John Norman: Players of Gor

"You have done well against one untrained in arms," I said, "one who dared to face you with only courage and a wooden sword. Prepare now to try the skills of another member of the troupe of Boots Tarsk-Bit, but one whose sword is of steel."

"I have no intention of meeting you with steel," said Flaminius. "Do you think I do not know the reputation of Bosk of Port Kar? Do you think I am mad?"

"Kneel, then," I said, "and bare your neck."

"I have your friend, Petrucchio," said Flaminius.

"I have you," I said.

"If I am slain," said Flaminius, "Petrucchio, of course, will die."

"If Petrucchio dies," I said, "you will be slain."

"Surely it is time to have a conversation," said Flaminius.

"Speak," I said.

"Let us step back inside, away from the door," he said.

"Very well," I said.

We withdrew into the room. He closed the door.

"You may kneel, Yanina," he said. "head to the floor."

"Yes, Master," she said.

"Speak," I said.

"Belnar, and other members of the high council," he said, "have been conducting negotiations with individuals in various states, in particular, Cos and Ar. I do not fully understand all that is transpiring, but I have some idea. These negotiations, I gather, are generally in cipher. I would like to guarantee the security of those ciphers. One set of cipher keys, at least, is doubtless somewhere here. If you have found them, turn them over to me. Too, surrender yourself to me, to be bound as a prisoner."

"What if I agree?" I asked.

"You must agree," he smiled. "You have really no choice, at least no honorable alternative."

"You would trap a man by his honor?" I asked.

"Or by his greed, or his ambition, or whatever proves itself useful," said Flaminius.

"I see," I said.

"Comply with my wishes," said Flaminius, "and Petrucchio goes free."

"And what of me?" I asked.

"Your disposition will be determined by others," said Flaminius. "Who knows? You might even be permitted to live, perhaps as a blinded, toungueless slave chained to he bench of a Cosian galley."

"Cosian?" I asked.

"Perhaps," he smiled.

I hesitated.

"Petrucchio bleeds," he said. "I have given orders that his wound not be bound. He does not appear overly strong. It is quite conjectural how long he can survive without care."

"I see," I said.

"Your sword, Captain?" he asked.

I reached to the sword, to surrender it.

There was, however, at that moment, a great, authoritative pounding on the door.

"I gave orders that we were not to be disturbed," said Flaminius, angrily.

"Open in the name of Saphronicus, General of Ar!" I heard. "Open in the name of alliance!"

"A general of Ar, here?" said Flaminius.

I stepped back, my hand on the hilt of my sword.

There was then a repetition of that fierce pounding. It seemed any delay in opening that portal would not be lightly brooked.

Flaminius looked at me. I shrugged. "Perhaps you should open it," I said.

Flaminius hurried to the door and opened it. A tall, broad-shouldered, imposing, caped figure stood there. "I am Saphronicus, general of Ar, envoy from the state of Ar," it said. "I have entered the city only within the Ahn, immediately ordering the city captain to report to me. Here I find slaughtered ubars, chaos and fire! I have assumed command in the city until the high council appoints a new ubar. I was told by the city captain that he received his orders from some fellow named Flaminius, and that he might be here. Who is this Flaminius?"

"I am Flaminius, who was confidant to Belnar," said Flaminius. "I was appointed to deal with the emergency, delegating secondary authority to the city captain, by Belnar. His authority is now done, of course. My sword is at your service."

"The city is in flames," said the fellow.

"They are difficult to control," said Flaminius. "We have been fighting them through the night."

"I heard," said the figure, sternly, "that hundreds of men, who might better have been used in protecting the city, have been spent in fruitless searches for some fugitive!"

"Not fruitless, General!" cried Flaminius. "He is here! That is he! I have captured him!"

"I would not be to sure about that, if I were you," I said. I was curious to see how the arrival of this new fellow might alter matters, if at all.

"He does not appear to be bound," observed the new fellow. "He still carries his sword."

"I have him helpless," General," Flaminius assured him. "I have his friend in my power, whose life is forfeit, does he not surrender."

"That would not be that tall, thin fellow, the one with a wooden sword, would it?" asked the caped figure.

"Yes, General!" said Flaminius.

"I have had my men bring him to the garden," said the caped figure. "He was wounded, and his wound had not been attended to, an astounding evidence of inhumane barbarism. He is now being seen to by my men."

Flaminius turned white. "Where are my men, General?" he asked, uneasily.

"I ordered them to withdraw," said the caped figure. "I put them where they should be at this time, about their proper business, fighting fires in the city."

"Where then are your men?" asked Flaminius, fearfully.

"Do not fear," said the stern figure. "They are just outside."

Flaminius relaxed, visibly.

"One is juggling larmas," said the caped figure. "The other is walking back and forth on the tarn wire strung between two bridges."

"What?" asked Flaminius, aghast.

The caped figure removed his helmet.

"Publius Andronicus!" I cried.

"The Imperious General," said Publius Andronicus, "is one of my best roles."

"You can act!" I cried.

"Of course," he said, "did not Boots Tarsk-Bit tell you that?"

"Yes," I admitted.

"To be sure," said Andronicus, "I choose my roles with care."

I seized Flaminius by the neck and pushed him back against a wall.

"Oh, no, my dear," said Andronicus, seizing the bolting Yanina by an arm and returning her to her knees, trembling, on the floor, "you are not going anywhere, at least not yet."

"Bring Petrucchio in," I said. "We must see to him."

"Alas," cried Petrucchio, "I die!"

"Nonsense," I said. "It is only a scratch."

"Let a great pyre be built of hundreds of logs," cried Petrucchio.

"You are not entitled to such a funeral," said Chino. "You are only a player."

"You will be lucky if people remember to throw you in a garbage dump," said Lecchio.

"I tell you it is only a scratch," I said.

"Oh?" asked Petrucchio.

"Yes," I said, replacing the bandages. "It would scarcely discomfort a neurotic urt."

"Was my sword recovered?" asked Petrucchio.

"Yes," said Chino. "We picked it up."

"There were hundreds of them," Petrucchio assured me. "I fought like a larl. On it, at one time, I spitted eleven men!"

"That is a large number," I admitted.

"The story of how Petrucchio held the bridge will be long remembered," said Petrucchio.

"I am sure it will," I said.

"And of how he fell at last, bloodied beneath the blades of frenzied, hostile brigades!"

"Yes," I said.

Petrucchio suddenly slumped in my arms.

"He is dead!" cried Chino.

"Petrucchio," I said.

"Yes?" he said, opening his eyes.

"Don't do that," I said.

"Did I play it well?" Petrucchio asked Andronicus, his mentor in such matters.

"Splendidly, old friend," said Andronicus.

"It was nice of you to come looking for me," said Petrucchio.

"It was nothing," Andronicus assured him.

"Not that I needed help," said Petrucchio.

"Of course not," said Andronicus.

"If the sheaf of notes on acting hints, those on the detailed deportment of the head and hands, prepared by you by Publius Andronicus, had not somewhat turned the blade of Flaminius, it might have been a different matter," I told Petrucchio.