September 25, 2025 • 30 mins
In this captivating sequel to Palos of the Dog Star Pack, Jason Croft embarks on a thrilling new chapter of his adventures on Palos. Having shed his earthly form, his astral projection now inhabits the body of a Palosian man. With his exceptional knowledge and skills, the high priest hails Jason as the voice of God. However, this divine status threatens to derail his ultimate goal marrying Naia, the very reason for his journey. Will he be able to navigate the complexities of his new role while pursuing love? - Summary by Krista Zaleski
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Section fourteen of The Mouthpiece of Z two. This is
a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
To learn more or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
Read by Tom Frea of Briel, New Jersey. The Mouthpiece
(00:28):
of Z two by John Ulrich Geezi, Chapter fourteen, beating
Wings Naya of effr Naya. He was now to meet
her again in the flesh, the thought held Croft as
(00:49):
he drove toward Emaira the next day. He was to
meet her as at Zitra, not as in the mountains
beside the stream he had harnessed to his and Tamarisia purpose,
but in Roeber's palace, where, like himself, she was a
guest under conditions, where the conventions of social life, not
(01:10):
so far unlike those of earth, since human nature is,
after all very much the same, would compel a certain
courtesy in their association, at least toward that meaning, he
went more like an ardent lover than anything else. Once
in the palace, he sent for a barber and had
(01:31):
his hair carefully trimmed. For an hour. After that he
lay while the missarian Masur rubbed, softening oils into his skin,
and then he dressed in a costume he had ordered
maid when he returned from Zittra first unlike old Zud's robes,
and of his own, designing a costume of golden leg
(01:52):
cases studded with sapphire hwed stones, an under vest of
gossamer tissue, a short scar of a heavier material, white
in color, with a silken chine, and a caress of
gold and silver, with the wings of Azil and the
cross and sata inlaid on the breastplate. In more of
(02:17):
the sapphire like gems of gold and silver was his helmet,
topped with a crest of azure plumes. Robert came in
upon him, having barely returned from the shops. As he
put it on, z too, he exclaimed, pausing to stare
at his friend, and went on, Jason thou art a sight,
(02:39):
ah sight, yes, Kroft cut him short with a heightened color,
He laughed, rob there are times when your tongue reminds
me of speech on earth. Were I there at this moment,
they would name me a sight. Indeed, a smile twitched
Robert's lip as he caught the unaccustomed and at times
(03:01):
I find a strange application of meaning in thy words, Jason,
he replied, it is so in the manner of speech
you use concerning the games of baseball, when the contest
waxes warm, tear its hide off, lay on that pill,
lean on it, lean on it. The word charlie horse,
which you sometimes employ, and the naming of an arm
(03:25):
a wing. Nonetheless, thou art a sight to gladden a
maiden's eye, my friend, and even now a maid and
a matron await thee beside the bathing pool. So get
thee gone? Thou art beautiful enough? With another laugh, Kroft
took him at his word, descending to the court, where
(03:46):
the swimming pool sparkled in the late afternoon sunlight and
advancing in a considerable blaze of material glory to wear
on couches beneath a shimmering awning gaya and naya recline. Hi,
Jason Robert's wife exclaimed, extending a hand as she saw him. Welcome,
(04:08):
thou tamer of the lightning. As my lord has said,
thou art wilt pardon a matron's indolence? Or should I
greet thee on my feet? Nay Kroft took her hand
and bent above it. I, like thee last wife of Robur,
in the formal mood, retain the charm of thy ease.
(04:29):
Then deliberately he turned his eyes and met those of Naya.
Greeting to thee maid of Effir, he said, and to
thee mouthpiece of z too. She returned, with her pansy
purple eyes fixed on the flashing symbol on his breast.
Croft noted the glance, the slight tensing of the lines
(04:50):
about her mouth as he sat down. He had meant
from the first to note its effect. Indeed, he had
worn it to this meeting of a purpose. It was
his intent that, in spite of it and all it
stood for, or had stood for at one time in
her mind, her surrenders should be gained. As to the
(05:10):
harnessing of Zito's fire, tis no more than a following
out of Zito's law. When understood, he turned to Gaia
to explain. The generation of electricity, as it is called,
is no more in this case than the changing of
one force into another, a transfer of energy from ah
(05:32):
g I am a woman unversed in such matters, Guy exclaimed,
with a dancing in her eyes. I fear I am
too old to learn. Nia is of a younger generation,
her mind of softer substance, grave thy meaning on its
tablet with the stylus of thy tongue. I would see
Robert before the evening meal. It were time he had returned, Aye,
(05:58):
said Croft, smile and rising to assist her to her feet.
Even now he is within the palace. We spoke before
I came forth. He watched while she hurried importantly away,
still smiling inwardly at her palpable subterfuge for leaving Naya
and him alone. Then turned to where Lakhan's daughter still reclined,
(06:22):
and assumed his seat. You have heard from Zitra, he inquired, Ay,
she said, and went on with the information. Lakhan, my
father and Jackar are blessed by Zitu with good health.
My cousin's wife informs me Jackgar has given sanction to
Thy plans for schools, my plans, jas encountered. The indirect
(06:47):
accusation was not the matter presented to Mutlass of Kathor I.
