September 25, 2025 • 26 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 fifteen of 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.
(00:21):
Read by Tom Frea, Brielle, New Jersey, The Mouthpiece of
Z two by John Ulrich Geezy, chapter fifteen. The King's Messenger,
(00:42):
and that she stood very near, indeed to the threshold
of understanding. The weeks that followed their third Astro meeting showed.
It showed in a change demeanor of their meeting. The
next day, Kraft waked with the sound of her voice
in his ears, and lay for an instant startled in
(01:03):
the half world between waking and slumber, before he realized
that it drifted from the bathing court of the palace.
Instantly he sprang up, recalling her words of the day
before concerning Robur's daily practice at throwing curves with a baseball.
(01:23):
He glanced out. Already Nia and her cousin were at work.
Croft had overslept, as it seemed, but now his pulses
quickened at the picture Nia Maid. As he reached the window,
Robur through the ball, and the princess ran to retrieve
it all in white. She was a single fluttering garment,
(01:48):
its skirt tucked up and caught together for greater freedom
of movement, revealing a flashing play of speeding limbs. Bare
on the tiles of the tessellated pavement were her pink arched,
flying feet, and bare her outstretched reaching arms, and her
hair free. Was a cloud of flying gold about her face.
(02:11):
An old time story flashed into Jason's mind, so he thought,
might Atlanta have appeared free, limbed, glorious, and unrestrained as
she ran her race? He turned away, tearing his eyes
from her youth and grace and beauty, and hastened to
dress as he came forth. Five minutes later, she flung
(02:34):
the ball with a truly feminine overhead gesture to where
her cousin stood. Z too, my cousin, she teased, with
a flash of milk white teeth between the twin crimson
portals of her mouth. You throw wider of the mark,
and still more wide to me. It seems that you
(02:56):
lack that which you speak of, in Jason's words, as
con thy ambition to be a pitcher stands in sorry case.
And then she caught sight of Jason himself, and broke off.
While across her lovely face there stole a flush as
soft as the dawning Syrian light, a flush as beautiful
(03:18):
as that on the bosom of rising Aurora. Kraft thought
she was panting somewhat, perhaps from her exertions, perhaps from
an inward emotion, as she turned toward him and held
out a tapering hand, Hi Jason. Her red lips changed
the object of their speaking, and her blue eyes met
(03:41):
his fully. It is morning, and I see you again,
and I thee, said Kroft, as he touched her fingers, fairer,
more beautiful, and altogether lovelier than the dawn itself. Thy
voice awaked me and told me I was late for
our play with the ball. But his blood was singing,
(04:03):
his pulses pounding, The thrust of his heart was a
visible beating at the base of his stalwart throat. For
her words had been but a paraphrase of that promise
he had spoken to the soul of her, He had
held the past night in his arms, and more than
any other she might have spoken, they told him that
(04:26):
at last, as a waking woman, she began to understand.
Yet he gave no further sign, and Naia herself seemed
contented with that one brief interchange. I teach him, instruct him,
and thou canst he is willing, but he accomplishes little,
(04:47):
with a vast amount of work to himself and my
feet and hands. And Jason laughed with a wonderful exultation
coursing through him as he took the ball from Robt,
who had approached. Thereafter, for a half hour he instructed
and Naya retrieved the Aethorian's wild heaves and pitches, until
(05:11):
by degrees Roburt gained a partial mastery of the simple
inward curve, and Naya, her face dewed with a fine
moisture from her part of the practice, protested against any
more that morning, declaring instead for a bath and moving
toward the pool, loosening her garment on the shoulder as
(05:33):
she walked, it fell from her, leaving her in the
Tamurrizian costume employed by her sex when both men and
women bathed, a sort of harness about the back and shoulders,
thin glinting chains of metal supporting gem and crusted shields
above the breast, a girdle at the waist to fasten
(05:55):
about the hips, a gold and purple covering not unlike
a pair of trunks. Krafft was acquainted with the fashion,
but never before had he seen Nia so revealed. He
caught his breath with an audible inhalation, and became aware
that Robert smiled. Go, he suggested, as he moved to
(06:17):
join Naya in the sun kissed water, tell Bella to
ask Gaya for a garment and join us in the pool.
