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Video tags
Subtitles
Russian
00:00:00
the ethical engineer by Harry00:00:07
Harrison that Moray is strictly a matter00:00:10
of local custom cannot be denied but00:00:13
that ethics is pure opinion also maybe00:00:17
there are times for murder and theft and00:00:23
slavery all nature is but art unknown to00:00:26
thee all chance Direction which thou can00:00:30
not see all Discord Harmony not00:00:34
understood all partial evil Universal00:00:38
good and spite of pride in ering00:00:41
reason's spite one truth is clear00:00:44
whatever is is00:00:47
Right Alexander Pope essay on00:00:51
Man chapter00:00:54
1 Jason denal looked unhappily at the00:00:57
two stretchers as they were carried by00:01:00
are they at it again he asked bro nodded00:01:04
the scowl permanently ingrained now on00:01:07
his hawk-like00:01:08
face we have only one thing to be00:01:10
thankful for that is so far at least00:01:13
they haven't used any weapons on each00:01:15
other Jason looked down unbelievingly at00:01:18
the shredded clothing crushed flesh and00:01:20
broken bones the absence of weapons00:01:23
doesn't appear to make much difference00:01:25
when two pyrons start fighting it seems00:01:27
impossible that this damage could be00:01:29
administered00:01:31
barehanded well it was even you should00:01:34
know that much about pyus by now we take00:01:36
our fighting very seriously but they00:01:39
never think of how much more work it00:01:41
makes for me now I have to patch these00:01:44
two idiots up and try to find room for00:01:46
them in the ward he stalked away00:01:49
irritated and annoyed as always Jason00:01:52
usually laughed at the doctor's erasable00:01:54
state but not today today and for some00:01:58
days past he had found himself living00:02:00
with a persistent feeling of irritation00:02:03
that had arrived at the same time as his00:02:05
discovery that it is far easier to fight00:02:07
a war than to administer a peace the00:02:11
battle at the perimeter still continued00:02:13
still the Mast malevolence of the Pyon00:02:16
life forms were not going to call a00:02:17
truce simply because the two Waring00:02:19
groups of humans had done so there was00:02:22
Battle on the perimeter and a continual00:02:24
feeling of unrest inside the city so far00:02:27
there had been very little traffic00:02:29
between the city pyrons and those living00:02:31
outside the walls and what contact there00:02:34
had been usually led to the kind of00:02:36
violence he had just witnessed the only00:02:39
minor note of Hope in this concert of00:02:41
Discord was the fact that no one had00:02:43
died as yet in any of these fearsome00:02:46
hand-to-hand conflicts in spite of the00:02:48
apparent deadliness of the encounters00:02:50
all of the piron seemed to understand00:02:52
that despite past hatreds they were all00:02:55
really on the same side a distant Rumble00:02:58
from the clouded sky eye broke through00:03:00
his thoughts there is a ship on the00:03:03
radar meta said coming out of the ground00:03:05
control office and squinting up at the00:03:08
overcast I wonder if it's that ecology00:03:10
Expedition that bro arranged or the00:03:12
cargo ship from00:03:14
andion we'll find out in a few minutes00:03:17
Jason said happy to forget his troubles00:03:19
for the moment in Frank admiration since00:03:22
just looking at Meadow was enough to put00:03:24
a golden Edge on this Gloom filled day00:03:27
standing there headb back searching the00:03:29
Sky she managed to be beautiful even in00:03:31
the formless pyron coverall Jason put00:03:35
his arms around her waist and exacted a00:03:36
great deal of pleasure from kissing the00:03:38
golden length of her upstretched00:03:40
throat oh Jason not now she said in00:03:44
exasperation Pyon mindes by necessity00:03:47
run along one track at a time and at the00:03:50
present moment she was thinking about00:03:51
the descending spaceship with a quick00:03:54
motion scarcely aware of her action she00:03:56
pulled his hands from her and pushed him00:03:58
away and an easy enough thing for a Pyon00:04:01
girl to do but in doing so she half00:04:04
fractured one of his wrists numbed the00:04:06
other and knocked Jason to the ground00:04:08
darling I'm sorry she gasped suddenly00:04:11
realizing what she had done bending00:04:13
quickly to help him up get away you lady00:04:17
weightlifter he growled pushing aside00:04:19
the profer hand and struggling to his00:04:21
feet when are you going to realize that00:04:24
I'm only human not made of chrome steel00:04:26
bars like the rest of you people he00:04:29
stifled the rest of his words and00:04:31
disgust it himself his temper this00:04:33
deadly planet and the cantankerousness00:04:36
of its citizens that was scratching away00:04:38
at his nerves he turned and stamped away00:04:42
angry at himself for taking out his vile00:04:44
mood on meta but still too annoyed to00:04:47
make peace meta watched him leave trying00:04:50
to say something that would end this00:04:52
foolish quarrel but unable to the00:04:55
largest blank in the Pyon personality00:04:57
was an almost complete lack of knowledge00:04:59
of of human nature and her struggle to00:05:02
fill in the gaps gaps she was only just00:05:04
beginning to realize existed was a00:05:06
difficult one the stronger emotions of00:05:09
hate and fear were no strangers to her00:05:12
but for the first time she was00:05:14
discovering how difficult and complex00:05:15
was this unusual feeling of love she let00:05:19
Jason go because she was incapable of00:05:21
any other action of course she could00:05:24
stop him by force but if she had learned00:05:27
anything in the past few weeks it was00:05:29
the dis discovery that this was one area00:05:31
where he was very sensitive there was no00:05:34
doubt that she was Far stronger than he00:05:36
physically and he did not like to be00:05:38
reminded about it she went back into the00:05:41
ground control room almost eager to deal00:05:43
with the impersonal faces of the dials00:05:45
and Scopes material and unchanging00:05:48
entities that possessed no conflicting00:05:51
problems Jason stood at the edge of the00:05:53
field and watched the ship come in for a00:05:55
landing his anger forgotten temporarily00:05:58
in the presence of this Brave00:06:00
routine perhaps this was the ship full00:06:02
of scientific eggh heads that bro was00:06:04
expecting he hoped so it would be a00:06:07
pleasant treat to have a conversation00:06:08
with someone about a topic more00:06:10
Universal than the board dimensions of00:06:13
guns with practiced eye he watched The00:06:15
Landing which was a little sloppy either00:06:18
a new pilot or an old one who didn't00:06:20
care much it was a small ship so not00:06:23
many people would be aboard then the00:06:26
spacer turned for a moment in a landing00:06:28
correction and he had a quick glimpse of00:06:30
a serial number and tantalizingly00:06:32
familiar Insignia on its Stern where had00:06:36
he seen that00:06:38
before the ship touched down and the00:06:40
flaring Rockets died there was only the00:06:42
click of cooling metal from the ship No00:06:45
One emerged nor did any of the PIR seem00:06:47
interested enough in the newcomer to00:06:49
approach it that must mean that no one00:06:52
had any business with it and of course00:06:54
no curiosity either for this along with00:06:57
imagination was in very short short00:06:59
supply on the war torn Planet since no00:07:02
one else was making any moves Jason went00:07:04
forward to investigate for himself a00:07:07
sting Wing that had escaped the00:07:09
perimeter guards dived towards him and00:07:11
he blasted it automatically with his gun00:07:14
the corpse thed to the ground and the00:07:16
soil churned about it as the insectile00:07:18
Scavengers fought for the flesh only00:07:21
Bare Bones remained by the time he had00:07:23
taken two00:07:24
paces a muffled whine of Motors told him00:07:27
that the lower hatch was opening and00:07:29
Jason watched as a hairline crack00:07:32
appeared in the thick metal then widened00:07:34
as the heavy door ground outwards00:07:37
through the opening he had a glimpse of00:07:39
a figure muffled in a heavyduty spacit00:07:42
that must be meta's work she would have00:07:44
contacted the ship By Radio while it was00:07:46
on its way down and explained the00:07:47
standing orders that no offworlders were00:07:50
to be allowed out of their ships unless00:07:52
wearing the heaviest armor since the00:07:54
armed truce between the human00:07:56
inhabitants there had been a lessening00:07:58
of the Relentless Warfare of the Pyon00:08:00
life forms waged against the city but00:08:03
only to a slight degree deadly beasts00:08:06
still abounded and the air was thick00:08:08
with toxic diseases a stranger00:08:10
unprotected would be ill in 5 minutes00:08:13
dead within 10 or much sooner if a horn00:08:16
devil or other Beast got to him in the00:08:18
interval Jason felt a Justified Pride00:08:21
that he could walk this planet under his00:08:23
own power the natives adapted to the00:08:26
deadliness and heavy gravity since birth00:08:28
were still his Superior iors but he was00:08:30
the only offworlder who could stand the00:08:32
dangers of pyrus his gun wh out of his00:08:36
power holster into his waiting hand as00:08:38
he searched for some Target to use his00:08:40
talents on an armored piece of nastiness00:08:43
with a lot of legs was crawling into00:08:45
hiding under a rock and he blasted it00:08:47
neatly with a single shot the gun00:08:50
snapped back into the holster and he00:08:52
turned to the open door of the spacer00:08:54
his morale greatly improved welcome to00:08:57
pyrus he told the ungainly figure that00:09:00
clumped out of the ship there was a00:09:02
hefty merer projector clutched in the00:09:04
armored gloves and whoever was inside00:09:06
the suit the face was invisible behind00:09:08
the thick and tinted face plate seemed00:09:10
exceedingly nervous turning to look in00:09:13
all directions don't worry Jason said00:09:16
fighting to keep a tone of smug00:09:18
satisfaction out of his voice I'll take00:09:20
care of things for you I don't know what00:09:22
kind of horror stories you may have00:09:24
heard about pyus but they're all true00:09:27
that's a nice looking heat rate you have00:09:29
there but I doubt if you could move fast00:09:31
enough to use it the figure lowered the00:09:34
gun and fumbled for a switch on the00:09:36
front of the space armor it clicked and00:09:38
a speaker diaphragm rustled I'm looking00:09:42
for a man called Jason denal can you00:09:44
tell me if he is on this planet or if he00:09:46
has left it was impossible to tell the00:09:49
speaker's tone from the rasping00:09:51
diaphragm and no face was visible that00:09:54
might betray an emotion this was the00:09:56
moment when Jason should have shown00:09:58
caution and have remembered that there00:10:00
were thousands of policemen scattered00:10:02
across the Galaxy who would heartily00:10:04
enjoy putting him under arrest yet he00:10:07
couldn't imagine any of them going to00:10:08
the trouble of following him here and00:10:11
certainly there could be very little00:10:13
danger from a SPAC suited man with a00:10:15
rifle not to the man who had learned to00:10:17
take pyus on its own terms and live I'm00:10:21
Jason denal he said what do you want me00:10:24
for I've come a long way to find you the00:10:27
speaker resed now the gloved hand00:10:30
pointed what is that Jason's reactions00:10:33
were instantaneous conditioned to move00:10:35
without thought he wheeled crouched the00:10:37
gun in his hand and finger quivering00:10:39
lightly on the trigger pointed in the00:10:41
indicated Direction there was nothing00:10:44
unusual to be seen just an empty field00:10:46
and the Control building at the edge00:10:49
whatever are you talking about Jason00:10:51
asked then stopped as it became very00:10:54
obvious what the stranger had been00:10:56
talking about the large flanged mouth of00:10:58
the merer projector ground into the00:11:00
small of his bag his own gun snapped00:11:03
halfway out of its holster buzzed00:11:05
briefly then slipped back as he realized00:11:07
his00:11:08
position that's much better the stranger00:11:11
said if you attempt to move turn lower00:11:14
your gun hand or do anything I don't00:11:16
like I'll pull this trigger and I know00:11:20
Jason sigh careful to stand with every00:11:23
muscle Frozen you will pull the trigger00:11:26
and burn a nice round hole through my00:11:27
backbone and intestine00:11:29
but I would just like to know why who is00:11:32
it that is so interested in my worthless00:11:34
old carcass that they were willing to00:11:36
pay Interstellar Freight charges to send00:11:38
you and that oversized toaster all the00:11:40
way here in order to threaten it Jason00:11:43
was only talking to kill time since he00:11:45
knew this situation would not stay00:11:47
static for long not on Pirus he was00:11:50
completely right because before he had00:11:52
finished the ground control door burst00:11:54
open and meta ran out circling to the00:11:56
left at the same moment Kirk appeared00:11:59
from behind the building his Pyon00:12:01
reflexes absorbing the situation in an00:12:03
instant and with no perceptible delay he00:12:05
ran in the opposite direction both00:12:08
pyrons had their guns ready and closed00:12:10
in with the merciless Precision of00:12:12
trained Predators tell them to stop the00:12:15
suit speaker graded at Jason I'll shoot00:12:18
you if they try00:12:19
anything hold it Jason shouted and the00:12:23
running Pyon stopped instantly don't00:12:25
come any closer and whatever you do00:12:27
don't shoot he half turned his head and00:12:30
spoke in a quieter voice to the suited00:12:32
figure behind him now you see where you00:12:35
stand lower the gun and get back into00:12:38
your ship I guarantee you'll stay alive00:12:40
if you do that at00:12:42
once don't try and Bluff me denal the00:12:45
master Barrel pushed harder against his00:12:48
back you are my prisoner and your00:12:50
friends can't save you start walking00:12:52
backwards now I'll stay right behind00:12:55
you look Jason said calmly not per per00:12:58
mitting himself to get angry those are00:13:01
pyn out there either of them could kill00:13:04
you so quickly that you couldn't00:13:05
possibly have time to pull the trigger00:13:07
I'm saving your life though I don't know00:13:10
why I'm bothering so be a good boy and00:13:12
get back into your ship and go home and00:13:14
we'll give you a te for00:13:17
trying could I have him please Kirk meta00:13:20
called out the deadly Assumption of her00:13:22
remark punctuating Jason's logic after00:13:25
all Jason means more to me than you00:13:27
shall I kill him yet Jason00:13:30
just shoot his gun hand off meta Kirk00:13:32
told her in the same emotionless tone I00:13:35
want to know who this is and why he came00:13:37
here before he00:13:38
dies get back into your ship you fool00:13:42
Jason hissed you've only got Seconds To00:13:45
Live start walking backwards his captor00:13:48
said you are under arrest I'll count to00:13:51
three then shoot 1 2 Jason shuffled a00:13:56
cautious step to the rear and the pirate00:13:58
and guns snapped up at the same instant00:14:01
extended at arms length Jason was so00:14:04
close to the man in the spacit that the00:14:06
guns could have been pointed at him the00:14:08
eyes sighting carefully over the dark00:14:10
muzzles don't shoot Jason shouted to his00:14:15
friends don't worry Kirk called back we00:14:17
won't hit you I know that it's this00:14:21
idiot here that I'm worrying about you00:14:24
just can't shoot him for trying to do00:14:25
his job in fact I'm surprised to find00:14:28
out that there is one honest cop left in00:14:31
any of the places I've been don't talk00:14:34
so crazy meta said with maddening00:14:36
sweetness we'll kill him Jason we'll00:14:39
take care of you anger hit him you will00:14:43
not take care of me because I can take00:14:45
care of myself either of you kill him00:14:47
and so help me I'll kill you Jason00:14:50
shuffled backwards faster now until his00:14:53
legs hit the lower edge of the hatch he00:14:55
clamored into it and burst out laughing00:14:58
at the dumb fountain the expressions of00:14:59
his friends faces the laugh died as00:15:02
something pricked the back of his neck00:15:04
the pressure of the gun was gone and he00:15:06
swung around surprised to see the floor00:15:08
rushing up toward him but before it00:15:11
struck him Blackness00:15:13
descended Consciousness returned00:15:16
accompanied by a thuing headache that00:15:18
made Jason winse when he moved and when00:15:20
he opened his eyes the pain of the light00:15:22
made him screw them shut again whatever00:15:25
the drug was that had knocked him out it00:15:27
was fast working and seemed to be00:15:29
oxidized just as quickly the headache00:15:32
faded away to a dull throb and he could00:15:34
open his eyes without feeling that00:15:36
needles were being driven into them he00:15:39
was seated in a standard Space Chair00:15:41
that had been equipped with wrist and00:15:42
Ankle locks now well secured a man sat00:15:46
in the chair next to him intent on the00:15:49
spaceship's controls the ship was in00:15:51
flight and well into space The Stranger00:15:54
was working the computer cutting a tape00:15:56
to control their flight in jump space00:15:59
Jason took the opportunity to study the00:16:01
man he seemed to be a little old for a00:16:04
policeman though on second thought it00:16:06
was really hard to tell his age his hair00:16:09
was gray and cropped as short as a skull00:16:11
cap but the wrinkles on his leathery00:16:14
skin seemed to have been caused more by00:16:16
exposure than Advanced years tall and00:16:19
firmly erect he appeared underweight at00:16:22
first glance until Jason realized this00:16:24
effect was caused by the total absence00:16:26
of any excess flesh00:16:29
it was as though he had been cooked by00:16:31
the Sun and leeched by the rain until00:16:33
Only Bone tendon and muscle were left00:16:36
when he turned his head the muscles00:16:38
stood out like cables under the skin of00:16:40
his neck and his hands at the controls00:16:42
were Brown Talons of some bird a hard00:16:46
finger pressed the switch that actuated00:16:48
the jump control and he turned away from00:16:50
the board to face00:16:52
Jason I see you are awake it was a mild00:16:55
drug I did not enjoy using it but it was00:16:58
was the safest way when he talked his00:17:01
jaw opened and shut with the seriousness00:17:03
of a bank vault the Deep set and cold00:17:06
blue eyes stared fixedly from under dark00:17:09
brows Jason stared back just as steadily00:17:12
and chuckled I suppose you didn't enjoy00:17:15
using the merer projector either nor00:17:17
threatening to cook holes in me for a00:17:20
cop you seem to be very00:17:23
tenderhearted I did it only to save your00:17:26
friends I did not want them to get hurt00:17:30
get hurt Jason roared with laughter00:17:33
space cop you don't have any idea what00:17:36
pyrons are like or what kind of setup00:17:38
you were walking into don't you realize00:17:41
that I saved your life though I really00:17:43
don't know why call me a natural00:17:46
humanitarian you may have a swollen head00:17:49
and a ready trigger finger but you were00:17:50
so far out of your class that you just00:17:52
weren't in the race they could have00:17:54
blasted you into pieces then shot the00:17:56
pieces into smaller pieces while you00:17:58
were were still thinking about pulling00:17:59
the trigger you should just thank me for00:18:02
being your00:18:03
savior so you are a liar as well as a00:18:06
thief Jason's captor answered with no00:18:09
change of expression you attempt to play00:18:12
on my sympathies to gain your freedom00:18:14
why should I believe this story I came00:18:17
to arrest you threatening to kill you if00:18:19
you didn't submit and your friends were00:18:21
there ready to defend you why should you00:18:24
attempt to save my life it doesn't make00:18:26
any sense he turned back to the controls00:18:29
to make an adjustment it didn't make00:18:32
sense Jason agreed completely why had he00:18:35
saved this o who meant nothing to him it00:18:38
was not an easy question to answer00:18:40
though it had seemed so right at the00:18:42
time if only meta hadn't said that they00:18:45
would take care of him he knew that they00:18:47
could and was tired of it he could take00:18:50
care of himself he felt the anger Rising00:18:52
again at the remembered words was that00:18:55
the only reason he had let this cop00:18:57
capture him him to show the PIR that he00:19:00
was able to control his own destiny was00:19:03
the human ego such a pitiable thing that00:19:05
it had to keep reassuring itself of its00:19:07
own independence or lie down on its back00:19:09
and curl up its00:19:11
toes apparently it was at least his was00:19:15
the years had taught him a certain00:19:17
insight into his own personality and he00:19:19
realized that his greedy little00:19:21
subconscious had collected all the cues00:19:23
and signals from the encounter at the00:19:25
Spaceport and goated him into a line of00:19:27
action that looked uncomfortably like00:19:30
suicide the arrival of the stranger the00:19:33
threat to himself the automatic00:19:35
assumption by the pons that they would00:19:37
take care of him apparently his ego and00:19:40
his subconscious felt that he had been00:19:41
taken care of too long they had managed00:19:45
to get him into this spot from which he00:19:46
could only be extricated by his own00:19:48
talents far away from pyus and the00:19:50
pressures that had been weighing on him00:19:52
so long he took a deep breath and smiled00:19:56
it wasn't such a bad idea if after all00:19:59
stupid in retrospect but the stupidity00:20:01
could hopefully be kept in the past now00:20:04
he had to prove that there was something00:20:05
other than a Death Wish in his00:20:07
subconscious flight from pyrus and he00:20:10
must find a way to reverse positions00:20:11
with this cop whoever he was which meant00:20:14
that he had to find out a little more00:20:16
about the man before making any00:20:18
plans I'm afraid you have the advantage00:20:21
of me officer how about telling me who00:20:23
you are and showing me a warrant or00:20:26
something under which you are performing00:20:27
this deed of interstellar00:20:30
Justice I am Micah sammon I am returning00:20:33
you to cilia for trial and00:20:36
sentencing ah yes Jason sighed I'm not00:20:40
surprised to hear that they are still00:20:41
interested in finding me but I should00:20:43