The pansy purple eyes grew somewhat narrow. Mutlass a man
of the people who write not his own name upon
the tablets, suggests that the people be taught to read
the characters heretofore known to few save the nobles and
(07:09):
the priests, and Karaifu of Skira joins hands with Matlaus
to support the project. Thus inside of U zitrons after
a thousand cycles in Tamarisia, the ivory shoulder above her
left breast twitched in something like a shrug of her
own words of rejection. Thus on its face the thing
(07:31):
appears also, Robert, last night came with a marvelous tale
of your latest success. Zitu. One succeeds where another only dreams. Success,
said Croft, looking directly at her, consists very largely Princess Naya.
In refusing to be denied for a moment, she endured
(07:56):
his steady contemplation, and then her eyes drew rouped. She
picked at a fold of her garment, And you succeed.
You refuse to be denied, Yes by Zito, her companion
told her quickly, I refuse to question the possibility of
aught which Zitu permits or ordains. And suddenly Niya ofv
(08:20):
Affer threw up her head in an almost haughty gesture,
as we're fitting being mouthpiece of Zitu. She made answer,
speak further, tell me of your plans, womanlike she had
touched him on a soft spot. Kroft blazoned forth. And
though now in all things mortal he was Tameriisian, Indeed,
(08:43):
still he was a man, And because of the peculiar
circumstances leading up to his present position, he still clung
to many of the habits in thought of earth. Furthermore,
he had planned at some length the night before concerning
the manner of his demonstration of electricity to Himaibra. And
(09:04):
in those plans he had put all his eggs in
one basket. More or less he had planned to make
it what on earth he might have called some time,
and he ignored Naya's evasion of what had been growing
into more or less a tense situation, fell in with
her suggestion, and began a delineation of his designs. And
(09:28):
despite herself, as he went on, Naya, being a typical
Aphorian and like her people, one of a pleasure loving race,
found her interest quicken, her somewhat formal pose forgotten, her
brain filled with pictures never beheld before, so that long
before he had finished, eyes began to shine. Emira shall
(09:51):
see sights such as she has never witnessed. Croft declared,
I shall make lights already for them, the plans drawn lamps.
They shall be of glass and metal, which, when the
new force shall pass through them, shall glow, yet without
emitting any smoke or flame. These first I shall show
(10:12):
at a public celebration in small numbers. Later they shall
flare from one end of affir to the other. Yet
before I present them to the people, I shall have
completed yet another device, which shall be for a part
of the celebration, a machine, which, like the motors across
the desert, shall fly through the air. He went on,
(10:37):
lost in the joy of portraying his intentions to her,
and described the airplane, drawing in graphic words a verbal
outline of each part, from the metal fuselage to the wings.
It was then for the first time that Naya interrupted,
and not as an interruption, but in their nature. Her
(10:57):
words were surprising in a way. Gradually, as Kroft described
the airplane he meant to build, her whole expression had changed,
had grown wide eyed and parted of lip a thing
of rapt attention, until as he paused with the promise
of himself riding the air at the coming celebration. She exclaimed,
(11:20):
thou wouldst be a bird in thy daring, and the
birds I have often yearned to follow, to rise like them,
singing in broad circles against the sun, or with beating
wings to breast some cloudy storm. Zeetu permitting, She lifted
herself on her couch, and her whole form seemed to
(11:41):
expand with the thrill of the conception, I myself would
delight to fly with these thy wings. Thou Kroft found
that her wish both upset and thrilled him. The spontaneous
flare of daring, it mirrored forth, the flash of the
lovely eyes that accompanied its expression, the light of its
(12:02):
thought on her face, all woke a quick admiration. But
the following consideration of her glorious life exposed to the
perils of the undertaking, roused something like consternation in him.
And as the thought clouded his face and he stammered
forth his interrogatory exclamation, Nia relaxed the tension of her figure,
(12:25):
reclining again on the couch. Nay, she said, if it
fills you with displeasure, forget my over quick speech. There
shall be new light in Himira and Zitu's mouthpiece shall
ride above all men's heads, on the wings of his devising,
that they may behold him and wonder at his wisdom
(12:47):
what else? Mentally, Kroff winced at the subtle turn of
her words. Almost it seemed to him that she purposely
misunderstood his hesitation, seeking thereby to mask the temporary loss
of her own pose the well nigh forward interest she
had displayed. But aside from inward emotion, he gave no
(13:10):
sign that he noted the personal bias of her rejoinder.
In the afternoon, there will be a ball game, he said, Robert,
and I will select the teams base ball. Suddenly, Naya laughed,
Her arms rose, and she clasped her hands behind her head.
Her whole figure, clad in white embroidered over the breasts
(13:33):
and about the hem in scarlet blue and green with
small gems to produce something like a Persian effect, stretched
its supple length in an almost indolent fashion. She began
toying with the ends of its fringed girdle. Robert tells me,
'tis a game you brought with you from Earth. Abruptly,
(13:54):
Kraft became aware of the scrutiny of her eyes for
the space of a heartbeat, that they were again inspecting
her girdle's fringe. Yes, he answered, sensing that once more
she was groping for some sign in his words or manner.
Have you witnessed a game? Naya nodded, without looking up.
(14:15):
Robert insisted, after he had contrived to throw a ball
through a chamber window and drop it into the mirror
pool with a most surprising splash, to say nothing of
waking me with the water in my face. Kroft smiled.
