As he helped himself Kroy said, "What do you think we'll find in the Temple, Earl?"
"Probably nothing."
"What?"
"He could be right." Altini helped himself to wine. "I once robbed a shrine on Matsuki. It was reputed to hold a fabulous treasure. A thing so holy that it was virtually beyond price. I found an egg."
Kroy stared his disbelief. "An egg?"
"Just that. It was made of stone."
"A jewel? Well-"
"Stone," repeated the thief. "Some hard, black stone. Smoothed and polished, of course, but about as valuable as any other you can pick up on the shore. A symbol valuable only to those who worshiped it." He sipped his wine with the fastidiousness of a cat. "I could tell you other stories."
"We can all tell stories." Dietz reached out and lifted a pastry from the salver. "I'm only interested in rewards. Gems, precious metals, things of price. The Temple must be full of them. Think of all the pilgrims who make offerings. Over the years they would fill a hundred rooms the size of this."
"One would be enough for me." Sanchez leaned back in his chair, smiling, a grimace without humor. "A private arena, a stable of fighters, a selected audience. Easy money, Earl, don't you agree?"
"Is that what you want?"
"As a hobby, of course. Even a rich man must have something to occupy his mind. With what I get from the Temple, I'll build the finest establishment ever seen. Inlaid chairs, a ring of precious metal, attendants all dressed in silk. The epitome of luxury. The peak of fighting skill. Surely you've dreamed of owning such a place, Earl? Of being on the winning side for a change."
Ellen Contera said, "What makes you think Earl is a loser?"
"Could Rauch buy anything else?" Sanchez met her eyes. "We are all after the same thing. The Temple has it and we are going to rob the Temple. Money with which to establish ourselves."
"Just walk in and take it, huh?" Ellen shrugged. "You think it will be as easy as that? Even a fool would know better."
"Are you calling me a fool?" Sanchez glared his anger. "Are you?"
"Anyone's a fool who walks blind into a trap," snapped Dumarest. "And before loot can be spent it has to be won."
"Meaning?"
"You've been in the arena. What happens when a fighter is convinced he's already won? That he's got it made. When all he can think about is the money he'll get and the woman he'll pick and the feast that's waiting. What would you call such a man?"
"A suicide." Sanchez puffed out his cheeks. "I get the point."
"Keep it in mind. That goes for all of you." Dumarest looked from one to the other. "We don't know what's in the Temple. It doesn't matter. First we have to get to it. Any ideas?"
Kroy Lauter led the explanations, jabbing a thick finger at the map he unrolled, moving it to illustrate points.
"Raniang's a hard world. One little better than a cinder. The Hsing-Tiede Consortium has an installation there but it's on the other side of the planet from the Temple. Pilgrims usually arrive in groups on chartered ships which land here." His finger jabbed. "Well away from the Temple and down in this depression. Pilgrims march toward the Temple and enter the complex here." Again his finger rapped the paper. "They are met and escorted by priests. After certain ceremonies they are led into the Temple proper."
"Which is where the hard part begins." Altini leaned over the map. "We can only guess as to what really lies inside."
"Why guess?" Dumarest glanced at Ellen. "Don't we have maps? Diagrams?"
"The best I could get," she admitted. "But-"
"Things change," said Altini quickly. "Walls built or removed. New paths opened in different chambers. Traps set in the floor. Even the rituals can vary. Those guarding the treasure aren't fools and we can't be the first to want to rob them."
Dietz said, "No matter how things vary the basics remain the same. A thing I learned when young at my trade. To hunt down a man, to place him in the right position for the kill, to strike home and escape capture-all depends on established habit-patterns. Discover them and the victim is helpless."
"An assassin's philosophy," sneered Sanchez. "You are saying a man cooperates in his own murder."
"Unconsciously, yes. As you may easily cooperate in your own defeat when-"
"Nonsense!"
"No," said Dumarest. "A fighter, any fighter, can't help but follow a certain pattern. He will repeat winning maneuvers, hold his blade in a familiar way, stand in a workable position. Watch him long enough and you can plan his defeat." He changed the subject; if he had to fight Sanchez then the less he knew the better. To the assassin he said, "You were talking about the basics, Pinal. Would you please continue?"
He listened, checking points, evaluating available data. Too little was based on known fact, too must rested on assumption. Yet it was logical to expect that the treasure, whatever it was, would remain in its shrine. That ceremonies would remain basically unaltered. That Karlene, despite her conditioning, would have yielded essential data as to the interior of the Temple.
He remembered how Altini had cut Ellen short and wondered at his reason. Later, when the discussion was over and the others had drifted apart, he spoke of it to her as they walked beside the garden wall.
"Ahmed is a thief and as such he tends to be cautious. Also he is proud and wants to enhance his prowess."
"Is that all?"
"Of course." She turned to look at him, smiling. "What other reason could there be? You can trust him, Earl."
A conviction Dumarest didn't share. He said, "Are you coming with us?"
"Yes."
"I meant into the Temple."
"I can't do that." She walked seven paces in silence then added, "Remember we talked of weaknesses? Mine is pain. I can't stand it. I found that out on Kampher when some people I knew staged a rebellion. I didn't take part but I was taken in for questioning. They weren't gentle." She lifted her hands so as to display the livid blotches. "I told them everything they wanted to know."
"You can't be blamed for that."
"You are kind to say so. Not everyone would be so understanding. But I dare not go into the Temple and risk discovery by the priests. I learned from Karlene what will happen."
"Bad?" As she nodded, Dumarest added, "Is that the real reason Ahmed stopped you? Was he afraid you'd tell us what we'd face if we were caught?"
"Possibly. But, as I said, he can be trusted."
As the assassin, the fighter, the mercenary- all trusted to be hungry to make their fortunes. All united by greed. Not the best of motivations.
Ellen said, as if reading his thoughts, "Rauch had to take what he could get, Earl. That's why he wants you to take command."
Dumarest said, dryly, "Because I've guts, courage and intelligence?"
"You've got all that," she admitted. "But so have the others. What makes you special is that you have something else. A greater motivation." Halting, she turned to face him, to look up into his eyes. "They just want loot-but you want to find a world."
The air of Driest was far more salubrious than that of Erkalt and, instead of snow and ice, the window gave a view of rolling plains and distant hills all covered in a rich brown and green. A difference Clarge noted and dismissed as unimportant as he had the comfort of the room, the furnishings, the cool air vented through decorated grills. The room, the planet meant nothing.
Dumarest was gone.
The data lay before him: a mass of facts, reports, observations-the results of time-consuming but essential verification of statements made by those willing to help the Cyclan.
Again he checked them, feeling the mental glow of achievement which was the only real pleasure he could ever experience. His prediction had been correct-finding the woman had guided him to the man. Had he arrived a week earlier the hunt would now be over.