by John Norman
"Where will you be disembarked?” asked Cabot.
"If all goes well,” said Grendel, “in the vicinity of Ar, perhaps Venna."
"Why is that?” asked Cabot.
"The Lady Bina has made inquiries,” he said. “She seems to feel that her ambitions might have their best play, the greatest scope for their activity, amongst the highest of the high cities."
"Venna is not a high city,” said Cabot.
"Ar, then,” said Grendel.
"You had best encourage her to veil herself, and well,” said Cabot.
"The Lady Bina is a free woman,” said Grendel. “She does as she pleases."
"Perhaps she hopes to catch the eye of a Ubar,” said Cabot.
"Perhaps,” said Grendel.
"There is no Ubar in Ar,” said Cabot.
"Then perhaps that of a high general, or wealthy merchant,” said Grendel, “until a Ubar may be found."
"She has no Home Stone,” said Cabot. “If she catches anyone's eye, she is likely to be seized and put naked in a pleasure garden."
"Thank you for the rubies which you have given us,” said Grendel.
"It is nothing,” said Cabot.
"Where will you be housed?” asked Cabot.
"With the crew,” said Grendel.
"I, too,” said Cabot. “And the Lady Bina will perhaps be chained in the corridor with the slaves?"
"The Lady Bina,” said Grendel, “will be cabined in the private quarters of Peisistratus, who will then share quarters with his officers. She is a free woman, and should be accorded privacy and luxury, at least such that the ship may afford. Peisistratus is amenable to this, as a personal favor to me."
"It is my understanding,” said Cabot, “that the ship, if it eludes the blockade of Priest-Kings, will make more than one landfall on Gor."
"It will elude the blockade,” said Grendel.
"How do you know that?” asked Cabot.
"I have spoken to Lord Zarendargar,” said Grendel, “four days ago, on the evening before he and his ships left. It has been arranged."
"How can that be?"
"There are intermediaries betwixt the Sardar and the worlds,” said Grendel.
"Initiates?” asked Cabot, skeptically.
"Certainly not,” said Grendel. “They have nothing, truly, to do with Priest-Kings. They merely inhale fumes, starve themselves, interpret dreams, and such, and think the Priest-Kings communicate with them."
"Many ships come and go on Gor,” said Cabot, “but the blockade is surely a standing danger."
"Not this time,” said Grendel. “The ship will have safe passage."
"Why?"
"Because of you,” said Grendel.
"I do not understand,” said Cabot.
"When you spoke with Lord Zarendargar, on the day of the great breakfast, that night, did he not speak to you of these things?"
"We spoke of many things,” said Cabot, “of war and weapons, of beasts and ships, of stratagems, of honor, of codes, and such, and we again drank paga."
"But you spoke not of the Sardar, of Priest-Kings, and their will?” said Grendel.
"No,” said Cabot.
"It seems then,” said Grendel, “that I have news to convey to you, which you may welcome."
"Speak,” said Cabot.
"No longer,” said Grendel, “are you outlawed by Priest-Kings. No longer are you to be hunted down by them. No longer need you fear the containers of the Prison Moon."
"How is this?"
"Agamemnon, and his ambitions, it seems, were of some concern in the Sardar,” said Grendel. “Lord Zarendargar made clear to the Sardar your refusal to accept his plans, and your role in his downfall."
"I did nothing by intent for the Sardar,” said Cabot. “I owe it nothing, lest it be the bitterest of enmities."
"I see,” said Grendel.
"In any event, I am pleased,” said Cabot.
"Do not be too soon pleased,” said Grendel.
"I understand,” said Cabot, “the outlawry lifted, that I am free to return to my holding, free to go where I will, and be as I will."
"Let us hope so,” said Grendel.
"I have a slave in Ar,” said Cabot, “whom I am thinking of reclaiming, and collaring."
"Interesting,” said Grendel.
"The Priest-Kings,” said Cabot, “have no more interest in me."
"Perhaps not,” said Grendel.
"Nor Kurii,” said Cabot.
"Let us hope not,” said Grendel.
"I am to be returned to Gor, am I not?” inquired Cabot.
"That is my understanding,” said Grendel. “Somewhere on Gor."
"Somewhere?"
"Yes,” said Grendel.
"In the vicinity of Port Kar, surely,” said Cabot, “in the vicinity of my holding."
"That is not clear,” said Grendel.
"I do not understand,” said Cabot.
"Much is unclear,” said Grendel.
"Am I not free, if the outlawry is lifted, free to return to my holding, free to go where I will, and be as I will?"
"Perhaps,” said Grendel.
"But you are not certain?"
"No."
"In this you see the hand of Priest-Kings?” asked Cabot.
"Perhaps,” said Grendel.
"I hate Priest-Kings!” cried Cabot.
"Perhaps you are no more than a piece on their kaissa board,” said Grendel.
"I move myself!” said Cabot.
"Perhaps,” said Grendel, “that is why they want you on their board."
"We will soon be ready to lift away!” called Peisistratus. “Make haste!"
"Dear Cabot,” said Grendel.
"Speak,” said Cabot.
"There is restlessness in the high councils, suspicions, moves and counter-moves,” said Grendel. “I fear things are afoot."
"Are you not privy to their deliberations?"
