There was a pause while the channels were linked. "Hoy, Grandfather. They're on their way. Yes. Yes, that's right. Fine. You've heard from Vashcor? Good. I thought so; those Pelvash seacoasters are a pretty independent bunch. Good! That should time it about right.
"Now get this: we'll leave within an hour. Everything else here is ready to go. Good. Light bless you, Grandfather."
He lowered the microphone again. His smile had become even broader.
Elder Leader Nibro peSyg pulled up short on the reins of his deest and raised one hand.
"Powers of Dark! What's that?"
He pointed one long golden finger down the road that slanted upward toward the pass.
Drelk peShawm stared. The young priest said, "Someone has put a barrier of stones across the pass."
"That's fairly obvious," Nibro said acidly. "Was this the road you traveled when you journeyed to Sugon the time before?"
"Yes ... yes, of course. That barricade wasn't up last time I went by here."
Ahead, a wall of piled-up stones completely blocked the pass except for one small opening, barely wide enough to admit a single deest.
"There are men standing behind it," said Drelk peShawm. "I can see their heads and shoulders."
"Let's go up and take a look," said Nibro.
He turned around and called to the black-uniformed men behind. "This looks like trouble. Get ready. If they think they can stop us with a wall, they're out of their minds. Our animals can take that barrier easily."
The Officer-in-Charge nodded. There was a loud chorus of clicking rifle-bolts as the weapons were loaded. Then they moved forward, toward the barrier.
As they approached, Nibro noticed rifles lowered over the ramparts of the stone barricade. His face, already bleak with anger, became icy.
"Stop!" bellowed a voice. "Proceed no further!"
"What is the meaning of this?" Nibro shouted. "Who in Light's name are you?"
"Rahn peDom Dmorno, Uncle of Public Peace for the Province of Sugon!" came the stentorian answer. "And who are you?"
Nibro impatiently scowled at the foolish question, and ignored it. "Uncle of Public Peace for an entire province?" he repealed. "What nonsense is this? There is no such office! You are an impostor!"
"No more so than you—!" came the bellowed reply.
Nibro peSyg felt his face reddening. "I am Elder Grandfather Nibro peSyg Ghevin, Leader of the Council of Elders of Nidor!" he roared at the invisible speaker. "I demand that you let us pass!"
Raucous laughter drifted out of the barricade. "You're no Ghevin! I know for a fact that you're a Sesom from Sugon! You have no right to bring armed men into a peaceful province!"
"You have no authority here!" returned Nibro peSyg. "This is Dimay Province."
"Not beyond these mountains, it isn't!"
"We're going to pass!"
"Try it," said the Uncle of Public Peace, "and we'll fire."
Nibro peSyg's jaw sagged. "Would you fire on priests?" he asked incredulously. Such a thought had never occurred to him before. The body of a priest was sacrosanct.
"We would fire on impostors!" Rahn peDom shouted in reply. "You, and that other Sesom who calls himself a Lokness! And if others are hurt, is that our fault?"
Nibro scowled. "What do you want? Do you think we will turn from our rightful duty simply because a bunch of rabble stand in our way?"
The Uncle said, "That will be seen. Also, who of us is the rabble. Our Keeper would have a word with you. He will meet you outside the wall here."
Unpleasant visions of martyrdom flickered through Nibro peSyg's mind. He had no desire to share the fate of the legendary Kris peKym Yorgen.
He turned to Gwyl peDrang. "I'm going to see him." He smiled nervously. "If I get shot, you shoot him, and be sure you don't miss. It's fair enough. If he dies, the whole uprising will collapse."
Gwyl nodded. "I understand, Elder Leader. I will be ready."
Nibro's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "On second thought, I believe you ought to come out there with me. The two of us will be a better match for this criminal."
Gwyl peDrang shrugged. "As you say, Elder Leader."
"Let's go then," said Nibro. It was not that he distrusted Gwyl peDrang; it was simply that he feared the acolyte might take it into his head to shoot Korvin peKorvin without provocation. If that happened, the Sugonese would surely strike down Nibro where he stood. And that might suit Gwyl peDrang all too well, since it would leave the way open for him to become Elder Leader.
Nibro cupped his hand to his mouth and faced the barricade. "We will speak with the rebel Keeper," he shouted.
"Advance!"
Nibro and Gwyl trotted their deests toward the wall, under the watchful muzzles of a dozen rifles.
"Dismount," called the Uncle, of Public Peace.
"Easy on the trigger finger," Nibro cautioned softly, as he leaped from his mount. Gwyl peDrang clambered from his deest and stood at his side. They waited, expectantly, facing twelve rifle-snouts.
After what seemed like minutes, Keeper Korvin peKorvin and the Priest-Mayor stepped through the narrow opening, Korvin ahead of the Grandfather.
Before the Keeper had a chance to say anything, Nibro snarled: "What in Darkness do you mean by staging this armed uprising?"
The Keeper's face assumed an expression of wounded innocence. "Armed uprising?" he repeated quizzically. "Oh, no, Elder Leader. That term is wholly unjust. We're merely doing our duty—which is, as we see it, to preserve the peace of Sugon."
"As you wish to call it," Nibro barked. "It still remains an armed uprising. You're under arrest!"
"Oh? And the charges?"
"High treason, blasphemy, sacrilege, threatening the life of a priest, embezzlement, and conspiracy to do harm to the peace of Nidor. There are more charges, but these ought to do." Nibro's eyes were cold.
The Keeper smiled blandly. "Very well. I plead not guilty to all charges."
Immediately, the Priest-Mayor of Lidacor turned to the armed men behind the pajrapet and made a ritual gesture of designation.
"As Priest-Mayor, I am entitled to the position of judge in this case. So says the Law. Acting within my rights, I appoint you men as fit judges-in-aide. What do you say? Call out your verdict!"
"Not guilty!" came a somewhat ragged but hearty chorus. "Not guilty! Not guilty!"
"So be it," Priest-Mayor Fulda peDrogh said. "Acquitted. Case dismissed."
Nibro had barely had time to open his mouth during the entire trial. Angrily, he realized that they were making sport of him.
"This is a farce!" he howled. "This mockery of a trial is not legal in any sense!"
"It is in Sugon," said the Priest-Mayor calmly.
"But—"
"No buts!" snapped the older priest. "You have no legal right to invade Sugon with armed men. I'd advise you, you young upstart, to get back to Gelusar and spend your time ranting at your false, sycophantic Council instead of at honest, law-abiding men. We of Sugon have no need of you, Sesom that calls yourself a Ghevin. Go!"
Beneath his golden facial down, Nibro peSyg's face became suffused with the crimson of anger. In a strangling tone he said, "I'll take my men into Sugon and put a stop to this nonsense!"
"Will you?" asked Korvin peKorvin. For the first time, there was no smile on the Keeper's pleasant face, and his voice was cold and metallic. "Do you think that because you see only a dozen men, that there are only a dozen men to be had?" He chuckled unamiably. "Don't be a fool, Nibro peSyg Sesom. The crags of the pass are lined with my men. Trapped in that narrow gorge, your army wouldn't last five minutes—and you, Nibro peSyg, would be the first to die. You have no legal authority in the Province of Sugon. Now go."
He turned his back and walked through the narrow gate in the barricade without another word.