Read Online The Warlock Wandering by Christopher Stasheff - Free Book Online
Authors: Christopher Stasheff
Tags: Fiction, General, Science-Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction - General, Fiction - Science Fiction
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did not seem assured. "If'n it's all the same to you, sir..."
"But I'm afraid it's not." Shacklar's tone was crisp, but polite. "That will be all. Sergeant. I thank you for your concern."
The sergeant and all his troops eyed the Wolman, Rod, and Yorick warily—and Gwen almost with alarm. But the sergeant barked, "About/are/ For'ard harch!" dutifully. The squad pivoted with a multiple stamp, and marched out. The sergeant lingered in the doorway for One more glower, but Shacklar met his gaze, and the man turned and disappeared. On the other hand, he didn't close the door.
Shacklar ignored it. He turned to the Gallowglasses, beaming. "A pleasure to see you again. Master Gallowglass, Mistress Gallowglass." He turned an inquiring glance to Yorick. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure?" Rod gestured toward the ape-man. "Oh, this is..." But Yorick cut him off. "Ander Thai, General. But I used to be a comic actor with a two-bit rep company, so they call me..."
"... Yorick," Rod finished. He swallowed. "Uh, General—has it occurred to you that you might be in a rather dangerous position?"
"Outnumbered, you mean? And both of you with weapons?" Shacklar nodded. "I'm aware of it, yes."
"It... doesn't bother you."
"Not particularly. I'm trusting to your honor, old boy." Rod stared. Then he said, just by way of information,
"You're a fool, you know."
"I'm aware of that, too." Shacklar smiled up at him. Yorick locked glances with Rod, and his thoughts were loud. This man is vital to the future of democracy, Major. If you so much as lay a finger on him... At which point the mental signal deteriorated into some rather gruesome graphics.
Not that Rod needed the urging. He gazed at Shacklar's warm, open countenance, and sighed. "I never kill fools before dinner-time; it's bad for the digestion." Ruefully, he was remembering a few occasions when he'd played the same gambit himself; but it had worked, he had gained trust...
... and it was working again, now.
Shacklar wasn't the only fool in the room, he decided. A faint smile touched the comers of the General's mouth; he relaxed. "I don't believe you've met this gentleman—
Chief Hwun, of the Purple tribe—and acclaimed as Chief of all the Wolman tribes."
"No, I don't believe I've had the pleasure." Rod tried to remember how the salute went—crossed arms, fingers touching the shoulders...
Before he could try it, the big Wolman said, "Them doum it—this man and woman in-um funny clothes." Rod stared.
Then he said, "Not much on courtesy, is he?"
"Uh—" Yorick glanced about, then at the General. "I know it's none of my business, but... what does the Chief think M... Mr. Gallowglass did?"
Rod caught the near slip, and gave Yorick points; he'd realized the hazards of having Shacklar think he might be entitled to give Rod orders. "Why, trespassing^ of course, on Wolman land." He turned back to Shacklar. "But we cleared that up a couple of hours ago."
"Well, yes—but the Chief's now charging you with an additional transgression."
54 Christopher Stasheff
Rod frowned. "Isn't that 'double jeopardy,' or something?"
"Not at all, since it's a crime you weren't charged with before."
"What crime?"
"Murder."
Rod set a mug of ale down in front of Gwen, then turned back to the bar. "Two of whatever passes for whiskey here. Doubles."
"Done." Cholly thumped two heavy glasses down on the bar, and upended a bottle of vaguely brownish fluid over them. "So he let you loose on your own recognizance?"
"Yeah." Rod shrugged. "We just promised not to kill anybody before dawn tomorrow, and he said, 'Excellent. Why don't you have a look around the town, while you're here?'... That's enough!"
"As you will." Cholly waited a second longer, till the brownish fluid was almost up to the rims, then set the bottle down. "Yer trial's tomorrow at sunrise, then?"
