But what Rakki had seen was that the world of the gods did not exist as all working together in the way Keene and the long-haired goddess had said. They fought each other too—as those who burned with the inner flame that compels them to command and to rule were always driven to fight. And Zeigler’s gods had proved the more powerful. He ruled, and Gallian was vanquished. Gallian’s gods were reduced to servants as the Cave People had been made to serve their conquerors from the Swamps. So what was Rakki to make now of the things that Keene and the goddess had told him? If the gods didn’t achieve their miracles by working for each other after all, then why had they tried to convince Rakki otherwise? Perhaps as a way of inducing Rakki, and hence all those he too ruled over, to work unconditionally for them. Now that would be a ploy that he had no difficulty understanding.
He heard the door opening and looked across. One of Zeigler’s warriors came through and stood aside to make way for Zeigler himself, followed by another, muscular of build and fair like Yellow Hair. A female was with them, yellow-skinned and with slanted eyes. She put Rakki in mind of Hyokoka, the woman that Gap Teeth had claimed back at Joburg. Rakki swung his feet down and stood to meet them, and Gap Teeth rose from the floor. White Head turned in his chair.
“The warrior chief comes to us?” Rakki muttered, surprised.
“It is captives that are summoned to their captor,” White Head said. “He is telling us we are as guests.”
The female came forward. She seemed to know that White Head did most of the speaking and addressed herself to him, though acknowledging Rakki with glances of her eyes. “She is the talk-between for Governor Zeigler,” White Head supplied—although Rakki had understood that much himself. “Her name is Leisha. The Governor regrets making us stay here. There are many troubles in Serengeti.” Rakki nodded, satisfied. He felt he was being treated like a leader, not a child.
“We are not offended. He rules the mightier tribe,” Rakki said. White Head seemed to take a long time passing it on, probably adding some words of his own.
* * *
Zeigler pondered while he studied Rakki searchingly, as if for a hint as to how best to broach the matter. Probably head-on and direct, he decided. The undisguised awe that Rakki had shown toward firearms ever since the first contact at Joburg, and the evident impression that yesterday’s action had made on him, said they spoke a common language. “Tell him, more of us will arrive soon. Then we will be a truly mighty tribe.”
Leisha interpreted with some trial and error. “From the . . . it sounds like ‘gods’ place,’ beyond the clouds?”
“Yes.” The image suited Zeigler fine. “But until then our numbers are small. Rakki and his Tribe could help make our position stronger.”
An exchange ensued between Rakki and the old man, who was called Yobu. Leisha did her best to follow, at the same time keeping up an intermittent commentary. “Zeigler has the guns. . . . Why doesn’t he just kill his enemies? . . . Because then they couldn’t work for him. . . . They have the knowledge to . . . the nearest I can come up with is, ‘perform miracles.’ ” Then Leisha concluded, “But Rakki says the Tribe does not have a large number of warriors. . . . He would be honored to help the god-Governor . . .” Zeigler had to bite his lip to prevent a smile from softening his features, ” . . . but he wonders how much difference they would be able to make.”
“He spoke before of more who live in caves and swamps to the east, beyond the mountains,” Zeigler said.
“He does not rule that tribe. His enemy rules there.”
That was something Zeigler hadn’t known. He glanced automatically at Kelm, but Kelm’s expression said he had nothing to offer. Zeigler frowned. And then the obvious angle suggested itself. He looked back at Rakki while continuing to speak through Leisha. “Suppose that in return for helping us, we help him remove his enemy. Then he will rule all the tribes. And we will have more allies.” The flash in Rakki’s eyes told Zeigler the answer before Leisha had finished translating it.