warn you that there is very little00:20:44
remaining of the 3 bon7 million credits00:20:47
that I won from your00:20:49
Casino cilia doesn't want the money back00:20:52
Micah said as he locked the controls and00:20:54
swung about in his chair they don't want00:20:57
you back here either you are their00:20:59
planetary hero now when you escaped with00:21:01
your ill-gotten gains they realized that00:21:03
they would never see the money again so00:21:05
they put their propaganda Mills to work00:21:08
and you are now known throughout all the00:21:10
adjoining star systems as Jason 300:21:13
billion the living proof of the honesty00:21:15
of their dishonest games and a lore for00:21:17
all the weak in spirit you tempt them00:21:20
into gambling for money instead of00:21:22
working honestly for00:21:24
it uh pardon me for being thick Today00:21:27
Jason said said shaking his head rapidly00:21:29
to loosen up the stuck00:21:31
synapses I'm having a little difficulty00:21:33
in following you what kind of a00:21:35
policeman are you to arrest me for trial00:21:38
after the charges have been dropped I'm00:21:41
not a policeman Micah said sternly his00:21:44
long fingers woven tightly together00:21:46
before him his eyes wide and penetrating00:21:49
I a believer in truth nothing more the00:21:52
corrupt politicians who control cilia00:21:54
have placed you on a pedestal of Honor00:21:57
honoring you another and if possible a00:22:00
more corrupt man and behind your image00:22:02
they have waxed fat but I am going to00:22:05
use the truth to destroy that image and00:22:07
when I destroy the image I shall destroy00:22:09
the evil that produced it that's a tall00:22:12
order for one man Jason said calmly much00:22:15
calmer than he really felt do you have a00:22:19
cigarette there is of course no tobacco00:22:22
or spirits on this ship and I am more00:22:25
than one man I have followers the truth00:22:27
party is already a power to be reckoned00:22:29
with we have spent much time and energy00:22:31
in tracking you down but it was worth it00:22:34
we have followed your dishonest Trail00:22:36
into the past to Mahal's planet to the00:22:38
nebula casino on gypto through a series00:22:41
of sorid crimes that turns an honest00:22:44
man's stomach we have warrants for your00:22:46
arrest from each of these places in some00:22:49
cases even the results of Trials and00:22:51
your death00:22:52
sentence I suppose it doesn't bother00:22:55
your sense of legality that those trials00:22:57
were all held in my absence Jason asked00:23:00
or that I have only fleeced casinos and00:23:02
gamblers who make their living by00:23:05
fleecing00:23:06
suckers Micah salmon wiped away this00:23:09
consideration with a wave of his hand00:23:12
you have been proven guilty of a number00:23:13
of crimes no amount of wriggling on the00:23:16
hook can change that you should be00:23:18
thankful that your revolting record will00:23:20
have a good use in the end it will be00:23:23
the lever with which we shall topple the00:23:25
grafting government of cilia00:23:28
I'm beginning to be sorry that I stopped00:23:30
Kirk and meta from shooting you Jason00:23:33
said shaking his head in wonder I have a00:23:36
very strong suspicion that you are going00:23:37
to cause yourself and a lot of other00:23:40
people a good deal of trouble before00:23:42
this thing is over look at me for00:23:44
instance he rattled his wrists in their00:23:46
restraining bands the servo Motors00:23:49
whined a bit as the detector unit came00:23:51
to life and tightened the grasp of the00:23:53
Cuffs limiting his movement a little00:23:55
while ago I was enjoying my health and00:23:57
freedom and I threw it all away on the00:23:59
impulse to save your life I'm going to00:24:02
have to learn to fight those00:24:04
impulses if that is supposed to be a00:24:06
plea for Mercy it is sickening Micah00:24:09
said I have never taken favors nor do I00:24:12
owe anything to Men of your type nor00:24:14
will I00:24:15
ever ever like never is a long time00:24:20
Jason said very quietly I Wish I Had00:24:23
Your Serenity of mine about the sure00:24:25
Order of00:24:26
Things your remark shows that there00:24:29
might be hope for you yet you might be00:24:31
able to recognize the truth before you00:24:33
die I will help you talk to you and00:24:36
explain better the execution Jason00:24:41
choked chapter00:24:44
2 are you going to feed me by hand or00:24:47
unlock my wrists while I eat Jason asked00:24:50
Micah stood over him with the tray00:24:53
undecided Jason gave a light verbal prod00:24:56
very gently because whatever else he was00:24:59
Micah was not stupid I would prefer you00:25:02
to feed me of course you'd make an00:25:04
excellent body servant you are capable00:25:07
of eating by yourself Micah responded00:25:09
instantly sliding the tray into the00:25:11
slots of Jason's chair but you will have00:25:14
to do it with only one hand if you were00:25:16
freed you would only cause trouble he00:25:19
touched the control on the back of the00:25:20
chair and the right wrist locked snapped00:25:22
open Jason stretched his cramped fingers00:25:25
and picked up the fork while he ate00:25:27
Jason's eyes were busy not obviously00:25:30
since a gambler's attention is never00:25:32
obvious but many things can be seen if00:25:35
you keep your eyes open and your00:25:36
attention apparently elsewhere a sudden00:25:39
glimpse of someone's cards the slight00:25:41
change of an expression that reveals a00:25:43
player's strength item by item his00:25:46
seemingly random gaze touched the items00:25:49
in the cabin control console screens00:25:52
computer chart screen jump control chart00:25:55
case bookshelf everything was observed00:25:57
remembered and considered some00:26:00
combination of them would fit into the00:26:02
plan so far all he had was the beginning00:26:05
and the end of an idea beginning he was00:26:08
a prisoner in this ship on his way back00:26:10
to cilia end he was not going to remain00:26:13
a prisoner nor return to cilia now all00:26:17
that was missing was the vital middle it00:26:20
looked impossible at the moment but00:26:22
Jason never considered that it couldn't00:26:23
be done he operated on the principle00:26:26
that you made your own luck you kept00:26:28
your eyes open as things evolved and at00:26:31
the right moment you acted if you acted00:26:33
fast enough that was good luck if you00:26:36
worried over the possibilities until the00:26:37
moment had passed that was bad luck he00:26:41
pushed the empty plate away and stirred00:26:43
sugar into his cup Micah had eaten00:26:46
sparingly and was now starting on his00:26:48
second cup of tea his eyes were fixed00:26:50
unfocused in thought as he drank he00:26:53
started slightly when Jason called to00:26:55
him since you don't stock cigarettes on00:26:58
this ship how about letting me smoke my00:27:00
own you'll have to dig them out for me00:27:02
since I can't reach the pocket while I'm00:27:04
chained to this00:27:05
chair I cannot help you Micah said on00:27:09
moving tobacco is an irritant a drug and00:27:12
a carcinogen if I gave you a cigarette I00:27:14
would be giving you00:27:16
cancer don't be a hypocrite Jason00:27:19
snapped inwardly pleased at the00:27:21
rewarding flush in the other's neck00:27:24
they've taken the cancer producing00:27:25
agents out of tobacco for centuries now00:27:27
now and even if they hadn't how does00:27:30
that affect this situation you're taking00:27:32
me to cilia to certain death so why00:27:35
should you concern yourself with the00:27:36
state of my lungs in the00:27:39
future I hadn't considered it that way00:27:42
it is just that there are certain rules00:27:44
of Life are there Jason broke in keeping00:27:48
the initiative and the advantage not as00:27:50
many as you like to think and you people00:27:53
who are always dreaming up the rules00:27:54
never carry your thinking far enough you00:27:57
are against drugs which drugs what about00:28:00
the tanic acid in that tea you're00:28:02
drinking or the caffeine in it it's00:28:04
loaded with caffeine a drug that is both00:28:06
a strong stimulant and a diuretic that's00:28:09
why you won't find tea in spacit cantens00:28:12
that's a case of a drug forbidden for a00:28:14
good reason can you justify your00:28:17
cigarette ban the same way Micah started00:28:20
to talk and then thought for a moment00:28:23
perhaps you are right I'm tired and it's00:28:25
not important he wearily took the00:28:28
cigarette case from Jason's pocket and00:28:30
dropped it onto the tray Jason didn't00:28:32
attempt to interfere Micah poured00:28:35
himself a third cup of tea with a00:28:37
slightly apologetic air you must excuse00:28:40
me Jason for attempting to make you00:28:42
conform to my own standards when you are00:28:44
in pursuit of the big truths you00:28:47
sometimes let the little truths slip I'm00:28:49
not intolerant but I do tend to expect00:28:51
everyone else to live up to certain00:28:53
criteria I have set for myself humility00:28:57
is something something we should never00:28:58
forget and I thank you for reminding me00:29:00
of it the search for truth is00:29:02
hard there is no truth Jason told him00:29:06
the anger and insult gone now from his00:29:08
voice since he wanted to keep the captor00:29:10
involved in the conversation involved00:29:12
enough to forget about the free wrist00:29:14
for a while he raised the cup to his00:29:17
lips and let the tea touch his lips00:29:19
without drinking any the Half Full Cup00:29:21
supplied an unconsidered reason for his00:29:23
free hand no truth Michael weigh the00:29:27
thought you can't possibly mean that the00:29:30
Galaxy is filled with truth it's the00:29:32
Touchstone of life itself it's the thing00:29:34
that separates Mankind from the00:29:36
animals there is no truth no no life no00:29:39
mankind at least not the way you spell00:29:42
them with capital letters they don't00:29:45
exist Micah's taut skin contracted into00:29:48
a pharoh of00:29:49
concentration you'll have to explain00:29:51
yourself he said you're not being00:29:53
clear I'm afraid it's you who aren't00:29:56
being clear you're making a reality00:29:58
where none exists truth with a small T00:30:01
is a description a relationship a way to00:30:05
describe a statement a semantic tool but00:30:08
capital T truth is an imaginary word a a00:30:11
noise with no meaning it pretends to be00:30:14
a noun but it has no reference it stands00:30:16
for nothing it means nothing when you00:30:19
say I believe in truth you are really00:30:22
saying I believe in nothing you're wrong00:30:25
you're wrong Micah said leaning forward00:30:28
stabbing with his finger truth is a00:30:31
philosophical abstraction one of the00:30:32
tools that Mankind's mind has used to00:30:34
race it above the beasts the proof that00:30:37
we are not beasts ourselves but a higher00:30:39
order of creation beasts can be true but00:30:43
they cannot know truth beasts can see00:30:47
but they cannot see00:30:49
beauty H Jason growled it's impossible00:30:53
to talk to you much less enjoy any00:30:55
comprehensible exchange of ideas we00:30:57
aren't even speaking the same language00:31:00
aside from who is right and who is wrong00:31:02
for the moment we should go back to00:31:03
basics and at least agree on the meaning00:31:05
of the terms that we are using to begin00:31:08
with can you define the difference00:31:10
between ethics and00:31:12
Ethos of course Micah snapped a glint of00:31:15
pleasure in his eyes at the thought of a00:31:17
good rousing round of hair splitting00:31:20
ethics is the discipline dealing with00:31:22
what is good or bad or right or wrong or00:31:26
with moral duty and obligation ethos00:31:29
means The Guiding beliefs standards or00:31:31
ideals that characterize a group or00:31:34
Community very good I can see that you00:31:37
have been spending the long spaceship00:31:39
nights with your nose buried in the00:31:41
books now make sure the difference00:31:43
between those two terms is very clear00:31:46
because it is the heart of the little00:31:48
Communications problem we have here00:31:50
ethos is inextricably linked with a00:31:53
single society and cannot be separated00:31:56
from it or it loses all meaning do you00:31:59
agree well come come you have to agree00:32:04
on the terms of your own definition the00:32:06
ethos of a group is just a catchall term00:32:09
for the ways in which the members of the00:32:11
group rub against each other right M00:32:14
reluctantly produced a nod of00:32:17
acquiescence now that we agree about00:32:19
that we can push on one step further00:32:22
ethics Again by your definition must00:32:25
deal with any number of societies or00:32:27
groups if there are any absolute laws of00:32:31
Ethics they must be so inclusive that00:32:33
they can be applied to any society a law00:32:37
of Ethics must be as universal of00:32:39
application as is the law of00:32:42
gravity I don't follow you I didn't00:32:45
think you would when I got to this point00:32:48
you people who prattle about your00:32:49
universal laws never really consider the00:32:52
exact meaning of the term my knowledge00:32:54
of history of science is very vague but00:32:57
I'm willing to bet that the first law of00:32:59
gravity ever dreamed up stated that00:33:02
things fell at such and such a speed and00:33:04
accelerated at such and such a rate00:33:07
that's not a law but an observation that00:33:09
isn't even complete until you add on00:33:12
this planet on a planet with a different00:33:15
Mass there will be a different00:33:16
observation the law of gravity is the00:33:19
formula the gravitational force is equal00:33:21
to the mass of both objects divided by00:33:23
the distance between the objects squared00:33:26
and this can be used to compute the00:33:28
force of gravity between any two bodies00:33:31
anywhere this is a way of expressing00:33:34
fundamental and unalterable principles00:33:36
that apply in all circumstances if you00:33:38
are going to have any real ethical laws00:33:41
they will have to have this same00:33:43
universality they will have to work on00:33:45
cilia or pyus or on any planet or in any00:33:49
society you can find which brings us00:33:52
back to you what you so grandly call00:33:55
with capital letters and a flourish of00:33:57
trumpets laws of Ethics aren't laws at00:34:00
all but are simple little chunks of00:34:03
tribal ethos Aboriginal observations00:34:05
made by a gang of desert sheep herders00:34:07
to keep order in the house or tent these00:34:11
rules aren't capable of any universal00:34:13
application even you must see that just00:34:16
think of the different planets that you00:34:18
have been on and the number of weird and00:34:20
wonderful ways people have of reacting00:34:22
to each other then try and visualize 1000:34:25
rules of conduct that would be00:34:27
applicable in all these societies an00:34:30
impossible task yet I'll bet that you00:34:33
have 10 rules you want me to obey and if00:34:35
one of them is wasted on an injunction00:34:37
against saying prayers to carved Idols I00:34:40
can imagine just how Universal the other00:34:42
nine are you aren't being ethical if you00:34:45
try to apply them wherever you go you00:34:48
just finding a particularly fancy way to00:34:50
commit00:34:52
suicide you are being00:34:54
insulting I hope so if if I can't reach00:34:57
you in any other way perhaps insult will00:35:00
jar you out of your state of moral00:35:02
smugness how dare you even consider00:35:05
having me tried for stealing money from00:35:07
the Cilia Casino when all I was doing00:35:09
was conforming to their own code of00:35:11
ethics they run crooked gambling games00:35:14
so the law under their local ethos must00:35:16
be that crooked gambling is the norm so00:35:19
I cheated them conforming to their Norm00:35:23
if they have also passed a law that says00:35:25
cheating at gambling is illegal the law00:35:27
is unethical not the cheating if you are00:35:30
bringing me back to be Tried by that law00:35:33
you are unethical and I am the helpless00:35:36
victim of an evil man limb of Satan00:35:40
Micah shouted leaping to his feet and00:35:42
pacing back and forth before Jason00:35:45
clasping and unclasping his hands with00:35:47
agitation you seek to confuse me with00:35:50
your semantics and so-called ethics that00:35:52
are simply opportunism and greed there00:35:55
is a higher law that can cannot be00:35:57
argued that is an impossible statement00:36:00
and I can prove it Jason pointed at the00:36:03
books on the wall I can prove it with00:36:05
your own books some of that light00:36:07
reading on the Shelf there not the00:36:09
aquinus too thick but the little volume00:36:12
with lull on the spine is that rayon00:36:15
lulls the book of the order of chivalry00:36:18
Mike's eyes widened you know the book00:36:21
you're acquainted with lol's00:36:23
writing of course Jason said with an00:36:26
off-handed he did not feel since this00:36:29
was the only book in The Collection he00:36:30
could remember reading the odd title had00:36:33
stuck in his head now let me see it and00:36:37
I shall prove to you what I mean there00:36:39
was no way to tell from the unchanged00:36:42
naturalness of his words that this was00:36:44
the moment he had been working carefully00:36:46
towards he sipped the tea none of his00:36:49
tenseness showing Micah sammon got the00:36:52
book and handed it to him Jason flipped00:36:55
through the pages while he talked00:36:57
yes yes this is perfect an almost ideal00:37:00
example of your kind of thinking do you00:37:03
like to read LOL inspirational Micah00:37:06
answered his eyes shining there is00:37:09
Beauty in every line and truths that we00:37:11
have forgotten in the rush of Modern00:37:12
Life a Reconciliation and proof of the00:37:15
inter relationship between the mystical00:37:16
and the concrete by manipulation of00:37:19
symbols he explains everything by00:37:21
absolute00:37:22
logic he proves nothing about nothing00:37:26
Jason said emphatically he plays word00:37:28
games he takes a word gives it an00:37:30
abstract or unreal value then proves00:37:33
this value by relating it to other words00:37:36
with the same sort of nebulous00:37:37
antecedence his facts aren't facts just00:37:41
meaningless sounds this is the key point00:37:44
where your universe and mind differ you00:37:47
live in this world of meaningless facts00:37:49
that have no existence my world contains00:37:52
facts that can be weighed tested proven00:37:55
related to other facts in a logical00:37:57
manner my facts are unshakable and00:38:00
unarguable they exist show me one of00:38:04
your unshakable facts Micah said his00:38:07
voice calmer now than Jason's over there00:38:10
Jason said the large green book over the00:38:12
console it contains facts that even you00:38:14
will agree are true I'll EAD every page00:38:17
if you don't hand it to me he sounded00:38:20
angry making overly bold statements and00:38:22
Micah fell right into the Trap he handed00:38:25
the volume to Jason using both hands00:38:27
since it was very thick metal bound and00:38:30
heavy now listen closely and try to00:38:33
understand even if it is difficult for00:38:35
you Jason said opening the book Micah00:38:38
smiled Riley at this Assumption of his00:38:41
ignorance this is a stellar ephemeris00:38:44
just as packed with facts as an egg is00:38:46
with meat in some ways it is a history00:38:49
of mankind now look at the jump screen00:38:52
there on the control console and you00:38:54
will see what I mean do you see the hor00:38:56
IAL Green Line well that's our course00:39:00
since this is my ship and I'm flying it00:39:02
I'm aware of that Micah said get on with00:39:05
your proof bear with me Jason told him00:39:08
I'll I'll try to keep it simple now the00:39:11
Red Dot on the green line is our ship's00:39:14
position the number above the screen our00:39:17
next navigational point the spot where a00:39:19
star's gravitational field is strong00:39:21
enough to be detected in jump space the00:39:24
number is the Stars code listing00:39:27
DB00:39:28
8946 229 I'll look it up in the book he00:39:32
quickly flipped the pages and find its00:39:34
listing No Name a row of code symbols00:39:38
though that tells a lot about it this00:39:40
little symbol means that there's a00:39:42
planet or Planet suitable for man to00:39:44
live on doesn't say if any people are00:39:47
there though where does all this lead to00:39:50
M00:39:51
interrupted patience you'll see in a00:39:53
moment now look at the screen the the00:39:56
Green Dot approaching on the course line00:39:58
is the PMP point of Maximum proximity00:40:02
when the Red Dot and Green Dot00:40:05
coincide give me that book Micah ordered00:40:08
stepping forward aware suddenly that00:40:10
something was wrong he was just an00:40:12
instant too late here's your proof Jason00:40:15
said and hurled the heavy book through00:40:17
the jump screen into the delicate00:40:18
circuits Beyond before it hit he had00:40:21
thrown the second book there was a00:40:23
tinkling crash a flare of light and the00:40:25
crackle of shorted circuits the floor00:40:28
gave a tremendous heave as the relays00:40:30
snapped open dropping the ship through00:40:32
into normal space Micah grunted in pain00:40:36
clubbed to the floor by the suddenness00:40:37
of the transition locked into the chair00:40:40
Jason fought the heaving of his stomach00:40:42
and the Blackness before his eyes as00:40:45
Micah dragged himself to his feet Jason00:40:47
took careful aim and sent the tray and00:40:49
dishes hurtling into the smoking ruin of00:40:51
the jump00:40:52
computer there's your fact he said in00:40:55
cheerful Triumph your incontrovertible00:40:57
goldplated uranium cord fact we're not00:41:01
going to cilia00:41:04
anymore chapter00:41:07
three you've killed us both Micah said00:41:10
with his face strained and white but his00:41:12
voice under control not quite Jason told00:41:15
him cheerily but I have killed the jump00:41:17
control so we can't get to another star00:41:20
however there's nothing wrong with our00:41:22
space drive so we can make a landing on00:41:24
one of the planets you saw for yourself00:41:27
that there is at least one suitable for00:41:29
habitation where I will fix the jump00:41:32
drive and continue the voyage to cilia00:41:34
you will have gained nothing perhaps00:41:37
Jason answered in his most non-committal00:41:39
voice since he did not have the00:41:41
slightest intention of continuing the00:41:43
trip no matter what Micah sammon thought00:41:46
his captor had reached the same00:41:48
conclusion put your hand back on the00:41:51
chair arm he ordered and locked the cuff00:41:53
