The Golden Age of Science Fiction Novels Vol 04

by Anthology

  "Be of good heart," he whispered into Naia's ear. "You see I did not forget, O maid of gold."

  His reward was a quiet smile and a deep glance out of her eyes. Then she was gone, a monk seeming, with Maia at her side. Croft felt sure of their escape. Priests were no unusual sight about the palaces of the Tamarizian states.

  He waited with the frowning Lakkon until some five minutes had passed. Then, opening the door, he strode forth and turned down toward the palace doors. Beside him, Lakkon stalked in silence. "Talk to me—seem to converse for the sake of your daughter at least."

  Lakkon complied. In seemingly friendly converse they progressed. They reached the portals giving on the entrance court and passed the guards the more easily, perhaps, since none there as yet suspected what Kyphallos really planned, and so were not on guard against any act of the father of Cathur's queen-to-be, or some Aphurian friend of his.

  They left the court, overtook the women, led them to the carriage and drove swiftly to Croft's ship. There he paid and dismissed the drive and took his passengers aboard. Only when his sailors cast off the moorings did comment arise at his acts. Then a harbor guard appeared and questioned the proceeding. And by then Croft was once more a priest, while Maia had resumed her natural part. And the priest explained he must return to Himyra quickly. The guard saluted and withdrew with the monk's commendation of his attention to duty. The ship left the quay. It passed the harbor gates and floated free. Croft heaved a sigh of relief.

  "On the fifth day you and your daughter would have journeyed to Anthra," he turned to Lakkon to say. "Midway you would have been met by Bzad of Mazzer and your vessel rammed. Death for yourself and dishonor for your child would have swiftly followed. Lakkon of Aphur, I told you I would prove my words true, and I will. We shall meet this galley of the Mazzerian's midway to Anthra on the fifth day."

  Lakkon beat the planks of the deck with his foot. "Jasor of Nodhur, you are a bold man. You seem to have faith in your words. Yet should you fail to prove them, I think I shall have your head."

  "Then take mine with it, Father," Naia who had approached unseen by either man burst forth. "Once before has Jasor saved our lives. You are hard to persuade, if you call him not son in the end."

  "Ah—fall it so!" Lakkon turned upon her. "To your quarters, girl. Is it seemly for her who values honor so highly to offer herself to a man?"

  "To the one man, yes," she retorted, turning to go below. "Between him and her is no question of honor, nor of aught save love. To that man she belongs, nor will yield to any other while Zitu gives her breath."

  "Azil, Giver of Life, and Ga, the Virgin!" Lakkon swore.

  "Peace!" Croft's hand fell on his arm. "Hold, Lakkon. Let me prove my words true."

  And now Croft carried out the change he had made in his plans. All the succeeding day he sailed in circles, drawing nearer and nearer to Anthra, rather than to Zitra. He lay to at night, keeping no more than headway on the ship.

  Just what Kyphallos might think when he found his affianced princess flown he did not know, but he smiled more than once as he fancied a pretty to-do in Scira, and a somewhat confused rage in the young reprobate's mind. His hostage to Bzad was gone. As yet there was no war. He might hardly send word to Aphur that their princess and Lakkon were gone he knew not where.

  Indeed, as Croft saw it, Kyphallos would put off the explanation so long as he might, hoping to find some trace of the Aphurians themselves and thereby obviate any necessity of explaining anything at all. Probably, though, failing to find his escaped guests the first day, he would go in person to meet, Bzad. That must be foreseen. Hence it were best for Croft to be ready with his arms. He got them out and saw them loaded—and since he had chosen a war galley for his trip north, he had men aboard he had already trained in their use. He distributed the weapons to a selected number and was ready for what might occur.

  Lakkon saw the rifles in the hands of the men and questioned concerning it at once. Croft, nothing loath, explained the entire situation as he viewed it. "You have asked proof, and proof I intend to give you, Prince Lakkon," he declared.

  Lakkon's face grew grave. "Indeed, I think you believe all you say, my lord," he replied. "What do you intend?"

  "To meet Bzad close to Aphur," Croft explained. "To hang forth the standard of Cathur. To lure him close, and give you proof of what I have said from the man's own mouth."

