by Lee Falk
"If he is a thief, let him be hung and have done with it," said the tall Llionto, high chief of Llongo. And the others muttered agreement. It seemed a simple matter.
"No, a fair trial. You must hear the facts. As you know, Lamanda Luaga was legally elected by the people."
There was a pause and a buzz among the chiefs.
Llionto spoke up.
"What exactly is meant by electing?" he said.
"All the people vote for the man they wish as a leader. And he who receives the most votes is then the leader," said the Phantom.
Again, the chiefs buzzed.
"The ways of the city folk are strange," said Llionto.
"A strong man takes power and holds it," said the towering Omgatto, high chief of Oogaan.
"Yes, the question is which of these two is the stronger," said Wambato of Wambesi. The chiefs looked at the two men. Bababu was suddenly filled with hope and grasped the moment.
"Yes!" he shouted.' "They speak the ancient wisdom of the jungle!"
The Phantom turned to Luaga, perplexed.
"These chiefs know little of elections," he said.
"They could not know, being hereditary chiefs or men who have seized power on their own," said Luaga somberly.
Now Bababu, sharp-eyed, and feeling the tide turning in his favor, again shouted to force the issue.
"The chiefs understand power. Power makes right. Is that not so, chiefs of the jungle?"
None answered, watching him steadily, but there was no denial.
"Chiefs, do you accept that?" continued Bababu loudly.
"A strong man takes power and holds it," repeated Amgatto of Oogaan.
"Wait," said the Phantom, but Bababuanterrupted.
"I challenge this Luaga to a combat, barehanded or with any weapons he chooses, here and now. A fight to the death," he finished, hurling the words directly at Luaga.
The chiefs stood stock-still, all eyes turning toward the Phantom.
"Luaga is not on trial," said the Phantom. "He was elected. This is your trial, Bababu."
"You said the chiefs would be my jury. Let them decide!" roared Bababu, now full of confidence.
The chiefs considered for a moment, and buzzed among themselves.
"You asked us to judge this, O Ghost Who Walks," said Wambato of Wambesi.
"I did. But remember Luaga is not on trial."
Wambato turned to Luaga.
"Are we right in thinking that you are Lamanda Luaga of Llongo, who went into the outside world?" he said.
Luaga nodded.
"Yes, he is of Llongo. He is a cousin of my wife's brother's son," said Llionto of Llongo.
"We are simple jungle folk," said Wambato. "The old ways are best. Let them fight."
"Chiefs, I do not like this," said the Phantom.
"Trust us, O Ghost Who Walks," said Wambato of Wambesi.
And all the chiefs murmured in agreement.
The Phantom held up his hand.
"I cannot accept this. Brute force is not the answer. Chiefs, Bababu is a soldier, a long-time street fighter, a brawler, a man who killed many, fair or foul, with his own hands. Lamanda Luaga is a doctor, a man who heals, a man of peace. It is not a fair fight," he said.
Luaga stepped forward.
"Wait," he said. "Let me speak. I accept the challenge."
"No, Luaga," said the Phantom.
"Yes," said Luaga, looking coldly at Bababu. "He has hunted me and my friends for months like rats. He has lied and cheated and tortured ... he has turned Mawitaan into a place of terror. I will decide this matter now, once and rar all, his way."
The Phantom looked at the burly grinning Bababu, then at the slim Luaga.
"That is not the right way, Luaga," he began, but Luaga interrupted.
"I must. My world is still more than half jungle. Word travels fast. I cannot run away from Bababu. I am in the jungle now and must follow the old rules. And besides," he said, "I owe this one plenty."
Bababu spit on the ground and snorted.
"What are your weapons? Knife, spear, rocks, or bare hands?"
"We'll fight in the ancient jungle tradition, bare-handed," said Luaga unbuttoning his shirt.
"In the ancient jungle tradition," said Bababu, mocking his tones. "To the death."
"To the death," said Llionto, high chief of Llongo, and the other chiefs nodded their assent.
The chiefs and the pygmies moved back to make a large open space in front of the skull throne. Then all watched tensely, in silence. Luaga took off his shirt and tossed it to the side. Bababu took off his heavy military jacket loaded with gold braid and medals, the medals jangling as he dropped it on the dais. The Phantom sat on his skull throne and looked at them intently. Luaga was well developed, slim, with the body of an athlete, but at least forty pounds lighter than his opponent. Bababu was massive, powerful, like a bear, a veteran of barroom brawls and street fighting. As he watched, the Phantom could barely conceal his anger at this turn of events. Having called the chiefs, he had to abide by their decision. But the unfairness, the absurdity of forcing Luaga into this uneven match, filled him with a fury he could barely control. But he did control it, his body tense, his fists clenched as he sat there.
Without further words, Bababu began to circle Luaga slowly, moving in a semi-crouch. His big hands were curved like claws. His mouth was open, his lips twisted in a cruel grin as saliva dripped from them. He chuckled and grunted as he moved, like an animal taunting a smaller prey that it was about to devour. Luaga moved slightly, keeping pace as Bababu moved around him. Then with a roar that jolted chiefs and pygmies alike, Bababu leaped at Luaga with outstretched hands. Luaga stepped lightly aside, like a matador avoiding the early rush of the bull. The Phantom watched sharply. Good. Luaga knew how to move. Bababu put on the brakes, and whirled back with a snarl.
