"I see. That is good to know. Then they do fear that which I bear."
"Of course. Will you bear it as far as Kilbar?"
"Yes. And I will win in Kilbar, also. I shall send for my mightiest weapons before we attack that city. The powers which I have held back to use upon the Celestial City itself will be unleashed upon my enemies when they come to the defense of doomed Kilbar."
"They, too, will bring mighty weapons."
"Then, when we meet, the outcome will lie neither in their hands nor in my hands, really."
"There is a way to tip the balance even further, Renfrew."
"Oh? What else have you in mind?"
"Many of the demigods are dissatisfied with the situation in the City. They had wanted a prolonged campaign against Accelerationism and against the followers of Tathagatha. They were disappointed when this did not follow Keenset. Also, Lord Indra has been recalled from the eastern continent, where he was carrying the war against the witches. Indra could be made to appreciate the sentiments of the demigods—and his followers will come hot from another battlefield."
Ganesha adjusted his cloak.
"Speak on," said Nirriti.
"When they come to Kilbar," said Ganesha, "it may be that they will not fight in its defense."
"I see. What will you gain from all this, Ganesha?"
"Satisfaction."
"Nothing more?"
"I would that you recall one day that I made this visit."
"So be it. I shall not forget, and you shall have reward of me afterward. . . . Guard!"
The tent flap was opened, and the one who had brought Ganesha re-entered the tent.
"Escort this man wherever he wants to be taken, and release him unharmed," Nirriti ordered.
"You would trust this one?" asked Olvegg, after he bad gone.
"Yes," said Nirriti, "but I would give him his silver afterward."
The Lokapalas sat to counsel within Sam's chamber at the Palace of Kama in Khaipur. Also present were Tak and Ratri.
"Taraka tells me that Nirriti will not have us on our terms," said Sam.
"Good," said Yama. "I half feared he would agree."
"And in the morning they attack Lananda. Taraka feels they will take the city. It will be a little more difficult than Mahartha was, but he is certain they will win. I am too."
"And I."
"And I."
"Then he will move on to this city, Khaipur. Then Kilbar, then Hamsa, then Gayatri. Somewhere along this route, he knows the gods will move against him."
"Of course."
"So we are in the middle and we have several choices before us. We could not make a deal with Nirriti. Do you think we could make one with Heaven?"
"No!" said Yama, slamming his fist upon the table. "Which side are you on, Sam?"
"Acceleration," he replied. "If it can be procured through negotiation, rather than unnecessary bloodshed, so much the better."
"I'd rather deal with Nirriti than Heaven!"
"So let us vote upon it as we did upon making the contact with Nirriti."
"And you require only one assent to win."
"Those were my terms upon entering the Lokapalas. You asked me to lead you, so I require the power to break a tie. Let me explain my reasoning, though, before we talk of a vote."
"Very well—talk!"
"Heaven has, in recent years, developed a more liberal attitude toward Acceleration, as I understand it. There has been no official change of position, but no steps have been taken against Acceleration either—presumably because of the beating they took at Keenset. Am I not correct?"
"Essentially," said Kubera.
"It seems that they have decided such actions would be too costly every time Science rears its ugly head. There were people, humans, fighting against them in that battle. Against Heaven. And people, unlike our selves, have families, have ties which weaken them—and they are bound to keep a clean karmic record if they desire rebirth. Still, they fought. Accordingly, Heaven has been moved to greater lenience in recent years. Since this is the situation as it actually exists, they have nothing to lose by acknowledging it. In fact, they could make it show to their favor, as a benign gesture of divine graciousness. I think that they would be willing to make the concessions Nirriti would not—"
"I want to see Heaven fall," said Yama.
"Of course. So do I. But think carefully. Just with what you've given to humans over the past half century—can Heaven hold this world in fief much longer? Heaven fell that day at Keenset. Another generation, perhaps two, and its power over mortals will have passed. In this battle with Nirriti they will be hurt further, even in victory. Give them a few more years of decadent glory. They become more and more impotent with every season. They have reached their peak. Their decline has set in."
Yama lit a cigarette.
"Is it that you want someone to kill Brahma for you?" asked Sam.
Yama sat silently, drew upon the cigarette, exhaled. Then, "Perhaps," he said. "Perhaps that is it. I do not know. I don't like to think about it. It is probably true, though."
"Would you like my guarantee that Brahma will die?"
"No! If you try it, I'll kill you!"
"You feel that you do not really know whether you want Brahma dead or alive. Perhaps it is that you love and hate simultaneously. You were old before you were young, Yama, and she was the only thing you ever cared for. Am I right?"
"Yes."
"Then I have no answer for you, for your own troubles, but you must separate yourself this much from the problem at hand."
"All right, Siddhartha. I vote to stop Nirriti here at Khaipur, if Heaven will back us."
"Does anybody have any objections to this?"
There was silence.
"Then let us journey to the Temple and commandeer its communications unit."
Yama put out his cigarette.
"But I will not speak with Brahma," he said.
"I'll do the talking," said Sam.
Ili, the fifth note of the harp, buzzed within the Garden of the Purple Lotus.
When Brahma activated the screen within his Pavilion, he saw a man who wore the blue-green turban of Urath.
"Where is the priest?" asked Brahma.
"Tied up outside. I can have him dragged in, if you'd like to hear a prayer or two. . ."
"Who are you that wears the turban of the First and goes armed in the Temple?"
"I have a strange feeling of having been through all this once before," said the man.
"Answer my questions!"
"Do you want Nirriti stopped. Lady? Or do you want to give him all these cities along the river?"
"You try the patience of Heaven, mortal? You shall not leave the Temple alive."
"Your threats of death mean nothing to the chief of the Lokapalas, Kali."
"The Lokapalas are no more, and they had no chief."
"You look upon him, Durga."
"Yama? Is that you?"
"No, but he is here with me—as are Krishna, and Kubera."
"Agni is dead. Every new Agni has died since. . ."
"Keenset. I know, Candi. I was not a member of the original team. Rild didn't kill me. The phantom cat who shall remain nameless did a good job, but it wasn't good enough. And now I've crossed back over the Bridge of the Gods. The Lokapalas have chosen me as their leader. We will defend Khaipur and break Nirriti, if Heaven will help us."
"Sam . . . it couldn't be you!"
"Then call me Kalkin, or Siddhartha, or Tathagatha, or Mahasamatman, or Binder, or Buddha, or Maitreya. It's Sam, though. I have come to worship thee and make a bargain."
"Name it."
"Men have been able to live with Heaven, but Nirriti is another matter. Yama and Kubera have brought weapons into the city. We can fortify it and whip up a good defense. If Heaven will add its power to our own, Nirriti will meet his downfall at Khaipur. We will do this, if Heaven will sanction Acceleration and religious freedom, and end the reign of the Lords of Karma."