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.Our blades had not crossedsix times when he, too, lay at my feet, crowded into a knot of pain, clutchingat the grass.The officer had rushed forward but now stopped.He, like his men, had beentaken aback.Though they were four and I was one I had carried the battle tothem.The officer had been an instant too late.Now my sword stood between himand my body.The other warrior, behind him, his spear poised, had approachedto within ten yards.At that distance he would not be likely to miss.Indeed,even if the missile struck and penetrated my shield, Iwould have to cast the shield away and would find myself at a seriousdisadvantage.Yet, the odds were more even now.'Come, Thorn of Tharna,' I said, beckoning to him.'Let us try our skill.'But Thorn backed away and signaled to the other warrior to lower his spear.He removed his helmet, and sat on his heels in the grass, the warrior behindhim.Thorn, Captain of Tharna, looked at me, and I at him.He had a new respect for me now, which meant that he would be more dangerous.He had seen the swift engagement with his swordsmen and he was probablyconsidering whether or not he could match my prowess.I felt that he would notcross blades with me unless he were convinced he could win, and that he wasnot altogether convinced, at least not yet.'Let us talk,' said Thorn of Tharna.I squatted down on my heels, as he did.'Let us talk,' I agreed.We resheathed our weapons.Thorn was a large man, big boned, powerful, now tending to corpulence.Hisface was heavy and yellowish, but mottled with patches of purple where smallveins had burst under the skin.He was not bearded, save for the trace of atiny wisp of hair that marked each side of his chin, almost like a streak ofdirt.His hair was long, and bound in a knot behind his head inMongol fashion.His eyes, like those of an urt, one of the small hornedrodents of Gor, were set obliquely in his skull.They were not clear, theirredness and shadows testifying to long nights of indulgence and dissipation.It was obvious that Thorn, unlike my old enemy Pa-Kur, who presumably hadperished at the siege of Ar, was not a man above sensual vices, not a man whocould with fanatical purity and single-minded devotion sacrifice himself andentire peoples to the ends of his ambition and power.Thorn would never make a Ubar.He would always be a henchman.'Give me my man,' said Thorn, gesturing to the figure that lay in the grass,still moving.I decided that Thorn, whatever he was or wasn't, was a good officer.'Take him,' I said.The spearman beside Thorn went to the fallen man and examined his wound.The other warrior was clearly dead.file:///F|/rah/John%20Norman/Chronicles%20of%20Counter-Earth%201%20-%20Outlaw%20of%20Gor.txt (29 of 144) [1/20/03 3:23:17 AM]file:///F|/rah/John%20Norman/Chronicles%20of%20Counter-Earth%201%20-%20Outlaw%20of%20Gor.txt'He may live,' said the spearman.Thorn nodded.'Bind his wound.'Thorn turned to me again.'I still want the woman,' he said.'You may not take her,' I said.Page 26 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html'She is only one woman,' said Thorn.'Then giver her up,' I said.'One of my men is dead,' said Thorn.'You can have his share of her sellingprice.''You are generous,' I said.'Then it is agreed?' he asked.'No,' I said.'I think we can kill you,' said Thorn, plucking a stalk of grassand meditatively chewing on it, regarding me all the while.'Perhaps,' I admitted.'On the other hand,' said Thorn, 'I do not wish to lose another man.''Then give up the woman,' I said.Thorn looked at me intently, puzzled, chewing on the piece of grass.'Who are you?' he asked.I was silent.'You are an outlaw,' he said.'That I can see by the lack of insignia on yourshield and tunic.'I saw no reason to dispute his opinion.'Outlaw,' said he, 'what is your name?''Tarl,' I responded.'Of what city?' he asked.It was the inevitable question.'Ko-ro-ba,' I said.The effect was electric.The girl, who had been standing behind us, stifled ascream.Thorn and his warrior sprang to their feet.My sword was free of itssheath.'Returned from the Cities of Dust,' gasped the warrior.'No,' I said, 'I am a living man, as you.''Better you had gone to the Cities of Dust,' said Thorn.'You are cursed bythe Priest-Kings.'I looked at the girl.'Your name is the most hated on Gor,' she said, her voice flat, her eyesfile:///F|/rah/John%20Norman/Chronicles%20of%20Counter-Earth%201%20-%20Outlaw%20of%20Gor.txt (30 of 144) [1/20/03 3:23:17 AM]file:///F|/rah/John%20Norman/Chronicles%20of%20Counter-Earth%201%20-%20Outlaw%20of%20Gor.txt not meeting mine.We four stood together, not speaking.It seemed a long time.I felt the grasson my ankles, still wet from the morning dew.I heard a bird cry in thedistance.Thorn shrugged.'I will need time,' he said, 'to bury my man
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