The Captain

CHAPTER 28

“My name is Tuvo Ausonius. I believe you will find my credentials in order. I come on behalf of his majesty, Aesilesius, emperor of Telnaria. I bring, enclosed in this case, a commission, in the rank of captain, for one Ottonius, known to you, milord, and, as I understand it, a guest now in your house.”

“This is he,” said Julian, indicating Otto, who stood beside him.

“Greetings,” said Tuvo Ausonius.

“Greetings,” said Otto.

“May I introduce my colleague, Sesella,” said Tuvo Ausonius.

“It is unusual for a same to have but one name,” said Julian.

“Greetings,” said the companion of Tuvo Ausonius.

“Greetings,” said Julian.

Julian regarded his two visitors. He had surely not expected sames, not from the summer world. How severe, and gross, he thought, were their garbs, and yet, oddly, they did not seem to carry themselves as sames, nor to have the severe mien one expects of sames. Perhaps they were not sames, thought Julian, but what would be the point of disguising such matters, what would be the object of the pretense, under these circumstances?

“Your colleague appears to be a female,” said Julian.

The smaller of the same-garbed pair, for a moment, looked frightened.

“Sames do not concern themselves with such matters,” said Tuvo Ausonius.

Julian had an eye for women, and thought that he might detect something of interest within that bulky shielding of same garb, something of perhaps even considerable interest.

“You come, actually, I take it,” said Julian, “from our esteemed friend, Iaachus, arbiter of protocol.”

“It is my understanding that my mission derives most immediately from that revered personage,” said Tuvo Ausonius.

“Why has there been this long delay, a delay unconscionable in a matter this straightforward, this simple?”

“I do not know,” said Tuvo Ausonius. “I apologize, of course, on behalf of my superiors, for any inconvenience.”

“Such considerations do not lie within the purview of your assignment,” said Julian.

“No, milord.”

“We do not allow just anyone in this holding,” said Julian. “But you are of the Ausonii.”

“That is interesting,” said Tuvo Ausonius. “I had not realized that something of that sort might have mattered.”

“We are particular,” said Julian.

“Ah,” said Tuvo Ausonius.

“Is anything wrong?” asked Julian.

“It is nothing,” said Ausonius.

“You are from Miton,” said Julian.

“Yes, milord.”

“Why was not someone from the palace, from the summer world, from the capital world, from the administrative worlds, not given this assignment?”

“I do not know, milord,” said Tuvo Ausonius.

“The same worlds tend to be isolated,” said Julian, “scarcely integrated into the empire.”

“We are loyal to the throne,” said Tuvo Ausonius.

“Your car is below, in the landing area,” said Julian.

“Yes, milord,” said Tuvo Ausonius.

Julian pressed a button on the lower edge of the top of the desk in the receiving office. There was a whirring of machinery, as though far off.

“I had expected,” said Julian, “given my rank, that the commission would be brought to the holding by an imperial magistrate, preceded by twelve lictors.”

“Is that the common protocol?” inquired Tuvo Ausonius.

“Yes,” said Julian. “One would have thought it would have been observed by Iaachus.”

“Yes,” said Tuvo Ausonius.

“He is the arbiter of protocol.”

“Yes,” said Tuvo Ausonius, thoughtfully.

“What is wrong?” asked Julian.

“Nothing,” said Tuvo Ausonius.

Julian Walked to one side of the room, and looked out, through gigantic windows, onto the mountains. Too, he could see, in a small landing area below, on a shelf below, the car. Air rippled about it. Its motors were hot, running.

He then returned, to stand behind the great desk.

On this desk there lay, rather at its center, but nearer Tuvo Ausonius, a flat, black case.

“Open it,” said Julian.

Tuvo Ausonius hesitated.

“Honor,” said Tuvo Ausonius, “is more important than life, for life is worthless without it.”

“You are a same,” said Julian. “Such things are of no interest to you.”

“Why do you hesitate?” asked Otto.

“You have a duty to perform,” said Julian.

