"Belinka, please—" But Kerin soon realized that he was talking to air. He sighed, pulled on his jacket, and left the cabin for his language lesson.
VIII
The Ship Tukara Mora
When Tsemben had finished drilling Kerin in the honorifics of Kuromonian, the priest said: "Master Kerin, the food at the common table leaves somewhat to be desired: ever salt pork and rice. To be sure, the officers enjoy a more delicate diet, and the captain has his personal cook."
"Then how do we passengers manage?"
"We bring our own dainties aboard. Take care that you fetch nought that will soon rot."
"Thankee," said Kerin. He looked towards the quay, on which stood a pair of guards from the Temple of Bautong, tossing dice on the cobblestones and glancing towards the Tukara Mora. Kerin was sure they would set upon him the instant he stepped ashore.
Not having Belinka to run errands for him, Kerin went to the rail and crooked a finger at a dockside loafer. The man was persuaded to come aboard and, for pay, to take a message from Kerin to Klung, to get him a basket of nonperishable foods.
The sun was low when Wejo appeared with a basket, with which Kerin started for Nogiri's cabin. Passing him on deck, Purser Zummo said:
"Ah, this person sees that you are taking precautions. May I look in the basket, to make sure there be no contraband within?"
Kerin uncovered the basket, disclosing a myriad unfamiliar edibles: little cakes, pots of sugary preserves, and so on.
Zummo gave a low whistle. "You must have a gigantic appetite, Master Kerin, for one so lean."
"How so?"
"We shall reach Koteiki in nine or ten days. Meseems you have enough here for a month."
"Oh? This is for Princess Nogiri as well as me."
"So? Perhaps you know not that she will mess with the officers' wives, in consideration of her rank. Her fare, I do assure you, will be adequate."
"Thank you; but then where shall I eat?"
"At the common table with the merchants. I grant there is a contradiction here, since normally a husband outranks his wife, even a royal wife; but the regulations of the Merchant Marine are precise. And speaking of rank, it were unseemly for a Kuromonian gentleman to bear his own burdens. As a barbarian you would not know that; but I would help you to learn decent Kuromonian manners. So permit me to summon a sailor to carry your basket." He spoke to a boatswain's mate, who in turn sent a deckhand off to find a sailor not otherwise occupied.
Kerin, beginning to miss the informality of the little Dragonet, asked: "Where should I eat if I were of royal rank?"
"Albeit a foreign devil, you would rank with the junior officers. Otherwise you are but a middle-class foreigner."
"My mother claims I'm a tenth or eleventh cousin of King Fridwal of Kortoli."
Zummo chuckled. "Alas, not close enough. Far enough back, we should doubtless find we are all related, being sprung from the first human pair, whom Jinterasa made from the Five Elements: earth, wood, metal, fire, and water. But harmonious intercourse requires established rules."
At dinner, the merchants ignored Kerin until he tackled his bowl of rice with chopsticks. Trying to eat it a grain at a time, Kerin observed a curiously strained expression on his neighbors at the long table. This puzzled him until he realized that they were trying to keep from laughing.
"Go ahead and laugh," said Kerin genially. "In my land laughter is thought good for the digestion."
The merchants broke down in a spasm of giggles. One said: "Watch me, honorable barbarian!" He picked up the little bowl, held it against his chin, and shoveled in the rice with the chopsticks held close together but not quite touching. After some fumbling, Kerin managed a fair imitation. The merchant who had spoken said:
"This person is happy to see a foreigner learning civilized manners."
The next few days passed peacefully, save for the threatening mien of the temple guards on the quay. Kerin went about his routine. He practiced Kuromonian with Tsemben, did swordplay exercises, exchanged amenities with the officers, watched the stevedores manhandle cargo down the after hatch, and retired to Nogiri's cabin to make love. After an early one of these encounters he said:
"Darling, did I do better this time?"
"Aye, my lord. In fact I, too, enjoyed it—something I never thought I should."
Kerin was finishing his dinner at the merchants' table when a sailor touched him and beckoned. He followed the man up to the weather deck, where Second Mate Togaru said:
"Master Kerin, the wizard Pwana seeks words."