Krofft nodded. He hastened away. He found Guya's maid, and,
once with the trunk like article she produced, lost no
time in putting it on and returning to the court
(06:38):
where Naya and Robert were now contesting in the water
with choking word and laugh. In a clean dive, he
cut its surface, shot across the full width of the pool,
and came up at Nya's side. Her hand crept out
and lay against him almost It seemed to him that
(06:59):
she sought the contact. You are strong, oh Jason, You
should be at home in the water, even as an akwar,
she said, with a quick drawn breath. There was a
hint of witchery in her smile. However, as kroft knew,
the akwar was a gaudy aquatic creature colored something like
(07:22):
a pheasant, with the head of a goose, red legs,
and blue webbed feet. Consequently, he laughed as he replied,
work in the mountains has redden my skin. It is true, O,
little fish of gold and purple and silver. Yet have
a care, since the akor eats little fish that it
(07:43):
catches in the water. Z too, nay, exclaimed, as very
much like a silver fish. Indeed, she dived. Thereafter, Kroft
forgot all else save her new mood and her presence,
until Robert announced that it was growing late and that
he had many things that he must discuss with Croft.
(08:07):
In such fashion, however, did he enter upon the multitudinous
energies that mark the following emyrin days. He plunged into
them and their endeavors with a song in his heart. Indeed,
it was as though the absence, which until now he
had actually courted, had worked its effects on them both,
(08:28):
as though that propinquity which followed brought now a sort
of reflex attitude into their bearing toward one another, swung
them from one extreme to the other more than anything else.
That first day, Kroft started work on the ovens that
produce his coke. With Robert, he talked over all his plans.
(08:52):
He drove out to the sight of his hangars and
inspected the rising sheds. He returned to the shops of
the carpenter cast and set in motion the work of
assembling the airplane wings. He inspected the bodies, found fault
and made corrections. Looked into the motor plant and ordered
the captains there to speed up their work. He drove
(09:15):
to the glass plant from there and gave orders for
the making of his arc lamp bodies. He seemed inspired
with a ceaseless energy, which finally drove Roburr into comment,
ze too, Jason, my friend, where is the need for
such haste? Then and only then did he realize with
(09:35):
what a restless energy, what a tireless thrill of driving force,
he had moved from place to place? None, rob he said,
with a quick caught inhalation, save that to day the
fire of life burns high within me, and my spirit
seeks action, not rest. He broke off and lifted his
(09:56):
own hand to the spot where Niga's fingers lain that
morning on his flesh, and, as so often, Robert seemed,
in a measure to catch his thought, Is she not
beautiful as a shaft of Zitu's own light? He inquired,
and looked into Jason's eyes. Gia is beautiful too, ah,
(10:19):
and I love her. Yet I think thy belief that
she is the other half of thy soul is true.
For mouthpiece of Zitu are ye and wiser than all
other men of Pallos and Naya of Affir. My cousin
is divine, thou hast said it. Her beauty drives me
(10:40):
as the whip against the nupus flank. It quickens my endeavor,
forces me to fresh effort. Kroft began and broke off
as a captain, followed by a servant from the palace,
appeared in the door of the room wherein they stood.
I Robert, the captain exclaimed, advancing with uplifted hand. Here
(11:02):
is one who seeks thee as he says it by
command speak, said Robert, turning to the other, one of
a number of Missarian runners who his messengers were kept
always at hand. The blue man saluted in formal fashion.
One from Zitra awaits sea at the palace. Even now
(11:23):
others seek you from place to place. Go say that
I come, Robert dismissed him and turned to Croft. A
pucker of thought lay between his eyes. This may be
from my father. I know not the nature of his message,
but my friend accompany me in this. Jason nodded. His
(11:46):
heart warmed again, as so often to this man. No
matter what word Jackgar might have sent, Robert, the son
of Jackgar, was his friend David and Jonathan. The comparison
flashed in his mind as they left the glass blower's
shop and entered the motor to drive swiftly back to
(12:07):
the palace. At once David and Jonathan it had been
something like that between them from the first. He sensed
the subtle way in which, in the present instance, the
Ephyrion was giving demonstration that whatever stand jack Or might
have taken to Wartcroft, his son would follow the dictates
(12:30):
of love and honor in his stand. In the huge
red paved court, they left the motor, and, passing between
the portal guards, made their way swiftly, side by side
to the audience hall, where once Croft had seen Kuyphelus
of Cather received by jack Or Affir's king, a man
(12:54):
with a circle and a cross on his breast. Jackgar's
emissary was waiting there for their coming. Now, as the
two friends appeared, he rose greetings to Roeber, governor of
Affir and son of Jackuar, who sends me to him.
He began producing a ring that Kroft himself had often
(13:16):
seen on jack R's finger, and pressed it into Roeber's hand.
