Chapter I: Front Matter

THE SEVEN JEWELS OF CHAMAR

By RAYMOND F. JONES

Scattered, they flamed like distant suns, maddening
the beholder. United, they became a godlike power
for the glory of the Solar System. But, their
flame lances still white-hot from killing, young
Ormondy and the fabulous Firebird learned how
impossible was the price of that power.

[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Planet Stories Winter 1946.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]

The bearded giant, Thymar Ormondy, raised stiffly on one arm from the bed of litter on the damp cave floor. He pointed the charred stub of his other arm at his son.

"Beware the Firebird!" His voice was distorted with pain. "She'll kill a thousand men for every one of the Seven Jewels of Chamar."

Nathan Ormondy threw back his rain cape and knelt beside his dying father. The great hulk of the old man sank back upon the rags.

"Did she do this?" Nathan demanded fiercely. His eyes filled with flame at the sight of the terrible wound that had come from a shot in the back.

Thymar lay without answering. His eyes were closed. Nathan heard only the hushing sound of the eternal Venusian rains that blotted out the distant hills like a ragged curtain hung over the mouth of the cave.

Behind Nathan another shaggy spaceman touched his shoulder. It was Tabor, his father's companion. The two police custodians from Aquatown shifted uneasily.

"Was it Firebird?" Nathan demanded of the watchers.

Before they could answer, Thymar's remaining hand fell upon Nathan's wrist. "There is more to tell," the old spaceman whispered.

Nathan hunched lower to seize every word. "What is it?"

"The Jewels of Chamar--"

"Curse the Jewels of Chamar! They stink with blood. I'd blast them all if I could!"

Thymar's wide, steel eyes opened slowly. The leather of his face crinkled like finely tanned doeskin.

"When you have looked into the blue depths of a stone that is like the eye of all the universe you'll never be able to turn your back upon it. You'll never rest until you have found all seven of the Jewels--or death."

"Death is all that anyone has ever found."

"Ah," said Thymar, "but one man will find himself the master of all the universe when once he holds all seven of the Jewels in his hands. That is the promise of the Jewels--mastery, power. And I know that it is true. I've held them--as many as five of them at once, and I know what it means. There's a force in them that sweeps through the brain and the soul. It lifts a man to power and strength beyond himself."

"Pah! Autohypnosis--or plain drunkenness. There are a thousand other names for it."

"No," said Thymar softly. "It's there--pure life force, or whatever it might be termed, but with those Jewels one man would be as ten thousand men, each greater than any Earth has produced.

"And you can be that man, Nathan!" The old spaceman raised again from the bed. "I bequeath to you the two Jewels that I have left. There were three, but--"

"Firebird?"

"That does not matter. I warned you of her because she has sworn to have the Jewels. I know she has two, maybe more. You'll have to kill her for them. Think what it would mean to the universe if that ruthless witch possessed the Jewels. Hell would be let loose.

"The Jewels are no concern of mine. I want to know only who did this to you."

Thymar sank back again. His voice whispered almost inaudibly, "Come closer."

"In the cave of Lava Mountain," he whispered hoarsely, "do you remember the Stone Pig? The two Jewels are there. It makes no difference who did this to me. Nothing matters but the Jewels of Chamar. Take them--and become master of the universe!"

"Who did--?" Then Nathan's fury-laden voice ceased. The only sound was the hush of rain outside. Slowly Nathan's head bent low. His father was dead. Never again would Thymar Ormondy's voice roar upon the spaceways or in the thousand tavern rendezvous of the spacemen.

Tabor put his hand upon Nathan's shoulder. "Sorry, son."

* * * * *

Nathan rose. It was as if an electric charge had been thrust between the other men.

"I'll find the killer," said Nathan evenly. He looked down at the form on the cavern floor. "I'll find him if it takes the rest of my life. Why did he warn me of Firebird? Was it only because of the Jewels or do you think she could have done this?"

"He hated Firebird because of an old quarrel. She might have done it, but I don't know. I was with Thymar in Aquatown when he received a message saying information concerning the Blue Jewel could be found here. He went alone and we were to meet a day later to leave for Mars. He didn't show up so I came here and found him like this."

Nathan nodded. The policeman, Cleeg, had told him that much after Tabor had sent word. But that was no help. It only served to fix Nathan's hatred more intensely upon the cursed Seven Jewels of Chamar.

"Was my father carrying any of the Jewels when he came here?"

"He had the Pink one. I tried to warn him, but he said he could take care of it."

"And now it's gone, of course."

Tabor nodded. "The whole thing was a trap by someone who knew he had it."

"Who knew of it?"

"Half of Venus. He was drunk and boasting of it in the taverns the night before."

That was Thymar, Nathan thought, a great flagon of wine in one hand, boasting to the whole assemblage in some tavern, proclaiming his fabulous deeds upon the spaceways and challenging any one to dispute his word with flame lances.

"Take care of things, will you?" Nathan said abruptly. "I'll get back to the town."

"What are you going to do?"

"I think I know a way to trap the killer."

The policeman and Tabor looked startled. "Be careful, boy," said Tabor. "Do you want me to go with you?"

"No. Don't worry about me."

"Watch out for Firebird. She's on Venus now, and your father must have had a reason for his warning."

"Bah! She's nothing but a Calamity Jane legend. Have you ever traded flames with her?"

"I've seen men who have. They weren't alive to tell about it."

"Spacemen dislike combat with a woman so you've built up a myth about her to give an excuse for not killing her. But if she is the one who killed my father she's going to pay for it."

"Then why not let the police bring her in?"

"What police? Four planets have put a price on her head and she walks free in the cities of any of them."

"She's dangerous," Tabor repeated his warning. "And perhaps she is not the killer after all. There's no use crossing her trail needlessly."

"We'll soon know," Nathan promised.

He turned and strode out of the cavern of death while the two police officers began preparing his father's body for the trip back to the city under Tabor's direction. He paused a moment at the entrance and drew up the waterproof hood of his cloak and tied the knot beneath his chin, then went out into the sheeting rain.

At the bottom of the steep and slippery trail leading from the cave waited Perseus, the white stallion imported from Earth. In a world still battling incessantly against the jungle the horse was one of the chief means of private transportation, even though practically extinct on Earth.

Perseus nuzzled against Nathan's neck and the man rested his face against the horse's head for a moment. Loneliness and weariness descended upon Nathan. He was lonelier than he had ever known he could be, he thought. Thymar had never given much companionship to his son because their adventurous spirits had led them in opposite directions. But the mere knowledge of Thymar's existence somewhere in the universe was the only companionship Nathan had needed. Now that was gone.

And somewhere on Venus was a murderer he had to kill.