lot of work for me that +he'd otherwise do, on the ship. And +Baron Rathmore, and young Valpry, +and the men who've been training +our sepoys. We can shuffle things<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> +around and leave some of Valkanhayn's +men in place of some of Spasso's. +We might even talk Spasso into +going along. That'll mean having to +endure him at our table, but it would +be wise."</p> + +<p>"Have you picked a place to raid?"</p> + +<p>"Three of them. First, Khepera. +That's only thirty light-years from +here. That won't amount to much; +just chicken-stealing. It'll give our +green hands some relatively safe +combat-training, and it'll give us +some idea of how Spasso's and Valkanhayn's +people behave, and give +them confidence for the next job."</p> + +<p>"And then?"</p> + +<p>"Amaterasu. My information about +Amaterasu is about twenty years old. +A lot of things can happen in twenty +years. All I know of it—I was never +there myself—is it's fairly civilized—about +like Terra just before the beginning +of the Atomic Era. No nuclear +energy, they lost that, and of +course nothing beyond it, but they +have hydroelectric and solarelectric +power, and nonnuclear jet aircraft, +and some very good chemical-explosive +weapons, which they use very +freely on each other. It was last +known to have been raided by a ship +from Excalibur twenty years ago."</p> + +<p>"That sounds promising. And the +third planet?"</p> + +<p>"Beowulf. We won't take enough +damage on Amaterasu to make any +difference there, but if we saved +Amaterasu for last, we might be +needing too many repairs."</p> + +<p>"It's like that?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. They have nuclear energy. I +don't think it would be wise to mention +Beowulf to Captains Spasso and +Valkanhayn. Wait till we've hit Khepera +and Amaterasu. They may be +feeling like heroes, then."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XI" id="XI"></a>XI</h2> + + +<p>Khepera left a bad taste in Trask's +mouth. He was still tasting it when +the colored turbulence died out of +the screen and left the gray nothingness +of hyperspace. Garvan Spasso—they +had had no trouble in inducing +him to come along—was staring +avidly at the screen as though he +could still see the ravished planet +they had left.</p> + +<p>"That was a good one; that was a +good one!" he was crowing. He'd said +that a dozen times since they had +lifted out. "Three cities in five days, +and all the stuff we gathered up +around them. We took over two million +stellars."</p> + +<p>And did ten times as much damage +getting it, and there was no scale +of values by which to compute the +death and suffering.</p> + +<p>"Knock it off, Spasso. You said +that before."</p> + +<p>There was a time when he wouldn't +have spoken to the fellow, or anybody +else, like that. Gresham's law, +extended: Bad manners drive out +good manners. Spasso turned on him +indignantly.</p> + +<p>"Who do you think you are—?"</p> + +<p>"He thinks he's Lord Trask of +Tanith," Harkaman said. "He's right, +too; he is." He looked searchingly at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> +Trask for a moment, then turned +back to Spasso. "I'm just as tired as +he is of hearing you pop your mouth +about a lousy two million stellars. +Nearer a million and a half, but two +million's nothing to pop about. Maybe +it would be for the <i>Lamia</i>, but we +have a three-ship fleet and a planetary +base to meet expenses on. Out +of this raid, a ground-fighter or an +able spaceman will get a hundred and +fifty stellars. We'll get about a thousand, +ourselves. How long do you +think we can stay in business doing +this kind of chicken-stealing."</p> + +<p>"You call this chicken-stealing?"</p> + +<p>"I call it chicken-stealing, and so'll +you before we get back to Tanith. If +you live that long."</p> + +<p>For a moment, Spasso was still affronted. +Then, temporarily, his vulpine +face showed avaricious hope, +and then apprehension. Evidently he +knew Otto Harkaman's reputation, +and some of the things Harkaman had +done weren't his idea of an easy way +to make money.</p> + +<p>Khepera had been easy; the locals +hadn't had anything to fight with. +Small arms, and light cannon which +hadn't been able to fire more than a +few rounds. Wherever they had attempted +resistance, the combat cars +had swooped in, dropping bombs and +firing machine guns and auto-cannon. +Yet they had fought, bitterly and +hopelessly—just as he would have, +defending Traskon.</p> + +<p>Trask busied himself getting coffee +and a cigarette from one of the robots. +When he looked up, Spasso had +gone away, and Harkaman was sitting +on the edge of the desk, loading +his short pipe.</p> + +<p>"Well, you saw the elephant, Lucas," +Harkaman said. "You don't seem +to have liked it."</p> + +<p>"Elephant?"</p> + +<p>"Old Terran expression I read +somewhere. All I know is that an +elephant was an animal about the +size of one of your Gram megatheres. +The expression means, experiencing +something for the first time which +makes a great impression. Elephants +must have been something to see. +This was your first Viking raid. +You've seen it, now."</p> + +<p>He'd been in combat before; he'd +led the fighting-men of Traskon during +the boundary dispute with Baron +Manniwel, and there were always +bandits and cattle rustlers. He'd +thought it would be like that. He remembered, +five days, or was it five +ages, ago, his excited anticipation as +the city grew and spread in the screen +and the <i>Nemesis</i> came dropping +down toward it. The pinnaces, his +four and the two from the <i>Space +Scourge</i>, had gone spiraling out a +hundred miles beyond the city; the +<i>Space Scourge</i> had gone into a tighter +circle twenty miles from its center; +the <i>Nemesis</i> had continued her +relentless descent until she was ten +miles from the ground, before she +began spewing out landing craft, and +combat cars, and the little egg-shaped +one-man air-cavalry mounts. It had +been thrilling. Everything had gone +perfectly; not even Valkanhayn's +gang had goofed.</p> + +<p>Then the screenviews had begun<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> +coming in. The brief and hopeless +fight in the city. He could still see +that silly little field gun, it must have +been around seventy or eighty millimeter, +on a high-wheeled carriage, +drawn by six shaggy, bandy-legged +beasts. They had gotten it unlimbered +and were trying to get it on a target +when a rocket from an aircar landed +directly under the muzzle. Gun, +caisson, crew, even the draft team +fifty yards behind, had simply vanished.</p> + +<p>Or the little company, some of +them women, trying to defend the +top of a tall and half-ruinous building +with rifles and pistols. One air-cavalryman +wiped them all out with +his machine guns.</p> + +<p>"They don't have a chance," he'd +said, half-sick. "But they keep on +fighting."</p> + +<p>"Yes; stupid of them, isn't it?" +Harkaman, beside him, had said.</p> + +<p>"What would you do in their +place?"</p> + +<p>"Fight. Try to kill as many Space +Vikings as I could before they got +me. Terro-humans are all stupid like +that. That's why we're human."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image054.jpg" width="600" height="824" + alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>If the taking of the city had been +a massacre, the sack that had followed +had been a man-made Hell. He had +gone down, along with Harkaman, +while the fighting, if it could be so +called, was still going on. Harkaman +had suggested that the men ought to +see him moving about among them; +for his own part, he had felt a compulsion +to share their guilt.</p> + +<p>He and Sir Paytrik Morland had +been on foot together in one of the +big hollow buildings that had stood +since Khepera had been a Member +Republic of the Terran Federation. +The air was acrid with smoke, powder +smoke and the smoke of burning. +It was surprising, how much would +burn, in this city of concrete and +vitrified stone. It was surprising, too, +how well-kept everything was, at least +on the ground level. These people +had taken pride in their city.</p> + +<p>They found themselves alone, in a +great empty hallway; the noise and +horror of the sack had moved away +from them, or they from it, and then, +when they entered a side hall, they +saw a man, one of the locals, squatting +on the floor with the body of a +woman cradled on his lap. She was +dead, half her head had been blown +off, but he was clasping her tightly, +her blood staining his shirt, and sobbing +heartbrokenly. A carbine lay +forgotten on the floor beside him.</p> + +<p>"Poor devil," Morland said, and +started forward.</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>Trask stopped him with his left +hand. With his right, he drew his +pistol and shot the man dead. Morland +was horrified.</p> + +<p>"Great Satan, Lucas! Why did you +do that?"</p> + +<p>"I wish Andray Dunnan had done +that for me." He thumbed the safety +on and holstered the pistol. "None of +this would be happening if he had. +How many more happinesses do you +think we've smashed here today? And +we don't even have Dunnan's excuse +of madness."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span></p> + +<p>The next morning, with everything +of value collected and sent aboard, +they had started cross-country for five +hundred miles to another city, the +first hundred over a countryside +asmoke from burning villages Valkanhayn's +men had pillaged the night +before. There was no warning; Khepera +had lost electricity and radio +and telegraph, and the spread of +news was at the speed of one of the +beasts the locals insisted on calling +horses. By midafternoon, they had +finished with that city. It had been as +bad as the first one.</p> + +<p>One thing, it was the center of a +considerable cattle country. The cattle +were native to the planet, heavy-bodied +unicorns the size of a Gram +bisonoid or one of the slightly mutated +Terran carabaos on Tanith, with +long hair like a Terran yak. He had +detailed a dozen of the <i>Nemesis</i> +ground-fighters who had been vaqueros +on his Traskon ranches to +collect a score of cows and four likely +bulls, with enough fodder to last +them on the voyage. The odds were +strongly against any of them living +to acclimate themselves to Tanith, +but if they did, they might prove to +be one of the most valuable pieces of +loot from Khepera.</p> + +<p>The third city was at the forks of +a river, like Tradetown on Tanith. +Unlike it, this was a real metropolis. +They should have gone there first of +all. They spent two days systematically +pillaging it. The Kheperans carried +on considerable river-traffic, +with stern-wheel steamboats, and the +waterfront was lined with warehouses +crammed with every sort of +merchandise. Even better, the Kheperans +had money, and for the most +part it was gold specie, and the bank +vaults were full of it.</p> + +<p>Unfortunately, the city had been +built since the fall of the Federation +and the climb up from the barbarism +that had followed, and a great deal of +it was of wood. Fires started almost +at once, and it was almost completely +on fire by the end of the second day. +It had been visible in the telescopic +screen even after they were out of +atmosphere, a black smear until the +turning planet carried it into darkness +and then a lurid glow.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>"It was a filthy business."</p> + +<p>Harkaman nodded. "Robbery and +murder always are. You don't have to +ask me who said that Space Vikings +are professional robbers and murderers, +but who was it said that he didn't +care how many planets were raided +and how many innocents massacred +in the Old Federation?"</p> + +<p>"A dead man. Lucas Trask of +Traskon."</p> + +<p>"You wish, now, that you'd kept +Traskon and stayed on Gram?"</p> + +<p>"No. If I had, I'd have spent every +hour wishing I was doing what I'm +doing now. I can get used to this, I +suppose."</p> + +<p>"I think you will. At least, you +kept your rations down. I didn't on +my first raid, and had bad dreams +about it for a year." He gave his +coffee cup back to the robot and got +to his feet. "Get a little rest, for a +couple of hours. Then draw some<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> +alcodote-vitamin pills from the medic. +As soon as things are secured, +there'll be parties all over the ship, +and we'll be expected to look in on +every one of them, have a drink, and +say 'Well done, boys.'"</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>Elaine came to him, while he was +resting. She looked at him in horror, +and he tried to hide his face from her, +and then realized that he was trying +to hide it from himself.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XII" id="XII"></a>XII</h2> + + +<p>They came straight down on Eglonsby, +on Amaterasu, the <i>Nemesis</i> +and the <i>Space Scourge</i> side by side. +The radar had picked them up at +point-five light-seconds; by this time +the whole planet knew they were +coming, and nobody was wondering +why. Paul Koreff was monitoring at +least twenty radio stations, assigning +somebody to each one as it was identified. +What was coming in was uniformly +excited, some panicky, and all +in fairly standard Lingua Terra.</p> + +<p>Garvan Spasso was perturbed. So, +in the communication screen from +the <i>Space Scourge</i>, was Boake +Valkanhayn.</p> + +<p>"They got radio, and they got +radar," he clamored.</p> + +<p>"Well, so what?" Harkaman asked. +"They had radio and radar twenty +years ago, when Rock Morgan was +here in the <i>Coalsack</i>. But they don't +have nuclear energy, do they?"</p> + +<p>"Well, no. I'm picking up a lot of +industrial electrical discharge, but +nothing nuclear."</p> + +<p>"All right. A man with a club can +lick a man with his fists. A man with +a gun can lick half a dozen with +clubs. And two ships with nuclear +weapons can lick a whole planet +without them. Think it's time, +Lucas?"</p> + +<p>He nodded. "Paul, can you cut in +on that Eglonsby station yet?"</p> + +<p>"What are you going to do?" +Valkanhayn wanted to know, against it +in advance.</p> + +<p>"Summon them to surrender. If +they don't, we will drop a hellburner, +and then we will pick out another +city and summon it to surrender. I +don't think the second one will refuse. +If we are going to be murderers, +we'll do it right, this time."</p> + +<p>Valkanhayn was aghast, probably +at the idea of burning an unlooted +city. Spasso was sputtering something +about, "... Teach the dirty +Neobarbs a lesson—" Koreff told him +he was switched on. He picked up a +hand-phone.</p> + +<p>"Space Vikings <i>Nemesis</i> and <i>Space +Scourge</i>, calling the city of Eglonsby. +Space Vikings...."</p> + +<p>He repeated it for over a minute; +there was no reply.</p> + +<p>"Vann," he called Guns-and-Missiles. +"A subcrit display job, about +four miles over the city."</p> + +<p>He laid the phone down and +looked to the underside viewscreen. +A little later, a silvery shape dropped +away from the ship's south pole. The +telescopic screen went off, and the +unmagnified screen darkened as the +filters went on. Valkanhayn, aboard +the other ship, was shouting a warn<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span>ing +about his own screens. The only +unfiltered screen aboard the <i>Nemesis</i> +was the one tuned to the falling missile. +The city of Eglonsby rushed upward +in it, and then it went suddenly +dark. There was an orange-yellow +blaze in the other screens. After a +while, the filters went off and the +telescopic screen went on again. He +picked up the phone.</p> + +<p>"Space Vikings calling Eglonsby; +this is your last warning. Communicate +at once."</p> + +<p>Less than a minute later, a voice +came out of one of the speakers:</p> + +<p>"Eglonsby calling Space Vikings. +Your bomb has done great damage. +Will you hold your fire until somebody +in authority can communicate +with you? This is the chief operator +at the central State telecast station; I +have no authority to say anything to +you, or discuss anything."</p> + +<p>"Oh, good, that sounds like a dictatorship," +Harkaman was saying. +"Grab the dictator and shove a pistol +in his face and you have everything."</p> + +<p>"There is nothing to discuss. Get +somebody who has authority to surrender +the city to us. If this is not +done within the hour, the city and +everybody in it will be obliterated."</p> + +<p>Only minutes later, a new voice +said:</p> + +<p>"This is Gunsalis Jan, secretary to +Pedrosan Pedro, President of the +Council of Syndics. We will switch +President Pedrosan over as soon as he +can speak directly to the personage +in supreme command of your ships."</p> + +<p>"That is myself; switch him to me +at once."</p> + +<p>After a delay of less than fifteen +seconds they had President Pedrosan +Pedro.</p> + +<p>"We are prepared to resist, but we +realize what this would cost in lives +and destruction of property," he began.</p> + +<p>"You don't begin to. Do you know +anything about nuclear weapons?"</p> + +<p>"From history; we have no nuclear +power of any sort. We can find no +fissionables on this planet."</p> + +<p>"The cost, as you put it, would be +everything and everybody in Eglonsby +and for a radius of almost a hundred miles. +Are you still prepared to +resist?"</p> + +<p>The President of the Council of +Syndics wasn't and said so. Trask +asked him how much authority his +position gave him.</p> + +<p>"I have all powers in any emergency. +I think," the voice added +tonelessly, "that this is an emergency. +The council will automatically ratify +any decision I make."</p> + +<p>Harkaman depressed a button in +front of him. "What I said; dictatorship, +with parliamentary false front."</p> + +<p>"If he isn't a false-front dictator +for some oligarchy." He motioned to +Harkaman to take his thumb off the +button. "How large is this Council?"</p> + +<p>"Sixteen, elected by the Syndicates +they represent. There is the Syndicate +of Labor, the Syndicate of Manufacturers, +the Syndicate of Small Businesses, the...."</p> + +<p>"Corporate State, First Century +Pre-Atomic on Terra. Benny the +Moose," Harkaman said. "Let's all go +down and talk to them."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span></p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>When they were sure that the public +had been warned to make no resistance, +the <i>Nemesis</i> went down to +two miles, bulking over the center of +the city. The buildings were low by +the standards of a contragravity-using +people, the highest barely a thousand +feet and few over five hundred, and +they were more closely set than +Sword-Worlders were accustomed to, +with broad roadways between. In several +places there were queer arrangements +of crossed roadways, apparently +leading nowhere. Harkaman +laughed when he saw them.</p> + +<p>"Airstrips. I've seen them on other +planets where they've lost contragravity. +For winged aircraft powered +by chemical fuel. I hope we have +time for me to look around, here. I'll +bet they even have railroads here."</p> + +<p>The "great damage" caused by the +bomb was about equal to the effect +of a medium hurricane; he had seen +worse from high winds at Traskon. +Mostly it had been moral, which had +been the kind intended.</p> + +<p>They met President Pedrosan and +the council of Syndics in a spacious +and well-furnished chamber near the +top of one of the medium-high buildings. +Valkanhayn was surprised; in a +loud aside he considered that these +people must be almost civilized. They<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> +were introduced. Amaterasuan surnames +preceded personal names, +which hinted at a culture and a political +organization making much use +of registration by alphabetical list. +They all wore garments which had +the indefinable but unmistakable appearance +of uniforms. When they +had all seated themselves at a large +oval table, Harkaman drew his pistol +and used the butt for a gavel.</p> + +<p>"Lord Trask, will you deal with +these people directly?" he asked, +stiffly formal.</p> + +<p>"Certainly, Admiral." He spoke to +the President, ignoring the others. +"We want it understood that we control +this city, and we expect complete submission. +As long as you remain +submissive to us, we will do no +damage beyond removal of the things +we wish to take from it, and there +will be no violence to any of your +people, or any indiscriminate vandalism. +This visit we are paying you will +cost you heavily, make no mistake +about that, but whatever the cost, it +will be a cheap price for avoiding +what we might otherwise do."</p> + +<p>The President and the Syndics exchanged +relieved glances. Let the +taxpayers worry about the cost; they'd +come out of it with whole skins.</p> + +<p>"You understand, we want maxi<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span>mum +value and minimum bulk," he +continued. "Jewels, objects of art, +furs, the better grades of luxury +goods of all kinds. Rare-element +metals. And monetary metals, gold +and platinum. You have a metallic-based +currency, I suppose?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no!" President Pedrosan was +slightly scandalized. "Our currency is +based on services to society. Our +monetary unit is simply called a +credit."</p> + +<p>Harkaman snorted impolitely. Evidently +he'd seen economic systems +like that before. Trask wanted to +know if they used gold or platinum +at all.</p> + +<p>"Gold, to some extent, for jewelry." +Evidently they weren't complete +economic puritans. "And platinum in +industry, of course."</p> + +<p>"If they want gold, they should +have raided Stolgoland," one of the +Syndics said. "They have a gold-standard +currency." From the way he +said it, he might have been accusing +them of eating with their fingers, and +possibly of eating their own young.</p> + +<p>"I know, the maps we're using for +this planet are a few centuries old; +Stolgoland doesn't seem to appear on +them."</p> + +<p>"I wish it didn't appear on ours, +either." That was General Dagró +Ector, Syndic for State Protection.</p> + +<p>"It would have been a good thing +for this whole planet if you'd decided +to raid them instead of us," somebody +else said.</p> + +<p>"It isn't too late for these gentlemen +to make that decision," Pedrosan +said. "I gather that gold is a monetary +metal among your people?" +When Trask nodded, he continued: +"It is also the basis of the Stolgonian +currency. The actual currency is paper, +theoretically redeemable in gold. +In actuality, the circulation of gold +has been prohibited, and the entire +gold wealth of the nation is concentrated +in vaults at three depositories. +We know exactly where they are."</p> + +<p>"You begin to interest me, President +Pedrosan."</p> + +<p>"I do? Well, you have two large +spaceships and six smaller craft. You +have nuclear weapons, something nobody +on this planet has. You have +contragravity, something that is hardly +more than a legend here. On the +other hand, we have a million and a +half ground-troops, jet aircraft, armored +ground-vehicles, and chemical +weapons. If you will undertake to attack +Stolgoland, we will place this +entire force at your disposal; General +Dagró will command them as you +direct. All that we ask is that, when +you have loaded the gold hoards of +Stolgoland aboard your ships, you +will leave our troops in possession of +the country."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>That was all there was to that +meeting. There was a second one; +only Trask, Harkaman and Sir Paytrik +Morland represented the Space +Vikings, and the Eglonsby government +was represented by President +Pedrosan and General Dagró. They +met more intimately, in a smaller and +more luxurious room in the same +building.</p> + +<p>"If you're going to declare war on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> +Stolgoland, you'd better get along +with it," Morland advised.</p> + +<p>"What?" Pedrosan seemed to have +only the vaguest idea of what he was +talking about. "You mean, warn +them? Certainly not. We will attack +them by surprise. It will be nothing +but plain self-defense," he added +righteously. "The oligarchic capitalists +of Stolgoland have been plotting +to attack us for years."</p> + +<p>"Yes. If you had carried out your +original intention of looting Eglonsby, +they would have invaded us the +moment your ships lifted out. It's +exactly what I'd do in their place."</p> + +<p>"But you maintain nominally +friendly relations with them?"</p> + +<p>"Of course. We are civilized. The +peace-loving government and people +of Eglonsby...."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Mr. President; I understand. +And they have an embassy here?"</p> + +<p>"They call it that!" cried Dagró. +"It is a nest of vipers, a plague-spot +of espionage and subversion ...!"</p> + +<p>"We'll grab that ourselves, right +away," Harkaman said. "You won't be +able to round up all their agents outside +it, and if we tried to, it would +cause suspicion. We'll have to put up +a front to deceive them."</p> + +<p>"Yes. You will go on the air at +once, calling on the people to collaborate +with us, and you will specifically +order your troops mobilized to +assist us in collecting the tribute we +are levying on Eglonsby," Trask said. +"In that way, if any Stolgonian spies +see your troops concentrated around +our landing craft, they'll think it's to +help us load our loot."</p> + +<p>"And we'll announce that a large +part of the tribute will consist of +military equipment," Dagró added. +"That will explain why our guns and +tanks are being loaded on your contragravity +vehicles."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>When the Stolgonian embassy was +seized by the Space Vikings, the ambassador +asked to be taken at once to +their leader. He had a proposition: +If the Space Vikings would completely +disable the army of Eglonsby +and admit Stolgonian troops when +they were ready to leave, the invaders +would bring with them ten thousand +kilos of gold. Trask affected to +be very hospitable to the offer.</p> + +<p>Stolgoland lay across a narrow and +shallow sea from the State of Eglonsby; +it was dotted with islands, and +every one of them was, in turn, dotted +with oil wells. Petroleum was what +kept the aircraft and ground-vehicles +of Amaterasu in operation; oil, rather +than ideology, was at the root of +the enmity between the two nations. +Apparently the Stolgonian espionage +in Eglonsby was completely deceived, +and the reports Trask allowed +the captive ambassador to +make confirmed the deception. +Hourly the Eglonsby radio stations +poured out exhortations to the people +to co-operate with the Space +Vikings, with an occasional lamentation +about the masses of war materials +being taken. Eglonsby espionage +in Stolgoland was similarly active. +The Stolgonian armies were being +massed at four seaports on the coast +facing Eglonsby, and there was a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> +frantic gathering of every sort of ship +available. By this time, any sympathy +that Trask might have felt for +either party had evaporated.</p> + +<p>The invasion of Stolgoland started +the fifth morning after their arrival +over Eglonsby. Before dawn, the six +pinnaces went in, making a wide +sweep around the curvature of the +planet and coming in from the +north, two to each of the three gold-troves. +They were detected by radar, +eventually but too late for any effective +resistance to be organized. Two +were even taken without a shot; by +mid-morning all three had been +blown open and the ingots and specie +were being removed.</p> + +<p>The four seaports from whence +the Stolgonian invasion of Eglonsby +was to have been launched were neutralized +by nuclear bombing. Neutralized +was a nice word, Trask +thought; there was no echo in it of +the screams of the still-living, +maimed and burned and blinded, +around the fringes of ground-zero. +The <i>Nemesis</i> and the <i>Space Scourge</i>, +from landing craft and from the +ships themselves, landed Eglonsby +troops on Stolgonopolis. While they +were sacking the city, with all the +usual atrocities, the Space Vikings +were loading the gold, and anything +else that was of more than ordinary +value, aboard the ships.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>They were still at it the next morning +when President Pedrosan arrived +at the newly conquered capital, +announcing his intention of putting +the Stolgonian chief of state and his +cabinet on trial as war criminals. +Before sunset, they were back over +Eglonsby. The loot might run as +high as a half-billion Excalibur stellars. +Boake Valkanhayn and Garvan +Spasso were simply beyond astonishment +and beyond words.</p> + +<p>The looting of Eglonsby then began.</p> + +<p>They gathered up machinery, and +stocks of steel and light-metal alloys. +The city was full of warehouses, +and the warehouses were +crammed with valuables. In spite of +the socialistic and egalitarian verbiage +behind which the government +operated, there seemed to be a numerous +elite class and if gold were +not a monetary metal it was not despised +for purposes of ostentation. +There were several large art museums. +Vann Larch, their nearest approach +to an art specialist, took +charge of culling the best from them.</p> + +<p>And there was a vast public library. +Into this Otto Harkaman vanished, +with half a dozen men and a +contragravity scow. Its historical section +would be much poorer in the +future.</p> + +<p>President Pedrosan Pedro was on +the radio from Stolgonopolis that +night.</p> + +<p>"Is this how you Space Vikings +keep faith?" he demanded indignantly. +"You've abandoned me and +my army here in Stolgoland, and +you're sacking Eglonsby. You promised +to leave Eglonsby alone if I +helped you get the gold of Stolgoland."</p> + +<p>"I promised nothing of the kind.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> +I promised to help you take Stolgoland. +You've taken it," Trask told +him. "I promised to avoid unnecessary +damage or violence. I've already +hanged a dozen of my own men for +rape, murder and wanton vandalism. +Now, we expect to be out of here in +twenty-four hours. You'd better be +back here before then. Your own +people are starting to loot. We did +not promise to control them for +you."</p> + +<p>That was true. What few troops +had been left behind, and the police, +were unable to cope with the mobs +that were pillaging in the wake of +the Space Vikings. Everybody +seemed to be trying to grab what he +could and let the Vikings be blamed +for it. He had been able to keep his +own people in order. There had been +at least a dozen cases of rape and +wanton murder, and the offenders +had been promptly hanged. None of +their shipmates, not even the <i>Space +Scourge</i> company, seemed resentful. +They felt the culprits had deserved +what they'd gotten; not for what +they'd done to the locals, but for disobeying +orders.</p> + +<p>A few troops had been flown in +from Stolgoland by the time they had +gotten their vehicles stowed and +were lifting out. They didn't seem to +be making much headway. Harkaman, +who had gotten his load of +microbooks stowed and was at the +command desk, laughed heartily.</p> + +<p>"I don't know what Pedrosan'll +do. Gehenna, I don't even know +what I'd do, if I'd gotten myself into +a mess like that. He'll probably bring +half his army back, leave the other +half in Stolgoland, and lose both. +Suppose we drop in, in about three +or four years, just out of curiosity. If +we make twenty per cent of what we +did this time, the trip would pay for +itself."</p> + +<p>After they went into hyperspace +and had the ship secured, the parties +lasted three Galactic standard days, +and nobody was at all sober. Harkaman +was drooling over the mass of +historical material he had found. +Spasso was jubilant. Nobody could +call this chicken-stealing. He kept +repeating that as long as he was able +to say anything. Khepera, he conceded, +had been. Lousy two or three +million stellars; poo!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XIII" id="XIII"></a>XIII</h2> + + +<p>Beowulf was bad.</p> + +<p>Valkanhayn and Spasso had both +been opposed to the raid. Nobody +raided Beowulf; Beowulf was too +tough. Beowulf had nuclear energy +and nuclear weapons and contragravity +and normal-space craft, they even +had colonies on a couple of other +planets of their system. They had +everything but hyperdrive. Beowulf +was a civilized planet, and you didn't +raid civilized planets, not and get +away with it.</p> + +<p>And beside, hadn't they gotten +enough loot on Amaterasu?</p> + +<p>"No, we did not," Trask told them. +"If we're going to make anything out +of Tanith, we're going to need power, +and I don't mean windmills and +waterwheels. As you've remarked,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> +Beowulf has nuclear energy. That's +where we get our plutonium and our +power units."</p> + +<p>So they went to Beowulf. They +came out of hyperspace eight light-hours +from the F-7 star of which +Beowulf was the fourth planet, and +twenty light-minutes apart. Guatt +Kirbey made a microjump that +brought the ships within practical +communicating distance, and they +began making plans in an intership +screen conference.</p> + +<p>"There are, or were, three chief +sources of fissionable ores," Harkaman +said. "The last ship to raid here +and get away was Stefan Kintour's +<i>Princess of Lyonesse</i>, sixty years ago. +He hit one on the Antarctic continent; +according to his account, everything +there was fairly new. He didn't +mess things up too badly, and it +ought to be still operating. We'll go +in from the south pole, and we'll +have to go in fast."</p> + +<p>They shifted personnel and equipment. +They would go in bunched, +the pinnaces ahead; they and the +<i>Space Scourge</i> would go down to the +ground, while the better-armed <i>Nemesis</i> +would hover above to fight off +local contragravity, shoot down missiles, +and generally provide overhead +cover. Trask transferred to the <i>Space +Scourge</i>, taking with him Morland +and two hundred of the <i>Nemesis</i> +ground-fighters. Most of the single-mounts, +landing craft and manipulators +and heavy-duty lifters went with +him, jamming the decks around the +vehicle ports of Valkanhayn's ship.</p> + +<p>They jumped in to six light-minutes, +and while Valkanhayn's astrogator +was still fiddling with his controls +they began sensing radar and +microray detection. When they came +out again, they were two light-seconds +off the south pole, and half a +dozen ships were either in orbit or +coming up from the planet. All normal-space +craft, of course, but some +were almost as big as the <i>Nemesis</i>.</p> + +<p>From there on, it was a nightmare.</p> + +<p>Ships pounded at them with guns, +and they pounded back. Missiles +went out, and counter-missiles +stopped them in rapidly expanding +and quickly vanishing globes of light. +Red lights flashed on the damage +board, and sirens howled and klaxons +squawked. In the outside-view +screens, they saw the <i>Nemesis</i> vanish +in a blaze of radiance, and then, +while their hearts were still in their +throats, come out of it again. Red +lights went off on the board as damage-control +crews and their robots +sealed the breaches in the hull and +pumped air back into evacuated +areas, and then more red lights came +on.</p> + +<p>Occasionally, he would glance toward +Boake Valkanhayn, who sat motionless +in his chair, chewing a cigar +that had gone out long ago. He +wasn't enjoying it, but he wasn't +showing fear. Once a Beowulfer vanished +in a supernova flash, and when +the ball of incandescence widened to +nothing the ship was gone. All Valkanhayn +said was: "Hope one of our +boys did that."</p> + +<p>They fought their way in and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> +down, toward the atmosphere. Another +Beowulf ship blew up, a craft +about the size of Spasso's <i>Lamia</i>. A +moment later, another; Valkanhayn +was pounding the desk in front of +him with his fist and yelling: "That +was one of ours! Find out who +launched it; get his name!"</p> + +<p>Missiles were coming up from the +planet, now. Valkanhayn's detection +officer was trying to locate the +source. While he was trying, a big +melon-shaped thing fell away from +the <i>Nemesis</i>, and in the jiggling, +radiation-distorted intership screen +Harkaman's image was laughing.</p> + +<p>"Hellburner just went off; target +about 50° south, 25° east of the sunrise +line. That's where those missiles +are coming from."