The Ruins Of Kaldac

Chapter 14

The Doimari left Gilmarg before noon that day. Blade walked, his hands unbound but several rifle-armed guards always close at hand. Kareena was loaded onto the back of a munfan like a sack of loot. She was obviously in pain, but Blade noted that her broken leg had been thoroughly splinted. He knew she would have an uncomfortable trip, but it should not be a fatal one unless the broken leg became infected.

The expedition set such a pace that the towers of Doimar were in sight by noon on the fifth day. By then Kareena's bruises were healing, and her broken leg showed no sign of infection. It still gave her so much pain that Blade knew the escape from Doimar would have to wait until Kareena could walk or until he found some sort of vehicle.

Both choices had their dangers. The first would mean staying in Doimar at the mercy of a notoriously merciless ruler for weeks or even months. Apart from the danger to Blade and Kareena, there was the danger that Feragga would launch her armies and waldoes against Kaldak before the prisoners could escape with their knowledge. The second course could get them home more quickly, but this was far from certain. There might not be any vehicles. Even if there were, finding one could take as much time as the healing of Kareena's leg. It would certainly take a good deal of luck, or else the cooperation of the Doimari themselves in giving Blade freedom to explore their city.

Blade decided he'd have to try winning over the Doimari, and he could see only one way of doing this. He would have to pretend to change sides as soon as he could do so convincingly. After that, he would have a better chance of learning anything he wanted to know, including Feragga's war plans as well as how to escape.

There would still be dangers and disadvantages. The Doimari might learn too much about Kaldak from him while he was learning about them. He hoped to avoid that by mostly telling lies about England's Oltec. Thinking the man she loved was a traitor to Kaldak would make Kareena's captivity still more unpleasant, and there was nothing at all Blade could do about that. He had to be completely convincing, and he was afraid he could not be if anyone but himself knew that he was acting.

Finally, there was always the possibility that when the time came there would still be no way for both him and Kareena to escape. Then Blade would have to face an ugly choice. He could stay in Doimar and really betray Kaldak, or escape himself, perhaps save Kaldak, but condemn Kareena to a thoroughly unpleasant death. He knew she would ask him to leave if she knew the truth, but he still didn't like to think of facing Peython and Bairam after leaving her to die.

At least he wouldn't have to think about this any more for a few weeks.

Feragga of Doimar looked enough like her Shro (War Captain) Nungor to be his older sister, although she could easily have picked him up under one arm. She was inches taller and wider across the shoulder than Blade and probably weighed more. She still moved with an ease and grace which hinted that very little of her bulk was fat. Her round face with its oversized nose could hardly be called attractive, but she looked shrewd and tough, a leader who'd be no easier to fool than Peython. Blade could only hope that her eagerness for knowledge useful in her war would make her ready to meet his demands.

He stood before Feragga in the smoke-darkened chamber which served as her combination throne room and banquet hall, listening to Nungor tell of the battle in Gilmarg. Blade was still unbound and still closely guarded. Kareena sat tied to a portable aluminum chair. The room was bare of decoration and practically everyone in sight was either an armed fighter or a scantily-clad slave.

«Well, Blade of England,» said Feragga. «You are not of Kaldak, so my war against them is not against you unless you wish it so. You can be a guest in Doimar, or you can be a prisoner. If you wish to be a prisoner, I have nothing more to say to you. It will then be those whose business it is to learn secrets who will be dealing with you and Kareena. When they are through, what is left of you will be given to our Seekers for Health to study.»

Blade nodded. This was about what he'd expected. He still didn't want to appear to be giving in at the first threat. «You speak plainly, Feragga of Doimar. In England we value that. So I will speak plainly in return. What am I offered if I would rather be a guest?» He tried to shut his ears against Kareena's gasp.

«That is hard to say, Blade» replied Feragga. «It depends on what you do for Doimar. If you teach us all that is known in England…» She shrugged, implying that in such a case the sky was the limit.

Blade shook his head. «I cannot teach all that is known in England. I'm a warrior, not one of England's Seekers.»

