Musa shrugged. "Very well, most expert of vendors." He reached into his
purse.
* * * * *
Banasel hesitated before accepting the money. He looked Musa over
carefully, then nodded as if satisfied.
"Yes," he said softly, "I was right." He paused, then addressed himself
directly to Musa.
"We must be very careful to whom we sell these enchanted amulets," he
explained, "for they are talismans of the greatest of powers. The wearer
of one of these need never fear the unjust wrath of man, beast, or
demon, for he has powerful protectors at his call. Only wear this charm.
Never let it out of your possession, and you will have nothing to fear
during your voyage. Truly, you will be most favored."
He looked sharply at Musa again, took the money, glanced at it, and
dropped it into a pouch.
"Do you really believe in the powers of your ornaments, then?" Musa
asked skeptically.
Banasel's eyes widened, and he spread his arms. "To be sure," he said in
a devout tone. "How can I believe else, when I have seen their
miraculous workings so often?" He held up a hand. "Why, I could spend
hours telling you of the powers these little ornaments possess, and of
the miracles they have been responsible for. None have ever come to harm
while wearing one of these enchanted talismans. None!" He spread his
arms again.
Musa looked at him curiously. "I should like to hear your stories some
day," he said politely.
He felt uncomfortable, as many people do when confronted by a confessed
fanatic. His feelings were divided between surprise, a mild contempt,
and an unease, born of wonder and uncertainty.
Obviously, the man was not especially favored. He was dressed like any
street peddler. He had the slightly furtive, slightly brazen air of
those who must avoid the anger, and sometimes the notice, of more
powerful people, and yet, who must ply their trade. But he talked
grandly of the immense powers of the baubles he vended, seeming to hold
them in a sort of reverence. And, when he had spread his arms, there had
been a short-lived hint of suppressed power. Musa shuddered a little.
"But I must go to the temple now, if I am to make arrangements for my
voyage," he added apologetically. He turned away, then hurried down the
street.
Banasel watched him go, a slight smile growing on his face.
"I don't blame you, Pal," he chuckled softly. "I'd feel the same way
myself."
He glanced around noting a narrow alley. Casually, he walked into it,
then looked around carefully. No one could observe him. He straightened,
dropping the slightly disreputable, hangdog manner, then reached for his
body shield controls.
Quickly, he cut out visibility, then actuated the levitator modulation
and narrowed out of the alley, rose over the city, and headed toward the
rugged mountains that formed the backbone of the island.
* * * * *
Lanko was waiting, and quickly lowered the base shield.
"Well," he asked, "how did it go?"
"I found him." Banasel walked over to the cabinets, and started sorting
the goods he had been carrying. "Sold him a miniature communicator. Now,
I hope he wears the thing."
"We'll have to keep a close watch on him," commented Lanko, "just in
case he puts it in his luggage and forgets about it. Did you give him a
good sales talk?"
"Sure. Told him to wear it always. I pawed the air, raved a little, and
made him think I was crazy. But I've an idea he'll remember and grab the
thing if he sees trouble coming." Banasel put the last ornament in its
place, and started unhooking his personal equipment. Then, he turned.
"Look," he commented, "why bother with all this mystic business? We've
got mentacoms. Why not just clamp onto him, and keep track of him that
way? It'd be a lot simpler. Less chance of a slip, too."
"Yeah, sure it would." Lanko gave his companion a disgusted look. "But
have you ever tried that little trick?"
"No. I never had the occasion, but I've seen guardsmen run remote
surveillances, and even exert control when necessary. They didn't have
any trouble. We could try it, anyway."
Lanko sat up. "We could try it," he admitted, "but I know what would
happen. I did try it once, and I found out a lot of things--quick." He
looked into space for a moment. "How old are you, Banasel?"
"Why, you know that. I'm forty-one."
Lanko nodded. "So am I," he said. "And our civilization is a few
thousand years old. And our species is somewhat older than that. We were
in basic Guard training, and later in specialist philosophical training
together. It took ten years, remember?"
"Sure. I remember every minute of it."
"Of course you do. It was that kind of training. But how old do you
think some of those young guardsmen we worked with were?"
"Why, most of 'em were kids, fresh from school."
"That they were. But how many years--our years--had they spent in their
schooling? How old were the civilizations they came from? And how old
were their species?"
Lanko eyed him wryly.
Banasel looked thoughtfully across the room. "I never thought of it that
way. Why, I suppose some of their forefathers were worrying about space
travel before this planet was able to support life. And, come to think
of it, I remember one of them making a casual remark about 'just a
period ago,' when he was starting citizen training."
"That's what I mean." Lanko nodded emphatically. "'Just a period.' Only
ten or twelve normal lifetimes for our kind of people. And his
civilization's just as old compared to ours as he is compared to
us--older, even.
"During that period he was so casual about, he was learning--practicing
with his mind, so that the older citizens of the galaxy could make full
contact with him without fear of injuring his mentality. He was learning
concepts that he wouldn't dare even suggest to you or to me. Finally,
after a few more periods, he'll begin to become mature. Do you think we
could pick up all the knowledge and training back of his handling of
technical equipment in a mere ten years of training?"
Banasel reached up, taking the small circlet from his head. He held it
in his hand, looking at it with increased respect.
"You know," he admitted, "I really hadn't thought of it that way. They
taught me to repair these things, among other pieces of equipment, and
most of the construction is actually simple. They taught me a few uses
for it, and I thought I understood it.