Roeber glanced at it and nodded, say on, He replied,
on bid her, Mazaire makes war, see too, Robert started
and turned his eyes to Croft. Kraft nodded beyond the
(13:37):
narrowing of his eyes. He gave no sign of the
quiver of surprise that shook him. Let us sit down
and hear the rest of it, he advised. Robert waved
his father's emissary to his seat and found one of
his own, and now thy story, and quickly he urged,
while Kraft found a place by his side. As thou knowest,
(14:00):
who led an army into bid Her. When Zalaria made
war the Zitran resumed. There was promise to Mazur for
her help of the children of Zitemku to the north,
whom Zillah take to himself, certain of the expected spoils,
And as thou knowest, in all that was contemplated both
(14:23):
Zelaria and Mazur failed, Yet was Mazur promised a free
highway down Bidth's principal river to the central sea. Mazur
encouraged there too, as thy father thinks by Zalaria perchance
now presses this demand. Hither, being not as Affor and noter,
(14:46):
and even Milidur, supplied with the new weapons they used
against Hellmore's armies, is weak. Already have there been clashes
between the Blue men, better armed than ever before, and
the men have bid her Along the border, towns have
been burned, fields laid waste, women carried into the forests,
(15:09):
and men and children slain. Wherefore jack Or commands you
this send to bid her the armored motors and a
thousand men with the new weapon that shoots metal and
fire with the death dealing bolts of metal they discharge.
For since all Tamarizia is one nation, it is fitting
(15:31):
and just that the weak should cry for aid in
their need to the strong, and that the strong should hear. Jakor,
who sits on Hiranor's throne as head of Tamarisiya, has spoken.
Let Robir of Affor give ear to his words and
obey aafir. Hears Robur inclined his head, say to Hranhor
(15:58):
that AfOR obeys the motors, the men and the weapons
go to bid her at once, Man of Zitra, you
will refresh yourself. Ere you return Nay, already the other
was on his feet. This matter gives no rest. I
returned so soon as Affyre's obedience is assured, Zitu, speed
(16:21):
the fulfillment of your promise. As Croft and Robert rose,
he bowed and left the room. Robert turned toward Croft. Revenge,
He said, a boar of revenge, my friend Zilaria cheated
of her foul designs. Would harasp bit HER's borders? Hai,
(16:43):
his eyes flashed, So be it we shirk not what
Zitu sends. Jason, go with me, help me descend what
is needed forth. Yes, Kroft nodded, and for the rest
of that long day the drive of energy within him
found on full. Vent runners were dispatched to notify the
(17:04):
captains of the civic squad and a sufficient number of
the veterans of Kroft's riflemen in the Zealarian War. Cases
of cartridges were loaded into the motor galleys along the keys.
Six of the armored motor's Croft had designed and used
against Hellmore's legions went roaring through the streets and snorted
(17:25):
their ungainly way aboard the waiting ships Whateffer had been
called upon to furnish. She set about providing without delay.
And yet though in no way was he glad of
this fresh need of armed force on Pallas, there was
no satisfaction in his soul at the thought of dead
(17:47):
men and women carried captive into the Messarian towns now.
And then, as he worked superintending that transshipment of men
and munitions, Kroft smiled, and his smile was strange, as
he found himself wondering just how jack Or would meet
this flank attack, this guerrilla warfare hurled against his most
(18:11):
poorly prepared state by that beaten nation to the north,
which jack Or seemed inclined to take credit to himself
for having defeated in war. And that night, because there
were things he wanted to know, he decided to learn
them in the same way he had learned many many
things to his own and Tamarizia's advantage before he willed
(18:36):
himself to Zitra, to the palace, and the presence of
the man who had boasted to Zitu's mouthpiece of his strength.