“Documents, treaties, charters, commissions, such things, are not ordinarily delivered in this fashion, are they?” said Tuvo Ausonius.

“No,” said Julian.

“There is a time lock on the case,” said Tuvo Ausonius.

“It is a simple device,” said Julian. “You dial the combination, and, in ten seconds, those necessary for the internal machinery to clear the bolts, the case opens. You know the combination?”

“Yes,” said Tuvo Ausonius.

“What is wrong?” asked Otto.

“Nothing,” said Tuvo Ausonius.

“Open the case,” said Julian.

“There are special instructions,” said Tuvo Ausonius. “It is to be opened only in your presence, milord, and that of your guest, Ottonius.”

“That is that we may verify the opening of the case,” said Julian. “We are both present. Proceed.”

Tuvo Ausonius drew from within his jacket a sealed envelope and handed it to his colleague.

His colleague regarded him, puzzled.

“Leave the room,” he said to the colleague.

Wildly then, bewildered, did the colleague regard him.

“Now,” he said.

The colleague, looking back but once, frightened, clutching the paper, hurried from the room.

“Milords,” said Tuvo Ausonius, “I must now ask you to leave the room, as well.”

“The case is to be opened in our presence,” said Julian.

“I must insist,” said Tuvo Ausonius.

“You are a brave man,” said Julian. “What is the combination?”

“Milord?” asked Tuvo Ausonius.

“When the combination is dialed,” said Julian, “not only will the mechanism be engaged, but a signal will doubtless be transmitted to your car below.”

“It is waiting,” said Tuvo Ausonius.

“It is ready for flight, even now,” said Julian. “It will need ten seconds to ascend to its attack track.”

“I do not understand,” said Tuvo Ausonius.

“I have taken precautions,” said Julian. “Dial the combination.”

Tuvo Ausonius, steadying the case with one hand, began to rotate the dial with his other hand.

He stopped, short of the last number.

“What is it?” asked Julian.

“Six,” said Tuvo Ausonius. “Perhaps you had best leave the room.”

Julian reached over Tuvo Ausonius’s hand and moved the dial to six. A small purring sound emanated from the case.

“The mechanism is engaging,” said Julian.

Tuvo Ausonius was sweating.

“The car is rising, outside, I hear it,” said Otto.

“Gentlemen,” said Julian. “I think it would be wise if we withdrew. Please follow me.”

Scarcely had the three men stepped from the room, through a concealed, spring-actuated panel in the wall behind the desk, than the room vacated was rocked with an explosion. Window glass flew outward, the desk was shattered, walls were gouged and battered, papers were scattered, and blackened and aflame. At almost the same instant a searing flash of fire from the car tore at a thick, transparent domelike shield which, by the mechanism activated by the button beneath the desk earlier, had been placed in position. The car was not a hundred yards past the dome, and was banking for a second run, when it exploded, and burst into flame, caught in steams of fire from the walls.

The screaming of Tuvo Ausonius’s colleague could be heard from the outer room.

The men, half choking with dust, kicked the panel open, which was now awry on its hinges, and reentered the room.

The colleague of Tuvo Ausonius ran to him. Her eyes were wild. She gasped. It was almost as though she wished to throw herself to her knees before him.

At almost the same time several men, guards at the holding, armed, rushed into the room.

“We are all right,” Julian assured them.

He then turned to face Tuvo Ausonius and his colleague.

“You are under arrest, of course, both of you,” he said.

Their hands were tied behind their backs and they were conducted from the room.

“There is little left of the case,” said Otto, looking about.

“The only prints on it, even on the fragments,” said Julian, “would be those of its messenger.”

“Milord,” said a man, entering, “there is a party approaching, climbing the trail.”

“They are clad in white robes,” said Julian, “there are thirteen of them, twelve preceding, carrying rods and axes, and one following, bearing a scroll case.”

“Yes, milord!” said the man.

“Open the gate,” said Julian. “Admit them.”

“Wait!” called Julian.

“Milord?” said the man, turning.

“Secure all slaves,” said Julian.

“Yes, milord,” said the man.