</p> + +<p>Counter-missiles sped toward the +big metal melon; defense missiles, +robot-launched, met them. The hellburner's +track was marked first by +expanding red and orange globes in +airless space and then by fire-puffs +after it entered atmosphere. It vanished +into the darkness beyond the +sunset, and then made sunlight of its +own. It <i>was</i> sunlight; a Bethe solar-phoenix +reaction, and it would sustain +itself for hours. He hoped it +hadn't landed within a thousand +miles of their objective.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 750px;"> +<img src="images/image062-63.jpg" width="750" height="275" + alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>The ground operation was a nightmare +of a different sort. He went +down in a command car, with Paytrik +Morland and a couple of others. +There were missiles and gun batteries. +There were darting patterns +of flights of combat vehicles, blazing +gunfire, and single vehicles that shot +past or blew up in front of them. +Robots on contragravity—military +robots, with missiles to launch, and +working robots with only their own +mass to hurl, flung themselves mindlessly +at them. Screens that went +crazy from radiation; speakers that +jabbered contradictory orders. Finally, +the battle, which had raged in the +air over two thousand square miles of +mines and refineries and reaction +plants, became two distinct and concentrated +battles, one at the packing +plant and storage vaults and one at +the power-unit cartridge factory.</p> + +<p>Three pinnaces came down to +form a triangle over each; the <i>Space +Scourge</i> hung midway between, +poured out a swarm of vehicles and +big claw-armed manipulators; armored +lighters and landing craft +shuttled back and forth. The command +car looped and dodged from +one target to the other; at one, keg-like +canisters of plutonium, collapsium-plated +and weighing tons +apiece, were coming out of the +vaults, and at the other lifters were +bringing out loads of nuclear-electric +power-unit cartridges, some as big +as a ten liter jar, to power a spaceship +engine, and some small as a +round of pistol ammunition, for +things like flashlights.</p> + +<p>Every hour or so, he looked at his +watch, and it would be three or four +minutes later.</p> + +<p>At last, when he was completely +convinced that he had really been +killed, and was damned and would +spend all eternity in this fire-riven<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> +chaos, the <i>Nemesis</i> began firing red +flares and the speakers in all the vehicles +were signaling recall. He got +aboard the <i>Space Scourge</i> somehow, +after assuring himself that nobody +who was alive was left behind.</p> + +<p>There were twenty-odd who +weren't, and the sick bay was full of +wounded who had gone up with +cargo, and more were being helped +off the vehicles as they were berthed. +The car in which he had been riding +had been hit several times, and one +of the gunners was bleeding under +his helmet and didn't seem aware of +it. When he got to the command +room, he found Boake Valkanhayn, +his face drawn and weary, getting +coffee from a robot and lacing it with +brandy.</p> + +<p>"That's it," he said, blowing on the +steaming cup. It was the battered +silver one that had been in front of +him when he had first appeared in +the <i>Nemesis'</i> screen. He nodded toward +the damage screen; everything +had been patched up, or the outer +decks around breached portions of +the hull sealed. "Ship secure." He set +down the silver mug and lit a cigar. +"To quote Garvan Spasso, 'Nobody +can call that chicken-stealing.'"</p> + +<p>"No. Not even if you count Tizona +giraffe-birds as chickens. That +Gram gum-pear brandy you're putting +in that coffee? I'll have the +same. Just leave out the coffee."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XIV" id="XIV"></a>XIV</h2> + + +<p>The <i>Lamia</i>'s detection picked them +up as soon as they were out of the +last microjump; Trask's gnawing +fear that Dunnan might attack in +their absence had been groundless. +Incredibly, he realized, they had been +gone only thirty-odd Galactic Standard +days, and in that time Alvyn +Karffard had done an incredible +amount of work.</p> + +<p>He had gotten the spaceport completely +cleared of rubble and debris, +and he had the woods cleared away +from around it and the two tall +buildings. The locals called the city +Rivvin; a few inscriptions found +here and there in it indicated that +the original name had been Rivington. +He had done considerable mapping, +in some detail of the continent +on which it was located and, in general, +of the rest of the planet. And he +had established friendly relations +with the people of Tradetown and +made friends with their king.</p> + +<p>Nobody, not even those who had +collected it, quite believed their eyes +when the loot was unloaded. The little +herd of long haired unicorns—the +Khepera locals had called them +kreggs, probably a corruption of the +name of some naturalist who had +first studied them—had come +through the voyage and even the +Battle of Beowulf in good shape. +Trask and a few of his former cattlemen +from Traskon watched them +anxiously, and the ship's doctor, acting +veterinarian, made elaborate tests +of vegetation they would be likely to +eat. Three of the cows proved to be +with calf; these were isolated and +watched over with especial solicitude. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span></p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>The locals were inclined to take a +poor view of the kreggs, at first. +Cattle ought to have two horns, one +on either side, curved back. It wasn't +right for cattle to have only one +horn, in the middle, slanting forward.</p> + +<p>Both ships had taken heavy damage. +The <i>Nemesis</i> had one pinnace +berth knocked open, and everybody +was glad the Beowulfers hadn't noticed +that and gotten a missile inside. +The <i>Space Scourge</i> had taken a +hit directly on her south pole while +lifting out from the planet, and a +good deal of the southern part of the +ship was sealed off when she came in. +The <i>Nemesis</i> was repaired as far as +possible and put on off-planet patrol, +then they went to work on the +<i>Space Scourge</i>, transferring much of +her armament to ground defense, +clearing out all the available cargo +space, and repairing her hull as far as +possible. To repair her completely +was a job for a regular shipyard, like +Alex Gorram's on Gram. And that +was where the work would be done.</p> + +<p>Boake Valkanhayn would command +her on the voyage to and from +Gram. Since Beowulf, Trask had not +only ceased to dislike the man, but +was beginning to admire him. He +had been a good man once, before ill +fortune which had been only partly +of his own making had overtaken +him. He'd just let himself go and +stopped caring. Now he had taken +hold of himself again. It had started +showing after they had landed on +Amaterasu. He had begun to dress +more neatly and speak more grammatically; +to look and act more like +a spaceman and less like a barfly. +His men had begun to jump to obey +when he gave an order. He had opposed +the raid on Beowulf, but that +had been the dying struggle of the +chicken-thief he had been. He had +been scared, going in; well, who +hadn't been, except a few greenhorns +brave with the valor of ignorance. +But he had gone in, and +fought his ship well, and had held +his station over the fissionables plant +in a hell of bombs and missile, and +he had made sure everybody who had +gone down and who was still alive +was aboard before he lifted out.</p> + +<p>He was a Space Viking again.</p> + +<p>Garvan Spasso wasn't, and never +would be. He was outraged when he +heard that Valkanhayn would take +his ship, loaded with much of the +loot of the three planets, to Gram. +He came to Trask, fairly spluttering +about it.</p> + +<p>"You know what'll happen?" he +demanded. "He'll space out with that +cargo, and that'll be the last any of +us'll hear of him again. He'll probably +take it to Joyeuse or Excalibur +and buy himself a lordship with it."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I doubt that, Garvan. A number +of our people are going along—Guatt +Kirbey will be the astrogator; +you'd trust him, wouldn't you? And +Sir Paytrik Morland, and Baron +Rathmore, and Lord Valpry, and +Rolve Hemmerding...." He was silent +for a moment, struck by an idea. +"Would you be willing to make the +trip in the <i>Space Scourge</i>, too?"</p> + +<p>Spasso would, very decidedly. +Trask nodded.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Good. Then we'll be sure nothing +crooked is pulled," he said seriously.</p> + +<p>After Spasso was gone, he got in +touch with Baron Rathmore.</p> + +<p>"See to it that he gets as much +money that's due him as possible, +when you get to Gram. And ask +Duke Angus, as a favor to give him +some meaningless position with a +suitably impressive title, Lord Chamberlain +of the Ducal Washroom, or +something. Then he can prime him +with misinformation and give him +an opportunity to sell it to Omfray of +Glaspyth. Then, of course, he could +be contacted to sell Omfray out to +Angus. A couple of times around +and somebody'll stick a knife in him, +and then we'll be rid of him for +good."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>They loaded the <i>Space Scourge</i> +with gold from Stolgoland, and +paintings and statues from the art +museums and fabrics and furs and +jewels and porcelains and plate from +the markets of Eglonsby. They loaded +sacks and kegs of specie from Khepera. +Most of the Khepera loot +wasn't worth hauling to Gram, but it +was far enough in advance of their +own technologies to be priceless to +the Tanith locals.</p> + +<p>Some of these were learning simple +machine operations, and a few +were able to handle contragravity +vehicles that had been fitted with +adequate safety devices. The former +slave guards had all become sergeants +and lieutenants in an infantry +regiment that had been formed, and +the King of Tradetown borrowed +some to train his own army. Some +genius in the machine shop altered +a matchlock musket to flintlock and +showed the local gunsmiths how to +do it.</p> + +<p>The kreggs continued to thrive, +after the <i>Space Scourge</i> departed. +Several calves were born, and seemed +to be doing well; the biochemistry of +Tanith and Khepera were safely +alike. Trask had hopes for them. Every +Viking ship had its own carniculture vats, +but men tired of carniculture meat, +and fresh meat was always +in demand. Some day, he +hoped, kregg-beef would be an item +of sale to ships putting in on Tanith, +and the long-haired hides might even +find a market in the Sword-Worlds. +They had contragravity scows plying +between Rivington and Tradetown +regularly, now, and air-lorries were +linking the villages. The boatmen +of Tradetown rioted occasionally +against this unfair competition. And +in Rivington itself, bulldozers and +power shovels and manipulators labored, +and there was always a rising +cloud of dust over the city.</p> + +<p>There was so much to do, and only +a trifle under twenty-five Galactic +Standard hours in a day to do it. +There were whole days in which he +never thought once of Andray Dunnan.</p> + +<p>A hundred and twenty-five days to +Gram, and a hundred and twenty-five +days back. They had long ago passed. +Of course, there would be the work +of repairing the <i>Space Scourge</i>, the +conferences with the investors in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> +original Tanith Adventure, the business +of gathering the needed equipment +for the new base. Even so, he +was beginning to worry a little. Worry +about something as far out of his +control as the <i>Space Scourge</i> was useless, +he knew. He couldn't help it, +though. Even Harkaman, usually imperturbable, +began to be fretful, after +two hundred and seventy days had +passed.</p> + +<p>They were relaxing in the living +quarters they had fitted out at the top +of the spaceport building before retiring, +both sprawled wearily in +chairs that had come from one of the +better hotels of Eglonsby, their +drinks between them on a low table, +the top of which was inlaid with +something that looked like ivory but +wasn't. On the floor beside it lay the +plans for a reaction-plant and mass-energy +converter they would build as +soon as the <i>Space Scourge</i> returned +with equipment for producing collapsium-plated +shielding.</p> + +<p>"Of course, we could go ahead +with it, now," Harkaman said. "We +could tear enough armor off the <i>Lamia</i> +to shield any kind of a reaction +plant."</p> + +<p>That was the first time either of +them had gotten close to the possibility +that the ship mightn't return. +Trask laid his cigar in the ashtray—it +had come from President Pedrosan +Pedro's private office—and splashed +a little more brandy into his glass.</p> + +<p>"She'll be coming before long. We +have enough of our people aboard to +make sure nobody else tries to take +the ship. And I really believe, now, +that Valkanhayn can be trusted."</p> + +<p>"I do, too. I'm not worried about +what might happen on the ship. But +we don't know what's been happening +on Gram. Glaspyth and Didreksburg +could have teamed up and +jumped Wardshaven before Duke +Angus was ready to invade Glaspyth. +Boake might be landing the ship in +a trap at Wardshaven."</p> + +<p>"Be a sorry looking trap after it +closed on him. That would be the +first time in history that a Sword-World +was raided by Space Vikings." +Harkaman looked at his half-empty +glass, then filled it to the top. It was +the same drink he had started with, +just as a regiment that has been decimated +and recruited up to strength +a few times is still the same regiment.</p> + +<p>The buzz of the communication +screen—one of the few things in the +room that hadn't been looted +somewhere—interrupted him. They both +rose; Harkaman, still carrying his +drink, went to put it on. It was a +man on duty in the control room, +overhead, reporting that two emergences +had just been detected at +twenty light-minutes due north of +the planet. Harkaman gulped his +drink and set down the empty glass.</p> + +<p>"All right. You put out a general +alert? Switch anything that comes in +over to this screen." He got out his +pipe and was packing tobacco into it +mechanically. "They'll be out of the +last microjump and about two light-seconds +away in a few minutes."</p> + +<p>Trask sat down again, saw that his +cigarette had burned almost to the +tip, and lit a fresh one from it, wish<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span>ing +he could be as calm about it as +Harkaman. Three minutes later, the +control tower picked up two emergences +at a light-second and a half, a +thousand or so miles apart. Then the +screen flickered, and Boake Valkanhayn +was looking out of it, from the +desk in the newly refurbished command +room of the <i>Space Scourge</i>.</p> + +<p>He was a newly refurbished Boake +Valkanhayn, too. His heavily braided +captain's jacket looked like the work +of one of the better tailors on Gram, +and on the breast was a large and +ornate knight's star, of unfamiliar +design, bearing, among other things, +the sword and atom-symbol of the +house of Ward.</p> + +<p>"Prince Trask; Count Harkaman," +he greeted. "<i>Space Scourge</i>, Tanith; +thirty-two hundred hours out of +Wardshaven on Gram, Baron Valkanhayn +commanding, accompanied +by chartered freighter <i>Rozinante</i>, +Durendal, Captain Morbes. Requesting +permission and instructions to +orbit in."</p> + +<p>"Baron Valkanhayn?" Harkaman +asked.</p> + +<p>"That's right," Valkanhayn +grinned. "And I have a vellum scroll +the size of a blanket to prove it. I +have a whole cargo of scrolls. One +says you're Otto, Count Harkaman, +and another says you're Admiral of +the Royal Navy of Gram." +<!--"Royal Mardukan Navy" in original.--></p> + +<p>"He did it!" Trask cried. "He +made himself King of Gram!"</p> + +<p>"That's right. And you're his trusty +and well-loved Lucas, Prince Trask, +and Viceroy of his Majesty's Realm +of Tanith."</p> + +<p>Harkaman bristled at that. "The +Gehenna you say. This is <i>our</i> Realm +of Tanith."</p> + +<p>"Is his Majesty making it worth +while to accept his sovereignty?" +Trask asked. "That is, beside vellum +scrolls?"</p> + +<p>Valkanhayn was still grinning. +"Wait till we start sending cargo +down. And wait till you see what's +crammed into the other ship."</p> + +<p>"Did Spasso come back with you?" +Harkaman asked.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no. Sir Garvan Spasso entered +the service of his Majesty, +King Angus. He is Chief of Police +at Glaspyth, now, and nobody can +call what he's doing there chicken-stealing, +either. Any chickens he +steals, he steals the whole farm to get +them."</p> + +<p>That didn't sound good. Spasso +could make King Angus' name stink +all over Glaspyth. Or maybe he'd allow +Spasso to crush the adherents of +Omfray, and then hang him for his +oppression of the people. He'd read +about somebody who'd done something +like that, in one of Harkaman's +Old Terran history books.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>Baron Rathmore had stayed on +Gram; so had Rolve Hemmerding. +The rest of the gentlemen-adventurers, +all with shiny new titles of +nobility, had returned. From them, +as the two ships were getting into +orbit, he learned what had happened +on Gram since the <i>Nemesis</i> had +spaced out.</p> + +<p>Duke Angus had announced his +intention of carrying on with the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> +Tanith Adventure, and had started +construction of a new ship at the +Gorram yards. This had served plausibly +to explain all the activities of +preparation for the invasion of +Glaspyth, and had deceived Duke +Omfray completely. Omfray had already +started a ship of his own; the +entire resources of his duchy were +thrown into an effort to get her finished +and to space ahead of the one +Angus was building. Work was going +on frantically on her when the +Wardshaven invaders hit Glaspyth; +she was now nearing completion as a +unit of the Royal Navy. Duke Omfray +had managed to escape to Didreksburg; +when Angus' troops +moved in on the latter duchy, he had +escaped again, this time off-planet. +He was now eating the bitter bread +of exile at the court of his wife's +uncle, the King of Haulteclere.</p> + +<p>The Count of Newhaven, the +Duke of Bigglersport, and the Lord +of Northport, all of whom had favored +the establishment of a planetary +monarchy, had immediately acknowledged +Angus as their sovereign. +So, with a knife at his throat, +had the Duke of Didreksburg. Many +other feudal magnates had refused to +surrender their sovereignty. That +might mean fighting, but Paytrik, +now Baron, Morland, doubted it.</p> + +<p>"The <i>Space Scourge</i> stopped that," +he said. "When they heard about the +base here, and saw what we'd shipped +to Gram, they started changing their +minds. Only subjects of King Angus +will be allowed to invest in the Tanith +Adventure."</p> + +<p>As for accepting King Angus' annexation +of Tanith and accepting his +sovereignty, that would also be advisable. +They would need a Sword +World outlet for the loot they took +or obtained by barter from other +Space Vikings, and until they had +adequate industries of their own, they +would be dependent on Gram for +many things which could not be gotten +by raiding.</p> + +<p>"I suppose the King knows I'm +not out here for my health, or his +profit?" he asked Lord Valpry, during +one of the screen conversations as +the <i>Space Scourge</i> was getting into +orbit. "My business out here is Andray +Dunnan."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes," the Wardshaven noble +replied. "In fact, he told me, in so +many words, that he would be most +happy if you sent him his nephew's +head in a block of lucite. What Dunnan +did touched his honor, too. Sovereign +princes never see any humor +in things like that."</p> + +<p>"I suppose he knows that sooner or +later Dunnan will try to attack Tanith?"</p> + +<p>"If he doesn't, it isn't because I +didn't tell him often enough. When +you see the defense armament we're +bringing, you'll think he does."</p> + +<p>It was impressive, but nothing to +the engineering and industrial equipment. +Mining robots for use on the +iron Moon of Tanith, and normal-space +transports for the fifty thousand +mile run between planet and +satellite. A collapsed-matter producer; +now they could collapsium-plate +their own shielding. A small, fully<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> +robotic, steel mill that could be set +up and operated on the satellite. Industrial +robots, and machinery to +make machinery. And, best of all, +two hundred engineers and highly +skilled technicians.</p> + +<p>Quite a few industrial baronies on +Gram would realize, before long, +what they had lost in those men. He +wondered what Lord Trask of Traskon +would have thought about that.</p> + +<p>The Prince of Tanith was no longer +interested in what happened to +Gram. Maybe, if things prospered +for the next century or so, his successors +would be ruling Gram by +viceroy from Tanith.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XV" id="XV"></a>XV</h2> + + +<p>As soon as the <i>Space Scourge</i> was +unloaded, she was put on off-planet +watch; Harkaman immediately +spaced out in the <i>Nemesis</i>, while +Trask remained behind. They began +unloading the <i>Rozinante</i>, after setting +her down at Rivington Spaceport. +After that was done, her officers +and crew took a holiday which lasted +a month, until the <i>Nemesis</i> returned. +Harkaman must have made quick +raids on half a dozen planets. None +of the cargo he brought back was +spectacularly valuable, and he dismissed +the whole thing as chicken-stealing, +but he had lost some men +and the ship showed a few fresh +scars. A good deal of what was transshipped +to the <i>Rozinante</i> was manufactured +goods which would compete +with merchandise produced on Gram.</p> + +<p>"That load will be a come-down, +after what the <i>Space Scourge</i> took +back, but we didn't want to send the +<i>Rozinante</i> back empty," he said. +"One thing, I had time to do a little +reading, between stops."</p> + +<p>"The books from the Eglonsby library?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. I learned a curious thing +about Amaterasu. Do you know why +that planet was so extensively colonized +by the Federation, when there +don't seem to be any fissionable ores? +The planet produced gadolinium."</p> + +<p>Gadolinium was essential to hyperdrive +engines; the engines of a ship +the size of the <i>Nemesis</i> required +fifty pounds of it. On the Sword-Worlds, +it was worth several times +its weight in gold. If they still mined +it, Amaterasu would repay a second +visit.</p> + +<p>When he mentioned it, Harkaman +shrugged. "Why should they mine +it? There's only one thing it's good +for, and you can't run a spaceship on +Diesel oil. I suppose the mines could +be reopened, and new refineries built, +but...."</p> + +<p>"We could trade plutonium for +gadolinium. They have none of their +own. We could charge our own +prices for it, and we wouldn't need +to tell them what gadolinium sells +for on the Sword-Worlds."</p> + +<p>"We could, if we could do business +with anybody there, after what +we did to Eglonsby and Stolgoland. +Where would we get plutonium?"</p> + +<p>"Why do you think the Beowulfers +don't have hyperships, when they +have everything else?"</p> + +<p>Harkaman snapped his fingers.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> +"By Satan, that's it!" Then he looked +at Trask in alarm. "Hey, you're not +thinking of selling Amaterasu plutonium +and Beowulf gadolinium, are +you?"</p> + +<p>"Why not? We could make a big +profit on both ends of the deal."</p> + +<p>"You know what would happen +next, don't you? There'd be ships +from both planets all over the place +in a few years. We want that like we +want a hole in the head."</p> + +<p>He couldn't see the objection. Tanith +and Amaterasu and Beowulf +could work up a very good triangular +trade; all three would profit. It +wouldn't cost men and ship-damage +and ammunition, either. Maybe a +mutual defense alliance, too. Think +about it later; there was too much to +do here on Tanith at present.</p> + +<p>There had been mines on the +Moon of Tanith before the collapse +of the Federation; they had been +stripped of their equipment afterward, +while Tanith was still fighting +a rearguard battle against barbarism, +but the underground chambers and +man-made caverns could still be +used, and in time the mines were reopened +and the steel mill put in, and +eventually ingots of finished steel +were coming down by shuttle-craft. +In the meantime, the shipyard had +been laid out and was taking shape.</p> + +<p>The Gram ship <i>Queen Flavia</i>—she +had been the one found unfinished +at Glaspyth—came in three +months after the <i>Rozinante</i> started +back; she must have been finished +while Valkanhayn was still in hyperspace. +She carried considerable cargo, +some of it superfluous but all of it +useful; everybody was investing in +the Tanith Adventure now, and the +money had to be spent for something. +Better, she brought close to a +thousand men and women; the leakage +of brains and ability from the +Sword-Worlds was turning into a +flood. Among them was Basil Gorram. +Trask remembered him as an +insufferable young twerp, but he +seemed to be a good shipyard man. +He very frankly predicted that in a +few years his father's yards at Wardshaven +would be idle and all the Tanith +ships would be Tanith-built. A +junior partner of Lothar Ffayle's also +came out, to establish a branch of the +Bank of Wardshaven at Rivington.</p> + +<p>As soon as the <i>Queen Flavia</i> had +discharged her cargo and passengers, +she took on five hundred ground-fighters +from the <i>Lamia</i>, <i>Nemesis</i> +and <i>Space Scourge</i> companies and +spaced out on a raiding voyage. +While she was gone, the second +ship, the one Duke Angus had started +at Wardshaven and King Angus had +finished, the <i>Black Star</i>, came in.</p> + +<p>Trask was slightly incredulous at +realizing that she had spaced out +from Gram almost exactly two years +after the <i>Nemesis</i> had departed. He +still hadn't any idea where Andray +Dunnan was, or what he was doing, +or how to find him.</p> + +<p>The news of the Gram base on +Tanith spread slowly, first by the +scheduled liners and tramp freighters +that linked the Sword-Worlds, and +then by trading ships and outbound +Space Vikings to the Old Federation.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> +Two years and six months after the +<i>Nemesis</i> had come out of hyperspace +to find Boake Valkanhayn and +Garvan Spasso on Tanith, the first +independent Space Viking came in, +to sell a cargo and get repairs. They +bought his loot—he had been raiding +some planet rather above the +level of Khepera and below that of +Amaterasu—and healed the wounds +his ship had taken getting it. He had +been dealing with the Everrard family +on Hoth, and professed himself +much more satisfied with the bargains +he had gotten on Tanith and +swore to return.</p> + +<p>He had never even heard of Andray +Dunnan or the <i>Enterprise</i>.</p> + +<p>It was a Gilgamesher that brought +the first news.</p> + +<p>He had first heard of Gilgameshers—the +word was used indiscriminately +for a native of or a ship from Gilgamesh—on +Gram, from Harkaman +and Karffard and Vann Larch and +the others. Since coming to Tanith, +he had heard about them from every +Space Viking, never in complimentary +and rarely in printable terms.</p> + +<p>Gilgamesh was rated, with reservations, +as a civilized planet though not +on a level with Odin or Isis or Baldur +or Marduk or Aton or any of the other +worlds which had maintained the +culture of the Terran Federation uninterruptedly. +Perhaps Gilgamesh deserved +more credit; its people had +undergone two centuries of darkness +and pulled themselves out of it +by their bootstraps. They had recovered +all the old techniques, up to and +including the hyperdrive.</p> + +<p>They didn't raid; they traded. They +had religious objections to violence, +though they kept these within sensible +limits, and were able and willing +to fight with fanatical ferocity in defense +of their home planet. About a +century before, there had been a five-ship +Viking raid on Gilgamesh; one +ship had returned and had been sold +for scrap after reaching a friendly +base. Their ships went everywhere +to trade, and wherever they traded a +few of them usually settled, and +where they settled they made money, +sending most of it home. Their society +seemed to be a loose theo-socialism, +and their religion an absurd +potpourri of most of the major +monotheisms of the Federation period, +plus doctrinal and ritualistic innovations +of their own. Aside from +their propensity for sharp trading, +their bigoted refusal to regard anybody +not of their creed as more than +half human, and the maze of dietary +and other taboos in which they hid +from social contact with others, made +them generally disliked.</p> + +<p>After their ship had gotten into +orbit, three of them came down to do +business. The captain and his exec +wore long coats, almost knee-length, +buttoned to the throat, and small +white caps like forage caps; the +third, one of their priests, wore a +robe with a cowl, and the symbol of +their religion, a blue triangle in a +white circle, on his breast. They all +wore beards that hung down from +their cheeks, with their chins and +upper lips shaved. They all had the +same righteous, disapproving faces,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> +they all refused refreshments of any +sort, and they sat uneasily as though +fearing contamination from the heathens +who had sat in their chairs before +them. They had a mixed cargo +of general merchandise picked up +here and there on subcivilized planets, +in which nobody on Tanith was +interested. They also had some good +stuff—vegetable-amber and flame-bird +plumes from Irminsul; ivory or +something very like it from somewhere +else; diamonds and Uller organic +opals and Zarathustra sunstones. +They also had some platinum. +They wanted machinery, especially +contragravity engines and robots.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image071.jpg" width="600" height="877" + alt="Dealing with Gilgamesher" title="Dealing with Gilgamesher" /> +</div> + +<p>The trouble was, they wanted to +haggle. Haggling, it seemed, +was the Gilgamesh +planetary sport.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Have you ever heard of a Space +Viking ship named the <i>Enterprise</i>?" +he asked them, at the seventh or +eighth impasse in the bargaining. +"She bears a crescent, light blue on +black. Her captain's name is Andray +Dunnan."</p> + +<p>"A ship so named, with such a device, +raided Chermosh more than a +year ago," the priest-supercargo said. +"Some of our people tarry on Chermosh +to trade. This ship sacked the +city in which they were; some of +them lost heavily in world's goods."</p> + +<p>"That's a pity."</p> + +<p>The Gilgamesh priest shrugged. +"It is as Yah the Almighty wills," he +said, then brightened slightly. "The +Chermoshers are heathens and worshipers +of false gods. The Space Vikings +looted their temple and destroyed +it utterly; they carried away +the graven images and abominations. +Our people bore witness that there +was much wailing and lamentation +among the idolators."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>So that was the first entry on the +Big Board. It covered, optimistically, +the whole of one wall in his office, +and for some time that one chalked +note about the raid on Chermosh, +and the date, as nearly as it could be +approximated, looked very lonely on +it. The captain of the <i>Black Star</i> +brought back material for a couple +more. He had put in on several planets +known to be temporarily occupied +by Space Vikings, to barter +loot, give his men some time off-ship, +and make inquiries, and he had +names for a couple of planets raided +by the blue crescent ship. One was +only six months old.</p> + +<p>The way news filtered about in the +Old Federation, that was practically +hot off the stove.</p> + +<p>The owner-captain of the <i>Alborak</i> +had something to add, when he +brought his ship in six months later. +He sipped his drink slowly, as though +he had limited himself to one and +wanted to make it last as long as possible.</p> + +<p>"Almost two years ago, on Jagannath," +he said. "The <i>Enterprise</i> was +on orbit there, getting some light repairs. +I met the man a few times. +Looks just like those pictures, but +he's wearing a small pointed beard, +now. He'd sold a lot of loot. General +merchandise, precious and semiprecious +stones, a lot of carved and inlaid +furniture that looked as though +it had come from some Neobarb +king's palace, and some temple +stuff. Buddhist; there were a couple +of big gold Dai-Butsus. His crew +were standing drinks for all comers. +Some of them were pretty dark above +the collar, as though they'd been on +a hot-star planet not too long before. +And he had a lot of Imhotep furs to +sell, simply fabulous stuff."</p> + +<p>"What kind of repairs? Combat +damage?"</p> + +<p>"That was my impression. He +spaced out a little over a hundred +hours after I came in, in company +with another ship. The <i>Starhopper</i>, +Captain Teodor Vaghn. The talk was +that they were making a two-ship +raid somewhere." The captain of the +<i>Alborak</i> thought for a moment. "One +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> +other thing. He was buying ammunition, +everything from pistol cartridges +to hellburners. And he was +buying all the air-and-water recycling +equipment, and all the carniculture +and hydroponic equipment, he could +get."</p> + +<p>That was something to know. He +thanked the Space Viking, and then +asked:</p> + +<p>"Did he know, at the time, that +I'm out here hunting for him?"</p> + +<p>"If he did, nobody else on Jagannath +did. I didn't hear about it, myself, +till six months afterward."</p> + +<p>That evening, he played off the +recording he had made of the conversation +for Harkaman and Valkanhayn +and Karffard and some of the +others. Somebody instantly said:</p> + +<p>"That temple stuff came from +Chermosh. They're Buddhists, there. +That checks with the Gilgamesher's +story."</p> + +<p>"He got the furs on Imhotep; he +traded for them," Harkaman said. +"Nobody gets anything off Imhotep +by raiding. The planet's in the middle +of a glaciation, the land surface +down to the fiftieth parallel is iced +over solid. There is one city, ten or +fifteen thousand, and the rest of the +population is scattered around in +settlements of a couple of hundred +all along the face of the glaciers. +They're all hunters and trappers. +They have some contragravity, and +when a ship comes in, they spread +the news by radio and everybody +brings his furs to town. They use +telescope sights, and everybody over +ten years old can hit a man in the +head at five hundred yards. And big +weapons are no good; they're too +well dispersed. So the only way to get +anything out of them is to trade for +it."</p> + +<p>"I think I know where he was," +Alvyn Karffard said. "On Imhotep, +silver is a monetary metal. On Agni, +they use silver for sewer-pipe. Agni +is a hot-star planet, class B-3 sun. +And on Agni they are tough, and +they have good weapons. That could +be where the <i>Enterprise</i> took that +combat damage."</p> + +<p>That started an argument as to +whether he'd gone to Chermosh first. +It was sure that he had gone to Agni +and then Imhotep. Guatt Kirbey +tried to figure both courses.</p> + +<p>"It doesn't tell us anything, either +way," he said at length. "Chermosh +is away off to the side from Agni and +Imhotep in either case."</p> + +<p>"Well, he does have a base, somewhere, +and it's not on any Terra-type +planet," Valkanhayn said. "Otherwise, +what would he want with all +that air-and-water and hydroponic +and carniculture stuff?"</p> + +<p>The Old Federation area was full +of non-Terra-type planets, and why +should anybody bother going to any +of them? Any planet that wasn't +oxygen-atmosphere, six to eight thousand +miles in diameter, and within a +narrow surface-temperature range, +wasn't worth wasting time on. But a +planet like that, if one had the survival +equipment, would make a wonderful +hideout.</p> + +<p>"What sort of a captain is this +Teodor Vaghn?" he asked.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span></p> + +<p>"A good one," Harkaman said +promptly. "He has a nasty streak—sadistic—but +he knows his business +and he has a good ship and a well-trained +crew. You think he and +Dunnan have teamed up?"