Short Fiction, Mack Reynolds [best book reader txt] 📗

representative of the West-world, you don’t have to respond to anything as dashed silly as a challenge to a duel.”

The faces of the two Hungarians froze.

Joe finished his sentence. “… I would appreciate it if you and Lieutenant Anderson would act for me.”

Kossuth clicked his heels again. “Gentlemen, the code duello provides that the challenged choose the weapons.”

General Armstrong’s face, usually worried, was now dark with anger. “Choice of weapons, eh? Against Sándor Rákóczi? If you will excuse us now, gentlemen, Lieutenant Anderson and I will consult with you in one hour in the Embassy Club and discuss the affair further. I say frankly, I have never heard of a diplomat being subjected to such a situation, especially on the part of officers of the country to which he is accredited.”

The Hungarians were unfazed. Kossuth looked at his wrist chronometer. “One hour in the Embassy Club, gentlemen.” The two of them clicked again, bowed from the waist, and were gone.

General Armstrong glared at Joe. “Dash it, if you hadn’t been so confoundedly quick on the trigger, I could have warned you, Mauser.”

Joe Mauser wasn’t over being flabbergasted. “You mean to tell me,” he said, “that those people still conduct duels? I thought duels had gone out back in the Nineteenth Century.”

“Well, you’re mistaken,” Armstrong bit out. “It seems to be a practice that can crop up in any decadent society. Remember Hitler reviving it among the German universities? Well, it’s all the rage now among the officers of the Sov world. Limited, however, to Party members, the lowly proletariat are assumed not to have honor.”

Joe shrugged, “I’m not exactly an amateur at combat, you know.”

The general snorted his disgust and turned to his aide. “Lieutenant, go find Dr. Haer for me. Then wait in the outer office until it’s time for us to meet those heel-clicking Hungarians.”

“Yes, sir,” Andersen saluted, shot another look at Joe as though in commiseration, and left hurriedly.

“What’s wrong with him?” Joe said.

Armstrong pulled open a desk drawer, brought forth a bottle and glass, poured himself a strong one and knocked it back without offering any to his junior officer. He replaced the bottle and glass and turned his scowl back to Joe. “Haven’t you ever heard of Sándor Rákóczi?”

“No.”

“He happens to be All-Sov-world Fencing Champion and has been for six years. He also is third from the top amongst the Red Army pistol and rifle marksmen. I once saw him put on an exhibition of trick handgun shooting. Uncanny. The man has abnormal reflexes.”

The door opened and Nadine was there. “Joe,” she said. “Dick Andersen says you’ve been challenged to a frame-up duel by Sándor Rákóczi.” Her eyes hurried on to Armstrong. “George, this is ridiculous. Joe has diplomatic⁠—”

Joe wasn’t getting part of this. He broke in. “What do you mean, frame-up, Nadine? We got into a hassle in a nightspot last night.”

Armstrong said. “Everybody simmer down, dash it!” His eyes went to Joe. “Sándor Rákóczi doesn’t get into hassles in nightspots⁠—not unless he’s been ordered to. Captain Rákóczi is what in the old days was known as a hatchetman.” He snorted in deprecation. “The Party no longer conducts purges amongst its own. Everything is all buddy-buddy now. Purges are something from the past. However, those on the very top sometimes find this unfortunate. One manner that has been devised to remove such Party members who have become a thorn in the side of the powers that be, is to have them challenged by such as Sándor Rákóczi.”

Joe settled down into a chair, more dumbfounded than ever. “But that’s ridiculous. Why? Why should they want me eliminated?”

Nadine said hurriedly, “You don’t have to accept.”

Joe said, “If I don’t, I’ll be laughed out of town. Remember that big banquet the Pink Army gave me when I first arrived? The celebrated Major Joseph Mauser fling? What happens to West-world prestige when the celebrated Joe Mauser backs down from a duel?”

General Armstrong mused, “If Mauser refuses the duel, he’s right, he’ll be laughed out of town. If he accepts it, and is killed, he is still removed from the scene.” He looked from Joe to Nadine. “Somebody evidently doesn’t want Joe Mauser in Budapest.”

Pieces were beginning to fit in.

Joe looked at George Armstrong. “You’re one of us, aren’t you? One of the Phil Holland, Frank Hodgson group.” He looked at Nadine. “Why wasn’t I told? Am I a junior member or something, that I can’t be trusted?”

Armstrong snorted. “You should study up on revolutionary routine, Joe. The smaller the unit of organization, the better. The fewer members you know, the fewer you can betray. Here in the Sov-world, back before the Sovs came to power, the size of their cells was five members, so the most any one person could betray was four.”

The tic started at the side of Joe’s mouth.

Armstrong said hurriedly. “Don’t misunderstand. Your fortitude isn’t being questioned. Bravery no longer enters into it. There are methods today under which nobody could hold up.” He seemed to come to a sudden decision. “We can’t let this take place. You’ll have to back down, Mauser. Somehow, there’s been a leak and your real purpose in being in Budapest is known. Very well, Phil Holland and the others will simply have to send someone else to replace you.”

But Joe had had enough by now. “Look,” he said. “Everybody seems to think I can’t take care of myself with this foppish molly and his fancy swordsmanship. I’ve had fifteen years of combat.”

“Joe!” Nadine said, “don’t be silly. The man’s a professional assassin. This is his field, not yours.”

Joe said flatly, “On the other hand. I have a job to do and it doesn’t involve being run out of Budapest.”

General Armstrong said, “Dash it, don’t go drivel-happy on us, Mauser. I’ve just told you, the man’s the best swordsman in Europe and Asia combined, and the third best shot.”

“How is he with Bowie knives?” Joe said.

XIX

To Mauser’s surprise, the Sovs actually turned up two genuine Bowie knives. He