Zitra lay all crystal and white and silver under the
triple moons. And then he was in a room with
Jackar and La Khan, and another a stranger whom he
(18:57):
learned from the following conversation, was a man of bitter
parthis by name. The latter was speaking as Kroft came
in by Zichu. He exclaimed, these bands are led by
men of Zelaria, beyond any question. Some there are who
have been killed in the fighting, and they have stained
(19:20):
blue their skins and dyed red their fair hair. Beaten
in a fair fight. She sends her captains to lead
these barbarians against us, to outrage our women and dash
out the brains of sucklings and destroy our men. Jackar,
this was planned even among the men of Mazar. Among
(19:40):
us have there been whispers so that blue men have
slain the Bethurians in whose homes they were employed, and
information has been transmitted among us to our foes. This
is Hilaria's vengeance. She sends another to fulfill. Like a
blue swarm of stinging insects, they swarm against us. Ten
(20:03):
towns lie in ashes Madai. Our governor is gathering our
people for defense so quickly as may be. Yet an
aid be not sent us quickly. Zitu himself knows what
may be endured. Jackar's dark face grew darker still at
this report. He struck the table by which he sat
(20:24):
a characteristic blow with his fist. By zittem Ku, the
fiend who spawned they are, They shall pay double price
for what they have undertaken, he declared, For aid I
have sent already to Affir. By now a swift galley
should have arrived in Jimaira, bearing my agent to the governor,
(20:46):
my son. Once as jack Or when of Afr saved
Tamarizia from Zalaria's designs. Fear not parthos A bit her
that with the same means hellmore was vanquished. We shall
punish this blue horde. Yet, were it not better? Lakhan
put out a hand and touched the corded forearm of
(21:09):
his brother in law, still tensed as it held, His
sinewy fingers doubled into an almost hammer like fist. Were
it not wiser Jakar to ask the advice of him
to whom much of our success against Solaria, and the
return of Mazar to the nation is due this mouthpiece
(21:31):
of Zitu. Jack Oor turned his eyes. Buy zeitemku la
kan Where are thy wits? Must Zitu, even through his mouthpiece,
teach us our lessons? Twice? Have we not the weapons
that carried death into Helmar's ranks by the thousands of souls?
(21:52):
Know we not how to use them? Know we not
that a thousand men so armed are the match for five, Yes,
for ten thousand equipped with sword and shield, and a
thousand of such men I have asked from Robert with
a number of the motors which ground Helmar's guard in
the last battle, beneath their crushing wheels. Enough. In four sons,
(22:18):
I myself shall go to Bithrah with our mobile Parthos,
to confer with Madai. When the Eufurian galleys arrive, I
myself shall take the field. Thou, as my agent, shall
stay here till I return. Small need to question Zitu's
mouthpiece in a matter such as this. Barthus nodded your words.
(22:43):
Strengthen the heart o jaguar. He resumed. In four sons,
we shall depart. That is well, as yet it appears
that only bid her as attacked, Were it not wise
to send word to milleder lest along her borders thee
These blue men forget the barter of hides and dried
(23:03):
meats and cheese, and turned to war. Aye, jack Or nodded,
He who is warned is best prepared. La Khan and
the Morns see to it. Let Mildur be watchful for
the slightest hostile sign along her borders. Then shall we
teach this spawn of Ziptemku to pluck Xilaria's vengeance for her?
(23:27):
And should we capture some of these seeming men of
Mazar who have dyed themselves to play a part, I
swear they shall wear their false tintings. Ever, at least
it was clear that jack Or realized the nature of
the trouble along the eastern border. How completely he would
(23:47):
be able to meet it was a question which time
alone would show on the face of things. He was
acting promptly and in a calmly thought out way. Had
there been one sin in his whole course open to objection,
it would have been his over confidence of the final issue,
which Kroft would have criticized. But as he fitted back
(24:12):
to Emira, he was fully aware that Jackgar was one
of the few men in all of Tamarisia burst in
the art of war, was a good general in so
far as Pelosian methods of warfare went. And it appeared
that with Bittheur's manpower organized and augmented by the thousand
(24:32):
rifles the six armored motors from Himyra, Jackgar, even as
he himself had declared, was very apt to make short
work of Maziar's naked board. Hence as much because he
wished to so believe, as for any other reason. It
was with the feeling that the affair along the bit
(24:53):
her borders was no more than a tempest in a teapot,
that he opened his eyes of his and turned himself
on his couch. Let jack Oer handle it in his
own fashion, since he felt fully able, as no doubt
he was, and with the aid he had asked for,
Affur even now going rapidly into the galleys, where Emyra's
(25:18):
firerns flared along the keys, and the little cars trundled
down the merchandise tunnels bearing cartridges and rifles. As for himself,
Kraft smiled, he had plenty to do in Jimaira and
nia Affir had gleamed like a blade of silver that
morning as she cut her slender way through the waters
(25:41):
of the pool. Only he had caught her a little
silver fish, and she had cried out and dived. He
rose and lighted an oil scance and found the silver
medallion with its embossed figure of Azil and its circle
of blood red stones, placing it in his palm. He
(26:02):
sat staring at this amulet that had once proclaimed her
his end of Section fifteen
Section fifteen of 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.