into place again he stumbled as the the00:41:56
drive started and the ship changed00:41:58
Direction what was that he asked00:42:01
emergency control the ship's computer00:42:03
knows that something drastic is wrong so00:42:05
it has taken over you can override it00:42:08
with the manuals but don't bother yet00:42:10
the ship can do a better job than either00:42:12
of us with its senses and stored data it00:42:15
will find the planet we're looking for00:42:17
plot a course and get us there with the00:42:19
most economy of time and fuel when we00:42:21
get into the atmosphere you can take00:42:23
over and look for a spot to set down I00:42:26
don't believe a word you say now Micah00:42:29
said grimly I'm going to take control00:42:31
and get a call out on the emergency band00:42:34
someone will hear it as he started00:42:36
forward the ship lurched again and all00:42:38
the lights went out in the darkness00:42:40
Flames could be seen flickering inside00:42:43
the controls there was a hiss of foam00:42:45
and they vanished with a weak flicker00:42:48
the emergency lighting circuit came on00:42:51
shouldn't have thrown that Ramone lull00:42:52
book Jason said the ship can't stomach00:42:55
it anymore more than I could you are00:42:58
irreverent and profane Micah said00:43:01
through his clenched teeth as he went to00:43:03
the controls you attempt to kill us both00:43:06
you have no respect for your own life or00:43:08
mine you're a man who deserves the worst00:43:10
punishment the law00:43:11
allows I'm a gambler Jason laughed not00:43:15
at all as bad as you say I take chances00:43:18
but I only take them when the odds are00:43:20
right you were carrying me back to00:43:22
certain death the worst my wrecking the00:43:25
controls can do is administer the same00:43:27
end so I took a chance there is a bigger00:43:30
risk factor for you of course but I'm00:43:32
afraid I didn't take that into00:43:33
consideration after all the entire00:43:35
Affair is your idea you'll just have to00:43:38
take the consequences of your own00:43:40
actions and not scold me for them you're00:43:43
perfectly right Micah said quietly I00:43:46
should have been more alert now will you00:43:48
tell me what to do to save both our00:43:50
lives none of the controls work none did00:43:54
you try the emergency override ride the00:43:56
big red switch under the safety housing00:43:59
I did it's dead too Jason slumped back00:44:03
into the seat it was a moment before he00:44:05
could speak read one of your books Micah00:44:08
he said at last seek consolation in your00:44:10
philosophy there's nothing we can do00:44:13
it's all up to the computer now and00:44:15
whatever is left of the00:44:17
circuits can't we help repair00:44:20
anything are you a ship technician I'm00:44:23
not we would probably do more harm than00:44:25
good could it took two ship days a very00:44:29
erratic flight to reach the planet a00:44:31
haze of clouds obscured the atmosphere00:44:34
they approached from the night side and00:44:36
no details were visible or00:44:39
lights if there were cities we should00:44:41
see their lights shouldn't we Micah00:44:43
asked not necessarily could be storms00:44:47
could be enclosed cities could be only00:44:49
ocean in this Hemisphere or it could be00:44:52
that there are no people down there even00:44:55
if the ship should get us down safely00:44:57
what will it matter we will be trapped00:44:59
for the rest of our lives on this Lost00:45:01
Planet at the end of the00:45:02
universe don't be so cheerful Jason00:45:05
interrupted how about taking off these00:45:08
cuffs while we go down it will probably00:45:09
be a rough landing and I'd like to have00:45:11
some kind of a chance Micah frowned at00:45:14
him will you give me your word of Honor00:45:17
that you won't try to escape during the00:45:19
landing no and if I gave it would you00:45:22
believe it if you let me go you take00:45:25
your chances let neither of us think it00:45:28
will be any00:45:29
different I have my duty to do Micah00:45:32
said Jason remained locked in the chair00:45:36
they were in the atmosphere the gentle00:45:38
sighing against the hull quickly climbed00:45:40
the scale to a shrill Scream the drive00:45:43
cut out and they were in freefall air00:45:46
friction heated the outer hole white hot00:45:48
and the interior temperature quickly00:45:50
Rose in spite of the cooling unit what's00:45:52
happening Micah asked you seem to know00:45:55
more about about this are we through00:45:57
going to crash maybe could be only one00:46:01
of two things either the whole works has00:46:04
folded up in which case we are going to00:46:05
be scattered in very small pieces all00:46:07
over the landscape or the computer is00:46:10
saving itself for one last effort I hope00:46:13
it's that they build computers smart00:46:15
these days all sort of problem solving00:46:18
circuits the hull and engines are in00:46:20
good shape but the controls spotty and00:46:23
unreliable in a case like this a good00:46:25
human pilot would let the ship drop as00:46:27
far and fast as it could before00:46:29
switching on the Drive then turn it on00:46:32
full 13 G's or more whatever he figured00:46:35
the passengers could take on the couches00:46:37
the hull would take a beating but who00:46:40
cares the control circuits would be used00:46:42
the shortest amount of time in the00:46:44
simplest manner do you think that's00:46:46
what's happening Micah asked getting00:46:48
into his acceleration chair that's what00:46:51
I hope is happening going to unlock the00:46:54
Cuffs before you go to bed it could be a00:46:56
bad landing and we might want to go00:46:58
places in a hurry Micah considered then00:47:02
took out his gun I'll unlock you but I00:47:05
intend to shoot if you try anything once00:47:08
we are down you will be locked in00:47:10
again thanks for small blessings Jason00:47:13
said rubbing his wrists deceleration00:47:16
jumped on them kicked the air from their00:47:18
lungs in uncontrollable gasps sank them00:47:21
deep into the yielding couches Micah's00:47:24
gun was pressed into his chest too heavy00:47:26
to lift it made no difference Jason00:47:29
could not stand nor move he hovered on00:47:32
the border of Consciousness his visioned00:47:34
flickering behind a black and red haze00:47:37
just as suddenly the pressure was gone00:47:40
they were still falling the drive00:47:42
groaned in the stern of the ship and00:47:44
relays chattered but it didn't start00:47:46
again the two men stared at each other00:47:48
unmoving for the unmeasurable unit of00:47:50
time that the ship fell as the ship00:47:53
dropped it turned and hit at an angle00:47:55
angle the end came for Jason in an00:47:58
engulfing wave of thunder shock and pain00:48:01
Sudden Impact pushed him against the00:48:03
restraining straps burst them with the00:48:05
inertia of his body hurled him across00:48:07
the control room his last conscious00:48:10
thought was to protect his head he was00:48:12
lifting his arm when he struck the00:48:14
wall there is a cold that is so chilling00:48:18
it is a pain not a temperature a cold00:48:21
that slices into the flesh before it00:48:23
numbs and kills Jason came too with the00:48:27
sound of his own voice crying hoarsely00:48:29
the cold was so great it filled the00:48:31
universe cold water he realized as he00:48:34
coughed it from his mouth and nose00:48:37
something was around him and it took an00:48:39
effort to recognize it as Micah's arm he00:48:41
was holding Jason's face above the00:48:43
surface while he swam a receding00:48:46
blackness in the water could only have00:48:48
been the ship giving off Bubbles and00:48:50
groans as it died the cold water didn't00:48:53
hurt now and Jason was just relaxing00:48:55
when when he felt something solid under00:48:57
his feet stand up and walk curse you00:49:01
Micah gasped hely I can't carry you00:49:04
can't carry myself they floundered out00:49:07
of the water side by side four-legged00:49:09
crawling beasts that could not stand00:49:12
erect everything had an unreality to it00:49:15
and Jason found it hard to think he00:49:17
should not stop that he was sure of but00:49:20
what else could he do there was a00:49:22
flickering in the darkness a wavering00:49:24
light coming W them Jason could say00:49:27
nothing but he heard Micah cry out for00:49:29
help nearer came the light some kind of00:49:32
a flare or torch held high Micah pulled00:49:36
to his feet as the flame approached it00:49:39
was a nightmare it wasn't a man but a00:49:42
thing that held the flare a thing of00:49:45
angles sharp corners fangfc and horrible00:49:48
it had a clubbed extremity it used to00:49:50
strike down Micah The Tall Man fell00:49:53
wordlessly and the creature turned00:49:54
toward Jason00:49:56
he had no strength to fight with though00:49:58
he struggled to climb to his feet his00:50:01
fingers scratched at the Frosted sand00:50:03
but he could not rise and exhausted with00:50:05
this last effort he fell forward face00:50:08
down unconsciousness pulled at his brain00:50:10
but he would not submit the flickering00:50:13
Torch Light Came closer and the scuffle00:50:15
of heavy feet in the sand he could not00:50:17
have this horror behind him with the00:50:20
last of his strength he levered himself00:50:22
over and lay on his back staring up at00:50:24
the thing that stood over him with the00:50:27
darkness of exhaustion filming his00:50:31
eyes chapter00:50:33
4 it did not kill him at once but stood00:50:37
staring down at him and as the slow00:50:39
seconds ticked by and Jason was still00:50:41
alive he forced himself to consider this00:50:44
Menace that appeared from the00:50:48
Blackness the creature said and for the00:50:50
first time Jason realized it was human00:50:53
the meaning of the question picked at00:50:55
the edge of his exhausted brain he felt00:50:58
he could almost understand it though he00:51:00
had never heard the language before he00:51:02
tried to answer but there was only a00:51:04
horse gargle from his00:51:09
throat more light sprang from the00:51:11
darkness Inland and with them the sound00:51:13
of running feet as they came closer00:51:16
Jason had a cleaner look at the man00:51:18
above him and could understand why he00:51:20
had mistaken him for some inhuman00:51:22
creature his limbs were completely00:51:25
wrapped in lengths of stained leather00:51:27
his chest and body protected by thick00:51:29
and overlapping leather plates covered00:51:31
with blood red designs over his head was00:51:35
fitted the ca- shaped shell of some00:51:37
animal spiraling to a point in front two00:51:40
small openings had been drilled in it00:51:42
for eye holes great fingerl long teeth00:51:45
had been set in the lower edge of the00:51:47
shell to heighten the already fearsome00:51:50
appearance the only thing at all human00:51:52
about the creature was the matted and00:51:53
filthy beard that trickled out of the00:51:55
shell below the teeth there were too00:51:58
many other details for Jason to absorb00:52:01
so suddenly something bulky slung behind00:52:04
one's shoulder dark objects at the waist00:52:07
a heavy Club reached and prodded Jason00:52:09
in the ribs but he was too close to00:52:12
unconsciousness to resist a guttural00:52:15
command halted the torch bearers a full00:52:17
5 M from the spot where Jason lay he00:52:21
wondered vaguely why the armored man had00:52:23
not let them approach closer since the00:52:25
light from their torches barely reached00:52:27
this far everything on this planet00:52:29
seemed inexplicable for a few moments00:52:32
Jason must have lost Consciousness00:52:34
because when he looked again the torch00:52:36
was stuck in the sand at his side and00:52:38
the armored man had one of Jason's boots00:52:40
off and was pulling at the other Jason00:52:43
could only ridee feebly but not prevent00:52:45
the theft for some reason he could not00:52:48
force his body to follow his will his00:52:51
sense of time seemed to have altered as00:52:53
well and though every second dragged00:52:55
heavily by events occurred with00:52:58
startling rapidity the boots were gone00:53:01
now and the man fumbled at Jason's00:53:02
clothes stopping every few seconds to00:53:05
glance up at the row of torch bearers00:53:07
the magnetic seals were alien to him the00:53:10
sharp teeth sewn into the leather over00:53:12
his knuckles dug into Jason's flesh as00:53:14
he struggled to open the seals or tear00:53:17
the resistant metal cloth he was00:53:19
growling with impatience when he00:53:21
accidentally touched the release button00:53:22
on the medkit and it dropped into his00:53:24
hand00:53:25
The Shining Gadget seemed to please him00:53:28
but when one of the sharp needles00:53:29
slipped through his thick hand coverings00:53:31
and stabbed him he howled with rage00:53:34
throwing the machine down and grinding00:53:36
it into a splintered ruin in the sand00:53:39
the loss of this Irreplaceable device00:53:41
goated Jason into motion he sat up and00:53:44
was trying to reach the medkit when00:53:46
unconsciousness surged over him again00:53:49
sometime before Dawn the pain in his00:53:52
head drove him reluctantly back to00:53:54
awareness00:53:55
there were some foul smelling hides00:53:58
draped over him that retained a little00:54:00
of his body heat he pulled away the00:54:03
stifling fold that covered his face and00:54:05
stared up at the stars cold points of00:54:07
light that glittered in The Frigid night00:54:10
the air was a stimulant and he sucked00:54:12
deep gasps of it that burned his throat00:54:15
but seemed to clear his thoughts for the00:54:18
first time he realized that his00:54:19
disorientation had been caused by that00:54:21
crack on the head he had received when00:54:23
the ship crashed his exploring fingers00:54:26
found a swollen rawness on his skull he00:54:29
must have a brain concussion that would00:54:31
explain his earlier inability to move or00:54:33
think straight the cold air was numbing00:54:36
his face and he willingly pulled the00:54:38
hairy skin back over his head he00:54:40
wondered what had happened to Micah00:54:42
salmon after the local Thug in the00:54:44
horror outfit had bashed him with the00:54:46
club this was a messy and unexpected end00:54:49
for the man after he had managed to00:54:51
survive the crash of the ship Jason had00:54:54
no special affection for the00:54:56
undernourished Zealot but he did owe him00:54:58
a life Micah had saved him after the00:55:01
crash only to be murdered himself by00:55:03
this local assassin Jason made a mental00:55:06
note to kill the man just as soon as he00:55:08
was physically up to it at the same time00:55:11
he was a little astonished at his00:55:13
reflexive acceptance of the need for00:55:15
this bloodthirsty atonement of a life00:55:17
for a life apparently his long stay on00:55:21
pyus had trotten down his normal dislike00:55:23
for killing except in self fence and00:55:25
from what he had seen so far of this00:55:28
world the Pyon training would certainly00:55:30
be most useful the sky showed gray00:55:33
through a tear in the hide and he pushed00:55:35
it back to look at the dawn Micah salmon00:55:39
lay next to him his head projecting from00:55:41
a covering fur his hair was matted and00:55:44
caked with dark blood but he was still00:55:46
breathing harder to kill than I thought00:55:49
Jason grunted as he levered himself00:55:51
painfully up on one elbow and took a00:55:53
good look at this world where his00:55:55
spaceship sabotage had landed him it was00:55:58
a grim desert lumped with huddled bodies00:56:01
like the aftermath of a battle at00:56:03
World's End a few of them were stumbling00:56:06
to their feet holding their skins around00:56:08
them the only Signs of Life in that00:56:10
immense waste of gritty sand on one side00:56:14
a ridge of Dunes cut off sight of the00:56:16
sea but he could hear the dull boom of00:56:19
waves on the shore white Frost rimmed00:56:22
the ground and the chill wind made his00:56:25
eyes blink in water on the top of the00:56:28
dunes a remembered figure suddenly00:56:30
appeared the armored man doing something00:56:33
with what appeared to be lengths of rope00:56:35
there was metallic tingling suddenly cut00:56:38
off Micah salmon groaned and00:56:40
stirred how do you feel Jason asked00:56:43
those are two of the finest bloodshot00:56:45
eyeballs I have ever00:56:47
seen where am00:56:49
I now that is a bright and original00:56:52
question I didn't pick you for the type00:56:54
who watched historical space operas on00:56:56
the TV I have no idea where we are but I00:56:59
can give you a brief synopsis of how we00:57:02
arrived here if you're up to it I00:57:05
remember we swam ashore then something00:57:07
evil came from the darkness like a demon00:57:10
from hell we fought and he bashed in00:57:14
your head one quick blow and that was00:57:16
about all the fight there was I had a00:57:19
better look at your demon though I was00:57:20
in no better condition to fight him than00:57:22
you are he's a man dressed in a weird00:57:25
outfit out of an addict's Nightmare and00:57:27
appears to be the boss of this crew of00:57:29
rugged campers other than that I have00:57:32
little idea of what's going on except00:57:34
that he stole my boots and I'm going to00:57:36
get them back if I have to kill him for00:57:39
them do not lust after material things00:57:43
Micah in toned seriously and do not talk00:57:46
of killing a man for material gain you00:57:48
are evil Jason and my boots are gone and00:57:53
my clothes too Micah had thrown back his00:57:56
covering skins and made this startling00:57:58
Discovery beile he roared as Modi as a00:58:02
bad Napoleon and beasal Bub very nice00:58:06
Jason said admiringly you really have00:58:09
been studying up on your demonology were00:58:12
you just listing them or calling on them00:58:14
for Aid silence blasphemer I have been00:58:18
robbed he rose to his feet and the wind00:58:21
whistling around his almost bare body00:58:23
quickly gave his skin a light Touch of00:58:25
blue I'm going to find the evil creature00:58:28
that did this and force him to return00:58:29
what is mine Micah turned to leave but00:58:32
Jason reached out and grabbed his ankle00:58:34
with a wrestling grip Twisted it and00:58:36
brought the man thuing to the ground the00:58:39
fall dazed him and Jason pulled the00:58:41
Skins back over the raw bone form we're00:58:44
even Jason said you saved my life last00:58:48
night just now I saved yours you're00:58:51
barehanded and wounded while the old man00:58:54
of the Mountain up there is a walking00:58:56
Armory and anyone with the personality00:58:59
to wear that kind of an outfit will kill00:59:00
you as easily as he picks his teeth so00:59:03
take it easy and try to avoid trouble00:59:06
there's a way out of this mess there's a00:59:08
way out of every mess if you look for it00:59:11
and I'm going to find it in fact I'm00:59:14
going to take a walk right now and start00:59:16
my research agreed a groan was his only00:59:20
answer since Micah was unconscious again00:59:22
fresh blood seeping from his injury00:59:24
scalp Jason stood and wrapped his hides00:59:27
about his body as some protection from00:59:29
the wind tying the loose ends together00:59:32
then he kicked through the sand until he00:59:34
found a smooth rock that would fit00:59:36
inside his fist with just the end00:59:38
protruding and thus armed made his way00:59:40
out through the stirring forms of the00:59:42
sleepers Micah was conscious again when00:59:45
Jason returned and the sun was well00:59:48
above the Horizon the people were all00:59:50
awake now a shuffling scratching herd of00:59:53
about 30 men women and children they00:59:56
were identical in their filth and crude00:59:58
skin wrappings Milling about with a01:00:00
random motion or sitting blankly on the01:00:02
ground they showed no interest at all in01:00:05
the two strangers Jason handed a tar01:00:08
leather cup to Micah and squatted next01:00:10
to him drink that it's water the only01:00:14
thing that anyone here had to drink I01:00:16
didn't find any food he still had the01:00:19
stone in his hand and while he talked he01:00:21
rubbed it on the sand the end was moist01:00:24
and red and some long hairs were stuck01:00:26
in it I took a good look around this01:00:29
camp and there's very little more than01:00:31
you can see from here just this crowd of01:00:34
broken down types A few bundles rolled01:00:36
in hide and some of them are carrying01:00:39
skin water bottles they have a simple me01:00:43
stronger pecking order so I pecked a bit01:00:45
and we can drink food comes01:00:48
next who are they what are we doing01:00:52
Micah asked mumbling a little obviously01:00:54
still suffering the after effects of the01:00:56
blow Jason looked at the contused skull01:00:59
and decided not to touch it the wound01:01:02
had bled freely and clotted washing it01:01:05
off with the highly dubious water would01:01:06
accomplish little and might add01:01:08
infection to their other troubles I'm01:01:11
only sure of one thing Jason said01:01:13
they're slaves I don't know why they are01:01:16
here and what they are doing or where01:01:19
they are going but their status is01:01:21
painfully clear ours too old nasty up01:01:25
there on the hill is the boss the rest01:01:27
of us are01:01:29
slaves slaves Micah snorted the word01:01:32
penetrating through the pain in his head01:01:35
it is abominable the slaves must be01:01:38
freed no lectures please and try to be01:01:41
realistic even if it hurts there are01:01:44
only two slaves that need freeing here01:01:47
you and I these people seem nicely01:01:50
adjusted to the status quo and I see no01:01:52
reason to change it I'm not starting any01:01:55
abolitionist campaigns until I can see01:01:56
my way clearly out of this mess and I01:01:59
probably won't start any then either01:02:01
this planet has been going on a long01:02:03
time without me and will probably keep01:02:05
rolling along once I'm01:02:07
gone coward you must fight for the truth01:02:10
and the truth will make you01:02:12
free I can hear those capital letters01:02:15
again Jason groaned the only thing right01:02:18
now that is going to make me free is me01:02:22
which may be bad poetry but it is still01:02:24
the truth the situation here is rough01:02:27
but not unbeatable so listen and learn01:02:31
the boss his name is Jaa in case you01:02:34
care seems to have gone off on a hunt of01:02:37
some kind he's not far away and will be01:02:39
back soon so I'll try to give you the01:02:41
entire setup quickly I thought I01:02:44
recognized the language and I was right01:02:46
it's a corrupt form of Esperanto the01:02:49
language all the toito worlds speak this01:02:52