He suspected rob had been continuing his experiments with the
(14:36):
intricacies of curves since then, Nya went on, I have
been seeking to aid him in the mornings with something
he desires to learn. It seems that he declares a
ball may be thrown so that it changes its direction
in the air, and I confess that watching one of
the team pitchers, whom he pointed out at a game,
(14:58):
it appeared that it was done. We have risen in
work for several mornings together, but besides breaking two windows
and some flower urns, we have little to show for
our panes. Gaya declares he will destroy the palace unless
you teach him the trick on your return, I shall
join you in the morning, said Jason, laughing as her
(15:21):
red lips smiled. Nia regarded the arches of her pink
feet baard save for sandals of scarlet, and up a
leather caught about her slender ankles by silver bands, to
which were linked chains of silver running up on either
side of the heel and between the toes. Then said
(15:44):
she shall I let you take the ball when he
throws it. I confess it burns my hands. As to
this new light, what does it burn? Since it neither
smokes nor flames? A substance, said Croft, made from ole.
And now as he spoke, he watched his companion in turn,
(16:04):
and suddenly he met her eyes in a glance that thrilled,
a glance that spoke of recollection, that seemed for an
instant to flash him a voiceless question, yet one whose
meaning to him was plain, And for a moment it
seemed that an actual question trembled on the lips of
the perfect mouth he watched, before Nya spoke in an
(16:27):
almost breathless fashion, Coal the strange black stone. You have
set men to digging in the region to the west, Jason,
how knew you where to find what before your coming
in all Laffeur was unknown. Groff's heart leaped both at
what he felt was the animous back of the quarry
(16:50):
and the fact that, now, for the first time to him,
in the unity of soul and body, she had used
his name, and suddenly, daring the issue, he let his
eyes sweep from her golden head to pink nailed toes
in a glance that was subtly like a caress. Before
he answered, slowly, I came upon its locality on a
(17:13):
day when my body lay sleeping and my spirit wandered.
As you have heard that it does. Some might say
that Zitu showed it to me in a dream. Naya
ofv Affor went pale, her color faded. One of her
hands crept up and lay above her heart. For a
moment she plainly struggled for control, and then she faltered.
(17:37):
A dream, you say, a dream? Kraft nodded, yes. Did
you not speak to me yourself of one such in
which you had learned of my intent concerning the use
of water to bring new light to Hmayra said you
not as much. The afternoon of that sun on which
(17:58):
you and Hoopoer came upon me by the stream. Oh i,
oh I, indeed nay. His tone was listless, weary. Yet
I am not mouthpiece of Zitu? Who am I to dream?
And suddenly Jason Croft caught a breath deep in his lungs.
Close to the borderland between speared and body were they
(18:22):
in that moment? And he knew it close, very close.
A little more thought, a little more pondering and questioning
of itself, and this girl's spirit must spread the wings
of the soul in conscious understanding of the truth. His
eyes lighted at the recognition of that fact, his nostrils
tense to trifle about the angle at thought of all
(18:45):
it must mean no mouthpiece of Zitu? Are you not called,
he said, Nor is there any mouthpiece of Zitu save
through the soul of man? Yet are you daughter of
God and a woman through whom a man's soul must
pass before man be man? Indeed, thou art the door
(19:05):
between man and z two, and inso much nearer than
man to him. Then for a moment he paused and sat,
with a fear beginning to stir within him, lest he
had dared too much. For she said nothing, nor moved,
nor did she look at him, or as he fancied
(19:25):
at any objective thing. She lay reclining, her body rising
and falling to a long, slow rhythm of breathing. Her
gaze directed off across the shimmering ripple of the pool.
But as he watched, her expression softened, became wrapped, as
through the purple eyes beneath her, long fringed lashes were
(19:48):
beholding what, save to herself, was an invisible thing. Her
lips moved without sound, but Croft, reading their motion, knew
that they framed two of his own words, the door, yes,
the door above which Azel spread his wings. Kroft repeated softly.
(20:10):
Once more, He broke off and sat waiting, because his
words had been almost an allusion to the betrothal gift
of Tamarisian men to their women, that seal of Azel
she had torn from her girdle and returned in scorn
to him, and that she would understand it. Considering how
(20:31):
largely symbolism entered into Tamarisian speech, he felt assured, nor
was he kept long in suspense. Nia's steady breathing broke
its rhythm with a live movement. She first sat up
on the couch, then lifted herself to her feet, Her
eyes turned toward him. The introspective light was gone from
(20:53):
their blue depths. They blazed with a purple fire. Enough,
she panted as she faced him. Friend thou art of
my cousin, and friend art thou to his wife, mouthpiece
of Zitu, art thou to my nation, And as such
I yield you my respect. Yet speak not any more
(21:15):
to me such words as these, and let us have understanding.
Daughter of God am I and a woman, as thou knowest,
but one for whom not any more does azeal spread
his wings. She paused and stood before him, head back
tilted on the round white pillar of her throat, arms
(21:38):
straightened beside her, a trifle extended, drawn a trifle back,
tense as the Titan chord, in all her slender length,
staring wide eyed into his eyes, until abruptly she lifted
a hand and struck herself sharply on the breast, and
turned from him, crossing the court to disappear from so
(22:02):
beside the pool. Croft remained more than a little disturbed
by the feeling that urged on by the propinquity for
which he had thirsted through weeks. He had on his
first meeting risk too much. Nor was his mood lightened
by the fact that Nia failed to appear at the
evening meal, and the questioning expression in Guia's glance which
(22:25):
she turned upon him from time to time. As a
matter of fact, the girl's close presence had gone to
his head, and he had literally sought to gain from
her some sign to speak, not so much to her
physical mind as to her soul. But as he sought
his chamber that night, it appeared that instead of rousing
(22:45):
and answering flash from her spirit, he had struck a
note which in some way disharmonized. And because of that
he sought her out safe once again in the undertaking.