«You seem to know as much as any Seeker in War or Seeker of Machines,» said Nungor. This seemed to confirm Blade's guess that the Seekers were Doimar's «scientists.» The city must have scientists to be able to go so far beyond the other cities of the Land in recovering the knowledge of Oltec. Again he shook his head.

«I have traveled in many lands besides England. A warrior must keep his eyes and ears open as he travels. Otherwise he does not live to travel far. While watching for enemies, one can also see many strange machines and new ways of war.»

«That is the truth,» said Feragga. «It is a truth which some in Doimar who think themselves wise do not yet admit.» She glowered around the room without looking at anyone in particular. «So you do not know all that is known in England. You still know much which is not known in the Land. Will you teach it all to us in Doimar?»

«Yes,» said Blade, smiling. «I have seen Kaldak, and now I have seen Doimar. I know which of the two cities is more fit to rule the Land.» He bowed elaborately to Feragga.

Kareena made a strangled noise, then shouted, «Blade, you dirty-!» That was as far as she got before Nungor stepped up to her chair and slapped her twice. She spat in his face. He grabbed her hair with one hand and drew the other fist back for a blow which would certainly have knocked out most of her teeth.

«Hold, Nungor!» Feragga shouted. «Her insolence will be punished enough. Clearly she will be no proper slave, until she is initiated. But if you beat her now, she will not feel the Initiation as she should.»

Nungor reluctantly let go of Kareena. «That is true, Feragga.» Blade could have sworn he licked his lips, and several of the people around the room wore looks of obscene anticipation. Blade suddenly knew that he had to try to protect Kareena from the Initiation, even at some risk to his cover story. It sounded like an ordeal which she might not survive in her weakened condition.

«Feragga, I ask as my first gift Kareena, daughter of Peython, as my slave. If this is granted, I will initiate her myself, according to the Law of England.»

Nungor's eyes narrowed. «I thought you and she were sworn freemates?»

«Indeed I told you so,» said Blade. He kept his eyes fixed on Feragga. He doubted that if he looked toward Kareena he could get this lie out with a straight face. «That does not mean I told the truth.»

«No doubt. But if you lied to me then, why should you not be lying to Ferraga now?» said Nungor.

The little War Captain was much too shrewd for Blade's peace of mind. Blade smiled blandly. «I know the reputation of Feragga of Doimar too well to lie to her. Do you think me a fool, Nungor? Also, when I met you I had not seen Doimar itself. I could not judge which side I was on. Now I have seen your city and know better.»

There was a long silence, in which Blade measured the distance between him and the nearest guard armed with a laser rifle. It was just short enough. If this attempt to save Kareena from torture failed, he was sure he could grab the rifle before anyone could stop him, then Feragga, Nungor, and Kareena would all die before he went down himself.

Feragga broke the silence with a harsh laugh. «Well, Blade, I see you are not going to be an easy man to buy, or a cheap one. Never mind. If you are worth your price, I shall not grudge it. When the time comes, Kareena shall be the first part of your price. A pity we can't get some work out of her in the meantime, but that is as it must be. Take her out.»

Four slaves carried Kareena's chair out of the room. As the door closed behind her, a weight seemed to lift from Blade's shoulders. Knowing that Kareena would not be hearing any more of what he said would make the rest of this meeting far easier.

Feragga promised Blade a sword, living quarters, and food, women if he wanted them, and whatever knowledge of Doimar's Oltec he might need. In return he would teach the Doimari all he had learned on his travels or in England, particularly anything which might aid the Doimari in their war for the rulership of the Land.

When that war was won, the rewards would be great. Kareena would be only the first of them. Blade would have land and loot from Kaldak or any other city he chose, rank and power in the new Doimari Empire, and a place close to Feragga herself. How close? Blade wondered. From the look in the woman's eyes he suspected she might want him as a bedmate. From the look in Nungor's eyes, the War Captain suspected the same thing and didn't like the idea at all.

Blade left, fairly certain that Nungor was going to be his real enemy. Feragga was sufficiently eager for Blade's knowledge and perhaps his body to give him the benefit of the doubt. Nungor was suspicious and would have plenty of chances to confirm those suspicions.