altered language plus the fact that01:02:53
these people live about one step above01:02:55
the stone Agee culture is pretty sure01:02:57
evidence that they are cut off from any01:02:59
contact with the rest of the Galaxy01:03:01
though I hope not there may be a trading01:03:04
base somewhere on the planet and if01:03:06
there is we'll find it later we have01:03:08
enough other things to worry about right01:03:10
now but at least we can speak the01:03:12
language these people have contracted01:03:14
and lost a lot of sounds and even01:03:16
introduced a glottal stop something that01:03:19
no language needs but with a little01:03:21
effort the meaning can still be made out01:03:25
I do not speak01:03:26
Esperanto then learn it it's easy enough01:03:29
even in this jumbled form and shut up01:03:32
and listen these locals are born and01:03:35
bred slaves and it is all they know01:03:38
there is a little squabbling in the01:03:39
ranks with the bigger ones pushing the01:03:41
work on the weak ones when Chaka isn't01:03:43
looking but I have that situation well01:03:46
in hand Chaka is our big problem and we01:03:49
have to find out a lot more things01:03:51
before we can tackle him he is B boss01:03:54
fighter father provider and Destiny for01:03:58
this mob and he seems to know his job so01:04:01
try to be a good slave for a while slave01:04:06
I Micah arched his back and tried to01:04:08
rise Jason pushed him back to the ground01:04:11
harder than was necessary yes you and me01:04:15
too that is the only way we are going to01:04:18
survive in this Arrangement do what01:04:20
everyone else does obey orders and you01:04:23
stand a good chance of Staying Alive01:04:24
until we can find a way out of this01:04:27
tangle Micah's answer was drowned out in01:04:30
a roar From the Dunes as Chaka returned01:04:33
the slaves climbed quickly to their feet01:04:35
grabbing up their bundles and began to01:04:37
form a single WID spaced line Jason01:04:40
helped Micah to stand and wrap strips of01:04:43
skin around his feet then supported most01:04:45
of his weight as they stumbled to a01:04:47
place in the open formation once they01:04:50
were all in position Chaka kicked the01:04:52
nearest one and they began walking slow01:04:54
slowly forward looking carefully at the01:04:56
ground as they went Jason had no idea of01:04:59
the significance of the action but as01:05:01
long as he and Micah weren't bothered it01:05:03
didn't matter he had enough work cut out01:05:06
for him just to keep the wounded man on01:05:08
his feet somehow Micah managed to dredge01:05:11
up enough strength to keep going one of01:05:14
the slaves pointed down and shouted and01:05:16
the line stopped he was too far away for01:05:19
Jason to make out the cause of the01:05:21
excitement but the man bent over and01:05:23
scratched a ho with a short length of01:05:25
pointed wood in a few seconds he dug up01:05:28
something round and not quite the size01:05:30
of his hand he raised it over his head01:05:33
and brought the thing to Chaka at a01:05:35
shambling run the slave master took it01:05:37
and bit off a chunk and when the man who01:05:39
had found it turned away he gave him a01:05:42
Lusty kick the line moved forward again01:05:45
two more of the mysterious objects were01:05:47
found both of which Chaka ate as well01:05:50
only when his immediate hunger was01:05:52
satisfied did he make any attempt attt01:05:54
to be the good provider when the next01:05:56
one was found he called over a slave and01:05:59
threw the object into a crudely woven01:06:01
basket he was carrying on his back after01:06:04
this the basket toting slave walked01:06:06
directly in front of Jaa who was01:06:09
carefully watching that every one of the01:06:11
things that was dug up went into the01:06:12
basket Jason wondered what they were and01:06:15
they were edible too and angry rumbling01:06:18
in his stomach reminded him the slave01:06:21
next in line to Jason shouted and01:06:23
pointed to the hand Jason let Micah sink01:06:26
to a sitting position when they stopped01:06:28
and watched with interest as the slave01:06:30
attacked the ground with his piece of01:06:31
wood scratching around a tiny sprig of01:06:34
green that projected from the desert01:06:36
sand his barrowing uncovered a wrinkled01:06:39
gray object from which the green leaves01:06:42
were growing a root or tuber of some01:06:45
kind it appeared as edible as a piece of01:06:47
stone to Jason but obviously not to the01:06:50
slave who drooled heavily and actually01:06:52
had the tarity to sniff the root Chaka01:06:56
howled with anger at this and when the01:06:58
slave had dropped the root into the01:06:59
basket with the others he received a01:07:01
kick so strong that he had to limp back01:07:04
painfully to his position in line soon01:07:07
after this Chaka called a halt and the01:07:10
tattered slaves huddled around while he01:07:12
poked through the basket he called them01:07:15
over one at a time and gave them one or01:07:17
more of the roots According to some01:07:19
Merit system of his own the basket was01:07:22
almost empty when he poked his Club at01:07:26
Jason he asked Mia EST Jason Mia amiko01:07:32
estas Mah Jason answered in correct01:07:35
espiranto that Chaka seemed to01:07:37
understand well enough because he01:07:38
grunted and dug through the contents of01:07:40
the basket his masked face stared at01:07:43
them and Jason could feel the impact of01:07:45
the Unseen watching eyes the club01:07:48
pointed again where you come from that01:07:52
you ship that burn01:07:54
sink that was our ship we come from far01:07:58
away from other side of ocean this was01:08:01
apparently the largest distance the01:08:03
slaver could imagine from the other side01:08:06
of the ocean correct Jason was in no01:08:09
mood to deliver a lecture on astronomy01:08:11
when do we eat you a rich man in your01:08:15
country got a ship got shoes now I got01:08:18
your shoes you a slave here my slave you01:08:22
both my slaves01:08:24
I'm your slave I'm your slave Jason said01:08:26
resignedly but even slaves have to eat01:08:29
where's the food Jaa grubbed around in01:08:32
the basket until he found a tiny and01:08:34
withered root which he broke in half and01:08:36
threw into the sand in front of Jason01:08:38
work hard you get more Jason picked up01:08:42
the pieces and brushed away as much of01:08:44
the dirt as he could he handed one to01:08:47
Micah and took a tentative bite out of01:08:48
the other it was gritty with sand and01:08:51
tasted like slightly rancid wax01:08:54
it took a distinct effort to eat the01:08:56
repulsive thing but he did without a01:08:58
doubt it was food no matter how UNH01:09:00
wholesome and would do until something01:09:02
better came along what did you talk01:09:05
about Micah asked grinding his own01:09:07
portion between his teeth just swapping01:09:10
lies he thinks we're his slaves and I01:09:12
agreed but it's just temporary Jason01:09:16
added as anger colored Micah's face and01:09:18
he started to climb to his feet Jason01:09:21
pulled him back down this is a Str01:09:23
change Planet you're injured we have no01:09:26
food or water and no idea at all how to01:09:28
survive in this place the only thing we01:09:30
can do to stay alive is to go along with01:09:33
what old ugly there says if he wants to01:09:36
call us slaves fine we're01:09:38
slaves better to Die free than to live01:09:41
in01:09:42
Chains will you stop the nonsense better01:09:45
to live in Chains and learn how to get01:09:47
rid of them that way you end up alive01:09:50
free rather than Dead free a much more01:09:53
more attractive State now shut up and01:09:56
eat we can't do anything until you're01:09:58
out of the walking wounded class for the01:10:01
rest of the day the line of Walkers01:10:03
plotted across the sand and in addition01:10:05
to helping Micah Jason found two of the01:10:07
kenoi the edible roots they stopped01:10:11
before Dusk and dropped gratefully to01:10:13
the sand when the food was divided they01:10:15
received a slightly larger portion as01:10:17
evidence perhaps of Jason's attention to01:10:19
the work both men were exhausted and01:10:22
fell asleep as soon as it was dark01:10:25
during the following morning they had01:10:27
their first break from the walking01:10:29
routine their food searching always01:10:31
paralleled the Unseen sea and one slaved01:10:34
walked the crest of the dunes that hid01:10:36
the water from sight he must have seen01:10:38
something of interest because he leaped01:10:40
down from the mound and waved both arms01:10:42
wildly Chaka ran heavily to the dunes01:10:45
and talked with the Scout then booted01:10:47
the man from his presence Jason watched01:10:50
with growing interest as he unwrapped01:10:52
the bulky package slung from his back01:10:54
and disclosed an efficient looking01:10:55
crossbow cocking it by winding on a01:10:58
built-in crank this complicated and01:11:01
deadly piece of Machinery seemed very01:11:03
much out of place with the Primitive01:11:05
slaveholding society and Jason wished01:11:07
that he could get a better look at the01:11:09
device Chaka fumbled a quarrel from01:11:12
another pouch and fitted it to the bow01:11:15
the slaves sat silently on the sand01:11:17
while their Master stalked along the01:11:18
base of the dunes then wormed his way01:11:21
over them and out of sight creeping01:11:23
silently on his stomach a few minutes01:11:26
later there was a scream of pain from01:11:28
behind the dunes and all the slaves01:11:30
jumped to their feet and raced to Sea01:11:32
Jason left Micah where he lay and was in01:11:34
the first rank of observers that broke01:11:36
over the hillocks and onto the shore01:11:39
they stopped at the usual distance and01:11:41
shouted compliments about the quality of01:11:43
the shot and what a mighty Hunter Chaka01:11:46
was Jason had to admit there was a01:11:49
certain truth in the claims a large fur01:11:52
amphibian lay at the the W's Edge the01:11:54
fletched end of the crossbow bolt01:11:56
projecting from its thick neck and a01:11:58
thin stream of blood running down to mix01:12:01
with the surging waves meet meat today01:12:05
Chaka kills the rosaro Chaka is01:12:09
wonderful hell Chaka great provider01:12:12
Jason shouted to get into the swing of01:12:14
things when do we eat the master ignored01:12:17
his slaves sitting heavily on the Dune01:12:20
until he regained his breath after the01:12:21
stalk then after cocking the crossbow01:12:24
again he stalked over to the Beast and01:12:26
with his knife cut out the quarrel01:12:28
notching it against the bow string still01:12:30
dripping with blood get wood for fire he01:12:34
commanded you up Sweeney you use the01:12:38
knife shuffling backwards Jaa sat down01:12:41
on a hillock and pointed the crossbow at01:12:43
the slave who approached the kill Jaa01:12:46
had left his knife in the animal and up01:12:48
Sweeney pulled it free and began to01:12:50
methodically fle and butcher the Beast01:12:52
all the time he he worked he carefully01:12:54
kept his back turned to Jaa and the01:12:57
aimed bow a trusting Soul are slave01:13:00
driver Jason mumbled to himself as he01:13:03
joined the others in searching the shore01:13:05
for driftwood Chaka had all the weapons01:13:08
as well as a constant fear of01:13:10
assassination if ABS Sweeney tried to01:13:12
use the knife for anything other than01:13:14
the intended piece of work he would get01:13:16
the crossbow quarrel in the back of his01:13:18
head very efficient enough Driftwood was01:13:21
found to make a sizable f and when Jason01:13:24
returned with his contribution the01:13:26
rosaro had been hacked into large chunks01:13:29
Chaka kicked his slaves away from the01:13:32
Heap of wood and produced a small device01:13:34
from another of his sacks interested01:13:36
Jason pushed as close as he dared into01:13:39
the front rank of the watching Circle01:13:41
though he had never seen one of them01:13:43
before the operation of the firem maker01:13:45
was obvious to him a spring-loaded arm01:13:49
drove a fragment of stone against a01:13:51
piece of Steel Sparks flew out and were01:13:53
caught in a cup of Tinder where Chaka01:13:56
blew on them until they burst into01:13:58
flame where had the fire lighter and the01:14:01
crossbow come from they were evidence of01:14:04
a higher level of culture than that01:14:06
possessed by these slaveholding Nomads01:14:09
this was the first bit of evidence that01:14:10
Jason had seen that there might be more01:14:12
to the cultural life of this planet than01:14:14
they had seen since their Landing later01:14:17
while they were gorging themselves on01:14:19
the seared meat he drew Micah aside and01:14:22
pointed this out01:14:23
There's Hope yet these illiterate thugs01:14:26
never manufactured that crossbow or01:14:28
firelighter we must find out where they01:14:30
came from and see about getting there01:14:32
ourselves I had a quick look at the01:14:34
quarrel when chiaka pulled it out and01:14:36
I'll swear that it was turned from01:14:38
steel this has significance Micah asked01:14:43
puzzled it means an industrial society01:14:46
and possible Interstellar01:14:48
contact then we must ask Jaa where he01:14:51
obtained them and leave at once there01:14:53
will be be authorities we will contact01:14:54
them explain the situation obtain01:14:57
transportation to cilia I I will not01:14:59
place you under arrest until that time01:15:02
how considerate of you Jason said01:15:04
lifting one eyebrow Micah was absolutely01:15:08
impossible and Jason probed at his moral01:15:10
armor to see if there were any weak01:15:12
spots won't you feel guilty about01:15:15
bringing me back to get killed after all01:15:18
we are companions in trouble and I did01:15:20
save your life I will grieve Jason I can01:15:24
see that though you are evil you are not01:15:27
completely evil and given the right01:15:29
training could be fitted for a useful01:15:30
place in society but my personal grief01:15:33
must not be allowed to alter events you01:15:36
forget that you committed a crime and01:15:38
must pay the penalty Chaka belched01:15:41
cavernously inside his shell helmet and01:15:43
howled at his slaves enough eating you01:15:46
pigs you get fat wrap the meat and carry01:15:49
it we have light yet to look for kenoi01:15:52
move once more the line was formed and01:15:55
began its slow pace across the desert01:15:58
more of the edible roots were found and01:16:00
once they stopped briefly to fill the01:16:02
water bags at a spring that bubbled up01:16:04
out of the sand the sun dropped toward01:16:06
the Horizon and what little warmth it01:16:09
possessed was absorbed by a bank of01:16:11
clouds Jason looked around and shivered01:16:14
then noticed the line of dots moving on01:16:16
the horizon he nudged Micah who still01:16:19
leaned heavily on him looks like company01:16:22
coming I wonder where they fit into the01:16:25
program pain had blurred mik's attention01:16:28
and he took no notice and surprisingly01:16:30
enough neither did any of the other01:16:32
slaves nor01:16:33
Chaka the dots expanded and became01:16:36
another row of Marchers apparently01:16:38
absorbed in the same task as Jason's01:16:40
group they plotted forward making a slow01:16:43
examination of the sand followed behind01:16:45
by the solitary figure of their Master01:16:48
the two lines slowly approached each01:16:50
other paralleling the shore near the01:16:53
dunes was a crude mound of stones and01:16:56
the line of walking slaves stopped as01:16:58
soon as they reached it dropping with01:17:00
satisfied grunts onto the sand the Karen01:17:03
was obviously a border marker and Chaka01:17:06
walked to it and rested his foot on one01:17:08
of the stones watching while the other01:17:10
line of slaves approached they too01:17:13
stopped at the Karin and settled to the01:17:15
ground both groups stared with dull eyed01:17:18
lack of interest and only the slave01:17:20
masters showed any animation the the01:17:23
other Master stopped a good 10 Paces01:17:25
before he reached Jaa and waved an evil01:17:28
looking Stone Hammer over his head hate01:17:31
you Chaka he roared hate you fimba01:17:35
boomed back the answer the exchange was01:17:38
as formal as a padoo and just about as01:17:42
warlike both men shook their weapons and01:17:44
shouted a few insults then settled down01:17:47
to a quiet conversation fimba was garbed01:17:50
in the same type of hideous and fear01:17:52
inspire iring outfit as Chaka differing01:17:55
only in unimportant details instead of a01:17:58
conch his head was encased in the skull01:18:00
of one of the amphibious rosem maroy01:18:03
brightened up with some extra tusks and01:18:05
horns the differences between the two01:18:08
men were all minor and mostly a matter01:18:10
of decoration or variation of weapon01:18:12
design they were obviously slave masters01:18:15
and01:18:16
equals killed a Ros mararo today second01:18:20
time in 10 days Chaka said01:18:23
you got a good piece of Coast plenty01:18:26
rosem maroy where are the two slaves you01:18:28
owe me I owe you two slaves you owe me01:18:33
two slaves don't play like stupid I got01:18:36
the iron arrows for you from the zero01:18:39
one slave you paid with died you still01:18:42
owe another one I got two slaves for you01:18:45
I got two slaves more I pulled out of01:18:47
the ocean you got a good piece of Coast01:18:51
jaaga walked down on his line of slaves01:18:53
until he came to the overbold one he had01:18:56
half crippled with a kick the day before01:18:59
pulling him to his feet he booted him01:19:01
toward the other mob here's a good one01:19:04
he said delivering the goods with a last01:19:06
parting kick look skinny not too good no01:19:11
all muscles works hard doesn't eat much01:19:14
you're a liar hate you fimba hate you01:19:19
Chaka where's the other one got a good01:19:22
one stranger from the ocean he can tell01:19:25
you funny stories work hard Jason turned01:19:28
in time to avoid the full force of the01:19:30
kick but it was still strong enough to01:19:31
knock him sprawling before he could get01:19:34
up Jaa had clutched Micah salmon by the01:19:36
arm and dragged him across the invisible01:19:38
line to the other group of slaves fimba01:19:42
stalked over to examine him pting him01:19:44
with a spiked toe don't look good big01:19:48
hole on the head he works hard Chaka01:19:51
said hole almost healed he very strong01:19:55
you give me new one if he dies fimba01:19:57
asked doubtfully I give you hate you01:20:01
fima hate you Jaa the slave herds were01:20:05
proded to their feet and moved back the01:20:07
way they had come and Jason shouted01:20:09
after Chaka wait don't sell my friend we01:20:12
work better together you can get rid of01:20:14
someone else the slaves gaped at this01:20:17
sudden outburst and chiaka wheeled01:20:19
raising his Club you shut up you're a01:20:23
slave you tell me once more to do what01:20:26
and I kill you Jason shut up since it01:20:29
was very obvious that this was the only01:20:31
thing he could do he had a few qualms01:20:34
about Micah's possible fate if he01:20:36
survived the wound he was certainly not01:20:38
the type to bow to the inevitabilities01:20:40
of slaveholding life yet Jason had done01:20:43
his best to save him and that was that01:20:47
now Jason would think about Jason for a01:20:49
while they made a brief March before01:20:52
dark apparently just until the other01:20:54
slaves were out of sight then stopped01:20:56
for the night Jason settled himself into01:20:59
the Lee of a mound that broke the force01:21:01
of the wind a bit and unwrapped a piece01:21:03
of scorched meat he had salvaged from01:21:05
the earlier Feast it was tough and oily01:21:09
but far superior to the barely edible01:21:11
kenoi that made up the Greater part of01:21:13
the Native diet he chewed noisily on the01:21:16
bone and watched while one of the other01:21:18
slaves sidled over toward him give me01:21:21
some your meat the slave asked in a01:21:24
whining voice and only when she talked01:21:26
did Jason realize that this was a girl01:21:29
all the slaves were alike in their01:21:31
matted hair and skin wrappings he ripped01:21:34
off a chunk of meat here sit down and01:21:37
eat it what's your name in exchange for01:21:40
his generosity he intended to get some01:21:42
information from his captive audience01:21:44
isal she tore at the meat held tightly01:21:48
in one fist while the index finger of01:21:49
her free hand scratched for enemies in01:21:52
her t tangled hair where do you come01:21:55
from did you always live here like this01:21:58
how do you ask a slave if she has always01:22:01
been a slave Not Here I Come From buljo first01:22:05
then fimba now I belong to01:22:08
Chaka what or who is bullo someone like01:22:12
our boss Chaka she nodded gnawing at the01:22:16
meat and the zeroi that Faba gets his01:22:19
arrows from who are they you don't don't01:22:22
know much she said finishing the meat01:22:24
and licking the grease from her fingers01:22:27
I know enough to have meat when you01:22:29
don't have any so don't abuse my01:22:31
Hospitality who are the01:22:34
zeroi everyone knows who they are she01:22:37
Shrugged with incomprehension and looked01:22:39
for a soft spot in the sand to sit down01:22:42
they live in the desert they go around01:22:44
in caroy they they stink they have many01:22:47
nice things one of them gave me my best01:22:50
thing if I show it to you you won't take01:22:53
it no I won't touch it but I would like01:22:56
to see anything they have made here01:22:59
here's some more meat now let me see01:23:01
your best thing eal rooted in her skins01:23:05
for a hidden Pocket and dragged out01:23:07
something that she concealed in her01:23:08
clenched fist she held it out proudly01:23:11
and opened it and there was enough light01:23:13
left for Jason to make out the rough01:23:15
form of a red glass bead isn't this so01:23:19
very nice she asked very nice J agreed01:23:23
and for an instant felt a touch of real01:23:25
sorrow when he looked at the pathetic01:23:27
bble this girl's ancestors had come to01:23:30
this planet in spaceships with a01:23:31
knowledge of the most advanced Sciences01:23:34
cut off their children had degenerated01:23:36
into this barely conscious slaves who01:23:39
could Pride a worthless piece of glass01:23:42
above all things I like you I I'll show01:23:45
you my best thing again I like you too01:23:49
good01:23:51
night chapter01:23:53
5 isal stayed near Jason the next day01:23:57
and took the next station in line when01:23:59
the endless kenoy hunt began whenever it01:24:02
was possible he questioned her and01:24:04
before noon had extracted all of her01:24:06