  For so he had planned and was bent on carrying out. The morning of the fifth day found him therefore close to Anthra—yet not too close.

  Before its shores were more than a faint blur on the horizon, the lookout reported a galley heading west.

  Croft called Lakkon and bade him stand beside him on the deck. He directed the standard of Cathur hung from the stern and ordered the speed of the engines increased. The galley surged toward the meeting at top speed. And the other galley came on.

  "She will sail very close," said Croft.

  Lakkon frowned.

  "At the last I am supposed to give a wrong order," Croft said. "My helmsman knows his duty. We shall crush her near bank of oars."

  The two ships drew nearer still. Croft fancied Bzad would be surprised at their speed, but—Cathur's standard rippled in the breeze. He would think everything well.

  Closer and closer. Croft raised his hand. Two sailors sprang to the rail in the waist. They carried grappling hooks attached to ropes. Closer still—

  Croft dropped his hand. The bow of his galley veered.

  Crash! The near bank of oars snapped like straws. The vessels ground together. The men in the waist cast their hooks and lashed all fast.

  Bzad appeared on the afterdeck. His face was dark, yet he seemed not yet to comprehend the full bearing of what had occurred. Lakkon was in sight of the Cathurian galley, and Lakkon he knew was to be aboard. Kyphallos was not visible, but another man in armor was by Lakkon's side.

  Bzad lifted his voice. "What means this?" he cried.

  "There has been a change of plan," Croft returned.

  "A change of plan!" the Mazzerian repeated. "Yes, a change of plan indeed, it would seem, when you crash into my side and destroy my oars, instead of crossing my bows as 'twas arranged. Still, small matter. I have others. Where is the maid?"

  "Below. Do you wish her still?"

  "Do I wish her? Was she not promised me for myself as a part of the price?"

  Again, Croft lifted an arm. Men appeared with rifles in their hands. "Then if so be you wish her, come and take her from a ship of Aphur, Bzad."

  And now the Mazzerian understood at last. He started back and raised his voice. "Aboard them—strike, slay! We are betrayed. Let none life save the maid of yellow hair!"

  His men were no cowards. They rallied to his cry. Seizing weapons, they hurled themselves toward the close-lashed rails.

  "Fire," said Croft as an arrow whistled between himself and Lakkon.

  His mean responded with a will. This was the first trial of the new weapon in actual war. They fired and loaded and fired again. On board Bzad's vessel men fell. They slumped to the deck or toppled back from the rail which they had reached.

  Bzad appeared among them. He was beside himself with rage. He sprang on the rail. A sailor fired point-blank in his face and missed him. He reached the deck and charged with drawn sword toward Lakkon and Croft.

  With a strange tingle running through his entire body, Croft drew his own sword and set himself before Aphur's prince. And then, before they could come together, Bzad staggered and fell. The sailor had not missed his second shot.

  Bzad struggled for a moment. He forced himself halfway up and sank back. His limbs twitched oddly for a moment, and he died.

  Beyond him, the deck of his own craft was a shambles. Men lay on Croft's deck as well, some of them his, more of the Bzad's, of whom no more than six survived out of a possible score. Of Croft's none had been killed at the whole affair had taken no more than five minutes from beginning to end.

  Croft's voice boomed forth. "Overboard wi
th the dead. Bind the remaining men and taken them with us. Board the galley and sink it."

  Then as his men sprang laughingly to do his bidding, he turned to where Lakkon stood by the body of Bzad. "Will you go below and reassure your daughter, Prince Lakkon?"

  "Come—we will go together."

  The two men went below. They entered the quarters where Naia sought to look from a tiny port.

  "Come, my child," said Aphur's prince, and, as she advanced slowly toward himself and Croft, stretched out his hand for hers.

  "Behold your lord," he went on and laid her hand in Croft's. "To him shall you be given by Magur himself, when this thing is ended. In the meantime, shall you lie with the Virgins at Zitra, even as he has decreed."

  Naia flushed. She lowered her eyes, and suddenly throwing all reticence aside, she lifted her arms and laid them about Croft's neck and raised her lips to his.

  "Ah!" exclaimed Lakkon. "Naught can keep you from her now with honor, Jasor of Nodhur—my son."

