Bunduki (Bunduki Series Book One)

by J. T. Edson

  Once Charole had the blond giant safely delivered to her pavilion, she had left him in Talgum’s charge while she made her preparations for trying to win him over. Bathing in the sleeping portion of her pavilion, she had rejoined the men clad in a very daring, diaphanous white gown. The way in which it had clung to the magnificent contours of her gorgeous body had shown that it and the high heeled pumps which had replaced her sandals were her sole garments.

  Over a meal, with a scowling and obviously jealous Talgum as the other guest, the Protectress had tried to learn .what had brought Bunduki to the Mun-Gatah country. On being questioned about other members of his nation, he had been careful not to reveal his true purpose. Charole had tried to find out if he was searching for Dawn, but his replies had left her convinced that he was not.

  Dismissing the banar-gatah rider at the end of the meal, the Protectress had produced Bunduki’s Smithsonian bowie knife. Like Dryaka was doing with Dawn, she had tried to elicit information regarding the means by which such exceptional weapons had been procured. Unconsciously, Bunduki had adopted a similar line to Dawn when explaining why he could not give details about their ‘Suppliers’. He had also left his questioner with a profound impression of the strength, sagacity and numbers of the “Apes’’ nation.

  Having decided that such efficient and capable warriors would make very useful allies, and believing that her captive was a very important leader of the ‘Apes’, Charole had been even more determined to gain his support. She had used all her wiles and the full sensual attraction of her voluptuous body to achieve her ends. Applying the same kind of love-making techniques to which Bunduki was accustomed, she had been much more successful than Joar-Fane at learning his potential in that line.

  Accepting that he might be able to use the woman of a means of attaining freedom for Dawn and himself, Bunduki had yielded to her seduction. The male Counters had always been noted for their lusty and prodigious prowess as makers of love and he had inherited the quality in full measure. So, even though his wrists were held by the hobbles, he had contrived to satisfy Charole’s passions in a way that no other man had come close to doing;

  Unfortunately, there had been an interruption before the blond giant could persuade the panting and submissive Charole to remove his bonds on the grounds that he would be able to do even better. Entering and apparently taking no notice of the sight of her mistress sprawling all but naked on the floor alongside the prisoner, one of the serving women had said that Talgum was outside and wished to speak with the Protectress. At first, Charole had been on the point of telling her maid to say she must wait. However, on learning that he was accompanied by the woman who was spying on Dryaka, the Protectress had changed her mind.

  By the time Talgum had been granted permission to enter, in addition to replacing the blond giant’s loincloth, Charole had dressed herself and tidied up her appearance. For all that, it had been clear the banar-gatah rider was aware of what had passed between them and disapproved of it.

  ‘What do you think you’re doing?’ Talgum demanded suspiciously, reaching for his sword as Bunduki knelt up and bent his torso towards the table.

  Apparently ignoring the question, but keeping his eye on the warrior, the blond giant held his hands out on the side furthest from the great bowie knife. Keeping them there, he leaned closer to the small pile of gritty black powder and sniffed at it. Despite the heavy aroma of Charole’s perfume, a familiar smell came to his nostrils.

  Taking her eyes from Bunduki at the evidence of his good intentions, Charole gave a sharp and prohibitive shake of her head to Talgum. In the course of her successful seduction, she had talked of her desire to form an alliance with the blond giant and he had appeared to be fully favorable to it. She did not want anything to happen that might antagonize him against her and cause him to change his mind. So she kept her eyes on the warrior until, showing his annoyance, he thrust the half drawn sword back into its sheath.

  ‘What are you doing, Bunduki?’ Charole inquired, returning her gaze to the blond giant after having enforced her will on her supporter. ‘Do you know what it is?

  ‘I’m not sure,’ Bunduki answered, keeping his voice flat and emotionless. He hardly dared hope that his nose was not playing a trick upon him. Taking an even closer sniff, he felt a tingle of excitement as once again the odor of saltpeter mixed with sulphur and charcoal reached his olfactory organ. Still employing an even, almost disinterested tone, he straightened up and went on, ‘But I think I might.’

