Masks of Scorpio Read online

  That once-proud armada sank in rinds of grimy ashes.

  Long and long afterwards I learned to my great joy that not a single sailor was lost, and some poor fellow called Slow Mando broke a leg. That was the only injury — to men.

  The injury to the ships was great. It was no greater than the injury to my feelings. Sentimental nonsense to feel this way about mere creations of wood and canvas? Of course. Even though they would have carried an army to ravage my home; still, I could not remain unaffected. So, I spoke half aloud.

  “As I said, let Opaz take care of my conscience.”

  Pompino glared up. “Opaz?”

  The voller steadied on course and I knew Dayra had put on the ropes to control the levers and in a moment or two she appeared in the fighting gallery. She was smiling.

  “I did not see you missed one!”

  “I do not think there are any left.”

  “By Vox! What a day!”

  Pompino swiveled to look at her. “Ros Delphor? Vox?”

  I said: “Poor Pompino lost his famous Tuscurs Maiden down there.”

  Dayra, it was evident, shared my sentimental nonsense about ships only so far. “So Pompino lost a ship.

  You can always find him another—”

  I nodded. “That is true.” I looked at Pompino. “How would you like a real Galleon of Vallia, Pompino the Iarvin?”

  Now Scauro Pompino was a Khibil. He was smart, shrewd, quick. His foxy face congealed. His shoulders twitched where the ropes bound him, and I knew he wanted to brush up his whiskers. I unsheathed my sailor knife and stepped forward.

  “You have always considered yourself the leader in our partnership, Pompino, and that has seemed to me to be just and useful. But when I cut you free, if you attempt to fight me, I think both you and I know you will come off worst.”

  The ropes fell away.

  He stretched and shivered. He put a hand to his whiskers, and then stopped himself. He spoke with an effort.

  “I think—” He swallowed and started over. “The Everoinye — they would not be deceived. Perhaps I have known for a long time and would not admit what seemed impossible.”

  “Now look, Pompino. You and I are good comrades. We’ve been in plenty of tight scrapes. We’ve each fought for the other. You like to get away from your lady wife because of reasons. And, I can tell you this, you don’t get much fun being a stay-at-home emperor. Believe me.”

  “Oh, yes, Jak Leemsjid — Dray Prescot — I believe you!”

  I eyed him warily. Would he start the full-inclining and bowing and scraping? Had I lost a good comrade?

  He was a smart and foxy devil. He said, “When do I get the Vallian Galleon?”

  Dayra let rip an almighty guffaw.

  “I’m going to repaint this airboat and destroy the Menaham flags. Then I’m going down to Pando and make sure he sets his army in motion against Kov Colun Mogper. After that I’ll probably have time to nip across to Vallia. If you can wait until then, why, then, I’ll find you the best galleon the yards of Vallia can build.”

  “If I can’t wait?”

  “I think you will. But there will be time for Ros Delphor to fly you across to Vallia. You’ll have to make up your mind—”

  “Oh, I’ve made up my mind already. I know when I’m on to a good thing. If we continue as we have, burning temples to Lem the Silver Leem, following the dictates of the Everoinye, then I see no reason for a drastic change.”

  Well, as they say, don’t expect a river to change course just because you throw in a boulder. Even a boulder of the size I had just thrown.

  I nodded. “Good. And remember, Pompino, it is Jak Leemsjid, as ever.”

  “As ever.”

  Moving away ready to go aloft and resume control, Dayra passed me, and whispered, “He hasn’t really taken it in yet. When he does—”

  “He isn’t called the Iarvin for nothing.”

  Dayra swung away going nimbly up the ladder and I sighed and thought of Delia... Delia...

  Well, as soon as we’d sorted out Pando, which should not take long now, and done more about the Lemmites, I could go back to Vallia and find Delia and tell her what had happened.

  There would be a fine spanking galleon to prepare for Pompino, too...

