"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.