(00:21):
Read by Tom Frea, Brielle, New Jersey, The Mouthpiece of
Z two by John Ulrich Geezy, chapter fifteen. The King's Messenger,
(00:42):
and that she stood very near, indeed to the threshold
of understanding. The weeks that followed their third Astro meeting showed.
It showed in a change demeanor of their meeting. The
next day, Kraft waked with the sound of her voice
in his ears, and lay for an instant startled in
(01:03):
the half world between waking and slumber, before he realized
that it drifted from the bathing court of the palace.
Instantly he sprang up, recalling her words of the day
before concerning Robur's daily practice at throwing curves with a baseball.
(01:23):
He glanced out. Already Nia and her cousin were at work.
Croft had overslept, as it seemed, but now his pulses
quickened at the picture Nia Maid. As he reached the window,
Robur through the ball, and the princess ran to retrieve
it all in white. She was a single fluttering garment,
(01:48):
its skirt tucked up and caught together for greater freedom
of movement, revealing a flashing play of speeding limbs. Bare
on the tiles of the tessellated pavement were her pink arched,
flying feet, and bare her outstretched reaching arms, and her
hair free. Was a cloud of flying gold about her face.
(02:11):
An old time story flashed into Jason's mind, so he thought,
might Atlanta have appeared free, limbed, glorious, and unrestrained as
she ran her race? He turned away, tearing his eyes
from her youth and grace and beauty, and hastened to
dress as he came forth. Five minutes later, she flung
(02:34):
the ball with a truly feminine overhead gesture to where
her cousin stood. Z too, my cousin, she teased, with
a flash of milk white teeth between the twin crimson
portals of her mouth. You throw wider of the mark,
and still more wide to me. It seems that you
(02:56):
lack that which you speak of, in Jason's words, as
con thy ambition to be a pitcher stands in sorry case.
And then she caught sight of Jason himself, and broke off.
While across her lovely face there stole a flush as
soft as the dawning Syrian light, a flush as beautiful
(03:18):
as that on the bosom of rising Aurora. Kraft thought
she was panting somewhat, perhaps from her exertions, perhaps from
an inward emotion, as she turned toward him and held
out a tapering hand, Hi Jason. Her red lips changed
the object of their speaking, and her blue eyes met
(03:41):
his fully. It is morning, and I see you again,
and I thee, said Kroft, as he touched her fingers, fairer,
more beautiful, and altogether lovelier than the dawn itself. Thy
voice awaked me and told me I was late for
our play with the ball. But his blood was singing,
(04:03):
his pulses pounding, The thrust of his heart was a
visible beating at the base of his stalwart throat. For
her words had been but a paraphrase of that promise
he had spoken to the soul of her, He had
held the past night in his arms, and more than
any other she might have spoken, they told him that
(04:26):
at last, as a waking woman, she began to understand.
Yet he gave no further sign, and Naia herself seemed
contented with that one brief interchange. I teach him, instruct him,
and thou canst he is willing, but he accomplishes little,
(04:47):
with a vast amount of work to himself and my
feet and hands. And Jason laughed with a wonderful exultation
coursing through him as he took the ball from Robt,
who had approached. Thereafter, for a half hour he instructed
and Naya retrieved the Aethorian's wild heaves and pitches, until
(05:11):
by degrees Roburt gained a partial mastery of the simple
inward curve, and Naya, her face dewed with a fine
moisture from her part of the practice, protested against any
more that morning, declaring instead for a bath and moving
toward the pool, loosening her garment on the shoulder as
(05:33):
she walked, it fell from her, leaving her in the
Tamurrizian costume employed by her sex when both men and
women bathed, a sort of harness about the back and shoulders,
thin glinting chains of metal supporting gem and crusted shields
above the breast, a girdle at the waist to fasten
(05:55):
about the hips, a gold and purple covering not unlike
a pair of trunks. Krafft was acquainted with the fashion,
but never before had he seen Nia so revealed. He
caught his breath with an audible inhalation, and became aware
that Robert smiled. Go, he suggested, as he moved to
(06:17):
join Naya in the sun kissed water, tell Bella to
ask Gaya for a garment and join us in the pool.
