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and equipped with darts and spears, fashioned from the most durable stalk obtainable!"
The old Hoodwink was followed by the Sumber Float Intercessor, who courteously
suggested that should the out-space tyrants appear. King Kragen would be sure to visit
upon them the most poignant punishments, the most absolute of rebuffs, so that the tyrants
would flee in terror never to return. "King Kragen is mighty. King Kragen is wise and
benevolent, unless his dignity is impugned, as in the detestable incident at Tranque Float,
where the wilfulness of a bigoted free-thinker caused agony to many." Now he modestly
turned down his head. "It is neither my place nor my privilege to propose a punishment
suitable to so heinous an offense as the one under discussion. But I would go beyond this
particular crime to dwell upon the underlying causes; namely the bravado of certain folk. who
ordain themselves equal or superior to the accepted ways of life which have served us so
well so long ..."
154 Jack Vance
Presently he descended to the float. His place was taken by a somber man of stalwart
physique, wearing the plainest of garments. "My name is Sklar Hast," he said. "! am that
so-called 'bigoted free-thinker' just referred to. 1 have much to say, but 1 hardly know how to
say it. I will be blunt. King Kragen is not the wise beneficent guardian the Interces- sors like
to pretend. King Kragen is a gluttonous beast who every year becomes more enormous and
more gluttonous. I sought to kill a lesser kragen which 1 found destroying my arbors; by
some means King Kragen learned of this attempt and reacted with insane malice."
"Hist! Hist!" cried the Intercessors from below. "Shame! Outrage!"
"Why does King Kragen resent my effort? After all. he kills any lesser kragen he discovers
in the vicinity. It is simple and self-evident. King Kragen does not want men to mink about
killing kragen for fear they will attempt to kill him. i propose that this is what we do. Let us put
aside this ignoble servility, this groveling to a sea-beast, let us turn our best efforts to the
destruction of King Kragen."
"Irresponsible maniac!" "Foot!" "Vile-minded ingrate!" called the Intercessors in wrath.
Sklar Hast waited, but the invective increased in volume. Finally Phyral Berwick the Apprise
Arbiter mounted the ros- trum and held up his hands. "Quiet! Let Sklar Hast speak! He
stands on the rostrum; it is his privilege to say what he wishes."
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"Must we listen to garbage and filth?" called Semon Voidenvo. "This man has destroyed
Tranque Float; now he urges his frantic lunacy upon the rest of us."
"Let him urge," declared Phyral Berwick. "You are under no obligation to comply."
Sklar Hast said, "The Intercessors naturally resist these ideas; they are bound closely to
King Kragen, and claim to have some means of communicating with him. Possibly mis is
so. Why else should King Kragen arrive so opportunely at Tranque Float? Now here is a
very cogent point: if we can agree to liberate ourselves from King Kragen, we must pre- vent
the Intercessors from making known our plans to him,
THE KRAGEN 155
otherwise we shall suffer more than necessary. Most of you know in your hearts that 1
speak truth. King Kragen is a crafty beast with an insatiable appetite and we are his slaves.
You know this truth but you fear to acknowledge it. Those who spoke before me have
mentioned our forefathers: the men who captured a ship from the tyrants who sought to
immure them on a penal planet. What would our forefathers have done? Would they have
submitted to this gluttonous ogre? Of course not.
"How can we kill King Kragen? The plans must wait upon agreement, upon the concerted
will to act, and in any event must not be told before the Intercessors. If there are any here
who believe as 1 do, now is the time for them to make themselves heard."
He stepped down from the rostrum. Across the float was silence. Men's faces were frozen.
Sklar Hast looked to right and to left. No one met his eye.
Semon Voidenvo mounted the rostrum. "You have lis- tened to the shameless murderer. On
Tranque Float we con- demned him to death for his malevolent acts. According to custom
he demanded the right to speak before a convocation;
now he has done so. Has he confessed his great crime; has he wept for the evil he has
visited upon Tranque Float? No; he gibbers his plans for further enormities; he outrages
decency by mentioning our ancestors in the same breath with bis foul proposals. Let the
convocation endorse the verdict of Tranque Float; let all those who respect King Kragen and
benefit from his ceaseless vigilance, raise now their hands in the clenched fist of death!"
"Death!" roared the Intercessors and raised their fists. But elsewhere through me crowd
there was hesitation and uneasi- ness. Eyes shifted backwards and forwards; there were
furtive glances out to sea. Semon Voidenvo once more called for a signal, and now a few
fists were raised.
Phyral Berwick, me Apprise Monitor, rose to his feet. "I remind Semon Voidenvo that he
has now called twice for the death of Sklar Hast. If he calls once more and fails to achieve
an affirmative vote Sklar Hast is vindicated."
156 Jack Vance
Semon Voidenvo's face sagged. He looked uncertainly over the crowd, and without further
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