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.All this has to do, actually, with the adz, a particularadz which we shall encounter later, on what we shall speak of as the MeetingWorld.Even though theAlemanni, that nation, so to speak, and her composite tribes, such as theDrisriaks, now possessed, to some extent, weaponry, and devices, and ships,which permitted them to at least harry, if not threaten, the empire, theystill retained, as some peoples, do, a sense of tradition, and certainpractices, the origins of which have been lost in the mists of time,antedating even a thousand of the thousand-year-old oaks.The adz, like theax, and the spear, and the sword, was a part of this tradition, and thesePage 24ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlpractices.The particular adz we have in mind lay now in a leather case on theflagship of the fleet of Abrogastes, theFar-Grasper, king of the Drisriaks, the largest and most fierce of the tribesof theAlemanni nation.In the same compartment, near the adz, on a shallow bronzeplate, and covered with a purple cloth, was a heavy, sturdy, muchly scarred,peeled stump, one which had been brought from the home world of the Alemanni.CHAPTER 4"Call to the attention of the emperor," snapped Julian, turning about,angrily, in the antechamber, addressing a servitor, bearing sherbets, "thathis cousin, Julian, of theAurelianii, and Otto, first among the Wolfungs, await their audience.""Sherbets, milords," said the servitor, placing two bowls on the marble tablein the room, that between two couches.Elsewhere in the room were curulechairs.Julian was on his feet, as he had been, after the first hour, striding thelength of the room.Otto, whom we have hitherto spoken of as the giant, who was chieftain of theWolfungs, a minor tribe of the Vandals, sat, cross-legged, to one side, hisback to the wall, facing the door.He did not wish to sit upon the curule chairs.It was not that he could notsit upon such devices, or found them unfamiliar, or uncomfortable, for he hadknown such on Terennia, and on Tangara, and similar things on the ship.Indeed, he had stools, benches, and a throne, or high seat, of sorts, of crudewood, in the main village of the Wolfungs, which village contained the hut ofthe chieftain, his hut, larger than the other huts.The reason he did not wishto sit upon the curule chairs was because, lifting the corner of the small,silken rugs upon which they sat, he had detected a fine line in the floorwhich, subsequently traced, suggested an opening, marking a section of thefloor through which, if released, a catch undone, a bolt drawn, the chairmight descend."There are doubtless various panels in the room" had said Julian, irritably,"through which one might exit, if one were knowledgeable, eluding pursuers,avoiding unwanted meetings, through which guards might enter, surprisingoccupants, making arrests, and such.The traps beneath those chairs may evenbe benign, leading to stairwells from the room, or giving entry to it.Movethe chairs, if you wish.""Why are you angry?" had asked Otto."I do not care to be kept waiting," said Julian.He was in dress uniform, thatof an ensign in the imperial navy, white, with gold braid, but, too, withthree purple cords at the left shoulder, indicating the loftiness of hisbirth, his closeness to the imperial family itself."I am sorry, milord," said the servitor.This response had infuriated Julian."There is nothing untoward, nor unexpected in this," said Julian.Page 25ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"No, milord.""The audience has been long arranged," said Julian."Yes, milord.""You understand clearly who I am, who we are.""I am sure the emperor will see you shortly," said the servitor."Convey my displeasure to the arbiter of protocol," said Julian.The face of the servitor went white.Otto gathered that the arbiter ofprotocol must be a powerful man."Convey it," said Julian."I shall commend the matter to the attention of my superior," said theservitor."Go," said Julian."Yes, milord."Julian, though one of the wealthiest men in the empire, though a member of thepatricians, of the senatorial class, though kin to the imperial family itself,had, following a tradition of forebears of the Aurelianii, of service to theempire, entered the imperial navy.He had qualified for a commission, andtrained, as though he might have been no more than another ambitious scion ofthe lower honestori.He was a gifted, dedicated officer.He performed his duties conscientiously.He accorded every due respect to his military superiors.Had he been unknownhe would doubtless have been accounted, with little thought given to thematter, an excellent officer, and would have been innocently and deservedlypopular with both subordinates and superiors alike, fair, if severe, with theformer, expecting them to meet standards scarcely less exacting than those heset himself, and cooperative and dutiful in his relations with the latter.Onthe other hand, he was not unknown.He was of the Aurelianii.Accordingly mensought to enter hiscommand, hoping to advance themselves in the service, and higher officers mustview him with the keenest ambivalence.Though he was young and lessexperienced, his blood was among the highest and noblest in the empire, andhis station was one to which one might not hope to attain save perhaps throughroyal marriage or through a special imperial appointment to the rank ofpatrician, doubtless conjoined with the gift of an auspicious post, orcommand, say, that of prefect, or treasurer, or master of the imperial police,or palace guard, or master of ships, master of the mobile forces, master ofthe borders, master of the horse, such things.One must treat such asubordinate with care.Perhaps, if one is politically astute, one may advance him in such a way as toadvance oneself as well [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]