The Sex Life of the Gods

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  The ship came to rest upon a flat, ochre colored plain beside abrilliant white city encased in thick, heavy walls. There was a dullpain in his head and fire in his leg, but he was alive. He lay limplyupon the bed while Firstspacer Narvi plied him with honeywine to dullthe pain.

  He grinned, studying the blond giant's warm, friendly face. He was amongfriends; the tall, yellow eyed Thistians had failed to kill him andNarvi had whisked him away into the violet sky.

  "Thought we'd lost you, Lors," Narvi grinned. "You almost did," hereplied, choking on the Thista honeywine. "Haven't you anything else,something from Darkkan?"

  "Sorry, friend," Narvi grinned, "but you can be glad to get this. The36th Command has been drinking up even this stuff. I'll see you later,in the hospital."

  "All right, Narvi." The big man started away, but Lors stopped him bygrabbing his blue sleeve. "Narvi?"

  "Yes."

  "Thanks. Thanks a lot."

  Firstspacer Narvi punched him playfully on the arm and left thecompartment. The medical men came in then, hooking the anti-gravitycapsules to the bed and setting them into motion. The cot-like stretcherlifted and the men towed him out to the freight elevator. As they stowedhim into the ambulance, he could see Narvi's staff car skimming towardthe Commandant's building to make out his report.

  No doubt Commandant Imry would be coming to see him, later on.

  * * * * *

  Nick groaned. Another dream that was beginning to clear things up alittle...

  "He's coming around." The words were not English, but Nick understoodthem.

  The big blond cursed softly. "Speak English, Thesa. Someone might hearyou!"

  "There hasn't been anyone around this farm in months," Thesa replied,lapsing into English. "But if you're getting particular, don't call meThesa."

  Nick opened his eyes and blinked at them. It was the two watch dogs, theblond and his sandy haired friend. The giant was grinning at him.

  "Hello," he beamed. "Remember me?"

  "No! Who in hell are you?" Nick struggled to get out of the chair he'dbeen dumped in, but was pushed back firmly.

  "When you didn't report, we went out to find you. The old guy at the gasstation covered up for you, so we had to watch Beth's house. Used allkinds of tricks, Lors. Why in the blue heaven didn't you make contact?"

  "You're Narvi!" Nick stared with wide eyes. "You're the man in thedream!"

  "Dream? Say, what's wrong with you, Lors? You refuse to report, you takepot shots at us... That crash was a bad thing; don't tell me yourhead..."

  "Narvi," Thesa put in quickly. "The crash! He was lucky to get out of italive. Maybe he can't remember what went on. That right, Lors?"

  Nick stared at them and foggy pictures swung vaguely into his mind.Galaxies of stars whirled about, silver ships streaking in the sky andtiny points of light whipping across ochre deserts. Men in blue uniformsdrilling beneath a violet sky in the heat of a solar wafer splotchedabove them. It was real! The fears he had had, the crazy alternativethat the dreams presented to him ... it was all real.

  "It wasn't a dream," Nick muttered, shaking his head like a punch-drunkfighter. "I really am Firstspacer Lors! And I know you! I know you!"

  "Take it easy, boy," Narvi said softly. "You've had a bad time. I mighthave known you _couldn't_ report to us. Thesa, get some water! He looksas though he's going to pass out!"

  "I'm all right, I'm all right." He looked at Narvi and the memories, atleast a few of them, came fluttering into place. The temporary amnesiaslipped aside and the veil began to rise.

  "You're sure you're all right, Lors?"

  "Yes, Narvi. Things are beginning to make sense. Tell me about what I'mdoing here."

  Narvi cursed angrily. "Commander Imry, the stupid thistlebug! It's allhis fault! All this fouled up thing is his doing. It would have been badenough even without your ship crashing; that just added to it. Luckily,Imry has been ordered back. Someone back home heard of his idiotic planand the government is yelling for his hide."

  "What plan? I ... can't..."

  Thesa came in with a glass of water and handed it to Lors, who sipped atit slowly while the big blond explained things to him. While Narvitalked, it all began to come into sharp focus in his mind.

  "After you and I finished campaigning on Darkkan and Thista, we appliedfor assignment in this galaxy. They wanted to split us up, at first,"Narvi grinned, "but we got mad, so they left us together and we wereshipped here under old Commander Imry. After a couple of years, Terrantime, studying on Mars we became agents on this planet. I got an easyone here with Thesa, but Imry had bigger plans for you. Damn him!"

  "But why are we spying on these people, Narvi? For war?"

  "I hope not. The Terrans are getting close to space travel, and you knowwhat that would do to our colonies in this galaxy. They're entering aprimitive Atomic civilization and they're like little children playingwith weapons. Oh, they're serious enough, but they're so damned carelessthey're likely to ruin the planet in atomic wars..."

  "Sounds like the ancient history of our own planet," Lors said softly.The memories were coming in faster now.

  "True. And you know what happened to us? Damned near lost the wholeplanet. Anyhow, you know the other planets in this galaxy? Well, sinceTerra has a life form like ours, we could use this place as a link inthe supply chain. That is our main purpose. Trade.

  "But these people have a strange attitude. Why, if we would land a shipnow, they'd rip us to shreds before you knew it. These people fear whatthey don't understand, and anything they can't understand they kill. So,right now, we're sending agents, or spies, down here with instructionsto probe about. They're coming along rather well, getting out of thetrees, you might say; but we'll have to keep an eye on them for awhileyet."

  Lors finished the water. "But what has this got to do with CommanderImry and me? Apparently I was to take the place of Nick Danson, butwhy?"

  "That was Imry. You see, many times our agents are handicapped by thevery lives they lead. In order to learn about people, one has to livewith them; when our agents do this, they have to get jobs and settledown in one area. Imry picked Danson because he's a footloose artist whopaints illustrations for magazines. All he had to do was snatch Danson,work a little plastic surgery on you and put you in Nick Danson's place.You then, would not be confined and could roam all over the planetwithout being questioned."

  "That's crazy," Lors told him. "I couldn't take Danson's place for therest of my life. He was gambling on a hell of a lot."

  Narvi grunted. "You're a good spacer, Lors. You follow orders, even whenthey're dictated by a madman. When you left the ship, you _were_ Danson.You were processed so beautifully that no one could tell the difference.When you cracked up, a blow on the head, or something, must have createda temporary amnesia and you thought you _were_ Danson. We certainly hada time locating you. Anyhow, you're to go back to the ship as soon asyou can. The new commander wants to talk with you." Narvi grinned slyly."I imagine you'll want to talk to him too. It's Zark, our old friendfrom Thista."

  "Zark. Yes. I remember him." Lors stood up and paced the room inthought. He remembered grey haired, friendly Zark, but more than that,he remembered Commander Zark's beautiful, blond daughter, Jela. "Iremember a lot now, Narvi. It's too bad they didn't send him sooner.Things wouldn't be so messed up."

  "It's not so bad."

  "No?"

  "No. You'll probably be going back to the home planet now."

  "I can't go back," Lors mused. "I have to stay and see this through.It's personal, now."

  "Personal?" Narvi was clearly puzzled. "What can be personal about aSpacer and an alien race?"

  He looked at his friend levelly. "I can't leave this planet, Narvi,because of Beth Danson. I'm in love with her."

  "Love!" Narvi exploded.