On the Plains of Ofrid
J
lomec the Nadian his air car across the of Ofrid but a above the of the grasses.
It was a day and the Nadian was taking full of it. One of a of proud and men, Jlomec was an to the in that he was a than a fighter, a than a doer, a than a strategist.
Thus, his mind upon the of the previous days when, his brother, Bontarc, he had the tower of Portox the Ofridian into a cloud of dust.
And it was of the Jlomec that his mind was more with the of the than the violent. He of the poem, the of in the of the tower. For a century all Tarthans had puzzled over the put there by Portox so long ago:
An ape, a boar, a stallion,
A land the stars,
A virgin's feast, a beast,
A prison without bars.
Had it any meaning? Jlomec wondered. A thousand different had been put upon the over the years, but no one for sure.
That it had something to do with the of the Ofridians, Jlomec was sure. But what?
As he thus, Jlomec's attention was by moving some ten to the south. He this to be the of one of the great that the Plains of Ofrid.
In the times the great massacre, these had been in the of the Ofridian of which the Abarians in great envy. These of water which the gardens of Ofrid and beautiful.
But all that was in the past. The Ofridians had been to a man and their until not a upon a stone. Now where once the results of Portox's great scientific genius. Now there were only doors in the ground to mark the of the great Ofridian wells.
These Jlomec's mind as he his car and it in the direction of the well. The came into view, Jlomec to in puzzlement.
What manner of people were these? There were a dozen of them—two men, three females, and one babe-in-arms. Jlomec got the that—though they were and formed—that they were of stature.
But now he he had got this only by their to the seventh by the well. He at a that this seventh was an Abarian warrior, tall and the look of so of his race.
Jlomec paid the Abarian however, so was he in studying the half-dozen. Their skins were and they almost no clothing.
Who they be? Jlomec wondered, and from had they come? Mightily intrigued, he moved until he came of the party. Then, for of the he spoken, he his air car and frowned.
The Abarian, he as the Retoc himself. A the ground how the tall, of the Abarians had at this spot. Retoc was to the Plains of Ofrid at times, still the he and his sire, Harnod, had accomplished; himself with memories of high, of and of the dying.
Or was it for some other that Retoc the plains? Was it a that him there? Did the of Portox the Ofridian still in his memory? Had Portox the Abarian with knowledge that he alone in his heart? And did that knowledge a that Retoc the Abarian not himself of?
At any rate, he now the people and the Ofridian well, a as was his custom.
The leader of the group his hands in and said, "We only ask water, sire. A small thing, but long have we waited to our thirst."
Retoc said, "What manner of people are you?"
"Harmless ones. See? We are and peaceful."
"That not answer my question. Tell me who you are and from you came. Then we will see my that you shall have water from this well."
Indignation and Jlomec's judgment. He had in range of Retoc's and now he from his car and his whip-sword. "Is there no of common or left in you, Retoc, that you do this thing to people?"
The Abarian with not what might be against him. But when he saw the Jlomec, his returned and his self-assurance again took charge. Had the been Bontarc, the Jlomec's brother, Retoc the Abarian would have himself differently. But as it was, he at the Nadian and asked, "What of this is yours, Jlomec?"
"Injustice is everyone's business. These people, they are, ask only to drink." Jlomec's blazed. "And drink they shall, Abarian!"
Retoc's glowed. No as to the outcome of this contest. He his own and its length through the air. "Since you choose to this scum, let's on with it."
Had Jlomec's not been of a quality to him to consequences, he would have hesitated. But with this injustice, he his own and at Retoc.
The latter, with a of confidence, the with and his own whip-sword with a skill which men on the Tarth have equalled.
The were ones by Earth and would have been impractical. They were a good six in length with the of a rod. The of using them in the and of the long thin by use of the wrist. An expert Tarthan a with a of his blade, the in the opposite direction and his with a that would enter his blades, the still to a circle.
In essence, this of the Tarthans was a of and and was a of at than be with a blade. A good Tarthan would have been an excellent player on Earth for his knowledge of was of supreme.
Retoc the Abarian was a master at this swordplay. Enjoying himself there was little risk, he with the less Nadian. He did not to kill Jlomec, the of Bontarc. He meant only to teach the Nadian a lesson he would not forget.
But as his sang and stung, its point in like the of a snake's head, and as Jlomec's to parry, Retoc's blood rose to the fore. The of death to the was upon him and with a he allowed his to enter Jlomec's just above the kidney, to through his and his heart.
Frightened at what he had done he the free. Its Jlomec in a complete circle from which he limply, he the ground.
Retoc at the Nadian, his and in the as he it extended. The Abarian's to the group of brown-skinned folk, his anger upon them as he the for this from his own to theirs. If they had not been at the well—
He was to his in their direction, to out the of them, when he paused, his deepening. There was and upon their but they were not either Retoc or his adversary.
Their were in another direction and Retoc sent his own after theirs. His upon what he saw. A man. But such a man as he had on all the Tarth.