meager knowledge of Affairs beyond the01:24:08
barren coastal plain where they lived01:24:11
the ocean was a mystery that produced01:24:13
edible animals fish and an occasional01:24:15
human corpse ships could be seen from01:24:18
time to time offshore but nothing was01:24:20
known about them on the other flank the01:24:23
territory was bounded by desert even01:24:25
more inhospitable than the one in which01:24:27
they scratched out their existence a01:24:30
waste of lifeless sand habitable only by01:24:33
the zeroi and their mysterious caroy01:24:36
these last could be animals or01:24:39
mechanical transportation of some kind01:24:41
either was possible from eyal's vague01:24:44
description ocean coast and desert these01:24:47
made up all of her world and she could01:24:49
conceive of nothing that might exist01:24:52
Beyond cond Jason knew there was more01:24:55
the crossbow was proof enough of that01:24:57
and he had every intention of finding01:24:58
out where it came from in order to do01:25:01
that he was going to have to change his01:25:03
slave status when the proper time came01:25:06
he was developing a certain facility in01:25:08
dodging chaka's heavy boot the work was01:25:11
never hard and there was ample food01:25:14
being a slave left him with no01:25:16
responsibilities other than obeying01:25:17
orders and he had ample opportunity to01:25:20
discover what he could about this planet01:25:22
so that when he finally did leave he01:25:24
would be as well prepared as was01:25:27
possible later in the day another column01:25:29
of marching slaves was cited in the01:25:31
distance on a course paralleling their01:25:33
own and Jason expected a Repeat01:25:36
Performance of the previous day's01:25:37
meeting he was agreeably surprised that01:25:40
it was not the sight of the others threw01:25:43
Chaka into an immediate rage That Sent01:25:46
His slaves rushing for safety in all01:25:48
directions by leaping into the air01:25:50
howling with anger and beating his Club01:25:52
against his thick leather armor he01:25:54
managed to work himself into quite a01:25:56
state before starting off on a slogging01:25:59
run Jason followed close behind him01:26:02
greatly interested by this new turn of01:26:04
Affairs ahead of them the other slaves01:26:07
scattered and from their midst burst01:26:08
another armed and armored figure they01:26:11
churned towards each other at top speed01:26:14
and Jason hoped for a shattering crash01:26:16
when they met however they slowed before01:26:19
they hit and began circling each other01:26:21
spitting curses01:26:23
hate you01:26:24
mishika hate you Chaka the words were01:26:28
the same but shouted with Fierce meaning01:26:30
with no touch of formality this time01:26:33
kill you Mika you coming again on my01:26:35
part of the ground with your carrying01:26:37
meat slaves you lie Chaka this ground01:26:41
mine from way back I kill you way back01:26:45
Chaka leaped in as he screamed the words01:26:48
and swung a roundhouse blow with his01:26:50
club that would have broken the other01:26:51
man into it if it had connected but01:26:54
mishika was expecting this and fell back01:26:56
swinging a counterblow with his own club01:26:58
that Chaka easily avoided there followed01:27:01
a quick exchange of Club work that did01:27:03
little more than fan the air until01:27:06
suddenly both men were locked together01:27:08
and their fight began in Earnest they01:27:10
rolled together on the ground grunting01:27:12
savagely tearing at each other the heavy01:27:15
clubs were of no use this close and were01:27:17
dropped in favor of knives and knees01:27:20
Jason can understand now why AKA had the01:27:23
long tusks strapped to his kneecaps it01:27:25
was a no holds barred fight and each man01:27:28
was trying as hard as possible to kill01:27:30
his opponent the leather armor made this01:27:33
difficult and the struggle continued01:27:35
littering the sand with broken off01:27:37
animal teeth discarded weapons and other01:27:39
debris it looked like it would be called01:27:41
a draw when both men separated for a01:27:44
breather but they dived right back in01:27:46
again it was Chaka who broke the01:27:48
stalemate when he plunged his dagger01:27:50
into the ground and on the neck next01:27:52
Roll caught the handle in his mouth01:27:54
holding his opponent's arms in both his01:27:56
hands he plunged his head down and01:27:58
managed to find a weak spot in the01:28:00
other's armor mishika howled and pulled01:28:03
free and when he climbed to his feet01:28:05
blood was running down his arm and01:28:06
dripping from his fingertips chiaka01:28:09
jumped after him but the wounded man01:28:10
grabbed up his Club in time to ward off01:28:13
the charge stumbling backward he managed01:28:16
to pick up most of his discarded weapons01:28:18
with his wounded arm and beat a hasty01:28:20
Retreat chaka ran after him a short way01:28:23
shouting Praise of his own strength and01:28:25
abilities and of his opponent's01:28:27
cowardice Jason saw a short sharp horn01:28:31
from some sea animal lying in the01:28:32
churned up sand and quickly picked it up01:28:35
before Chaka turned back once his enemy01:28:38
had been chased out of sight Chaka01:28:39
carefully searched the Battleground and01:28:41
scavenged anything of military value01:28:44
though there was still some hours of01:28:45
daylight left he signaled a halt and01:28:47
distributed the evening ration of kenoi01:28:51
Jason sat and and chewed his portion01:28:53
reflectively while eal leaned against01:28:55
his side her shoulder moving01:28:57
rhythmically as she scratched some01:28:59
hidden might Li were inescapable they01:29:03
hid in the crevices of the badly cured01:29:05
hides and emerged with clicking Jaws01:29:07
whenever the warmth of human flesh came01:29:09
near Jason had his quota of the pests01:29:12
and found his scratching keeping time01:29:14
with hers this syncopation of scratch01:29:17
triggered the anger that had been01:29:19
building within him slow and unnoticed01:29:22
I'm serving notice he said jumping to01:29:24
his feet I'm through with this slave01:29:27
business which way is the nearest spot01:29:29
to the desert where I can find the01:29:32
zeroi over there a two-day walk how are01:29:35
you going to kill01:29:37
Chaka I'm not going to kill Chaka I'm01:29:39
just leaving I've enjoyed his01:29:41
hospitality and his boot long enough and01:29:44
feel like striking out for01:29:46
myself you you can't do that she gasped01:29:49
you will be killed ch AKA can't very01:29:52
well kill me if I'm not here everybody01:29:56
will kill you that is the law runaway01:29:58
slaves are always01:30:00
killed Jason sat down again and cracked01:30:03
another chunk from his kenoy and01:30:05
ruminated over it you've talked me into01:30:08
staying a while but I have no particular01:30:10
desire now to kill Jaa even though he01:30:13
did steal my boots and I don't see how01:30:15
killing him will help me any you are01:30:18
stupid after you kill shaaka you'll be01:30:21
the knew Chaka then you can do what you01:30:25
want of course now that he had been told01:30:28
the social setup appeared obvious01:30:30
because he had seen slaves and01:30:32
slaveholders Jason had held the mistaken01:30:34
notion that they were different classes01:30:36
of society when in reality there was01:30:39
only one class what might be called The01:30:41
Dog Eat Dog class he should have been01:30:45
aware of this when he had seen how01:30:46
careful Chaka was to never allow anyone01:30:49
within Striking Distance of him and how01:30:51
he vanished each night to some hidden01:30:53
spot this was free enterprise with a01:30:56
Vengeance carried to its absolute01:30:58
extreme with every man out for himself01:31:00
every other man's hand turned against01:31:03
him and your station in life determined01:31:05
by the strength of your arm and the01:31:07
speed of your01:31:08
reflexes anyone who stayed alone placed01:31:11
himself outside this society and was01:31:13
therefore an enemy of it and sure to be01:31:15
killed on sight all of which added up to01:31:18
the fact that he had to kill chaaca if01:31:20
he wanted to get ahead01:31:22
he still had no desire to do it but he01:31:24
had to that night he watched shaaka when01:31:28
he slipped away from the others and01:31:30
Jason made a careful note of the01:31:31
direction that he took of course the01:31:33
slave master would Circle about before01:31:35
he concealed himself but with a little01:31:37
luck Jason would find him and kill him01:31:41
he had no special love of midnight01:31:43
assassination and until landing on this01:31:45
planet had always believed that killing01:31:47
a sleeping man was a cowardly way to01:31:49
terminate another's existence but01:31:51
special conditions demanded special01:31:54
Solutions and he was no match for the01:31:56
heavily armored man in open combat01:31:59
therefore the Assassin's knife or rather01:32:02
sharpened horn he managed to doze01:32:06
fitfully until some time after midnight01:32:08
then slipped silently from under his01:32:10
skin coverings silently he skirted the01:32:13
sleepers and crept into the darkness01:32:15
between the dunes finding chiaka in the01:32:18
wilderness of the desert night was not01:32:20
easy yet Jason persisted he made careful01:32:23
sweeps in wider and wider arcs working01:32:26
his way out from the sleeping slaves01:32:29
there were gullies and shadowed Ravines01:32:32
and all of them had to be searched with01:32:33
the utmost care the slave master was01:32:36
sleeping in one of them and would be01:32:38
alert for any sound the fact that he had01:32:41
also made special precautions to guard01:32:43
against assassination was only apparent01:32:45
to Jason after he heard the bell ring it01:32:48
was a tiny sound barely detectable but01:32:51
he froze instantly there was a thin01:32:54
strand pressing against his arm and when01:32:57
he drew back carefully the Bell sounded01:33:00
again he cursed silently for his01:33:02
stupidity only remembering now about the01:33:05
bells he had heard from chaka's sleeping01:33:07
sight the slaver must surround himself01:33:10
every night with a network of string01:33:11
that would sound alarm Bells if anyone01:33:13
attempted to approach in the dark slowly01:33:16
and soundlessly Jason Drew back deeper01:33:19
into the Gully with a thud of rushing01:33:22
feet Chaka appeared swinging his Club01:33:24
around his head coming directly towards01:33:26
Jason Jason rolled desperately sideways01:33:29
and the club crashed into the ground01:33:31
then he was up and running at top speed01:33:33
down the Gully rocks Twisted under his01:33:36
feet and he knew that if he tripped he01:33:38
was dead yet he had no choice other than01:33:40
flight the heavily armored Shaka could01:33:43
not keep up with him and Jason managed01:33:45
to stay on his feet until the other was01:33:47
left behind Jaa shouted with rage and01:33:50
hurled curses at after him but he could01:33:52
not catch him Jason panting for breath01:33:55
vanished into the darkness and made a01:33:57
slow Circle back to the sleeping Camp01:34:00
the noise would have roused them and he01:34:01
stayed away for an estimated hour01:34:03
shivering in the icy pre- Dawn before he01:34:06
slipped back to his waiting skins the01:34:09
sky was beginning to Gray and he lay01:34:11
awake wondering if he had been01:34:12
recognized he did not think he had as01:34:16
the Red Sun climbed Over the Horizon01:34:18
chiaka appeared on top of the dunes01:34:20
shaking with rage01:34:22
who did it he screamed who came in night01:34:26
he stalked among them glaring right and01:34:28
left and no one stirred except to draw01:34:30
away from his stamping feet who did it01:34:33
he shouted again as he came near the01:34:35
spot where Jason lay five slaves pointed01:34:39
silently at01:34:40
Jason cursing their betrayal Jason01:34:42
sprang up and ran from the whistling01:34:44
Club he had the sharpened horn in his01:34:47
hand but he knew better than to try and01:34:49
stand up to Chaka in open combat there01:34:52
had to be another way he looked back01:34:54
quickly to see his enemy still following01:34:56
and narrowly missed tripping over the01:34:58
outstretched leg of a slave they were01:35:01
all against him they were all against01:35:03
each other and no man was safe from any01:35:05
other man's hand he ran free of the01:35:08
slaves and scrambled to the top of a01:35:10
shifting Dune pulling himself up the01:35:12
steep slope by clutching at the coarse01:35:14
grass on the summit he turned at the top01:35:17
and kicked sand into chaka's face trying01:35:19
to Blind him but had to run whenever the01:35:22
slaver swung down his crossbow and01:35:24
notched a steel quarrel Jaa chased him01:35:27
again panting heavily Jason was tiring01:35:30
now and he knew this was the best time01:35:32
to launch a Counterattack the slaves01:35:35
were out of sight and it would be a01:35:36
battle only between the two of them01:35:38
scrambling up a slope of broken rock he01:35:41
reversed himself suddenly and leaped01:35:43
back down Chaka was taken by surprise01:35:45
and had his Club only half raised when01:35:48
Jason was upon him and he swung wildly01:35:51
Jason ducked under the blow and used01:35:53
jaa's momentum to help throw him as he01:35:55
grabbed the club arm and pulled face01:35:58
down the armored man crashed against the01:36:01
stones and Jason was straddling his back01:36:03
even as he fell clutching for his chin01:36:06
he lacerated his fingers on a jagged01:36:08
tooth necklace then grasped the man's01:36:10
thick beard and pulled back for a single01:36:13
long instant before he could ride free01:36:15
and roll over chaka's head was stretched01:36:17
back and in that instant Jason plunged01:36:19
the sharp horn deep into the the soft01:36:21
flesh of the throat hot blood burst over01:36:25
his hand and Chaka shuttered horribly01:36:27
under him and01:36:29
died Jason climbed wearily to his feet01:36:32
suddenly exhausted he was alone with his01:36:35
victim the cold wind swept about them01:36:37
carrying the rustling grains of sand01:36:40
chilling the sweat on the body sighing01:36:43
once he wiped his bloody hands on the01:36:45
sand and began to strip the corpse thick01:36:48
straps held the shell helmet over the01:36:50
dead man's head and when he unnoted them01:36:52
and pulled it away he saw that Chaka was01:36:54
well past middle age there was some gray01:36:58
in his beard but his scraggly hair was01:37:00
completely gray his face and balding01:37:03
head ped white from being concealed01:37:05
Under The Helmet it took a long time to01:37:08
get the wrappings and armor off and01:37:10
retie them over himself but it was01:37:12
finally done under the skin and Claw01:37:15
wrappings on chaka's feet were Jason's01:37:18
boots filthy but undamaged and Jason and01:37:21
Drew them on Happily when at last after01:37:24
scouring it out with sand he had01:37:26
strapped on the helmet Jaa was Reborn01:37:30
the corpse on the sand was just another01:37:32
dead slave Jason scraped a shallow grave01:37:36
interred and covered it then slung about01:37:38
with weapons bags and crossbow the club01:37:41
in his hand he stalked back to the01:37:44
waiting slaves as soon as he appeared01:37:46
they scrambled to their feet and formed01:37:48
a line Jason saw EA looking at him01:37:51
weedly trying to discover who had won01:37:53
the battle score one for the visiting01:37:56
team he called out and she gave him a01:37:58
small frightened smile and turned away01:38:02
about face all and head back the way we01:38:04
came there is a New Day Dawning for you01:38:07
slaves I know you don't believe this yet01:38:09
but there are some big changes in store01:38:12
he whistled while he strolled after the01:38:14
line and chewed happily on the first01:38:16
kenoi that was01:38:19
found ch CH 6 that evening they built a01:38:24
fire on the beach and Jason sat with his01:38:26
back to the safety of the sea he took01:38:28
his helmet off the thing was giving him01:38:30
a headache and called eal over to him I01:38:34
hear Chaka I obey she ran hurridly over01:38:37
to him and flopped onto the sand I want01:38:40
to talk to you Jason said and my name is01:38:43
Jason not01:38:44
Chaka yes Chaka she said darting a quick01:38:48
glance at his exposed face then turning01:38:50
away01:38:51
he grumbled and pushed the basket of01:38:53
kenoy over to her I can see where it is01:38:56
not going to be an easy thing changing01:38:58
this social setup tell me do you or any01:39:02
of the others ever have any desire to be01:39:05
free what is01:39:07
free well I suppose that answers my01:39:10
question free is what you are when you01:39:12
are not a slave or a slave owner free to01:39:15
go where you want and do what you want I01:39:18
wouldn't like that she shivered who01:39:21
would take care of me how would I find01:39:23
any kenoy it takes many people together01:39:25
to find kenoy one alone would starve if01:39:29
you are free you can combine with other01:39:31
free people and look for kenoy together01:39:35
that is stupid whoever found would eat01:39:38
and not share unless a master made him I01:39:41
like to eat Jason rasped his sprouting01:39:44
beard we all like to eat but that01:39:47
doesn't mean we have to be slaves but I01:39:49
can see that unless there are some01:39:51
radical changes in this environment I am01:39:53
not going to have much luck in freeing01:39:55
anyone and I had better take all the01:39:57
precautions of a Chaka to see that I can01:39:59
stay alive he picked up his club and01:40:02
stalked off into the darkness silently01:40:05
circling the camp until he found a good01:40:07
sized null with smooth sides working by01:40:10
touch he pulled the little pegs from01:40:12
their bag and planted them in rows01:40:14
carefully laying the leather strings in01:40:16
their forked tops the ends of the01:40:18
strings were fastened to delicately01:40:20
balanced steel bells that tinkled at the01:40:22
slightest touch thus protected he laid01:40:25
down in the center of his warning01:40:27
spiderweb and spent a restless night01:40:30
half awake waiting tensely for the bells01:40:32
to ring in the morning the March01:40:35
continued and they came to the barrier01:40:37
Karen and when the slav stopped Jason01:40:39
urged them past it they did this happily01:40:42
looking forward to witnessing a good01:40:44
fight for possession of the violated01:40:46
territory their hopes were Justified01:40:49
when later in the day the other row of01:40:50
of slaves was seen far off to the right01:40:53
and a figure detached itself and ran01:40:55
toward them hate you Chaka fimba shouted01:40:59
as he ran up only this time he meant01:41:02
what he said coming on my ground I kill01:41:05
you not yet Jason called out and hate01:41:09
you fimba sorry I forgot the formalities01:41:12
I don't want any of your land and the01:41:14
old treaty or whatever it is still holds01:41:17
I just want to talk to you fimba stopped01:41:20
but kept his Stone Hammer ready very01:41:23
suspicious you got new voice01:41:26
Chaka I got new chaa old chaa now01:41:30
pushing up the daisies I want to trade01:41:33
back a slave from you and then we'll go01:41:36
chaa fight hard you must be good fighter01:41:39
chaa he shook his hammer angrily not as01:41:42
good as me chaa you're the tops VBA nine01:41:46
slaves out of 10 want you for a master01:41:49
look can't we get to the point point01:41:51
then I'll get my mob out of here he01:41:53
looked at the row of approaching slaves01:41:55
trying to pick out Micah I want back the01:41:58
slave who had the hole in his head I'll01:42:01
give you two slaves in trade your choice01:42:04
what do you say to that good trade Jaa01:42:07
you pick one of mine take the best I'll01:42:10
take two of yours but hole and head gone01:42:13
too much trouble talk all the time I got01:42:16
sore foot from kicking him got rid of01:42:18
him did you kill him01:42:21
don't waste slaves traded him to the Zer01:42:24
tanoi got arrows you want arrows not01:42:28
this time fimba but thanks for the01:42:31
information he rooted around in a pouch01:42:33
and pulled out a kenoy here have01:42:36
something to eat where you get poisoned01:42:39
crano fimba asked with interest I could01:42:42
use a poisoned01:42:44
crano this isn't poisoned it's perfectly01:42:46
edible or at least as edible as these01:42:48
things ever are fim laughed you pretty01:42:52
funny Chaka I give you one arrow for01:42:55
poisoned01:42:56
kenoi you're on Jason said throwing the01:42:59
kenoy to the ground between them but I01:43:01
tell you it's perfectly good that's what01:43:04
I tell man I give it to I got good use01:43:07
for a poisoned crano he threw an arrow01:43:10
into the sand away from them and grabbed01:43:12
up the vegetable as he left when Jason01:43:15
picked up the arrow it bent and he saw01:43:17
that it was rusted almost completely in01:43:19
two and that the break had been craftily01:43:21
covered by Clay that's all right he01:43:24
called after the retreating slaver just01:43:27
wait until your friend eats the crano01:43:30
the March continued first back to the01:43:32
boundary Karen with the suspicious fimba01:43:34
dogging their steps only after Jason and01:43:37
his band had passed the Border did the01:43:39
others return to their normal foraging01:43:42
they began the long walk to the borders01:43:44
of the Inland desert since they had to01:43:46
search for kenoi as they went it took01:43:49
them the better part of 3 Days To to01:43:50
reach their destination Jason merely01:43:53
started the line in the correct01:43:54
direction but as soon as he was out of01:43:56
sight of the sea he had only a rough01:43:58
idea of the correct course however he01:44:01
did not confide his ignorance to the01:44:03
slaves and they marched steadily on01:44:05
along what was obviously a well-known01:44:07
route to them along the way they01:44:09
collected and consumed a good number of01:44:11
kenoy found two Wells from which they01:44:14
refilled the skin bags and pointed out a01:44:17
huddled animal sitting by a hole that01:44:19
Jason to their unvoiced disgust managed01:44:22
to miss completely with a bolt from the01:44:25
crossbow on the morning of the third day01:44:28
Jason saw a line of demarcation on the01:44:30
flattened Horizon and before the midday01:44:33
meal they came to a sea of billowing01:44:35
bluish gray sand the ending of what he01:44:38
had been accustomed to thinking of as01:44:40
the desert was startling beneath their01:44:43
feet were yellow sand and gravel while01:44:45
occasional shrubs managed a sickly01:44:47
existence as did some grass and the01:44:49
