Story 16: Smoke & Mirrors

I am a wizard extraordinaire, a sorcerous master of arcane rituals and incantations, a magician of peerless power.

I can transform a woman into a sleen, levitate through the air, read the thoughts of others, and transmute iron into gold.

The famed wizards of Anango should take lessons at my feet. I have no equal, no true competition, no rival. I am the ultimate master of the mystical arts.

I am the Astounding Lazarus, the star attraction and owner of the greatest carnival troupe on Gor.

Our next performance would be at the birthday celebration of Marlenus in the wealthy city of Ar. We were sure to take in a substantial income there.

I would be trying out, for the first time in public, a new illusion. I would attempt to escape from a burning box that was wrapped in chains and suspended in the air. In practice, it worked well and looked impressive.

I had purchased a few new kajirae, luscious tastas who would appeal to the crowds. They would present an excellent distraction during my performance.

My troupe was following the Viktel Aria south to Ar, after several performances for the Salerian Confederation in Vonda.

We had not garnered much money there and were almost arrested. Two of my men, a mime and a juggler, had been accused of theft. The authorities in Vonda had insufficient evidence though so they let us all leave, though sooner than we had planned.

I had been worried about the mime was not the strongest of men. But, he kept his mouth shut. Good mime.

Well, sometimes we do supplement our carnival activities with some petty theft. But just enough to provide for our basic necessities. It is a hard life we live.

We must often bribe cities to allow us to perform. Then we must pay for license fees and other tariffs. The city may even take a proportion of our profits.

And we have little recourse. We are rogues and outcasts, without Home Stone and city. We must suffer the indignities in stoic fashion, even denied a proper burial. So our petty thefts offer us some minor satisfaction.

Well, sometimes the thefts are not that petty. It all depends on what opportunities arise during our stay within a city. The juggler and the mime are my two primary thieves, both who are quite skilled in such arts.

Both of them could easily have earned a place within the Thieves Caste in Port Kar. But they preferred a more nomadic life, not wanting to be tied down to any specific location.

We were wise enough though not to steal when we visited Port Kar. The Thieves Caste did not take well to poachers and I would hate to lose such fine men. We rarely visited Port Kar anyway.

When our wagons finally arrived at the great gates of Ar, we had to provide the gate guards with some tarsks to permit us entrance, even though we had an invitation to perform at the celebration.

We were directed to the Simonius Plaza where we could park our wagons and set up our tents and stages. My troupe knew the procedure well so they went directly to work, arranging matters without need of my input.

I took a few of my more experienced kajirae and proceeded to the licensing bureau at the Central Cylinder. I needed to purchase all the necessary permits. And the kajirae might be needed as an incentive to ensure the paperwork was issued timely without any bureaucratic entanglements.

Three Ahn later, I returned to the Plaza and found matters well under way. Everything would be completed by the next morning. And there were no complaints waiting for me.

I had obtained all of the necessary permits, and paid all the necessary fees and bribes. It had been quite expensive but I hoped to do quite well in Ar. The audiences should be generous and the thieving opportunities would bound.

The mime and the juggler went out scouting and they would report to me later that evening. I retired to my own wagon to work on my some financial accounts.

Shortly after the 18th Ahn, the mime and the juggler returned from their foray around the city. They came into my wagon and the juggler informed me of their discoveries. As always, the mime said nothing, just an occasional confirmatory nod.

The information was ordinary, the same loose security at a few shops, the same careless High Castes walking the streets at night. Nothing unusual.

I gave them the standard orders and they departed. Maybe something special would surface another night.

I put my accounts away and practiced some sleight of hand, a few close-up tricks. The children enjoyed such small illusions when I wandered the streets.

About the 20th Ahn, I summoned a kajira to my wagon and took her to the furs. An Ahn later, we both fell asleep. I needed some rest.

I was awakened the next morning by the expert ministrations of my kajira. She was learning quickly how I preferred to be awoken each morning. I tried to remember her name but failed. She was a new acquisition and I could not recall what I had called her, not that it really mattered.

