The copter wheeled and flew due west into a sky now painted with sunset colors. It was warm inside the cabin, and the clothing about his thin body was the finest he had worn in years. Dard relaxed against the padded cushion, but far inside him was a warming spark of excitement, an excitement no longer completely darkened by fear-Kimbers confidence in himself, in the eventual success of their mission was comforting.
Below ran a ribbon of road, and by the churned snow, it was a well-traveled one. Dard tried to identify landmarks. But, never having seen the country from above, he could only guess that they were now being guided to town by that same artery which had tied Folleys holding and the tumbledown Nordis place to the overgrown village which was the nearest approach to a pre-Burn city.
Another farm road, rutted and used, cut into the main road and its curve was familiar. It was Folleys! And it had seen considerable travel since the storm. He thought briefly of Lotta-wondered if she had gone back to the message tree with some food for Dessie as she had promised. Dessie!
Dessie!
Hoping he could keep from revealing to Kimber his own secret problem, the one which had gnawed at him ever since he had seen the star ship, he asked a question:
I didnt see any children in the Cleft.
Kimber was intent upon flying; when he answered it was with a faint touch of absent-mindedness:
Therere only two. Carlee Skorts daughter is three and the Winson boy-hes almost four. The Harmon twins are-ten, I think-but they dont live in the Cleft.
Dessie is six-almost seven.
Kimber grinned. Bright little trick, too, isnt she? Took to Carlee right away-after we had persuaded her you were going to recover. Last I heard shed taken command in the nursery quarters. Carlee was surprised at how sensible she was.
Dessies a pretty big person, Dard said slowly. Shes old for her years. And she has a gift, too. She makes friends with animals-not just tame ones-hut the wild things. Ive seen them come right up to her. She insists that they talk.
Had he said too much? Had he labeled Dessie as one so far outside the pattern that she would not fit into a ships company where a farmer was considered important? But surely, a childs future was worth more than an adults! Dessie must be considered-she must be!
Carlee thinks she is quite a person, too. That was certainly noncommittal enough. But, although he did not know Carlee, her approbation was comforting to Dard. A woman, a woman with a little girl of her own, would see that another little girl would get a fair break. As for him-self-resolutely he refused to think ahead for himself. Instead he began to watch the twilight-cloaked road and think of the problem immediately before them.
The copter park is at the back of the Temple. And you cant fly over the building-nothing crosses the sacred roof.
Then we circle. No use taking chances. Park well guarded?
I dont know. Only Peacemen get inside. But Id think that in the dark, and with this machine
We could brazen it out? Let us hope they dont ask for any recognition signals. Im going to try to land as close to the edge as I can and in the darkest part-unless they have floodlights
Town lights! Dard interrupted, intent on the sparks of yellow. The Temple is on that rise to the south. See!!
It was easy enough to see. The lights of the town houses were small and sickly yellow. But above and beyond them were concentrated bars of vivid blue and startling white, somehow garish and out of place against the purple-blue of the sky. Kimber circled.
The Temple occupied about a third of the rise which bad been leveled off to form a wide platform. Behind the building itself was a floodlit space in which they could see a row ofcopters.
Ten down there, Kimber counted, the lighting of the instrument panel showing the planes and hollows of his face. Youd think they would have more. This is a center for their control and they dont do much raiding by night. Or at least they havent in the past.
They may now. They struck our place at night.
Anyway, the fewer the better. Look, thats a nice long shadow-one of their floods must have burnt out. Im going to see if I can bring us down in it!
They lost speed, it was something like coasting, much like floating, Dard decided. Then the lights arose about them and a second later the undercarriage made contact. They didnt bounce. Kimber shook hands with himself vigorously, in congratulation.
Now listen, kid, the pilots voice was a faint murmur.
Thats a stun gun you have in your belt. Ever use one?
No.
It doesnt require training to point it and push the button. But youre not to do that unless I give the word, understand? You have only two charges and I have the same in mine-we cant afford to waste them. Nothing- absolutely nothing must happen to prevent our interview with the Voice! There was a passionate determination in that. It was an order, delivered not only to Dard, but to Destiny or Fortune herself. Afterward we may have to fight our way out-though I hope not. Then the stun guns will be our hope. But weve got to use bluff to get us in!
The Peacemen hoarded the remains of pre-purge invention, Dard noted as he matched his steps to Kimbers across the park at an unhurried pace, but their maintenance of such appliances was not promising. Several of the flood- lights were out and there were cracks in the concrete under his boots. There couldnt be too many techneers left in the slave-labor camps of the Temple gangs. Some day no copter would rise from this park, no light would burn. Had the leaders of Pax thought of that, or didnt they care? The old cities built by the techneers were rubble fit only for bats and birds. Now there were only grubby villages slipping back and back, with the wilderness edging down across the field to nibble at mans building.
So far they had not met anyone, but now they approached the western gate of the Temple and there was a guard. Dard straightened his shoulders, lifted his chin summoned that arrogance of bearing which cloaked a Peaceman as tightly as the gaudy uniform. Kimber had the right presence. He strode along with a damn-devil air suitable to a Laurel Wearer. Dard did his best to copy that. But the boy couldnt quite suppress a half-sigh of relief when the guard did not attempt to stop them and they crossed the threshold unchallenged.
Of course, they were still far from the sanctuary of the Voice. And Dards knowledge of the place would not take them farther than the second court.
Kimber stopped and touched his companions sleeve. Together they slipped out of the direct path of the light up to the shadowed obscurity behind one of the massive pillars.
Before them lay the inner court where the commoners might gather-in fact were expected to gather-to hear words of wisdom as mouthed from the August Sayings of Renzi by one of the Laurel Wearers. It was now deserted. After dark none of those not Wedded to the Inner Peace dared enter the Temple. Which would make the venture more precarious since they would be alone among the Peacemen and might betray themselves by ignorance of custom. Dards hand twitched, but he kept it off the stun gun.
The Voice?
Dard pointed to the archway at the other end of the inner court. What they sought lay beyond that, but where-he wasnt sure. Kimber went on, flitting from pillar to pillar, and Dard followed on a woodmans sure, silent feet.
Twice they stiffened into inanimateness as others tramped into the open. Peacemen, two Laurel Wearers and, just as they had almost reached the archway, a third party-two shuffling labor slaves carrying a box under the malicious eye of a single lounging guard.
Kimber leaned back behind a pillar and drew Dard in beside him.
Lots of traffic. The whispered comment was tinged with laughter and Dard saw that the pilot was smiling, an eager fire in his eyes.