Krofft nodded. He hastened away. He found Guya's maid, and,
once with the trunk like article she produced, lost no
time in putting it on and returning to the court
(06:38):
where Naya and Robert were now contesting in the water
with choking word and laugh. In a clean dive, he
cut its surface, shot across the full width of the pool,
and came up at Nya's side. Her hand crept out
and lay against him almost It seemed to him that
(06:59):
she sought the contact. You are strong, oh Jason, You
should be at home in the water, even as an akwar,
she said, with a quick drawn breath. There was a
hint of witchery in her smile. However, as kroft knew,
the akwar was a gaudy aquatic creature colored something like
(07:22):
a pheasant, with the head of a goose, red legs,
and blue webbed feet. Consequently, he laughed as he replied,
work in the mountains has redden my skin. It is true, O,
little fish of gold and purple and silver. Yet have
a care, since the akor eats little fish that it
(07:43):
catches in the water. Z too, nay, exclaimed, as very
much like a silver fish. Indeed, she dived. Thereafter, Kroft
forgot all else save her new mood and her presence,
until Robert announced that it was growing late and that
he had many things that he must discuss with Croft.
(08:07):
In such fashion, however, did he enter upon the multitudinous
energies that mark the following emyrin days. He plunged into
them and their endeavors with a song in his heart. Indeed,
it was as though the absence, which until now he
had actually courted, had worked its effects on them both,
(08:28):
as though that propinquity which followed brought now a sort
of reflex attitude into their bearing toward one another, swung
them from one extreme to the other more than anything else.
That first day, Kroft started work on the ovens that
produce his coke. With Robert, he talked over all his plans.
(08:52):
He drove out to the sight of his hangars and
inspected the rising sheds. He returned to the shops of
the carpenter cast and set in motion the work of
assembling the airplane wings. He inspected the bodies, found fault
and made corrections. Looked into the motor plant and ordered
the captains there to speed up their work. He drove
(09:15):
to the glass plant from there and gave orders for
the making of his arc lamp bodies. He seemed inspired
with a ceaseless energy, which finally drove Roburr into comment,
ze too, Jason, my friend, where is the need for
such haste? Then and only then did he realize with
(09:35):
what a restless energy, what a tireless thrill of driving force,
he had moved from place to place? None, rob he said,
with a quick caught inhalation, save that to day the
fire of life burns high within me, and my spirit
seeks action, not rest. He broke off and lifted his
(09:56):
own hand to the spot where Niga's fingers lain that
morning on his flesh, and, as so often, Robert seemed,
in a measure to catch his thought, Is she not
beautiful as a shaft of Zitu's own light? He inquired,
and looked into Jason's eyes. Gia is beautiful too, ah,
(10:19):
and I love her. Yet I think thy belief that
she is the other half of thy soul is true.
For mouthpiece of Zitu are ye and wiser than all
other men of Pallos and Naya of Affir. My cousin
is divine, thou hast said it. Her beauty drives me
(10:40):
as the whip against the nupus flank. It quickens my endeavor,
forces me to fresh effort. Kroft began and broke off
as a captain, followed by a servant from the palace,
appeared in the door of the room wherein they stood.
I Robert, the captain exclaimed, advancing with uplifted hand. Here
(11:02):
is one who seeks thee as he says it by
command speak, said Robert, turning to the other, one of
a number of Missarian runners who his messengers were kept
always at hand. The blue man saluted in formal fashion.
One from Zitra awaits sea at the palace. Even now
(11:23):
others seek you from place to place. Go say that
I come, Robert dismissed him and turned to Croft. A
pucker of thought lay between his eyes. This may be
from my father. I know not the nature of his message,
but my friend accompany me in this. Jason nodded. His
(11:46):
heart warmed again, as so often to this man. No
matter what word Jackgar might have sent, Robert, the son
of Jackgar, was his friend David and Jonathan. The comparison
flashed in his mind as they left the glass blower's
shop and entered the motor to drive swiftly back to
(12:07):
the palace. At once David and Jonathan it had been
something like that between them from the first. He sensed
the subtle way in which, in the present instance, the
Ephyrion was giving demonstration that whatever stand jack Or might
have taken to Wartcroft, his son would follow the dictates
(12:30):
of love and honor in his stand. In the huge
red paved court, they left the motor, and, passing between
the portal guards, made their way swiftly, side by side
to the audience hall, where once Croft had seen Kuyphelus
of Cather received by jack Or Affir's king, a man
(12:54):
with a circle and a cross on his breast. Jackgar's
emissary was waiting there for their coming. Now, as the
two friends appeared, he rose greetings to Roeber, governor of
Affir and son of Jackuar, who sends me to him.
He began producing a ring that Kroft himself had often
(13:16):
seen on jack R's finger, and pressed it into Roeber's hand.