Since should he call her to him in that astral
body now she might well think that she dreamed once more,
a dream inspired by his presence in Robert's house, He
(23:10):
willed himself to her. Long practice had made it easy
with him. Now such things occurred in a flash. It
was his intent to summon her forth speak to her
such things as he dared not yet speak in the flesh.
But once in that yellow draped room of Roube's dwelling,
where he had thought to find her stretched on an
(23:31):
amber jeweled copper couch, he paused, paused, and stood waiting
and watching. Because Naiya knelt a slender white shape in
the dusk of her apartment before the figure of Azil
beside the mirror pool. And as once before when she
(23:52):
had cried out to this same Angel of life against
the barter of her body, to this profligate traitor, for
the saving of her nation, so now once more Kroft
bent his head while she prayed, O Aziel, who carry
life from Zitu to all the daughters of God by
his command. Thou, whose sign I have torn from my
(24:16):
girdle and flung at the feet of him who gave it,
have pity on me, For truly am I a daughter
of God? And though any sign I hurled against him,
even against the symbol of thy widespread wings, Yet was
my action prompted by an agony of spirit, rather than
by any wish or intent to show disrespect to thee.
(24:39):
And were I wrong? Set me right? Spread over me again,
thy shadow wings, Let me once more be altogether daughter
of God, thy mother, not barren but a fruitful thing.
Were were my impious act too great to be forgotten?
If against me thy wings are folded, If if woman's
(25:00):
birthright I may not hold nor mirror the life of Him,
as this pool mirrors thy form within it. If I
may not be the door of life, he called me,
have pity, azial Zitu, have pity. Have pity God, and
teach me a new strength. She rose, her arms lifted.
(25:23):
For a moment she stood so before the carved figure.
Then her lips moved, Jason, they faltered, her breath caught
in a sob, she turned and threw herself upon her couch. Beloved,
krafft let the cry of his thrilling soul steal forth, Beloved,
(25:44):
you have called me beloved. I am here Naya Vaffir.
Stiffened in every soft line and curve, she lifted her
head as one who listens. She lifted her slender body
on her rounded arms, then slowly in a wide eyed,
wandering fashion. Since Kraft had not waited for sleep to
(26:07):
claim her on this night of nights, when he had
heard the confession of her love in the sacred shrine
of her night rap chamber, she sat a And now
the borderland between objective and subconscious knowledge was narrow, very
very narrow. Indeed, the consciousness of soul and body was
(26:29):
divided by no more than a breath a hare. Kroft
felt that it quivered. As the woman sat there, wrapped
of expression, Jason, she whispered again, At last, Beloved, come
forth close by the form of Azel. Kroft took his station,
(26:49):
moved by the sudden impulse that for this girl who
prayed to be made once more all woman, he was
as Azeal himself, warm of nia, swayed, it bent slowly,
it sagged down, and lay relaxed upon the couch. And
between it and Croft, where he waited, there appeared a diaphanous, swaying,
(27:12):
scintillating outline of her astral shape, Jason. And now for
the third time she cried it gladly with her quivering,
flaming lips, Jason, Azeal. She stretched out yearning hands. Thou
hast come to me again, Yes, said Croft, opening his
(27:33):
own embrace and drawing her inside its circle. Yes, I
have come to tell you your prayer is answered. To
tell you that of all laws of Zitu, the greatest
of all is love, that love in which God brought
Azel forth before he came to Pallas to teach men
the way of life. Wherefore Aziel himself I speak when
(27:56):
I say, as I have said before, that for me,
for me, and for me alone, you guard the shrine
of life, that some day once more I shall place
upon thy girdle that sign that in Zytra you flung
against my breast. Thou hast it. The contained fire of
(28:19):
her substance glowed. Yes, Kroft smiled, and some day the
fleshy hands of Jason shall pin it fast. I was mad, mad,
His companion panted much thinking. The shock of learning the
other than I had thought had made my heart sick,
(28:40):
my mind unsettled. Too much I thought of the man,
and not enough of the spirit, the real you that
is here with me now, as with you, the real
me is here, Ah, Jason, Jason. One time in Lekan's
palace we stood thus together in the body, and I
(29:01):
yielded you my mouth, as once more you yielded. Kraft
lowered his lips to the strange lambent outline of herds
beneath them. He kissed her in a strange kiss, such
that he had never dreamed of a thing, all inexpressible softness,
(29:21):
seeming to hold in its contact, a something that tingled
like fire, and as though the fire were a strange,
cosmic solvent for an instant, assured as a breath, as
long as eternity. It was as though their two individualities
dissolved and flowed together, blended into one. Kraft tore away
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his mouth. The thing had been too real. It left
a weird, staggering sensation quivering through him, and the form
within his strong arms quivered. Its oric fires of white
and gold and purple were more radiant than they had
ever been. Nigha's hands clung to him, her eyes uplifted.
(30:09):
Go go, she panted, Send me back to my body,
Yet wait not so long to come to me again.