I looked down at her thick, lustrous blond hair and allowed her to please me for awhile. I then disentangled myself from her and prepared for my day. I ordered the girl back to her kennel, slapping her sweet ass on her way out.

I whistled as I dressed, concentrating on my duties for the day in anticipation of tonight’s opening festivities.

I spent the rest of the morning wandering through the major streets of Ar, garbed in my most flamboyant outfit, trying to rouse some excitement over the carnival troupe. I performed petty magics for the children, promising far more intricate mysteries for the adults.

This was a ritual for myself, one I had adopted many years ago and still enjoyed. Once the actual carnival began, I would not have any available time to walk the streets. I would be managing and performing all of the rest of the time.

After several Ahn, I was hungry and sought out a paga tavern to relax a bit, to dine on some bosk or verr. I found a reasonable location and entered the quiet place. I had no trouble locating an empty table.

A kajira took my order and hurried off to get me some food and drink. I examined the tavern a bit more closely and noticed one of the other patrons walking over to my table.

It was a man I recognized, and not one I liked. He was a killer and a thief. Very callous, very cunning. He had been expelled from the Warrior’s Caste in Tharna and became a mercenary.

He was garbed though in the colors of a Metal Worker. His gladius though was easily visible. It was a poor disguise. He probably did not care.

Luvarian sat at my table and grinned at me. I had helped him years ago with a scam in Ko-ro-ba, never knowing how vile a man he actually was. Once I learned, I severed all of my ties to him. I never counted on meeting him again. I had hoped he was dead.

Luvarian came directly to the point. He needed my help, my particular expertise for some crucial matter. I would be paid quite handsomely for the work and it would involve minimal risk.

Luvarian also suggested that I had no other option than to accept his offer. Or my carnival might find itself very shorthanded, permanently so. And he meant every word of his not so veiled threat. Murder came far too easy to his hand.

Without being committal, I asked about the task, what needed to be done and where. I assumed his task would be larcenous and at the very least, moderately dangerous.

Luvarian needed to smuggle a body, to sneak someone out of the cylinder where they were being held captive. I was to give a private performance for the owner of the cylinder and then use my skills to help the person escape.

I could probably do that easy enough. I might need the assistance of the mime and the juggler if it was a particularly dangerous situation.

The cylinder was owned by Vesparios, a Slaver who specialized in breeding exotics, including poison girls. He had a seedy reputation and was known for his passion of arena combats. His cylinder would likely be well guarded.

I did not think my magic act would appeal to his interests but Luvarian assured me that I would be welcome. Vesparios had a Free Companion, Isidore, who would be fascinated by my performance. And Vesparios often catered to the desires of his woman. He did mention that Vesparios greatly enjoyed talented sa-foras.

The person we would smuggle out was a prisoner, Remo, an employee of Luvarian’s employer. Luvarian would say nothing about this employer. And I was told never to ask again about him.

The prisoner was a pawn in some Kaissa between Vesparios and Luvarian’s employer. All I need to do is to get him out of the cylinder. Luvarian would pick him up outside and handle the rest.

I would receive three gold tarns for my efforts, a very significant reward for a few hours work. I was sure that Luvarian was not telling me the entire story. But I had little choice. I would do it.

Luvarian would arrange a time for the special performance and get in touch with me. He then left me alone to eat my food.

I hurried through my meal, desirous of returning to my troupe. I would need to be ready quickly for this mission. I had to speak to the mime and the juggler and hear what the juggler had to say.

By the time I had finished, I realized that Luvarian had already left the tavern. I paid for my food and drink and then left, headed directly to the Plaza.

When I arrived at the plaza, everything was nearly ready for the opening. I was very pleased. I summoned the juggler and the mime to my wagon.

I repeated everything that Luvarian had told me. The mime, as always, had nothing to say. The juggler knew of Vesparios and was not pleased of the idea of crossing him. Vesparios was a vengeful man, and not always cautious that he was retaliating against the proper person.

But, we had no choice. The juggler reluctantly agreed and the mime nodded his assent as well.

Opening night went very well and we earned some good money. I was saving my new illusion for the fifth day of the celebration and intimated to the audience that I would perform a spectacular feat of legerdemain on that day.

