Blade knew that the Second Neuter, no matter his level of conditioning, was a fool. It could not be helped. He must use the neuter as best he could, depend on him as far as he dared.
'Who actually oversees the ceboids?'
'The ceboid-masters, Lord Blade. Neuters of the lowest level. They live among the ceboids and speak their language. This is necessary because the beasts cannot learn Tharnian, therefore the ceboid-masters must speak their language. It has always been thus, for all the kronos on record.'
Blade regarded him grimly. 'I see. Well, a great many things are going to be changed in Tharn. That is all for now, Second Neuter. Go and start organizing your neuters as I bade you. And find Xeno, he is my servant, and send him to me. At once.'
'At once, Lord Blade.' The Second Neuter made slaveface and glided away. Blade watched him disappear down the stairs followed by the ceboid squad.
Blade strode back to the railing once more. There was a great blue patch directly overhead now, widening as he watched it, and toward the northern horizon, from whence Honcho and Org and the Pethcines would come, there was a scatter of small clouds like sheep in a pen. As Blade watched the clouds a single lance of sunlight struck through from somewhere and gilded them, transforming each separate cloudlet into a golden fleece. Blade tugged at his beard and smiled, a slow smile. In his other life he had never believed in omens. Now he was not so sure.
Xeno arrived breathless and fearful. He had in fact been off attending to some business of his own, neuter business, and neglecting his duties. He did not know what to expect. Perhaps he would even be destructed, and he of only 16 kronos! He made deep and humble slaveface, his slitted eyes on the great sword at Blade's side.
'You sent for me, Lord Blade?' He was still breathless from running. And very nervous and upset. Nothing worked in Tharn any more. There were horrible rumors that the Power was gone forever.
Blade was stern. 'I did. Sit down.'
'Sit down, my Lord?' It was unthinkable. Sit down! In the Lord Blade's presence!
Blade roared suddenly. 'I said to sit down, Xeno. That is a command!'
Xeno sat. Blade regarded him. He needed an aide, an ADC, that was intelligent and trustworthy. Intuition told him that Xeno was his man or, rather, his neuter.
'You have 16 kronos?'
'Yes, my Lord.'
Blade nodded in satisfaction. Still a very young neuter.
'What is your level, Xeno?'
'Of the 12th level, my Lord. I was apprenticed as a Maiduke monitor until Sutha appointed me to serve you.'
Blade could have wished the level higher, but it would have to do. He remembered that Moyna, the first neuter he had ever seen, had only been 4th level and Moyna managed pretty well until Honcho had destructed him.
'I would have you serve me,' said Blade.
Xeno made another slaveface. He was puzzled. 'But of course, my Lord Blade. What else am I for?'
Blade started to scowl, then his white teeth glinted through the black beard. Of course Xeno did not understand. It would have to be explained.
Blade was wearing an authority chain. It was of golden tinted teksin with a small pendant phallus. He took it from his own person and placed it around Xeno's neck. The young neuter stared down at it in fascinated puzzlement. What did it mean? Everything in Tharn was changing so fast!
Blade pointed a big finger at the neuter. 'I did not mean exactly that. Listen well. When I have finished you will tell me what you understand and what you do not.' Blade half smiled. 'If you do not understand enough I will take the chain back and send you to live with the ceboids. Now.
'I have appointed you my ADC. Adjutant. Lieutenant. Translate it into Tharnian as you wish. You will remain with me constantly, unless I send you on a task. You will take orders from me alone. Only me! That is most important, and that includes the High Priestess Isma and King Sutha of the neuters. Remember that - only I give you orders!
'I place you in command of all the ceboid-masters. And the ceboids, of course. About them I will give you more specific orders later.
'You will collect all the food in Urcit, and all the water, and you will have them stored where I tell you. You will do the same with all the unprocessed mani. You will also gather, in a place I will designate, all the stocks of raw teksin. That is important. I will need every bit of it. As soon as you leave me you will begin to do these things. But this is only the beginning, Xeno. We are going to have to work hard. And then fight hard. Now, is there anything you do not understand?'
Xeno was regarding Blade with eyes that reflected mingled perplexity and adulation. He fingered the chain Blade had bestowed on him.
Before the neuter could answer Blade added what he hoped would be the clincher. 'Serve me well, Xeno, well and faithfully, and intelligently, and when Sutha is finished I shall see that you have his place. Now I ask again - what do you not understand? Do not be afraid to ask. It is important that everything be perfectly clear to you.'
'I understand all that you have said, Lord Blade. But there is something...'
'What is it?'
'That.' Xeno pointed to the sky. 'It makes me afraid, Lord. What is happening?'
The curdled skim of Tharnian sky had cleared in the west. A single star glinted silver, pinned on a background of rose-blue. The sun was going down.
Blade smiled at Xeno. 'Do not be afraid.' he told the neuter. 'The sky is not falling down.'