"I'll break you in two!" he shouted, leaping again.
This time, Luaga did not step aside. His hard left fist drove into Bababu's big hard belly, catching him by surprise. Before he could react, Luaga's hard right fist crashed on his jaw, then another belly blow, then another smash on the jaw. Bababu fell back a step, momentarily dazed as Luaga now circled him. Good, he can box, thought the Phantom excitedly. But he must stay away from him. If Bababu ever gets his hands on him, a boxer has no chance against a wrestler; not when he's outweighed by forty pounds. As though the sarne ideas were flashing through Bababu's mind, he feinted to the side, then suddenly rushed in, grabbing Luaga by the waist. Luaga pounded him as he came in, but Bababu shook off the blows and held Luaga's slim body in his huge arms.
"Now!" he roared triumphantly, as he began to crush Luaga, "I'll break you in—"
But he didn't finish the sentence. Using leverage, and a quick toss, Luaga threw the heavy man over his shoulder onto the stony ground. Bababu landed with a thud, and moved at once to his knees, panting and glaring.
He knows judo, thought the Phantom. Where did he learn that? Now bruised and breathing hard, but uninjured, Bababu got up in a crouch and once more rushed his opponent. This time, as Luaga danced to one side, he hit Bababu's neck sharply with the edge of his hand. The big man staggered, and for the first time yelled with pain, more from surprise than real injury.
He knows karate as well as judo, thought the Phantom, beginning to feel better about this contest. A master in these arts himself, he could recognize expertise in another. Now Luaga moved in with a fast series of chops and hits to Bababu's neck, arms, wrists. Each chop was like the blow of a dull ax. Then another toss. Bababu crashed to the ground and this time was slower to get up. But Luaga was at him before he could get on his feet. He drove his fist hard into the big face, again and again, then chopped once, twice, three times. Bababu staggered to his feet, trying to shield himself from the cruel blows, but they continued like rapid gunfire, hard fists crashing into jaw and stomach, karate chops on the neck, one side, then the other. By now, Bababu's eyes were closed. Red froth came from his nose and mouth. His big body s
agged. Still he moved toward his opponent, reaching blindly, panting like an exhausted horse. Now, Luaga put all his strength into a hard right fist on Bababu's swollen jaw. Bababu sailed back into the air, his feet leaving the ground, then landed with a crash on the rocky ground. He lay there on his back, his arms and legs moving feebly, like a dying insect, as Luaga leaped upon him. Sitting on his chest, Luaga grasped Bababu's hair with one hand to hold his head to the ground. His other hand gripped Bababu's throat. Bababu's eyes were open now, staring, helpless, the look of the prey before the kill.
There was a moment of silence, broken only by the rasping breathing of Bababu. The chiefs and the pygmies, people of the jungle, were not unused to violence, but the fury of Luaga's attack had amazed all. Then, still holding the helpless Bababu on the ground, Luaga looked at the chiefs. He was out of breath as he spoke, but all noted that he was unmarked by the fight.
"Council of Chiefs," he said. "I abide by your decision. Have I won this fight?"
All chiefs nodded, then looked at Wambato of Wambesi.
"You have won the fight," he said.
"The fight is not ended," said Llionto, high chief of Llongo. "This is a fight to the death. He wanted it that way," he said scornfully, pointing to the fallen Bababu. "And that was our decision. To the death."
Again the chiefs nodded grimly. In the jungle, such fights were not sporting contests. Angry men fought to the death.
"To the death," said the chiefs, not in unison, but unanimously.
Bababu looked about frantically, half-hearing, knowing what was being said, powerless to move. His big eyes rolled, spittle dripped from his battered lips. He was like an ox waiting for the ax. Without moving from Bababu, Luaga spoke.
"He has no more strength; he is beaten. I am a doctor. I save lives. I do not destroy them."
The chiefs considered this for a moment in silence. Mercy was rare in the jungle.
"In your place, he would kill you, Lamanda Luaga," Said Llionto, high chief of Llongo.
"True," said Luaga. "That is one reason he is not fit to rule. I do not wish to kill him, or any man." And he got to his feet and breathed deeply. The chiefs looked at the Phantom.
"We said a fight to the death," said Wambato of Wambesi. "If there is any other decision, you must make it, O Ghost Who Walks."
The Phantom left his throne and walked over to the fallen Bababu.
"Bababu, do you want to continue the fight?"
Bababu groaned and stared, but did not move from the ground. He was unable to.
"He cannot answer. He is beaten fairly and completely. The fight is fished."
"And the decision?" said Llionto, high chief of Llongo.
"Luaga made the decision for himself," said the Phantom as he took the doctor's hand.
"That was wonderful," he said. "You are a doctor, a man of science and learning. Yet you are an expert at boxing, judo, and karate."
The doctor smiled.
"When I left the jungle, I boxed in Europe while I was at school. I was in the Olympics one year, and won the light heavyweight championship. I also studied judo and karate, and gained a black belt in both. That was for exercise while I was at medical school."