"Of course, I knew we were in contact with an advanced culture, and I
knew that most of those guys we treated so casually had something that
took a long time in the getting, but I didn't stop to think of the real
stretch of time and study involved." He leaned back, replacing the
mentacom on his head. "Somehow, they didn't make it apparent."
"Of course they didn't." Lanko spread his hands a little. "One doesn't
deliberately give children a feeling of inferiority."
"Yeah. Will we ever learn?"
"Some. Some day. But we've got a long, lonely road to travel first."
Lanko stood up and adjusted the communicator.
"Right now, though, we'd better keep tabs on Musa. In fact, we'd better
follow him when he leaves here."
* * * * *
The temple of Kondaro, the sea god, had been built at the edge of a
cliff, so that it overlooked the Eastern Sea. The huge, white dome
furnished a landmark for mariners far out at sea, and dominated the
waterfront of Norlar. Atop the dome, a torch provided a beacon to
relieve the blackness of moonless nights. This was the home of the
crimson priests, and the center of guidance for all who wished to sail
eastward.
Musa stood for some time, admiring the temple, then walked between the
carefully clipped hedges and up the long line of steps leading to the
arched entrance.
Again, he stopped. Overhead, the curved ceiling of the main dome was
lower than its outer dimensions would lead one to believe, but Musa
hardly noticed that. He gazed about the main rotunda.
It was predominantly blue. The dome was a smooth, blue sky, and the
smooth blueness continued down the walls. The white stone steps were
terminated at the edges of a mosaic sea, which stretched to the far
walls, broken only by a large statue of the sea god. Kondaro stood in
the center of his temple, facing the entrance. One arm stretched out,
the hand holding a torch, while the other arm cradled one of the great
ships favored by the god. Beneath one foot was one of the batlike sea
demons, its face mirroring ultimate despair. About the feet lapped
conventionally sculptured waves, which melted into the mosaic, to be
continued to the walls by the pattern of the tiles. At the far side of
the rotunda, the double stairs, which led to bronze doors, were almost
inconspicuous, seeming to be a vaguely appearing mirage on the horizon
of a limitless sea.
The trader looked at the far side, then down, and hesitated, feeling as
though he were about to walk on water. Then, he turned, remembering the
pedestal nearby. A crimson bowl rested on this stand, and beside it was
a slave in the crimson loincloth which marked the menials of Kondaro.
Musa stepped over to the pedestal, dropped a coin into the bowl, and
walked toward the rear of the temple, making proper obeisance to the
huge statue. A young priest approached him.
"I crave blessings for a voyage I propose to take," announced the
trader.
The priest inclined his head.
"Very well, Traveler, follow me."
He led the way to a small office. An older priest sat at a large table,
reading a tablet. Conveniently placed were writing materials, and on the
table before him was another votive bowl. Musa dropped a coin into the
bowl, and the priest looked up.
"I bring a voyager, O, Wise One," said the young priest.
"It is well," the older priest acknowledged in a deep voice. He turned
to Musa. "Your name, Voyager?"
Musa gave his name, his age, the amount of his goods, and an account of
his actions since his arrival in Tanagor. At the mention of Tonda, the
priest nodded.
"The actions of Tonda have been most exemplary for the past several
seasons," he remarked. "He is a good man, but he lacks the proper spirit
of sacrifice." He concluded his writing.
"Well, then, Musa, you may go to those who sail ships with the blessing
of Kondaro upon you. I shall only caution you as to the observance of
the rites and laws for those who sail the Great Sea. Go now, in peace."
As Musa turned, the younger priest spoke. "I will lead you to one who
will give you further guidance," he said.
Musa followed him to another small room, where he met still another
priest. This man, he discovered, was a shrewd trader in his own right.
He was familiar with goods and their values, and in addition to the
rites he described, he presented definite advice as to what to take and
what to leave behind. Fortunately, Musa discovered as he talked to this
priest, he had picked very nearly as good a selection as he could wish.
[Illustration]
During the days that followed, Musa made more votive offerings,
practiced the rites ordered by the priest, and watched his goods as they
were delivered to the _Bordeklu_, a ship belonging to Maladro, beloved
of Kondaro, a shipowner whose ships were permitted by the sea god and
his priests to sail the Eastern Sea.
At last, the day arrived when Musa himself boarded the ship and set sail
past the headland of Norlar.
* * * * *
As the ship was warped out of the harbor, Musa took stock of his fellow
passengers. Among them were a slender, handsome man named Ladro, who had
been on many previous voyages to the land of the East, and Min-ta, a
native of the eastern continent, who was returning from a trading voyage
to Norlar. There were several others, but they kept to themselves,
seeming to radiate an aura of exclusiveness. Ladro and Min-ta on the
other hand, were more approachable.
_Surely_, thought Musa, _these two can teach me a great deal of the land
I am to visit, if they will_.
He walked over to the rail, where the two stood, looking out over the
shoreline. The ship was coming abreast of the great temple of Kondaro.
"It's the most prominent landmark on the island, isn't it?" Musa
commented.
"What?" Ladro turned, looking at him curiously. "Oh, yes," he said, "the
temple. Yes, it's the last thing you see as you leave, and the first
when you return." He paused, examining Musa. "This is your first trip?"
"Yes, it is. I've always traded ashore before this."
"But you finally decided to visit Kneuros?"
"Yes. I've dealt with a few traders who had goods from there, and their
stories interested me."