</p> + +<p>"Don't you? I think, now that he +has a base, Dunnan is getting a fleet +together."</p> + +<p>"He'll know we're after him by +now," Vann Larch said. "And he +knows where we are, and that puts +him one up on us."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image080.jpg" width="600" height="877" + alt="The Big Board" title="The Big Board" /> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XVI" id="XVI"></a>XVI</h2> + + +<p>So Andray Dunnan was haunting +him again. Tiny bits of information +came in—Dunnan's ship had been on +Hoth, on Nergal, selling loot. Now +he sold for gold or platinum, and +bought little, usually arms and ammunition. +Apparently his base, +wherever it was, was fully self-sufficient. +It was certain, too, that Dunnan +knew he was being hunted. One +Space Viking who had talked with +him quoted him as saying: "I don't +want any trouble with Trask, and if +he's smart he won't look for any with +me." This made him all the more +positive that somewhere Dunnan +was building strength for an attack +on Tanith. He made it a rule that +there should always be at least two +ships in orbit off Tanith in addition +to the <i>Lamia</i>, which was on permanent +patrol, and he installed more +missile-launching stations both on +the moon and on the planet.</p> + +<p>There were three ships bearing the +Ward swords and atom-symbol, and +a fourth building on Gram. Count +Lionel of Newhaven was building +one of his own, and three big freighters +shuttled across the three thousand +light-years between Tanith and +Gram. Sesar Karvall, who had never +recovered from his wounds, had +died; Lady Lavina had turned the +barony and the business over to her +brother, Burt Sandrasan, and gone to +live on Excalibur. The shipyard at +Rivington was finished, and now +they had built the landing-legs of +Harkaman's <i>Corisande II</i>, and were +putting up the skeleton.</p> + +<p>And they were trading with Amaterasu, +now. Pedrosan Pedro had +been overthrown and put to death by +General Dagró Ector during the disorders +following the looting of Eglonsby; +the troops left behind in +Stolgoland had mutinied and made +common cause with their late enemies. +The two nations were in an uneasy +alliance, with several other nations +combining against them, when +the <i>Nemesis</i> and the <i>Space Scourge</i> +returned and declared peace against +the whole planet. There was no +fighting; everybody knew what had +happened to Stolgoland and Eglonsby. +In the end, all the governments +of Amaterasu joined in a loose agreement +to get the mines reopened and +resume production of gadolinium, +and to share in the fissionables being +imported in exchange.</p> + +<p>It had been harder, and had taken +a year longer, to do business with +Beowulf. The Beowulfers had a single +planetary government, and they +were inclined to shoot first and nego<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span>tiate +afterward, a natural enough attitude +in view of experiences of the +past. However, they had enough old +Federation-period textbooks still in +microprint to know what could be +done with gadolinium. They decided +to write off the past as fair +fight and no bad blood, and start over +again.</p> + +<p>It would be some years before +either planet had hyperships of their +own. In the meantime, both were +good customers, and rapidly becoming +good friends. A number of +young Amaterasuans and Beowulfers +had come to Tanith to study various +technologies.</p> + +<p>The Tanith locals were studying, +too. In the first year, Trask had gathered +the more intelligent boys of ten +to twelve from each community and +begun teaching them. In the past +year, he had sent the most intelligent +of them off to Gram to school. In another +five years, they'd be coming +home to teach; in the meantime, he +was bringing teachers to Tanith from +Gram. There was a school at Tradetown, +and others in some of the larger +villages, and at Rivington there +was something that could almost be +called a college. In another ten years +or so, Tanith would be able to pretend +to the status of civilization.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>If only Andray Dunnan and his +ships didn't come too soon. They +would be beaten off, he was confident +of that; but the damage Tanith +would take, in the defense, would set +back his work for years. He knew all +too well what Space Viking ships +could do to a planet. He'd have to +find Dunnan's base, smash it, destroy +his ships, kill the man himself, first. +Not to avenge that murder six years +ago on Gram; that was long ago and +far away, and Elaine was vanished, +and so was the Lucas Trask who had +loved and lost her. What mattered +now was planting and nurturing civilization +on Tanith.</p> + +<p>But where would he find Dunnan, +in two hundred billion cubic light-years? +Dunnan had no such problem. +He knew where his enemy was.</p> + +<p>And Dunnan was gathering +strength. The <i>Yo-Yo</i>, Captain Vann +Humfort; she had been reported +twice, once in company with the +<i>Starhopper</i>, and once with the <i>Enterprise</i>. +She bore a blazon of a feminine +hand dangling a planet by a +string from one finger; a good ship, +and an able, ruthless captain. The +<i>Bolide</i>; she and the <i>Enterprise</i> had +made a raid on Ithunn. The Gilgameshers +had settled there and one of +their ships had brought that story in.</p> + +<p>And he recruited two ships at once +on Melkarth, and there was a good +deal of mirth about that among the +Tanith Space Vikings.</p> + +<p>Melkarth was strictly a poultry +planet. Its people had sunk to the +village-peasant level; they had no +wealth worth taking or carrying +away. It was, however, a place where +a ship could be set down, and there +were women, and the locals had not +lost the art of distillation, and made +potent liquors. A crew could have +fun there, much less expensively +than on a regular Viking base planet, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> +and for the last eight years a Captain +Nial Burrik, of the <i>Fortuna</i>, had been +occupying it, taking his ship out for +occasional quick raids and spending +most of the time living from day to +day almost on the local level. Once in +a while, a Gilgamesher would come +in to see if he had anything to trade. +It was a Gilgamesher who brought +the story to Tanith, and it was almost +two years old when he told it.</p> + +<p>"We heard it from the people of +the planet, the ones who live where +Burrik had his base. First, there was +a trading ship came in. You may +have heard of her; she is the one +called the <i>Honest Horris</i>."</p> + +<p>Trask laughed at that. Her captain, +Horris Sasstroff, called himself +"Honest Horris," a misnomer which +he had also bestowed on his ship. +He was a trader of sorts. Even the +Gilgameshers despised him, and not +even a Gilgamesher would have taken +a wretched craft like the <i>Honest +Horris</i> to space.</p> + +<p>"He had been to Melkarth before," +the Gilgamesher said. "He and Burrik +are friends." He pronounced that +like a final and damning judgment of +both of them. "The story the locals +told our brethren of the <i>Fairdealer</i> +was that the <i>Honest Horris</i> was +landed beside Burrik's ship for ten +days, when two other ships came in. +They said one had the blue crescent +badge, and the other bore a green +monster leaping from one star to +another."</p> + +<p>The <i>Enterprise</i> and the <i>Starhopper</i>. +He wondered why they'd gone +to a planet like Melkarth. Maybe +they knew in advance whom they'd +find there.</p> + +<p>"The locals thought there would +be fighting, but there was not. There +was a great feast, of all four crews. +Then everything of value was loaded +aboard the <i>Fortuna</i>, and all four ships +lifted and spaced out together. They +said Burrik left nothing of any +worth whatever behind; they were +much disappointed at that."</p> + +<p>"Have any of them been back +since?"</p> + +<p>All three Gilgameshers, captain, +exec, and priest, shook their heads.</p> + +<p>"Captain Gurrash of the <i>Fairdealer</i> +said it had been over a year before +his ship put in there. He could still +see where the landing legs of the +ships had pressed into the ground, +but the locals said they had not been +back."</p> + +<p>That made two more ships about +which inquiries must be made. He +wondered, for a moment, why in +Gehenna Dunnan would want ships +like that; they must make the <i>Space +Scourge</i> and the <i>Lamia</i> as he had +first seen them look like units of the +Royal Navy of Excalibur. Then he +became frightened, with an irrational +retrospective fright at what might +have happened. It could have, too, at +any time in the last year and a half; +either or both of those ships could +have come in on Tanith completely +unsuspected. It was only by the sheerest +accident that he had found out, +even now, about them.</p> + +<p>Everybody else thought it was a +huge joke. They thought it would be +a bigger joke if Dunnan sent those +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> +ships to Tanith now, when they were +warned and ready for them.</p> + +<p>There were other things to worry +about. One was the altering attitude +of his Majesty Angus I. When the +<i>Space Scourge</i> returned, the newly-titled +Baron Valkanhayn brought +with him, along with the princely +title and the commission as Viceroy +of Tanith, a most cordial personal +audiovisual greeting, warm and +friendly. Angus had made it seated +at his desk, bare headed and smoking +a cigarette. The one which had come +on the next ship out was just as cordial, +but the King was not smoking +and wore a small gold-circled cap-of-maintenance. +By the time they had +three ships in service on scheduled +three-month arrivals, a year and a +half later, he was speaking from his +throne, wearing his crown and employing +the first person plural for +himself and finally the third person +singular for Trask. By the end of the +fourth year, there was no audiovisual +message from him in person, and a +stiff complaint from Rovard Grauffis +to the effect that His Majesty felt it +unseemly for a subject to address his +sovereign while seated, even by audiovisual. +This was accompanied by +a rather apologetic personal message +from Grauffis—now Prime Minister—to +the effect that His Majesty felt +compelled to stand on his royal dignity +at all times, and that, after all, +there was a difference between the +position and dignity of the Duke of +Wardshaven and that of the Planetary +King of Gram.</p> + +<p>Prince Trask of Tanith couldn't +quite see it. The King was simply +the first nobleman of the planet. +Even kings like Rodolf of Excalibur +or Napolyon of Flamberge didn't +try to be anything more. Thereafter, +he addressed his greetings and reports +to the Prime Minister, always +with a personal message, to which +Grauffis replied in kind.</p> + +<p>Not only the form but also the +content of the messages from Gram +underwent change. His Majesty was +most dissatisfied. His Majesty was +deeply disappointed. His Majesty felt +that His Majesty's colonial realm of +Tanith was not contributing sufficiently +to the Royal Exchequer. +And his Majesty felt that Prince +Trask was placing entirely too much +emphasis upon trade and not enough +upon raiding; after all, why barter +with barbarians when it was possible +to take what you wanted from them +by force?</p> + +<p>And there was the matter of the +<i>Blue Comet</i>, Count Lionel of Newhaven's +ship. His Majesty was most +displeased that the Count of Newhaven +was trading with Tanith from +his own spaceport. All goods from +Tanith should pass through the +Wardshaven spaceport.</p> + +<p>"Look, Rovard," he told the audiovisual +camera which was recording +his reply to Grauffis. "You saw the +<i>Space Scourge</i> when she came in, +didn't you? That's what happens to a +ship that raids a planet where there's +anything worth taking. Beowulf is +lousy with fissionables; they'll give us +all the plutonium we can load, in exchange +for gadolinium, which we sell +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> +them at about twice Sword-World +prices. We trade plutonium on Amaterasu +for gadolinium, and get it for +about half Sword-World prices." He +pressed the stop-button, until he +could remember the ancient formula. +"You may quote me as saying +that whoever has advised His Majesty +that that isn't good business is no +friend to His Majesty or to the +Realm.</p> + +<p>"As for the complaint about the +<i>Blue Comet</i>; as long as she is owned +and operated by the Count of Newhaven, +who is a stockholder in the +Tanith Adventure, she has every +right to trade here."</p> + +<p>He wondered why His Majesty +didn't stop Lionel of Newhaven +from sending the <i>Blue Comet</i> out +from Gram. He found out from her +skipper, the next time she came in.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>"He doesn't dare, that's why. He's +King as long as the great lords like +Count Lionel and Joris of Bigglersport +and Alan of Northport want him +to be. Count Lionel has more men +and more guns and contragravity +than he has, now, and that's without +the help he'd get from everybody +else. Everything's quiet on Gram +now, even the war on Southmain +Continent's stopped. Everybody +wants to keep it that way. Even +King Angus isn't crazy enough to do +anything to start a war. Not yet, anyhow."</p> + +<p>"Not <i>yet</i>?"</p> + +<p>The captain of the <i>Blue Comet</i>, +who was one of Count Lionel's vassal +barons, was silent for a moment.</p> + +<p>"You ought to know, Prince Trask," +he said. "Andray Dunnan's grandmother +was the King's mother. Her +father was old Baron Zarvas of +Blackcliffe. He was what was called +an invalid, the last twenty years of +his life. He was always attended by +two male nurses about the size of +Otto Harkaman. He was also said +to be slightly eccentric."</p> + +<p>The unfortunate grandfather of +Duke Angus had always been a subject +nice people avoided. The unfortunate +grandfather of King Angus +was probably a subject everybody +who valued their necks avoided.</p> + +<p>Lothar Ffayle had also come out on +the <i>Blue Comet</i>. He was just as outspoken.</p> + +<p>"I'm not going back. I'm transferring +most of the funds of the Bank +of Wardshaven out here; from now +on, it'll be a branch of the Bank of +Tanith. This is where the business is +being done. It's getting impossible +to do business at all in Wardshaven. +What little business there is to do."</p> + +<p>"Just what's been happening?"</p> + +<p>"Well, taxation, first. It seems the +more money came in from here, the +higher taxes got on Gram. Discriminatory +taxes, too; pinched the small +landholding and industrial barons +and favored a few big ones. Baron +Spasso and his crowd."</p> + +<p>"Baron Spasso, now?"</p> + +<p>Ffayle nodded. "Of about half of +Glaspyth. A lot of the Glaspyth barons +lost their baronies—some of +them their heads—after Duke Omfray +was run out. It seems there was +a plot against the life of His Majesty.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> +It was exposed by the zeal and vigilance +of Sir Garvan Spasso, who was +elevated to the peerage and rewarded +with the lands of the conspirators."</p> + +<p>"You said business was bad, as +business?"</p> + +<p>Ffayle nodded again. "The big Tanith +boom has busted. It got oversold; +everybody wanted in on it. And +they should never have built those +two last ships, the <i>Speedwell</i> and the +<i>Goodhope</i>; the return on them didn't +justify it. Then, you're creating your +own industries and building your +own equipment and armament here; +that's caused a slump in industry on +Gram. I'm glad Lavina Karvall has +enough money invested to live on. +And finally, the consumers' goods +market is getting flooded with stuff +that's coming in from here and competing +with Gram industry."</p> + +<p>Well, that was understandable. +One of the ships that made the shuttle-trip +to Gram would carry enough +in her strong rooms, in gold and +jewels and the like, to pay a handsome +profit on the voyage. The bulk-goods +that went into the cargo holds +was practically taking a free ride, so +anything on hand, stuff that nobody +would ordinarily think of shipping +in interstellar trade, went aboard. A +two thousand foot freighter had a +great deal of cargo space.</p> + +<p>Baron Trask of Traskon hadn't +even begun to realise what Tanith +base was going to cost Gram.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 750px;"> +<img src="images/image089-90.jpg" width="750" height="403" + alt="" title="" /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XVII" id="XVII"></a><!--Beginning of 3rd installment.-->XVII</h2> + + +<p>As might be expected, the Beowulfers +finished their hypership +first. They had started with everything +but a little know-how which +had been quickly learned. Amaterasu +had had to begin by creating +the industry they needed to create +the industry they needed to build a +ship. The Beowulf ship—she was +named <i>Viking's Gift</i>—came in on +Tanith five and a half years after +the <i>Nemesis</i> and the <i>Space Scourge</i> +had raided Beowulf; her skipper +had fought a normal-drive ship in +that battle. Beside plutonium and +radioactive isotopes, she carried a +general cargo of the sort of luxury-goods +unique to Beowulf which +could always find a market in interstellar +trade.</p> + +<p>After selling the cargo and depositing +the money in the Bank of +Tanith, the skipper of the <i>Viking's +Gift</i> wanted to know where he +could find a good planet to raid. +They gave him a list, none too +tough but all slightly above the +chicken-stealing level, and another +list of planets he was <i>not</i> to raid; +planets with which Tanith was +trading.</p> + +<p>Six months later they learned +that he had showed up on Khepera, +with which they were now trading, +and had flooded the market there +with plundered textiles, hardware, +ceramics and plastics. He had +bought kregg-meat and hides.</p> + +<p>"You see what you did, now?" +Harkaman clamored. "You thought +you were making a customer; what +you made was a competitor."</p> + +<p>"What I made was an ally. If we +ever do find Dunnan's planet, we'll +need a fleet to take it. A couple of +Beowulf ships would help. You +know them; you fought them, +too."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span></p> + +<p>Harkaman had other worries. +While cruising in <i>Corisande II</i>, he +had come in on Vitharr, one of the +planets where Tanith ships traded, +to find it being raided by a Space +Viking ship based on Xochitl. He +had fought a short but furious ship-action, +battering the invader until +he was glad to hyper out. Then he +had gone directly to Xochitl, arriving +on the heels of the ship he had +beaten, and had had it out both +with the captain and Prince Viktor, +serving them with an ultimatum to +leave Tanith trade-planets alone in +the future.</p> + +<p>"How did they take it?" Trask +asked, when he returned to report.</p> + +<p>"Just about the way you would +have. Viktor said his people were +Space Vikings, not Gilgameshers. +I told him we weren't Gilgameshers, +either, as he'd find out on +Xochitl the next time one of his +ships raided one of our planets. Are +you going to back me up? Of course, +you can always send Prince Viktor +my head, and an apology—"</p> + +<p>"If I have to send him anything, +I'll send him a sky full of ships and +a planet full of hellburners. You did +perfectly right, Otto; exactly what +I'd have done in your place."</p> + +<p>There the matter rested. There +were no more raids by Xochitl ships +on any of their trade-planets. No +mention of the incident was made +in any of the reports sent back to +Gram. The Gram situation was deteriorating +rapidly enough. Finally, +there was an audiovisual message +from Angus himself; he was seated +on his throne, wearing his crown, +and he began speaking from the +screen abruptly:</p> + +<p>"We, Angus, King of Gram and +Tanith, are highly displeased with +our subject, Lucas, Prince and Viceroy +of Tanith; we consider ourselves +very badly served by Prince +Trask. We therefore command him +to return to Gram, and render to us +account of his administration of our +colony and realm of Tanith."</p> + +<p>After some hasty preparations, +Trask recorded a reply. He was +sitting on a throne, himself, and he +wore a crown just as ornate as King +Angus', and robes of white and +black Imhotep furs.</p> + +<p>"We, Lucas, Prince of Tanith," +he began, "are quite willing to +acknowledge the suzerainty of the +King of Gram, formerly Duke of +Wardshaven. It is our earnest desire, +if possible, to remain at peace +and friendship with the King of +Gram, and to carry on trade relations +with him and with his +subjects.</p> + +<p>"We must, however, reject absolutely +any efforts on his part to +dictate the internal policies of our +realm of Tanith. It is our earnest +hope,"—dammit, he'd said "earnest," +he should have thought of +some other word—"that no act on +the part of his Majesty the King of +Gram will create any breach in the +friendship existing between his +realm and ours."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>Three months later, the next ship, +which had left Gram while King<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> +Angus' summons was still in hyperspace, +brought Baron Rathmore. +Shaking hands with him as he left +the landing craft, Trask wanted to +know if he'd been sent out as the +new Viceroy. Rathmore started to +laugh and ended by cursing vilely.</p> + +<p>"No. I've come out to offer my +sword to the King of Tanith," he +said.</p> + +<p>"Prince of Tanith, for the time +being," Trask corrected. "The +sword, however, is most acceptable. +I take it you've had all of our +blessed sovereign you can stomach?"</p> + +<p>"Lucas, you have enough ships +and men here to take Gram," Rathmore +said. "Proclaim yourself King +of Tanith and then lay claim to the +throne of Gram and the whole +planet would rise for you."</p> + +<p>Rathmore had lowered his voice, +but even so the open landing stage +was no place for this sort of talk. +He said so, ordered a couple of the +locals to collect Rathmore's luggage, +and got him into a hall-car, +taking him down to his living quarters. +After they were in private, +Rathmore began again:</p> + +<p>"It's more than anybody can +stand! There isn't one of the old +great nobility he hasn't alienated, +or one of the minor barons, the +landholders and industrialists, the +people who were always the backbone +of Gram. And it goes from +them down to the commonfolk. +Assessments on the lords, taxes on +the people, inflation to meet the +taxes, high prices, debased coinage. +Everybody's being beggared except +this rabble of new lords he has +around him, and that slut of a wife +and her greedy kinfolk...."</p> + +<p>Trask stiffened. "You're not +speaking of Queen Flavia, are you?" +he asked softly.</p> + +<p>Rathmore's mouth opened slightly. +"Great Satan, don't you know? +No, of course not; the news would +have come on the same ship I did. +Why, Angus divorced Flavia. He +claimed that she was incapable of +giving him an heir to the throne. +He remarried immediately."</p> + +<p>The girl's name meant nothing to +Trask; he did know of her father, a +Baron Valdiva. He was lord of a +small estate south of the Ward +lands and west of Newhaven. Most +of his people were out-and-out +bandits and cattle-rustlers, and he +was as close to being one himself +as he could get.</p> + +<p>"Nice family he's married into. +A credit to the dignity of the +throne."</p> + +<p>"Yes. You wouldn't know this +Lady-Demoiselle Evita; she was +only seventeen when you left Gram, +and hadn't begun to acquire a reputation +outside her father's lands. +She's made up for lost time since, +though. And she has enough uncles +and aunts and cousins and ex-lovers +and what-not to fill out an infantry +regiment, and every one of them's +at court with both hands out to +grab everything they can."</p> + +<p>"How does Duke Joris like +this?" The Duke of Bigglersport +was Queen Flavia's brother. "I +daresay he's less than delighted."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span></p> + +<p>"He's hiring mercenaries, is what +he's doing, and buying combat +contragravity. Lucas, why don't +you come back? You have no idea +what a reputation you have on +Gram, now. Everybody would rally +to you."</p> + +<p>He shook his head, "I have a +throne, here on Tanith. On Gram +I want nothing. I'm sorry for the +way Angus turned out, I thought +he'd make a good King. But since +he's made an intolerable King, the +lords and people of Gram will have +to get rid of him for themselves. I +have my own tasks, here."</p> + +<p>Rathmore shrugged. "I was +afraid that would be it," he said. +"Well, I offered my sword; I won't +take it back. I can help you in what +you're doing on Tanith."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>The captain of the free Space Viking +<i>Damnthing</i> was named Roger-fan-Morvill +Esthersan, which +meant that he was some Sword-Worlder's +acknowledged bastard +by a woman of one of the Old Federation +planets. His mother's people +could have been Nergalers; he +had coarse black hair, a mahogany-brown +skin, and red-brown, almost +maroon, eyes. He tasted the wine +the robot poured for him and expressed +appreciation, then began +unwrapping the parcel he had +brought in.</p> + +<p>"Something I found while raiding +on Tetragrammaton," he said. +"I thought you might like to have +it. It was made on Gram."</p> + +<p>It was an automatic pistol, with +a belt and holster. The leather was +bisonoid-hide; the buckle of the +belt was an oval enameled with a +crescent, pale blue on black. The +pistol was a plain 10-mm military +model with grooved plastic grips; +on the receiver it bore the stamp of +the House of Hoylbar, the firearms +manufacturers of Glaspyth. Evidently +it was one of the arms Duke +Omfray had provided for Andray +Dunnan's original mercenary company.</p> + +<p>"Tetragrammaton?" He glanced +over to the Big Board; there was +no previous report from that planet. +"How long ago?"</p> + +<p>"I'd say about three hundred +hours. I came from there directly, +less than two hundred and fifty +hours. Dunnan's ships had left the +planet three days before I got +there."</p> + +<p>That was practically sizzling hot. +Well, something like that had to +happen, sooner or later. The Space +Viking was asking him if he knew +what sort of a place Tetragrammaton +was.</p> + +<p>Neobarbarian, trying to recivilize +in a crude way. Small population, +concentrated on one continent; +farming and fisheries. A little heavy +industry, in a small way, at a couple +of towns. They had some nuclear +power, introduced a century or so +ago by traders from Marduk, one +of the really civilized planets. They +still depended on Marduk for fissionables; +their export product was +an abominably-smelling vegetable<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> +oil which furnished the base for +delicate perfumes, and which nobody +was ever able to synthesize +properly.</p> + +<p>"I heard they had steel mills in +operation, now," the half-breed +Space Viking said. "It seems that +somebody on Rimmon has just re-invented +the railroad, and they +need more steel than they can produce +for themselves. I thought I'd +raid Tetragrammaton for steel and +trade it on Rimmon for a load of +heaven-tea. When I got there, +though, the whole planet was in a +mess; not raiding, but plain wanton +destruction. The locals were just +digging themselves out of it when I +landed. Some of them, who didn't +think they had anything at all left +to lose, gave me a fight. I captured +a few of them, to find out what had +happened. One of them had that +pistol; he said he'd taken it off a +Space Viking he'd killed. The ships +that raided them were the <i>Enterprise</i> +and the <i>Yo-Yo</i>. I knew you'd +want to hear about it. I got some +of the locals' stories on tape."</p> + +<p>"Well, thank you. I'll want to +hear those tapes. Now, you say +you want steel?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I haven't any money. +That's why I was going to raid +Tetragrammaton."</p> + +<p>"Nifflheim with the money; your +cargo's paid for already. This," he +said, touching the pistol, "and +whatever's on the tapes."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image096.jpg" width="600" height="506" + alt="Dealing with Roger-fan-Morvill Esthersan" + title="Dealing with Roger-fan-Morvill Esthersan" /> +</div> + +<p>They played off the tapes that +evening. They weren't particularly +informative. The locals who had +been interrogated hadn't been in +actual contact with Dunnan's people +except in combat. The man who +had been carrying the 10-mm Hoylbar +was the best witness of the lot, +and he knew little. He had caught +one of them alone, shot him from +behind with a shotgun, taken his +pistol, and then gotten away as +quickly as he could. They had sent +down landing craft, it seemed, and +said they wanted to trade; then +something must have happened, +nobody knew what, and they had +begun a massacre and sacked the +town. After returning to their +ships, they had opened fire with +nuclear missiles.</p> + +<p>"Sounds like Dunnan," Hugh +Rathmore said in disgust. "He just +went kill-crazy. The bad blood of +Blackcliffe."</p> + +<p>"There are funny things about +this," Boake Valkanhayn said. +"I'd say it was a terror-raid, but +who in Gehenna was he trying to +terrorize?"</p> + +<p>"I wondered about that, too." +Harkaman frowned. "This town +where he landed seems, such as it +was, to have been the planetary +capital. They just landed, pretending +friendship, which I can't see +why they needed to pretend, and +then began looting and massacring. +There wasn't anything of real value +there; all they took was what the +men could carry themselves or stuff +into their landing craft, and they +did that because they have what +amounts to a religious taboo against<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> +landing anywhere and leaving without +stealing something. The real +loot was at these two other towns; +a steel mill and big stocks of steel +at one, and all that skunk-apple oil +at the other. So what did they do? +They dropped a five-megaton bomb +on each one, and blew both of them +to Em-See-Square. That was a +terror-raid pure and simple, but +as Boake inquires, just who were +they terrorizing? If there were big +cities somewhere else on the planet, +it would figure. But there aren't. +They blew out the two biggest +cities, and all the loot in them."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>"Then they wanted to terrorize +somebody off the planet."</p> + +<p>"But nobody'd hear about it +off-planet," somebody protested.</p> + +<p>"The Mardukans would; they +trade with Tetragrammaton," the +acknowledged bastard of somebody +named Morvill said. "They have a +couple of ships a year there."</p> + +<p>"That's right," Trask agreed. +"Marduk."</p> + +<p>"You mean, you think Dunnan's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> +trying to terrorize <i>Marduk</i>?" Valkanhayn +demanded. "Great Satan, +even he isn't crazy enough for +that!"</p> + +<p>Baron Rathmore started to say +something about what Andray +Dunnan was crazy enough to do, +and what his uncle was crazy +enough to do. It was just one of the +cracks he had been making since +he'd come to Tanith and didn't +have to look over his shoulder +while he was making them.</p> + +<p>"I think he is, too," Trask said. +"I think that is exactly what he is +doing. Don't ask me why; as Otto +is fond of remarking, he's crazy and +we aren't, and that gives him an +advantage. But what have we gotten, +since those Gilgameshers told +us about his picking up Burrik's +ship and the <i>Honest Horris</i>? Until +today, we've heard nothing from +any other Space Viking. What we +have gotten was stories from Gilgameshers +about raids on planets +where they trade, and every one of +them is also a planet where Marduk +ships trade. And in every case, +there has been little or nothing +reported about valuable loot taken. +The stories are all about wanton +and murderous bombings. I think +Andray Dunnan is making war on +Marduk."</p> + +<p>"Then he's crazier than his +grandfather and his uncle both!" +Rathmore cried.</p> + +<p>"You mean, he's making a string +of terror-raids on their trade-planets, +hoping to pull the Mardukan +space-navy away from the home +planet?" Harkaman had stopped +being incredulous. "And when he +gets them all lured away, he'll +make a fast raid?"</p> + +<p>"That's what I think. Remember +our fundamental postulate: Dunnan +is crazy. Remember how he convinced +himself that he was the +rightful heir to the ducal crown of +Wardshaven?" And remember his +insane passion for Elaine; he pushed +that thought hastily from him. +"Now, he's convinced that he's the +greatest Space Viking in history. +He has to do something worthy of +that distinction. When was the last +time anybody attacked a civilized +planet? I don't mean Gilgamesh, I +mean a planet like Marduk."</p> + +<p>"A hundred and twenty years +ago; Prince Havilgar of Haulteclere, +six ships, against Aton. Two +ships got back. He didn't. Nobody's +tried it since," Harkaman said.</p> + +<p>"So Dunnan the Great will do it. +I hope he tries," he surprised himself +by adding. "That's provided I +find out what happened. Then I +could stop thinking about him."</p> + +<p>There was a time when he had +dreaded the possibility that somebody +else might kill Dunnan before +he could.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XVIII" id="XVIII"></a>XVIII</h2> + + +<p>Seshat, Obidicut, Lugaluru, Audhumla.</p> + +<p>The young man elevated by his +father's death in the Dunnan raid +to the post of hereditary President<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> +of the democratic Republic of +Tetragrammaton had been sure +that the Marduk ships which came +to his planet traded also on those. +There had been some difficulty +about making contact, and the +first face-to-face meeting had begun +in an atmosphere of bitter distrust +on his part. They had met out of +doors; around them, spread wrecked +and burned buildings, and hastily +constructed huts and shelters, and +wide spaces of charred and slagged +rubble.</p> + +<p>"They blew up the steel mill +here, and the oil-refinery at Jannsboro. +They bombed and strafed the +little farm-towns and villages. They +scattered radioactives that killed +as many as the bombing. And after +they had gone away, this other +ship came."</p> + +<p>"The <i>Damnthing</i>? She bore the +head of a beast with three very big +horns?"</p> + +<p>"That's the one. They did a little +damage, at first. When the captain +found out what had happened to +us, he left some food and medicines +for us." Roger-fan-Morvill Esthersan +hadn't mentioned that.</p> + +<p>"Well, we'd like to help you, if +we can. Do you have nuclear power? +We can give you a little equipment. +Just remember it of us, when you're +back on your feet; we'll be back to +trade later. But don't think you +owe us anything. The man who did +this to you is my enemy. Now, I +want to talk to every one of your +people who can tell me anything at +all...."</p> + +<p>Seshat was the closest; they went +there first. They were too late. +Seshat had had it already, and on +the evidence of the radioactivity +counters, not too long ago. Four +hundred hours at most. There had +been two hellburners; the cities on +which they had fallen were still-smoking +pits literally burned into +the ground and the bedrock below, +at the center of five hundred mile +radii of slag and lava and scorched +earth and burned forests. There had +been a planetbuster; it had started a +major earthquake. And half a dozen +thermonuclears. There were probably +quite a few survivors—a human +planetary population is extremely +hard to exterminate completely—but +within a century +they'd be back to the loincloth and +the stone hatchet.</p> + +<p>"We don't even know Dunnan +did it, personally," Paytrik Morland +said. "For all we know, he's +down in an air-tight cave city on +some planet nobody ever heard of, +sitting on a golden throne, surrounded +by a harem."</p> + +<p>He had begun to suspect that +Dunnan was doing something of +just the sort. The Greatest Space +Viking of History would naturally +found a Space Viking empire.</p> + +<p>"An emperor goes out to look +his empire over, now and then; I +don't spend all my time on Tanith. +Say we try Audhumla next. It's the +farthest away. We might get there +while he's still shooting up Obidicut +and Lugaluru. Guatt, figure us a +jump for it."