Guns of Mars 24
A Martian action-adventure by The Legend Chuck Dixon
CHAPTER 7.3
“A man, A human. He lies in one of the tunnels where my mount trampled him.”
The big thark jerked his head down the slope and one of his younger companions galloped down toward the openings below. The other lowered his lance to ride behind Kal’s mount.
“Why was this man holding you?”
“Reprisal, brother. I killed some of his kin in fair combat. He did not see it that way.” He’d created this lie only moments before. He couldn’t very well tell these brigands the real reason he was being held prisoner.
“And he did not kill you outright? The big thark’s eyelids were dark slits now.
“I think the little mongrel was saving me for a more imaginative fate.” Kal said, shaking his head ruefully.
“Ah.” Recreational cruelty was something the big thark could understand.
“I am Ras Romagas of the Samathaan.” He rode up even with Kal and unsheathed a curved dagger.
Kal recoiled and then relaxed as Romagas used the curved blade to slice away his bonds.
“My gratitude.” Kal rubbed his sore wrists and flexed aching shoulders.
“Look here, father.” The young warrior rode forward, the scabbarded saber that had been tied to the pack animal held forth in his hands.
The son gripped the scabbard to allow his father to draw the length of the long sword to him. He examined the runes that were skillfully etched into the steel. They told a story. A story that did not match the tale that Kal had woven.
“This is the blade of a Warhoon hetman,” Ras Romagus said, eyes hard, studying Kal’s face from under beetled brows. “How did you come to have this?”
“It is my father’s blade and you rightly reckon that he is a hetman of the western Warhoon.” Kal set his shoulders and raised his chin in mock pride.
“A member of a first clan,” Romagus sneered.
Moving surreptitiously, Kal slid his feet from his stirrups.
“With the saddle of a common warrior? And you allowed yourself to be taken by a single human?”
“If you will allow me to–” Kal began.
He broke off as he launched himself at Romagus. He struck the larger thark with the full weight of his body, taking the other by surprise. Together, they crashed to the ground with the Samathaan’s thoat between them and the nearest son. Romagus was stunned by the fall and further dazed by a savage blow to the face from the crown of Kal’s skull.
Kal rolled from him to crush the other’s hand to the ground and release the grip on the sword handle just as the son, roaring with anger, wheeled around. The point of the lance was lowering for Kal’s belly as he backed up against the flank of the black thoat. With a leap Kal was crouched atop the thoat’s rump. The long, spade-shaped blade of the war lance drove deep into the thoat’s guts where Kal had been a half second before. The ebon beast bellowed as it tried to escape the searing pain. It nearly pulled the son from his saddle as the lance point was lodged deep in the sinews of the struggling thoat. He released the haft of the lance to right himself, but it was too late.
Special Note: GUNS OF MARS is now available in a hardcover edition. It is available at Amazon and at NDM Express.
