Ranh

by Ian J Miller

  The referee almost looked as if he was going to disallow the goal and award a foul against Kazyn, but then the crowd also sensed this, and the cheering turned into a sequence of blood-curdling offerings of what would happen if he did. It was one thing to let go rough play: some felt the rougher the better. In principle they came to see tailball, but some came hoping to see blood. What no Ranhyn would permit was, once blood was on the menu, for the referee to forbid the required retribution. Even the supporters of the opposition team made it very clear to the referee: you've allowed raking so you will allow retribution. If our side cannot deal with this upstart, they deserve a good plucking.

  The game resumed, and three opponents gathered around Kazyn to deal with him, once the ball approached. However, the home team won the ball and poured through the sparse defences on the far side of the field and scored. The home crowd cheered, while the visiting crowd poured insults on their side: white-feathered gutless scavengers from unacknowledged eggs was one of the mildest.

  Two of his escort moved back to take their positions at halfway, but the third lost his temper and leaped at Kazyn. The crowd roared.

  One further consequence of his visit to Earth was that Kazyn had been fascinated by the various martial arts. The Ranhynn arms were relatively weak, and in fighting were usually used only for grasping, especially when raking. Kazyn had been fascinated to see how Terrans fought with their hands, and as a consequence he had spent much time doing various exercises, including strange forms of push-ups and pull-ups to strengthen his arms. When he had started, the exercises had been excruciating, but when he left Earth he could lift items he had never thought he could manage, even on Ranh.

  Accordingly, now when the leg came out, Kazyn chopped across with the side of his hand, striking a thin part of the leg. His opponent came down, then failed to get up. His leg was seemingly broken. There was a stunned silence, then an immense cheer came from the crowd. The opposition needed their last substitution. The referee almost looked as if he was going to send Kazyn off, but the reaction of the crowd had him terrified, and when Kazyn got back to his position, he decided to restart play.

  There was an immediate difference in play. Where before his side had been intimidated, now they bristled confidence. More to the point, the opposition seemed to be terrified of Kazyn, and Kazyn had far more space than he deserved. He had four almost unopposed runs down the side of the field, and he delivered four reasonable centering passes. On the fourth, one of his side finally made a good strike, and the winning goal was scored. At this point the referee decided enough was enough, blew the final whistle two minutes early, and fled the pitch. To many cheers, the home team left the field.

  Kazyn was about to enter the changing room, when he was tapped on the shoulder. Would he be available for an interview? Would he! This was a dream come true, and he could barely control his enthusiasm as he followed towards the studio. When there, he was placed in front of the cameras, and to his delight two females began preening his feathers that showed from underneath his team uniform.

  "That was quite a turn-around," the interviewer started.

  "They had the first half," Kazyn shrugged. "We had the second half."

  "Your team had quite a turnaround after you came on."

  "The scoreboard would indicate that," Kazyn agreed politely.

  "Your opponents say that you're a hatcheter?"

  "They started the rough stuff," Kazyn smiled, baring plenty of teeth. "If they dish it up, they've got to be prepared to take it back." This, he knew, would go down well with the audience.

  "Yes, but they say at your age, if you were really any good, you should be in a professional league?"

  "They bleat like sheep!" Kazyn growled.

  There was a stunned silence, then the interviewer said, "That sounds a little like an insult, but what's a bleat and what's a sheep?"

  "It's why they've never seen me before," Kazyn pointed out. "I have been to Earth, and on Earth there are medium sized animals covered with a fine white thing called wool. These animals are very docile, and they sit around bleating. They're a basic source of food," he added, "and they're reasonably tasty, once you get through the wool." He paused, then added as an additional piece of information, "They are, of course, mammals."

  There was a gasp from the interviewer, a stunned silence from two of his erstwhile opponents, then suddenly a third one leaped up and yelled, "Are you calling us sheep?"

  "Of course not," Kazyn said quietly. "I said, like sheep."

  "You deserve a good raking, you little . . ."

  "Is that a formal challenge?" the interviewer asked. He stared at the three opponents.