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span></p> + +<p>When the colored turbulence +washed away and the screen cleared, +Audhumla looked like Tanith or +Khepera or Amaterasu or any other +Terra-type planet, a big disk brilliant +with reflected sunlight and +glowing with starlit and moonlit +atmosphere on the other. There was +a single rather large moon, and, in +the telescopic screen, the usual +markings of seas and continents and +rivers and mountain-ranges. But +there was nothing to show....</p> + +<p>Oh, yes; lights on the darkened +side, and from the size they must +be vast cities. All the available +data for Audhumla was long out of +date; a considerable civilization +must have developed in the last +half dozen centuries.</p> + +<p>Another light appeared, a hard +blue-white spark that spread into a +larger, less brilliant yellow light. +At the same time, all the alarm-devices +in the command-room went +into a pandemonium of jangling +and flashing and squawking and +howling and shouting. Radiation. +Energy-release. Contragravity distortion +effects. Infra-red output. A +welter of indecipherable radio and +communication-screen signals. Radar +and scanner-ray beams from the +planet.</p> + +<p>Trask's fist began hurting; he +found that he had been pounding +the desk in front of him with it. He +stopped it.</p> + +<p>"We caught him, we caught +him!" he was yelling hoarsely. +"Full speed in, continuous acceleration, +as much as we can stand. +We'll worry about decelerating +when we're in shooting distance."</p> + +<p>The planet grew steadily larger; +Karffard was taking him at his +word about continuous acceleration. +There'd be a Gehenna of a bill +to pay when they started decelerating. +On the planet, more bombs +were going off just outside atmosphere +beyond the sunset line.</p> + +<p>"Ship observed. Altitude about a +hundred to five hundred miles—hundreds, +not thousands—35° +North Latitude, 15° west of the +sunset line. Ship is under fire, bomb +explosions near her," a voice +whooped.</p> + +<p>Somebody else was yelling that +the city lights were really burning +cities, or burning forests. The first +voice, having stopped, broke in +again:</p> + +<p>"Ship is visible in telescopic +screen, just at the sunset line. And +there's another ship detected but +not visible, somewhere around the +equator, and a third one somewhere +out of sight, we can just get the +fringe of her contragravity field +around the planet."</p> + +<p>That meant there were two sides, +and a fight. Unless Dunnan had +picked up a third ship, somewhere. +The telescopic view shifted; for a +moment the planet was completely +off-screen, and then its curvature +came into the screen against a star-scattered +background. They were +almost in to two thousand miles +now; Karffard was yelling to stop +acceleration and trying to put the +ship into a spiral orbit. Suddenly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> +they caught a glimpse of one of the +ships.</p> + +<p>"She's in trouble." That was +Paul Koreff's voice. "She's leaking +air and water vapor like crazy."</p> + +<p>"Well, is she a good guy or a bad +guy?" Morland was yelling back, +as though Koreff's spectroscopes +could distinguish. Koreff ignored +that.</p> + +<p>"Another ship making signal," +he said. "She's the one coming up +over the equator. Sword-World impulse +code; her communication-screen +combination, and an identify-yourself."</p> + +<p>Karffard punched out the combination +as Koreff furnished it. +While Trask was desperately willing +his face into immobility, the +screen lighted. It wasn't Andray +Dunnan; that was a disappointment. +It was almost as good, +though. His henchman, Sir Nevil +Ormm.</p> + +<p>"Well, Sir Nevil! A pleasant surprise," +he heard himself saying. +"We last met on the terrace at +Karvall House, did we not?"</p> + +<p>For once, the paper-white face +of Andray Dunnan's <i>âme damnée</i> +showed expression, but whether it +was fear, surprise, shock, hatred, +anger, or what combination of +them, Trask could no more than +guess.</p> + +<p>"Trask! Satan curse you ...!"</p> + +<p>Then the screen went blank. In +the telescopic screen, the other ship +came on unfalteringly. Paul Koreff, +who had gotten more data on mass, +engine energy-output and dimensions, +was identifying her as the +<i>Enterprise</i>.</p> + +<p>"Well, go for her! Give her +everything!"</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>They didn't need the order; Vann +Larch was speaking rapidly into +his hand-phone, and Alvyn Karffard +was hurling his voice all over the +<i>Nemesis</i>, warning of sudden deceleration +and direction change, +and while he was speaking, things +in the command room began sliding. +In the telescopic screen, the +other ship was plainly visible; he +could see the oval patch of black +with the blue crescent, and in his +screen Dunnan would be seeing the +sword-impaled skull of the <i>Nemesis</i>.</p> + +<p>If only he could be sure Dunnan +was there to see it. If it had only +been Dunnan's face, instead of +Ormm's, that he had seen in the +screen. As it was, he couldn't be +sure, and if one of the missiles that +were already going out made a +lucky hit, he might never be sure. +He didn't care who killed Dunnan, +or how. All he wanted was to +know that Dunnan's death had set +him free from a self-assumed obligation +that was now meaningless +to him.</p> + +<p>The <i>Enterprise</i> launched counter-missiles; +so did the <i>Nemesis</i>. There +were momentarily unbearable +flashes of pure energy and from them +globes of incandescence spread and +vanished. Something must have +gotten through; red lights flashed +on the damage board. It had been<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> +something heavy enough even to +jolt the huge mass of the <i>Nemesis</i>. +At the same time, the other ship +took a hit from something that +would have vaporized her had she +not been armored in collapsium. +Then, as they passed close together, +guns hammered back and forth +along with missiles, and then the +<i>Enterprise</i> was out of sight around +the horizon.</p> + +<p>Another ship, the size of Otto +Harkaman's <i>Corisande II</i>, was approaching; +she bore a tapering, red-nailed +feminine hand dangling a +planet by a string. They rushed +toward each other, planting a garden +of evanescent fire-flowers between +them; they pounded one another +with guns, and then they +sped apart. At the same time, Paul +Koreff was picking up an impulse-code +signal from the third, crippled, +ship; a screen combination. Trask +punched it out as he received it.</p> + +<p>A man in space armor was looking +out of the screen. That was bad, +if they had to suit up in the command +room. They still had air; his +helmet was off, but it was attached +and hinged back. On his breastplate +was a device of a dragonlike +beast perched with its tail around a +planet, and a crown above. He had +a thin, high-cheeked face, with a +vertical wrinkle between his eyes, +and a clipped blond mustache.</p> + +<p>"Who are you, stranger. You're +fighting my enemies; does that +make you a friend."</p> + +<p>"I'm a friend of anybody who +owns Andray Dunnan his enemy. +Sword-World ship <i>Nemesis</i>; I'm +Prince Lucas Trask of Tanith, commanding."</p> + +<p>"Royal Mardukan ship <i>Victrix</i>." +The thin-faced man gave a wry +laugh. "Not been living up to her +name so well. I'm Prince Simon +Bentrik, commanding."</p> + +<p>"Are you still battle-worthy?"</p> + +<p>"We can fire about half our guns; +we still have a few missiles left. +Seventy per cent of the ship's sealed +off, and we've been holed in a +dozen places. We have power +enough for lift and some steering-way. +We can't make lateral way +except at the expense of lift."</p> + +<p>Which made the <i>Victrix</i> practically +a stationary target. He yelled +over his shoulder at Karffard to cut +speed all he could without tearing +things apart.</p> + +<p>"When that cripple comes into +view, start circling around her. Get +into a tight circle above her." He +turned back to the man in the +screen. "If we can get ourselves +slowed down enough, we'll do all +we can to cover you."</p> + +<p>"All you can is all you can; +thank you, Prince Trask."</p> + +<p>"Here comes the <i>Enterprise</i>!" +Karffard shouted, with obscenely +blasphemous embellishments. "She +hairpinned on us."</p> + +<p>"Well, do something about her!"</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>Vann Larch was already doing it. +The <i>Enterprise</i> had taken damage in +the last exchange; Koreff's spectroscopes +showed her halo-ed with air +and water vapor. Her instruments<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> +would be getting the same story +from the <i>Nemesis</i>; wedge-shaped +segments extending six to eight +decks in were sealed off in several +places. Then the only thing that +could be seen with certainty was +the blaze of mutually destroying +missiles between. The short-range +gun duel began and ended as they +passed.</p> + +<p>In the screen, he had seen a fat +round-nosed thing come up from the +<i>Victrix</i>, curving far out ahead of the +passing <i>Enterprise</i>. She was almost +out of sight around the planet when +she ran head-on into it, and vanished +in an awesome blaze. For a +moment, he thought she had been +destroyed, then she lurched into +sight and went around the curvature +of Audhumla.</p> + +<p>Trask and the Mardukan were +shaking hands with themselves at +each other in their screens; everybody +in the <i>Nemesis</i> command room +was screaming: "Well shot, <i>Victrix</i>! +Well shot!"</p> + +<p>Then the <i>Yo-Yo</i> was coming +around again, and Vann Larch was +saying, "Gehenna with this fooling +around! I'll fix the expurgated +unprintability!"</p> + +<p>He yelled orders—a jumble of +code letters and numbers—and +things began going out. Most of +them blew up in space. Then the +<i>Yo-Yo</i> blew up, very quietly, as +things do where there is no air to +carry shock-and sound-waves, but +very brilliantly. There was brief +daylight all over the night side of +the planet.</p> + +<p>"That was our planetbuster," +Larch said. "I don't know what +we'll use on Dunnan."</p> + +<p>"I didn't know we had one," +Trask admitted.</p> + +<p>"Otto had a couple built on +Beowulf. The Beowulfers are good +nuclear weaponeers."</p> + +<p>The <i>Enterprise</i> came back, hastily, +to see what had blown up. Larch +put off another entertainment of +small stuff, with a fifty megaton +thermonuclear, viewscreen-piloted, +among them. It had its own arsenal +of small missiles, and it got +through. In the telescopic screen, a +jagged hole was visible just below +the equator of the <i>Enterprise</i>, the +edges curling outward. Something, +possibly a heavy missile in an open +tube, ready for launching, had gone +off inside her. What the inside of +the ship was like, or how many of +her company were still alive, was +hard to guess.</p> + +<p>There were some, and her launchers +were still spewing out missiles. +They were intercepted and blew up. +The hull of the <i>Enterprise</i> bulked +huge in the guidance-screen of the +missile and filled it; the jagged +crater that had obliterated the bottom +of Dunnan's blue crescent +blazon spread to fill the whole +screen. The screen went milky +white as the pickup went off.</p> + +<p>All the other screens blazed +briefly, until their filters went on. +Even afterward, they glared like the +cloud-veiled sun of Gram at high +noon. Finally, when the light-intensity +had dropped and the filters<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> +went off, there was nothing left of +the <i>Enterprise</i> but an orange haze.</p> + +<p>Somebody—Paytrik, Baron Morland, +he saw—was pounding him +on the back and screaming inarticulately +in his ear. A dozen space-armored +officers with planet-perched +dragons on their breasts +were crowding beside Prince Bentrik +in the screen from the <i>Victrix</i>, +whooping like drunken bisonoid-herders +on payday night.</p> + +<p>"I wonder," he said, almost +inaudibly, "if I'll ever know if +Andray Dunnan was on that ship."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XIX" id="XIX"></a>XIX</h2> + + +<p>Prince Trask of Tanith and Prince +Simon Bentrik were dining together +on an upper terrace of what had +originally been the mansion house +of a Federation period plantation. +It had been a number of other +things since; now it was the municipal +building of a town that had +grown around it, which had, somehow, +escaped undamaged from the +Dunnan blitz. Normally about five +or ten thousand, the place was now +jammed with almost fifty thousand +homeless refugees from half a dozen +other towns that had been destroyed, +overflowing the buildings +and crowding into a sprawling +camp of hastily built huts and +shelters, and already permanent +buildings were going up to accommodate +them. Everybody, locals, +Mardukans and Space Vikings, had +been busy with the work of relief +and reconstruction; this was the +first meal the two commanders had +been able to share in any leisure at +all. Prince Bentrik's enjoyment of +it was somewhat impaired by the +fact that from where he sat he +could see, in the distance, the +sphere of his disabled ship.</p> + +<p>"I doubt we can get her off-planet +again, let alone into hyperspace."</p> + +<p>"Well, we'll get you and your +crew to Marduk in the <i>Nemesis</i>, +then." They were both speaking +loudly, above the clank and clatter +of machinery below. "I hope you +didn't think I'd leave you stranded +here."</p> + +<p>"I don't know how either of us +will be received. Space Vikings +haven't been exactly popular on +Marduk, lately. They may thank +you for bringing me back to stand +trial," Bentrik said bitterly. "Why, +I'd have anybody shot who let his +ship get caught as I did mine. +Those two were down in atmosphere +before I knew they'd come +out of hyperspace."</p> + +<p>"I think they were down on the +planet before your ship arrived."</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's ridiculous, Prince +Trask!" the Mardukan cried. "You +can't hide a ship on a planet. Not +from the kind of instruments we +have in the Royal Navy."</p> + +<p>"We have pretty fair detection +ourselves," Trask reminded him. +"There's one place where you can +do it. At the bottom of an ocean, +with a thousand or so feet of water +over her. That's where I was going +to hide the <i>Nemesis</i>, if I got here +ahead of Dunnan."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span></p> + +<p>Prince Bentrik's fork stopped +half way to his mouth. He lowered +it slowly to his plate. That was a +theory he'd like to accept, if he +could.</p> + +<p>"But the locals. They didn't +know about it."</p> + +<p>"They wouldn't. They have no +off-planet detection of their own. +Come in directly over the ocean, +out of the sun, and nobody'd see +the ship."</p> + +<p>"Is that a regular Space Viking +trick?"</p> + +<p>"No. I invented it myself, on the +way from Seshat. But if Dunnan +wanted to ambush your ship, he'd +have thought of it, too. It's the +only practical way to do it."</p> + +<p>Dunnan, or Nevil Ormm; he +wished he knew, and was afraid he +would go on wishing all his life.</p> + +<p>Bentrik started to pick up his +fork again, changed his mind, and +sipped from his wineglass instead.</p> + +<p>"You may find you're quite welcome +on Marduk, at that," he said. +"These raids have only been a serious +problem in the last four years. +I believe, as you do, that this enemy +of yours is responsible for all of +them. We have half the Royal +Navy out now, patrolling our +trade-planets. Even if he wasn't +aboard the <i>Enterprise</i> when you +blew her up, you've put a name on +him and can tell us a good deal +about him." He set down the wineglass. +"Why, if it weren't so utterly +ridiculous, one might even think +he was making war on Marduk."</p> + +<p>From Trask's viewpoint, it +wasn't ridiculous at all. He merely +mentioned that Andray Dunnan +was psychotic and let it go at that.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>The <i>Victrix</i> was not completely +unrepairable, although quite beyond +the resources at hand. A fully +equipped engineer-ship from Marduk +could patch her hull and replace +her Dillinghams and her +Abbot lift-and-drive engines and +make her temporarily spaceworthy, +until she could be gotten to a shipyard. +They concentrated on repairing +the <i>Nemesis</i>, and in another two +weeks she was ready for the voyage.</p> + +<p>The six hundred hour trip to +Marduk passed pleasantly enough. +The Mardukan officers were good +company, and found their Space +Viking opposite numbers equally +so. The two crews had become +used to working together on Audhumla, +and mingled amicably off +watch, interesting themselves in +each other's hobbies and listening +avidly to tales of each other's +home planets. The Space Vikings +were surprised and disappointed at +the somewhat lower intellectual +level of the Mardukans. They +couldn't understand that; Marduk +was supposed to be a civilized +planet, wasn't it? The Mardukans +were just as surprised, and inclined +to be resentful, that the Space Vikings +all acted and talked like officers. +Hearing of it, Prince Bentrik +was also puzzled. Fo'c'sle hands +on a Mardukan ship belonged +definitely to the lower orders.</p> + +<p>"There's still too much free land<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> +and free opportunity on the Sword-Worlds," +Trask explained. "Nobody +does much bowing and scraping +to the class above him; he's too +busy trying to shove himself up +into it. And the men who ship out +as Space Vikings are the least class-conscious +of the lot. Think my men +may have trouble on Marduk about +that? They'll all insist on doing +their drinking in the swankiest +places in town."</p> + +<!--Note: columns flow over illustration.--> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image105.jpg" width="600" height="268" + alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>"No. I don't think so. Everybody +will be so amazed that Space +Vikings aren't twelve feet tall, +with three horns like a Zarathustra +damnthing and a spiked tail like a +Fafnir mantichore that they won't +even notice anything less. Might +do some good, in the long run. +Crown Prince Edvard will like your +Space Vikings. He's much opposed +to class distinctions and caste prejudices. +Says they have to be eliminated +before we can make democracy +really work."</p> + +<p>The Mardukans talked a lot +about democracy. They thought +well of it; their government was a +representative democracy. It was +also a hereditary monarchy, if that +made any kind of sense. Trask's +efforts to explain the political and +social structure of the Sword-Worlds +met the same incomprehension +from Bentrik.</p> + +<p>"Why, it sounds like feudalism +to me!"</p> + +<p>"That's right; that's what it is. +A king owes his position to the +support of his great nobles; they +owe theirs to their barons and landholding +knights; they owe theirs +to their people. There are limits +beyond which none of them can go; +after that, their vassals turn on +them."</p> + +<p>"Well, suppose the people of +some barony rebel? Won't the king +send troops to support the baron?"</p> + +<p>"What troops? Outside a personal +guard and enough men to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> +police the royal city and hold the +crown lands, the king has no +troops. If he wants troops, he has +to get them from his great nobles; +they have to get them from their +vassal barons, who raise them by +calling out their people." That was +another source of dissatisfaction +with King Angus of Gram; he had +been augmenting his forces by hiring +off-planet mercenaries. "And +the people won't help some other +baron oppress his people; it might +be their turn next."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>"You mean, the people are +armed?" Prince Bentrik was incredulous.</p> + +<p>"Great Satan, aren't yours?" +Prince Trask was equally surprised. +"Then your democracy's a farce, +and the people are only free on +sufferance. If their ballots aren't +secured by arms, they're worthless. +Who has the arms on your planet?"</p> + +<p>"Why, the Government."</p> + +<p>"You mean the King?"</p> + +<p>Prince Bentrik was shocked. Certainly +not; horrid idea. That would +be ... why, it would be <i>despotism</i>! +Besides, the King wasn't the +Government, at all; the Government +ruled in the King's name. +There was the Assembly; the Chamber +of Representatives, and the +Chamber of Delegates. The people +elected the Representatives, and the +Representatives elected the Delegates, +and the Delegates elected the +Chancellor. Then, there was the +Prime Minister; he was appointed +by the King, but the King had to +appoint him from the party holding +the most seats in the Chamber of +Representatives, and he appointed +the Ministers, who handled the +executive work of the Government, +only their subordinates in the different +Ministries were career-officials +who were selected by competitive +examination for the bottom jobs +and promoted up the bureaucratic +ladder from there.</p> + +<p>This left Trask wondering if the +Mardukan constitution hadn't +been devised by Goldberg, the +legendary Old Terran inventor who +always did everything the hard +way. It also left him wondering +just how in Gehenna the Government +of Marduk ever got anything +done.</p> + +<p>Maybe it didn't. Maybe that was +what saved Marduk from having a +real despotism.</p> + +<p>"Well, what prevents the Government +from enslaving the people? +The people can't; you just told me +that they aren't armed, and the +Government is."</p> + +<p>He continued, pausing now and +then for breath, to catalogue every +tyranny he had ever heard of, from +those practiced by the Terran Federation +before the Big War to those +practiced at Eglonsby on Amaterasu +by Pedrosan Pedro. A few of +the very mildest were pushing the +nobles and people of Gram to revolt +against Angus I.</p> + +<p>"And in the end," he finished, +"the Government would be the +only property owner and the only +employer on the planet, and every<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span>body +else would be slaves, working +at assigned tasks, wearing Government-issued +clothing and eating +Government food, their children +educated as the Government prescribes +and trained for jobs selected +for them by the Government, never +reading a book or seeing a play or +thinking a thought that the Government +had not approved...."</p> + +<p>Most of the Mardukans were +laughing, now. Some of them were +accusing him of being just too +utterly ridiculous.</p> + +<p>"Why, the people <i>are</i> the Government. +The people would not +legislate themselves into slavery."</p> + +<p>He wished Otto Harkaman were +there. All he knew of history was +the little he had gotten from reading +some of Harkaman's books, and +the long, rambling conversations +aboard ship in hyperspace or in the +evenings at Rivington. But Harkaman, +he was sure, could have furnished +hundreds of instances, on +scores of planets and over ten centuries +of time, in which people had +done exactly that and hadn't known +what they were doing, even after it +was too late.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>"They have something about +like that on Aton," one of the +Mardukan officers said.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Aton; that's a dictatorship, +pure and simple. That Planetary +Nationalist gang got into control +fifty years ago, during the crisis +after the war with Baldur...."</p> + +<p>"They were voted into power by +the people, weren't they?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; they were," Prince Bentrik +said gravely. "It was an emergency +measure, and they were given emergency +powers. Once they were in, +they made the emergency permanent."</p> + +<p>"That couldn't happen on Marduk!" +a young nobleman declared.</p> + +<p>"It could if Zaspar Makann's +party wins control of the Assembly +at the next election," somebody +else said.</p> + +<p>"Oh, then Marduk's safe! The +sun'll go nova first," one of the +junior Royal Navy officers said.</p> + +<p>After that, they began talking +about women, a subject any spaceman +will drop any other subject to +discuss.</p> + +<p>Trask made a mental note of the +name of Zaspar Makann, and took +occasion to bring it up in conversation +with his shipboard guests. +Every time he talked about Makann +to two or more Mardukans, he +heard at least three or more opinions +about the man. He was a political +demagogue; on that everybody +agreed. After that, opinions +diverged.</p> + +<p>Makann was a raving lunatic, +and all the followers he had were a +handful of lunatics like him. He +might be a lunatic, but he had a +dangerously large following. Well, +not so large; maybe they'd pick up +a seat or so in the Assembly, but +that was doubtful—not enough of +them in any representative district +to elect an Assemblyman. He was +just a smart crook, milking a lot of +half-witted plebeians for all he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> +could get out of them. Not just +plebes, either; a lot of industrialists +were secretly financing him, in +hope that he would help them +break up the labor unions. You're +nuts; everybody knew the labor +unions were backing him, hoping +he'd scare the employers into granting +concessions. You're both nuts; +he was backed by the mercantile +interests; they were hoping he'd +run the Gilgameshers off the planet.</p> + +<p>Well, that was one thing you +had to give him credit for. He +wanted to run out the Gilgameshers. +Everybody was in favor of that.</p> + +<p>Now, Trask could remember something +he'd gotten from Harkaman. +There had been Hitler, back at the +end of the First Century Pre-Atomic; +hadn't he gotten into +power because everybody was in +favor of running out the Christians, +or the Moslems, or the Albigensians, +or somebody?</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XX" id="XX"></a>XX</h2> + + +<p>Marduk had three moons; a big +one, fifteen hundred miles in diameter, +and two insignificant twenty-mile +chunks of rock. The big one +was fortified, and a couple of ships +were in orbit around it. The +<i>Nemesis</i> was challenged as she +emerged from her last hyperjump; +both ships broke orbit and came +out to meet her, and several more +were detected lifting away from +the planet.</p> + +<p>Prince Bentrik took the communication +screen, and immediately +encountered difficulties. The commandant, +even after the situation +had been explained twice to him, +couldn't understand. A Royal Navy +fleet unit knocked out in a battle +with Space Vikings was bad +enough, but being rescued and +brought to Marduk by another +Space Viking simply didn't make +sense. He then screened the Royal +Palace at Malverton, on the planet; +first he was icily polite to somebody +several echelons below him in the +peerage, and then respectfully polite +to somebody he addressed as +Prince Vandarvant. Finally, after +some minutes' wait, a frail, white-haired +man in a little black cap-of-maintenance +appeared in the screen. +Prince Bentrik instantly sprang to +his feet. So did all the other Mardukans +in the command room.</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty! I am most deeply +honored!"</p> + +<p>"Are you all right, Simon?" +the old gentleman asked solicitously. +"They haven't done anything +to you, have they?"</p> + +<p>"Saved my life, and my men's, +and treated me like a friend and a +comrade, Your Majesty. Have I +your permission to present, informally, +their commander, Prince +Trask of Tanith?"</p> + +<p>"Indeed you may, Simon. I owe +the gentleman my deepest thanks."</p> + +<p>"His Majesty, Mikhyl the +Eighth, Planetary King of Marduk," +Prince Bentrik said. "His +Highness, Lucas, Prince Trask, +Planetary Viceroy of Tanith for his +Majesty Angus the First of Gram."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span></p> + +<p>The elderly monarch bowed his +head slightly; Trask bowed a little +more deeply, from the waist.</p> + +<p>"I am very happy, Prince Trask, +first, I confess, at the safe return of +my kinsman Prince Bentrik, and +then at the honor of meeting one +in the confidence of my fellow +sovereign King Angus of Gram. +I will never be ungrateful for what +you did for my cousin and for his +officers and men. You must stay at +the Palace while you are on this +planet; I am giving orders for your +reception, and I wish you to be +formally presented to me this +evening." He hesitated briefly. +"Gram; that is one of the Sword-Worlds, +is it not?" Another brief +hesitation. "Are you really a Space +Viking, Prince Trask?"</p> + +<p>Maybe he'd expected Space +Vikings to have three horns and a +spiked tail and stand twelve feet +tall, himself.</p> + +<p>It took several hours for the +<i>Nemesis</i> to get into orbit. Bentrik +spent most of them in a screen-booth, +and emerged visibly relieved.</p> + +<p>"Nobody's going to be sticky +about what happened on Audhumla," +he told Trask. "There will be +a Board of Inquiry. I'm afraid +I had to mix you up in that. It's +not only about the action on +Audhumla; everybody from the +Space Minister down wants to +hear what you know about this +fellow Dunnan. Like yourself, we +all hope he went to Em-See-Square +along with his flagship, but we +can't take it for granted. We have +over a dozen trade-planets to protect, +and he's hit more than half +of them already."</p> + +<p>The process of getting into orbit +took them around the planet several +times, and it was a more impressive +spectacle at each circuit. +Of course, Marduk had a population +of almost two billion, and had been +civilized, with no hiatus of Neobarbarism, +since it had first been +colonized in the Fourth Century. +Even so, the Space Vikings were +amazed—and stubbornly refusing +to show it—at what they saw in +the telescopic screens.</p> + +<p>"Look at that city!" Paytrik +Morland whispered. "We talk +about the civilized planets, but I +never realized they were anything +like this. Why, this makes Excalibur +look like Tanith!"</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>The city was Malverton, the +capital; like any city of a contragravity-using +people, it lay in a +rough circle of buildings towering +out of green interspaces, surrounded +by the smaller circles of spaceports +and industrial suburbs. The difference +was that any of these were +as large as Camelot on Excalibur or +four Wardshavens on Gram, and +Malverton itself was almost half +the size of the whole barony of +Traskon.</p> + +<p>"They aren't any more civilized +that we are, Paytrik. There are just +more of them. If there were two +billion people on Gram—which I +hope there never will be—Gram<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> +would have cities like this, too."</p> + +<p>One thing; the government of a +planet like Marduk would have to +be something more elaborate than +the loose feudalism of the Sword-Worlds. +Maybe this Goldberg-ocracy +of theirs had been forced +upon them by the sheer complexity +of the population and its problems.</p> + +<p>Alvyn Karffard took a quick look +around him to make sure none of +the Mardukans were in earshot.</p> + +<p>"I don't care how many people +they have," he said. "Marduk can +be had. A wolf never cares how +many sheep there are in a flock. +With twenty ships, we could take +this planet like we took Eglonsby. +There'd be losses coming in, sure, +but after we were in and down, +we'd have it."</p> + +<p>"Where would we get twenty +ships?"</p> + +<p>Tanith, at a pinch, could muster +five or six, counting the free Space +Vikings who used the base facilities; +they would have to leave a +couple to hold the planet. Beowulf +had one, and another almost completed, +and now there was an Amaterasu +ship. But to assemble a +Space Viking armada of twenty.... +He shook his head. The +real reason why Space Vikings had +never raided a civilized planet successfully +had always been their +inability to combine under one +command in sufficient strength.</p> + +<p>Besides, he didn't want to raid +Marduk. A raid, if successful, +would yield immense treasures, but +cause a hundred, even a thousand, +times as much destruction, and he +didn't want to destroy anything +civilized.</p> + +<p>The landing stages of the palace +were crowded when he and Prince +Bentrik landed, and, at a discreet +distance, swarms of air-vehicles circled, +creating a control problem for +the police. Parting from Bentrik, he +was escorted to the suite prepared +for him; it was luxurious in the +extreme but scarcely above Sword-World +standards. There were a +surprising number of human servants, +groveling and fawning and +getting underfoot and doing work +robots could have been doing better. +What robots there were were +inefficient, and much work and ingenuity +had been lavished on +efforts to copy human form to the +detriment of function.</p> + +<p>After getting rid of most of the +superfluous servants, he put on a +screen and began sampling the +newscasts. There were telescopic +views of the <i>Nemesis</i> from some +craft on orbit nearby, and he +watched the officers and men of the +<i>Victrix</i> being disembarked; there +were other views of their landing +at some naval installation on the +ground, and he could see reporters +being chevied away by Navy +ground-police. And there was a +wide range of commentary opinion.</p> + +<p>The Government had already +denied that, (1) Prince Bentrik had +captured the <i>Nemesis</i> and brought +her in as a prize, and, (2) the Space +Vikings had captured Prince Bentrik +and were holding him for +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> +ransom. Beyond that, the Government +was trying to sit on the whole +story, and the Opposition was hinting +darkly at corrupt deals and +sinister plots. Prince Bentrik arrived +in the midst of an impassioned +tirade against pusillanimous +traitors surrounding his Majesty +who were betraying Marduk to the +Space Vikings.</p> + +<p>"Why doesn't your Government +publish the facts and put a stop to +that nonsense?" Trask asked.</p> + +<p>"Oh, let them rave," Bentrik +replied. "The longer the Government +waits, the more they'll be +ridiculed when the facts are published."</p> + +<p>Or, the more people will be +convinced that the Government +had something to hush up, and had +to take time to construct a plausible +story. He kept the thought to himself. +It was their government; how +they mismanaged it was their own +business. He found that there was +no bartending robot; he had to +have a human servant bring drinks. +He made up his mind to have a few +of the <i>Nemesis</i> robots sent down to +him.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>The formal presentation would be +in the evening; there would be a +dinner first, and because Trask had +not yet been formally presented, he +couldn't dine with the King, but +because he was, or claimed to be, +Viceroy of Tanith, he ranked as +a chief of state and would dine with +the Crown Prince, to whom there +would be an informal introduction +first.</p> + +<p>This took place in a small ante-chamber +off the banquet hall; the +Crown Prince and Crown Princess +and Princess Bentrik were there +when they arrived. The Crown +Prince was a man of middle age, +graying at the temples, with the +glassy stare that betrayed contact +lenses. The resemblance between +him and his father was apparent; +both had the same studious and +impractical expression, and might +have been professors on the same +university faculty. He shook hands +with Trask, assuring him of the +gratitude of the Court and Royal +Family.</p> + +<p>"You know, Simon is next in +succession, after myself and my +little daughter," he said. "That's +too close to take chances with +him." He turned to Bentrik. "I'm +afraid this is your last space adventure, +Simon. You'll have to be a +spaceport spaceman from now on."</p> + +<p>"I shan't be sorry," Princess +Bentrik said. "And if anybody +owes Prince Trask gratitude, I do." +She pressed his hands warmly. +"Prince Trask, my son wants to +meet you, very badly. He's ten +years old, and he thinks Space +Vikings are romantic heroes."</p> + +<p>"He should be one, for a while."</p> + +<p>He should just see a planet Space +Vikings had raided.</p> + +<p>Most of the people at the upper +end of the table were diplomats—ambassadors +from Odin and Baldur +and Isis and Ishtar and Aton and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> +the other civilized worlds. No +doubt they hadn't actually expected +horns and a spiked tail, or even +tattooing and a nose ring, but after +all, Space Vikings were just some +sort of Neobarbarians, weren't +they? On the other hand, they had +all seen views and gotten descriptions +of the <i>Nemesis</i>, and had heard +about the ship-action on Audhumla, +and this Prince Trask—a Space +Viking prince; that sounded civilized +enough—had saved a life with +only three other lives, one almost +at an end, between it and the +throne. And they had heard about +the screen conversation with King +Mikhyl. So they were courteous +through the meal, and tried to get +as close as possible to him in the +procession to the throne room.