第28节

to the generic term

'dead-faces'.

'Lord Yama-Shita is dead,' announced Carnegie-Hall.

The news took Mr Snow's breath away. 'How do you know this?"

'Cadillac told me. Before escaping from the Eastern Lands, your

clansmen fought a mighty battle with the dead-faces."

Mr Snow listened with a mixture of pride and dismay as the Kojak

wordsmith repeated Cadillac's spellbinding story of death and

destruction at the Heron Pool including, in all its gory detail, the

moment when Clearwater had compelled the domain-lord to kill himself

several times over.

The loss of the wheel-boat with all hands, coming hard on the heels of

the mega-debacle that Carnegie-Hall had just described merely added

insult to injury. Lord Yama-Shita might be dead - and that removed one

formidable adversary from the field - but his successors would be

honour bound to strike a devastating blow in return.

The first opportunity to do so would be when the wheel-boats ran their

noses aground on the beach by the trading post. It was going to be a

strange feeling, watching the vessels appear over the dawn horizon and

knowing that this time, as they grew larger and larger and the dread

sound of their engines reached the ears of the waiting Mutes, there

would be no obsequious welcoming ceremony, full of false smiles and

bogus cameraderie.

This time, the rising sun would mark the beginning of a countdown that

would end in an explosive confrontation; an orgy of blood-letting whose

limits could not be foreseen and whose consequences were

incalculable.

After a long moment of reflection Mr Snow said: 'I think I can see how

this is going to play. The YamaShita won't attack us directly. To do

so would jeopardize their whole trading operation. That's why the

D'Troit and C'Natti are here in such large numbers. The family is

going to use them to put the knife in."

Mr Snow smiled as he took back the pipe and inhaled some more smoke.

'You're probably on the hit-list too.

I'm surprised you came."

Carnegie-Hall bristled. 'You dare to call the Kojak cowards - after

all we have done?!" 'Calm down, Carney. No one's calling you

anything.

The M'Calls have never backed out of a fight, but if I'd known what we

were walking into, I'd have been severely tempted to stay at home."

'We came because we thought The Chosen would be here!" exclaimed

Carnegie-Hall. 'We have seen their power! With them at our side we

have nothing to fear.

The dead-faces are powerless against them!" Then, with engaging

candour, he added: 'Had I known they weren't going to show, we might

have had second thoughts too.

But where could we go?"

'It's a big country,' replied Mr Snow. 'But if someone's determined to

find you, there's no place you can hide. If you have to make a stand,

you might as well make it here - amongst your own kind." He paused and

appraised his visitor. 'The M'Calls can count on their

blood-brothers.

Can the She-Kargo count on the M'Waukee?"

Carnegie-Hall shifted uneasily. 'At this moment I cannot say."

'You trying to tell me you've found a way to get your head off the

block?"

'No! It's just that ' '- by standing aside, you hope to save your own

skins."

'Never!" cried Carnegie-Hall. 'The M'Calls may be the paramount clan

of the She-Kargo. but it is the Kojak who have proved their worth in

battle with the dead-faces!" 'With a little help..."

'How generous of you!" sneered Carnegie-Hall. 'It takes little

courage to face the enemy when you know you are protected by the mantle

of Talisman! Your clanfolk emerged unscathed. Mine paid for their

triumph with their own blood! How dare you impugn the honour of the

Kojak! This conversation is at an end!" Mr Snow laid a restraining

hand on his visitor's knee as he moved to get up. 'Nice try, Carney.