Space Opera by Jack Vance

Author:Jack Vance [Vance, Jack]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fantasy
Publisher: Spatterlight Press LLC
Published: 2012-10-01T07:00:00+00:00

The Phoebus slid west and north across the splendid scenery of Zade. Mountains and plains passed below, with an occasional town or village and one city of tall stone spires. This according to Darwin Litchley was inhabited by a people who had the faculty of seeing demons which were invisible to other folk. They were a gentle responsive race, but — so he stated in answer to Dame Isabel’s query — not to be considered in the light of a prospective audience: if they perceived, or thought to perceive, spectres among the company, their cries of horror would be certain to disrupt the performance.

They crossed over a jungle of the many-colored trees characteristic to the planet, approached a great massif of schists, gneisses and other metamorphic rock, and presently came to the land of the Mental Warriors: a region of dark fractured stone, chasms and abysses, peaks, scarps and crags. The principal city — hardly more than a large town — occupied the center of a fairly level plateau. Nearby was a complex of foundries, smelting sheds and forges, surrounded by heaps of slag and ort. Darwin Litchley described the Mental Warriors as proficient miners and smelters, suppliers of iron and copper to the whole continent. “Don’t be perturbed by their appearance or manner,” he said. “They are a stern harsh folk, but by no means savage or unreliable. I am not too familiar with their culture, but they are famous among the other races of Zade for their pageants and spectacular demonstrations, and they are said to be open-minded people. If we conduct ourselves with a normal regard for their sensibilities, I am sure that we will be treated with punctilious courtesy.”

Captain Gondar landed the Phoebus on an open area near the town; Dame Isabel, Bernard Bickel and Darwin Litchley stepped down the ramp and awaited the arrival of a local deputation. This was not long in arriving.

As Darwin Litchley had predicted, their appearance was by no means engaging. They were a tall crag-featured people, with torsos sheathed in black segmented chitin. They seemed of remarkable physical strength, and wore garments which would have weighed down an Earthman: iron sandals, a kilt of iron tablets bound with bronze wire, bronze and iron epaulette-like shoulder coverings from which depended strings of silver beads. They wore no headgear, and their scalps were corrugated with two-inch ridges of black chitin. Halting, they directed upon the group from the Phoebus a scrutiny of intense concentration, assessing and gauging every aspect of the visitors’ being.

One of them spoke in a heavy harsh voice which seemed all broad vowels. Darwin Litchley listened with care, and responded rather haltingly. The Mental Warrior made another statement; Litchley turned to Dame Isabel and Bernard Bickel. “He wants to know the reason for our visit, or so I gather. I told him that you were just arrived from Earth, that you had heard of the Mental Warriors and wanted to see them. A little flattery never comes amiss.”

“By no means,” declared Bernard Bickel.

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