They are guests of our city's noble Bradhi."
"Your Bradhi-not Chinod Sai?"
"Yes. He has now chosen to call himself the Bradhi Chinod Sai. Narlet is becoming respectable, eh? He is one of your peers now, Bradhinak Darnad-not so?"
"The scoundrel. He gives himself airs."
"Perhaps," said old Belet Vor musingly, "but I seem to remember that many of the established nations in these parts had origins similar to our,"
Darnad laughed shortly. "You have me there, Belet Vor-but that's for posterity. I know Chinod Sai for a blood-thirsty slayer of women and children."
"You do him an injustice." Belet Vor grinned.
"He has killed at least one youth in a fair fight."
Darnad turned to me, speaking seriously. "If these Argzoon have Chinod Sai's protection, then we will have greater difficulty getting Shizala-and this other woman-out of their power. We are in a bad position."
"I have a suggestion, if you will hear it," Belet Vor insinuated.
"I'll listen to anything reasonable," said Darnad.
"Well-I would say that the Argzoon and their ladies are guesting in the special chambers set aside for sudden visitors of some standing."
"What of it?" I said, a trifle tersely.
"Those chambers are conveniently placed on the ground floor. They have large windows. Perhaps you could help your friends without-er-actually disturbing our royal Bradhi?"
I frowned. "But aren't they guarded?"
"Oh, there are guards surrounding the great Bradhi's palace at intervals. He fears, possibly, that there may be robbers in these parts-such little faith does he have in his subjects."
"How would we enter the guest rooms without the guards seeing us?" I rubbed my chin.
"You would have to dispose of them-they are very alert. After all, some of the best thieves of the Crimson Plain have tried to help themselves to Chinod Sai's booty from time to time. A few have even succeeded. Most have helped decorate the city walls-or at least their heads have."
"But how could we silence the guards easily?"
"That," said Belet Vor with a wink, "is where I can help you. Excuse me." He got up and hobbled from the room.
"I think he's a likeable old bandit, don't you?"
Darnad said when Belet Vor had left.
I nodded. "But he puts himself in danger, surely, by helping us. If we are successful this Chinod Sai's men are bound to suspect that he had a hand in it."
"True. But I doubt whether Chinod Sai would do anything about it. Belet Vor knows many secrets and some of them concern Chinod Sai. Also, Belet Vor is very popular and Chinod Sai sits on his self-made throne rather uncertainly. There are many who would usurp him if they could gain a popular following. If anything happened to Belet Vor it would be just the excuse needed by some would-be Bradhi of Thieves. Chinod Sai knows that well enough."
"Good," I replied. "But nonetheless, I think he risks more than he needs for our sake."
"I told you, Michael Kane-there is a bond between us."
That simple statement meant a great deal to Darnad, evidently, and I think I knew how he felt.
Such virtues as loyalty, self-discipline, temperance, moderation, truthfulness, fortitude and honorable conduct to women are apparently outmoded in the societies of New York, London and Paris-but on Mars, my Vashu, they were still strong. Is it any wonder I should prefer the Red Planet to my own?
Soon Belet Vor returned carrying a long tube and a small, handsomely worked box.
"These will silence your guards," he said, flourishing the box. "And more-they will not actually kill them."
He opened the box carefully and displayed the contents. About a score of tiny, feathered slivers lay there. At once I guessed that the tube was a blow-pipe and these were its ammunition. The slivers must be tipped with some poison that would knock the guards out.
In silence we accepted the weapon.
"There are some eight shatis until nightfall," Belet Vor said. "Time to exchange reminiscences, eh?
How many men came with you?"
"There are six left," I said.
"Then there is room enough in here for them. Invite them in for a cup of basu."
Darnad went outside to extend Belet Vor's invitation to his men.
They came in and accepted the cups gratefully.
Belet Vor also brought food.
The eight shatis passed with incredible slowness and I spent them, for the most part, in thoughtful silence. Soon, if providence were on our side, I would see Shizala again! My heart pounded in spite of myself. I knew she could never be minebut just to be near her would be enough, to know that she was safe, to know that I would always be nearby to protect her.
When it was dark Belet Vor glanced at me.
"Eight is a good number," he said. "Not too small a force if you run into trouble, not so large as to be easily detected."
We rose, our war-harness creaking, our accoutrements jingling. We rose in silence save for those small sounds.
"Farewell, Darnad." Belet Vor grasped the young Bradhinak's shoulder and Darnad grasped the old man's. There seemed to be something final about that parting, as if Belet Vor knew they would never meet again.
"Farewell, Belet Vor," he said softly. Their eyes met for an instant and then Darnad was striding for the door.
"Thank you, Belet Vor," I said.
"Good luck," he murmured as we left and followed Darnad towards Chinod Sai's 'palace'.
The building we finally came upon was situated in the centre of the city. It was only two stories high and while it had some stone in its construction it was mainly of wood.
It stood in an open square from which several narrow streets radiated. We hugged the shadows of the streets and watched the guards as they patrolled the grounds of the palace.
Belet Vor had told Darnad exactly where the guest rooms were and when the Argzoon were likely to retire. We assumed that Shizala and Horguhl would not be dining with Chinod Sai. At this time it was likely that the Argzoon were eating in the main hall of the building. This meant we might be able to rescue the two women without arousing the suspicion of those inside and thus avoid a noisy fight.
After we had ascertained the exact movements of the patrolling guards, Darnad placed the first dart carefully in the blow-pipe and took aim.
His aim was accurate. The dart winged its way towards the guard. I saw him clutch his neck and then fall almost soundlessly to the ground.
The next guard-there were four we needed to attend to in all-saw his comrade fall and rushed towards him. We heard him lean over him and speak casually. "Get up, Akar, or the Bradhi will have your head. I told you not to drink so much before we went on guard!"
I held my breath as Darnad aimed another dart, expelled it softly-and the second guard fell.
The third guard turned a corner and paused in astonishment on seeing the bodies of his fallen comrades.
"Hey! What's this-?"
He would never fully know, for Darnad's third dart took him in his naked shoulder. The drug was quick. The guard fell. Darnad grinned at me-we seemed near to success.
The fourth guard was disposed of even before he saw his fellows.
Then the eight of us moved in, cat-footing it towards the guest rooms.
Soon, soon, I thought, all this would be over and we could return to Varnal to live in peace. I could study the sciences of the mysterious Sheev, increase the inventions that the Karnala would be able to use. With my help, the Karnala need never fear attack again. They had the basic technology necessary for building internal combustion engines, electric power generators, radios-I could accomplish all that for them.
Those were the thoughts-inapt, perhaps, for the moment-that coursed through my brain as we crept towards the guest room windows.
The windows were not glazed, only shuttered, and one of these was drawn back. Luck seemed to be on our side that night Cautiously I peered into the room. It was richly furnished, though somewhat vulgarly, floors heaped with furs, carved chests and benches. In a bracket a torch flared, illuminating the room. It was empty.