"I see,” said Cabot. This did not come to him as any great surprise, for he had supposed as much, having neither heard nor seen aught of Zarendargar after his extrication from the Prison Moon.
"Agamemnon will want his answer soon,” said Peisistratus.
"I understand,” said Cabot.
"Tomorrow,” said Peisistratus, “you are to go hunting."
"Hunting?"
"On the game world,” said Peisistratus, “with Lord Pyrrhus."
"Are there weapons here, in the Pleasure Cylinder?” asked Cabot.
"We are not to speak of such things."
"Are there?"
"In the ships,” said Peisistratus.
"Are the ships accessible, and free?"
"They require authorization to depart, to dock, and so on,” said Peisistratus. “And they are not a match for the speed or armament of Kur ships."
"They are slavers’ ships?"
"Yes."
"What does one hunt on the game world?” inquired Cabot.
"Animals of various sorts,” said Peisistratus.
"And humans?"
"Yes."
"This is a test of sorts, I suppose,” said Cabot.
"I suppose so,” said Peisistratus. “They probably wish to see if you will kill humans."
"I see."
"But, too,” he said, “these are unusual humans, and our hirsute friends may be interested to see if they kill you."
"Unusual humans?"
"They have been bred to be elusive, dangerous prey animals. Some have slain Kurii."
"And if these unusual humans kill me, I would thus be proven a poor choice to abet the schemes of Kurii?"
"Yes, and then they could turn to others."
"Tomorrow then I shall go hunting."
"Cabot,” said Peisistratus.
"Yes?"
"Beware of Lord Pyrrhus."
As Cabot made ready to access the shuttle and return to his hillside villa on the Steel World, he heard the blows of a lash and the screams of a whipped slave.
"It is Corinna,” said Peisistratus. “She is being punished."
"Why?” asked Cabot.
"Our friends will have it so,” said Peisistratus.
"But, why?” asked Cabot.
"She failed to seduce you,” said Peisistratus.
Chapter, the Twelfth:
THE GAME WORLD
"I think there is nothing here,” said Cabot.
"No,” said Pyrrhus. “You are here."
There are five subsidiary cylinders easily reachable from the Steel World by means of shuttles. The largest of these are the agricultural cylinders, of which there are two; the next largest is the forest world, or game world; the next is the industrial cylinder; and the pleasure cylinder is by far the smallest.
The forest world, or game world, is essentially a sport world for Kurii, who are fond of the hunt. The forest world associated with the Steel World under the governance of Agamemnon is something in the neighborhood of one hundred square pasangs.
Cabot could see trees, as though from above, far over his head. Similarly forested areas sloped up to the curved horizons until they reached the green sky. He could see, far above him, amidst the trees, what appeared to be a lake.
"It is lovely, is it not?” came from the translator of Pyrrhus.
"Yes,” said Cabot. “Where are the others, the hunting party?"
"We have come early,” said Pyrrhus.
"You carry only a net, a spear, a knife,” said Cabot.
"We do not use power weapons in the hunt,” said Pyrrhus.
"It would not be sporting?"
"No, and if we did so, the range would soon be overhunted."
"I would have thought your claws and teeth would be sufficient,” said Cabot.
"There are beasts in the forests other than humans,” said Pyrrhus.
"And they prey on humans?"
"Some,” said Pyrrhus, “larls, sleen."
"It was not necessary to have shown me the cattle pens before we boarded the shuttle,” said Cabot.
"They would make poor game animals,” said Pyrrhus.
"Doubtless,” said Cabot.
Cabot had not been pleased to see the extensive pens in which the cattle were crowded, scarcely able to move about, feeding and watering at side troughs, milling about, grunting, pressing against the bars.
"I am sorry if you were distressed,” said Pyrrhus, “but you must understand that your species is a food species. I did spare you the squealing at the slaughter bench."
"They are not speeched,” said Cabot.
"For the most part, not,” said Pyrrhus. “Occasionally we put a speeched one amongst them, who understands what will be done, but he is unable to communicate with the others."
"I see,” said Cabot.
"Do not be concerned for them,” said Pyrrhus. “It is the only life they know. They fear only that their food troughs will not be filled on time, that the water troughs may be dry."
"I see,” said Cabot.
"Have you ever tasted human?” asked Pyrrhus.
"No,” said Cabot.
"Would you like to do so?"
"No,” said Cabot.
"Yet,” said Pyrrhus, “humans have often eaten human."
"I suppose that is true,” said Cabot.
"But you do not care to do so?"
"No."
"I do not blame you,” said Pyrrhus. “I do not care much for human myself. Do you recall my pet?"
"I think so,” said Cabot.
"I do not think I would care to eat her myself,” said Pyrrhus, “as I do not care that much for human, but I am thinking of selling her to another who might find her tasty."
"Doubtless you will do as you wish,” said Cabot.
"I thought you might be interested."
"Why?” asked Cabot.
"I see,” said Pyrrhus. “I had thought you might wish to own her."
"Her hair is short,” said Cabot.
"But is she not a well-shaped female of your species, of the sort that men enjoy owning?"
"She will do,” said Cabot.
"I thought so,” said Pyrrhus.
"You do not approve of the plan of Agamemnon, I gather,” said Cabot, “to utilize humans in the conquest of Gor."
"Why should you say that?” inquired Pyrrhus.
"Because we are here, alone, at the edge of the forest, in advance of the hunting party."
"For a human, you are clever,” said Pyrrhus.
"Agamemnon, I gather,” said Cabot, “does not know I am here."
"Some things, it seems,” said Pyrrhus, “elude even the awareness of the Eleventh Face of the Nameless One."
"An accident of some sort will occur?"
"You were curious,” said Pyrrhus. “You wandered off."
"That was unwise of me,” said Cabot.
"There is little point in eying my dagger,” said Pyrrhus, “for the sheath is locked, and you do not know the releasing touch."
"You would challenge the will of Agamemnon?"
"Agamemnon is astute,” said Pyrrhus, “but he knows little of honor. He would expend humans, swarming them into the Sardar to exterminate Priest-Kings, thus robbing Kurii of the glory of victory."
"Surely this might save many Kurii."
"But at the cost of glory,” said Pyrrhus. “One might as well utilize bacilli to achieve one's ends."
"A victory ill bought is an ill-gained victory,” said Cabot.
"Precisely,” said Pyrrhus.
"But it is a victory."
"One unworthy of Kurii,” said Pyrrhus.
"Too,” said Cabot, “after such a victory you would have to share Gor with your allies."
"Surely you do not believe that,” said Pyrrhus.
"No,” said Cabot, “I do not."
"That deception, too, defiles honor,” said Pyrrhus.
"But it evidences the astuteness of Agamemnon."
"The pledge of a Kur is sacred,” said Pyrrhus.