Sacrifice for the Quagga God (A Bunduki Jungle Adventure Book 3)

by J. T. Edson

  Without waiting to tell Charole of his intentions, he strode across the balcony. Lighting the device’s fuse, he stepped through the door with the intention of tossing it behind him and removing one threat to his safety. The thought that he would also kill the woman who had been his ally never entered his considerations. As he was crossing the threshold, a movement from the left caught the corner of his eye.

  Having prevented the stallion from killing Dawn, given the bull-Mangani’s challenge roar, and seen the Amazons running to help her from the arena, Bunduki swung around. As he turned, his right arm swung upwards. Caught under the jaw by the rock hard knuckles, Woltarn went down as if he had been pole-axed. Having delivered some repayment for the attempted murder of Dawn and Ariadne, the blond giant slung the bow across his shoulders to leave his hands free and returned to the passage. Horrified by what they had seen happen to the sacred beast, neither Zental nor the warrior offered to intervene as the Amazons backed away and went after him. The first of the Mun-Gatah members of the rescue party were leaving Dryaka’s quarters as the trio made for the entrance of the central balcony. As they were approaching it, they saw Dryaka coming with the smoldering ‘Terrifier’ in his hand.

  Like a flash, Bunduki lunged forward. Reaching across, he caught hold of the High Priest’s right wrist with both hands and, exerting all his tremendous strength, pivoted and jerked to his left. Snatched forward with a force too powerful to be withstood, pain and surprise brought a yell from Dryaka. Numbed by the crushing pressure, his fingers opened and the lethal device slipped from them. Before he could attempt any resistance, he found himself turned around and propelled with an equal violence in the direction from which he had come.

  Hearing the High Priest’s howl of agony as she was about to light the fuse of her ‘Terrifier’, Charole began to straighten up and look around. A wail of terror burst from her at the sight of him careering across the balcony. They collided and were knocked over the balustrade. Nor were their troubles at an end.

  Snatching up the device dropped by Dryaka, Bunduki tossed it out of the building and it exploded in the air above them.

  Selected for their loyalty, although not entirely successfully in the case of Woltarn’s spy, Charole’s and Dryaka’s adherents on the outer balconies were coming into the passage when the ‘Terrifier’ went off. So they were unaware of what had happened to their superiors. But they had been given orders regarding the action they must take no matter how the sacrificial ceremony turned out. Seeing the foreigners and other members of their nation, they came to a stop. Then, yelling for them to attack, Mador bounded forward. Splitting into their two contingents, the men from Hera- and Wol-Gatah charged to protect their respective Administrators. Varbia and Gromart were the last to come from the room. Swords in hand, they ran towards the Amazons and Bunduki.

  ‘We’ll take care of Dryaka and Charole!’ the Administrator stated, having emerged too late to see what had happened on the balcony.

  ‘Come on!’ Beryl snapped, as the couple went by and fighting broke out at each end of the passage. ‘Let’s get away and leave them to settle their own affairs.’

  Taking everything into consideration, Bunduki decided that his work in Bon-Gatah was done. The curse of the Thunder Powder’ had been removed with Zongaffa’s death. Nobody else knew how to produce it. Nor would the superstitious Mun-Gatahs be inclined to experiment after the way in which Dryaka’s schemes had come to nothing. Any responsibility the blond giant might have felt towards those of the nation who had helped him ended when he discovered that Dawn and Ariadne had almost been killed by a ‘Terrifier’. While it had happened at Woltarn’s instigation and without the other two Administrators’ knowledge, Bunduki did not doubt that either of them would have done the same if they had had the means and opportunity. So he believed that he was justified in withdrawing and leaving them to solve their own problems. There was certain to be a protracted struggle between the various factions before a new High Priest and Protectress could be selected and the Mun-Gatahs resumed their normal way of life. He planned to make the most of it by teaching the Telonga hunters to be warriors capable of defending their villages from the impositions of the People-Taker.

