Swordsmen of Gor

“The strange men were generous,” said another. “Each of us received, in copper tarsks, the equivalent of a silver stater of Brundisium.”

“They were generous, indeed,” I said.

“We had several nights to enjoy the taverns,” said a fellow.

“What of your slaves?” I asked.

“We chained them in the basement of one of the billets,” said a man.

“Apparently you could take them with you,” I said.

“Yes,” said he, who was called Torgus. “We were told that uses might always be found for such.”

“I do not doubt it,” I said. I glanced at the slaves, in position, the iron on their necks, the water swirling about their knees. They were soft, pathetic, and fearful. They were helpless. They were owned.

I wondered if Pertinax might have felt sorry for them. But that would have been absurd, for they were slaves. One might as well have felt sorry for a kaiila or tarsk.

A slave is not to be coddled, but mastered.

Yes, I thought, uses might always be found for such. Indeed, wherever there were strong men, uses might be found for such.

They were slaves.

“I have heard that Brundisium is plentifully supplied with paga taverns,” I said.

“Indeed!” agreed a fellow.

This was only to be expected, of course, in a port city, frequented with mariners, merchants, diverse transients, and such.

“One of the best is the tavern of Hendow,” said a fellow.

“It is on Dock Street,” said another.

I had heard of it. It was famed for the beauty of its slaves and the quality of its dancers.

“The slaves there vie with one another for permission to approach your table,” said a fellow. “They all want to serve you paga.”

“That is not unusual in a paga tavern,” I said.

“No,” said a fellow.

Sometimes the paga slaves are knelt at a wall, and one indicates his choice, she whom he will permit to serve him.

“And in the alcoves they whimper in their chains,” said a fellow, “begging to be permitted to bring you the most exquisite and prolonged of kajira delights.”

“Their master, Hendow, is a monster,” laughed a fellow. “It is little wonder his slaves strive with all their softness and beauty to well serve his customers. Woe to the girl who does not please a client of severe, massive Hendow.”

“Yes,” said a fellow, “perhaps at first they fear Hendow, but, shortly, in your arms, they are no more than slaves.”

I felt sorry for the men of Earth, so many of whom had never held a slave in their arms.

How different they would be, I thought, if they knew the mastery.

Who could do with a free woman, I wondered, who had once tasted slave?

It is no wonder free women hate their embonded sisters, and treat them with such contempt and cruelty.

“I think,” said Torgus, “we ought not to remain too long on the beach.”

“Certainly not,” I said.

“I have the countersign,” he said. “I await the sign.”

“It is not yet time,” I said.

“I think it is time,” he said.

“Who are you?” suddenly asked a fellow.

“Give us the sign,” said another.

“A ship arrived yesterday,” I said.

“Our ship is the last,” said Torgus.

“The sign, I have,” I said, “is ‘Tarns aflight‘.”

“I have no countersign for that,” said Torgus, very quietly.

“The countersign,” I said, “from yesterday’s ship, was ‘from Ar‘.”

“That is not the sign I was to expect, nor to answer with my countersign.”

“I suspect there is a misunderstanding,” I said.

I noted I was being ringed with fellows, but space was left, in which weapons might be drawn. Torgus stepped back, to put a few feet between us.

“He must be our contact,” said a fellow. “How else would he be here, to meet us?”

“We were warned of strangers,” said Torgus.

” Tarns aflight,” I said.

” From Ar, from Ar,” volunteered a fellow, hopefully.

“Yes,” I said, cheerfully, “’from Ar‘.”

I saw the hand of Torgus, and that of several others, move to the hilts of weapons. Their scabbards, on the whole, as mine, were at the left hip, suspended there on a shoulder strap. This is common if conflict is not imminent. If it is, the scabbard is often hung loosely at the left shoulder, where, the blade drawn, it may be instantly discarded. A hand in a shoulder strap, in grappling, for example, may serve to hold an enemy in place for, say, the thrust of a knife.

I did not draw my weapon, nor did any of the others.

Clearly they were undecided as to what to do.

“Your slaves are attractive,” I said. “What do you want for them?”

“They have already been purchased, by our employers,” said Torgus. “We are merely delivering them.”

Several of the girls looked startled at this intelligence. It seems they had not realized they had been sold.

“The sign,” said Torgus, “the sign.”

“Certainly,” I said, looking about. I detected a movement in the forest. “My superior will supply it. Mine was apparently for the ship yesterday. There seems to have been some confusion.”

“Apparently,” said Torgus.

“Wait a bit,” I said. “He will be here.”

“Are you not to guide us?” asked a fellow.

“No, my superior,” I said.

“How long must we wait?” said Torgus, glancing about. The beach was apparently more open than was to his liking.

I was sure that this ship would be met, and I must endeavor to keep things as they were, and hope that the contact would reveal himself shortly, and the sooner the better. Torgus was tolerant, but he was suspicious, and he was not a fool.

“How long?” asked Torgus.

“Not long,” I said. “A few Ehn, perhaps a bit more.”

I had seen a movement within the forest and, given the remoteness of the area, I was sure it must be connected with the new arrivals.

After a time, Torgus said, “We have waited long enough.”

“Wait a little more,” said one of his men, the fellow whom I had earlier conjectured might not have ill worn the scarlet.

Torgus shrugged. It seemed he attended this man, and respected him.

“I shall enter the forest,” I said, “and seek out my superior.”

“Remain where you are,” said Torgus.

“Very well,” I said. I thought I might be able to bring down two or three, but then I would have expected to be cut down.

If Cos and Tyros had paid these men good coin for their work in Ar, as I supposed they had, they would be skilled. I recalled how they had, as related to me, cut their way through several fellows of Ar to reach the