''But if you do,'' says Thoth, worry adding to the many wrinkles on his face, ''who will replace you? You are Ra, the greatest of us, whose brightness has warmed us since time immemorial, whose light is our benison. To whom will you pass on the crown?''
''To whom?'' Ra pats his vizier on the shoulder. ''As wise a head as yours can surely figure that one out, Thoth.''
37. Gavrilenko
Setic troops stormed Mount Megiddo, crowding onto the summit from several sides at once and converging on the Freegyptians. They met no resistance. The Lightbringer had instructed his followers to lay down their arms. The fighting was over, he said. Everything that had needed to be done, they had done, and he was grateful to them. They had been brave, they had been loyal, and he would ask for nothing more from them.
The Freegyptians sensed a valedictory note in their leader's words. They were already perplexed, and this perplexed them further. Among some of them it had begun to dawn that the Lightbringer was not quite what he had made himself out to be. Others simply remained baffled. The Setics had attacked the Nephthysians? How could that happen? Did it mean the Setics were on their side? Were they joining the Lightbringer's crusade? Surely not!
A Setic colonel took charge of the scene. First he had his men round up the Freegyptians and make them sit in groups at gunpoint. Next he identified the infidels' leader, which was, of course, no great challenge. The Lightbringer was brought forward to meet him. He went passively, prodded along by a couple of Setic soldiers with their ba lances.
The colonel and the Lightbringer spoke together for some time. David, sitting cross-legged among the Freegyptians, strained to hear what they were saying, but there were too many other competing noises: the Freegyptians murmuring to one another, the clatter and clank of the Setic task force still passing around the foot of the mountain, and the far-off tremors of the battle being conducted to the south.
It was a long conversation, and the longer it went on, the uneasier Davie became. Finally the colonel nodded to the Lightbringer, who offered him a salute in return, not a snappy military one, a casual tapping of fingers to forehead. Then the Lightbringer turned and made his way back to the Freegyptians — specifically, to David.
''A word,'' he said, beckoning.
David stood, conscious of the ba lances that were aiming his way, each with a gape-mouthed Typhonic Beast head at its tip. He joined Steven, who led him back to the Setic colonel.
''Colonel Gavrilenko,'' he said. ''This is David.''
The Setic had a lugubrious Russian face but eyes like a jackdaw's, pale, beady, and quick.
''The colonel speaks English,'' Steven added. ''Better English than he does Arabic.''
''Colonel,'' David said.
Gavrilenko drew on a cigarette and puffed the smoke out in such a way that it didn't quite go straight in David's face.
''Your friend here says I can be trusting you,'' he said in a gravelly voice. ''You are good man.''
''That's kind of him,'' David replied, shooting a glance at his brother. The mask was still on. No way of fathoming what Steven was up to here. ''You realise, Colonel, that under the terms of the Global Convention for-''
The cigarette waved from side to side. ''No Convention here. Is not proper war. You are not proper prisoners.''
''Nevertheless we expect to be treated-''
Again the cigarette cut him off. ''You will be going home. All of you. I am giving my word on that to Lightbringer, and to you. Transportation will be arranged. A day, maybe two days, you will be returning to Freegypt.''
''Thank you, Colonel,'' said David. ''These people are civilians. Your soldiers should bear that in mind when dealing with them.''
''From what I am having seen, they do not fight like civilians. Fight better than soldiers. Like warriors. But yes, they will be looked after as well as can be expected. Setic high command is not interested in Freegyptians. We have, how is it you are saying? Bigger fish for frying.''
''The Nephthysians. Can I ask, Colonel, what's happened to the Bi-Continental Pact? How come the Setics have turned on their allies?''
Gavrilenko gave a shrug, his mouth turning down at the corners like a sad clown's. ''How am I knowing? I am not KSD. Not Commissar Chang. I am just soldier. High command says we launch attack on Nephthysians on Megiddo Plain, so we launch attack. Send Nephs scurrying like frightened mice. Horusites are also attacking Nephs.''
''Really?''
''Offensive has begun on western Africa. Horusite Atlantic fleet is bombing Congo. Marines landing at Guinea and Ivory Coast. Two-prong assault, us here, them there. Africa and Arabia crushed in the middle. Like in pincers of crab.''
''Horus… and Set? Together?'' said David. It seemed inconceivable.
''I know. And Osirisiacs not happy, saying maybe they come to aid of Nephthysians,'' said Gavrilenko. ''The gods, they spin and pirouette like the ballerinas. Dancing together, then apart. One moment one way, next moment another. What can we do? Everything has changed, and yet everything is still the same. New enemies, new allies, but war goes on.''
He dropped his cigarette butt and ground it out under his heel.
''So now you must wait here,'' he said. ''One day or two, like I am telling you. It will be OK. Is not so bad a place for waiting. Nice views.''
David felt that they had been dismissed. He turned to go. Then, noticing that Steven hadn't moved, he halted.
''Coming?''
Steven slowly shook his head.
Gavrilenko raised an eyebrow. ''Lightbringer did not explain?''
''Explain what?'' said David.
The Russian's lugubriousness doubled, every muscle in his face seeming to sag.
''I am having orders,'' he said. ''These things must be done. Freegyptians are civilians, not soldiers, but still, an example must be made. So this thing will never be repeated. Is just how it is. I will give you a moment.''
He went off to consult with a junior officer, leaving David and Steven alone except for the two Setics guarding them.
David looked at his brother and saw that he was trembling. He looked at him again, and suddenly the penny dropped.
''Shit, Steven…''
''It's OK, Dave. It's my own fault, really. I should have foreseen this. It's a shock, but actually it makes a kind of sense. What am I going to do, go back there to all my followers? They're already starting to suspect I've sold them a lie. Give them time and their suspicions will harden into certainty. Then what? They won't forgive me. They'll round on me like dogs on their master. Some of those warlords are not nice men. They'd make sure I paid for misleading them. It wouldn't be quick.''
''But…'' David indicated his own left cheek, meaning Steven's. ''This. What about this? You're Set's servant. Therefore you're on his'' — meaning Gavrilenko's — ''side.''
''Yeah, funny, that,'' said Steven. ''The colonel's orders come right from the top, I mean high-priest high. In other words, straight from the divine horse's mouth. So it would seem that I've been sold a lie as well, just like I sold everyone else a lie. Now that I've done what I was supposed to, I've outlived my usefulness. Set has decided it's better not to have me around any more.''
''No. This can't be. This is stupid.''
''I thought the Setics might hail me a hero. I was expecting a nice apartment in Moscow, a dacha on the Black Sea coast, all the caviar I could eat, all the vodka I could drink, all the Natashas I could shag. So many medals I could barely stand up. But hey, like the colonel said, an example must be made.''
''Speak to him,'' David urged. ''You know, speak to him. Use your power on him. Get him to change his mind.''
''Doesn't work that way, remember. I can talk someone into doing something, but as long as it's not against their nature. Does Gavrilenko strike you as the type to disobey an order? Not me. He's a soldier to the marrow.''