  ‘What is it?’ the Protectress asked, hardly able to conceal her eagerness.

  ‘I can’t be certain,’ the blond giant admitted. ‘Can I touch it without your man cutting my hand off?’

  ‘You can,’ Charole authorized, throwing another glare at Talgum.

  Having been granted permission, Bunduki raised his hands. He wet the tip of his right forefinger and touched it lightly on the heap of powder. Tasting the grains which had adhered to it, he knew that he was correct. Seething with excitement, he made a wry face and spat. Then he rubbed his tongue vigorously on the back of his left hand.

  ‘What is it?’ Charole repeated and even Talgum looked impressed by the vehemence of the blond giant’s reaction.

  ‘I think it could be a deadly poison that the witch doctors of my people use,’ Bunduki answered and could see that his audience understood his meaning. ‘There’s one way to make certain. Put a lamp on the table.’

  ‘Why?’ Talgum challenged, but Charole was already going to obey.

  ‘What do you want it for, Bunduki?’ the Protectress inquired, having taken down a lamp and set it on the table.

  ‘To test the powder,’ the blond giant replied and reached for the bag.

  ‘Here!’ Talgum growled, stepping forward. ‘I’ll do it.’

  ‘Go ahead,’ Bunduki sneered, knowing that such an attitude would probably bring about the result he required. ‘If you know what to do.’

  ‘Tell me and I’ll do it,’ the warrior suggested, snatching up the bag as the big blond had expected he would.

  ‘Tip the powder over the flame,’ Bunduki instructed and, when Talgum hesitated, went on in a mocking voice, ‘Let me do it, if you’re afraid.’

  Giving an angry snort, the warrior up-ended the bag and a stream of black powder flooded from its mouth to fall towards the naked flame of the lamp.

  Chapter Sixteen – Aaaah—Eeee—Aaaah—Eee—Aaagh!

  Long before the birth of Christ, philosophers in Cathay—as China was then known—had learned that most spectacular and entertaining results could be produced from a mixture comprised of 41.2% saltpeter and 29.4% each of charcoal and sulphur. xli

  Although Zongaffa had never heard of Cathay, China, its philosophers, or Roger Bacon, q.v., he had in some way contrived to duplicate their discovery. However, like them, the aged Mun-Gatah herbalist had failed to appreciate the full potential of the resultant powder.

  Having identified the ‘black dust’ for what it was, Bunduki had been fully aware of its properties. Guessing that the other occupants of the pavilion tent were less well informed, he had paved the way for turning his superior knowledge to his and, he hoped, his adoptive cousin s advantage.

  In addition to stepping away and allowing Talgum to start pouring the black powder from the cloth bag, the blond giant turned with his back to the table and closed his eyes. Being aware that breathing the atmosphere was going to be unpleasant in a short time, he also filled his lungs with air. So as to be ready if his plan should succeed, he pressed his elbows against his ribs and bent his forearms parallel to the well-padded floor of the pavilion.

  Already suspicious of Bunduki’s motives, Talgum noticed how he was acting. Suddenly, the banar-gatah rider sensed that he might be falling into a trap. Perhaps what he was doing could be very dangerous.

  The realization came just a split-second too late!

  Even as Talgum tried to stop the flow of powder, the first of the trickling grains reached the burning wick of the la
mp. In the light of what happened, he could consider himself fortunate that the bag he was holding was not made of something stronger than cloth.

  Bringing dry gunpowder into contact with a naked flame causes one of two results. If the grains are confined in a container which is capable of putting up resistance against the tremendous volume of gasses created by their ignition, there is an explosion. When the powder is weakly enclosed, or unconfined, the effects are less violent—but equally spectacular.

  A spurt of fire leapt upwards from the lamp!

  With a ‘whoosh!’ sound, the bag erupted into flames and a billowing, rapidly increasing cloud of white gas!

  Instantly, all was pandemonium inside the pavilion!

