Part 19 (2/2)
Ross slewed around, still down on one knee, to face the charge of a Rover. In the firelight the Hawaikan's eyes were blazing with fanatical hatred. He had his hooked sword ready to deliver a finis.h.i.+ng stroke. The Terran blocked with a shoulder to meet the Rover's knees, threw him back. Then Ross landed on top of the fighting crewman, trying to pin the fellow to earth and avoid that recklessly slas.h.i.+ng blade.
”Loketh! Vistur!” Ross shouted as he struggled.
More of the Rovers appeared from between the buildings, bearing down on the limp aliens and the two fighting men. Ross recognized the limping gait of Loketh using a branch to aid him into a running scuttle across the open.
”Loketh--here!”
The Hawaikan covered the last few feet in a dive which carried him into Ross and the Rover. ”Hold him,” the Terran ordered and had just time enough to throw himself between the Baldies and the rest of the crew.
There was a snarling from the Rovers; and Ross, knowing their temper, was afraid he could not save the captives which they considered, fairly, their legitimate prey. He must depend upon the hope that there were one or two cooler heads among them with enough authority to restrain the would-be avengers. Otherwise he would have to beam them into helplessness.
”Torgul!” he shouted.
There was a break in the line of runners speeding for him. The big man lunging straight across could only be Vistur; the other, yelling orders, was Torgul. It would depend upon how much control the Captain had over his men. Ross scrambled to his feet. He had clicked on the beamer to its lowest frequency. It would not kill, but would render its victim temporarily paralyzed; and how long that state would continue Ross had no way of knowing. Tried on Terran laboratory animals, the time had varied from days to weeks.
Vistur used the flat side of his war ax, clapping it against the foremost runners, setting his own bulk to impose a barrier. And now Torgul's orders appeared to be getting through, more and more of the men slacked, leaving a trio of hotheads, two of whom Vistur sent reeling with his fists.
The Captain came up to Ross. ”They are alive then?” He leaned over to inspect the Baldy the Terran had rolled on his back, a.s.sessing the alien's frozen stare with thoughtful measurement.
”Yes, but they can not move.”
”Well enough.” Torgul nodded. ”They shall meet the Justice of Phutka after the Law. I think they will wish that they had been left to the boarding axes of angry men.”
”They are worth more alive than dead, Captain. Do you not wish to know why they have carried war to your people, how many of them there may yet be to attack--and other things? Also--” Ross nodded at the fire now catching the second building, ”why have they built up that blaze? Is it a signal to others of their kind?”
”Very well said. Yes, it would be well for us to learn such things. Nor will Phutka be jealous of the time we take to ask questions and get answers, many answers.” He prodded the Baldy with the toe of his sea boot.
”How long will they remain so? Your magic has a bite in it.”
Ross smiled. ”Not my magic, Captain. This weapon was taken from one of their own s.h.i.+ps. As to how long they will remain so--that I do not know.”
”Very well, we can take precautions.” Under Torgul's orders the aliens were draped with capture nets like those Ross and Loketh had worn. The sea-grown plant adhered instantly, wet strands knitting in perfect restrainers as long as it was uncut.
Having seen to that, Torgul ordered the excavation of Kyn Add.
”As you say,” he remarked to Ross, ”that fire may well be a signal to bring down more of their kind. I think we have had the Favor of Phutka in this matter, but the prudent man stretches no favor of that kind too far. Also,” he looked about him--”we have given to Phutka and the Shades our dead; there is nothing for us here now but hate and sorrow. In one day we have been broken from a clan of pride and s.h.i.+ps to a handful of standardless men.”
”You will join some other clan?” Karara had come with Jazia to stand on the stone ledge chipped to form a base for a column bearing a strange, brooding-eyed head looking seaward. The Rover woman was superintending the freeing of the head from the column.
At the Terran girl's question the Captain gazed down into the dreadful chaos of the valley. They could yet hear the roars of the dying salkars.
The reptiles that had made their way to land had not withdrawn but still lay, some dead now, some with weaving heads reaching inland. And the whole of the fairing was ablaze with fire.
”We are now blood-sworn men, Sea Maid. For such there is no clan. There is only the hunting and the kill. With the magic of Phutka perhaps we shall have a short hunt and a good kill.”
”There ... now ... so....” Jazia stepped back. The head which had faced the sea was lowered carefully to a wide strip of crimson-and-gold stuff she had brought from Torgul's s.h.i.+p. With her one usable hand the Rover woman drew the fabric about the carving, m.u.f.fling it except for the eyes. Those were large ovals deeply carved, and in them Ross saw a glitter. Jewels set there? Yet, he had a queer, s.h.i.+very feeling that something more than gems occupied those sockets--that he had actually been regarded for an instant of time, a.s.sessed and dismissed.
”We go now.” Jazia waved and Torgul sent men forward. They lifted the wrapped carving to a board carried between them and started downslope.
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