John Norman - Rouge of Gor

"I slipped," said Kliomenes. "I slipped." "Drop your sword," I told Kliomenes. he did so. "Release him," said one of the pirates. "You cannot escape."

"Put down your swords," I told them. "Put them on the walk."

They hesitated and Kliomenes felt the edge of the steel, set to slide n his throat."Put down your swords, Fool!" said Kliomenes. I saw the steel, blade by blade, sheathed and unsheathed, put to the stones of the walk. My steel ws then to the back of Kliomenes. "Precede me to the parapets," I told hi. "Do not follow," I warned the pirates.

"Surrenderyour sword," said Kliomenes. "Hurry," I told him."You have nothing with which to bargain," he said. "I have your life," I told him. He tenses. "Before you could run two steps," I told him, "I could have you half onmy sword or cut your head from your body." "Perhaps not," said Kliomenes, uneasily.

"It is a risk I am content to take," I informed him. "Are you?" He looked at me.

I opened my left hand at my hip. "If necessary," I said, "I am prepared to conduct you to the parapets, bend over, as a female slave."

"That will not be necessary," he said. He turned, then, and preceded me about the walkway bordering the lakelike courtyard. I looked back and saw the group of pirates. They did not follow. They stood near the iron door, the entry into the inner holding. Their steel lay still about their feet.

"Put aside your bow," I ordered one of th emen on the walls, climing towrd the parapets. In a few moments, walking along the parapets, we had come to the edge of the west gate tower, that which houses, in its lower level, the chamber of the windlass.Two or three of the men, their bows in hand, edged near us. "Put aside your bows," I told them. "Do as he says," said Kliomenes, angrily.

The bows were put to their feet. They were short, ship bows, stout and maneuverable, easy to use n croweded quartes, easy to fire across the bulwarks of galleys locked in combat. I had seen only such bows in the holding of Policrates. Their rate of fire, of course, is much superior to that of the crossbow, either of the drawn or windlass variety.

All things considered, the ship bow is an ideal missile weapon for close-range naval combat. it is superior in this respect even to the peasant bow, or long bow, which excells it in impact, range and accuracy.

I glanced over the edge of the wall. We were, as I had intended in the vicinity of the sea gate. I did not know how deep the water was there. Yet I knew I it must be deep enough to accommodate the keel of a captured, heavily laden round ship.

"What do you intend?" asked Kliomenes. "Tell them to fetch the rope," I said, gesturing to the men onthe wall. Kliomenes grinned, "Fetch rope," he said. They hurried down the stairs. "It seems you wil make good your escape," said Kliomenes. He assumed that I had had the men seriously sent for rope. He assumed that when they returned, I would use the rope to descend from the wall. By that time, of coures, the men would be again on the wall, doubtless some of them armed and with bows. Clambering down the rope, I would be vulnerable, and the rope too could be cut.

"Now, we are alone on the wall," I said to Kliomenes, leveling the sword at his belly. He backed away a step. "Do not kill me," he said suddenly, turing white. Behind him was the long drop to the walkway below.

I drew back my arm as though to ram the steel through his belly. He twisted away and fled. I laughed not pursuing him. I did not think he would stop until he was safely again among his men. Then, discarding the sword, I ascended the parapet and leaped feet first to the waters far below. It seemed I was a long time in the air. The rush of it was cold on my body and tore at my hair. I then struck the water, seeming to plummet through it, and struck with great force the mud and debris of the bottom. I sank into it to my knees. i feared my legs were broken. The water ws swirling about me, loud, roaring in my ears. I tore loose, kicking,of the mud, and pushed upward toward the surface which after some seconds, gasping I broke. I shook the water from my head; I blinked it from my eyes. I looked upward at the parapets far above. My legs were numb but I could control them. No arrows struck into the water about me. I gasped for breath, and then submerged, and swam underwater for the brush and trees, half sunken, which boarded the channel leading to the gate.

I emerged among roots and reeds. Only then, looking back from the cover of the half-submerged growth, did I see men first appear on the walls. They would not even know in which diretion I had set out. I then swam again underwater for a time until I emerged in the spongy terrain north and west of the holding, shielded from sight by trees from her walls. I assumed they would think I would have emerged north and east of the channel, for that lies closer to Victoria. I would at any rate have a good sart on any who might wish to give pursuit. It would take several Ehns, I was sure, to get the great sea gate raised. I had seen to that. I could always cross the channel northeastward at my convenience, under the cover of darkness, to move toward Victoria, or I might, if I chose, move simply to the southern shore of the Bosk. I was certain I could find a means from there to make my way back to Victoria. Small ships abound on the Vosk. I began then to move swiftly. I was cold. But I was in good spirits.

"We welcome your sword," said Callimachus. We stood in the bow of the long galley, below the stem castle. The single mast had been lowered and lay secured, tied, lengthwise on the deck, between the benches.

Our ship lay to, east of the great chain. I could see little, because of the fot. it was a chilly morning. The water licked at the strakes. Far off, unseen, I heard the cry of a Vosk gull.

"It was not necessary that you have joined the fleet, sasid Callimachus. "It is here that I belong," I said. "You have risked much already," said he. "We were betrayed," I told him. "Yes," he said.

I was bitter. The great sea gates had crashed down, destroying the galley on which I had sought to enter the holding of Policrates. I had been captured, and had managed to escape. I had made my way to Victoria, and hence westward, learning of the movement of ships toward the chain. Yesterday evening, I had boarded the Tina, out of Victoria, captained by Callimachus. "If the Voskjard attempts to cross the chain in force," said Callimachus,"we will not be able to stop him."

"It was the Earth-girl slave, Peggy, Tasdron's property who betrayed us," I said. "Can you be sure?" asked Callimachus. "I am sure," I said. "Was it Callisthenes?" I asked him."It could not be Callisthenes," said Callimachus.

"He is known to me. Too, he is a captain of Port Cos, and of my own caste. I looked over the gunnels. To port and starboard, each some 50 yards aawy, gray and silent, intermittently visible in the fog, each lying to, as was the Tina, were two other galleys, the Mira out of Victoria, and the Talender out of Fina.

"Too," said Callimachus, "he is my friend." It was cold."Does it seem likely to you that it ws Tasdron or Glyco?" I asked. "It could not hve been Tasdron," said Callimachus. "His interests would be too opposed to such an action. Indeed, he is the leader in Victoria of those who would oppose the power of the men of Policrates."

"Perhaps it was Glyco, then," I said bitterly. "He is not of my own caste," admitted Callimachus. "Nor is Tasdron," I said. "True," said Callimachus.

"Glyco," I pointed out, "has enlisted your aid against the pirates." "He is not with the fleet," said Callimachus. "He is now east on the river, trying to raise support for our cause," I said. "Perhaps," said Callimachus. "But no ships have been forthcoming."I do not think Glyco will be successful," I said. "There is too much distrust among the towns, and they fear the pirates too much. Too, the fleet of Policrates is now east of Victoria, to prevent such ships from reinforcing us. I have told you this."