Read Online Planet of Adventure Omnibus by Jack Vance - Free Book Online Page A

in his tattered garments and bedded
himself down. Traz grumbled under his breath and lay back into the twigs and
seemed to go instantly to sleep. Reith looked out across the old city and mused
upon his extraordinary destiny ... Az appeared in the east, glowing pale pink
through the haze to send a strange light along the ancient avenues. The vista
was one of eerie fascination: a scene unreal, the stuff of strange dreams. Now
Braz lifted into the sky; the broken columns and toppled structures cast double
shadows. One particular shape at the end of an avenue resembled a brooding
statue. Reith wondered why he had not noticed it previously. It was a
gaunt-man-shaped figure seven or eight feet tall, legs somewhat apart, head
bowed as if in intense concentration, one hand under the chin, the other behind
the back. The head was covered by a soft hat with a drooping brim; a cloak hung
from the shoulders; the legs seemed encased in boots. Reith looked more
intently. A statue? Why did it not move?
    Reith brought
forth his scanscope. The creature’s visage was in dark shadow; but, adjusting
focus, zoom and gain, Reith was able to glimpse a long, gaunt countenance. The
gnarled halfhuman, half-insect features were set in a frozen grimace; as Reith
watched, the mouth-parts worked slowly, moving in and out ... The creature
moved, taking a single long stealthy step forward, again freezing into
position. It held a long arm aloft in a minatory gesture, for no purpose
comprehensible to Reith. Traz had awakened; he followed Reith’s gaze. “Phung!”
    The creature
whirled about as if it had heard the sound and danced two great strides to the
side.
    “They are
insane,” whispered Traz. “Mad demons.”
    The Dirdirman
was not yet aware of the Phung. He fretfully moved his cloak, trying to make
himself comfortable. The Phung made a gesture of gleeful surprise, and gave
three bounds which took him to a spot only six feet from the Dirdirman, who
still fidgeted with his cloak. The Phung stood looking down, again nonmoving.
It stooped, picked up several small bits of gravel. Holding its long arm over
the Dirdirman, it dropped one of the pebbles.
    The Dirdirman
gave a fretful jerk, but, still not seeing the Phung, settled himself again.
Reith winced and called out: “Hey!„
    Traz hissed
in consternation. The effect upon the Phung was comical. It gave a great leap
back, turned to stare toward the pedestal, arms outspread in extravagant
surprise. The Dirdirman, on his knees, discovered the Phung, and could not move
for horror.
    “Why did you
do that?” cried Traz. “It would have been content with the Dirdirman.”
    “Shoot it
with your catapult,” Reith told him.
    “Bolts won’t
touch it, swords won’t cut it.”
    “Shoot at its
head.”
    Traz gave a
despairing sound, but bringing forth his catapult, he aimed and snapped the
release. The bolt sped toward the pallid face. At the last second, the head
jerked aside, the bolt clashed against a stone buttress.
    The Phung picked
up a chunk of rock, swung back its long arm, hurled the rock with tremendous
force. Traz and Reith fell flat; the stone splintered behind them. Reith wasted
no further time and aimed his gun at the creature. He touched the button; there
was a click, a hiss; the needle struck into the Phung’s thorax, exploded. The
Phung leapt into the air, uttered a croak of dismay and came down in a heap.
    Traz clutched
Reith’s shoulder. “Kill the Dirdirman, quick! Before he flees.”
    Reith
descended from the pedestal. The Dirdirman snatched forth his sword; apparently
the only weapon he carried. Reith put his gun in his belt, held up his hand. “Put
up your sword; we have no reason to fight.”
    The
Dirdirman, puzzled, moved back a step. “Why did you kill the Phung?”
    “It was about
to kill you; why else?”
    “But we are
strangers! And you”-the Dirdirman peered through the gloom-”are sub-men. Do you
think to kill me yourself? If so-”
    “No,” said
Reith. “I only