Roeber glanced at it and nodded, say on, He replied,
on bid her, Mazaire makes war, see too, Robert started
and turned his eyes to Croft. Kraft nodded beyond the
(13:37):
narrowing of his eyes. He gave no sign of the
quiver of surprise that shook him. Let us sit down
and hear the rest of it, he advised. Robert waved
his father's emissary to his seat and found one of
his own, and now thy story, and quickly he urged,
while Kraft found a place by his side. As thou knowest,
(14:00):
who led an army into bid Her. When Zalaria made
war the Zitran resumed. There was promise to Mazur for
her help of the children of Zitemku to the north,
whom Zillah take to himself, certain of the expected spoils,
And as thou knowest, in all that was contemplated both
(14:23):
Zelaria and Mazur failed, Yet was Mazur promised a free
highway down Bidth's principal river to the central sea. Mazur
encouraged there too, as thy father thinks by Zalaria perchance
now presses this demand. Hither, being not as Affor and noter,
(14:46):
and even Milidur, supplied with the new weapons they used
against Hellmore's armies, is weak. Already have there been clashes
between the Blue men, better armed than ever before, and
the men have bid her Along the border, towns have
been burned, fields laid waste, women carried into the forests,
(15:09):
and men and children slain. Wherefore jack Or commands you
this send to bid her the armored motors and a
thousand men with the new weapon that shoots metal and
fire with the death dealing bolts of metal they discharge.
For since all Tamarizia is one nation, it is fitting
(15:31):
and just that the weak should cry for aid in
their need to the strong, and that the strong should hear. Jakor,
who sits on Hiranor's throne as head of Tamarisiya, has spoken.
Let Robir of Affor give ear to his words and
obey aafir. Hears Robur inclined his head, say to Hranhor
(15:58):
that AfOR obeys the motors, the men and the weapons
go to bid her at once, Man of Zitra, you
will refresh yourself. Ere you return Nay, already the other
was on his feet. This matter gives no rest. I
returned so soon as Affyre's obedience is assured, Zitu, speed
(16:21):
the fulfillment of your promise. As Croft and Robert rose,
he bowed and left the room. Robert turned toward Croft. Revenge,
He said, a boar of revenge, my friend Zilaria cheated
of her foul designs. Would harasp bit HER's borders? Hai,
(16:43):
his eyes flashed, So be it we shirk not what
Zitu sends. Jason, go with me, help me descend what
is needed forth. Yes, Kroft nodded, and for the rest
of that long day the drive of energy within him
found on full. Vent runners were dispatched to notify the
(17:04):
captains of the civic squad and a sufficient number of
the veterans of Kroft's riflemen in the Zealarian War. Cases
of cartridges were loaded into the motor galleys along the keys.
Six of the armored motor's Croft had designed and used
against Hellmore's legions went roaring through the streets and snorted
(17:25):
their ungainly way aboard the waiting ships Whateffer had been
called upon to furnish. She set about providing without delay.
And yet though in no way was he glad of
this fresh need of armed force on Pallas, there was
no satisfaction in his soul at the thought of dead
(17:47):
men and women carried captive into the Messarian towns now.
And then, as he worked superintending that transshipment of men
and munitions, Kroft smiled, and his smile was strange, as
he found himself wondering just how jack Or would meet
this flank attack, this guerrilla warfare hurled against his most
(18:11):
poorly prepared state by that beaten nation to the north,
which jack Or seemed inclined to take credit to himself
for having defeated in war. And that night, because there
were things he wanted to know, he decided to learn
them in the same way he had learned many many
things to his own and Tamarizia's advantage before he willed
(18:36):
himself to Zitra, to the palace, and the presence of
the man who had boasted to Zitu's mouthpiece of his strength.