lifegiving kenoi animals as well as men01:44:53
lived here and ruthless though survival01:44:55
was they were at least alive in the01:44:58
wasts ahead no life was possible or01:45:00
visible though there seemed to be no01:45:03
doubt that the zeroi lived there this01:45:06
must mean that though it looked01:45:07
unlimited as yal believed it to be there01:45:10
were probably arable lands on the other01:45:12
side mountains as well if they weren't01:45:15
just clouds since a line of gray Peaks01:45:17
could just be made out on the distant01:45:19
Horizon01:45:21
where do we find the Zer tanoi he asked01:45:24
the nearest slave who merely scowled and01:45:26
looked away Jason was having a problem01:45:29
with discipline the slaves would not do01:45:31
a thing he asked unless he kicked them01:45:34
their conditioning had been so thorough01:45:36
that an order unaccompanied by a kick01:45:38
just wasn't an order and his continued01:45:40
reluctance to impose the physical01:45:41
coercion with the spoken command was01:45:44
just being taken as a sign of weakness01:45:47
already some of the burlier slaves were01:45:49
licking their lips and Si ing him up his01:45:52
efforts to improve the life of the01:45:53
slaves were being blocked completely by01:45:55
the slaves themselves with a mumbled01:45:58
curse at the obduracy of the human race01:46:01
Jason sank the toe of his boot into the01:46:03
man find them there by Big Rock was the01:46:06
immediate response there was a dark spot01:46:09
at the desert's Edge in the indicated01:46:11
Direction and when they approached Jason01:46:13
saw that it was an outcropping of rock01:46:15
that had been built up with a wall of01:46:17
bricks or boulders to a uniform height a01:46:21
good number of men could be concealed01:46:22
behind that wall and he was not going to01:46:24
risk his precious slaves or even more01:46:27
precious skin anywhere near it at his01:46:30
shout the line halted and settled to the01:46:32
sand while he stalked a few meters in01:46:34
front settling his Club in his hand and01:46:37
suspiciously examined the structure that01:46:39
there were unseen Watchers was proven01:46:42
when a man appeared from around the01:46:43
corner and walked slowly towards Jason01:46:46
he was dressed in loose fitting robes01:46:48
and carried a basket on one arm and and01:46:50
when he had reached a point roughly01:46:51
halfway between Jason and The Rock he01:46:53
had just quitted he halted and sat01:46:56
cross-legged in the sand the basket at01:46:58
his side Jason looked carefully in all01:47:01
directions and decided the position was01:47:03
safe enough there were no places of01:47:05
concealment where armed men might have01:47:07
hidden and he had no fear of the single01:47:10
man Club ready he walked out and stopped01:47:13
a full three Paces from the other01:47:16
welcome Jaa the man said I was afraid we01:47:19
wouldn't be seeing you again after that01:47:22
little difficulty we had he remained01:47:25
seated while he talked stroking the few01:47:27
strands of his scraggly beard his head01:47:30
was shaven smooth and as sunburned and01:47:32
leathery Brown as the rest of his face01:47:34
the most prominent feature of which was01:47:36
the Magnificent prow of a nose that01:47:39
terminated in flaring nostrils and was01:47:41
used as sturdy support for a pair of01:47:43
handmade01:47:45
sunglasses they appeared to be carved01:47:47
completely of bone and fit tightly to01:47:49
the face their flat solid fronts were01:47:52
cut with thin transverse slashes this01:47:55
eye protection that things could only01:47:57
have been for weak eyes and the network01:48:00
of wrinkles indicated the man was quite01:48:02
old and would present no danger to01:48:05
Jason I want something Jason said in01:48:08
straightforward chish manner a new voice01:48:12
and a new chaa I bid you welcome the old01:48:15
one was a dog and I hope he died in01:48:17
great pain when you killed him now sit01:48:20
friend Chaka and drink with me he01:48:23
carefully opened the basket and removed01:48:25
a stone Croc and two Crockery mugs where01:48:29
you get poison drink Jason asked01:48:31
remembering his local manners the zero01:48:35
was a smart one and had been able to01:48:37
tell instantly from Jason's voice that01:48:38
there had been a change in slaves and01:48:41
what is your name Ed Aon the ancient01:48:45
said as uninsulated he put the drinking01:48:47
apparatus back into the basket what is01:48:49
it that that you want within reason that01:48:52
is we always need slaves and we are01:48:53
willing to trade I want slave you got I01:48:57
trade you two for one the seated man01:49:00
smiled coldly from beneath the shelter01:49:02
of his nose it is not necessary to talk01:49:06
as ungrammatically as the coastal01:49:08
Barbarian since I can tell by your01:49:10
accent that you are a man of Education01:49:13
what slave is it that you want the one01:49:15
that you just received from fimba he01:49:18
belongs to me Chase abandoned his01:49:21
linguistic ruse and put himself even01:49:23
more on guard taking a quick look around01:49:25
at the empty Sands this DED up old bird01:49:29
was a lot brighter than he looked and he01:49:30
would have to stay on01:49:32
guard is that all you want Edon asked01:49:36
all I can think of at this moment you01:49:38
produced this slave and perhaps we can01:49:40
talk more business I have an even better01:49:44
idea than that edon's laugh had very01:49:47
dirty overtones and Jason sprang back01:49:49
when and the oldster put two fingers01:49:51
into his mouth and whistled shrilly01:49:53
between them there was the rustle of01:49:55
shifting sand and Jason wheeled to see01:49:58
the men apparently climbing out of the01:49:59
empty desert pushing back wooden covers01:50:02
over which the sand had been smoothed01:50:04
there were six of them with shields and01:50:07
clubs and Jason cursed his stupidity at01:50:09
meeting Edon on a spot of the others01:50:11
choosing he swung his Club behind him01:50:13
but the olster was already scampering01:50:15
for the safety of the rock Jason howled01:50:18
in anger and ran the nearest man who was01:50:21
still only halfway out of his hiding01:50:23
place the man took Jason's blow on his01:50:25
upraised shield and was toppled back01:50:27
into the pit by the force of it Jason01:50:30
ran on but another was ahead of him01:50:32
swinging his own war club in Readiness01:50:35
there was no way around so Jason ran01:50:37
into him at full speed with all his01:50:39
pendant teeth and horns nashing and01:50:42
clattering the man fell back under the01:50:44
attack and Jason split his head with his01:50:46
club and would have done further damage01:50:48
except that the other men arrived at01:50:50
that moment and he had to face them it01:50:53
was a brief and wicked battle with Jason01:50:55
giving just a little more than he01:50:57
received two of the attackers were down01:50:59
and a third holding his cracked head01:51:01
when the weight of numbers carried Jason01:51:03
to the ground he called to his slaves01:51:06
for Aid then cursed them when they only01:51:08
remained seated while his arms were01:51:10
pinioned with rope and his weapon01:51:12
stripped from his body one of the01:51:14
victors waved to the slaves who now01:51:16
stood and docilely marched into the01:51:18
desert Jason was dragged snarling with01:51:22
rage in the same01:51:23
direction there was a wide opening in01:51:26
the desert facing side of the wall and01:51:28
once through it Jason's anger instantly01:51:30
vanished here was one of the caroy that01:51:33
yal had told him about there could be no01:51:36
doubt of it he could Now understand how01:51:38
to her uneducated eye there could exist01:51:40
an uncertainty as to whether the thing01:51:42
was an animal or not the vehicle was a01:51:45
good 10 m long shaped roughly like a01:51:48
boat and bore on the front front a large01:51:50
and obviously false animal head covered01:51:53
with fur and resplendent with rows of01:51:55
carved teeth and glistening Crystal eyes01:51:58
there were hide coverings and not two01:52:01
realistic legs hanging about the thing01:52:04
surely not enough camouflage to fool a01:52:06
sophisticated six-year-old this sort of01:52:09
Disguise might be good enough to take in01:52:11
the ignorant Savages but the same01:52:13
civilized child would recognize this as01:52:14
a vehicle as soon as he saw the six01:52:17
large Wheels below they were cut with01:52:20
deep Treads and made from some resilient01:52:22
looking substance no Motive Power was01:52:25
visible but Jason almost hooted with joy01:52:27
at The prominent stink of burnt fuel01:52:30
this crude looking contrivance had some01:52:32
artificial source of power which might01:52:34
be the product of a local Industrial01:52:36
Revolution or have been purchased from01:52:38
off-world Traders either possibility01:52:41
offered the chance of eventual escape01:52:42
from this nameless Planet the slaves01:52:45
some of them cringing with Terror of the01:52:47
unknown were kicked up the gang Plank01:52:49
and and into the caroi four of the01:52:52
Huskies who had subdued and bound Jason01:52:54
carried him up and dumped him onto the01:52:56
deck where he lay quietly and examined01:52:58
what could be seen of the desert vehicle01:53:01
mechanism a post projected from the01:53:04
front of the deck and one of the men01:53:05
fitted what could only have been a01:53:07
tiller handle over the squared top of it01:53:10
if this monolithic apparatus steered01:53:12
with the front pair of Wheels it must be01:53:14
driven with the rear so Jason flopped01:53:17
around on the deck until he could look01:53:19
toward the Stern a cabin the width of01:53:21
the deck was situated here windowless01:53:24
and with a single inset door fitted with01:53:26
a grand selection of locks and bolts any01:53:29
doubt that this was the engine room was01:53:31
displaced by the black metal Smoke Stack01:53:33
that ran up through the cabin roof we01:53:36
are leaving epon screeched and waved his01:53:39
thin arms in the air bring in the01:53:41
entrance way narcissi stand forward to01:53:44
indicate the way to the caroy now all01:53:47
pray as I go into the shrine to induce01:53:49
the sacred p hours to move us toward P01:53:51
Co he started toward the cabin then01:53:54
stopped to point to one of the club01:53:56
bearers arbo you lazy s did you remember01:53:59
to fill the water cup of the Gods this01:54:01
time because they grow thirsty I I01:54:04
filled it I filled it arbo muttered01:54:06
chewing on a looted kenoi preparations01:54:10
made Edon went into the recessed doorway01:54:12
and pulled a concealing curtain over it01:54:15
there was much clanging and rattling as01:54:17
the locks and bolts were opened and he01:54:19
let himself inside within a few minutes01:54:22
a black cloud of greasy smoke rolled out01:54:24
of the Smoke Stack and was whipped Away01:54:26
by the wind almost an hour passed before01:54:29
the sacred Powers were ready to move and01:54:31
they announced their willingness to01:54:32
proceed by screaming and blowing their01:54:34
white breath up in the air four of the01:54:37
slaves screamed Counterpoint and fainted01:54:40
while the rest looked as if they would01:54:41
be happier off dead Jason had had some01:54:45
experience with primitive machines01:54:46
before so the safety valve on the boiler01:54:49
came as no great surprise he was also01:54:52
prepared when the vehicle shuttered and01:54:54
began to move slowly out into the desert01:54:56
from the amount of smoke and the01:54:58
quantity of steam escaping from under01:55:00
the stern he didn't think the engine was01:55:02
very efficient but primitive as it was01:55:04
it moved the caroy and its load of01:55:06
passengers across the sand at a creeping01:55:08
yet steady Pace there were more screams01:55:11
from the slaves and a few tried to leap01:55:14
over the side but were clubbed down the01:55:16
robe wrapped zeroi were firmly working01:55:19
their way through the ranks of the01:55:20
captives pouring ladlefuls of dark01:55:23
liquid down their throats the first ones01:55:25
to receive it were already slumped01:55:27
unconscious or dead though the chances01:55:29
were better that they were unconscious01:55:31
since there was no reason for their01:55:32
captors to kill them after going to such01:55:34
lengths to get them in the first place01:55:37
Jason believed this but the terrified01:55:39
slaves did not have the Solace of his01:55:41
philosophy so struggled on thinking they01:55:43
were fighting for their lives when01:55:45
Jason's turn came he did not submit01:55:47
meekly in spite of his beliefs and01:55:50
managed to bite some fingers and kick01:55:51
one man in the stomach before they sat01:55:53
on him held his nose and poured a01:55:55
measure of the burning liquid down his01:55:57
throat it hurt and he was dizzy and he01:56:00
tried to will himself to throw up but01:56:03
this was the last thing that he01:56:07
remembered chapter01:56:09
7 drink some more of this the voice said01:56:12
and cold water splashed on Jason's face01:56:14
and some of it trickled down his throat01:56:16
making him cough something hard was01:56:19
pressing into his back and his wrists01:56:20
hurt memory seeped back slowly the fight01:56:24
the capture and the potion that had been01:56:26
forced upon him when he opened his eyes01:56:28
he saw a flickering yellow lamp overhead01:56:31
hung from a chain he blinked at it and01:56:33
tried to gather enough energy to sit up01:56:36
a familiar face swam in front of the01:56:38
light and Jason squinted his eyes at it01:56:40
and01:56:41
groaned is that you mic or are you just01:56:44
part of a01:56:45
nightmare There Is No Escape from01:56:48
Justice Jason it is I and I have some01:56:51
grave questions to put to you Jason01:56:54
groaned again you're real all right even01:56:57
in a nightmare I wouldn't dare dream up01:56:59
any lines like that but before the01:57:02
questions how about telling me a thing01:57:04
or two about the local setup you should01:57:06
know something since you have been a01:57:08
slave of the zeroi longer than I Jason01:57:11
realized that the pain in his wrists01:57:13
came from heavy iron shackles a chain01:57:16
passed through them and was stapled to a01:57:18
thick wooden bar on which his head had01:57:20
been01:57:21
resting why the chains and what is the01:57:24
local Hospitality like Micah resisted01:57:27
the invitation to impart any Vital01:57:29
Information and returned irresistibly to01:57:31
his own topic when I saw you last you01:57:34
were a slave of Jaa and tonight you were01:57:37
brought in with the other slaves of Jaa01:57:39
and chained to the bar while you were01:57:41
unconscious there was an empty place01:57:43
next to mine and I told them I would01:57:45
tend you if they placed you there and01:57:47
they did now there is something I must01:57:50
know before they stripped you I saw that01:57:52
you were wearing the armor and helmet of01:57:54
Chaka where is the man what what01:57:57
happened to him me Chaka Jason rasped01:58:01
and burst out coughing from the dryness01:58:03
in his throat he took a long drink of01:58:06
water from the bowl you sound very01:58:08
vindictive Micah you old fraud where is01:58:11
all the turn the other cheek stuff now01:58:14
don't tell me you could possibly hate01:58:16
the man just because he hit you on the01:58:18
head fractured your skull and sold you01:58:19
down the river as a slave reject in case01:58:22
you have been brooding over this01:58:24
Injustice you can now be cheered because01:58:26
the evil Jaa is no more he is buried in01:58:30
the trackless wastes and after all the01:58:32
applications were sifted out I got the01:58:35
job you killed him in a word yes and01:58:40
don't think that it was easy since he01:58:43
had all the advantages and I possessed01:58:44
only my native Ingenuity which luckily01:58:47
proved to be enough it was was touching01:58:49
go for a while because when I tried to01:58:51
assassinate him in his sleep you what01:58:54
Micah salmon hissed got to him at night01:58:58
you don't think anyone in his right mind01:59:00
would tackle a monster like that face to01:59:02
face do you though it ended up that way01:59:04
since he had some neat gadgets for01:59:06
keeping track of people in the dark01:59:09
briefly we fought I won I became Jaa01:59:13
though my reign was neither long nor01:59:15
Noble I followed you as far as the01:59:18
desert where I was neatly trapped by a01:59:20
shrewd old bird name of epon who demoted01:59:23
me back to the ranks and took away all01:59:25
my slaves as well now that's my story so01:59:29
tell me yours where are we what goes on01:59:32
here assassin slave holder Micah reared01:59:37
back as far as he could under the01:59:39
Restraint of the chain and pointed the01:59:41
finger of Judgment at Jason two more01:59:44
charges must be added to your role of01:59:46
infamy I I sicken myself Jason that I01:59:49
could ever have felt sympathy for you01:59:51
and tried to help you I will still help01:59:54
you but only to stay alive so that you01:59:56
may be taken back to cilia for trial and01:59:58
execution I like that example of fair02:00:01
and impartial Justice trial and02:00:05
execution Jason coughed again and02:00:07
drained the bowl of water didn't you02:00:10
ever hear of presumed innocent until02:00:12
proven guilty it only happens to be the02:00:14
Mainstay of all jurist prudence and how02:00:18
could you possibly jus I trying me on02:00:20
cilia for actions that occurred on this02:00:22
planet that aren't crimes here that's02:00:24
like taking a cannibal away from his02:00:26
tribe and executing him for02:00:29
anthropophagy what would be wrong with02:00:31
that the eating of human flesh is a02:00:32
crime so loathsome I shudder to think of02:00:35
it of course a man who does that must be02:00:39
executed if he slips in the back door02:00:41
and eats one of your relatives you02:00:43
certainly have grounds for action but02:00:45
not if he joins the rest of his Jolly02:00:47
tribe for a good roast of enemy don't02:00:50
you see the obvious Point here that02:00:53
human conduct can only be judged in02:00:55
relation to its environment conduct is02:00:58
relative the cannibal in his Society is02:01:01
just as moral as the churchgoer in02:01:04
yours02:01:05
blasphemer a crime is a crime there are02:01:08
moral laws that stand above all human02:01:11
society oh no there are not that's just02:01:14
the point where your medieval morality02:01:17
breaks down all laws and ideas are02:01:20
historical and relative not absolute02:01:23
they are relevant to their particular02:01:25
time and place and taken out of context02:01:27
they lose their importance within the02:01:29
context of this grubby Society I acted02:01:32
in a most straightforward and honest02:01:34
manner I attempted to assassinate my02:01:36
master which is the only way an02:01:39
ambitious boy can get ahead in this hard02:01:41
world and which was undoubtedly the way02:01:43
Chaka himself got the job in the first02:01:46
place assassination didn't work but02:01:49
combat did and the results were the same02:01:51
once in power I took good care of my02:01:54
slaves though of course they didn't02:01:55
appreciate it since they didn't want02:01:57
good care they only wanted my job that02:02:00
being the law of the land the only thing02:02:03
I really did wrong was to not live up to02:02:05
my obligations as a slaveholder and keep02:02:07
them marching up and down the beaches02:02:09
forever instead I came looking for you02:02:11
and was trapped and broken back to02:02:13
slavery Where I Belong for pulling such02:02:16
a stupid trick the door cracked Ed open02:02:19
and harsh sunlight streamed into the02:02:21
windowless building on your feet slaves02:02:25
a zero shouted in through the opening a02:02:28
chorus of shufflings and groans broke02:02:30
out as the men stirred to life Jason02:02:33
could see now that he was one of 2002:02:35
slaves Shackled to the Long Bar02:02:37
apparently the entire trunk of a02:02:39
good-sized tree the man chained at the02:02:41
far end seemed to be a leader of sorts02:02:44
because he cursed and goated the others02:02:45
to life when they were all standing he02:02:48
snapped his commands in a hectoring tone02:02:50
of voice come on come on first come best02:02:54
food and don't forget your bowls put02:02:56
them away so they can't drop out02:02:58
remember nothing to eat or drink all day02:03:00
unless you have a bowl and let's work02:03:03
together today everyone pull his weight02:03:05
that's the only way to do it that goes02:03:07
for all you men especially you new men02:03:10
give them a day's work here and they02:03:11
give you a day's food oh shut up someone02:03:15
shouted and you can't complain about02:03:17
that the straw boss winded on02:03:20
unperturbed now all together one bend02:03:23
down and get your hands around the bar02:03:25
and get a good grip and two lift it02:03:29
clear of the ground that's the way and02:03:31
three stand up and out the door we go02:03:35
they shuffled out into the sunlight and02:03:37
the cold wind of dawn bit through his02:03:39
Pyon coverall and the remains of jaa's02:03:42
leather trappings that Jason had been02:03:44
allowed to keep his captors had torn off02:03:47
the claw studded feet but not bothered02:03:49
the wrappings underneath so they hadn't02:03:51
found his boots this was the only bright02:03:54
spot on an otherwise unlimited Vista of02:03:56
blackest Gloom Jason tried to be02:03:59
thankful for small blessings but only02:04:01
shivered some more as soon as possible02:04:03
this situation had to be changed since02:04:05
he had already served his term as slave02:04:08
on this Backwoods planet and was cut out02:04:10
for better things on order the slaves02:04:13
lined up against the walls of the yard02:04:15
presenting their balls like scruffy02:04:17
ptients they accepted ERS of lukewarm02:04:19
soup from another slave who pushed along02:04:22
a wheeled tub of the stuff he was02:04:24
chained to the tub Jason's appetite02:04:27
vanished when he tasted the sludge it02:04:30
was kenoi soup and the desert tubers02:04:32
tasted even worse he hadn't thought it02:04:35
was possible when served up in a broth02:04:38
but survival was more important than02:04:40
fastidiousness so he gulped the evil02:04:42
stuff down breakfast over they marched02:04:45
out the gate into another compound and02:04:48
fascinated displace all of Jason's02:04:50
concerns in the center of the yard was a02:04:52
large Capon into which the first group02:04:55
of slaves were already fitting the end02:04:56
of their bar Jason's group and the two02:04:59