  Following Beryl and Melissa, Bunduki returned to the secret passage. Closing the door behind them, they descended to the ground floor and found the situation there was under control. Fighting as a team, the Amazons had disposed of the jailer and his helpers at the cost of three of them slightly wounded. Athena was cutting her sister’s bonds and two of the women were picking up the rescued prisoners’ weapons. By the double doors, which had been closed and locked, Thalia had just started to set the Earth girl free.

  Although only one cuff of her shackles had been unbuckled, Dawn could not restrain herself as she saw Bunduki stepping out of the pillar. Running across the room, she threw herself into his arms. Her body was quivering with the violence of her emotions and her legs gave way under her. Lifting her as if she weighed no more than a newly born baby, he carried her to the stairs. By the time they reached the bottom, she had regained something of her composure. Setting her gently on her feet, he turned her towards him. In spite of the signs of strain on her face, she had never looked more beautiful to him than at that moment. Without speaking, he crushed her to him and their lips met in a kiss.

  ‘I hate to act the wet blanket,’ Beryl called. ‘But how about moving along so we can collect our shoes and go home.’

  Giving a wave of concurrence, Bunduki slipped his right arm around Dawn’s waist and they started to walk along the tunnel. Neither of them spoke, but the same thoughts were running through their minds. They had come through a perilous situation and there were almost certain to be further dangers awaiting them in the future, but for the moment they did not care. They were reunited and nothing else counted. No matter what might lay ahead, they were ready and willing to face it together.

  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT WILL BE TOLD IN

  FEARLESS MASTER OF THE JUNGLE

  - COMING SOON!

  Appendix One

  Having learned that a gang of Mau Mau terrorists were planning to attack the farm owned by their friend, Major Roger Gunn, D.S.O., M.M. and Bar, Lord Greystoke, his son, Sir Paul John Clayton, xxxiii adopted son Sir John Drummond-Clayton and his adoptive grandson, Armand John Drummond-Clayton xxxiv had rushed to the rescue. Unfortunately, by the time they had arrived, Major Gunn and his wife had been murdered. Bunduki, then only three years old, had been saved by a loyal servant. With her usual compassion, Lady Jane Greystoke, nee Porter, had adopted the youngster and he was raised as one of the family.

  In addition to his formal education, Bunduki was given instruction in a great many practical subjects. In his hands, the Randall Model 12 ‘Smithsonian’ bowie knife was an even more effective weapon than James Bowie had found the original. xxxv Armand Drummond-Clayton had taught him the techniques employed by British Commandos, American Rangers and European Resistance fighters in World War II, but which had not been known in Bowie’s day. With his custom built Fred Bear Super Kodiak hunting bow and arrows, Bunduki had performed most of the feats attributed to Robin Hood. From Kira-Kangano, the Masai melombuki xxxvi he had learned how to throw a m’kuki—that nation’s traditional spear—and handle a shield, or wield a simi sword. Muviro, chief of the Waziri, xxxvii had taught him to handle a Zulu assegai and knobkerrie as well as the Waziris’ weapons. Education in horsemanship and using a tomahawk had come from a Comanche Indian. In addition, Bunduki was exceptionally capable at boxing, judo, karate and plain, old-fashioned roughhouse brawling. He was equally adept at fencing with a saber or a rapier.

  From his adoptive father, who had been raised by the Mangani xxxviii following the deaths of the sixth Lord Greystoke and his mother xxxix had learned the secrets of Jungle survival and a tremendous amount of details about the ways of wild animals. He had also been taught to follow tracks which were barely discernible to less keen eyes, to move in silence even through thick undergrowth, to locat
e hidden enemies and conceal himself from them when necessary. He had the knowledge of how to hunt for food, plus the great strength and agility to save himself if he should be attacked by, or need to kill, a predator. Bunduki’s great size and enormous strength were hereditary. On his mother’s side, his great-grandfather had been Mark Counter; xl a Texan who in the mid-1800s had gained legendary status as a cowhand, peace officer and all round fighting man. xli Paternally, he was descended from an illegitimate son of Sir Henry Curtis, xlii who had accompanied the great hunter, Allan Quartermain on two epic journeys of exploration in Africa.

