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"I didn't know you had religious orders," whispered Ethan to Hunnar. The staff-bearer overheard.
"Know I not what you mean, strange knight. The Brother-hood is an association of free spirits and
minds, gathered in this place to preserve the knowledge and histories of the universe against the
onslaughts of the Dark One. We are scholars, sir, not sychophants."
"Starseeds," mumbled Ethan. "Wait til Williams and Eer- Meesach find out we've stumbled onto a local
society of researchers."
September's comment was blunt. "Frankly, I couldn't give a damn about hove they built rafts or grew
pika-ping. on this ice cube a couple of thousand years ago. ''hat's the sore of thing you're likely to find in
these old storehouses of `knowl-edge.' Useless trivia.. Religious ruts, all right!" All of which, of course,
seas declaimed carefully in Terranglo. "They just worship something other than a supernatural being, is all.
Doesn't change their style from religious fanaticism to enlight-ened guardianship."
"Well, they don't seem very fanatical to me," Ethan count-ered in Terranglo, as Hunnar continued to
exchange pleasant-ries and information with their host.
"Maybe it's not obvious, but ... " September granted. Ire looked heavenward to where windswept
towers and steeples cad been hewn into the naked rock. "Anyhow I'd like a look-see inside their cubby.
I admire good workmanship no matter what the source."
September didn't have to translate his request. Unbidden, Tahdig had invited then to accompany hire to
the monastery for the Brotherhood's ruling.
"I hope they keep the haggling to a minimum," September grumbled undiplomatically in Trannish. "I, at
least, am still in a hurry."
"The decision-making should take but a heartbeat of time, gentlesir," replied FahdiQ. "Only long enough
for the prior to satisfy himself as to your reason. Until then you are guests. The harbor is yours."
"Before we start unpacking," pressed September, "how long before the Brotherhood and your prior can
take action .on our request?"
"Do but follow me and it shall be seen to as soon as we arrive."
"Well, that's fine! Just fine." The big man turned, cupped hands to mouth.
"Hey, du Kane! Hellespont du Kane!"
The slim figure of the financier appeared at the railing of the raft.
 Yes, Mr. September?"
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The big man switched to Terranglo again. "The lad, Hunnar, and I are going for a hike with his
beardship, here! Seems we've run across a bunch of hermetic scholars! Harmless enough. We've got
temporary permission to park here and make repairs, but we've got to make the walk-up to satisfy the
local high mucky-muck we're reasonable ... whatever that means. Tell Ta-hodiing to get cracking on his
work work and to keep an eye on the monastery ... that's what they call it. If he doesn't see my coat
waving in the next hour he can go ahead and work full speed. Got that?"
"I rarely misconstrue any information consigned to my care, Mr. September. Rest assured that I shall
convey the mes-sage to the captain with the utmost precision. What if you should be detected
gesticulating with your garments?"
 Then he's to raise sail and get the hell out of here!" September snorted and turned to their guide,
speaking in Trannish.
"Ali right, friend Fahdig, let's go meet your Brotherhood."
Ethan was quite sure that heights held no terror for him. He'd sipped cocktails on transparent balconies
ninety stories above steaming swampland.
However, he'd been completely enclosed in a comfortable tower suite at the time. It was rather different
mounting hun-dreds of steps with a sheer drop of hundreds of meters on your right, then on your left.
Almost unconsciously be edged away until he was walling with a decided preference for the section of
stairway nearest the mountainside.
The stairs themselves had been cut from the bare rock, an agonizing task that probably took more years
than he cared to speculate at. At least ii was broad enough for several men or tran to walk side by side.
So be didn't feel cramped. There was also -a wide, if low, stone railing on the cliffside.
But as the raft, which now weaned to sit directly below them, and the harbor grew smaller and smaller,
so did his stomach.
Halfway up he found himself beginning to pant. September still looked. fresh, but Sir Hunnar was gritting
his teeth at the pain shooting through his thighs and calves. The tran were not constructed for steady
climbing. Fahdig, on the other hand, was clearly inured to the pain.
There was no guard at the simple, solemn archway which framed the entrance to the monastery. The
door was of un-adorned wood, through which Fahdig led them.
Ethan spared a last glance over the side of the stairway. They were now nearly five hundred meters
above the harbor. The raft was a child's toy resting on a plate of waxen crystal.
Then he was through the door and standing in a darkish, tomb-life hallway. Lamps glowed along the
walls even though it was bright day outside.
"Kind of a gloomy atmosphere you fellas take to," said September as they strolled down the hall.
"We are in the lower levels of the monastery," their guide informed them. "As we go higher it will
become lighter. Win-dows here are neither necessary nor would they be structurally sound."
Fahdig was as good as his word. They soon, found them-selves walking through well-lit high-beamed [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]