John Norman - Rogue of Gor

“This work was done in secrecy, was it not?” I asked. I had not heard of it in Victoria, nor had Callimachus or Tasdron.

“Supposedly,” said Callisthenes, “though its existence is now doubtless known to the western towns.”

“It was forged in Cos, in a thousand lengths,” said Glyco, “and brought overland, around the delta, and on galleys east from Turmus. Its mountings and pylons were mostly done at night. It lies west of Port Cos, that we may be protected from the pirates.”

“It would also allow Port Cos to control traffic on the river from the west,” pointed out Tasdron, irritably.

“We are under pressure from Cos,” said Glyco. “I am not personally in favor of the chain. As a merchant I think a freer trade lies in our best interest. Too the chain will not make Port Cos popular with her sister cities.”

“That is certain,” said Tasdron. “Victoria, hitherto at least, has been primarily Cosian in her sympathies.”

“We of Ar’s Station would not have mounted such a chain,” said Aemilianus, unnecessarily in my opinion.

“Possibly you do not have the vision or the resources,” said Callisthenes.

“Our concerns, Captains,” said Callimachus, “must now be with ourselves and our immediate dangers, not with the politics of Cos and Ar.”

“Politics?” inquired Callisthenes. “Cos and Ar are at war.”

“Neither Ar nor Ar’s Station, Captain,” said Aemilianus, “are at war with Port Cos.”

“That is true,” said Tasdron, hurriedly. It was true. The typical colonizing situation among Gorean polities tends to resemble classical colonization, and not the typical colonization of nation states, in which the colony, in effect, is held subject to alien domination. When a Gorean city founds a colony, usually as a result of internal overpopulation or political dissension, the potential colonists, typically, even before leaving the mother city, develop their own charter, constitution and laws. Most importantly, from the Gorean point of view, when the colony is founded, it will have its own Home Stone. The Home Stone of Port Cos, significantly, was not the Home Stone of Cos. Ar’s Station, on the other hand, did not have its own Home Stone, but its Home Stone remained that of Ar. This is not to deny, of course, that the colony will not normally have a close tie with the mother city. It usually will. There are too many bonds, cultural and historical, between them, for this not to be the case.

“The chain was inordinately expensive,” said Glyco, “and, I am certain, it will prove ultimately ineffective.”

“It was forged in Cos,” said Callisthenes.

“We shall be expected, in the long run, to bear its expense,” said Glyco.

“That is possibly true,” said Callisthenes, “but then, too, it is we who will be the direct recipient of its benefits.”

“If there are any benefits,” said Glyco, glumly.

“Surely Port Cos will find some benefits in being spared the predations of pirates,” said Callisthenes.

“The chain will surely be ineffective,” said Glyco. “That is why I came to Victoria, to seek out Callimachus, that he might, in these dark times, with the topaz in transit, lend us his council, and his blade.”

“The topaz, given the existence of the chain,” said Calliethenes, “is now meaningless, though, to be sure, I am charged with the attempt to intercept it, a charge in which I have, thanks to our young friend here, failed.” Callisthenes glanced meaningfully at me. “To have actually delivered the topaz to Policrates,” he said, “was little short of an act of idiocy.”

I shrugged. “You have heard my plan,” I said, “that we muster ships and, under the cover of darkness, posing as the fleet of Ragnar Voskjard, enter and take the stronghold of Policrates.”

“It is a foolish plan,” said Callisthenes. “You would surely be discovered. Spies abound. The pirates are well informed, I am certain.”

“Only we in this room know of this possibility,” I said.

“Discuss your plan with Aemilianus,” suggested Callisthenes. “The pirates of the eastern Vosk are more your concern than mine. The chain will keep the pirates of the western Vosk out of the waters of Port Cos.”

“I do not wish to risk several ships and hundreds of men in such an unusual venture,” said Aemilianus. “Besides, how do I know this is not a pirate trick to lure the fleet of Ar’s Station into an ambush in cramped waters?”

“You have my word on it,” said Callimachus, “the word of a warrior.”

“Perhaps you, too, have been fooled,” said Aemilianus. “I must think of the security of my men and my ships.” Aemilianus looked at me. “Are you of Ar?” he asked.

“No,” I said.

“Are you of the Warriors?” he asked.

“No,” I said.

Aemilianus spread his hands. “How then,” he asked the others, “in so great a matter, can I trust him?”

“You must do so,” urged Tasdron.

“Do so,” urged Glyco.

“Why should you undertake such risks?” Aemilianus asked me.

“There is a girl, a slave, I want in the stronghold of Policrates,” I said.

“You would undergo these risks, these dangers,” he asked, “for a girl?”

“I desire her,” I said. “I want to own her.”

“Is that all?” he asked.

I shrugged. “Too,” I said, “I have scores to settle with pirates.” Twice I had been demeaned by pirates, once in the tavern of Tasdron, and once in the Pirate’s Chain, the tavern of Hibron.

“We are not interested,” said Aemilianus. “I am sorry.”

“His plan is bold,” said Callimachus. “It is brilliant.”

“I am sorry,” said Aemilianus.

“The plan is not only dangerous,” said Callisthenes, “and I would not risk men or ships of Port Cos in such a rash scheme, but it is, at least as far as preventing the gathering of the river pirates goes, unnecessary. The chain will keep the pirates of the west to the west of Port Cos.”

“The chain will be ineffective,” reiterated Glyco, miserably.

“It will be quite effective,” said Callisthenes.

“A chain can be forged, a chain can be cut,” I said.

“The chain is patrolled, of course,” said Callisthenes. “Too, should there be any massing of pirate ships, we can meet them with the fleet of Port Cos.”

“What do you think, Callimachus?” asked Glyco. He was not, of course, of the warriors.

“With all due respect, my friend, Callisthenes,” said Callimachus, “I must concur with Glyco, for his judgment in this matter seems sound.”

“He is of the merchants,” said Callisthenes.

“He is a man of shrewd and practical judgment,” said Callimachus. “And, in my opinion, his fears are well founded.”

“With the chain in place,” said Callisthenes, “we need fear nothing.”

“Placing the chain,” said Callimachus, “is unimaginatively defensive. It will be impossible to defend its length against determined attacks. Do not permit it to lull you into a false sense of security.”

“If there is to be an attack at the chain,” said Aemilianus, “I am willing to lend you ships from Ar’s Station, to strengthen your defenses.”

“We can handle our own affairs in Port Cos,” said Callisthenes. “The ships of Ar’s Station are not welcome in the waters of Port Cos.”

“There is no drop of water in this river,” said Aemilianus, quietly, “which we of Ar’s Station may not put beneath the keels of our fleet.”

“You will do so at your own risk, my dear Captain,” said Callisthenes, grimly.

“Our projects are doomed,” moaned Tasdron.

“Captain, Callisthenes,” said I, “surely the pirates, as you yourself have suggested, are well informed.”