  "I'll take great pleasure in raking that squawking little rodent," the largest one sneered."

  "Yeah! He's goin' to get . . ." Words failed this particular sporting hero.

  The two then turned on the third. "Well?"

  "Three to one seems unnecessary . . ."

  "You're scared to be with us? Too scared to support your injured team mates?"

  "I'm not at all scared, but . . ."

  "Then you're with us, helping your team, unless of course you're going to be a lily-livered traitor, and you know what we'll do to you then!"

  Kazyn noted that this third opponent seemed almost as if he was considering it, but eventually he shrugged, and agreed to be with his team.

  "Well, what do you say?" the interviewer turned to Kazyn.

  "I guess three on one is their idea of fun," Kazyn said. "Still, since they've made the challenge, that permits me to set rules, does it not?"

  "Oh yes," the interviewer noted. "What do you want? Presumably you wish a period of rest in between?"

  "I want short wooden poles," Kazyn said calmly. "Each Ranhyn will carry a pole two meters long."

  "Why poles?" the interviewer asked.

  "It's different," Kazyn smiled. "It's a form of sport on Earth, but like some of our martial art sports, it evolved from their primitive forms of war." He paused, and addressed the audience. "They evolved these through not having tails," he smiled, then added as an explanation, "It's true. They don't have tails. Don't ask why, because I don't know, but they don't. Most other Earth creatures do, although to be fair the tails of most mammals are fairly useless for anything other than flicking flies."

  "Could you tell us about these poles!" the interviewer interrupted.

  "Sorry," Kazyn smiled the smile of someone who was not in the least sorry. "I just had to establish my student credentials," he added. "Yes, humans developed swords as a main means of fighting, which as we all know, did not really develop on Ranh. Swords are short but sharp lengths of steel, they were wielded through the arms, and worked by cutting into the enemy."

  Kazyn was quite aware he would now have everybody's attention. This program would be recorded, and viewed later by everybody who missed it the first time, and looked at again many times. A different form of warfare was always of interest.

  In primitive times, the Ranhynn had not developed swords as primary weapons, because it involved close fighting. There had been a brief period where close formations had been used, but these were bloody and unpredictable affairs, and unlike the Roman legion, warfare evolved rapidly through this stage.

  The primary fighting method had been twofold. The arms usually held a shield tied to one, and a spear. There were two sorts of spears: a long spear, not unlike that used by the Greek hoplite, and a shorter one. However, drawing inspiration from what the ankylosaurus had evolved to, sharp cutting devices were attached to the end of an armoured tail. The close formation would advance and use the spears, and try to come closer. When they did, once the holders of the long spears were too close to use them, they dropped down on their hands and lashed across their heads with their armoured tails. The enemy had two choices: they could lift their shields, but if they did this the others with the short spears had unprotected bodies. If they defended against spears, the knives on the tails would remove their heads.

 
; This method worked very well until the opposition tried the same thing. Now there were three things to do, but if there were three different troopers the various functions were spread too thinly. What tended to happen was simple bloody chaos. All sides also had archers, and as a consequence of the success that had, more effort was put into developing projectile weapons, which lead to a greater emphasis on open file fighting, which, until gunpowder was invented, led to more use of spear and tail. The sword was effectively never used, except possibly for a long knife that was held in the belt and used for disposing of wounded, or as a weapon of last resort.

  "But wood would not cut?" the interviewer frowned.

  "Exactly!" Kazyn said. "On the other hand, continual blows can be painful, and as they will find out, sufficient blows on the arms tend to paralyse the arms, in which case the fighter simply has to give up."

  "But . . ." the interviewer frowned. This was a totally alien way of dealing with a problem, and it was unclear how many viewers would understand what was going on.

  "Once one cannot continue," Kazyn explained, "the loser should submit, or be beaten until unconscious. The winner then plucks the loser to his satisfaction."

  "So it ends with a plucking?" the interviewer's eyes lit up. There was nothing like a plucking to get the ratings up.

  "Oh yes. That is the point of it all."

  "And when do you wish this to happen?"