In the morning. I shall see you with Roburt, said
Croft as he released her. For now, he felt assured
that she was very, very close to a conscious understanding
(30:31):
of the nature of their love. It's wonder, it's glory,
it's truth. End of section fourteen.
Section fourteen of The Mouthpiece of Z two. This is
a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
To learn more or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
Read by Tom Frea of Briel, New Jersey. The Mouthpiece
(00:28):
of Z two by John Ulrich Geezi, Chapter fourteen, beating
Wings Naya of effr Naya. He was now to meet
her again in the flesh, the thought held Croft as
(00:49):
he drove toward Emaira the next day. He was to
meet her as at Zitra, not as in the mountains
beside the stream he had harnessed to his and Tamarisia purpose,
but in Roeber's palace, where, like himself, she was a
guest under conditions, where the conventions of social life, not
(01:10):
so far unlike those of earth, since human nature is,
after all very much the same, would compel a certain
courtesy in their association, at least toward that meaning, he
went more like an ardent lover than anything else. Once
in the palace, he sent for a barber and had
(01:31):
his hair carefully trimmed. For an hour. After that he
lay while the missarian Masur rubbed, softening oils into his skin,
and then he dressed in a costume he had ordered
maid when he returned from Zittra first unlike old Zud's robes,
and of his own, designing a costume of golden leg
(01:52):
cases studded with sapphire hwed stones, an under vest of
gossamer tissue, a short scar of a heavier material, white
in color, with a silken chine, and a caress of
gold and silver, with the wings of Azil and the
cross and sata inlaid on the breastplate. In more of
(02:17):
the sapphire like gems of gold and silver was his helmet,
topped with a crest of azure plumes. Robert came in
upon him, having barely returned from the shops. As he
put it on, z too, he exclaimed, pausing to stare
at his friend, and went on, Jason thou art a sight,
(02:39):
ah sight, yes, Kroft cut him short with a heightened color,
He laughed, rob there are times when your tongue reminds
me of speech on earth. Were I there at this moment,
they would name me a sight. Indeed, a smile twitched
Robert's lip as he caught the unaccustomed and at times
(03:01):
I find a strange application of meaning in thy words, Jason,
he replied, it is so in the manner of speech
you use concerning the games of baseball, when the contest
waxes warm, tear its hide off, lay on that pill,
lean on it, lean on it. The word charlie horse,
which you sometimes employ, and the naming of an arm
(03:25):
a wing. Nonetheless, thou art a sight to gladden a
maiden's eye, my friend, and even now a maid and
a matron await thee beside the bathing pool. So get
thee gone? Thou art beautiful enough? With another laugh, Kroft
took him at his word, descending to the court, where
(03:46):
the swimming pool sparkled in the late afternoon sunlight and
advancing in a considerable blaze of material glory to wear
on couches beneath a shimmering awning gaya and naya recline. Hi,
Jason Robert's wife exclaimed, extending a hand as she saw him. Welcome,
(04:08):
thou tamer of the lightning. As my lord has said,
thou art wilt pardon a matron's indolence? Or should I
greet thee on my feet? Nay Kroft took her hand
and bent above it. I, like thee last wife of Robur,
in the formal mood, retain the charm of thy ease.
(04:29):
Then deliberately he turned his eyes and met those of Naya.
Greeting to thee maid of Effir, he said, and to
thee mouthpiece of z too. She returned, with her pansy
purple eyes fixed on the flashing symbol on his breast.
Croft noted the glance, the slight tensing of the lines
(04:50):
about her mouth as he sat down. He had meant
from the first to note its effect. Indeed, he had
worn it to this meeting of a purpose. It was
his intent that, in spite of it and all it
stood for, or had stood for at one time in
her mind, her surrenders should be gained. As to the
(05:10):
harnessing of Zito's fire, tis no more than a following
out of Zito's law. When understood, he turned to Gaia
to explain. The generation of electricity, as it is called,
is no more in this case than the changing of
one force into another, a transfer of energy from ah
(05:32):
g I am a woman unversed in such matters, Guy exclaimed,
with a dancing in her eyes. I fear I am
too old to learn. Nia is of a younger generation,
her mind of softer substance, grave thy meaning on its
tablet with the stylus of thy tongue. I would see
Robert before the evening meal. It were time he had returned, Aye,
(05:58):
said Croft, smile and rising to assist her to her feet.
Even now he is within the palace. We spoke before
I came forth. He watched while she hurried importantly away,
still smiling inwardly at her palpable subterfuge for leaving Naya
and him alone. Then turned to where Lakhan's daughter still reclined,
(06:22):
and assumed his seat. You have heard from Zitra, he inquired, Ay,
she said, and went on with the information. Lakhan, my
father and Jackar are blessed by Zitu with good health.
My cousin's wife informs me Jackgar has given sanction to
Thy plans for schools, my plans, jas encountered. The indirect
(06:47):
accusation was not the matter presented to Mutlass of Kathor I.
The pansy purple eyes grew somewhat narrow. Mutlass a man
of the people who write not his own name upon
the tablets, suggests that the people be taught to read
the characters heretofore known to few save the nobles and
(07:09):
the priests, and Karaifu of Skira joins hands with Matlaus
to support the project. Thus inside of U zitrons after
a thousand cycles in Tamarisia, the ivory shoulder above her
left breast twitched in something like a shrug of her
own words of rejection. Thus on its face the thing
(07:31):
appears also, Robert, last night came with a marvelous tale
of your latest success. Zitu. One succeeds where another only dreams. Success,
said Croft, looking directly at her, consists very largely Princess Naya.
