Айзек Азимов - Before The Golden Age

“I have been informed, Courtney,” he said in his guttural voice, “that there is a plot on foot among the slaves from Ulm to capture the power plant and then to escape in a military flyer, with you at the controls. What have you to say?”

“Nothing, sire,” I replied briefly.

“All of the details of the plot are in my hands,” he went on, “and any denial would be useless. As the ringleader, your fate is naturally death. What form it will take, I have not yet decided, nor has my Council of Lords yet debated the fate of your followers.”

“Of course, I realized long ago that you had decided on my death, Kapioma Sibama,” I said coldly, “since only thus can you free Awlo from her bonds to me. The laws of Kau may say what they please about a slave but we were wed by the laws of Ulm when I was free and a Prince. My enslaving does not dissolve the tie which may be set aside only by the Sibama of Ulm with the consent of his Council of Lords. I would like to know how you learned of our plan.”

“One of your members, whom you basely planned to leave behind through jealousy, overheard the plan and found out the details and told them,” he replied.

“None were to be left,” I exclaimed in surprise.

“Did you not plan to leave Lamu here?”

“We did not. He was the leader of the band who were to seize and protect the power installation by means of which we hoped to escape.”

“Then Lamu lied,” said Kapioma slowly. “This is not the first lie in which he has been detected. Courtney, it seems that even a Prince of Ulm may be a traitor. Bring in the slave, Lamu!”

The trembling Lamu was dragged by guards to the foot of the dais. He prostrated himself at the foot of the throne and looked abjectly upward. His subserviency disgusted me and I kicked him sharply.

“Get up and take your medicine like a man!” I said.

Kapioma smiled coldly as Lamu struggled to his feet with a black look at me.

“Lamu,” he said, “you have lied once too often. The penalty for lying to the Sibama of Kau is death and that fate you have merited. The reward for treachery to your ruler in all countries is death and you have betrayed him who is your lawful Sibama, slave though he may be in Kau. Twice do you merit death and so slowly shall you die that it will seem to you that twice have you passed through the agonies of dissolution. You were planning to escape despite what you told me.”

“I was not,” cried Lamu. “I first learned of the plot last night through overhearing Moka and Courtney talk. I told my guards at the first opportunity.”

“Bring in Moka and Hama,” directed Kapioma.

The two Alii were brought in and it pleased me to see that each of them bowed with just the right amount of deference due to a throned monarch and not a speck more.

“Was the slave, Lamu, included in the plot to escape and did he know of it before last night?” demanded the Sibama.

The two nobles glanced at me for orders.

“Speak the truth!” I said.

“He was included in the plot to escape and he was told of it four nights ago, Kapioma Sibama,” said Hama. Moka nodded assent.

“By the voices of your countrymen are you condemned, Lamu,” said Kapioma. “His death shall be a thing to bring the sweat of terror to the brows of condemned criminals for a generation. Courtney, the laws of Kau are not inexorable. You have been the victim of one you trusted and your suffering to learn that one of your Princes is a traitor is already a heavy punishment. It may be that you may not have to die. If you will divorce Awlo as I have requested, I will submit the question to my Council of Lords with a recommendation for clemency. No, do not answer me now; I know what your answer will be before you have had time to think the matter over. Reflect on this matter. If you die, with you will die every one of your followers who were concerned in the plot. As criminals shall they die by torture. For you, I decree a soldier’s death.”

“Not through any regard for me, Kapioma Sibama, but because you cannot elevate the widow of one who has died as a criminal to the rank of Sibimi,” I replied hotly.

“Exactly, Courtney. Your refusal to accede to my terms will accomplish nothing. You may have two days in which to make your decision. In the meanwhile, it is my pleasure that any reasonable wish of yours be granted. Have you a desire?”

“Yes,” I replied with my blood boiling, “let me be the one to execute your decree of death on that rat who has been the source of all my trouble.”

Kapioma smiled slightly, while Lamu shuddered.

“Gladly,” said the Sibama. “It will be an amusing spectacle. I will even let you choose the manner of his death.”

“I wish to kill him in fair fight.”

Kapioma studied the two of us for a moment.

“So be it,” he said. “Should he kill you, the question of Awlo would be settled pleasantly. If he is the victor, his life will be spared and he shall serve as a slave in Kau for the rest of his days. If you kill him, both you and your subjects will be free. You will be taken to the Kau mountains and liberated with two weeks’ supply of food and water and with arms. If any of you return to Kau, you will be put to death with torture. If you win through the mountains, the Mena will kill you. What say you?”

“And Awlo?” I asked.

“In any event, Awlo remains here and becomes my Sibimi,” he said sharply.

“Then I will-” I paused in thought. I had been about to declare my preference for death in Kau rather than for a separation from Awlo, but a plan occurred to me. My death in Kau would rob Awlo of her only protector and the Kau mountains were where my precious firearms were stored.

“I accept your terms, Kapioma Sibama,” I said.

“Bring fighting suits!” commanded the Sibama.

A guard hastened up with two fighting suits, each equipped with eight arms.

“A scientist such as you are, Courtney, needs no instruction to use such a simple appliance,” said Kapioma in a cold voice. “Since Lamu has not your knowledge, I will personally instruct him so that the fight may be more even.”

I saw at once that it was his plan that Lamu should kill me and I thought regretfully of the thirty-armed suit which Olua had told me was concealed in the laboratory. However, there was no use in crying for the moon and I devoted my attention to studying the six controls with which my suit was equipped. I soon had them located.

Kapioma put in some time instructing Lamu. When he was satisfied that my adversary understood his weapons, he gave orders for us to don the suits. We did so and the guards brought in a huge dome of some transparent crystalline material which they sat down over us. I have no idea what it was made of. It looked like glass, but since it was thirty feet in diameter and ten feet high and four men carried it with ease, it must have been made of some exceedingly light material. I could hear Kapioma’s voice as plainly as though the dome were not over us.

“Let no one interfere,” said the Sibama. “I will count to five. When I have given the final number you may fight, but not before. Are you ready? One! Two!”

A blinding green flash came from one of the arms of Lamu’s suit. My left arm fell useless, paralyzed by the deadly ray. Lamu threw back his head and raised an arm to shield his eyes from the brilliance. The ray passed from me with no further damage. I waited for the further counting of Kapioma. I was sure that he had instructed Lamu to start the battle before the final count, but I was equally sure that I would be punished if I did the same.

“Three!” came his voice after a pause. “Four!”

Lamu had recovered from the shock and with a crafty expression he was slowly bringing his green ray, which had been blazing harmlessly against the crystalline dome covering us, to bear on me. Nearer and nearer it came and still Kapioma did not give the final word. The ray touched my paralyzed arm and traveled down toward my leg.