  "Nothing shall keep me from her save death," Croft told him.

  And lying against him, Naia turned her head. "My father—you have called him son," she reminded. "Recall that I said you should."

  "I ask no better privilege, my son and daughter," Lakkon yielded with a smile. "Zitu knows I liked not the other arrangement. He knows this pleases me well."

  The captain tapped on the door. He reported the Mazzerian's galley sinking, and the decks as cleared.

  Two minutes later, Croft's vessel was headed for Zitra south by east. Behind was an empty sea.

  Chapter XVI

  War! War between Zollaria and Tamarizia! War planned for fifty years and now set into motion! It had come as Croft had predicted, as Jadgor of Aphur had feared. As though determined to be avenged, the bullet-pierced body of Bzad had washed ashore, and been discovered. No other pretext was needed by the Empire to the north.

  All other plans they threw by the board. Bzad of Mazzer—a guest of their nation had been slain on the Central Sea. They made demands for redress, and they asked Cathur as the price of what had just occurred.

  Tamhys of Zitra with a pained, almost puzzled expression in his aged eyes, heard the demands of the envoys and answered them finally not as a man of peace but as a patriot.

  The Na was alive with motor-driven vessels, gathering at Himyra, filling its yellow flood with a ready fleet. Aboard them marched men or rolled armored motors. Into them were loaded those things Croft had fashioned against this time, rifles and ammunition and grenades.

  Ladhra and Himyra swarmed with marching men. Milidhur's two armored cars were rushing overland to join her assembling forces. Robur in his glory was loading his expedition for the relief of Bithur, where Mazzer was to strike.

  Naia of Aphur was with the Vestals of Zitra, where Croft had left her a month before. He had taken her to Zud, and explained what he desired. Zud had listened and given assent. Their parting had been brief since Croft knew he must hasten back to Himyra and begin the final preparations for what was soon to come.

  He plunged into the task with the full co-operation of Jadgor, Lakkon, and Robur. A swift boat was sent to Zitra to wait any news at that point. Word was sent to Milidhur and Ladhra to mobilize their forces and be ready to move on the word. At Himyra activities of every nature were pushed.

  Of those plans Croft kept track, leaving his body at times in the night and hovering over Cathur and the northern nation. He knew when the envoys left for Zitra to demand Cathur, of Tamhys, as the price of peace. He witnessed the massing of her army along Cathur's north frontier. He saw Kyphallos at the head of the hastily gathered levies of Cathur, men untrained, poorly equipped—to be led to the slaughter in a sham of resistance, before Kyphallos did his part and surrendered to what would seem overwhelming forces.

  Then came the swift boat from Zitra, reporting Tamhys's answer and the return of the envoys north. Tamhys had refused. Croft laughed into Jadgor's eyes. Tamhys had asked—asked that Aphur and Nodhur and Milidhur use their full power and their new weapons to make Tamarizia strong.

  "Think you he would have been so bold had he not known of them?" Jadgor growled, with a teeth-baring grin. "Nay, by Zitu! 'Twas because he knew these things were in our hands, and Tamarizia in our hearts he refused.

  "Go!" he cried to the messenger who had but returned. "Say to Tamhys that we stand ready—that we say at once—that ere Zollaria's men shall return with his word, we shall be nearing the northern coast! How say you, Jasor, my lord?"

  "Even as Jadgor has said, O King."

  That night, all Himyra flared with fire. That night the sound of marching feet, the rumble of motors filled the Red City's streets. The firelight struck on the motors' metal bodies, glinted on the slanting barrels of the rifles carried by Aphur's sons. A swift car had flown to Ladhra carrying the word. In Ladhra, too, the night was filled with embarkation of the forces which were to join with Aphur in the north.

  At break of day, Croft, Jadgor, and Lakkon sailed. That afternoon Ladhra's first contingent arrived. Then Robur sent part on the heels of the former fleet, and took part in his own party, to Bithur's aid. Belzor himself led the section which hurried after Croft. He reported the motor transports as already whirling the bulk of the troops for Milidhur's aid toward the east.