The Phantom shook his head in amazement. The watching chiefs smiled. He turned to them.
"Did you know this about him?" he asked.
Llionto and Wambato nodded.
"Of course. Luaga was a champion. We knew that," said Llionto.
"Is that why you agreed to the fight?"
"We told you to trust us, O Ghost Who Walks," said Wambato with a big grin. And all the chiefs laughed.
"Now, what about him?" said Llionto, looking at Bababu still sprawled on the ground.
"Luaga is the new leader. Bababu is his enemy. Let him decide," said the Phantom.
"First, may we eat? I haven't had an appetite like this for a month," said Lamanda Luaga.
The pygmies prepared a great feast for their royal and honored guests. But before sitting down to enjoy his food for the first time in a month, Dr. Lamanda Luaga did something else. While the chiefs watched in astonishment, he carefully examined Bababu who was now stretched out on a straw pallet. Luaga examined for broken bones—there were several small fractures; for concussions—there was a minor one; fojr bruises—a mass of them; for open wounds—a few of which he treated and bandaged. Bababu, now fully conscious, watched this all, first with suspicion, then with amazement. Then, going to the feast with the chiefs, Luaga explained with some embarrassment: "I'll always be a doctor. It's a habit I can't break." The chiefs applauded him as they sat before the feast spread on huge leaves on the ground before the skull throne. Luaga sat next to the Phantom. Food was brought to Bababu. He was left without an armed guard. Devil sat watching him.
After the feast, the Phantom and Luaga went into the skull cave for a private talk. The chiefs waited. What would they do with Bababu? The answer came quickly. The Phantom and Luaga returned to the mouth of the cave, Luaga with a piece of paper, the Phantom with an object attached to a long wire that trailed back into the cave. It was a microphone, attached to the Phantom's radio transmitter inside the cave.
Bababu, who could now walk, if a little unsteadily, was brought to the cave entrance and seated on a stool. The chiefs gathered to listen. The Phantom explained the microphone was an instrument that could carry the human voice through the air to radios in Mawitaan. The chiefs were fascinated. Some of them had seen radios, but had no idea how they worked, an ignorance they shared with most of the civilized world. Then Luaga placed the paper before Bababu who read it, scowled, snarled, and pushed it away. Luaga controlled his temper and looked at the Phantom. The Phantom whistled quickly and Devil trotted to him. The Phantom pointed to Bababu, and Devil walked slowly to him, head lowered, fangs gleaming.
"I'll read it!" shouted Bababu.
The chiefs grinned, and even the Phantom smiled as he handed the microphone to Luaga and re-entered the cave. He went to his radio chamber, deep within the cave, to operate the transmitter. Wires from the transmitter led through the rocky ceiling to a high antenna concealed among the trees on top of the cave. He twirled the dials, then called out to Luaga.
"Ready."
Outside, Luaga spoke into the microphone.
"This is Lamanda Luaga, speaking to you from somewhere in the jungle."
He repeated this three times, as instructed by the Phantom, then continued.
"General Bababu is at my side. We have had a meeting here and made several decisions. The next voice you hear will be General Bababu. Listen carefully, as he has an important announcement to make. General Bababu."
Luaga thrust the paper and the microphone before Bababu, who hesitated and swore an oath. But Luaga had quickly cupped his hand over the microphone to prevent the obscenity from being broadcast. There was a moment of indecision, chiefs and pygmies watching, Bababu glaring, Luaga holding the microphone. Then the Phantom raced from the cave to Bababu's side, and loomed over him like an angry demon.
"You will do this," he said flatly. "Or the decision of the Council of Chiefs will be obeyed, and you will be hung from that tree at once."
The Phantom's tone, sending shivers through all that heard it, left no place for argument. Bababu gulped and nodded and reached for the paper. The Phantom raced back into the cave, and back at the transmitter, called to Luaga. Once more Luaga thrust the microphone before Bababu. And in a halting voice, he began:
"This is General Bababu. I repeat, this is General Bababu. These are my orders. I command all my troops to surrender to the legal authority of President Lamanda Luaga and the congress. I announce an immediate amnesty for all political and military prisoners. I order this to be done at once."
Luaga took the microphone from him. The paper fluttered to the ground and Bababu sagged on his stool.
"This is Lamanda Luaga. You have heard the words of General Bababu. He ordered his troops to surrender to the legal government. He ordered freedom for all political and military
prisoners. He ordered that this is to be done at once. Now, I, Lamanda Luaga, elected President of Bangalla, call the congress to convene at once, without fear, and to take up the business of government. I will arrive in Mawitaan within a few days. This is Lamanda Luaga speaking. I will now end this broadcast. Long live the free nation of Bangalla."
He stood for a moment in meditation, this first president of a new nation so recently freed from colonial domination, dictatorship, and barbarism. Then, as he turned to see the Phantom standing in the cave mouth smiling at him, he smiled in return.
"Shall we eat?" he said excitedly. "I'm starving again."
The chiefs echoed his words and all assembled on the ground before the waiting feast. Bababu remained on his wooden stool. Devil sat watching him.