others shuffled into position and seated02:05:02
their bars making a four spoked wheel02:05:04
out of the capston an overseer shouted02:05:07
and the slaves groaned and threw their02:05:09
weight against the bars until they02:05:10
shuddered and began to turn then02:05:13
trudging slowly they kept the wheel02:05:15
moving once this slogging labor was02:05:18
underway J turned his attention to the02:05:20
crude mechanism that they were powering02:05:22
a vertical shaft from the capston turned02:05:25
a creaking wooden wheel that set a02:05:27
series of leather belts into motion some02:05:29
of them vanished through openings into a02:05:31
large Stone building while the strongest02:05:33
strap of all turned the rocker arm of02:05:35
what could only be a counterbalanced02:05:38
pump this all seemed like a highly02:05:40
inefficient way to go about pumping02:05:42
water since there certainly must be02:05:44
natural springs and lakes somewhere02:05:46
around the pungent smell that filled the02:05:48
yard was hauntingly familiar and Jason02:05:51
had just reached the conclusion that02:05:52
water couldn't be the object of their02:05:54
labors when a throaty gurgling came from02:05:57
the standpipe of the pump and a thick02:05:59
black stream bubbled out petroleum of02:06:03
course Jason enthused out loud then bent02:06:06
his attentions to pushing when the02:06:08
overseer gave him an ugly look and02:06:10
cracked his whip02:06:12
menacingly this was the secret of the02:06:14
zeroi and the source of their power02:06:17
mountains were visible near by and Hills02:06:19
towering above the surrounding walls the02:06:22
captured slaves had been drugged so they02:06:23
would not even know in which direction02:06:25
they had been brought to this hidden02:06:27
site or how long the trip was here in02:06:30
this guarded Valley they labored to pump02:06:32
the crude oil that their masters used to02:06:35
power their big desert wagons or did02:06:38
they use crude oil for this the02:06:41
petroleum was gurgling out in a solid02:06:43
stream now and running down an open02:06:45
trough that vanished through a wall into02:06:47
the same building as the turning belts02:06:49
and what barbaric devilishness went on02:06:52
in there a thick chimney crowned the02:06:55
building and produced clouds of black02:06:56
smoke while from the various openings in02:06:59
the Wall came a tremendous stench that02:07:01
threatened to lift the top off of his02:07:04
head at the same moment he realized what02:07:06
was going on in the building a guarded02:07:08
door was opened and Edon came out02:07:11
blowing his sizable nose in a scrap of02:07:13
rag the creaking wheel turned and when02:07:16
its rotation brought Jason around again02:07:18
he called out to him hey epon come over02:07:22
here I want to talk to you I'm the02:07:24
former Chaka in case you don't recognize02:07:26
me out of uniform Edon gave him one look02:07:30
then turned away dabbing at his nose it02:07:33
was obvious that slaves held no interest02:07:35
for him no matter what their position02:07:37
had been before their fall the slave02:07:39
driver ran over with a roar raising his02:07:41
whip while the slow rotation of the02:07:43
wheel carried Jason away he shouted back02:07:46
over his shoulder listen to me I know a02:07:49
lot and can help you only a turned back02:07:52
for an answer and the whip was already02:07:54
whistling down it was time for the hard02:07:56
cell you had better hear me because I02:07:59
know that what comes out first is02:08:02
best this last was involuntary as the02:08:05
whip landed Jason's words were without02:08:08
meaning to the slaves as well as the02:08:10
overseer who was raising his whip for02:08:12
another blow but their impact on Edon02:08:14
was as dramatic as if he had stepped on02:08:16
a hot coal he shuddered to a halt and02:08:19
wheeled about and even at this distance02:08:22
Jason could see that a sickly gray tone02:08:24
had replaced his normal brown color of02:08:27
skin stop the wheel he shouted this02:08:31
unexpected command drew the startled02:08:33
attention of everyone the Gat mouthed02:08:36
overseer lowered his whip while the02:08:38
slaves stumbled and halted and the wheel02:08:40
groaned to a stop in the sudden silence02:08:43
Edon steps echoed loudly as he ran to02:08:46
Jason halting a hand's breath away his02:08:48
lips drawn back from his teeth with02:08:50
tension as if he were prepared to bite02:08:53
what was that you said he hurled the02:08:55
words at Jason while his fingers half02:08:57
plucked a knife from his belt Jason02:09:00
smiled looking and acting calmer than he02:09:02
felt his Barb had gone home but unless02:09:05
he proceeded carefully so would edon's02:09:07
knife into his stomach this was02:09:10
obviously a very sensitive topic you02:09:13
heard what I said and I don't think you02:09:15
want me to repeat it in front of all02:09:16
these strangers I know what happens here02:09:19
because I come from a place far away02:09:21
where we do this kind of thing all the02:09:23
time I can help you I can show you how02:09:26
to get more of the best and how to make02:09:28
your caroy work better just try me only02:09:32
unchain me from this bar first and let's02:09:34
get to someplace private where we can02:09:36
have a nice02:09:37
chat edon's thoughts were obvious he02:09:41
chewed his lip and looked hotly at Jason02:09:43
fingering the edge of his knife Jason02:09:46
only returned a smile of pure innocence02:09:48
and tapped his fingers happily on the02:09:50
bar just marking time while he waited to02:09:53
be released yet in spite of the cold02:09:56
there was a rivulet of sweat trickling02:09:58
down his spine he was gambling02:10:01
everything on edon's intelligence that02:10:03
the man's curiosity would overcome the02:10:05
immediate desire to silence the slave02:10:07
who knew so much about things so secret02:10:10
hoping that he would remember that02:10:11
slaves could always be killed and that02:10:14
it wouldn't hurt to ask a few questions02:10:16
first curios it w and the knife dropped02:10:20
back into the sheath while Jason let his02:10:22
breath out in a relieved sigh it had02:10:24
been entirely too close even for a02:10:26
professional Gambler his own life on the02:10:29
board was a little higher Stakes than he02:10:31
enjoyed playing for release him from the02:10:34
bar and bring him to me Ed Aon ordered02:10:36
then stroe agitatedly away the other02:10:39
slaves watched wide-eyed as the02:10:41
blacksmith was rushed out and with much02:10:43
confusion and shouted orders Jason's02:10:45
chain was cut from the bar where it02:10:47
joined the heavy02:10:49
staple what are you doing Micah asked02:10:52
and one of the guards backhanded him to02:10:54
the ground Jason just smiled and touched02:10:57
his fingers to his lips as his chain was02:10:59
released and they led him away he was02:11:02
free from bondage and he would stay that02:11:04
way if he could convince Edon that he02:11:06
would be better off in some capacity02:11:08
other than dumb labor the room they led02:11:11
him to contained the first touches of02:11:13
decoration or self-indulgence that he02:11:16
had seen on this planet the Furniture02:11:18
was carefully constructed with an02:11:20
occasional bit of carving to brighten it02:11:22
and there was a woven cover on the bed02:11:25
Edon stood by a table tapping his02:11:27
fingers nervously on the dark polished02:11:30
surface lock him up he ordered the02:11:32
guards and Jason was secured to a sturdy02:11:35
ring bolt that projected from the wall02:11:37
as soon as the guards were gone he stood02:11:39
before Jason and Drew his knife tell me02:11:42
what you know or I will kill you at02:11:44
once my past is an open book to you at02:11:48
upon I come from a land where we know02:11:51
all the secrets of nature what is the02:11:53
name of this land are you a spy from02:11:56
Absa I couldn't very well be one since I02:11:59
have never heard of the place Jason02:12:02
pulled at his lower lip wondering just02:12:04
how intelligent Edon was and just how02:12:06
Frank he could be with him this was no02:12:09
time to get tangled up in lies about02:12:11
planetary geography it might be best to02:12:14
try him on a small dose of the truth if02:12:18
I told you I came from another planet02:12:20
another world in the sky up Among the02:12:23
Stars would you believe02:12:25
me perhaps there are many old legends02:12:28
that our forefathers came from a world02:12:30
beyond the sky but I have always02:12:32
dismissed this as religious driil fit02:12:34
only for02:12:35
women in this case the girls happen to02:12:38
be right your planet was settled by men02:12:41
whose ships crossed the emptiness of02:12:42
space as your caroy pass over the desert02:12:46
your people have forgotten about that02:12:48
and lost the science and knowledge you02:12:50
once had but in other worlds the02:12:52
knowledge is still02:12:53
held02:12:55
Madness not at all it is science though02:12:59
many times confused as being the same02:13:01
thing I'll prove my point you know that02:13:04
I could never have been inside your02:13:05
mysterious building out there and I02:13:07
imagine you can be sure no one has told02:13:09
me of its secrets yet I'll bet you that02:13:12
I can describe fairly accurately what is02:13:14
in there not from seeing the Machinery02:13:17
but from knowing what must be done to02:13:19
oil in order to get the products you02:13:21
need you want to02:13:23
hear proceed Ed Aon said sitting on a02:13:26
corner of the table and balancing the02:13:28
knife Loosely in his02:13:30
palm I don't know what you call it the02:13:33
device but in the trade it is a pot02:13:36
still used for fractional distillation02:13:38
your crude oil runs into a tank of some02:13:41
kind and you pipe it from there to a02:13:43
retort some big vessel that you can seal02:13:46
airtight once it is closed you light a02:13:49
fire under the thing and try to get all02:13:51
the oil to an even temperature a gas02:13:54
rises from the oil and you take it off02:13:56
through a pipe and run it through a02:13:57
condenser probably more pipe with water02:14:00
running over it then you put a bucket02:14:02
under the open end of the pipe and out02:14:04
of it drips the juice that you burn in02:14:06
your caroy to make them move edon's eyes02:14:10
opened wider and wider while Jason02:14:12
talked until they stuck out of his head02:14:14
like boiled eggs demon he screeched and02:14:17
tottered toward Jason with the knife02:14:19
extended you couldn't have seen not02:14:22
through stone walls yet only my family02:14:24
have seen no others I'll swear to that02:14:28
keep cool at Aon I told you that we have02:14:30
been doing this stuff for years in my02:14:33
country he balanced on one foot ready02:14:36
for a kick at the knife in case the old02:14:38
man's nerves did not settle down I'm not02:14:41
out to steal your secrets in fact they02:14:42
are pretty small potatoes where I come02:14:45
from since every farmer has a still for02:14:47
cooking up his own mash and saving on02:14:49
taxes I'll bet I can even put in some02:14:52
improvements for you sight unseen how do02:14:55
you monitor the temperature on your02:14:56
cooking Brew do you have02:14:59
thermometers what are thermometers epon02:15:02
asked forgetting the knife for the02:15:04
moment drawn on by the joys of a02:15:06
technical02:15:07
discussion that's what I thought I can02:15:09
see where your bootleg joy juice is02:15:11
going to take a big jump in quality if02:15:14
you have anyone here who can do some02:15:15
simple glass blowing though it might02:15:18
easier to rig up a coiled biim metallic02:15:20
strip you're trying to boil off your02:15:22
various fractions and unless you keep an02:15:24
even and controlled temperature you are02:15:26
going to have a mixed Brew the thing you02:15:29
want for your engines are the most02:15:31
volatile fractions the liquids that boil02:15:33
off first like gasoline and Benzene02:15:36
after that you raise the temperature and02:15:38
collect kerosene for your lamps and so02:15:41
forth right on Down the Line until you02:15:42
have a nice mass of tar left to pave02:15:45
your roads with how does that sound to02:15:47
you02:15:48
Edon had forced himself into calmness02:15:51
though a jumping muscle in his cheek02:15:52
betrayed his inner tension what you have02:15:55
described is truth though you were wrong02:15:58
on some small things but I am not02:15:59
interested in your thermometer nor in02:16:02
improving our water of power it has been02:16:05
good enough for my family for02:16:06
generations and it is good enough for me02:16:09
I bet you think that line is02:16:11
original there is something that you02:16:13
might be able to do that would bring you02:16:15
rich rewards we can be generous when02:16:18
needs be you have seen our caroy and02:16:21
ridden on one and seen me go into the02:16:23
shrine to intercede with the sacred02:16:24
powers to make us move can you tell me02:16:27
what power moves the02:16:29
caroy I hope this is the final exam at02:16:32
upon because you are stretching my02:16:34
powers of extrapolation stripping away02:16:36
all the shrines and sacred Powers I02:16:39
would say that you go into the engine02:16:41
room to do a piece of work with very02:16:43
little praying involved there could be a02:16:45
number of ways of moving those bar bars02:16:48
but let's think of the simplest this is02:16:50
top of the head now so no penalties if I02:16:53
miss any of the fine points internal02:16:56
combustion is out I doubt if you have02:16:58
the technology to handle it plus the02:17:00
fact that there was a lot to do about02:17:01
the wood tank and it took you almost an02:17:03
hour to get underway that sounds like02:17:06
you were getting up ah head of steam the02:17:09
safety valve I forgot about that so so02:17:11
it is steam you go in lock the door of02:17:14
course then open a couple of valves02:17:16
until the fuel drips into the Firebox02:17:18
then you light it maybe you have a02:17:20
pressure gauge or maybe you just wait02:17:22
until the safety valve Pops to tell you02:17:24
if you have a head of steam which can be02:17:27
dangerous since a sticking valve could02:17:28
blow the whole works right over the02:17:30
mountain once you have the steam you02:17:33
crack a valve and let it into the02:17:35
cylinders and get the thing moving after02:17:37
that you just enjoy the trip of course02:17:40
making sure the water is feeding to your02:17:42
boiler all right that your pressure02:17:44
stays up your fire is hot enough all02:17:46
your bearings are lubricated and the02:17:49
rest Jason looked on astounded as Edon02:17:52
did a little jig around the room holding02:17:55
his robe up above his bony knees02:17:57
bouncing with excitement he jabbed his02:17:59
knife into the tabletop and rushed over02:18:01
to Jason and grabbed him by the02:18:02
shoulders shaking him until his chain02:18:05
rattled do you know what you've done he02:18:07
asked do you know what youve said I know02:18:11
well enough does this mean that I have02:18:13
passed the exam was I right I don't know02:18:16
if you are right or not I have never02:18:18
seen the inside of one of the upsin02:18:20
devil boxes he danced around the room02:18:23
again you know more about their what do02:18:25
you call it engine then I do I have only02:18:28
spent my life tending them and cursing02:18:30
the people of ABS Salah who keep the02:18:32
secret from us but you will reveal it to02:18:35
us we will build our own engines and if02:18:37
they want water of power they will have02:18:38
to pay dearly for it uh would you mind02:18:42
being a little bit clearer Jason pleaded02:18:45
I have never heard anything so confused02:18:47
in my entire02:18:48
life I will show you man from AAR world02:18:51
and you will reveal the Absalon secrets02:18:53
to us I see the dawn of a new day for02:18:56
buo arriving he opened the door and02:18:59
shouted for the guards and for his son02:19:01
narcissi who arrived as they were02:19:03
unlocking Jason who recognized him as02:19:05
the same droop eyed and sleepy looking02:19:07
zero who had been helping Edon to drive02:19:10
their ungainly vehicle seize this chain02:19:13
my son and keep your Club ready to kill02:19:16
this slave if he makes any attempt to02:19:18
escape otherwise do not harm him for he02:19:21
is very valuable come he tugged on the02:19:24
Chain but Jason only dug his heels in02:19:26
and did not move they looked at him02:19:29
astonished just a few things before we02:19:32
go the man who is to bring the new day02:19:35
to P Co is not a slave let us get that02:19:38
straight before this operation goes any02:19:41
further we'll work out something with02:19:43
chains or guards so I can't escape but02:19:46
the slavery thing is is out but you are02:19:50
not one of us therefore you must be a02:19:53
slave I've just added a third category02:19:55
to your social order employee though02:19:59
reluctant I am still an employee skilled02:20:02
labor and I intend to be treated that02:20:04
way figure it out for yourself kill a02:20:07
slave and what do you lose very little02:20:09
if there is another slave in the pens02:20:11
that can push in the same place but kill02:20:14
me and what do you get brains on your02:20:17
club and they do you no good at all02:20:20
there say Dad does he mean I can't kill02:20:24
him nari looked puzzled as well as02:20:28
sleepy no he doesn't mean that he means02:20:31
if we kill him there is no one else that02:20:32
can do the work he is to do for us I can02:20:35
understand him and I do not like it02:20:38
there are only slaves and slavers02:20:40
anything else is against the natural02:20:42
order but he has us trapped between02:20:44
satano and the sandstorm so we must02:20:47
allow him some freedoms bring the slave02:20:49
now I mean the employee and we will see02:20:53
if he can do the things he has promised02:20:55
if he does not I will have the pleasure02:20:57
of killing him because I do not like his02:20:59
revolutionary02:21:01
ideas they marched single file to a02:21:04
locked and guarded building with immense02:21:05
doors which were pulled open to reveal02:21:07
the massive forms of seven02:21:09
caroi look at them at Aon hissed and02:21:12
tugged at his nose the finest and most02:21:14
beautiful constructions striking fear02:21:16
into our enemy's Hearts carrying us02:21:18
fleetingly across the Sands bearing on02:21:20
their backs immense loads and only three02:21:23
of the things are able to move engine02:21:26
trouble Jason asked ladly Edon grumbled02:21:30
cursed and fumed under his breath and02:21:32
led the way to an inner Courtyard where02:21:34
stood four immense black boxes painted02:21:36
with death heads splintered bones02:21:38
Fountains of blood and cabalistic02:21:40
symbols of a Sinister appearance those02:21:44
swine in abala take our water of power02:21:46
and give nothing in return oh yes they02:21:50
let us use their engines but after02:21:52
running for a few months the cursed02:21:53
things stop and will not go again then02:21:56
we must bring them back to the city to02:21:58
exchange for a new one and pay again and02:22:01
again a nice racket Jason said looking02:22:04
at the sealed coverings on the engines02:22:07
why don't you just crack into them and02:22:08
fix them yourself they can't be very02:22:11
complex that is death Edon gasped and02:22:14
both zeroi recoiled from the boxes at02:22:17
the thought we have tried that in my02:22:19
father's Father's day since we are not02:22:21
superstitious like the slaves and know02:22:23
that these are man-made not God made02:22:26
however the tricky serpents of ABS Salah02:22:29
hide their secrets with immense cunning02:22:31
if any attempt is made to break the02:22:33
covering horrible death leaks out and02:22:35
fills the air men who breathe the air02:22:38
die and even those who are solely02:22:40
touched by it develop immense blisters02:22:42
and die in pain the men of ABS Salah02:22:45
laughed when this happened to our people02:22:47
and after that raised the price even02:22:49
higher Jason circled one of the boxes02:22:52
examining it with interest trailing02:22:53
narcissi behind him at the end of the02:22:55
chain the thing was higher than his head02:22:58
and almost twice as long a heavy shaft02:23:01
emerged through openings on opposite02:23:03
sides probably the power takeoff for the02:23:05
wheels through an opening in the side he02:23:07
could see inset handles and two small02:23:10
colored discs and above this were three02:23:13
funnel-shaped openings shaped and02:23:15
painted like mouths but standing on02:23:17
tiptoe Jason looked on the top but there02:23:19
was only a flanged so opening that might02:23:22
be for the attachment of a smoke stack02:23:25
there was only one more opening a02:23:27
smallish one in the rear and no other02:23:29
controls on the garish02:23:31
container I'm beginning to get the02:23:33
picture but you will have to tell me how02:23:35
you work the controls death before that02:23:38
narcissi shouted only my family will you02:23:42
shut up Jason shouted right back02:23:45
remember you're not allowed to break02:23:47
beat the help anymore there are no02:23:49
secrets here not only that but I02:23:51
probably know more about this thing than02:23:53
you do just by looking at it oil water02:23:55
and fuel go in these three openings you02:23:58
poke a light in somewhere probably in02:24:00
that Smoky hole under the controls open02:24:02
one of those valves for fuel supply02:24:04
another one is to make the engine go02:24:06
slower and faster and the third is for02:24:08
your water feed the discs are indicators02:24:11
of some kind narcissi piled and stepped02:24:14
back so keep the Trap sh while I talk to02:24:17
your dad it is as you say at upon02:24:21
pointed the mouths must always be filled02:24:23
and wo be tied if they shall go empty02:24:25
for the powers will halt or Worse fire02:24:28
goes in here as you guessed and when the02:24:30
green finger comes forward this lever02:24:32
may be turned for motion the next is for02:24:36
great speed or going slow the very last02:24:39
is under the sign of the red finger02:24:41
which when it points indicates need and02:24:43
the handle must be turned and held until02:24:45
the finger retires02:24:47
white breath comes from the opening in02:24:49
back that is all there is about what I02:24:53
expected Jason muttered and examined the02:24:55
container wall wrapping it with his02:24:57
knuckles until it boomed they give you02:25:00
the minimum of controls to run the thing02:25:02
so you won't learn anything about the02:25:04
basic principles involved without the02:25:06