In refusing to be denied for a moment, she endured
(07:56):
his steady contemplation, and then her eyes drew rouped. She
picked at a fold of her garment, And you succeed.
You refuse to be denied, Yes by Zito, her companion
told her quickly, I refuse to question the possibility of
aught which Zitu permits or ordains. And suddenly Niya ofv
(08:20):
Affer threw up her head in an almost haughty gesture,
as we're fitting being mouthpiece of Zitu. She made answer,
speak further, tell me of your plans, womanlike she had
touched him on a soft spot. Kroft blazoned forth. And
though now in all things mortal he was Tameriisian, Indeed,
(08:43):
still he was a man, And because of the peculiar
circumstances leading up to his present position, he still clung
to many of the habits in thought of earth. Furthermore,
he had planned at some length the night before concerning
the manner of his demonstration of electricity to Himaibra. And
(09:04):
in those plans he had put all his eggs in
one basket. More or less he had planned to make
it what on earth he might have called some time,
and he ignored Naya's evasion of what had been growing
into more or less a tense situation, fell in with
her suggestion, and began a delineation of his designs. And
(09:28):
despite herself, as he went on, Naya, being a typical
Aphorian and like her people, one of a pleasure loving race,
found her interest quicken, her somewhat formal pose forgotten, her
brain filled with pictures never beheld before, so that long
before he had finished, eyes began to shine. Emira shall
(09:51):
see sights such as she has never witnessed. Croft declared,
I shall make lights already for them, the plans drawn lamps.
They shall be of glass and metal, which, when the
new force shall pass through them, shall glow, yet without
emitting any smoke or flame. These first I shall show
(10:12):
at a public celebration in small numbers. Later they shall
flare from one end of affir to the other. Yet
before I present them to the people, I shall have
completed yet another device, which shall be for a part
of the celebration, a machine, which, like the motors across
the desert, shall fly through the air. He went on,
(10:37):
lost in the joy of portraying his intentions to her,
and described the airplane, drawing in graphic words a verbal
outline of each part, from the metal fuselage to the wings.
It was then for the first time that Naya interrupted,
and not as an interruption, but in their nature. Her
(10:57):
words were surprising in a way. Gradually, as Kroft described
the airplane he meant to build, her whole expression had changed,
had grown wide eyed and parted of lip a thing
of rapt attention, until as he paused with the promise
of himself riding the air at the coming celebration. She exclaimed,
(11:20):
thou wouldst be a bird in thy daring, and the
birds I have often yearned to follow, to rise like them,
singing in broad circles against the sun, or with beating
wings to breast some cloudy storm. Zeetu permitting, She lifted
herself on her couch, and her whole form seemed to
(11:41):
expand with the thrill of the conception, I myself would
delight to fly with these thy wings. Thou Kroft found
that her wish both upset and thrilled him. The spontaneous
flare of daring, it mirrored forth, the flash of the
lovely eyes that accompanied its expression, the light of its
(12:02):
thought on her face, all woke a quick admiration. But
the following consideration of her glorious life exposed to the
perils of the undertaking, roused something like consternation in him.
And as the thought clouded his face and he stammered
forth his interrogatory exclamation, Nia relaxed the tension of her figure,
(12:25):
reclining again on the couch. Nay, she said, if it
fills you with displeasure, forget my over quick speech. There
shall be new light in Himira and Zitu's mouthpiece shall
ride above all men's heads, on the wings of his devising,
that they may behold him and wonder at his wisdom
(12:47):
what else? Mentally, Kroff winced at the subtle turn of
her words. Almost it seemed to him that she purposely
misunderstood his hesitation, seeking thereby to mask the temporary loss
of her own pose the well nigh forward interest she
had displayed. But aside from inward emotion, he gave no
(13:10):
sign that he noted the personal bias of her rejoinder.
In the afternoon, there will be a ball game, he said, Robert,
and I will select the teams base ball. Suddenly, Naya laughed,
Her arms rose, and she clasped her hands behind her head.
Her whole figure, clad in white embroidered over the breasts
(13:33):
and about the hem in scarlet blue and green with
small gems to produce something like a Persian effect, stretched
its supple length in an almost indolent fashion. She began
toying with the ends of its fringed girdle. Robert tells me,
'tis a game you brought with you from Earth. Abruptly,
(13:54):
Kraft became aware of the scrutiny of her eyes for
the space of a heartbeat, that they were again inspecting
her girdle's fringe. Yes, he answered, sensing that once more
she was groping for some sign in his words or manner.
Have you witnessed a game? Naya nodded, without looking up.
(14:15):
Robert insisted, after he had contrived to throw a ball
through a chamber window and drop it into the mirror
pool with a most surprising splash, to say nothing of
waking me with the water in my face. Kroft smiled.
