by Джеффри Лорд
«Blade, no! You can't!»
Blade recognized the voice shouting. It was Bairam. He ignored him. The bird grew until it filled his whole field of vision. He saw a gaping hooked beak two feet long, red eyes glow into his, the great wings thrashing the air with a rippling hiss. His finger squeezed the trigger, and the world vanished in searing green light as the laser beam leaped out of the rifle straight into the bird's open beak.
The bird never knew what hit it. It flew on for a few feet, then did a somersault in midair and landed bellyupward practically at Blade's feet. Its talons jerked a few times, one wing twitched, then it was dead. Blade stepped forward, wanting to study the wound made by the laser. He was about to sling his rifle and bend over when somebody grabbed him by the shoulder. At the same time he felt a sword point in his back, and heard Hota's angry voice.
«Blade! In the name of the Law, I declare-«
Blade's reflexes took over. He twisted away from the sword point and out from under the clutching hand. At the same time he raised the rifle butt, ready for a stroke. As he whirled to face Hota, he slammed the butt down on the man's sword arm. Hota's fingers opened nervelessly and his sword fell to the ground. He was opening his mouth to shout when Blade drove the rifle butt into his stomach. His mouth stayed open as he writhed on the ground, but no sound came out.
Blade returned his rifle to firing position, then heard Kareena's voice. «Bairam, you fool! You gave him live Oltec and now he's used it against the Law twice!»
«I gave him a dead Oltec, Kareena.»
«I don't believe you. And if you did, then who-«
«Don't call me a liar, or-«
Another voice, «I saw Sidas give Blade Oltec. He thought-«An incoherent shout, followed by the sounds of a scuffle.
Blade fired the laser into the grass among the munfans. Several of the spearmen ducked, and one of the munfans collapsed out of sheer fright. In the sudden silence Blade was able to speak.
«It seems I've done something wrong. I don't know what it is. I would like someone who does know to tell me, now! Meanwhile, everyone else keep quiet, and nobody lays a finger on Sidas. Otherwise I start shooting your munfans.»
Kareena gave a wordless snarl and turned to Blade, her eyes wide and mouth working. For a moment he thought she was going to leap on him with her sword. Then she shook all over and began to speak, although her voice trembled with rage.
«Blade, there was no death-danger to you or any of us from that bird. Yet you killed it with Oltec. That is one thing you did against the Law. Then you used Oltec against Hota when he was not using it against you. That is a second thing against the Law.
«For both, the punishment is death. You would die here and now, except for two things. One is that two others aided you in your breaking of the Law. I could punish Sidas here, but not my brother. Also, you are someone my father Peython would like to see before you die. So you will live, as little as you deserve it. Put down your rifle. I have nothing more to say.»
Blade saw nods and heard murmurs of agreement. He pointed the muzzle of his rifle at the ground, to make sure no trigger-happy Kaldakan would kill him on the spot. Then he shook his head. «I have more to say, Kareena.
«Sidas has done nothing wrong. He gave me living Oltec because he thought I was within the Law. I would have given the Oltec back to him, if he had let me. Sidas has made a mistake, not broken the Law.»
He raised the rifle and aimed it at the munfans. Two spearmen almost in the line of fire hastily stepped aside. «I want it sworn here and now that Sidas will not be punished. Otherwise I begin shooting your munfans. I will count to ten, then start shooting. One, two-«
Kareena's lips were bloodless and her voice level. «You will die for that, Blade.»
«I am already under a sentence of death, Kareena. Why should it matter to me how soon I die? Also, can you use Oltec to kill me when I am only killing your munfans? I bring no death-danger to you.» He saw Bairam grin, knew that he'd guessed correctly, and went on briskly. «You can use other weapons to kill me, of course, but not before I kill many of your munfans. Do you want to pay such a price, merely to punish a good man who made a mistake?»
There was a long silence, in which all eyes turned to Kareena. Blade thought some of the Kaldakans were looking at him sympathetically. Then the woman sighed, although her body was still taut and quivering like a bowstring.