</p> + +<p>King Mikhyl wore a golden +crown topped by the planetary +emblem, which must have weighed +twice as much as a combat helmet, +and fur-edged robes that would +weigh more than a suit of space +armor. They weren't nearly as +ornate, though, as the regalia of +King Angus I of Gram. He rose to +clasp Prince Bentrik's hand, calling +him "dear cousin," and congratulating +him on his gallant +fight and fortunate escape. That +knocks any court-martial talk on +the head, Trask thought. He remained +standing to shake hands +with Trask, calling him "valued +friend to me and my house." First +person singular; that must be +causing some lifted eyebrows.</p> + +<p>Then the King sat down, and the +rest of the roomful filed up onto +the dais to be received, and +finally it was over and the king rose +and proceeded, followed by his immediate +suite between the bowing +and curtsying court and out the +wide doors. After a decent interval, +Crown Prince Edvard escorted him +and Prince Bentrik down the same +route, the others falling in behind, +and across the hall to the ballroom, +where there was soft music and +refreshments. It wasn't too unlike +a court reception on Excalibur, +except that the drinks and canapes +were being dispensed by human +servants.</p> + +<p>He was wondering what sort of +court functions Angus the First +of Gram was holding by now.</p> + +<p>After half an hour, a posse of +court functionaries approached and +informed him that it had pleased +his Majesty to command Prince +Trask to attend him in his private +chambers. There was an audible +gasp at this; both Prince Bentrik +and the Crown Prince were trying +not to grin too broadly. Evidently +this didn't happen too often. He +followed the functionaries from the +ballroom, and the eyes of everybody +else followed him.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>Old King Mikhyl received him +alone, in a small, comfortably +shabby room behind vast ones of +incredible splendor. He wore fur-lined +slippers and a loose robe +with a fur collar, and his little +black cap-of-maintenance. He was +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> +standing when Trask entered; when +the guards closed the door and left +them alone, he beckoned Trask to +a couple of chairs, with a low table, +on which were decanters and glasses +and cigars, between.</p> + +<p>"It's a presumption on royal +authority to summon you from the +ballroom," he began, after they had +seated themselves and filled glasses. +"You are quite the cynosure, you +know."</p> + +<p>"I'm grateful to Your Majesty. +It's both comfortable and quiet +here, and I can sit down. Your +Majesty was the center of attention +in the throne room, yet I seemed to +detect a look of relief as you +left it."</p> + +<p>"I try to hide it, as much as +possible." The old King took off +the little gold-circled cap and hung +it on the back of his chair. "Majesty +can be rather wearying, you +know."</p> + +<p>So he could come here and put +it off. Trask felt that some gesture +should be made on his own part. +He unfastened the dress-dagger +from his belt and laid it on the +table. The King nodded.</p> + +<p>"Now, we can be a couple of +honest tradesmen, our shops closed +for the evening, relaxing over our +wine and tobacco," he said. "Eh, +Goodman Lucas?"</p> + +<p>It seemed like an initiation into +a secret society whose ritual he +must guess at step by step.</p> + +<p>"Right, Goodman Mikhyl."</p> + +<p>They lifted their glasses to each +other and drank; Goodman Mikhyl +offered cigars, and Goodman Lucas +held a light for him.</p> + +<p>"I hear a few hard things about +your trade, Goodman Lucas."</p> + +<p>"All true, and mostly understated. +We're professional murderers +and robbers, as one of my fellow +tradesmen says. The worst of it is +that robbery and murder become +just that: a trade, like servicing +robots or selling groceries."</p> + +<p>"Yet you fought two other Space +Vikings to cover my cousin's crippled +<i>Victrix</i>. Why?"</p> + +<p>So he must tell his tale, so worn +and smooth, again. King Mikhyl's +cigar went out while he listened.</p> + +<p>"And you have been hunting him +ever since? And now, you can't be +sure whether you killed him or +not?"</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid I didn't. The man in +the screen is the only man Dunnan +can really trust. One or the other +would stay wherever he has his +base all the time."</p> + +<p>"And when you do kill him; +what then?"</p> + +<p>"I'll go on trying to make a +civilized planet of Tanith. Sooner +or later, I'll have one quarrel too +many with King Angus, and then +we will be our Majesty Lucas the +First of Tanith, and we will sit on +a throne and receive our subjects. +And I'll be glad when I can get my +crown off and talk to a few men +who call me 'shipmate,' instead of +'Your Majesty.'"</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>"Well, it would violate professional +ethics for me to advise a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> +subject to renounce his sovereign, +of course, but that might be an +excellent thing. You met the ambassador +from Ithavoll at dinner, +did you not? Three centuries ago, +Ithavoll was a colony of Marduk—it +seems we can't afford colonies, +any more—and it seceded from us. +Ithavoll was then a planet like your +Tanith seems to be. Today, it is +a civilized world, and one of +Marduk's best friends. You know, +sometimes I think a few lights are +coming on again, here and there in +the Old Federation. If so, you Space +Vikings are helping to light them."</p> + +<p>"You mean the planets we use +as bases, and the things we teach +the locals?"</p> + +<p>"That, too, of course. Civilization +needs civilized technologies. +But they have to be used for civilized +ends. Do you know anything +about a Space Viking raid on Aton, +over a century ago?"</p> + +<p>"Six ships from Haulteclere; four +destroyed, the other two returned +damaged and without booty."</p> + +<p>The King of Marduk nodded.</p> + +<p>"That raid saved civilization on +Aton. There were four great nations; +the two greatest were at the +brink of war, and the others were +waiting to pounce on the exhausted +victor and then fight each other +for the spoils. The Space Vikings +forced them to unite. Out of that +temporary alliance came the League +for Common Defense, and from that +the Planetary Republic. The Republic's +a dictatorship, now, and +just between Goodman Mikhyl and +Goodman Lucas it's a nasty one +and our Majesty's Government +doesn't like it at all. It will be +smashed sooner or later, but they'll +never go back to divided sovereignty +and nationalism again. +The Space Vikings frightened them +out of that when the dangers inherent +in it couldn't. Maybe this +man Dunnan will do the same for us +on Marduk."</p> + +<p>"You have troubles?"</p> + +<p>"You've seen decivilized planets. +How does it happen?"</p> + +<p>"I know how it's happened on a +good many: War. Destruction of +cities and industries. Survivors +among ruins, too busy keeping +their own bodies alive to try to +keep civilization alive. Then they +lose all knowledge of how to be +civilized."</p> + +<p>"That's catastrophic decivilization. +There is also decivilization by +erosion, and while it's going on, +nobody notices it. Everybody is +proud of their civilization, their +wealth and culture. But trade is +falling off; fewer ships come in +each year. So there is boastful talk +about planetary self-sufficiency; +who needs off-planet trade anyhow? +Everybody seems to have money, +but the government is always +broke. Deficit spending—and always +the vital social services for +which the government has to spend +money. The most vital one, of +course, is buying votes to keep the +government in power. And it gets +harder for the government to get +anything done.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span></p> + +<p>"The soldiers are sloppier at +drill, and their uniforms and weapons +aren't taken care of. The noncoms +are insolent. And more and +more parts of the city are dangerous +at night, and then even in the daytime. +And it's been years since a +new building went up, and the old +ones aren't being repaired any +more."</p> + +<p>Trask closed his eyes. Again, he +could feel the mellow sun of Gram +on his back, and hear the laughing +voices on the lower terrace, and he +was talking to Lothar Ffayle and +Rovard Grauffis and Alex Gorram +and Cousin Nikkolay and Otto +Harkaman. He said:</p> + +<p>"And finally, nobody bothers fixing +anything up. And the power-reactors +stop, and nobody seems to +be able to get them started again. +It hasn't quite gotten that far on +the Sword-Worlds yet."</p> + +<p>"It hasn't here, either. Yet." +Goodman Mikhyl slipped away; +King Mikhyl VIII looked across +the low table at his guest. "Prince +Trask, have you heard of a man +named Zaspar Makann?"</p> + +<p>"Occasionally. Nothing good +about him."</p> + +<p>"He is the most dangerous man +on this planet," the King said. +"And I can make nobody believe it. +Not even my son."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXI" id="XXI"></a>XXI</h2> + + +<p>Prince Bentrik's ten-year-old son, +Count Steven of Ravary, wore the +uniform of an ensign of the Royal +Navy; he was accompanied by his +tutor, an elderly Navy captain. +They both stopped in the doorway +of Trask's suite, and the boy +saluted smartly.</p> + +<p>"Permission to come aboard, +sir?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Welcome aboard, count; captain. +Belay the ceremony and find +seats; you're just in time for second +breakfast."</p> + +<p>As they sat down, he aimed his +ultraviolet light-pencil at a serving +robot. Unlike Mardukan robots, +which looked like surrealist conceptions +of Pre-Atomic armored +knights, it was a smooth ovoid +floating a few inches from the floor +on its own contragravity; as it +approached, its top opened like a +bursting beetle shell and hinged +trays of food swung out. The boy +looked at it in fascination.</p> + +<p>"Is that a Sword-World robot, +sir, or did you capture it somewhere?"</p> + +<p>"It's one of our own." He was +pardonably proud; it had been +built on Tanith a year before. "Has +an ultrasonic dishwasher underneath, +and it does some cooking on +top, at the back."</p> + +<p>The elderly captain was, if anything, +even more impressed than +his young charge. He knew what +went into it, and he had some conception +of the society that would +develop things like that.</p> + +<p>"I take it you don't use many +human servants, with robots like +that," he said.</p> + +<p>"Not many. We're all low-popu<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span>lation +planets, and nobody wants +to be a servant."</p> + +<p>"We have too many people on +Marduk, and all of them want soft +jobs as nobles' servants," the captain +said. "Those that want any +kind of jobs."</p> + +<p>"You need all your people for +fighting men, don't you?" the boy +count asked.</p> + +<p>"Well, we need a good many. +The smallest of our ships will carry +five hundred men; most of them +around eight hundred."</p> + +<p>The captain lifted an eyebrow. +The complement of the <i>Victrix</i> had +been three hundred, and she'd been +a big ship. Then he nodded.</p> + +<p>"Of course. Most of them are +ground-fighters."</p> + +<p>That started Count Steven off. +Questions, about battles and raids +and booty and the planets Trask +had seen.</p> + +<p>"I wish I were a Space Viking!"</p> + +<p>"Well, you can't be, Count +Ravary. You're an officer of the +Royal Navy. You're supposed to +fight Space Vikings."</p> + +<p>"I won't fight you."</p> + +<p>"You'd have to, if the King commanded," +the old captain told him.</p> + +<p>"No. Prince Trask is my friend. +He saved my father's life."</p> + +<p>"And I won't fight you, either, +count. We'll make a lot of fireworks, +and then we'll each go home +and claim victory. How would that +be?"</p> + +<p>"I've heard of things like that," +the captain said. "We had a war +with Odin, seventy years ago, that +was mostly that sort of battles."</p> + +<p>"Besides, the King is Prince +Trask's friend, too," the boy insisted. +"Father and Mummy heard +him say so, right on the Throne. +Kings don't lie when they're on the +Throne, do they?"</p> + +<p>"Good Kings don't," Trask told +him.</p> + +<p>"Ours is a good King," the +young Count of Ravary declared +proudly. "I would do anything my +King commanded. Except fight +Prince Trask. My house owes +Prince Trask a debt."</p> + +<p>Trask nodded approvingly. +"That's the way a Sword-World +noble would talk, Count Steven," +he said.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>The Board of Inquiry, that afternoon, +was more like a small and +very sedate cocktail party. An Admiral +Shefter, who seemed to be +very high high-brass, presided +while carefully avoiding the appearance +of doing so. Alvyn Karffard +and Vann Larch and Paytrik +Morland were there from the +<i>Nemesis</i>, and Bentrik and several of +the officers from the <i>Victrix</i>, and +there were a couple of Naval Intelligence +officers, and somebody from +Operational Planning, and from +Ship Construction and Research & +Development. They chatted pleasantly +and in a deceptively random +manner for a while. Then Shefter +said:</p> + +<p>"Well, there's no blame or censure +of any sort for the way Commodore +Prince Bentrik was sur<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span>prised. +That couldn't have been +avoided, at the time." He looked +at the Research & Development +officer. "It shouldn't be allowed to +happen many more times, though."</p> + +<p>"Not many more, sir. I'd say +it'll take my people a month, +and then the time it'll take to get +all the ships equipped as they +come in."</p> + +<p>Ship Construction didn't think +that would take too long.</p> + +<p>"We'll see to it that you get +full information on the new submarine +detection system, Prince +Trask," the admiral said.</p> + +<p>"You gentlemen understand +you'll have to keep it under your +helmets, though," one of the Intelligence +men added. "If it got +out that we were informing Space +Vikings about our technical secrets...." +He felt the back of his +neck in a way that made Trask suspect +that beheadment was the +customary form of execution on +Marduk.</p> + +<p>"We'll have to find out where +the fellow has his base," Operational +Planning said. "I take it, +Prince Trask, that you're not going +to assume that he was on his flagship +when you blew it, and just put +paid to him and forget him?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no. I'm assuming that he +wasn't. I don't believe he and +Ormm went anywhere on the same +ship, after he came out here and +established a base. I think one of +them would stay home all the +time."</p> + +<p>"Well, we'll give you everything +we have on them," Shefter promised. +"Most of that is classified +and you'll have to keep quiet about +it, too. I just skimmed over the +summary of what you gave us; +I daresay we'll both get a lot of new +information. Have you any idea at +all where he might be based, Prince +Trask?"</p> + +<p>"Only that we think it's a non-Terra-type +planet." He told them +about Dunnan's heavy purchases of +air-and-water recycling equipment +and carniculture and hydroponic +material. "That, of course, helps a +great deal."</p> + +<p>"Yes; there are only about five +million planets in the former Federation +space-volume that are inhabitable +in artificial environment. +Including a few completely covered +by seas, where you could put in +underwater dome cities if you had +the time and material."</p> + +<p>One of the Intelligence officers +had been nursing a glass with a tiny +remnant of cocktail in it. He +downed it suddenly, filled the glass +again, and glowered at it in silence +for a while. Then he drank it +briskly and refilled it.</p> + +<p>"What I should like to know," +he said, "is how this double obscenity +of a Dunnan knew we'd +have a ship on Audhumla just when +we did," he said. "Your talking +about underwater dome-cities reminded +me of it. I don't think he +just pulled that planet out of a hat +and then went there prepared to sit +on the bottom of the ocean for a +year and a half waiting for some<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span>thing +to turn up. I think he knew +the <i>Victrix</i> was coming to Audhumla, +and just about when."</p> + +<p>"I don't like that, commodore," +Shefter said.</p> + +<p>"You think I do, sir?" the Intelligence +officer countered. "There +it is, though. We all have to face +it."</p> + +<p>"We do," Shefter agreed. "Get +on it, commodore, and I don't need +to caution you to screen everybody +you put onto it very carefully." He +looked at his own glass; it had a +bare thimbleful in the bottom. He +replenished it slowly and carefully. +"It's been a long time since the +Navy's had anything like this to +worry about." He turned to Trask. +"I suppose I can get in touch with +you at the Palace whenever I +must?"</p> + +<p>"Well, Prince Trask and I have +been invited as house-guests at +Prince Edvard's, I mean Baron +Cragdale's, hunting lodge," Bentrik +said. "We'll be going there directly +from here."</p> + +<p>"Ah." Admiral Shefter smiled +slightly. Beside not having three +horns and a spiked tail, this Space +Viking was definitely <i>persona grata</i> +with the Royal Family. "Well, +we'll keep in contact, Prince +Trask."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image114.jpg" width="600" height="692" + alt="Cragdale hunting lodge" title="Cragdale hunting lodge" /> +</div> + +<p>The hunting lodge where Crown +Prince Edvard was simple Baron +Cragdale lay at the head of a +sharply-sloping mountain valley +down which a river tumbled. +Mountains rose on either side in +high scarps, some topped with perpetual +snow, glaciers curling down +from them. The lower ranges were +forested, as was the valley between, +and there was a red-mauve alpenglow +on the great peak that rose +from the head of the valley. For the +first time in over a year, Elaine was +with him, silently clinging to him +to see the beauty of it through his +eyes. He had thought that she had +gone from him forever.</p> + +<p>The hunting lodge itself was not +quite what a Sword-Worlder would +expect a hunting lodge to be. At +first sight, from the air, it looked +like a sundial, a slender tower rising +like a gnomen above a circle of low +buildings and formal gardens. The +boat landed at the foot of it, and he +and Prince and Princess Bentrik and +the young Count of Ravary and his +tutor descended. Immediately, they +were beset by a flurry of servants; +the second boat, with the Bentrik +servants and their luggage, was +circling in to land. Elaine, he discovered, +wasn't with him any more, +and then he was separated from the +Bentriks and was being floated up +an inside shaft in a lifter-car. More +servants installed him in his rooms, +unpacked his cases, drew his bath +and even tried to help him take it, +and fussed over him while he +dressed.</p> + +<p>There were over a score for dinner. +Bentrik had warned him that +he'd find some odd types; maybe he +meant that they wouldn't all be +nobles. Among the commoners<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> +there were some professors, mostly +social sciences, a labor leader, a +couple of Representatives and a +member of the Chamber of Delegates, +and a couple of social workers, +whatever that meant.</p> + +<p>His own table companion was a +Lady Valerie Alvarath. She was +beautiful—black hair, and almost +startlingly blue eyes, a combination +unusual in the Sword-Worlds—and +she was intelligent, or at least +cleverly articulate. She was introduced +as the lady-companion of the +Crown Prince's daughter. When he +asked where the daughter was, she +laughed.</p> + +<p>"She won't be helping entertain +visiting Space Vikings for a long +time, Prince Trask. She is precisely +eight years old; I saw her getting +ready for bed before I came down +here. I'll look in on her after +dinner."</p> + +<p>Then the Crown Princess Melanie, +on his other hand, asked him +some question about Sword-World +court etiquette. He stuck to generalities, +and what he could remember +from a presentation at the +court of Excalibur during his student +days. These people had a +monarchy since before Gram had +been colonized; he wasn't going to +admit that Gram's had been established +since he went off-planet. The +table was small enough for everybody +to hear what he was saying +and to feed questions to him. It +lasted all through the meal, and +continued when they adjourned for +coffee in the library.</p> + +<p>"But what about your form of +government, your social structure, +that sort of thing?" somebody, +impatient with the artificialities of +the court, wanted to know.</p> + +<p>"Well, we don't use the word +government very much," he replied. +"We talk a lot about authority +and sovereignty, and I'm +afraid we burn entirely too much +powder over it, but government +always seems to us like sovereignty +interfering in matters that don't +concern it. As long as sovereignty +maintains a reasonable semblance +of good public order and makes the +more serious forms of crime fairly +hazardous for the criminals, we're +satisfied."</p> + +<p>"But that's just negative. Doesn't +the government do anything positive +for the people?"</p> + +<p>He tried to explain the Sword-World +feudal system to them. It +was hard, he found, to explain +something you have taken for +granted all your life to somebody +who is quite unfamiliar with it.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>"But the government—the sovereignty, +since you don't like the +other word—doesn't do anything +for the people!" one of the professors +objected. "It leaves all the +social services to the whim of the +individual lord or baron."</p> + +<p>"And the people have no voice +at all; why, that's tyranny," a +professor Assemblyman added.</p> + +<p>He tried to explain that the people +had a very distinct and commanding +voice, and that barons<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> +and lords who wanted to stay alive +listened attentively to it. The Assemblyman +changed his mind; that +wasn't tyranny, it was anarchy. +And the professor was still insistent +about who performed the social +services.</p> + +<p>"If you mean schools and hospitals +and keeping the city clean, the +people do that for themselves. The +government, if you want to think of +it as that, just sees to it that nobody's +shooting at them while +they're doing it."</p> + +<p>"That isn't what Professor Pullwell +means, Lucas. He means old-age +pensions," Prince Bentrik said. +"Like this thing Zaspar Makann's +whooping for."</p> + +<p>He'd heard about that, on the +voyage from Audhumla. Every +person on Marduk would be retired +on an adequate pension after +thirty years regular employment or +at the age of sixty. When he had +wanted to know where the money +would come from, he had been told +that there would be a sales tax, and +that the pensions must all be spent +within thirty days, which would +stimulate business, and the increased +business would provide tax +money to pay the pensions.</p> + +<p>"We have a joke about three +Gilgameshers space-wrecked on an +uninhabited planet," he said. "Ten +years later, when they were rescued, +all three were immensely +wealthy, from trading hats with +each other. That's about the way +this thing will work."</p> + +<p>One of the lady social workers +bristled; it wasn't right to make +derogatory jokes about racial +groups. One of the professors harrumphed; +wasn't a parallel at all, +the Self-Sustaining Rotary Pension +Plan was perfectly feasible. With a +shock, Trask recalled that he was a +professor of economics.</p> + +<p>Alvyn Karffard wouldn't need +any twenty ships to loot Marduk. +Just infiltrate it with about a hundred +smart confidence men and inside +a year they'd own everything +on it.</p> + +<p>That started them all off on +Zaspar Makann, though. Some of +them thought he had a few good +ideas, but was damaging his own +case by extremism. One of the +wealthier nobles said that he was a +reproach to the ruling class; it was +their fault that people like Makann +could gain a following. One old +gentleman said that maybe the +Gilgameshers were to blame, themselves, +for some of the animosity +toward them. He was immediately +set upon by all the others and verbally +torn to pieces on the spot.</p> + +<p>Trask didn't feel it proper to +quote Goodman Mikhyl to this +crowd. He took the responsibility +upon himself for saying:</p> + +<p>"From what I've heard of him, I +think he's the most serious threat +to civilized society on Marduk."</p> + +<p>They didn't call him crazy, after +all he was a guest, but they didn't +ask him what he meant, either. +They merely told him that Makann +was a crackpot with a contemptible +following of half-wits, and just<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> +wait till the election and see what +happened.</p> + +<p>"I'm inclined to agree with +Prince Trask," Bentrik said soberly. +"And I'm afraid the election results +will be a shock to us, not to +Makann."</p> + +<p>He hadn't talked that way on the +ship. Maybe he'd been looking +around and doing some thinking, +since he got back. He might have +been talking to Goodman Mikhyl, +too. There was a screen in the room. +He nodded toward it.</p> + +<p>"He's speaking at a rally of the +People's Welfare Party at Drepplin, +now," he said. "May I put it on, +to show you what I mean?"</p> + +<p>When the Crown Prince assented, +he snapped on the screen and twiddled +at the selector.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<div class="figright" style="width: 300px;"> +<img src="images/image123.jpg" width="300" height="879" + alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p>A face looked out of it. The features +weren't Andray Dunnan's—the +mouth was wider, the cheekbones +broader, the chin more +rounded. But his eyes were Dunnan's, +as Trask had seen them on +the terrace of Karvall House. Mad +eyes. His high-pitched voice +screamed:</p> + +<p>"Our beloved sovereign is a +prisoner! He is surrounded by +traitors! The Ministries are full of +them! They are all traitors! The +bloodthirsty reactionaries of the +falsely so-called Crown Loyalist +Party! The grasping conspiracy of +the interstellar bankers! The dirty +Gilgameshers! They are all leagued +together in an unholy conspiracy! +And now this Space Viking, this +bloody-handed monster from the +Sword-Worlds...."</p> + +<p>"Shut the horrible man off," +somebody was yelling, in competition +with the hypnotic scream of +the speaker.</p> + +<p>The trouble was, they couldn't. +They could turn off the screen, but +Zaspar Makann would go on +screaming, and millions all over +the planet would still hear him. +Bentrik twiddled the selector. The +voice stuttered briefly, and then +came echoing out of the speaker, +but this time the pickup was somewhere +several hundred feet above a +great open park. It was densely +packed with people, most of them +wearing clothes a farm tramp on +Gram wouldn't be found dead in, +but here and there among them +were blocks of men in what was +almost but not quite military uniform, +each with a short and thick +swagger-stick with a knobbed head. +Across the park, in the distance, +the head and shoulders of Zaspar +Makann loomed a hundred feet +high in a huge screen. Whenever he +stopped for breath, a shout would +go up, beginning with the blocks of +uniformed men:</p> + +<p>"<i>Makann! Makann! Makann the +Leader! Makann to Power!</i>"</p> + +<p>"You even let him have a private +army?" he asked the Crown Prince.</p> + +<p>"Oh, those silly buffoons and +their musical-comedy uniforms," +the Crown Prince shrugged. "They +aren't armed."</p> + +<p>"Not visibly," he granted. "Not +yet."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I don't know where they'd get +arms."</p> + +<p>"No, Your Highness," Prince +Bentrik said. "Neither do I. That's +what I'm worried about."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXII" id="XXII"></a>XXII</h2> + + +<p>He succeeded, the next morning, +in convincing everybody that he +wanted to be alone for a while, and +was sitting in a garden, watching +the rainbows in the midst of a big +waterfall across the valley. Elaine +would have liked that, but she +wasn't with him, now.</p> + +<p>Then he realized that somebody +was speaking to him, in a small, +bashful voice. He turned, and saw +a little girl in shorts and a sleeveless +jacket, holding in her arms a long-haired +blond puppy with big ears +and appealing eyes.</p> + +<p>"Hello, both of you," he said.</p> + +<p>The puppy wriggled and tried to +lick the girl's face.</p> + +<p>"Don't, Mopsy. We want to talk +to this gentleman," she said. "Are +you really and truly the Space +Viking?"</p> + +<p>"Really and truly. And who are +you two?"</p> + +<p>"I'm Myrna. And this is Mopsy."</p> + +<p>"Hello, Myrna. Hello, Mopsy."</p> + +<p>Hearing his name, the puppy +wriggled again and dropped from +the child's arms; after a brief hesitation, +he came over and jumped onto +Trask's lap, licking his face. While +he petted the dog, the girl came +over and sat on the bench beside +him. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Mopsy likes you," she said. +After a moment, she added: "I like +you, too."</p> + +<p>"And I like you," he said. +"Would you want to be my girl? +You know, a Space Viking has to +have a girl on every planet. How +would you like to be my girl on +Marduk?"</p> + +<p>Myrna thought that over carefully. +"I'd like to, but I couldn't. +You see, I'm going to have to be +Queen, some day."</p> + +<p>"Oh?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. Grandpa is King now, and +when he's through being King, +Pappa will have to be King, and +then when he's through being +King, I can't be King because I'm +a girl, so I'll have to be Queen. +And I can't be anybody's girl, because +I'm going to have to marry +somebody I don't know, for reasons +of state." She thought some more, +and lowered her voice. "I'll tell +you a secret. I am a Queen now."</p> + +<p>"Oh, you are?"</p> + +<p>She nodded. "We are Queen, in +our own right, of our Royal Bedroom, +our Royal Playroom, and our +Royal Bathroom. And Mopsy is +our faithful subject."</p> + +<p>"Is Your Majesty absolute ruler +of these domains?"</p> + +<p>"No," she said disgustedly. "We +must at all times defer to our Royal +Ministers, just like Grandpa has to. +That means, I have to do just what +they tell me to. That's Lady +Valerie, and Margot, and Dame +Eunice, and Sir Thomas. But +Grandpa says they are good and +wise ministers. Are you really a +Prince? I didn't know Space Vikings +were Princes."</p> + +<p>"Well, my King says I am. And +I am ruler of my planet, and I'll +tell you a secret. I don't have to do +what anybody tells me."</p> + +<p>"Gee! Are you a tyrant? You're +awfully big and strong. I'll bet +you've slain just hundreds of cruel +and wicked enemies."</p> + +<p>"Thousands, Your Majesty."</p> + +<p>He wished that weren't literally +true; he didn't know how many of +them had been little girls like +Myrna and little dogs like Mopsy. +He found that he was holding both +of them tightly. The girl was saying: +"But you feel bad about it." +These children must be telepaths!</p> + +<p>"A Space Viking who is also a +Prince must do many things he +doesn't want to do."</p> + +<p>"I know. So does a Queen. I hope +Grandpa and Pappa don't get +through being King for just years +and years." She looked over his +shoulder. "Oh! And now I suppose +I've got to do something else I +don't want to. Lessons, I bet."</p> + +<p>He followed her eyes. The girl +who had been his dinner companion +was approaching; she wore +a wide sunshade hat, and a gown +that trailed filmy gauze like sunset-colored +mist. There was another +woman, in the garb of an upper +servant, with her.</p> + +<p>"Lady Valerie and who else?" +he whispered.</p> + +<p>"Margot. She's my nurse. She's +awful strict, but she's nice."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Prince Trask, has Her Highness +been bothering you?" Lady Valerie +asked.</p> + +<p>"Oh, far from it." He rose, still +holding the funny little dog. "But +you should say, Her Majesty. She +has informed me that she is sovereign +of three princely domains. And +of one dear loving subject." He +gave the subject back to the sovereign.</p> + +<p>"You should not have told +Prince Trask that," Lady Valerie +chided. "When Your Majesty is +outside her domains, Your Majesty +must remain incognito. Now, Your +Majesty must go with the Minister +of the Bedchamber; the Minister of +Education awaits an audience."</p> + +<p>"Arithmetic, I bet. Well, good-by, +Prince Trask. I hope I can see +you again. Say good-by, Mopsy."</p> + +<p>She went away with her nurse, +the little dog looking back over her +shoulder.</p> + +<p>"I came out to enjoy the gardens +alone," he said, "and now I find I'd +rather enjoy them in company. If +your Ministerial duties do not +forbid, could you be the company?"</p> + +<p>"But gladly, Prince Trask. Her +Majesty will be occupied with +serious affairs of state. Square root. +Have you seen the grottoes? +They're down this way."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>That afternoon, one of the gentlemen-attendants +caught up with +him; Baron Cragdale would be +gratified if Prince Trask could find +time to talk with him privately. +Before they had talked more than +a few minutes, however, Baron +Cragdale abruptly became Crown +Prince Edvard.</p> + +<p>"Prince Trask, Admiral Shefter +tells me that you and he are having +informal discussions about co-operation +against this mutual enemy +of ours, Dunnan. This is fine; it +has my approval, and the approval +of Prince Vandarvant, the Prime +Minister, and, I might add, that +of Goodman Mikhyl. I think it +ought to go further, though. A +formal treaty between Tanith and +Marduk would be greatly to the +advantage of both."</p> + +<p>"I'd be inclined to think so, +Prince Edvard. But aren't you proposing +marriage on rather short +acquaintance? It's only been fifty +hours since the <i>Nemesis</i> orbited in +here."</p> + +<p>"Well, we know a bit about you +and your planet beforehand. There's +a large Gilgamesher colony here. +You have a few on Tanith, haven't +you? Well, anything one Gilgamesher +knows, they all find out, +and ours are co-operative with +Naval intelligence."</p> + +<p>That would be why Andray +Dunnan was having no dealings +with Gilgameshers. It would also +be what Zaspar Makann meant +when he ranted about the Gilgamesh +Interstellar Conspiracy.</p> + +<p>"I can see where an arrangement +like that would be mutually advantageous. +I'd be quite in favor of +it. Co-operation against Dunnan, +of course, and reciprocal trade-rights +on each other's trade-planets,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> +and direct trade between Marduk +and Tanith. And Beowulf and Amaterasu +would come into it, too. +Does this also have the approval +of the Prime Minister and the +King?"</p> + +<p>"Goodman Mikhyl's in favor of +it; there's a distinction between +him and the King, as you'll have +noticed. The King can't be in favor +of anything till the Assembly or +the Chancellor express an opinion. +Prince Vandarvant favors it personally; +as Prime Minister, he is +reserving his opinion. We'll have +to get the support of the Crown +Loyalist Party before he can take +an unequivocal position."</p> + +<p>"Well, Baron Cragdale; speaking +as Baron Trask of Traskon, suppose +we just work out a rough outline +of what this treaty ought to be, +and then consult, unofficially, with +a few people whom you can trust, +and see what can be done about +presenting it to the proper government +officials...."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>The Prime Minister came to +Cragdale that evening, heavily incognito +and accompanied by several +leaders of the Crown Loyalist +Party. In principle, they all favored +a treaty with Tanith. Politically, +they had doubts. Not before the +election; too controversial a subject. +"Controversial," it appeared, +was the dirtiest dirty-name anything +could be called on Marduk. +It would alienate the labor vote; +they'd think increased imports +would threaten employment in +Mardukan industries. Some of +the interstellar trading companies +would like a chance at the Tanith +planets; others would resent Tanith +ships being given access to theirs. +And Zaspar Makann's party were +already shrieking protests about +the <i>Nemesis</i> being repaired by the +Royal Navy.