He suspected rob had been continuing his experiments with the
(14:36):
intricacies of curves since then, Nya went on, I have
been seeking to aid him in the mornings with something
he desires to learn. It seems that he declares a
ball may be thrown so that it changes its direction
in the air, and I confess that watching one of
the team pitchers, whom he pointed out at a game,
(14:58):
it appeared that it was done. We have risen in
work for several mornings together, but besides breaking two windows
and some flower urns, we have little to show for
our panes. Gaya declares he will destroy the palace unless
you teach him the trick on your return, I shall
join you in the morning, said Jason, laughing as her
(15:21):
red lips smiled. Nia regarded the arches of her pink
feet baard save for sandals of scarlet, and up a
leather caught about her slender ankles by silver bands, to
which were linked chains of silver running up on either
side of the heel and between the toes. Then said
(15:44):
she shall I let you take the ball when he
throws it. I confess it burns my hands. As to
this new light, what does it burn? Since it neither
smokes nor flames? A substance, said Croft, made from ole.
And now as he spoke, he watched his companion in turn,
(16:04):
and suddenly he met her eyes in a glance that thrilled,
a glance that spoke of recollection, that seemed for an
instant to flash him a voiceless question, yet one whose
meaning to him was plain, And for a moment it
seemed that an actual question trembled on the lips of
the perfect mouth he watched, before Nya spoke in an
(16:27):
almost breathless fashion, Coal the strange black stone. You have
set men to digging in the region to the west, Jason,
how knew you where to find what before your coming
in all Laffeur was unknown. Groff's heart leaped both at
what he felt was the animous back of the quarry
(16:50):
and the fact that, now, for the first time to him,
in the unity of soul and body, she had used
his name, and suddenly, daring the issue, he let his
eyes sweep from her golden head to pink nailed toes
in a glance that was subtly like a caress. Before
he answered, slowly, I came upon its locality on a
(17:13):
day when my body lay sleeping and my spirit wandered.
As you have heard that it does. Some might say
that Zitu showed it to me in a dream. Naya
ofv Affor went pale, her color faded. One of her
hands crept up and lay above her heart. For a
moment she plainly struggled for control, and then she faltered.
(17:37):
A dream, you say, a dream? Kraft nodded, yes. Did
you not speak to me yourself of one such in
which you had learned of my intent concerning the use
of water to bring new light to Hmayra said you
not as much. The afternoon of that sun on which
(17:58):
you and Hoopoer came upon me by the stream. Oh i,
oh I, indeed nay. His tone was listless, weary. Yet
I am not mouthpiece of Zitu? Who am I to dream?
And suddenly Jason Croft caught a breath deep in his lungs.
Close to the borderland between speared and body were they
(18:22):
in that moment? And he knew it close, very close.
A little more thought, a little more pondering and questioning
of itself, and this girl's spirit must spread the wings
of the soul in conscious understanding of the truth. His
eyes lighted at the recognition of that fact, his nostrils
tense to trifle about the angle at thought of all
(18:45):
it must mean no mouthpiece of Zitu? Are you not called,
he said, Nor is there any mouthpiece of Zitu save
through the soul of man? Yet are you daughter of
God and a woman through whom a man's soul must
pass before man be man? Indeed, thou art the door
(19:05):
between man and z two, and inso much nearer than
man to him. Then for a moment he paused and sat,
with a fear beginning to stir within him, lest he
had dared too much. For she said nothing, nor moved,
nor did she look at him, or as he fancied
(19:25):
at any objective thing. She lay reclining, her body rising
and falling to a long, slow rhythm of breathing. Her
gaze directed off across the shimmering ripple of the pool.
But as he watched, her expression softened, became wrapped, as
through the purple eyes beneath her, long fringed lashes were
(19:48):
beholding what, save to herself, was an invisible thing. Her
lips moved without sound, but Croft, reading their motion, knew
that they framed two of his own words, the door, yes,
the door above which Azel spread his wings. Kroft repeated softly.
(20:10):
Once more, He broke off and sat waiting, because his
words had been almost an allusion to the betrothal gift
of Tamarisian men to their women, that seal of Azel
she had torn from her girdle and returned in scorn
to him, and that she would understand it. Considering how
(20:31):
largely symbolism entered into Tamarisian speech, he felt assured, nor
was he kept long in suspense. Nia's steady breathing broke
its rhythm with a live movement. She first sat up
on the couch, then lifted herself to her feet, Her
eyes turned toward him. The introspective light was gone from
(20:53):
their blue depths. They blazed with a purple fire. Enough,
she panted as she faced him. Friend thou art of
my cousin, and friend art thou to his wife, mouthpiece
of Zitu, art thou to my nation, And as such
I yield you my respect. Yet speak not any more
(21:15):
to me such words as these, and let us have understanding.
Daughter of God am I and a woman, as thou knowest,
but one for whom not any more does azeal spread
his wings. She paused and stood before him, head back
tilted on the round white pillar of her throat, arms
(21:38):
straightened beside her, a trifle extended, drawn a trifle back,
tense as the Titan chord, in all her slender length,
staring wide eyed into his eyes, until abruptly she lifted
a hand and struck herself sharply on the breast, and
turned from him, crossing the court to disappear from so
(22:02):
beside the pool. Croft remained more than a little disturbed
by the feeling that urged on by the propinquity for
which he had thirsted through weeks. He had on his
first meeting risk too much. Nor was his mood lightened
by the fact that Nia failed to appear at the
evening meal, and the questioning expression in Guia's glance which
(22:25):
she turned upon him from time to time. As a
matter of fact, the girl's close presence had gone to
his head, and he had literally sought to gain from
her some sign to speak, not so much to her
physical mind as to her soul. But as he sought
his chamber that night, it appeared that instead of rousing
(22:45):
and answering flash from her spirit, he had struck a
note which in some way disharmonized. And because of that
he sought her out safe once again in the undertaking.