"No longer,” said Grendel, “as I have chosen to accompany the Lady Bina to Gor."
"What are you suggesting?” asked Cabot.
"Others may not yet be done with you."
"I do not understand,” said Cabot.
"You are suspect."
"How so?"
"It is feared you may yet be upon the kaissa board of Priest-Kings."
"No!” said Cabot.
"What if it be their will?” said Grendel.
"I repudiate their will!” said Cabot.
"It might be dangerous to do so,” said Grendel. “Are they not world masters, the gods of Gor?"
"If their laws are respected,” said Cabot, “they dabble little in the doings of human beings."
"Or Kurii,” said Grendel.
"Yes,” said Cabot, “or Kurii."
"So it seems,” said Grendel.
"There is no board,” said Cabot.
"I think,” said Grendel, “there may be such a board, but that, unbeknownst to Priest-Kings, two sit at that board."
"I do not understand,” said Cabot.
"Do you think that my people, the Kurii,” asked Grendel, “are merely the messengers of Priest-Kings?"
"No,” said Cabot.
"Might they not, too, see uses for you?"
"No,” said Cabot, angrily.
"Might the game, perhaps one of dozens, not prove interesting?"
"There is no such game,” said Cabot.
"Perhaps,” said Grendel, “it is even a new game, or a changed game, pieces subtly removed, or even swept, from a surface, a different board, even, a game not even of Priest-Kings, but, now, rather, one of Kurii."
"There is no game,” said Cabot.
"But perhaps you are right,” said Grendel. “Perhaps the Priest-Kings have no further interest in you, nor Kurii, and that you will be returned to your holding, freed from the obligations of worlds."
"Certainly,” said Cabot.
"But the rumored coordinates,” said Grendel, “suggest not Port Kar, but a location farther north, a remote beach, far from civilization, in t
he vicinity of the northern forests."
"Perhaps that Ramar may be freed, in a suitable venue?"
"Perhaps,” said Grendel.
"But you do not believe that?"
"No,” said Grendel.
"But why?” asked Cabot. “To what end, for what purpose?"
"I do not know,” said Grendel.
"And who then might know?” asked Cabot, angrily.
"Perhaps Priest-Kings,” said Grendel.
"Or Kurii,” said Cabot.
"Yes,” said Grendel, “or Kurii."
"Games may be afoot,” said Cabot.
"Perhaps,” said Grendel. “Do you really object?"
"No,” said Cabot.
"I thought not,” said Grendel.
"I see, beyond the port,” said Peisistratus, joining them, “Cestiphon, Statius, Archon, Lord Arcesilaus, many noble humans and high Kurii. They have come to see us off. Several of the humans will take another ship to Gor. Lift your hands to them, and board."
And so hands were lifted, and then Cabot, and Grendel, preceding Peisistratus, entered the lock, which was then closed, behind them, and, in moments, they were within the ship.
"The capsules, below, are empty,” said Cabot.
"After our departure from Gor,” said Peisistratus, “we will make planetfall on Earth. We will stay there as briefly as possible, for little longer than it takes to fill the capsules, as my men do not care to spend much time there, given its various pollutions and poisons."
"With what are the capsules to be filled?” asked Grendel.
"With female slaves, of course,” said Peisistratus. “They have received something of a reprieve, it seems, given the sealing of the ports here, and the war, but that is over now."
"They suspect nothing?” said Grendel.
"Nothing,” said Peisistratus. “They do not yet know they are Gorean slaves."
"We are prepared to cast off?” said Cabot.
"Yes,” said Peisistratus, “momentarily. Have you chained your slave?"
"Yes,” said Cabot.
"I did not show you, in our small tour,” said Peisistratus, “as I saw no point in alerting your slave, but there are small chambers on the ship, furred and suitably equipped, where slaves may be ingeniously fastened for the pleasure of men."
"Excellent,” said Cabot.
"Now,” said Peisistratus, “I must to the bridge."
Shortly thereafter, scarcely noticeably, the ship left the dock, and took its course for the unspoiled, green, fertile world of Gor.
Epilogue
This tale is now finished.
I have entitled the tale, Kur of Gor. That seems to me an acceptable title. It is a tale of several individuals, and several events. It deals with a war, and honor, and friendship. Two individuals figure particularly in the story, one a human, interestingly, and one a Kur, or partly a Kur.
One is a member of an inferior species, or, perhaps more kindly put, a lesser species, the human, and the other is, when all is said and done, a monster, yet one who well served the world.
It is interesting that the shape of the world should have been to some extent a function of two such unlikely agents.
But the subtleties of the Nameless One are difficult to predict, and even to discern.
In any event I have tried, on the whole, to tell this story not only with some objectivity, but also with some sympathy, despite its unlikely protagonists.
I think we can learn something of the mysterious nature of the world in mysterious ways.
And so, are not both, despite the species in one case, and the genetic deformity in the other, in their way, worthy of being considered, say, in courage and honor, however surprisingly, Kur of Gor, and so the title of the tale.
FB2 document info
Document ID: 970d5b89-4e49-45bd-b6ba-a7914bad6b8b
Document version: 1
Document creation date: 2.5.2011
Created using: calibre 0.7.57, FictionBook Editor Release 2.6 software
Document authors :
John Norman
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