"If they are successful," said Ayari, "that will finish organized resistance to Bila Huruma."
"They will be successful," said the man.
"Why did you say 'former Mfalme'?" I asked.
"Bila Huruma," he said, "it is well known, has bought off the chieftains of the Ukungu region. In council they have deposed Kisu and, placed their leader, Aibu, in power. Kisu then withdrew with some two hundred warriors, loyal to him. to continue the fight against Bila Huruma."
"In the arts of politics," said Ayari, complacently, "gold is more insidious than steel."
"He should withdraw to the forests, to continue the fight from there," I said.
"War from the forests," said Ayari, "is effective only against an enemy which is weak or humane. The weak enemy lacks the power to exterminate the population of the forest. The humane enemy will not do so. Bila Huruma, unfortunately, I fear, is neither weak nor humane."
"Surely he must be stopped," I said.
"Perhaps he could be killed," said Ayari.
"He is well guarded, surely," said the man to my left.
"Surely," said Ayari.
"Our only hope," said the man to my left, "is a victory by the forces of Kisu."
"Five days ago" said Ayari, "the askaris went east to engage him in battle."
"Perhaps, by now," said the man to my left, "the battle has taken place."
"No," I said. "It is surely too soon."
"Why?" asked Ayari.
"Kisu is severely outnumbered," I said. "He would maneuver for position. He would choose his time of battle with great care."
"Unless it were forced upon him," said Ayari.
"How could that be?" I asked.
"Do not underestimate the efficiency of the askaris of Bila Huruma," said Ayari.
"You speak," I said. "as though they were professional warriors, under astute generalship, skilled in scouting, in flanking and cutting off retreats."
"Listen!" said Ayari. He held up his hand.
"I hear it," I said. "Can you make it out?"
"Quiet!" said Ayari. "I am listening."
It was only some two pasangs away, ahead of us, and nearing us. But, in a moment its message was taken up from behind us, some four pasangs down the workway, west, leading toward Ushindi. It would then, swiftly, station to station, be transmitted back to the grass palace of Bila Huruma.
"The forces of Kisu have been met in battle and defeated." said Ayari. "That is the message of the drum."
Askaris about us were lifting their weapons over their heads and shouting with pleasure.
Behind us, further down the workway, too, men were shouting with pride, many lifting their shovels.
"Look!" said Ayari.
I could see the craft now. It was a shallow-drafted, dismasted dhow. It was being drawn by dozens of men, wading in the marsh, pulling on ropes. They wore slave collars. They were chained together, in groups of eight or ten, by the neck. Askaris, some wading, some in canoes, flanked them. The askaris were jubilant, resplendent in their skins and feathers, with their golden necklaces and armlets, their narrow, tufted shields and short-handled stabbing spears. On the foredeck of the dhow there was mounted a log drum. On this, methodically, an askari drummer, with two long sticks, was heating out, again and again, the message of victory. Many askaris, too, rode the dhow, mostly officers, judging from the arrangements of their gold and feathers, for it is by these things, serving as insignia, that their rankings to those who could read them, as I could not, were made clear. Behind the dhow, some wading and others in canoes, came more than a thousand askaris. In place of the mast on the dhow, mounted in the mast socket, was a «T» frame with a small crossbar mounted on the vertical beam. On this «T» frame a man was chained. His arms were placed over and behind the horizontal bar of the frame, his hands chained together, the chain running before his body, holding him to the frame. His feet had been positioned on the small crossbar. His ankles were also chained, a loop of chain holding them close to the vertical beam. He was a large man, with tattooing. He had apparently been wounded and, surely, had been much beaten. I thought that he might be dead but, as the dhow came closer, I saw him, possibly revived by the shouting and noise, raise his head. He then straightened his body and, as he could, stood proudly, head high, surveying us, on the frame.
The askaris pointed their spears at him, and turned to us, and shouted.
There was no mistaking the name they cried, "Kisu!" they cried. "Kisu! Kisu!"
"It is Kisu," said Ayari.
17
Msaliti Has Formed A Plan
The white slave girls, nude, toweled my body.
"Away," said Msaliti, sharply. They fled away, their bare feet pattering on the woven mats of my quarters, within that gigantic compound that constituted the palace of Bila Huruma.
"These robes," said Msaliti, indicating robes spread upon the couch, "will be found suitable for an ambassador of Teletus." He then indicated a small chest at the couch's foot. "Those gifts, too," he said, "will appear seemly from one interested in negotiating a commercial treaty with one of the stature of Bila Huruma."
I slipped on a tunic.
"Why could you not apprehend Shaba at the banks?" I asked.
"He never cashed the notes," said Msaliti.
I looked at him.
"He feared to do so?" I asked.
"We were tricked," said Msaliti. "He signed the notes over to Bila Huruma, and it was agents of the Ubar himself, who cashed them."
"Twenty thousand tarns of gold," I said.
"The money," said Msaliti, in fury, "is being invested in the formation of a fleet of a hundred ships, fully fitted and supplied, and crewed by fifty men each. These ships are being specifically built to be sectioned and rejoinable, to make possible their portage about difficult areas. Our money, that which we paid for the ring, is being used to outfit an expedition for the exploration of the Ua!"
"That is a venture," I said, "surely of interest to both a geographer, such as Shaba, and a Ubar, such as Bila Huruma."
"I thought he wanted the gold for himself!" said Msaliti.
"Gold is perhaps of less interest to him than glory," I said.
"He will not get away with it," said Msaliti. "We will recover the ring."
"It will take time to prepare such ships," I said.
"The work commenced, months ago," said Msaliti.
"Surely this could not have been unknown to you," I said. "The work was done in the shipyards of Ianda," he said. "I had heard rumors of such a project but did not understand the nature of the ships or that this ubarate was involved. But now the ships are already moving upstream on the Nyoka."
"It seems," I said, "that Bila Huruma does not take you into his full confidence."
"He is a secretive man," said Msaliti.
"Perhaps it is fortunate for him that he does not fully trust you."
"Surely the hand of Shaba may be seen in this," said Msaliti.
"Doubtless," I said.
"Of those in these lands," said Msaliti, "only you and I, and Shaba, know of the ring."
"I gather that you now know the whereabouts of Shaba," I said.
"He is here, the bold rascal," said Msaliti, "in this very palace, living openly, protected by Bila Huruma."
"He is a courageous fellow," I said.
"He thinks he has little to fear," said Msaliti.
"What is your plan?" I asked.
"Bila Huruma, this very morning," said he, "holds court. You, in the guise of an ambassador of Teletus, will bring forward gifts for his viewing. I will do the speaking. You need do little or nothing. Almost no one present will be able to understand Gorean. I will explain that the details of your proposal for a commercial treaty will be discussed with the appropriate wazir, and presented later for approval."