Blade wasn't seriously worried. He'd faced and beaten more formidable opponents than Nungor. At the same time, he felt that the gift he would like most in all the world or any Dimension was not having to tell anyone a single lie for a whole month!

In Feragga's own tower at least, the Doimari had the elevators working again. Blade was given a suite of three rooms on a high floor, with a guard at the door but no bars on the window. They weren't needed. Outside the window was a three-hundred-foot drop straight down to the courtyard of the tower.

Blade saw there was more metal in the furniture than he'd seen in Peython's tower. Otherwise there was hardly anything in his rooms which could teach him much about Doimar. He tested the lock on the outer door, discovered that it worked, and set it. Then he walked back to the window and looked down into the courtyard.

It was late afternoon, and the towers of Doimar were stretching long shadows across the lower buildings. The towers to the west were silhouetted against a reddening sky. In the courtyard a company of soldiers was drilling. Blade counted about two hundred men. They were going through the sort of close-order drill loved by sergeants in every Dimension, whether it makes any sense on the battlefield or not.

Blade also noted that every one of the men had a laser rifle and that many seemed to be carrying grenades. At one end of the courtyard a small group of men was standing around what looked like mortars or light artillery. There were no waldoes in sight, but Blade hadn't expected that any of Doimar's secret weapons would be on public display. Peython must have taken as much trouble to send spies into Doimar as Feragga had to send them into Kaldak, although he hadn't learned as much.

Blade thought of Kaldak, with at most one laser rifle for every four men or women of fighting age and no other Oltec weapons at all. It didn't really matter that Doimar's soldiers were wasting their time in close-order drill. Even without the robots, the weapons they already carried would give them an enormous advantage in firepower. They could probably win if they were trained to walk backward on their hands and fire their rifles with their toes! The idea of an army marching into battle like that made Blade laugh, but there was nothing funny about what would happen to Kaldak and the other cities of the Land when Feragga's army advanced.

To be sure, she would destroy the iron grip of the Law and its restrictions on the use of Oltec. She would also be destroying many lives and much wealth, and reducing to slavery the surviving inhabitants of any city she conquered. Doimar could only end up ruling an empire of ruins, inhabited by slaves or by outlaws determined to die rather than yield to their conquerors. In the process most of the civilization built up since the fall of the Sky Masters would be destroyed. The Land would sink back into barbarism, and this time the darkness would last not for hundreds but for thousands of years.

On the other hand, the defeat of Doimar would not mean the victory of the Law and its fear of Oltec. Kaldak was already well started on the road to exploring beyond the Law and making positive improvements in the Land. But it would have to go even farther in order to beat Doimar. Where one city went, others would sooner or later have to follow, out of fear or simply out of pride.

Blade knew where he stood. Doimar had to be stopped. The only question was how, and there was no point in even asking himself that until he knew more.

Sharp knocking on the door interrupted Blade's thoughts. He took his sword from the windowsill and faced the door. «Who is there, and what do you want?»

«Nungor, Blade. I have brought a woman for you.»

«I-«Blade was about to say, «I did not ask for a woman,» then stopped himself. If Nungor was bringing him a woman, it was probably to make Feragga jealous. Making relations between Feragga and her War Captain as bad as possible could do more good than harm, as long as it didn't put Kareena in more danger.

Also, this would be Blade's first chance to talk to a Doimari slave. From experience in many Dimensions he knew that slaves could be good sources of information on their masters' strengths and weaknesses. It was not only what they said, it was also what they didn't say.

«Send her in, Nungor. I thank you.»

There were two girls, neither more than seventeen, both dressed only in dirty gray shifts. One was thin, almost gaunt, while the other was positively plump. There was also a boy who couldn't have been more than fifteen, wearing only a loincloth and clearly frightened half out of his wits. The moment Nungor closed the door, the boy scurried across the room to the corner farthest from Blade and cowered there, baring his teeth like a cornered rat.

Blade tried to soothe him. «Do not worry. I am not a lover of men. Even if I was, you are too young for me, by the Law of England.»

«England is a city with-?» began the slim girl. The other one struck her sharply across the mouth.

