Riverworld, Day 46, Night

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Shaka's eyes flared, and then narrowed at the words of Pala and the
actions of his warriors.  He cried out in Zulu.

"So this is what it comes to, eh Pala? You claim to be a chief, and
yet you hide behind spears.  Are you so afraid?"

Shaka turned to the warriors, and continued.

"I ask you all to think back.  Who is the worthy chief here?  I come
to you, carrying the scythe of the gods.  I make the rain, like Pala
demands, and then show him mercy when he vows allegiance.  Then I led
you here, directly to the source of the metal.  My reward?  Treachery!
Treachery I tell you!"

He pointed at Pala.

"This man, who swore allegiance to me, steals my scythe, and then
throws me in a pit.  But is that enough to stop me?  No!  I have
escaped beyond death and come back to you.  And now he asks you to
kill me.  Well, if you would follow the orders of that one, then kill
me, for I would rather be king of dogs and cows and their dung than be
king of you!"

"What leader of the Zulus would call out an opponent and then have him
killed with the spears of others?  What leader of men would vow
allegiance to a man and then trick him and steal the very symbol of
his leadership?  If you followed me, I would lay down my life for any
of you, and I would never ask you to do anything that I was not MAN
enough to do!"

Shaka paused and crosses his arms.

"I am done.  Go ahead.  Do what you would do.  I am not afraid, for in
a few moments, I am either dead by the hands of cowards, or the leader
of true warriors, who will make this world ours!"

As Charles carefully watching Shaka and the Zulus, it crossed his mind
that the removal of both might be the best result. The Celts seemed
ready to negotiate.

Backing away somewhat nervously, Benjamin called out to the Celts,
"We, um... we do not mean Invasion, Priestess, we wish only to join
your Agreement, mutually beneficial Trade..."  Seeing things had
gotten beyond his abilities by this point, he turned and headed for
cover.

Louis, his eyes on Pala and Shaka, followed Benjamin. He stopped
abruptly once to shout at Shaka in Zulu before stepping aside,
sighing.

"Shaka, you were king on earth, but I fear not here on this accursed
River. These men--" Louis pointed to the Zulu with raised spears--"do
not recognize you as king.  You're going to die a third time."

Shaka seemed to ignore Louis's words and strode slowly forward. Pala
moved his hand across his throat in a swift motion, and the Zulu flung
their spears.

Shaka ducked at the motion of their arms, diving to the ground.
Charles raised his hand, and two javelins shot from the catapult which
waited in the tall inland grasses. The first went wide of the mark,
puncturing a hut before its force was spent, but the second pierced
the body of a Zulu warrior. The Japanese troops advanced on the Zulu's
flanks, to Charles's calls of "Kill the spearmen, spare the Celts!"

Shaw pushed Josephine and Benjamin back behind him, where they were
soon joined by Louis and Freud, who had crept around the Riverside to
support them. He quickly string his bow, and pointed it toward the
fracas.

The Zulu, faced with the Japanese attack, ignored Shaka, and turned to
fight. Toyoda-san's men thrust bravely with their spears, but their
technique was no match for the Zulu, and they were soon in danger of
being overwhelmed. But as they retreated toward the catapult, a loud
warcry filled the air, and the Zulu found themselves beset again, this
time by the Celts.

Wielding makeshift axes and clubs, the pale men and women fell upon
the Zulu. The battle soon stained the ground with blood. The foes were
almost evenly matched.

Charles rushed to Shaka's side, dragging him back under cover. The
Zulu King pulled a spear from his thigh, where it left a painful and
gaping wound. Grimacing, Shaka pulled himself to his feet with an
effort of will, and growled at Charles for a spear.

At that moment, the whistle of the catapult and Shaw's bow both split
the air. Shaw's arrow felled Pala; the catapult, again missing the
mark, brought down the Celtic chief. The loss of leadership seemed to
disturb the Zulu more, however, and they began to founder. Shaw aimed
another arrow, this time at the Zulu named Moz, but Louis pushed his
bow aside, shaking his head, and then watched with dismay as the
Celtic priestess smashed Moz's head with her club. Then the Japanese
rallied, and before long, the results of the battle were clear. The
Celts did not stop until every Zulu lay dead.

The tension, however, did not diminish with the destruction of the
Zulu. Jeanne, searching the battlefield for Father Gregory, found him
dead of a Zulu spear. The Celts, still grinning with a battle-lather
behind their priestess, faced the Japanese belligerently. Shaka limped
forward, directing a murderous scowl at Shaw.

The dawning sun spread a red light across the River.