Kur of Gor

Chapter, the Forty-Sixth: DARKNESS ENCROACHES; A PLAN IS FORMED

In Lord Grendel's small group, one of several, there were some forty Kurii and some twenty to thirty humans.

"Intelligence is clear,” said Lord Grendel, addressing his group. “The enemy is massing."

"How is that known?” asked Cabot. It was difficult to attain such intelligence recently, for the cordons of purple scarves seemed ever more imminent, their patrols ever bolder and more intrusive.

"Noble Flavion has again pierced enemy lines and lived to return,” said Lord Grendel.

"He is the subtlest and most effective of scouts,” said one of the Kurii.

"Without him we would be blind,” said another.

"Well done, Flavion,” said Cabot.

"I go alone, I take care,” said the scout.

"Few,” said Cabot, “have penetrated as deeply into the territory of Agamemnon, and returned to report."

"I have been fortunate,” said Flavion.

"The exterior enemy, that outside the world, has been driven off,” said one of their group. “This releases those forces to band against us."

"Alas,” said Flavion, “that is true, and is now known to all."

"It was first discovered by you,” said a Kur.

"Days ago,” said Flavion.

"The game is done,” said a Kur.

"Might we not surrender, or sue for peace?” said a Kur.

"Never, never!” growled Flavion, fiercely. “We must fight! We must fight to the death!"

"We are too few, too weak,” said one of the Kurii.

"Take courage from Flavion,” said Lord Grendel. “He is the finest and fiercest amongst us."

"I wish,” said Cabot, “that I had his skills."

"He is as silent as the fall of darkness, as unseen as the wind,” said one of the Kurii.

"Such skills,” thought Cabot, “might have been the envy even of the Red Savages, of the Gorean Barrens."

"It is strange to think that he was once no more than a scavenger Kur,” said a Kur.

"I am honored to be accepted amongst you,” said Flavion.

"The honor is ours,” said Lord Grendel.

"My smaller size,” said Flavion, “facilitates my humble contributions, if contributions they be, to our cause."

"At great risk to his life, through closely set enemy lines,” said another, “he came to us."

"To fight beside you, for our cause,” said Flavion, “justifies any risk."

"Welcome to you, a thousand times,” said Lord Grendel. “We salute you. Few, if any, could have proved more valuable to our cause."

"We must be prepared,” said Flavion, “to die bravely."

"I, myself,” said Cabot, “would prefer to live, even if somewhat less bravely."

Flavion turned to regard Cabot.

Whereas Flavion was not large for a Kur, he was considerably larger than Cabot, and most human beings.

"He is human,” explained Lord Grendel.

"We are too few to fight,” said one of the Kurii.

"Too,” said another, uneasily, “is it not forbidden, even heinous, to contend as we are, against the lawful state, against the Eleventh Face of the Nameless One."

"Arcesilaus stood against him,” said a Kur.

"Arcesilaus is dead,” said another.

"We do not know that,” said Cabot.

"We are too few,” said a Kur, again.

"Might we not recruit neutrals, nondominants?” asked Cabot.

"There are few neutrals,” said a Kur.

"The nondominants,” said Statius, “are weak, and useless. They fear only to be driven off by their queens."

"Were you not once a nondominant?” asked a Kur of Statius.

"Once,” said Statius. “No more. Do you wish to fight to the death?"

"No,” responded the Kur.

I have chosen the word ‘queens’ with some reluctance, as the social arrangements do not support the choice, but ‘Ubaras’ would be even more inappropriate. ‘Mistresses’ might do, but, as the nondominants are not, strictly speaking, slaves, though perhaps somewhat slavelike, the connotations are incorrect. The archives, abetted by one of the translation programs, though one infrequently utilized, suggest that ‘queens’ may convey something of the relation of a particular female to male courtiers, or servitors. The Kur expression does not translate into Gorean but the expression ‘queens', as suggested, seems not altogether inappropriate. It is an expression in the language, English, which is a language of Earth. It is also the native language, as I understand it, of Tarl Cabot, compatriot of Lord Grendel. Some translators are programmed in that language. Doubtless they have their purposes.