Since should he call her to him in that astral
body now she might well think that she dreamed once more,
a dream inspired by his presence in Robert's house, He
(23:10):
willed himself to her. Long practice had made it easy
with him. Now such things occurred in a flash. It
was his intent to summon her forth speak to her
such things as he dared not yet speak in the flesh.
But once in that yellow draped room of Roube's dwelling,
where he had thought to find her stretched on an
(23:31):
amber jeweled copper couch, he paused, paused, and stood waiting
and watching. Because Naiya knelt a slender white shape in
the dusk of her apartment before the figure of Azil
beside the mirror pool. And as once before when she
(23:52):
had cried out to this same Angel of life against
the barter of her body, to this profligate traitor, for
the saving of her nation, so now once more Kroft
bent his head while she prayed, O Aziel, who carry
life from Zitu to all the daughters of God by
his command. Thou, whose sign I have torn from my
(24:16):
girdle and flung at the feet of him who gave it,
have pity on me, For truly am I a daughter
of God? And though any sign I hurled against him,
even against the symbol of thy widespread wings, Yet was
my action prompted by an agony of spirit, rather than
by any wish or intent to show disrespect to thee.
(24:39):
And were I wrong? Set me right? Spread over me again,
thy shadow wings, Let me once more be altogether daughter
of God, thy mother, not barren but a fruitful thing.
Were were my impious act too great to be forgotten?
If against me thy wings are folded, If if woman's
(25:00):
birthright I may not hold nor mirror the life of Him,
as this pool mirrors thy form within it. If I
may not be the door of life, he called me,
have pity, azial Zitu, have pity. Have pity God, and
teach me a new strength. She rose, her arms lifted.
(25:23):
For a moment she stood so before the carved figure.
Then her lips moved, Jason, they faltered, her breath caught
in a sob, she turned and threw herself upon her couch. Beloved,
krafft let the cry of his thrilling soul steal forth, Beloved,
(25:44):
you have called me beloved. I am here Naya Vaffir.
Stiffened in every soft line and curve, she lifted her
head as one who listens. She lifted her slender body
on her rounded arms, then slowly in a wide eyed,
wandering fashion. Since Kraft had not waited for sleep to
(26:07):
claim her on this night of nights, when he had
heard the confession of her love in the sacred shrine
of her night rap chamber, she sat a And now
the borderland between objective and subconscious knowledge was narrow, very
very narrow. Indeed, the consciousness of soul and body was
(26:29):
divided by no more than a breath a hare. Kroft
felt that it quivered. As the woman sat there, wrapped
of expression, Jason, she whispered again, At last, Beloved, come
forth close by the form of Azel. Kroft took his station,
(26:49):
moved by the sudden impulse that for this girl who
prayed to be made once more all woman, he was
as Azeal himself, warm of nia, swayed, it bent slowly,
it sagged down, and lay relaxed upon the couch. And
between it and Croft, where he waited, there appeared a diaphanous, swaying,
(27:12):
scintillating outline of her astral shape, Jason. And now for
the third time she cried it gladly with her quivering,
flaming lips, Jason, Azeal. She stretched out yearning hands. Thou
hast come to me again, Yes, said Croft, opening his
(27:33):
own embrace and drawing her inside its circle. Yes, I
have come to tell you your prayer is answered. To
tell you that of all laws of Zitu, the greatest
of all is love, that love in which God brought
Azel forth before he came to Pallas to teach men
the way of life. Wherefore Aziel himself I speak when
(27:56):
I say, as I have said before, that for me,
for me, and for me alone, you guard the shrine
of life, that some day once more I shall place
upon thy girdle that sign that in Zytra you flung
against my breast. Thou hast it. The contained fire of
(28:19):
her substance glowed. Yes, Kroft smiled, and some day the
fleshy hands of Jason shall pin it fast. I was mad, mad,
His companion panted much thinking. The shock of learning the
other than I had thought had made my heart sick,
(28:40):
my mind unsettled. Too much I thought of the man,
and not enough of the spirit, the real you that
is here with me now, as with you, the real
me is here, Ah, Jason, Jason. One time in Lekan's
palace we stood thus together in the body, and I
(29:01):
yielded you my mouth, as once more you yielded. Kraft
lowered his lips to the strange lambent outline of herds
beneath them. He kissed her in a strange kiss, such
that he had never dreamed of a thing, all inexpressible softness,
(29:21):
seeming to hold in its contact, a something that tingled
like fire, and as though the fire were a strange,
cosmic solvent for an instant, assured as a breath, as
long as eternity. It was as though their two individualities
dissolved and flowed together, blended into one. Kraft tore away
(29:45):
his mouth. The thing had been too real. It left
a weird, staggering sensation quivering through him, and the form
within his strong arms quivered. Its oric fires of white
and gold and purple were more radiant than they had
ever been. Nigha's hands clung to him, her eyes uplifted.
(30:09):
Go go, she panted, Send me back to my body,
Yet wait not so long to come to me again.
In the morning. I shall see you with Roburt, said
Croft as he released her. For now, he felt assured
that she was very, very close to a conscious understanding
(30:31):
of the nature of their love. It's wonder, it's glory,
it's truth. End of section fourteen.
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