  Engulfed by the full volume of the inferno, Talgum reeled backwards, his tunic alight. Almost choked by the swirling fumes, he could not scream despite the agony that he was suffering. Coughing in his attempts to do so, he twirled around. Going in the direction of the main entrance, he collapsed to roll over and over in the frenzy of his torment. His burning garments caused the silk-like padded covering on the floor to ignite. Once started, the flames spread across the inflammable material and reached, then began to consume, the front wall.

  Being confident that she had won Bunduki over, Cha-role had not suspected that he was trying to trick her. However, seeing him turning his back, she sensed that the experiment could prove dangerous. So, without attempting to stop the warrior, she had started to back away. She was just far enough from the banar-gatah rider to avoid being caught in the blaze when the bag ignited. Startled by the effect, she let out a shriek which ended in a burst of coughing as the gasses created by the burning powder reached her. Throwing herself involuntarily to the rear, she tripped over a cushion and toppled backwards.

  Without needing to turn, as he heard the sound of the detonation and felt the rush of heat strike his back, the blond giant put the rest of his scheme into operation. Bracing himself for the effort, he jerked his wrists apart! Such was the power exerted by his mighty muscles that the swivel link of the hobbles snapped as if it had been made of thin thread instead of metal.

  Attracted by the commotion, Charole’s maid and Tal-gum’s companion dashed in from the kitchen portion of the pavilion. Letting out a screech of terror at what she saw, the woman rapidly retreated. Being made of sterner stuff, the man started to draw his sword and run towards Bunduki. Despite his courage, he was startled and not a little alarmed at the ease with which the blond giant broke free from the hobbles’ confinement.

  Having liberated his wrists, Bunduki sprang to the table. He saw the warrior approaching as his right hand closed on the hilt of the Smithsonian bowie knife. Scooping up the lamp with his left hand, he flung it at the man. Then, grasping the knife, he bounded over the table to the rear wall.

  Glancing to his right, the blond giant saw the warrior deflect the lamp by knocking it aside with his left hand. It crashed to the floor by the rear wall and shattered. Gushing out, the fuel burst into flames and started a second blaze.

  Swinging his right arm up and around in a forward circle, Bunduki sank the blade of his knife into the wall with a chopping motion. He could hear shouts of alarm being raised from various points, warning him that the disturbance and fire were attracting attention. By thrusting his left leg outwards and bending his right knee, he crouched and drew the knife downwards. Its edge sliced through the material without any difficulty.

  However, even as the blond giant was cutting his way out, Talgum’s companion was rushing closer and raising the sword ready to strike. Outside, the guards at each end of the pavilion saw what was happening. Grasping their lances, although they were on foot, they converged upon the opening that Bunduki’s knife was making.

  ~*~

  Watching Dryaka rushing across the pavilion tent and into his sleeping accommodation, Dawn Drummond-Clayton wondered what he had meant by his cryptic reference to the ‘Thunder Powder’. She could tell that he attributed a considerable amount of importance to it, whatever it might be. So much so that he had not noticed that he had dropped the Randall Model 1 fighting knife almost at her feet. What was more, his behavior was causing the other occupant of the main portion to ignore her. The man who had brought the news was staring after the High Priest with his mouth hanging open was clearly oblivious of everything else.

  Dawn was alert for any chance that might arise for her to escape. As yet, however, she could not see how she might turn Dryaka’s perturbation to any great advantage. At best, it offered her the opportunity to arm herself. Reaching forward, keeping the spy and the flap through which the High Priest had passed under observation, she closed her hands around the hilt of the knife. It was her intention to hide the weapon under the cushion upon which she was sitting. If she was lucky, it would not be missed until the time came for her to make use of it.

  Seeing Dryaka returning, Dawn knew she would not be able to carry out her plan before he saw her. So she turned the knife, hiding its hilt with her hands and, pushing aside the hobbles’ connecting link, concealed the blade with her forearms. Studying the cold anger on his face, she decided he was so concerned by whatever he had discovered that he might not notice her weapon was missing.