  Just how would he take this revelation that his comrade was Dray Prescot, Emperor of Vallia?

  Then I smiled. Far more important was what would Delia make of Pompino the Iarvin!

  Notes

  [i] For Dray Prescot’s adventures with the Black Feathers of the Great Chyyan, see Secret Scorpio, Dray Prescot #15.

  [ii] For the Battle of Kochwold see A Life for Kregen (Dray Prescot #19). A.B.A.

  [iii] Equates with “The black sheep of the family.” A.B.A.

  [iv] Shal-cadade — Under (or vice-) captain of the guard. From the root word “umshal” meaning shadow. The shal-cadade stands in the shadow of the cadade, a neat conceit. A.B.A.

  [v] Jikarna — coward.

  About the author

  Alan Burt Akers was a pen name of the prolific British author Kenneth Bulmer, who died in December 2005 aged eighty-four.

  Bulmer wrote over 160 novels and countless short stories, predominantly science fiction, both under his real name and numerous pseudonyms, including Alan Burt Akers, Frank Brandon, Rupert Clinton, Ernest Corley, Peter Green, Adam Hardy, Philip Kent, Bruno Krauss, Karl Maras, Manning Norvil, Chesman Scot, Nelson Sherwood, Richard Silver, H. Philip Stratford, and Tully Zetford. Kenneth Johns was a collective pseudonym used for a collaboration with author John Newman. Some of Bulmer’s works were published along with the works of other authors under "house names" (collective pseudonyms) such as Ken Blake (for a series of tie-ins with the 1970s television programme The Professionals), Arthur Frazier, Neil Langholm, Charles R. Pike, and Andrew Quiller.

  Bulmer was also active in science fiction fandom, and in the 1970s he edited nine issues of the New Writings in Science Fiction anthology series in succession to John Carnell, who originated the series.

  More details about the author, and current links to other sources of information, can be found at www.mushroom-ebooks.com, and at wikipedia.org.

  The Dray Prescot Series

  The Delian Cycle:

  1. Transit to Scorpio

  2. The Suns of Scorpio

  3. Warrior of Scorpio

  4. Swordships of Scorpio

  5. Prince of Scorpio

  Havilfar Cycle:

  6. Manhounds of Antares

  7. Arena of Antares

  8. Fliers of Antares

  9. Bladesman of Antares

  10. Avenger of Antares

  11. Armada of Antares

  The Krozair Cycle:

  12. The Tides of Kregen

  13. Renegade of Kregen

  14. Krozair of Kregen

  Vallian cycle:

  15. Secret Scorpio

  16. Savage Scorpio

  17. Captive Scorpio

  18. Golden Scorpio

  Jikaida cycle:

  19. A Life for Kregen

  20. A Sword for Kregen

  21. A Fortune for Kregen

  22. A Victory for Kregen

  Spikatur cycle:

  23. Beasts of Antares

  24. Rebel of Antares

  25. Legions of Antares

  26. Allies of Antares

  Pandahem cycle:

  27. Mazes of Scorpio

  28. Delia of Vallia

  29. Fires of Scorpio

  30. Talons of Scorpio

  31. Masks of Scorpio

  32. Seg the Bowman

  Witch War cycle:

  33. Werewolves of Kregen

  34. Witches of Kregen

  35. Storm over Vallia

  36. Omens of Kregen

  37. Warlord of Antares

  Lohvian cycle:

  38. Scorpio Reborn

  39. Scorpio Assassin

  40. Scorpio Invasion

  41. Scorpio Ablaze

  42. Scorpi
o Drums

  43. Scorpio Triumph

  Balintol cycle:

  44. Intrigue of Antares

  45. Gangs of Antares

  46. Demons of Antares

  47. Scourge of Antares

  48. Challenge of Antares

  49. Wrath of Antares

  50. Shadows over Kregen

  Phantom cycle:

  51. Murder on Kregen

  52. Turmoil on Kregen