</p> + +<p>And a couple of professors who +inclined toward Makann had introduced +a resolution calling for the +court-martial of Prince Bentrik and +an investigation of the loyalty of +Admiral Shefter. And somebody +else, probably a stooge of Makann's, +was claiming that Bentrik +had sold the <i>Victrix</i> to the Space +Vikings and that the films of the +battle of Audhumla were fakes, +photographed in miniature at the +Navy Moon Base.</p> + +<p>Admiral Shefter, when Trask +flew in to see him the next day, was +contemptuous about this last.</p> + +<p>"Ignore the whole bloody thing; +we get something like that before +every general election. On this +planet, you can always kick the +Gilgameshers and the Armed Forces +with impunity, neither have votes +and neither can kick back. The +whole thing'll be forgotten the +day after the election. It always is."</p> + +<p>"That's if Makann doesn't win +the election," Trask qualified.</p> + +<p>"That's no matter who wins the +election. They can't any of them +get along without the Navy, and +they bloody well know it."</p> + +<p>Trask wanted to know if Intelligence +had been getting anything.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Not on how Dunnan found out +the <i>Victrix</i> had been ordered to +Audhumla, no," Shefter said. +"There wasn't any secrecy about it; +at least a thousand people, from +myself down to the shoeshine boys, +could have known about it as soon +as the order was taped.</p> + +<p>"As for the list of ships you gave +me, yes. One of them puts in to this +planet regularly; she spaced out +from here only yesterday morning. +The <i>Honest Horris</i>."</p> + +<p>"Well, great Satan, haven't you +done anything?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know if there's anything +we can do. Oh, we're investigating, +but.... You see, this ship first +showed up here four years ago, +commanded by some kind of a +Neobarb, not a Gilgamesher, +named Horris Sasstroff. He claimed +to be from Skathi; the locals there +have a few ships, the Space Vikings +had a base on Skathi about a hundred +or so years ago. Naturally, +the ship had no papers. Tramp trading +among the Neobarbs, it might +be years before you'd put in on a +planet where they'd ever heard of +ship's papers.</p> + +<p>"The ship seems to have been in +bad shape, probably abandoned on +Skathi as junk a century ago and +tinkered up by the locals. She was +in here twice, according to the +commercial shipping records, and +the second time she was in too bad +shape to be moved out, and Sasstroff +couldn't pay to have her rebuilt, +so she was libeled +<!--Spelling changed to "libelled" in book; +in admiralty law, to bring a suit against someone.--> +for spaceport +charges and sold. Some one-lung +trading company bought her +and fixed her up a little; they went +bankrupt in a year or so, and she +was bought by another small company, +Startraders, Ltd., and they've +been using her on a milk-run to and +from Gimli. They seem to be a +legitimate outfit, but we're looking +into them. We're looking for Sasstroff, +too, but we haven't been able +to find him."</p> + +<p>"If you have a ship out Gimli +way, you might find out if anybody +there knows anything about her. +You may discover that she hasn't +been going there at all."</p> + +<p>"We might, at that," Shefter +agreed. "We'll just find out."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>Everybody at Cragdale knew +about the projected treaty with +Tanith by the morning after Trask's +first conversation with Prince Edvard +on the subject. The Queen of +the Royal Bedroom, the Royal +Playroom and the Royal Bathroom +was insisting that her domains +should have a treaty with Tanith, +too.</p> + +<p>It was beginning to look to +Trask as though that would be the +only treaty he'd sign on Marduk, +and he was having his doubts +about that.</p> + +<p>"Do you think it would be +wise?" he asked Lady Valerie +Alvarath. The Queen of three rooms +and one four-footed subject had +already decreed that Lady Valerie +should be the Space Viking Prince's +girl on the planet of Marduk.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> +"If it got out, these People's Welfare +lunatics would pick it up and +twist it into evidence of some kind +of a sinister plot."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I believe Her Majesty could +sign a treaty with Prince Trask," +Her Majesty's Prime Minister decided. +"But it would have to be +kept very secret."</p> + +<p>"Gee!" Myrna's eyes widened. +"A real secret treaty; just like the +wicked rulers of the old dictatorship!" +She hugged her subject +ecstatically. "I'll bet Grandpa +doesn't even have any secret treaties!"</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>In a few days, everybody on +Marduk knew that a treaty with +Tanith was being discussed. If they +didn't, it was no fault of Zaspar +Makann's party, who seemed to +command a disconcertingly large +number of telecast stations, and +who drenched the ether with horror +stories of Space Viking atrocities +and denunciations of carefully unnamed +traitors surrounding the +King and the Crown Prince who +were about to betray Marduk to +rapine and plunder. The leak evidently +did not come from Cragdale, +for it was generally believed that +Trask was still at the Royal Palace +in Malverton. At least, that was +where the Makannists were demonstrating +against him.</p> + +<p>He watched such a demonstration +by screen; the pickup was +evidently on one of the landing +stages of the palace, overlooking +the wide parks surrounding it. They +were packed almost solid with +people, surging forward toward the +thin cordon of police. The front of +the mob looked like a checkerboard—a +block in civilian dress, then a +block in the curiously effeminate-looking +uniforms of Zaspar Makann's +People's Watchmen, then +more in ordinary garb, and more +People's Watchmen. Over the heads +of the crowds, at intervals, floated +small contragravity lifters on which +were mounted the amplifiers that +were bellowing:</p> + +<p>"SPACE VI-KING—GO HOME! +SPACE VI-KING—GO HOME!"</p> + +<p>The police stood motionless, at +parade rest; the mob surged closer. +When they were fifty yards away, +the blocks of People's Watchmen +ran forward, then spread out until +they formed a line six deep across +the entire front; other blocks, from +the rear, pushed the ordinary demonstrators +aside and took their +place. Hating them more every +second, Trask grudged approval of +a smart and disciplined maneuver. +How long, he wondered, had they +been drilling in that sort of tactics? +Without stopping, they continued +their advance on the police, who +had now shifted their stance.</p> + +<p>"SPACE VI-KING—GO HOME! +SPACE VI-KING—GO HOME!"</p> + +<p>"Fire!" he heard himself yelling. +"Don't let them get any closer, +fire now!"</p> + +<p>They had nothing to fire with; +they had only truncheons, no better +weapons than the knobbed swagger-sticks +of the People's Watch<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span>men. +They simply disappeared, +after a brief flurry of blows, and the +Makann storm-troopers continued +their advance.</p> + +<p>And that was that. The gates of +the Palace were shut; the mob, +behind a front of Makann People's +Watchmen, surged up to them and +stopped. The loud-speakers bellowed +on, reiterating their four-word +chant.</p> + +<p>"Those police were murdered," +he said. "They were murdered by +the man who ordered them out +there unarmed."</p> + +<p>"That would be Count Naydnayr, +the Minister of Security," +somebody said.</p> + +<p>"Then he's the one you want to +hang for it."</p> + +<p>"What else would you have +done?" Crown Prince Edvard challenged.</p> + +<p>"Put up about fifty combat cars. +Drawn a deadline, and opened +machine-gun fire as soon as the mob +crossed it, and kept on firing till the +survivors turned tail and ran. Then +sent out more cars, and shot everybody +wearing a People's Watchmen +uniform, all over town. Inside +forty-eight hours, there'd be no +People's Welfare party, and no +Zaspar Makann either."</p> + +<p>The Crown Prince's face stiffened. +"That may be the way you do +things in the Sword-Worlds, Prince +Trask. It's not the way we do +things here on Marduk. Our government +does not propose to be +guilty of shedding the blood of its +people."</p> + +<p>He had it on the tip of his tongue +to retort that if they didn't, the +people would end by shedding +theirs. Instead, he said softly:</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry, Prince Edvard. You +had a wonderful civilization here +on Marduk. You could have made +almost anything of it. But it's too +late now. You've torn down the +gates; the barbarians are in."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image130-31.jpg" width="750" height="205" + alt="" title="" /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXIII" id="XXIII"></a><!--Beginning of 4th installment.-->XXIII</h2> + + +<p>The colored turbulence faded into +the gray of hyperspace; five hundred +hours to Tanith. Guatt Kirbey was securing +his control-panel, happy to +return to his music. And Vann Larch +would go back to his paints and +brushes, and Alvyn Karffard to the +working model of whatever it was he +had left unfinished when the <i>Nemesis</i> +had emerged at the end of the +jump from Audhumla.</p> + +<p>Trask went to the index of the +ship's library and punched for <i>History, +Old Terran</i>. There was plenty +of that, thanks to Otto Harkaman. +Then he punched for <i>Hitler, Adolf</i>. +Harkaman was right; anything that +could happen in a human society had +already happened, in one form or another, +somewhere and at some time. +Hitler could help him understand +Zaspar Makann.</p> + +<p>By the time the ship came out, +with the yellow sun of Tanith in the +middle of the screen, he knew a +great deal about Hitler, occasionally +referred to as Schicklgruber, and he +understood, with sorrow, how the +lights of civilization on Marduk were +going out.</p> + +<p>Beside the <i>Lamia</i>, stripped of her +Dillinghams and crammed with +heavy armament and detection instruments, +the <i>Space Scourge</i> and the +<i>Queen Flavia</i> were on off-planet +watch. There were half a dozen other +ships on orbit just above atmosphere; +a Gilgamesher, one of the Gram-Tanith +<!--"Gram-Marduk" in original.--> +freighters, a couple of free-lance +Space Vikings, and a new and +unfamiliar ship. When he asked the +moonbase who she was, he was told +that she was the <i>Sun Goddess</i>, Amaterasu. +That was, by almost a year, +better than he had expected of them. +Otto Harkaman was out in the <i>Corisande</i>, +raiding and visiting the +trade-planets.</p> + +<p>He found his cousin, Nikkolay +Trask, at Rivington; when he inquired +about Traskon, Nikkolay +cursed.</p> + +<p>"I don't know anything about +Traskon; I haven't anything to do +with Traskon, any more. Traskon is +now the personal property of our +well loved—very well loved—Queen +Evita. The Trasks don't own enough +land on Gram now for a family cemetery. +You see what you did?" he +added bitterly.</p> + +<p>"You needn't rub it in, Nikkolay. +If I'd stayed on Gram, I'd have +helped put Angus on the throne, and +it would have been about the same in +the end."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span></p> + +<p>"It could be a lot different," Nikkolay +said. "You could bring your +ships and men back to Gram and put +yourself on the throne."</p> + +<p>"No; I'll never go back to Gram. +Tanith's my planet, now. But I will +renounce my allegiance to Angus. I +can trade on Morglay or Joyeuse or +Flamberge just as easily."</p> + +<p>"You won't have to; you can trade +with Newhaven and Bigglersport. +Count Lionel and Duke Joris are +both defying Angus; they've refused +to furnish him men, they've driven +out his tax collectors, those they +haven't hanged, and they're building +ships of their own. Angus is building +ships, too. I don't know whether +he's going to use them to fight Bigglersport +and Newhaven, or attack +you, but there's going to be a war before +another year's out."</p> + +<p>The <i>Goodhope</i> and the <i>Speedwell</i>, +he found, had gone back to Gram. +They were commanded by men who +had come into favor at the court of +King Angus recently. The <i>Black Star</i> +and the <i>Queen Flavia</i>—whose captain +had contemptuously ignored an +order from Gram to re-christen her +<i>Queen Evita</i>—had remained. They +were his ships, not King Angus'. The +captain of the merchantman from +Wardshaven now on orbit refused to +take a cargo to Newhaven; he had +been chartered by King Angus, and +would take orders from no one else.</p> + +<p>"All right," Trask told him. "This +is your last voyage here. You bring +that ship back under Angus of +Wardshaven's charter and we'll fire +on her."</p> + +<p>Then he had the regalia he had +worn in his last audiovisual to Angus +dusted off. At first, he had decided to +proclaim himself King of Tanith. +Lord Valpry, Baron Rathmore and +his cousin all advised against it.</p> + +<p>"Just call yourself Prince of Tanith," +Valpry said. "The title won't +make any difference in your authority +here, and if you do lay claim to +the throne of Gram, nobody can say +you're a foreign king trying to annex +the planet."</p> + +<p>He had no intention of doing anything +of the kind, but Valpry was +quite in earnest.</p> + +<p>So he sat on his throne, as sovereign +Prince of Tanith, and renounced +his allegiance to "Angus, Duke of +Wardshaven, self-styled King of +Gram." They sent it back on the otherwise +empty freighter. Another copy +went to the Count of Newhaven, +along with a cargo in the <i>Sun Goddess</i>, +the first non-Space-Viking ship +into Gram from the Old Federation.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>Seven hundred and fifty hours after +the return of the <i>Nemesis</i>, the +<i>Corisande II</i> emerged from her last +microjump, and immediately Harkaman +began hearing of the Battle of +Audhumla and the destruction of the +<i>Yo-Yo</i> and the <i>Enterprise</i>. At first, +he merely reported a successful raiding +voyage, from which he was bringing +rich booty. Oddly varigated +booty, it was remarked, when he began +itemizing it.</p> + +<p>"Why, yes," he replied. "Secondhand +booty. I raided Dagon for it."</p> + +<p>Dagon was a Space Viking base<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span> +planet, occupied by a character +named Fedrig Barragon. A number +of ships operated from it, including a +couple commanded by Barragon's +half-breed sons.</p> + +<p>"Barragon's ships were raiding one +of our planets," Harkaman said. +"Ganpat. They looted a couple of +cities, destroyed one, killed a lot of +the locals. I found out about it from +Captain Ravallo of the <i>Black Star</i>, on +Indra; he'd just been from Ganpat. +Beowulf wasn't too far out of the +way, so we put in there, and found +the <i>Grendelsbane</i> just ready to space +out." The <i>Grendelsbane</i> was the second +of Beowulf's ships, sister to the +<i>Viking's Gift</i>. "So she joined us, and +the three of us went to Dagon. We +blew up one of Barragon's ships, and +put the other one down out of commission, +and then we sacked his base. +There was a Gilgamesher colony +there; we didn't bother them. They'll +tell what we did, and why."</p> + +<p>"That should furnish Prince Viktor +of Xochitl something to ponder," +Trask said. "Where are the other +ships, now?"</p> + +<p>"The <i>Grendelsbane</i> went back to +Beowulf; she'll stop at Amaterasu to +do a little trading on the way. The +<i>Black Star</i> went to Xochitl. Just a +friendly visit, to say hello to Prince +Viktor for you. Ravallo has a lot of +audiovisuals we made during the Dagon +Operation. Then she's going to +Jagannath to visit Nikky Gratham."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>Harkaman approved his attitude +and actions with regard to King +Angus.</p> + +<p>"We don't need to do business with +the Sword-Worlds at all. We have +our own industries, we can produce +what we need, and we can trade with +Beowulf and Amaterasu, and with +Xochitl and Jagannath and Hoth, if +we can make any sort of agreement +with them; everybody agrees to let +everybody else's trade-planets alone. +It's too bad you couldn't get some +kind of an agreement with Marduk." +Harkaman regretted that for a few +seconds, and then shrugged. "Our +grandchildren, if any, will probably +be raiding Marduk."</p> + +<p>"You think it'll be like that?"</p> + +<p>"Don't you? You were there; you +saw what's happening. The barbarians +are rising; they have a leader, +and they're uniting. Every society +rests on a barbarian base. The people +who don't understand civilization, +and wouldn't like it if they did. The +hitchhikers. The people who create +nothing, and who don't appreciate +what others have created for them, +and who think civilization is something +that just exists and that all they +need to do is enjoy what they can understand +of it—luxuries, a high living +standard, and easy work for high +pay. Responsibilities? Phooey! What +do they have a government for?"</p> + +<p>Trask nodded. "And now, the +hitchhikers think they know more +about the car than the people who +designed it, so they're going to grab +the controls. Zaspar Makann says +they can, and he's the Leader." He +poured a drink from a decanter that +had been looted on Pushan; there +was a planet where a republic had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span> +been overthrown in favor of a dictatorship +four centuries ago, and the +planetary dictatorship had fissioned +into a dozen regional dictatorships, +and now they were down to the peasant-village +and handcraft-industry +level. "I don't understand it, though. +I was reading about Hitler, on the +way home. I wouldn't be surprised if +Zaspar Makann had been reading +about Hitler, too. He's using all Hitler's +tricks. But Hitler came to power +in a country which had been impoverished +by a military defeat. Marduk +hasn't fought a war in almost two +generations, and that one was a farce."</p> + +<p>"It wasn't the war that put Hitler +into power. It was the fact that the +ruling class of his nation, the people +who kept things running, were discredited. +The masses, the homemade +barbarians, didn't have anybody to +take their responsibilities for them. +What they have on Marduk is a ruling +class that has been discrediting +itself. A ruling class that's ashamed +of its privileges and shirks its duties. +A ruling class that has begun to +believe that the masses are just as +good as they are, which they manifestly +are not. And a ruling class that +won't use force to maintain its position. +And they have a democracy, +and they are letting the enemies of +democracy shelter themselves behind +democratic safeguards."</p> + +<p>"We don't have any of this democracy +in the Sword-Worlds, if that's +the word for it," he said. "And our +ruling class aren't ashamed of their +power, and our people aren't hitchhikers, +and as long as they get decent +treatment they don't try to run +things. And we're not doing so well."</p> + +<p>The Morglay dynastic war of a +couple of centuries ago, still sputtering +and smoking. The Oskarsan-Elmersan +War on Durendal, into which +Flamberge and now Joyeuse had intruded. +And the situation on Gram, +fast approaching critical mass. Harkaman +nodded agreement.</p> + +<p>"You know why? Our rulers are +the barbarians among us. There isn't +one of them—Napolyon of Flamberge, +Rodolf of Excalibur, or Angus +of about half of Gram—who is devoted +to civilization or anything else +outside himself, and that's the mark +of the barbarian."</p> + +<p>"What are you devoted to, Otto?"</p> + +<p>"You. You are my chieftain. That's +another mark of the barbarian."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>Before he had left Marduk, Admiral +Shefter had ordered a ship to +Gimli to check on the <i>Honest Horris</i>; +a few men and a pinnace would be +left behind to contact any ship from +Tanith. He sent Boake Valkanhayn +off in the <i>Space Scourge</i>.</p> + +<p>Lionel of Newhaven's <i>Blue Comet</i> +came in from Gram with a cargo of +general merchandise. Her captain +wanted fissionables and gadolinium; +Count Lionel was building more +ships. There was a rumor that Omfray +of Glaspyth was laying claim to +the throne of Gram, in the right of +his great-grandmother's sister, who +had been married to the great-grandfather +of Duke Angus. It was a completely +trivial and irrelevant claim, +but the story was that it would be +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> +supported by King Konrad of Haulteclere.</p> + +<p>Immediately, Baron Rathmore, +Lord Valpry, Lothar Ffayle and the +other Gram people began clamoring +that he should go back with a fleet and +seize the throne for himself. Harkaman, +Valkanhayn, Karffard and the +other Space Vikings were as +vehement against it. Harkaman had +the loss of the other <i>Corisande</i> on +Durendal to remember, and the others +wanted no part in Sword-World +squabbles, and there was renewed +agitation that he should start calling +himself King of Tanith.</p> + +<p>He refused to do either, which left +both parties dissatisfied. So partisan +politics had finally come to Tanith. +Maybe that was another milestone of +progress.</p> + +<p>And there was the Treaty of Khepera, +between the Princely State of +Tanith, the Commonwealth of Beowulf, +and the Planetary League of +Amaterasu. The Kheperans agreed to +allow bases on their planet, to furnish +workers, and to send students to +school on all three planets. Tanith, +Beowulf and Amaterasu obligated +themselves to joint defense of Khepera, +to free trade among themselves, +and to render one another +armed assistance.</p> + +<p>That <i>was</i> a milestone of progress, +and no argument about it.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image136.jpg" width="600" height="765" + alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>The <i>Space Scourge</i> returned from +Gimli, and Valkanhayn reported that +nobody on the planet had ever seen +or heard of the <i>Honest Horris</i>. They +had found a Mardukan Navy ship's +pinnace there, manned entirely by +officers, some of them Navy Intelligence. +According to them, the investigation +into the activities of that +ship had come to an impasse. The +ostensible owners claimed, and had +papers to prove it, that they had chartered +her to a private trader, and he +claimed, and had papers to prove it, +that he was a citizen of the Planetary +Republic of Aton, and as soon as +they began questioning him, he was +rescued by the Atonian ambassador, +who lodged a vehement protest with +the Mardukan Foreign Ministry. Immediately, +the People's Welfare Party +had leaped into the incident and +branded the investigation as an unwarranted +persecution of a national +of a friendly power at the instigation +of corrupt tools of the Gilgamesh +Interstellar Conspiracy.</p> + +<p>"So that's it," Valkanhayn finished. +"It seems they're having an +election and they're afraid to antagonize +anybody who might have a vote. +So the Navy had to drop the investigation. +Everybody on Marduk's +scared of this Makann. You think +there might be some tie-up between +him and Dunnan?"</p> + +<p>"The idea's occurred to me. Have +there been any more raids on Marduk +trade-planets since the Battle of +Audhumla?"</p> + +<p>"A couple. The <i>Bolide</i> was on +Audhumla a while ago. There were +a couple of Mardukan ships there, +and they had the <i>Victrix</i> fixed up +enough to do some fighting. They +ran the <i>Bolide</i> out."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span></p> + +<p>A study of the time between the +destruction of the <i>Enterprise</i> and +<i>Yo-Yo</i> and the appearance of the +<i>Bolide</i> could give them a limiting +radius around Audhumla. It did; seven +hundred light-years, which also +included Tanith.</p> + +<p>So he sent Harkaman in the <i>Corisande</i> +and Ravallo in the <i>Black Star</i> +to visit the planets Marduk traded +with, looking for Dunnan ships and +exchanging information and assistance +with the Royal Mardukan Navy. +Almost at once, he regretted it; the +next Gilgamesher into orbit on Tanith +brought a story that Prince Viktor +was collecting a fleet on Xochitl. He +sent warnings off to Amaterasu and +Beowulf and Khepera.</p> + +<p>A ship came in from Bigglersport, +a heavily armed chartered freighter. +There was sporadic fighting in a dozen +places on Gram, now—resistance +to efforts on the part of King Angus +to collect taxes, and raids by unidentified +persons on estates confiscated +from alleged traitors and given to +Garvan Spasso, who had now been +promoted from Baron to Count. And +Rovard Grauffis was dead; poisoned, +everybody said, either by Spasso or +Queen Evita or both. Even with the +threat from Xochitl, some of the +former Wardshaven nobles began +talking about sending ships to Gram.</p> + +<p>Less than a thousand hours after he +had left, Ravallo was back in the +<i>Black Star</i>.</p> + +<p>"I went to Gimli, and I wasn't +there fifty hours before a Mardukan +Navy ship came in. They were glad +to see me; it saved them sending off +a pinnace for Tanith. They had news +for you, and a couple of passengers."</p> + +<p>"Passengers?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. You'll see who they are when +they come down. And don't let anybody +with side-whiskers and buttoned-up +coats see them," Ravallo +said. "What those people know gets +all over the place before long."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>The visitors were Lucile, Princess +Bentrik, and her son, the young +Count of Ravary. They dined with +Trask; only Captain Ravallo was also +present.</p> + +<p>"I didn't want to leave my husband, +and I didn't want to come here +and impose myself and Steven on +you, Prince Trask," she began, "but +he insisted. We spent the whole voyage +to Gimli concealed in the captain's +quarters; only a few of the officers +knew we were aboard."</p> + +<p>"Makann won the election. Is that +it?" he asked. "And Prince Bentrik +doesn't want to risk you and Steven +being used as hostages?"</p> + +<p>"That's it," she said. "He didn't +really win the election, but he might +as well have. Nobody has a majority +of seats in the Chamber of Representatives +but he's formed a coalition +with several of the splinter parties, +and I'm ashamed to say that a number +of Crown Loyalist members—Crowd +of Disloyalists, I call them—are voting +with him, now. They've coined +some ridiculous phrase about the +'wave of the future,' whatever that +means."</p> + +<p>"If you can't lick them, join them," +Trask said.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span></p> + +<p>"If you can't lick them, lick their +boots," the Count of Ravary put in.</p> + +<p>"My son is a trifle bitter," Princess +Bentrik said. "I must confess to a +trace of bitterness, too."</p> + +<p>"Well, that's the Representatives," +Trask said. "What about the rest of +the government?"</p> + +<p>"With the splinter-party and Disloyalist +support, they got a majority +of seats in the Delegates. Most of +them would have indignantly denied, +a month before, having any connection +with Makann, but a hundred out +of a hundred and twenty are his supporters. +Makann, of course, is Chancellor."</p> + +<p>"And who is Prime Minister?" he +asked. "Andray Dunnan?"</p> + +<p>She looked slightly baffled for an +instant then said, "Oh. No. The +Prime Minister is Crown Prince Edvard. +No; Baron Cragdale. That isn't +a royal title, so by some kind of a fiction +I can't pretend to understand he +is not Prime Minister as a member +of the Royal Family."</p> + +<p>"If you can't ..." the boy started.</p> + +<p>"Steven! I forbid you to say that +about ... Baron Cragdale. He believes, +very sincerely, that the election +was an expression of the will of +the people, and that it is his duty to +bow to it."</p> + +<p>He wished Otto Harkaman were +there. He could probably name, without +stopping for breath, a hundred +great nations that went down into +rubble because their rulers believed +that they should bow instead of rule, +and couldn't bring themselves to +shed the blood of their people. Edvard +would have been a fine and admirable +man, as a little country +baron. Where he was, he was a disaster.</p> + +<p>He asked if the People's Watchman +had dragged their guns out from +under the bed and started carrying +them in public yet.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes. You were quite right; +they were armed, all the time. Not +just small arms; combat vehicles and +heavy weapons. As soon as the new +government was formed, they were +given status as a part of the Planetary +Armed Forces. They have taken +over every police station on the planet."</p> + +<p>"And the King?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, he carries on, and shrugs and +says, 'I just reign here.' What else +can he do? We've been whittling +down and filching away the powers +of the Throne for the last three centuries."</p> + +<p>"What is Prince Bentrik doing, +and why did he think there was danger +that you two would be used as +hostages?"</p> + +<p>"He's going to fight," she said. +"Don't ask me how, or what with. +Maybe as a guerrilla in the mountains, +I don't know. But if he can't +lick them, he won't join them. I wanted +to stay with him and help him; +he told me I could help him best by +placing myself and Steven where he +wouldn't worry about us."</p> + +<p>"I wanted to stay," the boy said. "I +could have fought with him. But he +said that I must take care of Mother. +And if he were killed, I must be able +to avenge him."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span></p> + +<p>"You talk like a Sword-Worlder; I +told you that once before." He hesitated, +then turned again to Princess +Bentrik. "How is little Princess Myrna?" +he asked, and then, trying to be +casual, added, "and Lady Valerie?"</p> + +<p>She seemed so clearly real and +present to him, blue eyes and space-black +hair, more real than Elaine had +been to him for years.</p> + +<p>"They're at Cragdale; they'll be +safe there. I hope."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXIV" id="XXIV"></a>XXIV</h2> + + +<p>Attempting to conceal the presence +on Tanith of Prince Bentrik's +wife and son was pushing caution beyond +necessity. Admitted that the +news would leak back to Marduk via +Gilgamesh, it was over seven hundred +light-years to the latter and almost +a thousand from there to the +former. Better that Princess Lucile +should enjoy Rivington society, such +as it was, and escape, for a moment +now and then, from anxiety about +her husband. At ten—no, almost +twelve; it had been a year and a half +since Trask had left Marduk—the +boy Count of Ravary was more easily +diverted. At last, he was among real +Space Vikings, on a Space Viking +planet, and he was trying to be everywhere +and see everything at once. No +doubt he would be imagining himself +a Space Viking, returning to +Marduk with a vast armada to rescue +his father and the King from Zaspar +Makann.</p> + +<p>Trask was satisfied with that; as a +host he left much to be desired. He +had his worries, too, and all of them +bore the same name: Prince Viktor +of Xochitl. He went over with Manfred +Ravallo everything the captain +of the <i>Black Star</i> could tell him. He +had talked once with Viktor; the lord +of Xochitl had been coldly polite and +noncommittal. His subordinates had +been frankly hostile. There had been +five ships on orbit or landed at Viktor's +spaceport beside the usual Gilgameshers +and itinerant traders, two +of them Viktor's own, and a big +armed freighter had come in from +Haulteclere as the <i>Black Star</i> was +leaving. There was considerable activity +at the shipyards and around the +spaceport, as though in preparation +for something on a large scale.</p> + +<p>Xochitl was a thousand light-years +from Tanith. He rejected immediately +the idea of launching a +preventative attack; his ships might +reach Xochitl to find it undefended, +and then return to find Tanith devastated. +Things like that had happened +in space-war. The only thing +to do was sit tight, defend Tanith +when Viktor attacked, and then +counterattack if he had any ships +left by that time. Prince Viktor was +probably reasoning in the same way.</p> + +<p>He had no time to think about +Andray Dunnan, except, now and +then, to wish that Otto Harkaman +would stop thinking about him and +bring the <i>Corisande</i> home. He needed +that ship on Tanith, and the wits +and courage of her commander.</p> + +<p>More news—Gilgamesh sources—came +in from Xochitl. There were +only two ships, both armed merchant<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span>men, +on the planet. Prince Viktor +had spaced out with the rest an estimated +two thousand hours before the +story reached him. That was twice as +long as it would take the Xochitl armada +to reach Tanith. He hadn't +gone to Beowulf; that was only sixty-five +hours from Tanith and they +would have heard about it long ago. +Or Amaterasu, or Khepera. How +many ships he had was a question; +not fewer than five, and possibly +more. He could have slipped into +the Tanith system and hidden his +ships on one of the outer uninhabitable +planets. He sent Valkanhayn +and Ravallo microjumping their +ships from one to another to check. +They returned to report in the negative. +At least, Viktor of Xochitl wasn't +camped inside their own system, +waiting for them to leave Tanith +open to attack.</p> + +<p>But he was somewhere, and up to +nothing even resembling good, and +there was no possible way of guessing +when his ships would be emerging +on Tanith. The only thing to do +was wait for him. When he did, +Trask was confident that he would +emerge from hyperspace into serious +trouble. He had the <i>Nemesis</i>, the +<i>Space Scourge</i>, the <i>Black Star</i> and +<i>Queen Flavia</i>, the strongly rebuilt +<i>Lamia</i>, and several independent +Space Viking ships, among them the +<i>Damnthing</i> of his friend Roger-fan-Morvill +Esthersan, who had volunteered +to stay and help in the defense. +This, of course, was not pure altruism. +If Viktor attacked and had his +fleet blown to Em-See-Square, Xochitl +would lie open and unprotected, +and there was enough loot on +Xochitl to cram everybody's ships. +Everybody's ships who had ships +when the Battle of Tanith was over, +of course.</p> + +<p>He was apologetic to Princess Bentrik:</p> + +<p>"I'm very sorry you jumped out of +Zaspar Makann's frying pan into +Prince Viktor's fire," he began.</p> + +<p>She laughed at that. "I'll take my +chances on the fire. I seem to see a +lot of good firemen around. If there +is a battle you will see that Steven's +in a safe place, won't you?"</p> + +<p>"In a space attack, there are no +safe places. I'll keep him with me."</p> + +<p>The young Count of Ravary wanted +to know which ship he would +serve on when the attack came.</p> + +<p>"Well, you won't be on any ship, +Count. You'll be on my staff."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>Two days later, the <i>Corisande</i> +came out of hyperspace. Harkaman +was guardedly noncommittal by +screen. Trask took a landing craft +and went out to meet the ship.</p> + +<p>"Marduk doesn't like us, any +more," Harkaman told him. "They +have ships on all their trade-planets, +and they all have orders to fire on +any, repeat any, Space Vikings, including +the ships of the self-styled +Prince of Tanith. I got this from +Captain Garravay of the <i>Vindex</i>. +After we were through talking, we +fought a nice little ship-to-ship action +for him to make films of. I don't +think anybody could see anything +wrong with it."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span></p> + +<p>"This order came from Makann?"</p> + +<p>"From the Admiral commanding. +He isn't your friend Shefter; Shefter +retired on account of quote ill-health +unquote. He is now in a quote +hospital unquote."</p> + +<p>"Where's Prince Bentrik?"</p> + +<p>"Nobody knows. Charges of high +treason were brought against him, +and he just vanished. Gone underground, +or secretly arrested and executed; +take your choice."</p> + +<p>He wondered just what he'd tell +Princess Lucile and Count Steven.</p> + +<p>"They have ships on all the planets +they trade with. Fourteen of +them. That isn't to catch Dunnan. +That's to disperse the Navy away +from Marduk. They don't trust the +Navy. Is Prince Edvard still Prime +Minister?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, as of Garravay's last information. +It seems Makann is behaving +in a scrupulously legal manner, outside +of making his People's Watchmen +part of the armed forces. Protesting +his devotion to the King every +time he opens his mouth."</p> + +<p>"When will the fire be, I wonder?"