«Your honor demands that Sidas go unpunished?»
«It does.»
«Then-«She flung her hands wide in disgust. «Very well. If it is your honor at stake…» With a heroic effort she steadied herself. «By the Law, I swear that nothing shall be done to Sidas for this day's work. I also swear that your life, limb, and honor shall be safe from me and from all who obey me, until judgment is passed upon you.» Her calm broke and she stamped her foot like a small girl having a tantrum. «Is that enough for you, Blade of England?»
«It is. In return, I swear to make no attempt to escape, as long as I am under the protection of Kareena, daughter of Peython, leader of the warriors of Kaldak.» Holding the laser rifle by the muzzle, he handed it to Kareena.
Blade would have preferred more guarantees of safety but knew he'd won about as much safety as he could hope for. Besides, Hota was back on his feet again and looked ready to attack Blade on the spot, Law or no Law. Blade didn't quite trust Kareena to stop the man if he did. He was alive, they'd accepted his parole, and he suspected that defending Sidas had made him some friends who might guard him from Hota if not from Kareena. For now, this was enough.
Chapter 5
The Kaldakans kept their word about not punishing Sidas and treating Blade honorably. They wouldn't allow him even a knife to cut his food, but didn't bind him. He couldn't fight, but he could run if he had to. He was also fairly sure that if it was really a matter of life or death, many of the fighters would turn a blind eye to his picking up a sword or a bow. He overheard enough remarks praising the way he'd defended Sidas to know that.
No one dared to speak to him openly, for fear of Kareena and Hota. This included Bairam, and this was quite all right with Blade. For now he had nothing polite to say to the boy who'd put his life in danger. He also didn't expect to have anything to say to Hota, who was now clearly Blade's sworn enemy. The man's eyes said everything necessary on that point. Blade would have liked to talk with Kareena and learn more about her father and her city, but could live without this.
Blade settled down to keep up with the Kaldakans as they marched for home. The trip took ten days, and the strips of leather Blade tied around his feet were almost worn through when the city finally came in sight.
Kaldak combined features from Mossev and the ruins he saw when he first arrived in this Dimension. There were three tall towers arranged in a triangle in the center, with nine streets of smaller buildings radiating from the triangle. The buildings on the edge of the city seemed to be store houses, stables, or workshops. Around the base of the towers were the living quarters and merchants' shops. Damaged buildings had been carefully repaired with timber roofs, leather shutters, stones solidly mortared into place, and lots of paint in vivid colors.
Blade wanted to see more of the city, but Kareena had other ideas. Grim and unsmiling, she marched Blade up the widest street with a drawn sword at his back. Half a dozen fighters followed her, escorting her brother as if he also was a prisoner. Porters with loads, men leading munfans, women carrying laundry, and children playing in the gutters all made way for their chief's daughter. They marched straight up to the base of the nearest of the three towers, then up four flights of broad stairs to the room where Peython, ruler of Kaldak, waited for them.
Peython sat cross-legged on a round wooden table with carved legs, covered with rich gray furs. He wore leather breeches dyed blue, hammered copper bracelets on his wrists and ankles, and an iron-studded belt. Above the waist he wore nothing but a necklace of shiny metal blocks strung on a leather thong. It was almost lost in the hair on his chest. An ugly scar
ran diagonally from his left shoulder down across his ribs to his stomach.
Peython's face didn't match the rest of him. It was long, and he had the same expressive green eyes as his children, although his hair was black. His nose was large and hooked, and his mobile lips seemed to smile naturally. He reminded Blade of one of his physics professors at Oxford, suddenly called on to play the part of a barbarian chieftain. Blade wasn't sure he was in the presence of a friend but felt he was in the presence of much wisdom, or at least common sense.
Peython dismissed the guards, then listened in silence while Kareena and Bairam told their stories. Both spoke quickly and clearly, and Bairam seemed much more adult and sensible in his father's presence than he had under his sister's leadership. Perhaps there was a little more to the boy than Blade had suspected.
When Kareena and Bairam were finished, Peython looked at Blade. «Is this true?»