  ‘While Zongaffa had not seen any practical application for the Thunder Powder’, Dryaka had sensed that it might be put to military use. The problem had been to find a way of utilizing it. Having sworn the old man to secrecy and prevented anybody else, even the Council of Elders, from learning of the experiments, Dryaka had been seeking some means of controlling the explosive qualities of the powder. He had been asked to return the previous day because the herbalist had believed they were approaching a break-through. For various reasons they had not been able to put the idea to the test so far. Their attempts to do so that afternoon had been frustrated, which had been the cause of his annoyance when he arrived in the pavilion that evening.

  Due to his belief that the Thunder Powder’ would give him sufficient power to overthrow the Council of Elders and let him assume sole control of the Mun-Gatah nation, Dryaka wanted to keep all knowledge of its purpose and qualities to himself. Finding that one small bag was missing was cause for alarm and anger.

  ‘Who took it?’ the High Priest snarled, glaring at the spy.

  ‘I—I d—don’t—kn—know,’ the man quavered, showing his fright at having to deliver a negative reply. Talgum and—’

  At that moment, there was a dull ‘whoosh!’ from somewhere beyond the front wall of the pavilion. An angry exclamation burst from the High Priest as he swung to stare in the direction from which the sound had originated.

  For a moment, Dawn wondered if her ears were playing tricks on her. As a child, she had helped Bunduki experiment with the effects of igniting a pile of gunpowder. The noise it had made was almost identical to that which she had just heard. Then, as shouts rang out from different parts of the camp, she realized what the Thunder Powder’ must be.

  Letting out a bellow of rage, Dryaka charged to and threw open the front entrance. As he was going out, Dawn saw the red glow of a fire growing rapidly bigger from the opposite pavilion. She knew that it was the one occupied by Charole.

  Bunduki’s captor!

  Following his master’s example, the spy dashed out of the pavilion without giving Dawn a single thought. Coming to her feet, she changed the knife around so that its blade would be available for use. While she was doing so her eyes darted around. She guessed that Bunduki had contrived to set off the gunpowder as a distraction to help him escape. Judging from the commotion outside, he was having considerable success and she wanted to find some way of adding to the confusion.

  Dawn’s gaze went to the peak of the pavilion where a chandelier-like cluster of lamps was hanging. The cord by which it could be raised or lowered slanted down and was tied to one of the supports of the partition from the kitchen section.

  Even as Dawn started towards the lower end of the cord, the serving women came from the kitchen one behind the other
. Seeing the girl was not only standing, but was holding the knife, the leading woman stopped and opened her mouth to scream for help. Darting forward, Dawn bounded into the air to perform a drop-kick. Caught in the bosom by the girl’s feet, agony numbed the woman’s mind and chopped off her words before they could be spoken. What was more, the impact flung her backwards to collide with and knock over her companion.

  Rebounding from delivering the attack, Dawn landed on her feet. Two strides took her to the cord. Grasping the knife’s hilt in both hands, she cut through the strands. Down plunged the chandelier. On striking the floor, the four lamps burst and flames began to lick hungrily around.

  Satisfied with what she had done, the girl ran to the rear wall. Plunging in the knife, she slit open a gash long enough to form an exit. A glance through it told her that the sentries who had been at the rear were no longer there. Deciding that they must have gone to investigate the cause of the other disturbance, she stepped outside. Before she had taken more than half a dozen strides, she heard a yell from behind and to the left. A quick look that way warned her that at least one of them had heard the chandelier fall and was returning. There was a second yell, from the other side.

  Without bothering to look, Dawn started to run through the darkness and the two sentries took up the pursuit.

  ~*~

  With the approaching warrior’s sword lashing around at him, Bunduki dropped to the floor. Taken by surprise and missing his mark, the man’s impetus carried him onwards. He tripped over the blond giant’s legs and plunged headlong through the gap in the wall.

  Seeing the warrior half in and half out of the tent, the guards did not wait to make an identification. Raising their lances as he sprawled face down, they drove the weapons to impale him before either realized he was making a mistake.

  Leaping to his feet, Bunduki looked around him. The two fires were raging with unabated fury. However, Charole was already sitting up. Satisfied that she would be able to escape, he sprang through the gap. His appearance took the guards by surprise. Their weapons were still embedded in the warrior’s body.