</p> + +<p>"Huh? Oh yes, you were reading +up on Hitler. That I don't know. +Probably happened by now."</p> + +<p>He just told Princess Lucile that +her husband had gone into hiding; +he couldn't be sure whether she was +relieved or more worried. The boy +was sure that he was doing something +highly romantic and heroic.</p> + +<p>Some of the volunteers tired of +waiting, after another thousand hours, +and spaced out. The <i>Viking's Gift</i> +of Beowulf came in with a cargo, +and went on orbit after discharging +it to join the watch. A Gilgamesher +came in from Amaterasu and reported +everything quiet there; as soon as +her captain had sold his cargo, with +a minimum of haggling, he spaced +out again. His behavior convinced +everybody that the attack would come +in a matter of hours.</p> + +<p>It didn't.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>Three thousand hours had passed +since the first warning had reached +Tanith, that made five thousand +since Viktor's ships were supposed +to have left Xochitl. There were +those, Boake Valkanhayn among +them, who doubted, now, if he ever +had.</p> + +<p>"The whole thing's just a big Gilgamesher +lie," he was declaring. +"Somebody—Nikky Gratham, or the +Everrards, or maybe Viktor himself—paid +them to tell us that, to pin +our ships down here. Or they made +it up themselves, so they could make +hay on our trade-planets."</p> + +<p>"Let's go down to the Ghetto and +clean out the whole gang," somebody +else took up. "Anything one of +them's in, they're all in together."</p> + +<p>"Nifflheim with that; let's all space +out for Xochitl," Manfred Ravallo +proposed. "We have enough ships to +lick them on Tanith, we have enough +to lick them on their own planet."</p> + +<p>He managed to talk them out of +both courses of action—what was he, +anyhow; sovereign Prince of Tanith, +or the non-ruling King of Marduk, +or just the chieftain of a discipline<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span>less +gang of barbarians? One of the +independents spaced out in disgust. +The next day, two others came in, +loaded with booty from a raid on +Braggi, and decided to stay around +for a while and see what happened.</p> + +<p>And four days after that, a five-hundred-foot +hyperspace yacht, bearing +the daggers and chevrons of +Bigglersport, came in. As soon as she +was out of the last microjump, she +began calling by screen.</p> + +<p>Trask didn't know the man who +was screening, but Hugh Rathmore +did; Duke Joris' confidential secretary.</p> + +<p>"Prince Trask; I must speak to you +as soon as possible," he began, almost +stuttering. Whatever the urgency of +his mission, one would have thought +that a three-thousand-hour voyage +would have taken some of the edge +from it. "It is of the first importance."</p> + +<p>"You are speaking to me. This +screen is reasonably secure. And if +it's of the first importance, the sooner +you tell me about it...."</p> + +<p>"Prince Trask, you must come to +Gram, with every man and every +ship you can command. Satan only +knows what's happening there now, +but three thousand hours ago, when +the Duke sent me off, Omfray of +Glaspyth was landing on Wardshaven. +He has a fleet of eight ships, furnished +to him by his wife's kinsman, the +King of Haulteclere. They are commanded +by King Konrad's Space Viking +cousin, the Prince of Xochitl."</p> + +<p>Then a look of shocked surprise +came into the face of the man in the +screen, and Trask wondered why, until +he realized that he had leaned +back in his chair and was laughing +uproariously. Before he could apologize, +the man in the screen had found +his voice.</p> + +<p>"I know, Prince Trask; you have +no reason to think kindly of King +Angus—the former King Angus, or +maybe even the late King Angus, I +suppose he is now—but a murderer +like Omfray of Glaspyth...."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>It took a little time to explain to +the confidential secretary of the Duke +of Bigglersport the humor of the situation.</p> + +<p>There were others at Rivington to +whom it was not immediately evident. +The professional Space Vikings, +men like Valkanhayn and Ravallo +and Alvyn Karffard, were disgusted. +Here they'd been sitting, on combat +alert, all these months, and, if they'd +only known, they could have gone to +Xochitl and looted it clean long ago. +The Gram party were outraged. Angus +of Wardshaven had been bad +enough, with the hereditary taint of +the Mad Baron of Blackcliffe, and +Queen Evita and her rapacious family, +but even he was preferable to a +murderous villain—some even called +him a fiend in human shape—like +Omfray of Glaspyth.</p> + +<p>Both parties, of course, were positive +as to where their Prince's duty +lay. The former insisted that everything +on Tanith that could be put +into hyperspace should be dispatched +at once to Xochitl, to haul back from +it everything except a few absolutely<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span> +immovable +natural features of +the planet. The latter +clamored, just as loudly and +passionately, that everybody +on Tanith who could pull a trigger +should be embarked at once on a +crusade for the deliverance of Gram.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image144.jpg" width="600" height="845" + alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>"You don't want to do either, do +you?" Harkaman asked him, when +they were alone after the second day +of acrimony.</p> + +<p>"Nifflheim, no! This crowd that +wants an attack on Xochitl; you +know what would happen if we did +that?" Harkaman was silent, waiting +for him to continue. "Inside a year, +four or five of these small planet-holders +like Gratham and the Everrards +would combine against us and +make a slag-pile out of Tanith."</p> + +<p>Harkaman nodded agreement. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> +"Since we warned him the first time, +Viktor's kept his ships away from our +planets. If we attacked Xochitl now, +without provocation, nobody'd know +what to expect from us. People like +Nikky Gratham and Tobbin of Nergal +and the Everrards of Hoth get +nervous around unpredictable dangers, +and when they get nervous they +get trigger-happy." He puffed slowly +on his pipe and then said: "Then +you'll be going back to Gram."</p> + +<p>"That doesn't follow; just because +Valkanhayn and Ravallo and that +crowd are wrong doesn't make Valpry +and Rathmore and Ffayle right. +You heard what I was telling those +very people at Karvall House, the +day I met you. And you've seen +what's been happening on Gram +since we came out here. Otto, the +Sword-Worlds are finished; they're +half decivilized now. Civilization is +alive and growing here on Tanith. I +want to stay here and help it grow."</p> + +<p>"Look, Lucas," Harkaman said. +"You're Prince of Tanith, and I'm +only the Admiral. But I'm telling +you; you'll have to do something, or +this whole setup of yours will fall +apart. As it stands, you can attack +Xochitl and the Back-To-Gram party +would go along, or you can decide on +this crusade against Omfray of Glaspyth +and the Raid-Xochitl-Now party +would go along. But if you let this +go on much longer, you won't have +any influence over either party."</p> + +<p>"And then I will be finished. And +in a few years, Tanith will be finished." +He rose and paced across the +room and back. "Well, I won't raid +Xochitl; I told you why, and you +agreed. And I won't spend the men +and ships and wealth of Tanith in +any Sword-World dynastic squabble. +Great Satan, Otto; you were in the +Durendal War. This is the same +thing, and it'll go on for another half +a century."</p> + +<p>"Then what will you do?"</p> + +<p>"I came out here after Andray +Dunnan, didn't I?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid Ravallo and Valpry, or +even Valkanhayn and Morland, won't +be as interested in Dunnan as you +are."</p> + +<p>"Then I will interest them in him. +Remember, I was reading up on Hitler, +coming in from Marduk? I will +tell them all a big lie. Such a big lie +that nobody will dare to disbelieve +it."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXV" id="XXV"></a>XXV</h2> + + +<p>"Do you think I was afraid of Viktor +of Xochitl?" he demanded. "Half +a dozen ships; we could make a new +Van Allen belt around Tanith of +them, with what we have here. Our +real enemy is on Marduk, not Xochitl; +his name's Zaspar Makann. +Zaspar Makann, and Andray Dunnan, +the man I came out from Gram +to hunt; they're in alliance, and I believe +Dunnan is on Marduk, himself, +now."</p> + +<p>The delegation who had come out +from Gram in the yacht of the Duke +of Bigglersport were unimpressed. +Marduk was only a name to them, +one of the fabulous civilized Old +Federation planets no Sword-World<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span>er +had ever seen. Zaspar Makann +wasn't even that. And so much had +happened on Gram since the murder +of Elaine Karvall and the piracy of +the <i>Enterprise</i> that they had completely +forgotten Andray Dunnan. +That put them at a disadvantage. All +the people whom they were trying to +convince, the half-hundred members +of the new nobility of Tanith, spoke +a language they didn't understand. +They didn't even understand the +proposition, and couldn't argue +against it.</p> + +<p>Paytrik Morland, who was Gram-born +and had been speaking for a +return in force to fight against Omfray +of Glaspyth and his supporters, +defected from them at once. He had +been on Marduk and knew who Zaspar +Makann was; he had made +friends with the Royal Navy officers, +and had been shocked to hear that +they were now enemies. Manfred Ravallo +and Boake Valkanhayn, among +the more articulate of the Raid-Xochitl-Now +party, snatched up the +idea and seemed convinced that +they'd thought of it themselves all +along. Valkanhayn had been on Gimli +and talked to Mardukan naval officers; +Ravallo had brought Princess +Bentrik to Tanith and heard her +stories on the voyage. They began +adducing arguments in support of +Trask's thesis. Of course Dunnan +and Makann were in collusion. Who +tipped Dunnan off that the <i>Victrix</i> +would be on Audhumla? Makann; +his spies in the Navy tipped him. +What about the <i>Honest Horris</i>; wasn't +Makann blocking any investigation +about her? Why was Admiral +Shefter retired as soon as Makann +got into power?</p> + +<p>"Well, here; we don't know anything +about this Zaspar Makann," the +confidential secretary and spokesman +of the Duke of Bigglersport began.</p> + +<p>"No, you don't," Otto Harkaman +told him. "I suggest you keep quiet +and listen, till you find out a little +about him."</p> + +<p>"Why, I wouldn't be surprised if +Dunnan was on Marduk all the time +we were hunting for him," Valkanhayn +said.</p> + +<p>Trask began to wonder. What +would Hitler have done if he'd told +one of his big lies, and then found +it turning into the truth? Maybe Makann +had been on Marduk.... No; +he couldn't have hidden half a dozen +ships on a civilized planet. Not even +at the bottom of an ocean.</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't be surprised," Alvyn +Karffard was shouting, "if Andray +Dunnan <i>was</i> Zaspar Makann. I know +he doesn't look like Dunnan, we all +saw him on screen, but there's such a +thing as plastic surgery."</p> + +<p>That was making the big lie just a +trifle too big. Zaspar Makann was six +inches shorter than Dunnan; there +are some things no plastic surgery +could do. Paytrik Morland, who had +known Dunnan and had seen Makann +on screen, ought to have known +that too, but he either didn't think of +it or didn't want to weaken a case he +had completely accepted.</p> + +<p>"As far as I can find out, nobody +even heard of Makann till about five<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> +years ago. That would be about the +time Dunnan would have arrived on +Marduk," he said.</p> + +<p>By this time, the big room in +which they were meeting had become +a babel of voices, everybody trying to +convince everybody else that they'd +known it all along. Then the Back-To-Gram +party received its <i>coup-de-grace</i>; +Lothar Ffayle, to whom the +emissaries of Duke Joris had looked +for their strongest support, went +over.</p> + +<p>"You people want us to abandon +a planet we've built up from nothing, +and all the time and money +we've invested in it, to go back to +Gram and pull your chestnuts out of +the fire? Gehenna with you! We're +staying here and defending our own +planet. If you're smart, you'll stay +here with us."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>The Bigglersport delegation was +still on Tanith, trying to recruit mercenaries +from the King of Tradetown +and dickering with a Gilgamesher +to transport them to Gram, +when the big lie turned into something +like the truth.</p> + +<p>The observation post on the Moon +of Tanith picked up an emergence +at twenty light-minutes due north of +the planet. Half an hour later, there +was another one at five light-minutes; +a very small one, and then a third at +two light-seconds, and this was detectable +by radar and microray as a +ship's pinnace. He wondered if something +had happened on Amaterasu or +Beowulf; somebody like Gratham or +the Everrards might have decided to +take advantage of the defensive mobilization +on Tanith. Then they +switched the call from the pinnace +over to his screen, and Prince Simon +Bentrik was looking out of it.</p> + +<p>"I'm glad to see you! Your wife +and son are here, worried about you, +but safe and well." He turned to +shout to somebody to find young +Count Steven of Ravary and tell him +to tell his mother. "How are you?"</p> + +<p>"I had a broken leg when I left +Moonbase, but that's mended on the +way," Bentrik said. "I have little +Princess Myrna aboard with me. For +all I know, she's Queen of Marduk, +now." He gulped slightly. "Prince +Trask, we've come as beggars. We're +begging help for our planet."</p> + +<p>"You've come as honored guests, +and you'll get all the help we can +give you." He blessed the Xochitl invasion +scare, and the big lie which +was rapidly ceasing to be a lie; Tanith +had the ships and men and the +will to act. "What happened? Makann +deposed the King and took +over?"</p> + +<p>It came to that, Bentrik told him. +It had started even before the election. +The People's Watchmen had +possessed weapons that had been +made openly and legally on Marduk +for trade to the Neobarbarian planets +and then clandestinely diverted +to secret People's Welfare arsenals. +Some of the police had gone over to +Makann; the rest had been terrorized +into inaction. There had been riots +fomented in working-class districts +of all the cities as pretexts for further +terrorization. The election had been<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span> +a farce of bribery and intimidation. +Even so, Makann's party had failed +of a complete majority in the Chamber +of Representatives, and had been +compelled to patch up a shady coalition +in order to elect a favorable +Chamber of Delegates.</p> + +<p>"And, of course, they elected Makann +Chancellor; that did it," Bentrik +said. "All the opposition leaders +in the Chamber of Representatives +have been arrested, on all kinds +of ridiculous charges—sex-crimes, +receiving bribes, being in the pay of +foreign powers, nothing too absurd. +Then they rammed through a law +empowering the Chancellor to fill +vacancies in the Chamber of Representatives +by appointment."</p> + +<p>"Why did the Crown Prince lend +himself to a thing like that?"</p> + +<p>"He hoped that he could exercise +some control. The Royal Family is an +almost holy symbol to the people. +Even Makann was forced to pretend +loyalty to the King and the Crown +Prince...."</p> + +<p>"It didn't work; he played right +into Makann's hands. What happened?"</p> + +<p>The Crown Prince had been assassinated. +The assassin, an unknown +man believed to be a Gilgamesher, +had been shot to death by People's +Watchmen guarding Prince Edvard +at once. Immediately Makann had +seized the Royal Palace to protect the +King, and immediately there had +been massacres by People's Watchmen +everywhere. The Mardukan +Planetary Army had ceased to exist; +Makann's story was that there had +been a military plot against the King +and the government. Scattered over +the planet in small detachments, the +army had been wiped out in two +nights and a day. Now Makann was +recruiting it up again, exclusively +from the People's Welfare Party.</p> + +<p>"You weren't just sitting on your +hands, were you?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no," Bentrik replied. "I was +doing something I wouldn't have +thought myself capable of, a few +years ago. Organizing a mutineering +conspiracy in the Royal Mardukan +Navy. After Admiral Shefter was +forcibly retired and shut up in an insane +asylum, I disappeared and +turned into a civilian contragravity-lifter +operator at the Malverton Navy +Yard. Finally, when I was suspected, +one of the officers—he was arrested +and tortured to death later—managed +to smuggle me onto a lighter +for the Moonbase. I was an orderly +in the hospital there. The day the +Crown Prince was murdered, we had +a mutiny of our own. We killed everybody +we even suspected of being +a Makannist. The Moonbase has +been under attack from the planet +ever since."</p> + +<p>There was a stir behind him; turning, +he saw Princess Bentrik and the +boy enter the room. He rose.</p> + +<p>"We'll talk about this later. There +are some people here...."</p> + +<p>He motioned them forward and +turned away, shoo-ing everybody else +out of the room.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>The news was all over Rivington, +and then all over Tanith, while the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span> +pinnace was still coming down. +There was a crowd at the spaceport, +staring as the little craft, with its +blazon of the crowned and planet-throned +dragon, settled onto its landing +legs, and reporters of the Tanith +News Service with their screen pickups. +He met Prince Bentrik, a little +in advance of the others, and managed +to whisper to him hastily:</p> + +<p>"While you're talking to anybody +here, always remember that Andray +Dunnan is working with Zaspar Makann, +and as soon as Makann consolidates +his position he's sending an +expedition against Tanith."</p> + +<p>"How in blazes did you find that +out, here?" Bentrik demanded. "From +the Gilgameshers?"</p> + +<p>Then Harkaman and Rathmore +and Valkanhayn and Lothar Ffayle +and the others were crowding up behind, +and more people were coming +off the pinnace, and Prince Bentrik +was trying to embrace both his wife +and his son at the same time.</p> + +<p>"Prince Trask." He started at the +voice, and was looking into deep blue +eyes under coal-black hair. His +pulse gave a sudden jump, and he +said, "Valerie!" and then, "Lady Alvarath; +I'm most happy to see you +here." Then he saw who was beside +her, and squatted on his heels to +bring himself down to a convenient +size. "And Princess Myrna. Welcome +to Tanith, Your Highness!"</p> + +<p>The child flung her arms around +his neck. "Oh, Prince Lucas! I'm so +glad to see you. There's been such +awful things happened!"</p> + +<p>"There won't be anything awful +happen here, Princess Myrna. You +are among friends; friends with +whom you have a treaty. Remember?"</p> + +<p>The child began to cry, bitterly. +"That was when I was just a play-Queen. +And now I know what they +meant when they talked about when +Grandpa and Pappa would be +through being King. Pappa didn't +even get to be King!"</p> + +<p>Something big and warm and soft +was trying to push between them; a +dog with long blond hair and floppy +ears. In a year and a half, puppies +can grow surprisingly. Mopsy was +trying to lick his face. He took the +dog by the collar and straightened.</p> + +<p>"Lady Valerie, will you come with +us?" he asked. "I'm going to find +quarters for Princess Myrna."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>"Is it Princess Myrna, or is it +Queen Myrna?" he asked.</p> + +<p>Prince Bentrik shook his head. +"We don't know. The King was +alive when we left Moonbase, but +that was five hundred hours ago. We +don't know anything about her mother, +either. She was at the Palace +when Prince Edvard was murdered; +we've heard absolutely nothing about +her. The King made a few screen +appearances, parroting things Makann +wanted him to say. Under hypnosis. +That was probably the very +least of what they did to him. They've +turned him into a zombi."</p> + +<p>"Well, how did Myrna get to +Moonbase?"</p> + +<p>"That was Lady Valerie, as much +as anybody else. She and Sir Thomas<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span> +Kobbly, and Captain Rainer. They +armed the servants at Cragdale with +hunting rifles and everything else +they could scrape up, captured Prince +Edvard's space-yacht, and took off in +her. Took a couple of hits from +ground batteries getting off, and +from ships around Moonbase getting +in. Ships of the Royal Mardukan +Navy!" he added furiously.</p> + +<p>The pinnace in which they had +made the trip to Tanith had taken a +few hits, too, running the blockade. +Not many; her captain had thrown +her into hyperspace almost at once.</p> + +<p>"They sent the yacht off to Gimli," +Bentrik said. "From there, they'll +try to rally as many of the Royal +Navy units as haven't gone over to +Makann. They're to assemble on +Gimli and await my return. If I don't +return in fifteen hundred hours from +the time I left Moonbase, they're to +use their own judgment. I'd expect +that they'd move in on Marduk and +attack."</p> + +<p>"That's sixty-odd days," Otto Harkaman +said. "That's an awfully long +time to expect that lunar base to hold +out, against a whole planet."</p> + +<p>"It's a strong base. It was built four +hundred years ago, when Marduk +was fighting a combination of six +other planets. It held out against +continuous attack, once, for almost a +year. It's been constantly strengthened +ever since."</p> + +<p>"And what have they to throw at +it?" Harkaman persisted.</p> + +<p>"When I left, six ships of the former +Royal Navy, that had gone over +to Makann. Four fifteen-hundred-footers, +same class as the <i>Victrix</i>, +and two thousand-footers. Then, +there were four of Andray Dunnan's +ships—"</p> + +<p>"You mean, he really is on Marduk?"</p> + +<p>"I thought you knew that, and I +was wondering how you'd found out. +Yes: <i>Fortuna</i>, <i>Bolide</i>, and two armed +merchantmen, a Baldurbuilt ship +called the <i>Reliable</i>, and your friend +<i>Honest Horris</i>."</p> + +<p>"You didn't really believe Dunnan +was on Marduk?" Boake Valkanhayn +asked.</p> + +<p>"Actually, I didn't. I had to have +some kind of a story, to talk those +people out of that crusade against +Omfray of Glaspyth." He left unmentioned +Valkanhayn's own insistence +on a plundering expedition +against Xochitl. "Now that it turns +out to be true, I'm not surprised. We +decided, long ago, that Dunnan was +planning to raid Marduk. It appears +that we underestimated him. Maybe +he was reading about Hitler, too. He +wasn't planning any raid; he was +planning conquest, in the only way a +great civilization can be conquered—by +subversion."</p> + +<p>"Yes," Harkaman put in. "Five +years ago, when Dunnan started this +programme, who was this Makann, +anyhow?"</p> + +<p>"Nobody," Bentrik said. "A crackpot +agitator in Drepplin; he had a +coven of fellow-crackpots, who met +in the back room of a saloon and had +their office in a cigar box. The next +year, he had a suite of offices and +was buying time on a couple of tele<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span>casts. +The year after that, he had +three telecast stations of his own, +and was holding rallies and meetings +of thousands of people. And so on, +upward."</p> + +<p>"Yes. Dunnan financed him, and +moved in behind him, the same way +Makann moved in behind the King. +And Dunnan will have him shot the +way he had Prince Edvard shot, and +use the murder as a pretext to liquidate +his personal followers."</p> + +<p>"And then he'll own Marduk. And +we'll have the Mardukan navy coming +out of hyperspace on Tanith," +Valkanhayn added. "So we go to Marduk +and smash him now, while he's +still little enough to smash."</p> + +<p>There had been a few who had +wanted to do that about Hitler, and +a great many, later, who had regretted +that it hadn't been done.</p> + +<p>"The <i>Nemesis</i>, the <i>Corisande</i>, and +the <i>Space Scourge</i> for sure?" he +asked.</p> + +<p>Harkaman and Valkanhayn +agreed; Valkanhayn thought the <i>Viking's +Gift</i> of Beowulf would go +along, and Harkaman was almost +sure of the <i>Black Star</i> and <i>Queen +Flavia</i>. He turned to Bentrik.</p> + +<p>"Start that pinnace off for Gimli +at once; within the hour if possible. +We don't know how many ships will +be gathered there, but we don't want +them wasted in detail-attacks. Tell +whoever's in command there that +ships from Tanith are on the way, +and to wait for them."</p> + +<p>Fifteen hundred hours, less the five +hundred Bentrik was in space from +Marduk. He hadn't time to estimate +voyage-time to Gimli from the other +Mardukan trade-planets, and nobody +could estimate how many ships +would respond.</p> + +<p>"It may take us a little time to get +an effective fleet together. Even after +we get through arguing about it. Argument," +he told Bentrik, "is not exclusively +a feature of democracies."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>Actually, there was very little argument, +and most of that among the +Mardukans. Prince Bentrik insisted +that Crown Princess Myrna would +have to be taken along; King Mikhyl +would be either dead or brainwashed +into imbecility by now, and +they would have to have somebody +to take the throne. Lady Valerie Alvarath, +Sir Thomas Kobbly, the tutor, +and the nurse Margot refused to +be separated from her. Prince Bentrik +was equally firm, with less success, +on leaving his wife and son on +Tanith. In the end, it was agreed +that the entire Mardukan party would +space out on the <i>Nemesis</i>.</p> + +<p>The leader of the Bigglersport delegation +attempted an impassioned +tirade about going to the aid of +strangers while their own planet was +being enslaved. He was booed down +by everybody else and informed that +Tanith was being defended where a +planet ought to be, on somebody +else's real estate. When the Bigglersporters +emerged from the meeting, +they found that their own space-yacht +had been commandeered and +sent off to Amaterasu and Beowulf +for assistance, that the regiment of +local infantry they had enlisted from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span> +the King of Tradetown had been +taken over by the Rivington authorities, +and that the Gilgamesh freighter +they had chartered to transport +them to Gram would now take them +to Marduk.</p> + +<p>The problem broke into two +halves: the purely naval action that +would be fought to relieve the Moon +of Marduk, if it still held out, and to +destroy the Dunnan and Makann +ships, and the ground-fighting problem +of wiping out Makann's supporters +and restoring the Mardukan monarchy. +A great many of the people of +Marduk would be glad of a chance +to turn on Makann, once they had +arms and were properly supported. +Combat weapons were almost unknown +among the people, however, +and even sporting arms uncommon. +All the small arms and light artillery +and auto-weapons available were +gathered up.</p> + +<p>The <i>Grendelsbane</i> came in from +Beowulf, and the <i>Sun Goddess</i> from +Amaterasu. Three independent Space +Viking ships were still in orbit on +Tanith; they joined the expedition. +There would be trouble with them +on Marduk; they'd want to loot. Let +the Mardukans worry about that. +They could charge it off as part of +the price for letting Zaspar Makann +get into power in the first place.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>There were twelve spacecraft in +line outside the Moon of Tanith, +counting the three independents and +the forcibly chartered Gilgamesher +troop-transport; that was the biggest +fleet Space Vikings had ever assembled +in their history. Alvyn Karffard +said as much while they were checking +the formation by screen.</p> + +<p>"It isn't a Space Viking fleet," +Prince Bentrik differed. "There are +only three Space Vikings in it. The +rest are the ships of three civilized +planets. Tanith, Beowulf and Amaterasu."</p> + +<p>Karffard was surprised. "You +mean <i>we're</i> civilized planets? Like +Marduk, or Baldur or Odin, or...?"</p> + +<p>"Well, aren't you?"</p> + +<p>Trask smiled. He'd begun to suspect +something of the sort a couple +of years ago. He hadn't really been +sure until now. His most junior staff +officer, Count Steven of Ravary, didn't +seem to appreciate the compliment.</p> + +<p>"We <i>are</i> Space Vikings!" he insisted. +"And we are going to battle +with the Neobarbarians of Zaspar +Makann."</p> + +<p>"Well, I won't argue the last half +of it, Steven," his father told him.</p> + +<p>"Are you people done yakking +about who's civilized and who isn't?" +Guatt Kirbey asked. "Then give the +signal. All the other ships are ready +to jump."</p> + +<p>Trask pressed the button on the +desk in front of him. A light went on +over Kirbey's control panel as one +would on each of the other ships. He +said, "Jumping," around the stem of +his pipe, and twisted the red handle +and shoved it in.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>Four hundred and fifty hours, in +the private universe that was the +<i>Nemesis</i>; outside, nothing else existed, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span> +and inside there was nothing +to do but wait, as each hour carried +them six trillion miles nearer to Gimli. +At first, the ruthless and terrible +Space Viking, Steven, Count of Ravary, +was wildly excited, but before +long he found that there was nothing +exciting going on; it was just a +spaceship, and he'd been on ships +before. Her Highness the Crown +Princess, or maybe her Majesty the +Queen of Marduk, stopped being excited +about the same time, and she +and Steven and Mopsy played together. +Of course, Myrna was only a +girl, and two years younger than +Steven, but she was, or at least might +be, his sovereign, and beside, she had +been in a space action, if you call +what lies between a planet and its +satellite space and if you call being +shot at without being able to shoot +back an action, and Relentless Ravary, +the Interstellar Terror, had not. +This rather made up for being a girl +and a mere baby of going-on-ten.</p> + +<p>One thing, there were no lessons. +Sir Thomas Kobbly fancied himself +as a landscape-painter and spent most +of his time arguing techniques with +Vann Larch, and Steven's tutor, Captain +Rainer was a normal-space astrogator +and found a kindred spirit +in Sharll Renner. This left Lady Valerie +Alvarath at a loose end. There +were plenty of volunteers to help her +fill in the time, but Rank Hath Its +Privileges; Trask undertook to see to +it that she did not suffer excessively +from shipboard ennui.</p> + +<p>Sharll Renner and Captain Rainer +approached him, during the cocktail +hour before dinner, some hundred +hours short of emergence.</p> + +<p>"We think we've figured out where +Dunnan's base is," Renner said.</p> + +<p>"Oh, good!" Everybody else had, on +a different planet. "Where's yours?"</p> + +<p>"Abaddon," the Count of Ravary's +tutor said. When he saw that the +name meant nothing to Trask, he +added, "The ninth, outer, planet of +the Marduk system." He said it disgustedly.</p> + +<p>"Yes; remember how you had +Boake and Manfred out with their +ships, checking our outside planets +to see if Prince Viktor might be hiding +on one of them? Well, what +with the time element, and the way +the <i>Honest Horris</i> was shuttling +back and forth from Marduk to +some place that wasn't Gimli, and +the way Dunnan was able to bring +his ships in as soon as the shooting +started on Marduk, we thought he +must be on an uninhabited outer +planet of the Marduk system."</p> + +<p>"I don't know why we never +thought of that, ourselves," Rainer +put in. "I suppose because nobody +ever thinks of Abaddon for any reason. +It's only a small planet, about +four thousand miles in diameter, and +it's three and a half billion miles +from primary. It's frozen solid. It +would take almost a year to get to it +on Abbot drive, and if your ship has +Dillinghams, why not take a little +longer and go to a good planet? So +nobody bothered with Abaddon."</p> + +<p>But for Dunnan's purpose, it +would be perfect. He called Prince +Bentrik and Alvyn Karffard to him;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span> +they found the idea instantly convincing. +They talked about it through +dinner, and held a general discussion +afterward. Even Guatt Kirbey, the +ship's pessimist, could find no objection +to it. Trask and Bentrik began +at once making battle plans. Karffard +wondered if they hadn't better wait +till they got to Gimli and discuss it +with the others.</p> + +<p>"No," Trask told him. "This is the +flagship; here's where the strategy is +decided."</p> + +<p>"Well, how about the Mardukan +Navy?" Captain Rainer asked. "I +think Fleet Admiral Bargham's in +command at Gimli."</p> + +<p>Prince Simon Bentrik was silent +for a moment, as though he realized, +with reluctance, that the big decision +was no longer avoidable.</p> + +<p>"He may be, at present, but he +won't be when I get there. I will be."</p> + +<p>"But ... Your Highness, he's a +fleet admiral; you're just a commodore."</p> + +<p>"I am not just a commodore. The +King is a prisoner, and for all we +know dead. The Crown Prince is +dead. The Princess Myrna is a child. +I am assuming the position of Regent +and Prince-Protector of the Realm."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXVI" id="XXVI"></a>XXVI</h2> + + +<p>There was a little difficulty on +Gimli with Fleet Admiral Bargham. +Commodores didn't give orders to +fleet admirals. Well, maybe regents +did, but who gave Prince Bentrik +authority to call himself regent? Regents +were elected by the Chamber +of Delegates, on nomination of the +Chancellor.</p> + +<p>"That's Zaspar Makann and his +stooges you're talking about?" Bentrik +laughed.</p> + +<p>"Well, the Constitution...." He +thought better of that, before somebody +asked him what Constitution. +"Well, a Regent has to be chosen by +election. Even members of the Royal +Family can't just make themselves +Regent by saying they are."</p> + +<p>"I can. I just have. And I don't +think there are going to be many +more elections, at least for the present. +Not till we make sure the people +of Marduk can be trusted with the +control of the government."</p> + +<p>"Well, the pinnace from Moonbase +reported that there were six +Royal navy battleships and four other +craft attacking them," Bargham +objected. "I only have four ships +here; I sent for the ones on the other +trade-planets, but I haven't heard +from any of them. We can't go there +with only four ships."</p> + +<p>"Sixteen ships," Bentrik corrected. +"No, fifteen and one Gilgamesher +we're using for a troopship. I think +that's enough. You'll remain here on +Gimli, in any case, admiral; as soon +as the other ships come in, you'll +follow to Marduk with them. I am +now holding a meeting aboard the +Tanith flagship <i>Nemesis</i>. I want your +four ship-commanders aboard immediately. +I am not including you +because you're remaining here to +bring up the late comers and as soon +as this meeting is over we are spacing +out."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span></p> + +<p>Actually, they spaced out sooner; +the meeting lasted the whole three +hundred and fifty hours to Abaddon. +A ship's captain, if he has a good +exec, as all of them had, needs only +sit at his command-desk and look +important while the ship is going +into and emerging from a long jump; +the rest of the time he can study ancient +history or whatever his shipboard +hobby is. Rather than waste +three hundred and fifty hours of +precious time, each captain turned +his ship over to his exec and remained +aboard the <i>Nemesis</i>; even on +so spacious a craft the officers' country +north of the engine rooms was +crowded like a tourist hotel in mid-season. +One of the four Mardukans +was the Captain Garravay who had +smuggled Bentrik's wife and son off +Marduk, and the other three were +just as pro-Bentrik, pro-Tanith, and +anti-Makann. They were, on general +principles, also anti-Bargham. There +must be something wrong with any +fleet admiral who remained in his +command after Zaspar Makann came +to power.</p> + +<p>So, as soon as they spaced out, +there was a party. After that, they +settled down to planning the Battle +of Abaddon.