Chapter Eighteen
FIGHTING CONTINUES;
WE REPORT TO LORD NISHIDA;
THE STABLE
I brought the tarn down, to the field of training, followed by Tajima and Pertinax, and Ichiro, my first, or lead, signalman.
Shortly afterward Torgus, with his bannerman and guard, alit, and Lysander, too, with his bannerman and first twenty.
My major officers were then with me.
We had perhaps a century of men either on the ground or in the air, in the vicinity. Several were doubtless still in pursuit of fugitives.
“We are victorious!” cried Torgus, pleased, dismounted, holding the reins of his tarn.
“Swords still cross,” I informed him, looking about.
Smoke rolled upward from the housing area, from beyond the narrow track which led to the Plaza of Training.
“Let them come to us!” laughed Torgus, sweeping an arm back, indicating the crowded plaza.
Tarns screamed. Dust swirled, raised by war and the beating wings of tarns, the gigantic, monstrous saddle birds of Gor. Here and there my fellows were still at their work. Enemies spun about, encircled, fenced by lances, thence to be pierced by arrows. I saw an Anangan dart lodge itself in a fellow’s throat, who tried to pull it free, and, blood bursting from the neck, he sprawled into the dust, the vessel of the artery exposed, as it had caught behind the point of the dart, which point is broad, and barbed. In two or three places men fought, interestingly, with blades. I saw one fellow’s spine severed as he tried to mount the saddle ladder of an unguarded tarn. There was shouting. Some tarns were being led away by my men, to be secured in our cots.
“They will,” said Tajima.
As the tarns of the dismounted enemy were on the plaza of training, and we now held that ground, they had no access to the tarns without challenging us. Some were now coming down the track which led from the housing area to the training area, burdened with loot, some leading bound, leashed, female slaves. Muchly were they then dismayed to realize the training area was occupied. Several understood their peril and abandoned their loot, and slaves, and, drawing their weapons, hurried toward the waiting birds. Here, however, my men, now well outnumbering their foe, withdrew before them, if on foot, only to circle them, suddenly, like pack sleen, and fire arrows into backs or sides, whatever area might be clear of the shield. Some had recourse to the lances, to fend them back, while others used their bows or Anangan darts. It was much like the tactics of the air, but employed upon the ground. Engage, if possible, only when it is to your advantage, I had cautioned them. When charged they melted away only to reform again in a circle of death, where the turning warrior, confused and frightened, could defend himself on only one side. Few of our fellows could have stood up singly to such an enemy but, like harrying pack sleen, could easily deal severally with him. Too, some of our fellows, still on tarnback, their tarns on the ground, used their arrows to advantage. If approached, they merely pulled on the one-strap and hovered in the air, to fire further. Some other strikes were made from the air with the temwood lances.
“Cowards! Cowards!” cried one of the warriors, turning about, wildly. But then he fell, pierced by a dozen arrows.
He who would throw himself into the jaws of a larl may not be a coward, but he is surely a fool.
Some of the enemy then turned about, to flee back to the shelter of the trees and, momentarily, the housing area. Few reached the track, even backing away. Others fled into the forest, beyond the wands. I heard the roar of larls, and screams, from north of the track.
I would keep men on the field, for I was not sure of the number of enemies that might be left in the area.
There were many bodies about, the debris of war, distributed in accord with a fray’s whims. Few were in our gray.
The foe, it seemed, had not fared well, neither in the sky nor, as far as I could determine, on the ground.
“There are no prisoners?” I asked a fellow, one of the Pani.
“No,” he said.
I thought no more of this at the time.
I called to my side Tajima and Pertinax, and some dozen or so mercenaries, who well knew the sword.
“I suspect there is work to be done,” I said.
“I think so,” said Tajima.
“You are learning the blade,” I said to Pertinax. “Are you ready to use it?”
“Yes,” he said.
“Truly?” I asked, regarding him closely.
“I think so,” he said.
“Bucklers and blades,” I said to the mercenaries.
I secured my own buckler from the saddle.
“You, too, buckler and blade,” I said to Tajima and Pertinax. It is true the blade may be used for both offense and defense, but I would not trust it against a flighted quarrel.
“Nodachi,” said Tajima, “could deflect a quarrel with the blade of even a companion sword.”
“And do you possess his skills?” I asked.
“No,” said Tajima.
“Fetch your buckler,” I said to him.
“Yes, Tarl Cabot, tarnsman,” he said.
The edged buckler, of course, as in the arena, is an offensive weapon, as well as a defensive one.
I put Torgus in command.
“We will report to Lord Nishida,” I said to Tajima.
“It is well,” he said.
At that moment, running toward us, then stopping short, was one of the enemy.
“Please, Tarl Cabot, tarnsman,” said Tajima, politely, “may I have him?”
“Yes,” I said. And then I said to Pertinax, “observe.”
It was done very quickly.
“Do not do swords with Tajima,” I said to Pertinax.
“He despises me,” said Pertinax.
“No,” I said, “for as of this afternoon you have ridden together.”
“We are rivals,” said Pertinax.
“Are you interested in Sumomo?” I asked.
“Who is Sumomo?” he asked.
“You are not rivals,” I assured him.
“My skills increase,” said Pertinax.
“Good,” I said. “See that they are employed properly.”
I then, with some dozen or so men, mercenaries, together with Tajima and Pertinax, addressed myself to the path which led to the housing area. We had not been on the track for more than a handful of Ihn, however, moving rapidly but circumspectly, lest crossbowmen be about, when we heard shouts before us, and we saw some dozen or so of the Pani Ashigaru, with their glaives, approaching.
“It seems we will not need our blades,” said Tajima.
“Resistance is at an end,” said one of my fellows.
“The camp is clear,” said another.
“Do not be certain of that,” I said. I conjectured that enclaves of war might linger. More dangerous would be foes who were unseen, who, frenzied, and terrified, might be here and there, in hiding.
Then we had come to the housing area.
“I would see if Sumomo is alive,” said Tajima.
“You are dismissed,” I informed my pantherine associate, and he bowed, briefly, and hurried away, toward the area of Lord Nishida’s still-burning pavilion.
I anticipated no resistance in the open areas.
I saw some Pani about. Some had heads fastened at their belt.
I saw no prisoners.
I heard a scream from within one of the huts about the periphery.
“Should we not concern ourselves with Cecily and Jane?” asked Pertinax.
“You mean Saru, do you not?” I asked.
“With slaves,” said Pertinax.
“War is first,” I told him.
“Duty?” he said.
“Certainly,” I said. “But do not fear for them. Female slaves are not slain, no more than verr or kaiila.”