Pwana stood on the quay, while four marines lined up at the rail with fauchards ready. Kerin called across the gap: "Well, sir?"
Pwana said: "I give you one last chance. Either send the wench ashore—ah, here she comes!—send her ashore, or I will send to fetch her a demon from the Fifth Plane. You could not stand against such a being."
"Meanst one of those red things with bat's wings?"
"Ay, indeed."
"The kind that can't appear in daylight, because sunlight sickens them?"
"That is the reason I have waited until sunset. Nay, forget your sword. Their flesh is so tough you could not even scratch it."
Kerin had partly drawn his blade. Now he said to Nogiri, who had come to stand beside him: "Dear, go back to your cabin and lock yourself in, quickly! Argue not!" He turned her about by her shoulders and gave her a little push; then to Pwana: "Very well, Doctor, bring on your spook!"
Kerin felt less brave than he sounded. While he had no wish to lose his life, he could not supinely let a demon carry off his bride without a fight.
"Then have at you, rash boy!" screeched Pwana. "After her, Uqful!"
Overhead came the sound of beating wings; their wind stirred Kerin's hair. Looking up, he saw the Fifth Plane demon against the darkling sky, dimly lit by lanterns hung about the ship. As it descended, Kerin saw a being of roughly human size and shape, supported by huge batlike wings. It was covered with a scarlet skin, which showed no external organs of sex and exhibited taloned extremities like the feet of birds of prey.
The four marines, too, looked up. With a simultaneous screech, they dropped their fauchards and ran for the forward hatch.
As it circled closer, the demon glided towards the forward hatch, down which Nogiri and the marines had Kone. Kerin snatched up a fauchard and ran to the hatch. He arrived just ahead of the demon. Gripping the polearm, he thrust the curved blade at the creature's body. The point thumped home but failed to penetrate; it was like thrusting at a leathern cuirass with a blunted weapon.
"Ouch!" snarled the demon. "That hurt! Stand aside fellow, and let me do my duty!"
"I'm doing mine," growled Kerin. When the demon tried to dodge around him, he thrust again, hitting it in the throat.
"Gah!" roared the demon. "I told you not to do that! Know that I am the mighty Uqful, who could tear you limb from limb! I will, too, an ye force me to."
"You'll have to catch me first," said Kerin, lodging another spear thrust in Uqful's belly and bringing a squall of pain. The demon tried to seize the shaft of the fauchard; but since its reactions were slower than those of an alert human being, Kerin was able to jerk his weapon back out of reach.
The demon made several more tries, but Kerin blocked each one. Ashore, Pwana screamed orders and advice. At last the wizard said: "Dematerialize, stupid, and return to this plane in the woman's cabin!"
"Oh?" said the demon. "Now why thought I not of that?"
Uqful stepped back, turned itself around, spun faster and faster until it became a blur, and vanished with a rush of air. While Kerin pondered what to do next, he heard a muffled scream from down the hatch. Soon Uqful appeared at the base of the ladder with Nogiri, shouting and beating the demon with her fists, in its arms.
"By the heavenly bureaucrats!" said Purser Zummo, appearing beside Kerin with a sword. "You lead an eventful life, Master Kerin! What betides?"
"That is Pwana's pet demon, sent to rape away my bride," s
aid Kerin. "If you'll close the after hatch, we shall have it trapped on the cabin deck!"
"But what needs the ship with an imprisoned demon—"
"Just go and close the hatch!" shouted Kerin, waving his fauchard, "unless you want to lose paying passengers! And fetch that ship's sorcerer I hear about!"
"I trust you know what you do," the purser grumbled; but he went away to carry out Kerin's demand. At the after hatch he shouted at the sailors whose heads peeked over the coaming to watch the drama. Two sailors climbed out on deck, replaced the hatch cover, and battened it down. Then Zummo disappeared into the sterncastle, from the doors and windows of which the officers likewise watched.
As the demon started to climb the ladder, Kerin aimed his fauchard down the hatch. The demon hoisted Nogiri above its head as a shield, with the result that the girl squirmed out of its grip and almost fell. Uqful caught her arm with a sound of ripping cloth.
Ashore, Pwana screamed: "Let no harm befall the maid! I need her intact!"