  Appendix Two

  Dwelling on the open plains of the planet Zillikian, the Mun-Gatah nation was so dependent upon its domesticated zebras—which bore about the same resemblance to the wild animals as, on Earth, an Arabian Thoroughbred, American Saddle bred or English Hunter does to the tarpan, Equus Caballus Gmelini, or the Przewalski’s horse, E. C Przewalskii, that are believed to have been the progenitors of the domesticated breeds of E. C. Caballus—that its entire culture was based upon the different sub-species of Equus Quagga. Roughly translated, the nation’s name means the ‘Riders of the Striped Animals’.

  The lowest social order ride the grar-gatah> which has the black and white stripes, forming a gridiron pattern on the hind quarters, in the manner of the Grant’s zebra, E. Q. Grantii. People of the next higher grade use the ocha-gatah, with the orange, or cream, and black coloration of a Burchell’s E. Q. Burchellii. The aristocracy have the banar-gatah, which resembles the Grevy’s, E. Q. Grevyi, by being larger than the other two and in having numerous narrow black stripes, but no transverse bars on the rump. A further sub-division among the classes comes from whether one rides a stallion, gelding, or mare.

  Because of its importance in their religious beliefs, only the six-man Council of Elders, the High Priest, the Protectress of the Quagga God, the People-Taker, the six District Administrators and their wives are allowed to ride the rarest of the sub-species, the quagga, E. Q. Quagga.xliii Brownish in color, with dark stripes only on the head, neck and front part of the body, the quagga’s name is onomatopoeia, being derived from its snort of alarm.

  Appendix Three

  By birth and upbringing, even more than Bunduki, q.v., Dawn Drummond-Clayton was ideally suited to the primitive life and environment of the planet Zillikian. Although she was not directly descended from Lord Greystoke, xliv her paternal grandparents, Sir John, q.v., and Lady Meriem Drummond-Clayton had acquired and passed on to her a knowledge of jungle survival second only to his. xlv While living among the Mangani, Sir John had earned the name ‘Korak’ which means ‘Killer’ in their simple word-sound language. xlvi What was more, as the exploits of Sir John’s elder brother, Captain Hugh ‘Bulldog’ Drummond also proved, xlvii she sprang from a stock noted for its love of adventure and great courage in the face of personal danger. That had certainly been true of her parents. Armand John, q.v., and Hazel Drummond-Clayton had served as espionage agents in German-occupied Europe through much of World War II, doing useful work and living constantly under the threat of a very slow and painful death if they should have been captured.

  Always something of a tomboy as a child, Dawn had insisted upon duplicating the lessons in unarmed combat and weapon handling that her—at the time as later—inseparable companion, Bunduki, had been receiving. Learning of the relationship between Lady Greystoke, q.v., and Belle Boyd, xlviii—from the fictionist genealogist Philip Jose Farmer, q.v., whom she had met while she and Bunduki were vacationing on the ranch in Texas owned by Bradford Counter’s, q.v., parents—she had become interested in and especially adept at savate, French foot boxing, which was the Rebel Spy’s favorite form of self defense.

  Even during her formal and conventional education, which had not been neglected, Dawn had contrived to continue her training in the various forms of fighting which she had learned.

  In addition, while attending Roedean, xlix she had taken part in every permissible form of sporting and athletic activity and had excelled in them all. However, like Bunduki, she had become so disenchanted by the blatantly one-sided political bias of the international sporting bodies and authorities that, in spite of being a world class athlete, swimmer and gymnast, she had refused to compete in their events. For all that, she had always kept herself in the peak of physical condition. As in the case of all the members of the Greystoke family, her perfect health was mainly due to taking the longevity pills which Tarzan had obtained from the Kavuru tribe. l

  According to Dr. Clark Savage, Jr. li who had been presented with some for analysis and personal use, in addition to slowing down the ageing processes of living beings—granting those who took them what amounted to immortality, barring murder, suicide or accidental death—the pills also gave immunity from practically every tropical disease and destroyed all harmful internal parasites, such as the various nematode worms of the genera Ancyclostomo Necator (commonly known as ‘hookworms’) which might be ingested while eating raw meat. Unfortunately, the doctor had not been able to isolate the immunity element so that it could be reproduced without the added effect of increasing the recipient’s life expectancy. The latter factor, taken with the human race’s ever increasing birth rate, would have meant the over-population of Earth, so the pills were unsuitable for general use.