Blade was so surprised at being asked to confirm the stories of his captors that for a moment he could only nod. Then he added, «I do not think Bairam dares to ask for mercy. I am not sure that Kareena wants her brother to have it.» She spun around, but her father's raised hand stopped her before she could speak. «Perhaps you yourself doubt if you should show mercy to your son. If a ruler shows too much mercy to his own children, there are always evil-minded people who cast doubts on his justice or even his wisdom.»
«I see you know something of ruling, Blade of England. Were you a chief in England?»
«No, but I was a warrior in the house of a mighty chief who taught me much.» That would do for a description of J and MI6A, as well as Lord Leighton and Project Dimension X.
«You are worthy of his teaching. Do you wish me to show mercy to my son in the matter of his going against the Law?»
Blade answered the blunt question simply. «Yes, I do.»
«Why do you believe you have any right to speak of this matter?» snapped Kareena. «That is what I want to know. And I want to know why my father-«
«Kareena,» said Peython. He did not raise his voice, but again Kareena stopped with her mouth half open. Then she swallowed the rage visible on her face and stood silently.
«That is a good question, when I think upon it,» said Peython after a short silence. «Blade, you will answer it.»
«I do not know that I have any such right,» said Blade. «I am a stranger who does not know your Law and may yet die for breaking it. I do know honor, and what it is to a warrior. Your son broke the Law trying to save my honor, by giving me Oltec. I think he was also trying to save the honor of Kaldak. Not giving Oltec to a man who saved the life of its chief's son might be dishonor to the city. Am I right, Bairam?»
The boy could only gape like a dying fish for a moment, then said, «Yes, Father. That is how I thought. Blade has said it better than I could have, though. I thank him for his strong words.» Now he looked more like a grateful puppy than a dying fish.
Kareena didn't look grateful. She looked as if she wanted to skin Blade alive with a very dull knife, then roll him in coarse salt. In her father's presence, she would keep a rein on her tongue, but Blade had the unpleasant feeling he'd made another enemy. Having a beautiful woman hating him did not bother him as much as it usually did. It didn't seem as if Kareena would do anything to help him whether she hated him or not!
Peython sat with his chin in one hand for a minute, then stood up and jumped down off the table with the agility of a young man. «I think Blade does speak strong words, also wise ones. But we are Kaldak of the Law. We are not Doimar, where the Law is only studied in the hope of finding ways to break it. To let Bairam go unpunished, to let Blade live-this is far beyond the Law. I cannot go so far myself if I want to, nor do I want to.
«Therefore the Gathering shall be proclaimed.» Kareena gasped. «In seven times seven days, all of Kaldak shall Gather to hear what I have heard today. When they have heard, they shall give their judgment, and that judgment shall guide me. Do you accept this, Bairam?»
«Yes, and with gratitude, Father.»
«Save your gratitude for Blade, if you think it will help him,» growled the chief. «Blade, what do you say?»
Apparently Peython was going to leave matters to an assembly of the people of Kaldak, which couldn't be convened for nearly two months. That was a free gift of two months' extra life, and Blade was a great believer in the old saying, «While there's life there's hope.» Even a slave can hope to find himself free, while a dead man can do absolutely nothing to improve his situation.
«I accept. I trust the wisdom of the people of Kaldak. I know that if I die, it will not be from their hatred of me, but only because they care for their Law. That is an honorable death, by the Laws of England.» He had no intention of passively submitting to that death, however honorable it might be, but there was no need to tell Peython that.
«Very good. Kareena, Bairam, you may go.» When his children were gone, Peython sat down again and frowned at Blade. «Blade, why did you speak as you did for Bairam? Kareena is not pleased, and I am curious.»
Blade had the feeling that he might throw away most of Peython's goodwill whatever he said, so he decided to tell the truth. «I do not care whether Kareena likes me or not. If there is such bad feeling between them that she wishes her brother punished, I do not want her friendship. It could turn to hatred any day.»