Still holding the girl, the demon struggled up the ladder again. Kerin sent a thrust into the being's open mouth. He pushed hard as if to force the blade down into the demon's viscera. The demon freed a clawed hand long enough to grasp the shaft and thrust it back up. Then it had to release the shaft to fend off Nogiri's clawing at its eyes. Uqful made spitting and gargling sounds.
"Curse you!" it mumbled at last. "Ye have done me evil scathe! Master Kerin, wilt please stand aside and let me carry out my mission? Ye do but struggle against the inevitable."
"We shall see about that," said Kerin. "Let the princess go, and I'll let you up on deck."
The demon wheedled: "But my dear sir, I cannot! It were against my master's command!"
"That's your hard luck. If need be, I'll keep you there all night. When the sun comes up—well, you know what happens."
"An ye let me not up, I will tear your wench limb from limb!"
"But you can't do that, either. Pwana ordered you to deliver her unharmed."
"Ye are a hard, cruel mortal! It is always thus with you Prime Planers, snatching us from our native planes and forcing us to serve without pay. Ye compel us to commit deeds we should never dream of on our own planes." It may have been a trick of the light, but Kerin was sure he saw a couple of tears roll down the being's cheeks.
"Blame me not," said Kerin. "I never commanded you to snatch my mate. Now just release the princess and go your way, and we'll say no more about it."
"But I cannot—" Taking advantage of Kerin's momentary inattention, the demon made a sudden scramble up the ladder. But Kerin aimed his fauchard at the creature's hairless skull and brought the weapon down with all his strength. He felt the point bite into the tough, resilient flesh. Uqful tumbled back down the ladder with ichor, black in the murky light against its scarlet skin, leaking from a small scalp wound.
"The curse of the green slime upon you!" it shouted. "That is the second time ye have wounded me! I will be revenged!"
Kerin forebore to answer. The standoff continued, with the demon alternately cursing, threatening, and wheedling. Officers and men of the ship's crew gathered cautiously around Kerin, staring awestruck and murmuring words of advice or encouragement. Purser Zummo reported that Kushingu, the ship's sorcerer, had gone ashore, none knew whither, and in any case would not be available for help against Uqful until his return.
Kerin yawned; the time was well past midnight, and still Uqful crouched on the ladder with one taloned arm around Nogiri, awaiting a chance to spring up.
"Look me in the eye, mortal," gargled Uqful, swaying its head from side to side. "Ye grow sleepy—sleepysleepy. . . . Soon ye shall be unable to keep your eyes open. . . . Sleep—sleep—sleep. . . ."
Kerin found himself beginning to doze off. He awoke with a jerk of his head. "Stop that!"
"Sleep—sleep—sleep—Cease your struggle and let sweet sleep claim you. Sleep—sleep. . . ."
"What betides here?" said Balimpawang Klung's familiar voice. "I see; ye have trapped one of Pwana's servitors.''
"I can't hold it forever," said Kerin, "but if I let it out, it will carry Nogiri off to the Temple of Bautong. The ship's sorcerer is absent and cannot help. Can you magic the demon back to its own plane?"
"Nay, Master Kerin. Only its master, the accursed Pwana, can do that."
"I blocked its way when it first tried to go down this ladder. So it dematerialized and reassembled itself in Nogiri's cabin. Why can't it carry her out the same way?"
"Because, whilst it can pass through walls in its astral form, it cannot dematerialize your princess to bear her along."
"I've heard they fear sunlight."
"Fifth Plane demons have what we in the profession call an allergy," replied Klung.
"So if I can stay awake and keep it there till dawn, I can strike a deal, to let it go without Nogiri ere the sun rise. But—"
"I have just the thing for you," said Klung, producing a flask from his robe. "Drink this."
Kerin cautiously put the flask to his mouth and tipped it. A lukewarm, slightly bitter fluid issued from the flask. "What's this, a magical potion?"
"Nay; a drink called qahwa. It is a kind of soup made from the berries of a bush that grows in Macrobia, far to the south; and it banishes sleep for a while. I take this flask to meetings of my guild, which oft wax tedious when members argue over rules of admission, dues, and changes in the by-laws."
"How didst happen to come here?"