Zitra lay all crystal and white and silver under the
triple moons. And then he was in a room with
Jackar and La Khan, and another a stranger whom he
(18:57):
learned from the following conversation, was a man of bitter
parthis by name. The latter was speaking as Kroft came
in by Zichu. He exclaimed, these bands are led by
men of Zelaria, beyond any question. Some there are who
have been killed in the fighting, and they have stained
(19:20):
blue their skins and dyed red their fair hair. Beaten
in a fair fight. She sends her captains to lead
these barbarians against us, to outrage our women and dash
out the brains of sucklings and destroy our men. Jackar,
this was planned even among the men of Mazar. Among
(19:40):
us have there been whispers so that blue men have
slain the Bethurians in whose homes they were employed, and
information has been transmitted among us to our foes. This
is Hilaria's vengeance. She sends another to fulfill. Like a
blue swarm of stinging insects, they swarm against us. Ten
(20:03):
towns lie in ashes Madai. Our governor is gathering our
people for defense so quickly as may be. Yet an
aid be not sent us quickly. Zitu himself knows what
may be endured. Jackar's dark face grew darker still at
this report. He struck the table by which he sat
(20:24):
a characteristic blow with his fist. By zittem Ku, the
fiend who spawned they are, They shall pay double price
for what they have undertaken, he declared, For aid I
have sent already to Affir. By now a swift galley
should have arrived in Jimaira, bearing my agent to the governor,
(20:46):
my son. Once as jack Or when of Afr saved
Tamarizia from Zalaria's designs. Fear not parthos A bit her
that with the same means hellmore was vanquished. We shall
punish this blue horde. Yet, were it not better? Lakhan
put out a hand and touched the corded forearm of
(21:09):
his brother in law, still tensed as it held, His
sinewy fingers doubled into an almost hammer like fist. Were
it not wiser Jakar to ask the advice of him
to whom much of our success against Solaria, and the
return of Mazar to the nation is due this mouthpiece
(21:31):
of Zitu. Jack Oor turned his eyes. Buy zeitemku la
kan Where are thy wits? Must Zitu, even through his mouthpiece,
teach us our lessons? Twice? Have we not the weapons
that carried death into Helmar's ranks by the thousands of souls?
(21:52):
Know we not how to use them? Know we not
that a thousand men so armed are the match for five, Yes,
for ten thousand equipped with sword and shield, and a
thousand of such men I have asked from Robert with
a number of the motors which ground Helmar's guard in
the last battle, beneath their crushing wheels. Enough. In four sons,
(22:18):
I myself shall go to Bithrah with our mobile Parthos,
to confer with Madai. When the Eufurian galleys arrive, I
myself shall take the field. Thou, as my agent, shall
stay here till I return. Small need to question Zitu's
mouthpiece in a matter such as this. Barthus nodded your words.
(22:43):
Strengthen the heart o jaguar. He resumed. In four sons,
we shall depart. That is well, as yet it appears
that only bid her as attacked, Were it not wise
to send word to milleder lest along her borders thee
These blue men forget the barter of hides and dried
(23:03):
meats and cheese, and turned to war. Aye, jack Or nodded,
He who is warned is best prepared. La Khan and
the Morns see to it. Let Mildur be watchful for
the slightest hostile sign along her borders. Then shall we
teach this spawn of Ziptemku to pluck Xilaria's vengeance for her?
(23:27):
And should we capture some of these seeming men of
Mazar who have dyed themselves to play a part, I
swear they shall wear their false tintings. Ever, at least
it was clear that jack Or realized the nature of
the trouble along the eastern border. How completely he would
(23:47):
be able to meet it was a question which time
alone would show on the face of things. He was
acting promptly and in a calmly thought out way. Had
there been one sin in his whole course open to objection,
it would have been his over confidence of the final issue,
which Kroft would have criticized. But as he fitted back
(24:12):
to Emira, he was fully aware that Jackgar was one
of the few men in all of Tamarisia burst in
the art of war, was a good general in so
far as Pelosian methods of warfare went. And it appeared
that with Bittheur's manpower organized and augmented by the thousand
(24:32):
rifles the six armored motors from Himyra, Jackgar, even as
he himself had declared, was very apt to make short
work of Maziar's naked board. Hence as much because he
wished to so believe, as for any other reason. It
was with the feeling that the affair along the bit
(24:53):
her borders was no more than a tempest in a teapot,
that he opened his eyes of his and turned himself
on his couch. Let jack Oer handle it in his
own fashion, since he felt fully able, as no doubt
he was, and with the aid he had asked for,
Affur even now going rapidly into the galleys, where Emyra's
(25:18):
firerns flared along the keys, and the little cars trundled
down the merchandise tunnels bearing cartridges and rifles. As for himself,
Kraft smiled, he had plenty to do in Jimaira and
nia Affir had gleamed like a blade of silver that
morning as she cut her slender way through the waters
(25:41):
of the pool. Only he had caught her a little
silver fish, and she had cried out and dived. He
rose and lighted an oil scance and found the silver
medallion with its embossed figure of Azil and its circle
of blood red stones, placing it in his palm. He
(26:02):
sat staring at this amulet that had once proclaimed her
his end of Section fifteen
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