Raiders of Gor by Norman John;

Author:Norman, John;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Media Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Published: 1971-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

* * * *

Lysias, captain, client of Henrius Sevarius, spoke before the council. He stood before the thrones of the Ubars, before even the large table, which now, on its upper face, was marked by sword cuts and the apertures splintered open by the passage of crossbow quarrels earlier this afternoon.

The Hall of the Council, this night, was surrounded by the men of the captains, who, too, patrolled the rooftops and the walks beside the canals for a full pasang on all sides.

The hall was lit by torches, and by many lamps with candles, set on tables between curule chairs.

As Lysias spoke he walked back and forth before the table, his cloak swirling behind him, his helmet, with its captain's crest of sleen hair, in the crook of his arm.

"And so," concluded Lysias, "I bring you all amnesty in the name of the Ubar of Port Kar, Henrius Sevarius!"

"Henrius Sevarius, the Captain," said Samos, speaking from his curule chair, in the name of the council, "is most kind."

Lysias dropped his head.

"Henrius Sevarius, the Captain," said Samos, in measured words, "may, however, find that the council is less inclined to lenience than he."

Lysias lifted his head in alarm.

"His power is greater than any of yours!" he cried. And then he spun about to face the Ubars, each, with men about him, on his throne. "Greater even than any of yours!" cried Lysias.

I gazed upon the Ubars: squat, brilliant Chung; narrow-faced, cunning Eteocles; tall, long-haired Nigel, like a warlord from Torvaldsland; and Sullius Maximus, who was said to write poetry and be a student of the properties of various poisons.

"How many ships has he?" asked Samos.

"One hundred and two!" said Lysias proudly.

"The captains of the council," said Samos, dryly, "have some one thousand ships pledged to their personal service. And further, the council is executor with respect to the disposition and application of the ships of the city, in the number of approximately another thousand."

Lysias stood scowling before Samos, his helmet in the crook of his arm, his long cloak falling behind him.

"The council commands," summarized Samos, "some two thousand ships."

"There are many other ships!" cried Lysias.

"Perhaps," asked Samos, "you refer to those of Chung, and Eteocles, and Nigel and Sullius Maximus?"

There was unpleasant laughter in the council.

"No!" cried Lysias. "I refer to the ships of the minor captains, in the number of better than twenty-five hundred!"

"In the streets," said Samos, "I have heard the cry 'Power to the council!'"

"Proclaim Henrius Sevarius sole Ubar," said Lysias numbly, "and your lives will be spared, and you will be granted amnesty."

"That is your proposal?" asked Samos.

"It is," said Lysias.

"Now hear," said Samos, "the proposal of the council, that Henrius Sevarius and his regent, Claudius, lay down their arms, and divest themselves of all ships, and men and holdings, and all properties and assets, and present themselves, stripped and in the chains of slaves, before the council, that its judgment may be passed on them."

Lysias, his body rigid with fury, his hand on the hilt of his sword, stood not speaking before Samos, First Slaver of Port Kar.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.