When the juggler and the mime returned late that night, they too had acquired a significant amount of money and valuables.

Hopefully our luck would hold, especially when we dared enter the dreaded House of Vesparios.

Luvarian came to visit me the next day and told me he had arranged a private performance for the afternoon, two days from now. We were expected to put on a two Ahn show. We would also have an Ahn to set up and then an Ahn to relax with some refreshments after our performance.

Luvarian then gave me a full description of Remo, along with some basic floor plans for the cylinder. He told us that Vesparios should not be expecting such a rescue so we would have the element of surprise.

I told Luvarian we would be there at the appointed time and would rescue the captive. He smiled and left.

The next two nights went well for the carnival. There was a steady stream of patrons attending most of the attractions. The new kajirae were working out well and I was more than compensated for their investment.

The juggler mentioned his worries again though the mime did not voice any complaints. We had to comply with Luvarian’s request so all the complaints were futile.

I chose the rest of the group that would accompany us to perform for Vesparios, choosing the more experienced kajirae. Vesparios might be too harsh for the newer girls. And I wanted girls who would not make any mistakes. We played a dangerous Kaissa.

We arrived at the House of Vesparios at the appointed time, twenty-five of us, and were led to a spacious chamber where we were told to set up our stage. As the troupe began to assemble the necessary structures, I gave some final instructions to the mime and the juggler.

The mime had no questions and even the juggler simply nodded. They then snuck off to locate the captive and to scout around the area.

I supervised the preparatory activities, ensuring that everything was perfect for Vesparios and his Companion. I also checked on my special crate, the one with the cleverly concealed false bottom. That would be our means to smuggle out the prisoner.

Almost an Ahn later, several slaves introduced Vesparios and Isidore, and some of their special guests. The slaves led them to fur covered benches and then rushed to provide everyone with liquid refreshments.

Our show would start in a few Ehn and I desperately hoped that the mime and the juggler would return soon.

For Vesparios had brought Remo to the show, chaining him to an anchor ring near his bench. The captive matched the description perfectly. This complicated matters greatly.

The show soon began and I let the others start their performances. I would perform during most of the second Ahn.

Isidore seemed quiet amused and delighted by the first Ahn’s entertainment. Vesparios appeared most interested in my kajirae. He ignored much of the show, preferring to leer at the slave girls. I made sure to tell my kajirae to give him special attention.

After the first Ahn passed, I called for a five Ehn intermission so that I could ready the stage for my own performance. Luckily the mime and the juggler arrived at that point.

I pointed out the captive to them and then asked what they have discovered. The mime told me nothing but the juggler mentioned that they had found the cells. There was only one man in the dank cells but he was not the one they wanted. They did find an open cell where someone else had been residing so they assumed the captive was elsewhere, maybe being interrogated or such. They wandered around some more, found little else of interest and decided to report to me.

We discussed briefly what to do now, revising our original plan. I then ordered my kajirae to tend to Vesparios and for a couple other performers to also mingle with the guests. We would need every distraction possible.

I began with some simple sleight of hand, the appearance and disappearance of small objects. I noted that I had Isidore’s full attention while Vesparios ignored me in favor of my lovely girls.

As I began to perform some larger tricks, more complicated illusions, I watched Vesparios rise and wander off with three of my kajirae. Isidore never even noticed that he was gone.

The juggler and the mime than maneuvered their way over to the captive. I performed a couple larger tricks and then proclaimed my final act of magic for that evening.

I asked for the lights to be dimmed for my next major feat of legerdemain, the summoning of a djinn, the terrible spirit of the Tahari. I told everyone to remain seated due to the inherent danger of what I would attempt.

And the lights were dimmed, and everyone remained still, anticipating my feat. With the assistance of a kajira, I began the ritual to invoke the mighty spirit of the sands. The ritual involved the clash of cymbals, some loud incantations, and a rhythmic chanting.

I dragged out the ritual for nearly seven Ehn before the djinn finally materialized. As a djinn is an invisible spirit, the audience could only hear his deep voice and witness some of his effects. The effects were quite impressive and the voice appeared to boom from everywhere at once.