"All is lost,” said one of the Kurii.

"At least we can die bravely,” said another.

"Agamemnon,” said Cabot, “is cruel, arbitrary, unjust, a vain and murderous tyrant, perhaps even mad. I do not understand why so many gladly pledge their blood, their hearts and steel, to him."

"He has position and power,” said a Kur.

"And weapons and soldiers,” said another.

"That is not what is important,” said another.

"What then is important?” asked Cabot.

"You are not Kur,” said a Kur. “You cannot understand."

"Speak,” urged Cabot.

"He is the Eleventh face of the Nameless One,” said a Kur.

"He is Theocrat of the world,” said another, dismally.

"I grant he is Theocrat of the world,” said Cabot, “but how do you know he is the Eleventh Face of the Nameless One?"

"There were ten before him,” said a Kur.

"How is it known that there are faces, or masks, of the Nameless One?” asked Cabot.

"It is accepted,” said a Kur.

"Who is the Nameless One?” asked Cabot.

"Desist,” cautioned Lord Grendel. “The plank on which you tread is weak, and the abyss is deep."

"He who is without a name,” said a Kur.

"He who is before names, and beyond names, and other than names,” said another.

"And before the Nameless One is the Mystery,” said another.

"The Mystery?” asked Cabot.

"That which was, and that which is,” said a Kur, “and that which will be."

"And none have lifted its veil,” said another.

"The Nameless One has many faces?” asked Cabot.

"We do not know how many,” said another Kur.

"Some see him in the ost, others in the larl, or shark, or tharlarion, or sleen,” said another.

"Others in the germination of seed, the blossoming of flowers, in the unsheathing of the thorn."

"Others,” said another, “in the cries of volcanoes, in the openings of the gates of earth, in the flash of lightning, the crash of thunder, in the rush of waters, in the great winds."

"There is no morality here?” asked Cabot.

"No more than in the world,” said another.

"Do you worship the Nameless One?” asked Cabot.

"What is worship?” asked a Kur.

"Do not be misled into heresy,” said a Kur. “There are only Eleven Faces of the Nameless One."

"Some say many,” said another.

"They are mistaken,” said the Kur.

"Why eleven?” asked Cabot.

"Who knows,” he said. “That is the number."

"Why not five, or ten or fifteen?” asked Cabot. “Or a thousand?"

"We do not know,” said another. “Eleven is the number."

"That is the teaching,” said another.

"I do not understand much of this,” said Cabot.

"Do not despair,” said a Kur. “We, too, cannot understand it."

"Much is beyond the scope of the finite mind,” said another.

"Inconsistencies are to be ignored?” asked Cabot.

"Rather, transcended,” said a Kur.

"What if Agamemnon dies?” asked Cabot.

"How can he die?” asked another.

"He is the Eleventh face of the Nameless One,” said another.

"But what if he were to die?” asked Cabot.

"That which speaks through the eleventh mask cannot die,” said a Kur.

"It is one, the Nameless One,” said another.

"Agamemnon is mortal,” said Cabot.

"Perhaps,” said a Kur, “but that which speaks through him cannot die."

"May not a mask die, or be discarded?” asked Cabot.

"No,” said a Kur.

"But perhaps,” said Cabot, “Agamemnon is not the Eleventh Face of the Nameless one. Perhaps he only pretends to be. Perhaps he is a fraud."

"Then the Nameless One would not speak through him,” said a Kur, thoughtfully.

"True,” said another.

"But Agamemnon has himself pronounced that he is the Eleventh Face of the Nameless One,” said another.

"Agamemnon!” said Cabot.

"Yes,” responded the Kur.

"Perhaps he is a liar,” said Cabot.

"No one would dare to lie about such a thing,” said another.

"There is a precedent for such claims,” said Cabot.

"Not amongst us,” said a Kur.

"Unthinkable,” said another Kur.

Cabot may have had in mind the caste of Initiates, on Gor, who claim to speak in the name of the Priest-Kings, to be privileged in such ways, and so on.

"No one would dare to pretend such a thing,” said another.

