Witness of Gor

30

Fina, the preferred slave of the pit master, burst into the quarters of the pit master. I and two others were present, a guard and another girl.

“Master!” she cried. “They are coming! Members of the black caste!”

The guard thrust the girl from him. He looked wildly at the pit master.

“Seal the passages,” said the pit master. “Alert the guard.”

The guard swiftly left the room.

The girl whom he had thrust from him looked after him, in consternation, clutching a bit of slave rag to herself.

“Fecha, Janice,” said the pit master with a swift gesture, “to your kennels!”

I quickly pulled my tunic off and hurried to the kennel, backing into it, pulling shut the gate after me. I was then locked in. I drew back in the kennel. Fecha discarded the slave rag and locked herself, too, in her kennel. Fina, who had no kennel, but was commonly slept at the slave ring of the pit master, quickly seized up a polishing rag and, kneeling to one side, head down, began to buff a goblet.

But the first figure which entered the quarters was not that of a stranger, but one who had, upon occasion, frequented these precincts before, the officer, he whose name I knew not, but whose rank was captain.

The pit master looked up from some papers which he had but a moment before spread before him. He had also, beneath these papers, I had noted, concealed a stiletto.

“The projected invasion has landed,” said the officer. “It has made landfall, as anticipated, at Brundisium.”

“It has begun,” said the pit master.

“It seems they think it safe now,” said the officer.

“And perhaps now, it is,” speculated the pit master.

“But an Ahn ago,” said the officer, “emissaries from Lurius of Jad have arrived in the city. They have obtained clearances from the administration. They are authorized to enter the depths.”

“Members of the black caste, the Assassins,” said the pit master. “They are not far behind you.”

“You know?”

“I have just received word.”

“They wish to take custody of the prisoner,” said the officer. “I am sure of it.”

“It will be a brief custody, I am sure,” said the pit master.

“He is to be removed to Cos,” said the officer.

“He will never reach Cos,” said the pit master.

“I have heard he is to be removed to Cos,” said the officer, firmly.

“Why Assassins?” asked the pit master. “Why those of the black caste?”

“Efficiency, anonymity,” said the officer.

“What has Lurius to fear?” asked the pit master. “Is the prisoner not safe here? Has he not enough spies on the continent, even in Ar herself? Has he not a thousand traitors in high places?”

“They approach,” said the officer, uneasily.

“Are you armed?” asked the pit master.

“Yes,” said the officer, touching his left side, beneath his robes.

“Last night,” said the pit master,” I dreamed of honor.”

“If he is taken from us,” said the officer. “Treve loses a counter of inestimable value.”

“And would Cos permit us to retain such a counter?” said the pit master.

“Numbers beyond count have landed in Brundisium,” said the officer. “There must be better than a thousand ships, better than a thousand companies.”

“What is their destination?” asked the pit master.

“It is rumored Torcadino,” said the officer.

“And thence to Ar?”

“Doubtless.”

“Such forces might be turned eventually toward the northeast,” said the pit master. “The mountains could swarm with them. There could be too many to turn back.”

“Ar must fall,” said the officer, in a terrible voice. “She is our ancient enemy.”

“And what may we expect from Cos, and Tyros, once entrenched upon the mainland?” queried the pit master.

The officer looked down, angrily.

“Ar is divided against itself,” said the pit master. “There are traitors in high places.”

“Excellent,” growled the officer.

“Had there not been he would not have been encouraged into the Voltai, had there not have been we would not have received the information which permitted us to ambush and snare him as we did.”

At that point, from outside, somewhere down the corridor, we hear a sounding of metal, perhaps the beating of a sword hilt on a closed gate.

“Open!” we heard. “We have orders! Open!”

“The passage is sealed,” said the pit master.

“It must be opened,” said the officer. “The administration has cleared them. They have authorization.”

What has Rask said of this?” asked the pit master.

“He has pledged a thousand men to stop them,” said the officer.

“And would precipitate war,” said the pit master, irritably.

“And what Kaissa would you play?” inquired the officer.

“I have a game in mind,” said the pit master.

“Neither of us may betray the honor of our post,” said the officer.

“And where is found the house of honor?”

“He is to be surrendered to them,” said the officer. “There is no other way.”

“You understand what that means?”

“There is no other way.”

“There is a possibility.”

“None we may with honor pursue.”

“Honor has many voices, and many songs.”

“Open! Open!” we heard, from down the corridor. There was a repetition of the pounding on the bars of the gate. “Open! Open!”

“We need time!” said the officer.

“They will not have their way this day,” said the pit master.

“And how is that?” asked the officer.

“Their papers are not in order,” said the pit master.

“I see,” said the officer.

“Open,” we heard. “Open!”

“Coming, coming, Masters!” called the pit master.