I kept the djinn around for nearly ten Ehn until I made him vanish, thrusting him back to the realm of spirits. I then fell to my knees on the stage, ostensibly out of sheer exhaustion.

An immediate roaring applause satisfied me. I only hoped the juggler and the mime had been successful.

The lights were brightened again and my eyes glanced over to where the captive had been held. One of my own lovely kajirae was now chained to that same iron ring. Remo was no where to be seen.

And Vesparios had not yet returned. I am sure my girls would not let him return for at least a couple Ahn. They knew what they had to do.

I left the stage and had a few other entertainers replaced me to complete the rest of the second Ahn. I quickly found the mime and the juggler.

The mime just smiled as the juggler informed me that everything had gone well. We now needed to get the crate out of here as soon as possible. Though we needed to remain for refreshments after the performance, some of my men could begin to break down the stage and remove our gear to the wagons outside. Luvarian could then retrieve the captive.

When I returned to near the stage, Isidore beckoned me. I went over to her, being properly deferential in accord to her status.

She congratulated me on a superb performance and handed me a pouch filled with coins, a special token of her enjoyment. I thanked her profusely, telling her that her gratitude was unnecessary. She insisted I keep the money and I again thanked her profusely.

Isidore then stood and told her guests to follow her to the refreshments that would be served in the courtyard. She told me to bring my troupe as soon as they were ready.

As they left the room, none of the free people appeared to realize that the captive had been replaced by a kajira. A couple slaves of Vesparios though seemed puzzled about the matter.

What to do now? I beckoned over the juggler and the mime as I walked over to the confused slaves. I asked them a few questions, delaying until the others left. I then had the juggler and mime force the two slaves, a male and female, to accompany us behind my stage.

The two slaves were immediately gagged and bound. We then placed them into other crates and hurriedly began to break down the stage and remove the crates to the wagons outside. I figured that if two slaves and Remo were gone, maybe Vesparios might assume the three of them had escaped together. It was a stretch but I needed at least some alternative to me being the only one to blame.

As my workers complied with my orders, I went to the courtyard to mingle with the audience, and to thank again Lady Isidore.

A short time later, some of the others from the troupe came to the courtyard though the mime and the juggler did not.

Lady Isidore would likely be entertaining her guests for much of the rest of the day so I said my farewells after an Ahn. Vesparios had yet to surface again so I asked her to give my thanks to him and hopes that he had enjoyed the show. I could only hope that my kajirae would be able to return before Vesparios learned that his prisoner had escaped.

When I got outside, I met back up with the juggler and the mime. The juggler stated that the package had been delivered. There had not been any problems.

So, I led the troupe back to the Plaza and got ready for the evening show. Only two more days and we could move on to another city. Two long days though, waiting for any possible retaliation by Vesparios.

When we arrived back at the Plaza, Luvarian was there with my money. I told him that I might lose some kajirae once Vesparios learned of the disappearance of the captive so Luvarian tossed in a few more silver tarsks to compensate me. I failed to mention the two slaves we had acquired from Vesparios.

I was tense for the next couple days but nothing happened. We finished up, packed up and moved on. We were now headed south, to Turia.

I am not sure why Vesparios chose to do nothing. Maybe the captive was not really that important to him. Maybe he knew the ultimate source of the theft and sought his vengeance there.

The entire affair had been quite profitable for me. My kajirae had returned, relatively unharmed. I had two new slaves. A pouch full of gold and silver.

I was though curious about one other matter as well, the other prisoner being held by Vesparios. The juggler told me about their encounter. The mime, as usual, added nothing to the exchange.

The man appeared to be a Warrior, judging from his ragged scarlet tunic. He had been beaten severely and appeared malnourished. There were some bandages covering a wound on his chest. There was much pain in his eyes, not all of it physical.

But then, just for a few Ihn, the Warrior looked directly at the juggler and spoke lucidly for those few moments.

Well, I hope he does get free one day. Vesparious is an evil man and I am sure captivity is quite harsh.

I must be going now, off to Turia. I am sure we will make much money there. It is a wealthy city.