  "As soon as it can be organized," Kazyn said calmly, "unless my opponents wish to withdraw and submit now?"

  "Night or day?"

  "Whatever feeds the ratings," Kazyn said. There were two points here. The greater the ratings, the more exposure, but equally, the greater the prize money, for the winner of such a challenge took a specified per centage of the charges, the per centage increasing as the ratings rose.

  "Then we shall do it just before prime time approximately one hundred hours after the equipment is properly specified," the interviewer announced, then he turned to the other three and added, "unless you wish to withdraw now?"

  There was no withdrawal. There could be no withdrawal after the issuing of a challenge, assuming the challenger wished to be seen again in Ranhynn society.

  Chapter 7

  "There's a message from Kazyn," Katya said.

  "He's arranged for us to come down?" Natasha asked.

  "No."

  "No?" a puzzled Natasha asked. One of the problems with artificial intelligence that she had yet to come to grips with was when one was asked a specific question that could be answered with a yes or no, that was the given answer. "Perhaps you could elaborate?" she prodded.

  "He is inviting you to watch a television program."

  'On?' she mentally prodded

  'A live fight,' Katya returned the mental message. 'He will be a starring participant.'

  'I suppose this will be traditional Ranhynn sport,' Natasha mused.

  'Actually, no. It will be some hodgepodge of kendo, fencing, and goodness knows what that Kazyn acquired on Earth. However, it is his response to what is effectively a Ranhynn tradition somewhat akin to a duel.'

  'You mean someone's going to get killed?' Natasha gave a horrified response.

  'No, that should not happen. Perhaps it's closer to the Terran tradition of, step outside and settle this like a man, although I'm not sure that that's particularly illuminating. The important point is that this will be broadcast over the planet.'

  'How many will watch?' Natasha frowned.

  'Unknown. There are hundreds of alternative channels, but this will have considerable novelty, if not skill, and there will be public humiliation.'

  'If Kazyn loses?'

  'That is the problem,' Katya explained. 'If he loses, I am afraid that will be the end of any influence you can expect from him. In fact, you are better off in some ways never to see him again, however if you do that and others learn of your acceptance of him as an honorary nestling, then you will also be treated as a total outcast. One of the worst things you can do on Ranh is turn your back on a nestling, but the second worst thing is to be associated with a humiliated nestling.'

  'Then I suppose he had better win,' Natasha nodded.

  * * *

  The contest was to be held in a square, each side about a third larger than a boxing ring on Earth. The boundaries were delineated by large painted lines on the ground, and by laser lights above the ground, and this area was centred in the main tailball stadium. Ten meters behind one end was a circular holding zone, where the defeated of one side would by honour be required to crouch and await their fate. The lights for the stadium had been on for almost three-quarters of an hour, and there was a general sense of expectation. Tickets had sold well, and by now the seats around the stadium were filled, and there was a background roar of talking, for none of the Ranhynn had any clear idea of what to expect. A record number of programs had been sold, for these alone offered a suggestion as to the rules, and how this contest was likely to evolve.

  There was a hush, as the contestants now began to walk towards the square from opposite directions. The rules were fairly rudimentary. Following Ranhynn traditions, Kazyn would face his opponents one at a time. They would fight within the square until there was a concession, or somebody was adjudged to be unconscious or otherwise incapable of continuing. At that point the loser would go, or be taken if that was impossible, to the holding zone where he would await his fate. At the point of concession, or the ruling by the referee that forced a concession, the next contestant could enter the ring. There was to be no period of rest. The contest could only take place within the square, and if any contestant crossed the boundary, the consequent interruption of the laser beam would break a circuit and trigger an alarm. The deliberate leaving of the square was equivalent to a concession, however the inadvertent interruption of a laser beam while in battle would require the contestant to fully re-enter the square within five seconds. One could not strike an opponent while the alarm was on.