«That is true. But that also does not answer my question. Many people would say that Bairam is a fool, and that you are a fool for thinking he is worth anything or can do anything for you.»
Blade smiled. «Bairam is no fool, or at least no more of a fool than I was at his age. He is not stupid. If his mistakes do not kill him soon, he will learn. In time, he may even learn enough to be a worthy son to you, and a proper chief for Kaldak, city of the Law.
«He is also honorable, and will be a friend to those who have done him good. I have come to Kaldak, without friends or knowledge of its ways. I need every friend I can honorably win. Do you feel that I have lacked honor-?»
He broke off as he saw Peython's frown deepen and his shoulders begin to shake. For a moment he thought he'd finally said too much, then realized that Peython was trying to hide laughter. Finally he sighed and looked at Blade again.
«Blade, men who have known my son since he came from his mother's body have not found such wise words for him. I am going to find your time in Kaldak interesting, however long it lasts and however it ends.» He rose and shouted for the guards. «You may go now.»
Chapter 6
Blade spent his first few days in Kaldak as something less than a guest but somewhat more than a prisoner. He was confined to a room on the ground floor of the northern tower. The room had heavy wooden bars on the door and a guard armed with a laser rifle at the door, but plenty of light, air, and comfortable furniture. The Kaldakans also fed Blade three large meals a day, along with good strong beer. Once they even brought him a bronze jug of distilled liquor which tasted like cheap gin.
Blade didn't like being confined even as comfortably as this. He was bored, and he wasn't learning anything about Kaldak or getting enough exercise. He also knew that he was still at the Kaldakans' mercy. He did have to admit that if he was going to be a prisoner at all, this was one of the most comfortable prisons he'd ever seen in any Dimension.
On the sixth day Kareena came to him with an escort of guards led by Hota and a message from Peython. «If you give your word of honor not to leave Kaldak, you may go where you will within the city until the Gathering,» she said. Her words came out in short bursts from a tight mouth. Obviously she didn't like having to deliver this message.
«I swear by the Law of England and my own honor as a warrior that I shall not put one foot beyond the streets of Kaldak until the Gathering has rendered its judgment,» said Blade. He hoped he wouldn't also be asked to swear to submit tamely to a sentence of death. He would rather not have to take an oath he had no intention of keeping. He could lie with a straight face if he had to-his years in MI6A guaranteed that. But
he still preferred to tell the truth, particularly among people who took oaths much more seriously than the «civilized» nations of Home Dimension.
«Do we know that England has a Law by which anyone can swear?» asked Hota.
Kareena looked at him sharply, half angry and half embarrassed. «We do not. But we can hardly ask Blade to swear by the Law of Kaldak when he is confined for breaking it.»
«Then why take an oath from him at all?»
«Because my father has ordered that we take it,» snapped Kareena. «And I will say nothing more on this to you, Hota.» She turned and stamped out. Hota lingered a moment to glower at Blade, then followed her. Blade frowned and poured himself some beer. At least Peython's order hadn't made him any new enemies. But he'd have to watch his back carefully as he moved around Kaldak. Hota would cheerfully slit his throat for a penny, and might be a formidable opponent even in a straight fight.
It turned out that Blade didn't have to worry about his back. Bairam appointed himself Blade's official escort from the first day of Blade's parole. With the chief's son and heir by his side, Blade could go anywhere he wanted in the city without anyone trying to stop him. Accidents were another matter. Bairam was as impulsive as ever, and sometimes Blade wondered who was keeping whom out of trouble.
In spite of this, Blade quickly learned most of what he wanted to know about Kaldak. Peython ruled about twelve thousand people. Most of them lived in the buildings of the city itself, including the farmers who went out to their fields every morning and returned every night. The rest were herdsmen who lived in distant pastures with their herds and flocks, or fishermen who lived by the Aloga River. The herds and fish gave Kaldak plenty of meat, and the rich soil of its fields produced grain and vegetables. The people of Kaldak were mostly slim-bodied, but it was not for lack of food.
«It is said that our land is richer than that of many cities because we keep the Law better than they do,» said Bairam.
