"How?" I gasped, not believing my ears as the young woman beside that horrid ant-like monster that was First among the Lorr informed me that she knew "who" I was! Sharon wide-eyed as she knelt beside me, my arms yet around her trembling terrified body. The slaves around us keeping their eyes, heads docilely down as they knelt in terror before the horrid thing before us and its beautiful human servant. The young woman's weapon in her hand leaving no doubt that she would protect the horror there standing beside her. I recalled what Janis had told me of these women. That they knew no loyalty but to the creatures that they served.
"We recovered your aircraft and found aboard it the means to identify you, along with considerable information as to what era you came from." the young woman who spoke for Raspa answered with a smile as if to say "how stupid do you think we are not to know such things?" "Along with weapons `forbidden' to Man under `THE EDICT'". These obviously having been Jack's and my own handguns!
"You could have picked us up!" Sharon uttered, the anger showing foolishly in her voice. The Lorr had come, retrieved our plane, and left us to drown. I had no doubt that they could have found us had they wished. The saucer had no doubt possessed technology far beyond anything known in the 20th Century! To find two women floating in the sea would have been nothing for them if they could find an airplane sunk to the bottom of the sea hundreds of feet down! I wondered just what their answer would be to that! What justification they had for leaving us to drown!
"The one responsible has been disciplined," the answer came. I felt satisfied with that. Perhaps these creatures did have a spark of decency about themselves after all despite what Janis had said about them. They were intelligent beings with an advanced civilization. They would have a moral code of some sort. It might not apply to human beings, but they no doubt respected intelligent life for what it was. In that, I thought, they were well in advance of Mankind! They do consider themselves superior to us, and see Earthlings nothing more than "violent barbarians"!
"What are you going to `do' to us?" I ventured, fearing only the worst from them. I knew of their power, of the fact that they might be of the opinion that Sharon and I possessed too much knowledge of 20th Century technology to be trusted among the men of the 26th. Although I was later to learn that a considerable amount of knowledge had been saved and there was more known about the past than I had first thought upon encountering the Ronda and its piratical crew. Princess Janis had been evidence of that.
"As long as you obey `THE EDICT', `nothing' at this time," the reply came, the young woman speaking in a monotone as she repeated what the First Princess of the Lorr said to her in her radio speech. Just "how" such a thing was done puzzled me then, although I learned later that the Lorr actually communicate by means of short-range radio transmission at a wave-length of about two meters judging from the length of their antennae which are usually about a meter long. (half-wave antennae?)
"You are a very great swordswoman," the young woman said, although I had no idea if it was her speaking or the First Princess. "Only one such as you could have killed the men there at the rail and taken over this ship and freed the Princess of Dularn." Apparently they knew who Janis was too!
"You would make an excellent detective!" I smiled back, wondering if the observations had been made by the Lorr or by the young golden haired beauty there at her side that spoke for her. I should have had the bodies tossed overboard and the deck cleaned up, but had put it off, being more curious to learn about where and when we were than such morbid details as attending burials at sea here in the 26th Century. I hadn't planned on the First Princess of the Lorr coming to visit us for an inspection!
"My Warrioresses have reported these things to me and the conclusion is rather obvious that you have killed these men and have taken over this ship. The recent injury to your body is only further proof of that fact. The normal crew for a ship this size is about a dozen men, and there are now only three crewmen aboard along with the Princess of Dularn, who I understand has been gone from her country for some time now," the answer came back from the young woman, although I had no doubt that she only was "repeating" what she had just been told by the alien horror there beside her. "You should realize that our intelligence is superior to yours and that I am in direct contact with my ship's central computer banks and its own sensory devices by antennae link." I had no doubt this time who was doing the "talking"! "Therefore it is obvious that I do know of what I speak," the First Princess concluded with a wave of her antennae almost as one would wave their hand or arm! I was very impressed by her!
"And we are free to go?" I ventured, regarding the horror on its six legs there before me, having no doubt that it had the power to order our instant death if I displeased it in the least! Studying it with a "Warrioress' eye" for any point where it might be vulnerable to attack by an unarmed woman. Coming to the conclusion that unless I had a sword that I would be no match for it! (I fought one on Mars hand to claw and did lose the fight!)
"I may later wish to speak to you, but for now you may go," it replied, speaking through the voice of the young woman beside it. I wondered what it felt like to serve such monsters, to be at their beck and call. Perhaps with time one grew used to them, I thought to myself. I would have another opinion of Raspa later when I learned of the beauty of the mind and personality beneath that hideous exterior. They are, in their way, truly not what they first seem! I had much yet to learn here in the 26th Century. First impressions can sometimes be quite deceiving!
I held Sharon in my arms as the Lorr climbed back into their silvery disc, the great mass floating a hundred feet over our heads speaking of Power almost beyond our comprehension. The young woman for a moment turning to look at me before then stepping inside to join the others. The small disc then rising up to enter the giant above, which then swiftly disappeared into the sky with a soft hum of infinite power. I did not think we had seen the last of the Lorr. Especially not after what She who was First among the Lorr had said to me. There was much I had to think about. Many questions that I needed to have "answers" to.
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