"Perhaps Agamemnon is more inventive, or enterprising, or less honorable, or bolder, or more daring, than you suppose,” said Cabot.

"He is Kur,” said another.

"But,” said Cabot, “as Lord Grendel once called to my attention, ‘What is Kur'?"

"Desist, desist,” said Lord Grendel.

"Very well,” said Cabot.

"Many of those opposed to us, the purple scarves, now have power weapons,” said Lord Grendel. “We know this from Lord Flavion, and, indeed, from others, as well."

"Some could destroy the world,” said a Kur.

"It would be madness to use them,” said another.

"There are smaller weapons,” said Cabot.

"Many,” said another, “but contained in the arsenals, at the terminations of the world."

The world, as may be recalled, was cylindrical. The ends of the world, then, were the flat caps, or poles, closing the cylinder, at each end. If one might imagine a horizontal axis stretching between these caps, that would constitute what, in effect, would be a gravity-free zone, rather like that in the shuttles. To ascend to this zone by climbing the flat caps, toward their center, can be dangerous or difficult. Caught by the rotation, one could be hurled downward, and dashed to the ground, and, without aid, it could be an almost insurmountable climb to ascend against the rotation, until one had ascended far enough for it to be neutralized, and one would have approached the gravity-free, or low-gravity, axis. One of these caps, that nearest the habitats, was, however, affixed with rings and grasps, by means of which one might approach the arsenal. Agamemnon's aerial scouts utilized these conveniences, until flight became possible. One such scout, or flier, had been detected some time ago, by Cabot and Lord Grendel, while on the raft, on Lake Fear. At that time they had supposed themselves unnoted. Later events suggested that their surmise had been mistaken.

"One such arsenal has been accessed,” said Lord Grendel. This would be the arsenal nearest the habitats, that nearest, as well, the palace, and enclave, of Agamemnon.

"True,” said a Kur. “It is from it that Agamemnon has armed his minions."

"What of the other arsenal?” said Cabot.

"It is unreachable,” said a Kur. “It is unfurnished with appurtenances."

It is interesting to note that if the ends of the world had been hemispherical, or conical, as in several of the worlds, the approach would have been, while still dangerous, yet more practical, as the rotational gravity would have pressed one against a resistant surface, it lessening, of course, as one approached the axis. The flat caps, on the other hand, provided no such purchase.

"All is lost,” said a Kur.

"Two possibilities suggest themselves,” said Statius, he who had once been a nondominant. “First, we storm the nearest termination of the world, utilizing the grasps at hand, and attempt to avail ourselves of weapons."

"The arsenal will be guarded,” said a Kur.

"Of course,” said Statius. “We expect to fail."

"If one could approach the axis,” said a Kur, “one might, if winged, then attempt the far arsenal, by flight."

"Build wings,” said Lord Grendel.

"The other possibility,” said Statius, “is far more dangerous. It is to attempt the far arsenal."

"Directly?” asked a Kur.

"Yes,” said Statius.

"There are no grasps, no rings,” said a Kur. “It is reached by flight, from the vicinity of the nearer arsenal."

"Spikes, driven into the metal?” said a Kur.

"It is solid steel, feet thick,” said Statius.

"Air can provide a seal,” said Cabot. “Cups of rubber, pressed against the steel."

"We have no such material,” said a Kur.

"Nor, if we had, even the means to form such devices,” said another.

"Something similar,” said Statius. “Adhesive substances. Ropes, and such substances."

"It is madness,” said another.

"Let a hundred try,” said Lord Grendel.

"I will lead them,” said Cabot.

"And who will attempt the arsenal of Agamemnon?” asked a Kur.

"I,” said Lord Grendel, “and any mad enough to follow me."

"I am with you,” said the Kur.

"And what of you, Lord Flavion?” asked Grendel.

"It is madness,” said Flavion, “but I, too, am with you."

"Good,” said Lord Grendel. “Let us begin to build wings."

"Water, Sirs?” asked the Lady Bina, who held a ewer.

"How long has she been here?” asked a Kur.

"Not long,” said a Kur.

"Kill her,” said Lord Flavion.

"No,” said Lord Grendel.