theory you would never know what the02:25:08
handles control or that the green02:25:10
indicator comes out when you have02:25:11
operating pressure or the red one when02:25:14
the water level is low in the boiler02:25:16
very neat and the whole thing sealed up02:25:19
in a can and booby trapped in case you02:25:21
have any ideas of going into business02:25:23
for02:25:24
yourself the cover sounds like it is02:25:26
double walled and from your description02:25:29
I would say that it has one of the02:25:30
vesicant war gases like mustard gas02:25:32
sealed inside there in liquid form02:25:35
anyone who tries to cut their way in02:25:37
will quickly forget their Ambitions02:25:38
after a dose of that yet there must be a02:25:42
way to get inside the case and service02:25:44
the engine they aren't going to throw02:25:45
them away after a few months use and02:25:48
considering the level of Technology02:25:50
displayed by this monstrosity I should02:25:52
be able to find the tricks and get02:25:54
around any other built-in traps I think02:25:57
I'll take the job very well begin wait a02:26:02
minute boss you still have a few things02:26:04
to learn about hired labor there are02:26:07
always certain working conditions and02:26:09
agreements involved all of which I'll be02:26:12
happy to list for02:26:15
you chapter02:26:17
great what I do not understand is why02:26:20
you must have the other slave narcissi02:26:22
whined to have the woman of course is02:26:25
natural as well as to have quarters of02:26:27
your own my father has given his02:26:29
permission but he also said that I and02:26:31
my brothers are to help you that the02:26:33
secrets of the engine are to be revealed02:26:35
to no one else then Trot right over to02:26:39
him and get permission for the slave02:26:40
Micah to join me in the work you can02:26:43
explain that he comes from the same land02:26:45
that I do and that your sec secrets are02:26:47
mere children's toys to him and if Dad02:26:49
wants any other reasons tell him that I02:26:51
need skilled Aid someone who knows how02:26:53
to handle tools and who can be trusted02:26:56
to follow directions exactly as given02:26:58
you and your brothers have entirely too02:27:00
many ideas of your own about how things02:27:02
should be done and a tendency to leave02:27:05
details up to the gods and have a good02:27:07
bash with the hammer if things don't02:27:09
work the way they should narcissi02:27:12
retired seething and mumbling to himself02:27:15
while Jason huddled over the oil Stone02:27:16
of planning the next step it had taken02:27:19
most of the day to lay down logs for02:27:21
rollers and push the sealed engine out02:27:23
into the Sandy Valley far from The Well02:27:26
site open space was needed for any02:27:28
experiments where a mistake could02:27:30
release a cloud of War gas even Edon had02:27:33
finally seen the sense of this though02:27:35
all of his Tendencies were to conduct02:27:37
the experiments with great secretiveness02:27:39
behind locked doors he had granted02:27:41
permission only after skin walls had02:27:44
been erected to form an enclosure that02:27:46
could be guarded02:27:47
it was only incidental that they acted02:27:49
as a much appreciated02:27:51
Windbreak after much argument the02:27:54
dangling chains and shackles had been02:27:55
removed from Jason's arms and02:27:57
lightweight leg iron substituted he had02:28:00
to shuffle when he walked but his arms02:28:02
were completely free a great improvement02:28:04
over the chains even though one of the02:28:06
brothers kept watch with a cocked02:28:08
crossbow as long as Jason wasn't02:28:10
fastened down now he had to get some02:28:13
tools and some idea of the technical02:28:15
knowledge of these people before he02:28:16
could proceed which would necessarily02:28:18
entail one more battle over their02:28:21
precious Secrets come on he called to02:28:24
his guard let's find Edon and give his02:28:25
ulcers another twinge after his first02:28:29
enthusiasm the leader of the zeroi was02:28:31
getting very little pleasure out of his02:28:33
new project you have quarters of your02:28:36
own he grumbled and the slave woman to02:28:38
cook for you and I have just given02:28:39
permission for the other slave to help02:28:41
you now more requests do you want to02:28:44
drain all the blood from my body let's02:28:47
not dramatize it too much I simply want02:28:49
some tools to get on with my work and a02:28:52
Peak at your machine shop or wherever it02:28:54
is you do your mechanical work I have to02:28:56
have some idea of the way you people02:28:58
solve mechanical problems before I can02:29:00
go to work on that box of Tricks out02:29:02
there in the desert entrance is02:29:06
forbidden regulations are snapping like02:29:09
straws today so we might as well go on02:29:11
and finish off a few more will you lead02:29:13
the02:29:14
way the guards were reluctant to open02:29:16
the refinery building gates to Jason and02:29:19
there was much rattling of keys and02:29:21
worried looks a brace of elderly Zer02:29:24
tanoi stinking of oil fumes emerged from02:29:26
the interior and joined in a shouted02:29:28
argument with Edon whose will finally02:29:31
prevailed chained again and guarded like02:29:33
a murderer Jason was begrudgingly led02:29:36
into the dark interior the contents of02:29:38
which was depressingly02:29:41
anticlimactic really from reville Jason02:29:44
sneered and kicked at the box full of02:29:46
hand forged and clumsy tools the work02:29:49
was of the crudest the product of a sort02:29:51
of Neolithic Machine Age the distilling02:29:54
retort had been laboriously formed from02:29:57
sheet copper and clumsily riveted02:29:59
together it leaked mightily as did the02:30:02
soldered seams on the hand formed pipe02:30:05
most of the tools were blacksmith's02:30:07
tongs and hammers for heating and02:30:09
beating out shapes on the Anvil the only02:30:12
thing that gladdened Jason's heart were02:30:13
the massive drill press and the lathe02:30:15
that worked off the slave power drive02:30:18
belts in the tool holder of the lathe02:30:20
was clamped a chip of some hard mineral02:30:23
that did a good enough job of cutting02:30:25
the forged iron and lowc carbon steel02:30:28
even more cheering was the screw thread02:30:30
Advance on The Cutting head that was02:30:32
used to produce the massive nuts and02:30:33
bolts that secured the caroy wheels to02:30:36
their shafts it could have been worse02:30:39
Jason sorted out the smallest and02:30:41
handiest tools and put them aside for02:30:43
his own use in the morning the light was02:30:46
almost gone and there would be no more02:30:47
work this day they left in armed02:30:51
procession as they came and a brace of02:30:53
Brothers showed him to the kennel likee02:30:55
rooms that was to be his private02:30:57
quarters the heavy bolt thudded shut in02:31:00
the door behind him and he winced at the02:31:02
thick fumes of half burnt kerosene02:31:04
through which the light of the single02:31:05
Wick lamp barely penetrated eal crouched02:31:09
over the small oil stove cooking02:31:11
something in a pottery Bowl she looked02:31:14
up and smiled hesitatingly at Jason then02:31:16
turned back to the stove Jason walked02:31:19
over sniffed and shuddered what a feast02:31:23
kenoi soup and I suppose followed by02:31:26
fresh kenoi and kenoy salad tomorrow I02:31:30
see about getting a little variety into02:31:31
the diet Chaka is great she whispered02:31:35
without looking up Chaka is02:31:38
powerful Jason is the name I lost the02:31:41
chaa job when they took the uniform away02:31:45
Jason is powerful to work charms on the02:31:47
zeroi and make them do what he will his02:31:50
slave thanks you he lifted her chin and02:31:53
the dumb obedience in her eyes made him02:31:55
wince can't we forget about the slavery02:31:58
bit we are in this thing together and02:32:00
we'll get out of it together we will02:32:03
escape I knew it you will kill all the02:32:05
zeroi and release your slaves and lead02:32:07
us home again where we can March and02:32:09
find kenoi far from this terrible02:32:12
Place some girls are sure easy to please02:32:16
that is roughly what I had in mind02:32:17
except when we get out of here we are02:32:19
going in the other direction as far away02:32:22
from your kenoy crowd as I can get eal02:32:25
listened attentively stirring the soup02:32:27
with one hand and scratching inside her02:32:29
leather wrappings with the other Jason02:32:32
found himself scratching as well and02:32:34
realized from sore spots on his hide02:32:36
that he had been doing an awful lot of02:32:38
this since he had been dragged out of02:32:39
the ocean of this inhospitable planet02:32:42
enough is enough he exploded and went02:32:45
over and hammered on the door door this02:32:47
place is a far cry from civilization as02:32:49
I know it but that is no reason why we02:32:52
can't be as comfortable as possible02:32:54
chains and bolts rattled outside the02:32:56
door and narcissi pushed his Gloom02:32:58
ridden face in why do you cry out what02:33:01
is wrong I need some water lots of it02:33:05
but you have water narcissi said puzzled02:33:08
and pointed to a stone croc in the02:33:10
corner there is water there enough for02:33:13
Days by your standards narse old boy not02:33:16
mine I want at least 10 times as much as02:33:19
that and I want it now and some soap if02:33:21
there is such stuff in this barbaric02:33:23
place there was a good deal of argument02:33:26
involved but Jason finally got his way02:33:28
with the Water by explaining it would be02:33:29
needed for religious rights to make sure02:33:32
that he would not fail in the work02:33:34
tomorrow it came in a varied collection02:33:36
of containers along with a shallow bowl02:33:38
full of powerful soft soap we're in02:33:41
business he jled take off your clothes I02:33:44
have a surprise for you yeah yes Jason02:33:47
yal said smiling happily you going to02:33:50
get a bath do you know what a bath is no02:33:53
she said and shuddered it sounds evil02:33:57
over here and off with the clothes he02:33:59
ordered poking at a hole in the floor02:34:02
this should serve as a drain at least02:34:04
the water went away when I poured some02:34:06
into it the water was warm from the02:34:08
stove yet eal still crouched against the02:34:11
wall and shuddered when he poured it02:34:12
over her she screamed when he rubbed the02:34:15
slippery soap into her hair and he02:34:17
continued with his hand over her mouth02:34:19
so that she wouldn't bring in the guards02:34:22
he rubbed the soap into his own head too02:34:24
and it tingled delightfully as it soaked02:34:26
through to his scalp some of it was in02:34:28
his ears muffling them so the first02:34:30
intonation he had that the door was02:34:32
opened was the sound of Micah's horse02:34:35
shout he was standing in the doorway02:34:37
finger pointed and shaking with wrath02:34:40
narcissi was standing behind him peering02:34:42
over his shoulder with Fascination at02:34:44
this weird religious room right02:34:48
degradation Micah thundered you forc02:34:51
this poor creature to bend to your will02:34:53
humiliate her strip her clothes from her02:34:55
and gaze upon her though you are not02:34:57
United in lawful wedlock he shielded his02:35:00
eyes from sight with a raised arm you02:35:02
are evil Jason a demon of evil and must02:35:05
be brought to Justice out Jason roared02:35:09
and spun Micah about and started him02:35:11
through the door with one of his02:35:12
practiced Chaka kicks the only evil he02:35:16
is in your mind you snooping scut I'm02:35:19
giving the girl the first scrubbing of02:35:20
her life and you should be giving me a02:35:21
medal for bringing sanitation to the02:35:23
natives instead of howling like that he02:35:26
pushed them both out the door and02:35:28
shouted at narcissi I want this slave02:35:31
but not now lock him up until morning02:35:34
then bring him back he slammed the door02:35:36
and made a mental note to get a hold of02:35:38
a bolt to be placed on this side as well02:35:41
there were more kenoy for breakfast but02:35:44
Jason was feeling too good physically to02:35:46
mind he was scrubbed raw and clean and02:35:49
the itching was gone even from his02:35:50
sprouting beard the metal cloth of his02:35:53
Pyon coverall had dried almost as soon02:35:55
as it had been washed so he was wearing02:35:57
clean clothes as well eal was still02:36:01
recovering from the traumatic effects of02:36:02
her bath but she looked positively02:36:05
attractive with her skin cleaned and her02:36:07
hair washed and combed a bit he would02:36:09
have to find some of the local cloth for02:36:11
her since it would be a shame to ruin02:36:13
the good work by letting her get back02:36:15
into the badly cured skin she was used02:36:17
to wearing it was with a sensation of02:36:20
positive good feeling that he bellowed02:36:22
for the door to be opened and stamped02:36:24
through the cool morning to his place of02:36:27
Labor Mel was already there looking02:36:29
scruffy and angry as he rattled his02:36:32
chains Jason gave him the friendliest of02:36:35
smiles that only rubbed salt into the02:36:37
other's moral02:36:38
wounds leg irons for him too Jason02:36:41
ordered and do it fast we have a big job02:36:44
to do today he turned back back to the02:36:46
sealed engine rubbing his hands together02:36:48
with02:36:49
anticipation the concealing Hood was02:36:51
made of thin metal that could not hide02:36:53
many Secrets he carefully scratched away02:36:56
some of the paint and discovered a02:36:57
crimped and soldered joint where the02:36:59
sides met but no other revealing marks02:37:02
after an hour spent tapping all over02:37:05
with his ear pressed to the metal he was02:37:06
sure that the hood was just what he had02:37:08
thought it was when he first examined02:37:10
the thing a double walled metal02:37:13
container filled with liquid puncturing02:37:15
and you were dead it was there merely to02:37:18
hide the secrets of the engine and02:37:20
served no other function yet it had to02:37:23
be passed to service the steam engine or02:37:26
did it the construction was roughly02:37:28
cubical and the hood covered only five02:37:30
sides what about the sixth the Bas now02:37:34
you're thinking Jason he chortled to02:37:37
himself and knelt down to examine it a02:37:39
wide flange apparently of cast iron02:37:41
projected all around and it was02:37:43
penetrated by four large bolt holes the02:37:46
protective casting seemed to be soldered02:37:48
to the base but there must be stronger02:37:50
concealed attachments because it would02:37:51
not move even after he carefully02:37:53
scratched away some of the solder at the02:37:55
base therefore the answer simply had to02:37:58
be on the sixth side over here Micah he02:38:02
called and the man detached himself02:38:04
reluctantly from the warmth of the stove02:38:06
and shuffled up come close and look at02:38:09
this medieval Motive Power while we talk02:38:11
as if we are discussing business are you02:38:14
going to cooperate with me02:38:16
I do not want to Jason I am afraid that02:38:18
you will soil me with your touch as you02:38:20
have others well you're not so clean now02:38:25
I do not mean02:38:27
physically well I do you could certainly02:38:30
do with a bath and a deep shampoo I'm02:38:32
I'm not worried about the state of your02:38:33
soul you can battle that out on your own02:38:35
time but if you work with me I'll find a02:38:38
way to get us out of this place and to02:38:39
the city that made this engine because02:38:41
if there is a way off this planet we'll02:38:43
find it only in the city02:38:46
I know that yet still I02:38:49
hesitate small sacrifices now for the02:38:52
greater good later isn't the entire02:38:54
purpose of this trip to get me back to02:38:56
Justice you're not going to accomplish02:38:58
that by rotting out the rest of your02:39:00
life as a02:39:01
slave you are The Devil's Advocate the02:39:04
way you twist my conscience yet what you02:39:07
say is true I I will help you here so02:39:10
that we can escape fine now get to work02:39:14
take narcissi and have him round up at02:39:16
least three good-sized poles the kind we02:39:18
were chained to in the pumping gang02:39:20
bring them back here along with a couple02:39:22
of02:39:23
shovels slaves carried the poles only as02:39:26
far as the outside of the skin walls02:39:28
since epon would not admit them inside02:39:30
and it was up to Jason and Micah to drag02:39:33
them laboriously to the site the zeroi02:39:36
who never did physical labor thought it02:39:39
was very funny when Jason suggested that02:39:41
they help once in position by the engine02:39:44
Jason dug channels beneath it and forced02:39:46
the Bars Under when this was done he02:39:49
took turns with Micah in digging out the02:39:51
sand beneath until the engine stood over02:39:53
a pit supported only by the bars Jason02:39:57
let himself down and examined the bottom02:39:59
of the machine it was smooth and02:40:01
featuress once more he scratched away02:40:04
the paint with careful Precision until02:40:06
it was cleared around the edges here the02:40:09
solid metal gave way to a solder and he02:40:11
picked at this until he discovered that02:40:13
a piece of sheet metal had been soldered02:40:15
at the edge and fastened to the bed02:40:16
plate very tricky these OBS salano he02:40:20
jled and attacked the solder with a02:40:22
knife blade when one end was loose he02:40:24
slowly pulled the sheet of metal away02:40:26
making positive that there was nothing02:40:28
attached to it nor that it had been02:40:30
booby trapped in any way it came off02:40:33
easily enough and clanged down into the02:40:35
pit the revealed surface was smooth02:40:37
metal featureless and hard enough for02:40:41
one day Jason said climbing out of the02:40:43
pit and brushing off his hands it was02:40:45
almost is dark we've accomplished enough02:40:47
for now and I want to think a bit before02:40:49
I go ahead so far luck has been on our02:40:52
side but I don't think it should be this02:40:54
easy I hope you brought your suitcase02:40:56
with you Micah because you're moving in02:40:57
with me never a sink of sin02:41:03
depravity Jason looked him coldly in the02:41:05
eye and with each word he spoke he02:41:07
stabbed him in the chest with his finger02:41:09
to drive the point home you are moving02:41:13
in with me because that is essential to02:41:15
our plans if you stop referring to my02:41:18
mortal weaknesses I'll stop talking02:41:20
about yours now come02:41:23
on living with Micah salmon was trying02:41:26
but barely possible he made ilal and02:41:29
Jason go to the far wall and turn their02:41:31
backs and promised not to look while he02:41:33
bathed behind a screen of skins Jason02:41:36
did this but exacted a small Revenge by02:41:38
telling eal jok so that they tittered02:41:41
together and Micah would be sure they02:41:42
were laughing at him the screen of skins02:41:46
remained after the bath and was02:41:47
reinforced and Micah retired behind it02:41:50
to sleep their food still consisted only02:41:53
of kenoy and Jason shuddered while he02:41:55
admitted that he was actually growing02:41:57
used to them the following morning under02:42:00
the frightened gaze of his guards Jason02:42:02
tackled the underside of the base plate02:42:05
he had been thinking about it a good02:42:06
part of the night and he put his02:42:08
theories to the test at once by pressing02:42:11
hard on a knife he could make a good02:42:13
Groove in the metal it was not as soft02:42:16
as the solder but seemed to be some02:42:18
simple alloy containing a good02:42:20
percentage of lead what could it be02:42:23
concealing probing carefully with the02:42:25
point of the knife he covered the bottom02:42:27
in a regular pattern the depth of the02:42:29
metal was uniformly deep except in two02:42:32
spots where he found irregularities they02:42:34
were on the midline of the rectangular02:42:36
base and equidistant from the ends and02:42:39
sides picking and scraping he uncovered02:42:42
two familiar looking shapes each as big02:42:44
as his head02:42:46
Micah get down in this hole and look at02:42:48
these things tell me what you think they02:42:50
are Micah scratched his head they're02:42:53
still covered with this metal I can't be02:42:56
sure I'm not asking you to be sure of02:42:58
anything just tell me what they make you02:43:01
think of why big nuts of course threaded02:43:05
on the ends of bolts but they are so big02:43:09
they would have to be if they hold the02:43:11
entire metal case on I think we are02:43:13
getting very close now to the mystery of02:43:15
how to open the engine and this is the02:43:17
time to be careful I still can't believe02:43:19
it is as easy as this to crack the02:43:21
secret I'm going to widdle a wooden02:43:24
template of the nut then have a wrench02:43:26
made while I'm gone you stay down here02:43:28
and pick all the metal off the bolt and02:43:30
out of the screw threads I can put off02:43:33
doing it while we think this thing02:43:35
through but sooner or later I'm going to02:43:36
have to take a stab at turning one of02:43:38
those nuts and I find it very hard to02:43:40
forget about that mustard gas making the02:43:44
wrench put a small strain on the local02:43:46
technology and all of the old men who02:43:48
enjoyed the title of Masters of the02:43:50
still went into consultation over it one02:43:53
of them was a fair blacksmith and after02:43:56
a ritual sacrifice and a round of02:43:58
prayers he shoved a bar of iron into the02:44:00
charcoal and Jason pumped the Bellows02:44:02
until it glowed white hot with much02:44:05
hammering and cursing it was laboriously02:44:07
formed into a sturdy open-end wrench02:44:10
with an offset head to get at the02:44:12
counter sunk nuts Jason made sure that02:44:15
the opening was slightly undersized then02:44:17
took the untempered wrench to the work02:44:19
site and filed the Jaws to an exact fit02:44:22
after being reheated and quenched in oil02:44:25
he had the tool that he hoped would do02:44:26
the job Edon must have been keeping02:44:29
track of the work progress because he02:44:31
was waiting near the engine when Jason02:44:33
returned with the completed wrench IDescription:
Deathworld 2 (a.k.a The Ethical Engineer) by Harry Harrison Jason dinAlt has been captured, soon to face justice for his crimes, but the gambler crashes his transport on a primitive planet populated by clans that hoard knowledge. It's a difficult situation for a man who just wants to return to Pyrrus. Published July and August 1963 ~ Analog Science Fact & Fiction
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