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>There was no Battle of Abaddon.</p> + +<p>It was a dead planet, one side in +night and the other in dim twilight +from the little speck of a sun three +and a half billion miles away, jagged +mountains rising out of the snow +that covered it from pole to pole. +The snow on top would be frozen +CO<sub>2</sub>; according to the thermocouples, +the surface temperature was +well below minus-100 Centigrade. +No ships on orbit circled it; there +was a little faint radiation, which +could have been from naturally radioactive +minerals; there was no electrical +discharge detectable.</p> + +<p>There was considerable bad language +in the command room of the +<i>Nemesis</i>. The captains of the other +ships were screening in, wanting to +know what to do.</p> + +<p>"Go on in," Trask told them. "Englobe +the planet, and go down to +within a mile if necessary. They +could be hiding somewhere on it."</p> + +<p>"Well, they're not hiding at the +bottom of any ocean, that's for sure," +somebody said. It was one of those +feeble jokes at which everybody +laughs because nothing else is laughable +about the situation.</p> + +<p>Finally, they found it, at the north +pole, which was no colder than anywhere +else on the planet. First radiation +leakage, the sort that would +come from a closed-down nuclear +power plant. Then a modicum of electrical +discharge. Finally the telescopic +screens picked up the spaceport, a +huge oval amphitheater excavated +out of a valley between two jagged +mountain ranges.</p> + +<p>The language in the command +room was just as bad, but the tone +had changed. It was surprising what +a wide range of emotions could be +expressed by a few simple blasphemies +and obscenities. Everybody who +had been deriding Sharll Renner +were now acclaiming him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span></p> + +<p>But it was lifeless. The ships came +crowding in; air-locked landing-craft +full of space-armored ground-fighters +went down. Screens in the +command room lit as they transmitted +in views. Depressions in the carbon-dioxide +snow where the hundred-foot +pad-feet of ships' landing-legs +had pressed down. Ranks of +cargo-lighters that had plied to and +from other ships or orbit. And, all +around the cliff-walled perimeter, +air-locked doors to caverns and tunnels. +A great many men, with a great +deal of equipment, had been working +here in the estimated five or six +years since Andray Dunnan—or +somebody—had constructed this base.</p> + +<p>Andray Dunnan. They found his +badge, the crescent, blue on black, +on things. They found equipment +that Harkaman recognized as having +been part of the original cargo stolen +with the <i>Enterprise</i>. They even +found, in his living quarters, a blown-up +photoprint picture of Nevil +Ormm, draped in black. But what +they did not find was a single vehicle +small enough to be taken aboard a +ship, or a single scrap of combat +equipment, not even a pistol or a +hand grenade.</p> + +<p>Dunnan had gone, but they knew +whither, and where to find him. The +conquest of Marduk had moved into +its final phase.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>Marduk was on the other side of +the sun from Abaddon with ninety-five +million miles—close, but not +inconveniently so, Trask thought—to +spare. Guatt Kirbey and the Mardukan +astrogator who was helping +him made it within a light-minute. +The Mardukan thought that was fine; +Kirbey didn't. The last microjump +was aimed at the Moon of Marduk, +which was plainly visible in the telescopic +screen. They came out within +a light-second and a half, which Kirbey +admitted was reasonably close. +As soon as the screens cleared, they +saw that they weren't too late. The +Moon of Marduk was under fire and +firing back.</p> + +<p>They'd have detection, and he +knew what they were detecting—a +clump of sixteen rending distortions +of the fabric of space-time, as sixteen +ships came into sudden existence +in the normal continuum. Beside +him, Bentrik had a screen on; +it was still milky-white, and he was +speaking into a radio hand-phone.</p> + +<p>"Simon Bentrik, Prince-Protector +of Marduk, calling Moonbase." Then, +slowly, he repeated his screen-combination +twice. "Come in, Moonbase; +this is Simon Bentrik, Prince-Protector, +speaking."</p> + +<p>He waited ten seconds, and was +about to start again, when the screen +flickered. The man who appeared in +it wore the insignia of a Mardukan +navy commodore. He needed a shave, +but he was grinning happily. Bentrik +greeted him by name.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Simon; glad to see you. +Your Highness, I mean; what is this +Prince-Protector thing?"</p> + +<p>"Somebody had to do it. Is the +King still alive?"</p> + +<p>The grin slid off the commodore's +face, starting with his eyes.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span></p> + +<p>"We don't know. At first, Makann +had him speaking by screen—you +know what it was like—urging everybody +to obey and co-operate with +'our trusted Chancellor.' Makann always +appeared on the screen with +him."</p> + +<p>Bentrik nodded. "I remember."</p> + +<p>"Before you left, Makann kept +quiet, and let the King make the +speech. After a while, the King wasn't +able to speak coherently; he'd +stammer, and repeat. So then Makann +did all the talking; they couldn't +even depend on him to parrot +what they were giving him with an +earplug phone. Then he stopped appearing +entirely. I suppose there +were physical symptoms they couldn't +allow to be seen." Bentrik was +cursing horribly under his breath; +the officer at Moonbase nodded. "I +hope for his sake that he is dead."</p> + +<p>Poor Goodman Mikhyl. Bentrik +was saying, "So do I." Trask agreed, +mentally. The commodore at Moonbase +was still talking:</p> + +<p>"We got two more renegade +RMN ships, within a hundred hours +after you left." He named them. +"And we got one of the Dunnan +ships, the <i>Fortuna</i>. We blew out the +Malverton Navy Yard. They're still +using the Antarctic Naval Base, but +we've knocked out a good deal of +that. We got the <i>Honest Horris</i>. +They made two attempts to land on +us and lost a couple of ships. Eight +hundred hours ago, they were joined +by the rest of Dunnan's fleet, five +ships. They made a landing on Malverton +while it was turned away +from us. Makann announced that +they were RMN units from the +trade-planets that had joined him. I +suppose the planet-side public swallowed +that. He also announced that +their commander, Admiral Dunnan, +was in command of the People's +Armed Forces."</p> + +<p>Dunnan's ground-fighters would +be in control of Malverton. By now, +the odds were that Makann was as +much his prisoner as King Mikhyl +VIII had been Makann's.</p> + +<p>"So Dunnan has conquered Marduk. +All he has to do, now, is make +it stick," he said. "I see four ships off +Moonbase; how many more have +they?"</p> + +<p>"These are <i>Bolide</i> and <i>Eclipse</i>, +Dunnan's ships, and former Royal +Mardukan Navy ships <i>Champion</i> and +<i>Guardian</i>. There are five orbiting off +the planet: Ex-RMNS <i>Paladin</i>, and +Dunnan ships <i>Starhopper</i>, <i>Banshee</i>, +<i>Reliable</i> and <i>Exporter</i>. The last two +are listed as merchantmen, but +they're performing like regulation +battlecraft."</p> + +<p>The four that had been circling +Moonbase broke orbit and started +toward the relieving fleet; one took +a hit from a Moonbase missile, which +staggered her but did no evident +damage. Two ships which had been +orbiting the planet also changed +course and started out. The command +room was silent except for a subdued +chuckling from a computer +which was estimating enemy intentions +by observed data and Games +Theory. Three more came hurrying +out from the planet, and the two in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span> +the lead slowed to let them catch +up. He wanted to be able to engage +the four from off the satellite before +the five from the planet joined them, +but Karffard's computers said it +couldn't be done.</p> + +<p>"All right, we have to take all our +bad eggs in one basket," he said. +"Try to hit them as soon after they +join as possible."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>The computers began chuckling +again. The serving-robots were doing +a rush business in hot coffee. +Prince Bentrik's son, sitting beside +his father, had stopped being Ruthless +Ravary the Demon of the Spaceways +and was a very young officer +going into his first space battle, more +scared and at the same time happier +than he had ever been in his short +life. Captain Garravay of the <i>Vindex</i> +was making signal to the other ships +from Gimli: "<i>Royal Navy; smash the +traitors first!</i>" He could understand +and sympathize, even if he couldn't +approve of putting personal ahead of +tactical considerations, and made a +quick sealed-beam call to Harkaman +to be prepared to plug any holes they +left in formation if they broke away +in search of vengeance. He also ordered +the <i>Black Star</i> and the <i>Sun +Goddess</i> to shepherd the lightly +armed and troop-crammed Gilgamesh +freighter out of danger. The +two clumps of Dunnan-Makann +ships were converging rapidly, and +Alvyn Karffard was screaming into +a phone to somebody to get more +speed.</p> + +<p>At a thousand miles, the missiles +started going out, and the two groups +of ships, four and five, were equidistant +from each other and from the +allied fleet, at the points of a triangle +that was growing smaller by the +second. The first fire-globes of intercepted +missiles spread from their +seeds of brief white light. A red light +flashed on the damage-board. An +enemy ship took a hit. The captain +of the <i>Queen Flavia</i> was on a screen, +saying that his ship was heavily damaged. +Three ships bearing the Mardukan +dragon-and-planet circled +madly around each other at what +looked, in the screen, like just over +pistol-range, two of them firing into +the third, which was replying desperately. +The third one blew up, and +somebody was yelling out of a +screenspeaker, "Scratch one traitor!"</p> + +<p>Another ship blew up somewhere, +and then another. He heard somebody +say, "There went one of ours," +and wondered which one it was. Not +the <i>Corisande</i>, he hoped; no, it wasn't, +he could see her rushing after +two other ships which were, in turn, +speeding toward the <i>Black Star</i>, the +<i>Sun Goddess</i> and the Gilgamesh +freighter. Then the <i>Nemesis</i> and the +<i>Starhopper</i> were within gun-range, +pounding each other savagely.</p> + +<p>The battle had tied itself into a +ball of gyrating, fire-spitting ships +that went rolling toward the planet, +which was swinging in and out of +the main viewscreen and growing +rapidly larger. By the time they were +down to the inner edge of the exosphere, +the ball had started to unwind, +ship after ship dropping out of it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span> +and going into orbit, some badly +damaged and some going to attack +damaged enemies. Some of them +were completely around the planet, +hidden by it. He saw three ships approaching +<i>Corisande</i>, <i>Sun Goddess</i>, +and the Gilgamesher. He got Harkaman +on the screen.</p> + +<p>"Where's the <i>Black Star</i>?" he +asked.</p> + +<p>"Gone to Em-See-Square," Harkaman +replied. "We got the two Dunnan-Makanns. +<i>Bolide</i> and <i>Reliable</i>."</p> + +<p>Then young Steven of Ravary, +who had been monitoring one of the +intership screens, had a call from +Captain Gompertz of the <i>Grendelsbane</i>, +and at the same moment somebody +else was yelling, "Here comes +the <i>Starhopper</i> again!"</p> + +<p>"Tell him to wait a moment; we +have troubles," he said.</p> + +<p><i>Nemesis</i> and <i>Starhopper</i> sledge-hammered +each other and parried +with counter-missiles, and then, quite +unexpectedly, the <i>Starhopper</i> went +to Em-See-Square.</p> + +<p>There was an awful lot of Em +being converted to Ee off Marduk, +today. Including Manfred Ravallo; +that grieved him. Manfred was a +good man, and a good friend. He had +a girl in Rivington.... Nifflheim, +there were eight hundred good men +aboard the <i>Black Star</i>, and most of +them had girls who'd wait in vain +for them on Tanith. Well, what had +Otto Harkaman said, so long ago, on +Gram? Something about old age not +being a usual cause of death among +Space Vikings, wasn't it?</p> + +<p>Then he remembered that Gompertz +of the <i>Grendelsbane</i> was trying +to get him. He told young Count +Steven to switch him over.</p> + +<p>"We just lost one of our Mardukans," +Gompertz told him, in his +staccato Beowulf accent. "I think she +was the <i>Challenger</i>. The ship that +got her looks like the <i>Banshee</i>; I'm +turning to engage her."</p> + +<p>"Which way; west around the +planet? Be right with you, captain."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXVII" id="XXVII"></a>XXVII</h2> + + +<p>It was like finishing a word puzzle. +You sit staring at it, looking for more +spaces to print letters into, and suddenly +you realize that there are no +more, that the puzzle is done. That +was how the space-battle of Marduk, +the Battle <i>off</i> Marduk, ended. Suddenly +there were no more colored +fire-globes opening and fading, no +more missiles coming, no more enemy +ships to throw missiles at. Now +it was time to take a count of his +own ships, and then begin thinking +about the Battle <i>on</i> Marduk.</p> + +<p>The <i>Black Star</i> was gone. So was +RMNS <i>Challenger</i>, and RMNS <i>Conquistador</i>. +<i>Space Scourge</i> was badly +hammered; worse than after the +Beowulf raid, Boake Valkanhayn said. +The <i>Viking's Gift</i> was heavily damaged, +too, and so was the <i>Corisande</i>, +and so, from the looks of the damage +board, was the <i>Nemesis</i>. And +three ships were missing—the three +independent Space Vikings, <i>Harpy</i>, +<i>Curse of Cagn</i>, and Roger-fan-Morvill +Esthersan's <i>Damnthing</i>.</p> + +<p>Prince Bentrik frowned over that.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span> +"I can't think that all three of those +ships would have been destroyed, +without anybody seeing it happen."</p> + +<p>"Neither can I. But I can think +that all those ships broke out of the +battle together and headed in for the +planet. They didn't come here to +help liberate Marduk, they came here +to fill their cargo holds. I only hope +the people they're robbing all voted +the Makann ticket in the last election." +A crumb of comfort occurred +to him, and he passed it on. "The only +people who are armed to resist +them will be Makann's storm-troops +and Dunnan's pirates; they'll be the +ones to get killed."</p> + +<p>"We don't want any more killing +than...." Prince Simon broke off +suddenly. "I'm beginning to talk like +his late Highness Crown Prince Edvard," +he said. "He didn't want bloodshed, +either, and look whose blood +was shed. If they're doing what you +think they are, I'm afraid we'll have +to kill a few of your Space Vikings, +too."</p> + +<p>"They aren't my Space Vikings." +He was a little surprised to find that, +after almost eight years of bearing +the name himself, he was using it as +an other-people label. Well, why +not? He was the ruler of the civilized +planet of Tanith, wasn't he? "But +let's not start fighting them till the +main war's over. Those three shiploads +are no worse than a bad cold; +Makann and Dunnan are the plague."</p> + +<p>It would still take four hours to +get down, in a spiral of deceleration. +They started the telecasts which had +been filmed and taped on the voyage +from Gimli. The Prince-Protector +Simon Bentrik spoke: The illegal +rule of the traitor Makann was ended. +His deluded followers were advised +to return to their allegiance to the +Crown. The People's Watchmen +were ordered to surrender their arms +and disband; in localities where they +refused, the loyal people were called +upon to co-operate with the legitimate +armed forces of the Crown in +exterminating them, and would be +furnished arms as soon as possible.</p> + +<p>Little Princess Myrna spoke: "If +my grandfather is still alive, he is +your King; if he is not, I am your +Queen, and until I am old enough to +rule in my own right, I accept Prince +Simon as Regent and Protector of +the Realm, and I call on all of you +to obey him as I will."</p> + +<p>"You didn't say anything about +representative government, or democracy, +or the constitution," Trask +mentioned. "And I noticed the use +of the word 'rule,' instead of 'reign.'"</p> + +<p>"That's right," the self-proclaimed +Prince-Protector said. "There's something +wrong with democracy. If +there weren't, it couldn't be overthrown +by people like Makann, attacking +it from within by democratic +procedures. I don't think it's fundamentally +unworkable. I think it just +has a few of what engineers call +bugs. It's not safe to run a defective +machine till you learn the defects +and remedy them."</p> + +<p>"Well, I hope you don't think our +Sword-World feudalism doesn't have +bugs." He gave examples, and then +quoted Otto Harkaman about bar<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span>barism +spreading downward from +the top instead of upward from the +bottom.</p> + +<p>"It may just be," he added, "that +there is something fundamentally +unworkable about government itself. +As long as <i>Homo sapiens terra</i> is a +wild animal, which he has always +been and always will be until he +evolves into something different in +a million or so years, maybe a workable +system of government is a political +science impossibility, just as +transmutation of elements was a +physical-science impossibility as +long as they tried to do it by chemical +means."</p> + +<p>"Then we'll just have to make it +work the best way we can, and when +it breaks down, hope the next try<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> +will work a little better, for a little +longer," Bentrik said.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>Malverton grew in the telescopic +screens as they came down. The +Navy Spaceport, where Trask had +landed almost two years before, was +in wreckage, sprinkled with damaged +ships that had been blasted on +the ground, and slagged by thermonuclear +fires. There was fighting in +the air all over the city proper, on +building-tops, on the ground, and in +the air. That would be the <i>Damnthing</i>-<i>Harpy</i>-<i>Curse +of Cagn</i> Space +Vikings. The Royal Palace was the +center of one of half a dozen swirls +of battle that had condensed out of +the general skirmishing.</p> + +<p>Paytrik Morland started for it +with the first wave of ground-fighters +from the <i>Nemesis</i>. The Gilgamesh +freighter, like most of her ilk, had +huge cargo ports all around; these +began opening and disgorging a +swarm of everything from landing-craft +and hundred-foot airboats to +one man air-cavalry single-mounts. +The top landing-stages and terraces +of the palace were almost obscured +by the flashes of auto-cannon shells +and the smoke and dust of projectiles. +Then the first vehicles landed, +the firing from the air stopped, and +men fanned out as skirmishers, occasionally +firing with small arms.</p> + +<p>Trask and Bentrik were in the +armory off the vehicle-bay, putting +on combat equipment, when the +twelve-year-old Count of Ravary +joined them and began rummaging +for weapons and a helmet.</p> + +<p>"You're not going," his father told +him. "I'll have enough to worry about +taking care of myself...."</p> + +<p>That was the wrong approach. +Trask interrupted:</p> + +<p>"You're to stay aboard, Count," he +said. "As soon as things stabilize, +Princess Myrna will have to come +down. You'll act as her personal escort. +And don't think you're being +shoved into the background. She's +Crown Princess, and if she isn't +Queen now, she will be in a few +years. Escorting her now will be the +foundation of your naval career. +There isn't a young officer in the +Royal Navy who wouldn't trade +places with you."</p> + +<p>"That was the right way to handle +him, Lucas," Bentrik approved, after +the boy had gone away, proud of his +opportunity and his responsibility.</p> + +<p>"It'll do just what I said for him." +He stopped for a moment, to play +with an idea that had just struck him. +"You know, the girl will be Queen +in a few years, if she isn't now. +Queens need Prince Consorts. Your +son's a good boy; I liked him the +first moment I saw him, and I've +liked him better ever since. He'd be +a good man on the throne beside +Queen Myrna."</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's out of the question. +Not the matter of consanguinity, +they're about a sixteenth cousin. +But people would say I was abusing +the Protectorship to marry my son +onto the Throne."</p> + +<p>"Simon, speaking as one sovereign +prince to another, you have a lot to +learn. You've learned one impor<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span>tant +lesson already, that a ruler must +be willing to use force and shed +blood to enforce his rule. You have +to learn, too, that a ruler cannot afford +to be guided by his fears of what +people will say about him. Not even +what history will say about him. A +ruler's only judge is himself."</p> + +<p>Bentrik slid the transpex visor of +his helmet up and down experimentally, +checked the chambers of his +pistol and carbine.</p> + +<p>"All that matters to me is the +peace and well-being of Marduk. I'll +have to talk it over with ... with +my only judge. Well, let's go."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image162.jpg" width="600" height="671" + alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>The top terraces were secure when +their car landed. More vehicles were +coming down and discharging men; +a swarm of landing craft were sinking +past the building toward the +ground two thousand feet below. +Auto-weapons and small arms and +light cannon banged, and bombs and +recoilless-rifle shells crashed, on the +lower terraces. They put the car +down one of the shaftways until they +ran into heavy fire from below, at +the limit of the advance, and then +turned into a broad hallway, floating +high enough to clear the heads of the +men on foot. It looked like the part +of the Palace where he had lodged +when he had been a guest there but +it probably wasn't.</p> + +<p>They came to hastily constructed +barricades of furniture and statuary +and furnishings, behind which Makann's +People's Watchmen and Andray +Dunnan's Space Vikings were +making resistance. They entered +rooms dusty with powdered plaster +and acrid with powder fumes, littered +with corpses. They passed lifter-skids +being towed out with wounded. +They went through rooms crowded +with their own men—"<i>Keep your +fingers off things; this isn't a looting +expedition!</i>" "<i>You stupid cretin, how +did you know there wasn't a man +hiding behind that?</i>" In one huge +room, ballroom or concert room or +something, there were prisoners +herded, and men from the <i>Nemesis</i> +were setting up polyencephalographic +veridicators, sturdy chairs with +wires and adjustable helmets and +translucent globes mounted over +them. A couple of Morland's men +were hustling a People's Watchman +to one and strapping him into a +chair.</p> + +<p>"You know what this is, don't +you?" one of them was saying. "This +is a veridicator. That globe'll light +blue; the moment you try to lie to us, +it'll turn red. And the moment it +turns red, I'm going to hammer your +teeth down your throat with the butt +of this pistol."</p> + +<p>"Have you found anything out +about the King, yet?" Bentrik asked +him.</p> + +<p>He turned. "No. Nobody we've +questioned so far knows anything +later than a month ago about him. +He just disappeared." He was going +to say something else, saw Bentrik's +face, and changed his mind.</p> + +<p>"He's dead," Bentrik said dully. +"They tortured him and brainwashed +him and used him as a ventriloquist's +dummy on the screen as long as they +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span> +could; when they couldn't let the +people see him any more, they +stuffed him into a converter."</p> + +<p>They did find Zaspar Makann, +hours later. Maybe he could have told +them something, if he had been +alive, but he and a few of his fanatical +followers had barricaded themselves +in the Throne room and died +trying to defend it. They found Makann +on the Throne, the top of his +head blown away, a pistol death-gripped +in his hand, and the Great +Crown lying on the floor, the velvet +inner cap bullet-pierced and splattered +with blood and brain tissue. +Prince Bentrik picked it up and +looked at it disgustedly.</p> + +<p>"We'll have to have something +done about that," he said. "I really +didn't think he'd do just this. I +thought he wanted to abolish the +Throne, not sit on it."</p> + +<p>Except for one chandelier smashed +and several corpses that had to be +dragged out, the Ministerial Council +room was intact. They set up headquarters +there. Boake Valkanhayn +and several other ship-captains +joined them. There was fighting going +on in several places inside the +Palace, and the city was still in a +turmoil. Somebody managed to get +in touch with the captains of the +<i>Damnthing</i>, the <i>Harpy</i> and the <i>Curse +of Cagn</i> and bring them to the +Palace. Trask attempted to reason +with them, to no avail.</p> + +<p>"Prince Trask, you're my friend, +and you've always dealt fairly with +me," Roger-fan-Morvill Esthersan +said. "But you know just how far any +Space Viking captain can control his +crew. These men didn't come here to +correct the political mistakes of Marduk. +They came here for what they +could haul away. I could get myself +killed trying to stop them now...."</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't even try," the captain +of the <i>Curse of Cagn</i> put in. "I came +here for what I could make out of +this planet, myself."</p> + +<p>"You can try to stop them," said +the captain of the <i>Harpy</i>. "You'll find +it even harder than what you're doing +now."</p> + +<p>Trask looked at some of the reports +that had come in from elsewhere +on the planet. Harkaman had +landed on one of the big cities to +the east, and the people had risen +against Makann's local bosses and +were helping wipe out the People's +Watchmen with arms they had been +furnished. Valkanhayn's exec had +landed on a large concentration camp +where close to ten thousand of Makann's +political enemies had been +penned; he had distributed all his +available weapons and was calling +for more. Gompertz of the <i>Grendelsbane</i> +was at Drepplin; he reported +just the reverse. The people there +had risen in support of the Makann +regime, and he wanted authorization +to use nuclear weapons against them.</p> + +<p>"Could you talk your people into +going to some other city?" Trask +asked. "We have a city for you; big +industrial center. It ought to be fine +looting. Drepplin."</p> + +<p>"The people there are Mardukan +subjects, too," Bentrik began. Then +he shrugged. "It's not what we'd like<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> +to do, it's what we have to. By all +means, gentlemen. Take your men to +Drepplin, and nobody will object to +anything you do."</p> + +<p>"And when you have that place +looted out, try Abaddon. You were +aground there, Captain Esthersan. +You know what all Dunnan left +there."</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>A couple of Space Vikings—no, +Royal Army of Tanith men—brought +in the old woman, dirty, in rags, almost +exhausted.</p> + +<p>"She wants to talk to Prince Bentrik; +won't talk to anybody else. Says +she knows where the King is."</p> + +<p>Bentrik rose quickly, brought her +to a chair, poured a glass of wine for +her.</p> + +<p>"He's still alive, Your Highness. +The Crown Princess Melanie and I ... I'm +sorry, Your Highness; +Dowager Crown Princess ... have +been taking care of him, the best way +we could. If you'll only come quickly...."</p> + +<p>Mikhyl VIII, Planetary King of +Marduk, lay on a pallet of filthy bedding +on the floor of a narrow room +behind a mass-energy converter +which disposed of the rubbish and +sewage and generated power for +some of the fixed equipment on one +of the middle floors of the east wing +of the palace. There was a bucket of +water, and on a rough wooden bench +lay a cloth-wrapped bundle of food. +A woman, haggard and disheveled, +wearing a suit of greasy mechanic's +coveralls and nothing else, squatted +beside him. The Crown Princess +Melanie, whom Trask remembered +as the charming and gracious hostess +of Cragdale. She tried to rise, and +staggered.</p> + +<p>"Prince Bentrik! And it's Prince +Trask of Tanith!" she cried. "Just +hurry; get him out of here and to +where he can be taken care of. +Please." Then she sat down again on +the floor and fell over, unconscious.</p> + +<hr style="width: 70%;" /> + +<p>They couldn't get the story. The +Princess Melanie had collapsed completely. +Her companion, another noblewoman +of the court, could only +ramble disconnectedly. And the +King merely lay, bathed and fed in +a clean bed, and looked up at them +wonderingly, as though nothing he +saw or heard conveyed any meaning +to him. The doctors could do nothing.</p> + +<p>"He has no mind, no more mind +than a new-born baby. We can keep +him alive, I don't know how long. +That's our professional duty. But +it's no kindness to His Majesty."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image153.jpg" width="600" height="771" + alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>The little pockets of resistance in +the Palace were wiped out, through +the next morning and afternoon. All +but one, far underground, below the +main power plant. They tried sleep-gas; +the defenders had blowers and +sent it back at them. They tried +blasting; there was a limit to what +the fabric of the building would +stand. And nobody knew how long +it would take to starve them out.</p> + +<p>On the third day, a man crawled +out, pushing a white shirt tied to the +barrel of a carbine ahead of him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Is Prince Lucas Trask of Tanith +here?" he asked. "I won't speak to +anybody else."</p> + +<p>They brought Trask quickly. All +that was visible of the other man was +the carbine-barrel and the white +shirt. When Trask called to him, he +raised his head above the rubble behind +which he was hiding.</p> + +<p>"Prince Trask, we have Andray +Dunnan here; he was leading us, but +now we've disarmed him and are +holding him. If we turn him over to +you, will you let us go?"</p> + +<p>"If you all come out unarmed, and +bring Dunnan with you, I promise +you, the rest of you will be let outside +this building and allowed to go +away unharmed."</p> + +<p>"All right. We'll be coming out in +a minute." The man raised his voice. +"It's agreed!" he called. "Bring him +out."</p> + +<p>There were fewer than two score +of them. Some wore the uniforms +of high officers of the People's Watchmen +or of People's Welfare Party +functionaries; a few wore the heavily +braided short jackets of Space +Viking officers. Among them, they +propelled a thin-faced man with a +pointed beard, and Trask had to look +twice at him before he recognized +the face of Andray Dunnan. It +looked more like the face of Duke +Angus of Wardshaven as he last remembered +it. Dunnan looked at him +in incurious contempt.</p> + +<p>"Your dotard king couldn't rule +without Zaspar Makann, and Makann +couldn't rule without me, and +neither can you," he said. "Shoot this +gang of turncoats, and I'll rule Marduk +for you." He looked at Trask +again. "Who are you?" he demanded. +"I don't know you."</p> + +<p>Trask slipped the pistol from his +holster, thumbing off the safety.</p> + +<p>"I am Lucas Trask. You've heard +that name before," he said. "Stand +away from behind him, you people."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes; the poor fool who +thought he was going to marry Elaine +Karvall. Well, you won't, Lord Trask +of Traskon. She loves me, not you. +She's waiting for me now, on Gram...."</p> + +<p>Trask shot him through the head. +Dunnan's eyes widened in momentary +incredulity; then his knees gave +way, and he fell forward on his face. +Trask thumbed on the safety and +holstered the pistol, and looked at +the body on the concrete.</p> + +<p>It hadn't made the least difference. +It had been like shooting a +snake, or one of the nasty scorpion-things +that infested the old buildings +in Rivington. Just no more Andray +Dunnan.</p> + +<p>"Take that carrion and stuff it in a +mass-energy converter," he said. +"And I don't want anybody to mention +the name of Andray Dunnan to +me again."</p> + +<p>He didn't look at them haul Dunnan's +body away on a lifter-skid; he +watched the fifty-odd leaders of the +overthrown misgovernment of Marduk +shamble away to freedom, +guarded by Paytrik Morland's riflemen. +Now there was something to +reproach himself for; he'd committed +a separate and distinct crime<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span> +against Marduk by letting each one +of them live. Unless recognized and +killed by somebody outside, every +one of them would be at some villainy +before next sunrise. Well, King +Simon I could cope with that.</p> + +<p>He started when he realized how +he had thought of his friend. Well, +why not? Mikhyl's mind was dead; +his body would not survive it more +than a year. Then a child Queen, and +a long regency, and long regencies +were dangerous. Better a strong +King, in name as well as power. And +the succession could be safeguarded +by marrying Steven and Myrna. +Myrna had accepted, at eight, that +she must some day marry for reasons +of state; why not her playmate Steven?</p> + +<p>And Simon Bentrik would see the +necessity. He was neither a fool nor +a moral coward; he only needed to +take some time to adjust to ideas. +The rabble who had bought their +lives with their leader's had gone, +now. Slowly, he followed them, thinking.</p> + +<p>Don't press the idea on Simon too +hard; just expose him to it and let +him adopt it. And there would be the +treaty—Tanith, Marduk, Beowulf, +Amaterasu; eventually, treaties with +the other civilized planets. Nebulously, +the idea of a League of Civilized +Worlds began to take shape in his +mind.</p> + +<p>Be a good idea if he adopted the +title of King of Tanith for himself. +And cut loose from the Sword-Worlds; +especially cut loose from +Gram. Let Viktor of Xochitl have it. +Or Garvan Spasso. Viktor wouldn't +be the last Space Viking to take his +ships back against the Sword-Worlds. +Sooner or later, civilization +in the Old Federation would drive +them all home to loot the planets +that had sent them out.</p> + +<p>Well, if he was going to be a king, +shouldn't he have a queen? Kings +usually did. He climbed into the little +hall-car and started up a long +shaft. There was Valerie Alvarath. +They'd enjoyed each other's society +on the <i>Nemesis</i>. He wondered if she +would want to make it permanent, +even on a throne....</p> + +<p>Elaine was with him. He felt her +beside him, almost tangibly. Her +voice was whispering to him: <i>She +loves you, Lucas. She'll say yes. Be +good to her, and she'll make you +happy.</i> Then she was gone, and he +knew that she would never return.</p> + +<p>Good-by, Elaine.</p> + + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image168.jpg" width="360" height="171" + alt="FIN" title="FIN" /> +</div> + +<!-- +**Notes: + +Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling; +the former forms were all changed to the latter: + Space-Scourge (7) vs. Space Scourge (41) + Sun-Goddess (3) vs. Sun Goddess (3) + Both of these names are hyphenated in the book. + + Jaganath (2) vs. Jagannath (4) + Amaterasun (1) vs. Amaterasuan[s] (1) + handphone (1) vs. hand-phone (3) + planetside (1) vs. planet-side (1) + slagpile (1) vs. slag-pile (1) + trade planets (3) vs. trade-planets (10) + two hand (1) vs. two-hand (1) + smallarms (1) vs. small arms (5 + +Thinkos: + Admiral of the Royal Mardukan Navy." [Chap. XIV] +was changed to + Admiral of the Royal Navy of Gram." + + one of the Gram-Marduk freighters, [Chap. XXIII] +was changed to + one of the Gram-Tanith freighters, +--> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Space Viking, by Henry Beam Piper + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SPACE VIKING *** + +***** This file should be named 20728-h.htm or 20728-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/0/7/2/20728/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, William Woods and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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