Guns of Mars 16
A Martian action-adventure by The Legend Chuck Dixon
CHAPTER 5.1
Rested and well-fed, the bronze man returned to the corral in the morning to find some children throwing stones at his prisoner. The thark had retreated to the far side of the upright post to which he was chained. But it offered scant cover for his big green bulk. There were already welts rising on his arms and shoulders where the flung missiles had struck him.
The man scattered the kids with a grunted curse and stood inspecting Kal.
“Were you fed?” he asked.
“Not since last night,” Kal answered.
The man walked past him without reply to enter the stable. Two of the livery workers trotted out shortly. One carried a basket. The other a sputtering prod. The basket was set down within the thark’s reach once he had been prodded back. The men retreated into the shed to leave Kal to a meal of fruit, salted thoat and an odorous wedge of hard cheese that he hoped was meant to be streaked with purple veins. He ate it all greedily as the portions he’d been served the night before were fit for a man, but not enough for a thark.
Finished with breakfast, Kal sat with his back to the post and positioned himself to catch as much of the rising sun’s heat as he could. He dozed off only to be awakened by a kick to the sole of one foot.
It was the bounty man leading his own and two bridled thoats out into the street. One of them had Kal’s own saddle cinched to it minus his saber and rifle. He could see the long saber in its sheath strapped down on the third animal along with filled waterskins and other goods. The rifle was absent. The same two men who’d delivered his morning meal stood by with prods in their fists.
“You saved my blade,” Kal said, rising awkwardly, the chain rattling behind him.
“It’s a beauty. A blade of fine steel and that gem studded handle. The one mounted in the handle, an emerald the size of my fist. It’s not yours, is it?” the bounty man said. “Your father-in-law might pay a bonus for its return.”
“My rifle?”
“It was part of the trade for these animals. You won’t be needing it.”
Kal grunted in reply. The bounty man grinned.
Special Note: GUNS OF MARS is now available in a hardcover edition. It is available at Amazon and at NDM Express.