  Appendix Four

  Although it has no bearing upon the present story, the author feels that a brief description of the Zillikian Amazons and their culture might be of interest. Further details of the arrival of the three Earth women and their rise to positions of importance in their adopted nation will have to wait until a more suitable moment. However, Beryl Snowhill and Charlotte Topper had been friends with the Greystoke family for many years. lii Suffice to say that Cha now held rank of Captain, with Jill Jervis as her ‘Junior Second’ in the Leopard Regiment.

  The Amazons were completely independent of men and had none in their territory. They reproduced by parthenogenesis, the so-called ‘Virgin birth’ practiced by some other life forms, but aided by a system of artificial insemination arranged by the ‘Suppliers’. Every member of the nation received training in the martial arts, but did not necessarily act as a full-time warrior. Whether ‘active’ or ‘passive’, she belonged to one of the five regiments: the Black Panthers, Leopards, Tigers, Lions and Antelopes, in order of seniority. All but the Lions, who were heavyweights, rode and fought on horseback.

  A regiment’s basic unit was the ‘Finger’, ten girls led by a ‘Nail’. Five Fingers’ formed a ‘Hand’, under a ‘Fist’ who was identified by her silver necklace and bracelet on the left wrist and bicep. The regiment’s six Hands’ were divided into two ‘Triangles’, whose ‘Apex’ wore a necklace with bracelets on each wrist and the left bicep. The captain had two second-in-commands, wearing the necklace and bracelets on both wrists and biceps. The ‘Senior Second’ was always the elder and responsible for administration. She was also in charge of the regiment’s ‘passives.’ The ‘Junior Second’ attended to the training and discipline of the ‘actives’.

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  More on J. T. EDSON

  i Details of Bunduki’s education and family background are given in Appendix One.

  ii Told in: BUNDUKI by J. T. Edson.

  iii Told in: BUNDUKI AND DAWN by J.T. Edson.

  iv Esmeralda Moreland, Lady Greystoke’s Negress maid who later acted as Dawn’s nurse, introduced in TARZAN OF THE APES by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

  v Clip point: the back of the blade curves to meet the main cutting edge in a concave arc. In the case of Bunduki’s weapon, the arc’s ‘false’, or ‘top’ cutting edge is five and a quarter inches long and as sharp as the blade’s main cutting surface.

  vi Recurved bow
: One that is bent back from the straight line at the end of its limbs.

  vii Although—as is told in BUNDUKI AND DAWN by J. T. Edson—the ‘Suppliers’ had delivered Bunduki’s m’kuki, Masai throwing spear, he had left it with the Telonga hunters. Carrying it and the bow while riding would have been impractical.

  viii A description of a quagga given in Appendix Two.

  ix Told in: TARZAN OF THE APES by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

  x A detailed description of how to ride ‘posting the trot’ is given in ‘The Scout’ episode of UNDER THE STARS AND BARS by J. T. Edson.

  xi Told in: BUNDUKI by J. T. Edson.

  xii The Brelefs were an early type of Neanderthal man, Homo Neanderthalensis.

  xiii The reader will by now have realized that Zongaffa had accidentally stumbled upon the way to make what, on Earth, is known as ‘black” or ‘gunpowder’. He was using Earth’s standardized proportions for his mixture. For the ideal reaction, which he discovered and rejected as being over-complicated to produce, the percentages were: saltpeter, 74.64%; charcoal, 13.51%; sulphur, 11.85%.