«You talk only when the man says you can, little fool! Didn't your Initiation teach you anything?»

The slim girl knelt at Blade's feet, eyes on the floor. «You may beat me before you take your pleasure with me, Master.»

«No doubt I may,» said Blade dryly. «But I do not choose to. I will always forgive one mistake.» He pulled off his shirt. «Now-into the bed with you.» He felt no real desire for these two poor creatures, but if he didn't take them Nungor might get suspicious, and the girls would surely be punished. He could hardly let them suffer for his scruples. The slim girl pulled her shift over her head and started toward the bed. As she did, Blade saw her back.

«Good God!»

She stopped as if he'd struck her, quivering all over. He stared at her. In spite of her thinness, she was quite lovely, with the taut, spare curves of a girl who's just turned into a woman-except for her back. From just below her shoulder blades to the base of her spine, her back was a ridged mess of criss-crossing scars. She must have been flogged half to death and would certainly carry scars like that to the end of her life.

«That was your Initiation-the flogging?» asked Blade gently. In spite of his tone the girl seemed too frightened to speak, so her companion spoke for her.

«Yes. She and the boy there were made slaves when their parents refused to pay their taxes. She was unruly and disobedient, so she was Initiated by the whip. The boy was even worse, so he was Initiated with the knife.»

Blade decided not to ask what «Initiation with the knife» meant. He didn't really need to know. He did know that he would have to be more careful than ever, if «Initiation» for Kareena meant being flogged like this. He doubted if either her mind or her body could survive the experience.

«You have not been Initiated?» he asked the second girl. «I?» She looked insulted. «Only a fool sells herself into slavery, then says what she should not. I found an easier life in Feragga's house than I could ever have outside.» She pulled her shift over her head and raised her arms over her head. «Have I not done well?»

She certainly looked well-fed, almost complacent, although the other girl would have been much more attractive without the scars and her fear. Blade sat down on the windowsill, pulled off his boots, and began undoing his trousers.

As his silver loinguard came into sight, both girls stared. The scarred girl was the bolder of the two. She reached out a finger and touched the metal, then jerked her hand back as if the loinguard was red-hot.

«You may speak,» Blade said. They were both obviously dying of curiosity.

«Is-do you have-your power in that?» said the plump girl. «Do you-keep it on?»

Blade laughed. «No. My power is where it is in any other man.» He unhooked the loinguard, took it off, and held it up in front of the girls so they could see it more clearly. «You see. It is only a thing of Oltec, to protect me in battle, so that I will not lose the place where my power stays.»

«Ah,» they said almost in unison. Then also in unison they reached out and started stroking Blade's thighs and penis. This led to the inevitable conclusion, although Blade could never use the term «making love» when he spoke of what he did in the bed with the two slave girls. He'd had much more pleasant erotic experiences with women he'd seduced as part of an assignment. At least the two girls seemed happy enough, probably at knowing they would not be punished for failing to please him.

When he'd finished with the girls, Blade walked over to the boy still cowering in the corner. «If you wish either of the girls, and she consents, I will let you have her. I will even go into one of the other rooms and leave you alone.»

The boy stared at Blade as if he'd grown a second head, then burst into tears and curled up almost in the fetal position. In the process his loincloth slipped. Blade had a strong stomach, and he'd seen more ghastly sights than any other six men he knew put together. He still had to swallow and close his eyes for a moment at the sight of the boy's groin. It was nothing but a mass of scar tissue. He'd been castrated, so crudely and brutally that it was a miracle he was still alive.

Blade sighed. There was nothing to say to the boy and nothing to say even to himself except what he'd already said a number of times: Doimar had to be stopped.

He helped the boy to his feet, then called the guards. The two girls were supporting the boy between them as the guards led all three of them out. Blade stood with his face firmly turned to the window until he heard the door close behind him. He did not want anyone who might inform Feragga or Nungor to see the look on his face.

The sun was close to the horizon now. Most of Doimar's towers still had part of their metal facing, and these reflected the reddish sunset over the rest of the city. It looked almost as if the entire city had been dipped in blood. Blade thought this was a highly appropriate color for Doimar.