"I fetched him," came the tiny buzz of Belinka's voice as the little blue light swooped around Kerin. "Seeing you in peril, I flew to his house; but he was off presiding at his magicians' meeting. As soon as he returned, I apprised him of your plight. Whilst I no longer deem myself in your service, I could not let you be destroyed. And now farewell forever!"
"Thankee. Where's Pwana now?"
"Being older than we," said Klung, "the scoundrel needs his sleep. He had departed when I arrived."
"My brother Jorian tells me a professor at the University of Othomae claims Fifth Plane demons do not exist. He says no being of that size and weight could fly, because muscle of beasts is not strong enough to flap the wings of the needed size with adequate vigor. Yet I saw Master Uqful fly to the ship."
"Your professor should be here to cope with Master Uqful," said Klung. "Beings on the Fifth Plane are made of tougher stuff, as ye discovered, than we, and their thews embody more power for their size than ours."
Kerin yawned. "May I have another swallow? I wax sleepy even with it."
For hours, Kerin remained at his post, with Klung sitting cross-legged on the deck nearby. They kept each other awake by telling tales; Kerin repeated some of the stories with which he had regaled Malgo's pirates. He said:
"Doctor, I never imagined that a combat like this would become tedious. Such contests are not supposed to become boring."
"How should they go?"
"I ought to be fighting for my life with a sword against Pwana's henchmen, whilst you cast a mighty spell to make Uqful vanish with a clap of thunder."
Klung laughed. "My boy, deeds of derring-do oft entail much boresome watching and waiting." He looked up. "An I mistake not, I see the first flush of false dawn, or zodiacal light as the astrologers call it. That means true dawn will not long delay." He called down the hatch opening: "Oh, Master Uqful! The false dawn glows in the east. Hadst not better get you hence whilst ye can?"
The demon growled something unintelligible about treacherous Prime Planers. Then came a sharp sound, a kind of floomp from below. Nogiri called up:
"My lord! Kerin! It's gone!"
"Eh? What happened?"
"After Doctor Klung spake to it, it set me down, spun around faster and faster, and vanished. I took some scratches from its claws."
"Darling!" said Kerin. "Wait till I get down—"
"Nay; first I most urgently need to get to the cabin alone."
"Come to think, I have a like need," said Kerin; then to Klung: "Methinks none will now
mind if we use the rail."
All next day, Kerin watched the shore and waited apprehensively for another attack. When nothing had happened by midafternoon, he sent Belinka, who still hung around despite her last farewell, ashore to ask Klung what was up. An hour later she returned, with an elfin giggle as her blue light danced about. She said:
"Doctor Pwana would have assailed you and your barbarian bride by other means, save that today he presents to the Sophi a wizard from Mulvan who, he saith, can infallibly stiffen the royal member for its multiple duties. Rumor hath it that His Majesty hath offered not only to wed one of Pwana's daughters but even to make her his Number One wife. This were an opportunity wherefor even the vindictive Pwana will forgo his revenge. Besides, if the Mulvanian's spell doth work, he will no longer need your barbarian to sacrifice. And now farewell forever!''
"Just a word, Belinka. This is the third time you've said good-bye forever, but on the other occasions you came back."
"The first time was to save you from Uqful; the second, when I realized I had forgotten the dress you bought me. Couldst leave it out in your cabin, pray?"
"Better than that." Kerin dug the scrap of cloth out of his wallet. "I've been meaning to ask Sendu to give it to you. But what should I think of this farewell?"
"This time I truly mean it, Master Kerin. I have decided to tarry in Salimor to store up strength for the long flight back to Kortoli. Besides, my dear Sendu and I have much in common. So when your ship sails, 'twill sail without me. Try not to fall overboard again!"
The little blue light zipped away. Somewhat reassured, Kerin still shot suspicious glances shoreward when he was trying to concentrate, under Tsemben's tutelage, on the Kuromonian verbal auxiliaries. As the sun declined, the balimpawang appeared, saying:
"How goeth it, my boy?"
Kerin told of the message from Belinka. Klung said: "Now I must be off. Tomorrow brings me a wealthy client, so I may not be able to bid you a final farewell. Take no needless chances, and forget not our contract!"
The Honorable Barbarian Page 16