  The opponents stood at opposite sides of the square, and a large selection of poles was brought onto the field on a cart. Kazyn's first opponent had first choice, and he effectively took the first pole that he lifted out. The cart was then brought to Kazyn, and he was permitted to choose one pole. He took several out, and swished them through the air, then finally he selected one of the lighter ones that seemed to have good elastic properties. The cart then went back to the opposition, where the second opponent selected one, again without very much thought. Since each side was permitted an equal number of poles, Kazyn was permitted a second choice, and this time after some more general swishing he chose the heaviest, better balanced pole. The third opponent then made his choice, and Kazyn noted that he took some time and trouble in making his choice. This opponent, Kazyn noted, may have taken this more seriously. Kazyn then made his last selection, and placed his poles in a tub provided for this purpose.

  The speakers then gave the traditional speech before the contest began, reminding all present that such duels came from the most ancient of times, and how such duels were contests to demonstrate honour. Each side was now given the opportunity to apologise and walk away from the contest. Neither did, nor could they and retain honour.

  Kazyn selected his light pole, and walked into the square. The expected polite applause broke out. This applause, however, quickly ceased, as the audience seemed a little confused. With a terrifying roar, his first opponent, rather than entering the square in the customary manner, leaped in and charged towards him, his pole held behind his shoulder. The tactic seemed to be to reach Kazyn and to smash his way through by sheer brute force. Kazyn stood is ground, until at the last moment he leaped sideways and watched the pole flash harmlessly past beside him. He quickly leaped forward, giving his opponent a good thwack across his right arm, then, as his opponent reeled backwards in surprise, he managed to get in three further good strikes, each in the same place, before his opponent could control his pole and offer a defence.

  A huge round of applause burs
t out. The audience were clearly unsure of what to expect, but at least there were clear signs of promise.

  Kazyn circled around the opponent and noticed that his right arm was not moving at all well. He lunged forward, as if going for the arm, but at the last moment swung down, and whacked the right leg just above the ankle. There was a yelp of pain, and once again Kazyn got in three strikes before a blocking stroke was possible. His opponent realized that he could not defend with any degree of competence, so he made an attacking move, but again Kazyn dodged the stroke, and made an obvious strike towards the leg. His opponent saw this, and made a rudimentary attempt at defence by lowering his pole to defend. However Kazyn now pulled the stroke back, and again thumped the arm twice, then brought his pole around to strike the opponent's pole as it was being raised. The numbness of the right arm made it impossible to move properly, or to hold properly, and the pole went flying across the boundary.

  "Concede!" Kazyn ordered, "and save yourself any number of broken bones."

  His opponent looked at the distant pole. There was no possibility of recovering it without voluntarily leaving the area, and that was an immediate concession of defeat, while if he stayed, Kazyn could hit him as many times as he wished. He bowed his head and conceded, then limped away, head bowed, to the holding zone. His only hope was that one of his friends could save him. Meanwhile, as a round of applause broke out, one of the referees bounded across the square and recovered the pole. Kazyn stepped back towards his drum and selected his strongest pole.

  The second opponent now entered the square, and made the more customary salutations towards the crowd. Kazyn stepped back, and permitted this. Finally his opponent charged forward, pole behind his back ready to strike. Kazyn sensed that the tactic was to assume that he, Kazyn, would try to evade again by stepping sideways, hence he would delay the strike. Instead, Kazyn lunged forward at the last moment, bringing his pole up as a defence, and using the hand end to thrust a blow onto the base of the jaw. In the event the opponent never struck, and the jaw blow landed nicely, sending his opponent reeling. With his opponent obviously slightly disoriented, most would have expected Kazyn to close, but it seemed he did not. Instead he retreated as far as he could, then began a charge. His opponent, still dizzy, vaguely tried to adopt a defensive position. Kazyn, however, thrust his pole into the ground, and vaulted high into the air, coming down with his back to his opponent and bringing his tail down in a fearful lash to the side and back of the neck just below the head. As his opponent's pole went flying and his opponent fell to the ground, the crowd roared most enthusiastically. There was nothing alien about a tail blow to the back of the head: that was pure Ranhynn, but it was also one of the most difficult blows to deliver in any normal form of fighting.