Blood and Iron Read Online Free PDF

young female who stood by him on the platform. There was something about the line of her body, the way she had forged simple metals into a harmonious whole.
    ‘Thank you, warrior,’ she said, eyes lowered. ‘My name is Jai-Lyn.’
    ‘I am Wa-Ka-Mo-Do.’ He followed her into the corridor. ‘Where do you travel to?’ he asked.
    ‘Ka. They have need of young women there who can twist children.’
    Ka was on the west coast, two hundred miles or so from the High Spires of Wa-Ka-Mo-Do’s home. A whaling city inhabited mainly by the men who followed the steps down from the city to the sea bottom, there to walk the sea bed, hunting the whales, firing their harpoons up at the great creatures as they passed by overhead. They would wrestle with them for hours, tiring them out before dragging the spent bodies down to their waiting awls and cutters. It was tough, dangerous work for strong robots with plenty of lifeforce. Women who could spin new minds were in short supply.
    Wa-Ka-Mo-Do found himself and Jai-Lyn an empty compartment. The seats were of carved and varnished wood set with a chevron pattern of rubber grips to stop metal bodies slipping when the train slowed to a halt. Wa-Ka-Mo-Do waited for the young woman to sit down first, admiring her movement as she did so.
    ‘That’s a well-built body,’ observed Wa-Ka-Mo-Do. ‘You have some ability.’
    ‘Thank you, warrior.’
    ‘You will do well in the city.’
    She looked pleased at that, smiled such a pretty smile. ‘Do you really think so? I’ve never left the Silent City before. Still, I follow the Emperor’s will.’
    A shadow fell across the doorway, and a clear voice sounded out.
    ‘Clear this compartment for the Emperor’s Warriors, Dar-Ell-Ji-Larriah and Har-Ka-Bee-Parolyn and their wives.’
    Jai-Lyn was already rising to her feet, her head lowered so she did not meet the eyes of the great warrior who stood by the door. Wa-Ka-Mo-Do remained seated.
    ‘This compartment is already occupied by Wa-Ka-Mo-Do of Ko, and his travelling companion Jai-Lyn,’ he said smoothly. He waved a hand to the spare seats. ‘Though you are welcome to join us.’
    One warrior gazed at Wa-Ka-Mo-Do in amusement.
    ‘Wa-Ka-Mo-Do?’ he said. ‘What sort of a name is that?’
    ‘A warrior’s name,’ replied Wa-Ka-Mo-Do, without heat. ‘Know that I am one of the Eleven sent to the Emperor by the state of Ekrano, newly appointed Commander of the Emperor’s Army of Sangrel, travelling there to take up that position.’ He looked up politely at the tall robot who stood in the doorway. ‘And you are?’
    ‘Dar-Ell-Ji-Larriah, Warrior of the Silent City.’
    With that Dar-Ell-Ji-Larriah stepped into the compartment, and allowed Wa-Ka-Mo-Do and Jai-Lyn to look upon his wonderful body, forged of the finest metal by the craftsrobots of the Silent City. There wasn’t a straight line on him, every curve that made up his perfectly balanced frame would have been patiently formed by the heating and folding and cooling of metal until his body was strong but sprung. His electromuscles would have been knit from the finest wire, his eyes ground by the most skilled lensmen. It was said that the Vestal Virgins modified the minds of the Warriors of the Silent City, tuning them to make faster and better fighters, but Wa-Ka-Mo-Do suspected that to be nothing more than rumour.
    ‘Did you make that body yourself?’ asked Dar-Ell-Ji-Larriah, insulting Wa-Ka-Mo-Do in the politest of tones.
    ‘I did,’ replied Wa-Ka-Mo-Do, equally politely. He waved a hand again to the free seats. ‘Now, will you join us? For we are both of equal rank and protocol suggests that it would be unbecoming for warriors to fight so close to the Silent City, particularly on a day such as this when the cherry blossom is so beautiful.’
    Dar-Ell-Ji-Larriah laughed as he turned to his companion in the corridor.
    ‘The cherry blossom is indeed beautiful! And it is also said that the Eleven Warriors place greater value on