"If you can call it that." Rod frowned. "Isn't that a little lenient, for a couple of suspected murderers?" Cholly nodded. "Even here. I'd
"But I'm afraid it's not." Shacklar's tone was crisp, but polite. "That will be all. Sergeant. I thank you for your concern."
The sergeant and all his troops eyed the Wolman, Rod, and Yorick warily—and Gwen almost with alarm. But the sergeant barked, "About/are/ For'ard harch!" dutifully. The squad pivoted with a multiple stamp, and marched out. The sergeant lingered in the doorway for One more glower, but Shacklar met his gaze, and the man turned and disappeared. On the other hand, he didn't close the door.
Shacklar ignored it. He turned to the Gallowglasses, beaming. "A pleasure to see you again. Master Gallowglass, Mistress Gallowglass." He turned an inquiring glance to Yorick. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure?" Rod gestured toward the ape-man. "Oh, this is..." But Yorick cut him off. "Ander Thai, General. But I used to be a comic actor with a two-bit rep company, so they call me..."
"... Yorick," Rod finished. He swallowed. "Uh, General—has it occurred to you that you might be in a rather dangerous position?"
"Outnumbered, you mean? And both of you with weapons?" Shacklar nodded. "I'm aware of it, yes."
"It... doesn't bother you."
"Not particularly. I'm trusting to your honor, old boy." Rod stared. Then he said, just by way of information,
"You're a fool, you know."
"I'm aware of that, too." Shacklar smiled up at him. Yorick locked glances with Rod, and his thoughts were loud. This man is vital to the future of democracy, Major. If you so much as lay a finger on him... At which point the mental signal deteriorated into some rather gruesome graphics.
Not that Rod needed the urging. He gazed at Shacklar's warm, open countenance, and sighed. "I never kill fools before dinner-time; it's bad for the digestion." Ruefully, he was remembering a few occasions when he'd played the same gambit himself; but it had worked, he had gained trust...
... and it was working again, now.
Shacklar wasn't the only fool in the room, he decided. A faint smile touched the comers of the General's mouth; he relaxed. "I don't believe you've met this gentleman—
Chief Hwun, of the Purple tribe—and acclaimed as Chief of all the Wolman tribes."
"No, I don't believe I've had the pleasure." Rod tried to remember how the salute went—crossed arms, fingers touching the shoulders...
Before he could try it, the big Wolman said, "Them doum it—this man and woman in-um funny clothes." Rod stared.
Then he said, "Not much on courtesy, is he?"
"Uh—" Yorick glanced about, then at the General. "I know it's none of my business, but... what does the Chief think M... Mr. Gallowglass did?"
Rod caught the near slip, and gave Yorick points; he'd realized the hazards of having Shacklar think he might be entitled to give Rod orders. "Why, trespassing^ of course, on Wolman land." He turned back to Shacklar. "But we cleared that up a couple of hours ago."
"Well, yes—but the Chief's now charging you with an additional transgression."
54 Christopher Stasheff
Rod frowned. "Isn't that 'double jeopardy,' or something?"
"Not at all, since it's a crime you weren't charged with before."
"What crime?"
"Murder."
Rod set a mug of ale down in front of Gwen, then turned back to the bar. "Two of whatever passes for whiskey here. Doubles."
"Done." Cholly thumped two heavy glasses down on the bar, and upended a bottle of vaguely brownish fluid over them. "So he let you loose on your own recognizance?"
"Yeah." Rod shrugged. "We just promised not to kill anybody before dawn tomorrow, and he said, 'Excellent. Why don't you have a look around the town, while you're here?'... That's enough!"
"As you will." Cholly waited a second longer, till the brownish fluid was almost up to the rims, then set the bottle down. "Yer trial's tomorrow at sunrise, then?"
"If you can call it that." Rod frowned. "Isn't that a little lenient, for a couple of suspected murderers?" Cholly nodded. "Even here. I'd
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