Asimov's Choice & De Camp, L Sprague The Queen of Zamba

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came the guns.
"Pazzoi!" shouted a voice from the train. A multiple click came from the twenty-four
guns.
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"Surrender!" shouted Ferzao. "Those things won't work!"
He pulled up a few feet in front of them. A couple of sailors worked their bolts and tried
again with no better success. The rest, in the face of the lances and drawn bows, threw
down their guns and rose to their knees, arms extended in token of surrender.
"What's all this?" yelled a voice, as a tall, gaudily-dressed person walked across the
moss from the train.
Hasselborg recognized the handsome heartbreaker of the photographs under the
Krishnan makeup. With him came a splendid-looking dark girl, and behind them the
stocky form of Chuen Liao-dz. "What sort of reception "
"Hello there, Fallon," said Hasselborg, who had secured his reins and, like Fallon,
followed his army on foot to the scene of the battle.
"Who's speaking English? You? Are you "
"Careful, chum; if you don't give me away I'll do the same for you. Officially I'm Kavir
bad-Ma'lum, portrait painter by appointment to His Awesomeness King Eqrar of
Gozashtand. Unofficially I'm Victor Hasselborg of London."
"Oh, really? Well, what do you think you're doing "
"You'll learn. Meanwhile keep calm, because I've got the advantage. This is Miss Julnar
Batruni, isn't it?"
"Our wife!" growled Fallon. "Her Resplendency Queen Julnar of Zamba, if you
please!"
"Seems to me you already had one wife in London, didn't you? She sent her regards."
"You didn't come clear from Earth to tell us that! Anyway, it's not exactly true. We
fixed things up."
"How?"
"Why, we divorced her and married Julnar under Zamban law."
"How convenient! I'll be judge, I'll be jury, said cunning old Fury. Delighted to know
you, Queen. Mr. Batruni sent me to find out what had become of you."
"Oh, is that so?" said the girl. "Well, now that you know, why don't you go back to
Earth and tell the old dear, and take your nose out of our affairs?"
"Uh well, the fact is he commissioned me to bring you back if possible."
"You " shouted Fallon, and tugged at his sword.
"Grab him!" said Hasselborg. Two of his men pounced on Fallon, twisted his arms
behind him, and took his sword away.
"Naughty, naughty," said Hasselborg. "Now let's continue more calmly. As I was
saying, Miss Batruni pardon me, Mrs. Fallon or Queen Julnar your father's
lonesome and would like to see you again."
"Well I I do love the old fellow, you know, but one can't leave one's husband and run
home half a dozen light-years for a week-end. Won't you please let us be? I'll write
Father, or send a message, or anything like that "
Hasselborg shook his head. "We'll have to go into this further. King Anthony, will you
please mount this aya? One of my men will lead it for you, and don't try any breaks.
Chuen, here's one for you "
"Oh," said Chuen, looking apprehensive. "Is no other way to go?"
"No; I'm taking Miss Ba the young lady with
me." "You know this fella?" said Fallon to Hasselborg.
"Who is he?"
"He's Master Li-yau, who's looking into the disappearance of certain machine guns
from uh from the mails, if you follow me. How did you get on the train with the rest,
Chuen?"
"Bought ticket; told some lies about how my old uncle was dying in Hershid, so they let
me ride in Fallon's special. What you doing with the Zambava?"
"Sending 'em back. Hey, you there!" Hasselborg called to the mahouts, who were just
getting their beasts calmed. "Special's canceled. Break the train and hitch one of those
bishtars to the Qadr end of the passenger coaches. Now, you!" He addressed the sailors,
collected in a glum and muttering group. "You know you were caught invading
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Gozashtand with arms, don't you?"
They nodded.
"And it would go pretty hard with you if I turned you over to the dour?"
A sailor asked: "Don't you work for him, master?"
"As it happens I don't, though he and I are good friends. Wouldn't you like to be carried
back to Qadr, and nothing said about this?"
"Aye, sir!" cried several of the Zambava with a sudden access of interest in life.
"Okay. Ferzao, detail a couple of men to see these boys off to Qadr in the train. Have
somebody help get those derailed cars back on the track. Assign somebody to lead King
Antane's aya, and a couple more to shoot him if he tries a break. We'll tell the guards at
the gate that we're just back from the hunt, and hope they won't count us. You there,
pick up those guns and load 'em into the carriage."
"I say," said Fallon, "what happened that those guns didn't shoot? We're told they were
all right when they arrived on Krishna."
"Trade secret; tell you some day," said Hasselborg. "Queen Julnar, will you do me the
honor? Don't look so scared, Chuen!"
"Is long way to the ground," said Chuen, peering down from his uneasy saddle.
"Not so far as it looks. And weren't you kidding me about being scared of germs?"
"Where are you taking us?" demanded Fallon. "To King Eqrar?"
"Not yet. Keep quiet and behave yourself and perhaps you won't have to meet him at
all. Hao!"
Hasselborg cracked his whip, and his buggy headed back for Hershid at a canter
through the sunset.
Haste stroked the arm of his chair with long fingers. "No, I'll see the fellow not, until
this matter's settled. Till then I've no official knowledge of his presence."
"Well," said Hasselborg, trying without complete success to conceal his exasperation,
"will Your Reverence do what I ask, or won't you?"
"I know not, Master Kavir. I know not. Tis true I promised, but things have changed [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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