  In three days Croft made landfall on the coast of Mazhur not far from Niera and coasted toward the town, after landing a party under Lakkon some miles above it with instructions to advance down the coast, and entrench themselves on the landward side of the city, at once. He appeared before the city with his fleet about midmorning and demanded its surrender once.

  His answer was defiance, of course.

  Croft set to work. His own galley ran close in toward the gates of the harbor. The enemy manned the walls. They began a rain of arrows and spears and the casting down of fireballs, hoping to set the galley on fire.

  Croft had expected this. He had prepared some metal shields which could be used to cover the decks against arrows and spears from above. They were impregnable save for some square-cut holes. Through these he began a bombardment of the gates themselves with grenades. Heavy as they were, they had not been built to resist the assault of powder. Inside twenty minutes, while the air filled with shouts and missiles of the defenders, one was blown from its hinges and fell with a mighty splash. The other followed shortly after. Croft's galley sailed in, followed by that of Jadgor and several others of the fleet.

  And now he had the defenders of the walls in the rear. His galley paused. The others followed suit. Their decks swarmed with men who knelt and opened fire from the rifles Croft had made. A smell of powder filled the air. Smoke clouds floated in the air. The shouts of the defenders changed to cries of alarm as they found themselves stricken by this new and unknown force. Other galleys forced passage and speeding beyond the engaged vessels opened a galling fire along the waterfront. Under cover of this landing, parties were flung ashore. They marched into the town, engaging the Zollarian guards wherever found, yet always at an advantage of weapons and range. In an hour it was done.

  The Zollarian commander surrendered. Croft shut his men in their barracks and posted a guard. Bulletins printed in advance, promising freedom from harm to all noncombatants who kept their houses and caused no trouble, were affixed at the houses at the corners of the streets. The remainder of the fleet entered the harbor and debarked their men and the armored motors. Inside two hours more Croft marched out of the landward gate and joined Lakkon and his men where they had labored on their trenches. That night Jadgor's tent stood in the midst of an armed camp on Mazhurian soil.

  The next day the men of Lahra arrived. Croft left them to garrison Niera until a later body from the interior parts of Aphur should arrive, then follow on. In fact he left orders that as each new contingent appeared they should take over Niera, releasing the garrison they found to advance through the state in support of his main force. Himself he broke camp and moved inland along the splendid roads which Tamarizia had bu
ilt generations unnumbered before, when Mazhur was one of her states.

  For Palos, the sight was odd as the well-drilled ranks moved ahead in steady cadence, with here and there a huge ungainly battle motor rumbling along, its monster body filled with men. Here and there in some minor town some slight resistance was met. The motors took care of that. Rolling irresistibly forward into a slithering flight of arrows and spears, they spat fire at the defenders until they fell or fled.

  On and on crept the column with scarcely a pause save for rest or food. Luckily there were few streams, for the Zollarians seemed to understand dimly by what they were attacked. They destroyed what bridges lay in the line of their retreat. Some of them had to be repaired, thereby losing time. Thus, as he advanced, Croft found the countryside cleared and sensed that the retreating forces were trusting to the main body, when they reached it, to check his victorious course.

  He had some swift motors in which he himself and Jadgor and Lakkon rode. Taking one of these, he sent it far ahead to feel out the road. In it he placed a picked squad of his very best marksmen and ordered them to return at all costs should they contact the enemy in force.

  But the enemy in force was attacking the frontier of Cathur, as planned.

  Thus days passed and the Tamarizian army had actually reached the northern bounds of Mazhur itself before any news of the main enemy body was received. Then the scout motor came back and reported heavy forces hurrying to intercept their present line of march.

  Croft ordered a halt and took stock of the situation. Before him was a defile in the hills, through which ran the road to reach a farther plain. And that was enough. He ordered an advance. Deploying his army right and left, he set them to digging trenches along the hillside so as to enfilade the plain from both sides of the central pass. In these he posted the riflemen and one of his trained grenade corps every fifty feet.

  Across the road he built a barricade, some way back of the frontline trench. High on each side of the pass he posted other riflemen behind shelters of stone in such a position that they could fire into the road or cast down grenades. In front of the barricade itself he parked his battle-motors, unseen from the plain, but ready to emerge upon it when the time should come.