“To feast on the riches of the empire,” said Tuvo.
“Two can lift a weight which might not be borne by one,” said Axel.
“And what,” asked Otto, “when the feast is done, when the weight need no longer be borne?”
“Then,” said Ulrich, “knives will be once more unsheathed.”
“I know little or nothing of the medallion and chain,” said Otto, “though I now understand its importance. Perhaps this was understood, as well, even long ago, by Brother Benjamin. Why, then, would he, a creature of peace, a gentle creature, a seeker of holiness, relinquish the talisman, and its power, to either warlike Vandals or Alemanni?”
“I do not think he did,” said Julian. “I think it was stolen, and the festung soon destroyed, to conceal the matter.”
“The matter had naught to do with heresy?” said Otto.
“Very little, I suspect,” said Julian. “The first project is power, the controlling of worlds. Heresy may then be extirpated at one’s leisure.”
“I did not even know it existed,” said Otto.
“It had become much a thing of legend,” said Julian.
“But now,” said Tuvo, “it appears, as if from nowhere, and in the hands of Drisriaks.”
“It is not just the Drisriaks and the Vandals,” said Julian. “Tribes, peoples, and worlds are affected, as well. Many look with envy on the empire, and, seeing the Vandals and the Drisriaks joined, will flock to surprising standards, that they, too, may hurry to so golden a trough.”
“And, in the light of the talisman,” said Tuvo, “the empire is lost.”
“No,” said Julian.
“How, no?” asked Tuvo.
“I have seen the talisman,” said Julian.
“So, dear friend?” said Tuvo.
“I have a plan,” said Julian.
31
“How kind of you to visit me in my humble quarters,” purred Sidonicus, Exarch of Telnar.
“I thought it unwise to decline your invitation,” said Iaachus, Arbiter of Protocol.
“You may kneel, and kiss my ring,” said Sidonicus.
“I think not,” said Iaachus.
“As you wish,” said Sidonicus. “You were somewhat late. Did you have difficulty negotiating the streets?”
“They are dangerous,” said Iaachus. “The riots.”
“Civil disturbances are most regrettable,” said the exarch.
“Perhaps you might resist the temptation of fomenting them,” said the Arbiter of Protocol.
“I assure you,” said Sidonicus, “I know nothing of them.”
“The temple of Orak, father of the gods, has been burned,” said Iaachus.
“A false god, of course,” said Sidonicus.
“A large and beautiful building,” said Iaachus. “Similarly, shrines, temples, and chapels have been rifled, offerings stolen, images defaced; devotees beaten; scroll houses have been forced, and scrolls torn apart, taken outside, and burned.”
“What is needful,” said Sidonicus, “is contained in the scrolls of Floon, in the holy books of Floon, in the canon. If what is in such scroll houses duplicates what is in the canon it is superfluous; if it contradicts what is in the canon, it is pernicious, and should be destroyed.”
“Statues have been pulled down, broken, and defiled,” said Iaachus, “those of Umba, Andrak, Foebus, and many others, even that of Kragon, the god of war.”
“We of the conversion of Floon,” said Sidonicus, “are gentle folk, lovers of peace, and holiness.”
“Two priests of Orak were killed in the streets,” said Iaachus, “torn apart, cut to pieces.”
“Better they had been converted,” said Sidonicus.
“What do you want?” asked Iaachus.
“Peace and holiness,” said Sidonicus.
“Worlds have fallen,” said Iaachus.
“Would you care for kana?” asked Sidonicus.
“We have called men to arms,” said Iaachus. “Old men, boys, beg for weapons. But many men decline service. They despair. They wait. Cowardice is hailed as patriotism, treason as service to the empire. Generals are threatened. Admirals have no ships. Aristocrats wallow in their luxuries, commoners hide, foundering in their comforts. Thousands of your Floonians not in the streets gather to sing hymns, will not touch a weapon.”
“Do not be surprised,” said Sidonicus. “Floon was a prophet of peace, of holy substance, indeed, identical with that of Karch, but different.”
“What do you want?” asked Iaachus, again.
“What we will have,” said Sidonicus. “The empire.”
“I think your private quarters,” said Iaachus, “are less humble than one would suppose for a ministrant, the drapes, the silken hangings, the silver and gold vessels, the golden candelabra, the paintings, the objects of art, the rich carpets, from Beyira II, if I am not mistaken, the giant replica, in gold, it seems, of a torture rack, covering a wall.”
“I pay no attention to such things personally,” said Sidonicus, “but I find them useful in impressing secular visitors.”
“Of a given station?” asked Iaachus.
“Certainly,” said Sidonicus, “lesser men expect simpler arrangements.”
“I am impressed,” said Iaachus.
“I expected you would be,” said the exarch.
“I see there is no tortured figure of Floon, portrayed in gold, on that rack on the wall,” said Iaachus. “I gather that is because when the current was turned on there would soon be little left but scraps of flesh clinging to the heated metal.”
“No,” said Sidonicus. “It has to do with the many species.”
“Floon was an Ogg,” said Iaachus.
“Strictly, in a sense,” said Sidonicus, “but we must remember that he was identical with Karch, as well as different. Thus, we think it best for every species to think of Floon as being of their own species. In this way it is easier to spread his holy teachings.”
“You are astute,” said Iaachus.
“The faith is astute,” said Sidonicus.
“You want the empire?” said Iaachus.
“And will have it,” said Sidonicus.
“You know my reputation?” said Iaachus.
“Of course,” said Sidonicus. “A master of intrigue, a subtle and unscrupulous monster of duplicity, an almost invisible mover of men and shaper of policies, such things.”
“And yet,” said Iaachus, “I could not even bring myself to think in your terms, let alone act in them, to lie, to trap minds, to promulgate superstition, to incite cruelty and violence, masquerading as right and justice.”
“Where the koos is concerned,” said Sidonicus, “one must not vacillate or compromise.”
“There is nothing in the teachings of Floon to condone or legitimize what you are doing,” said Iaachus. “He eschewed institutions. He preached simplicity. He seemed to love all things, rational creatures, irrational creatures, stars, moons, pebbles, weeds, all things, living and dead.”
“His teachings must be properly understood, of course,” said Sidonicus. “Also, there is unfolding revelation.”
“And who unfolds it?” asked Iaachus.
“Qualified ministrants,” said Sidonicus, “after prayer and fasting.”
“And who qualifies these qualified ministrants?”
“Other qualified ministrants.”
“And who qualifies them?” asked Iaachus.
“Surely you do not think this has anything to do with Floon,” said Sidonicus.
“No?” said Iaachus.
“No,” said Sidonicus, “Floon has nothing to do with this.”
“I see,” said Iaachus.
“I thought you would, eventually,” said Sidonicus.
“You shall not have the empire,” said Iaachus.
“I understand that your influence with the empress mother is waning,” said Sidonicus.
“Call back your people,” said Iaachus. “Free the streets.”
“Dogs, once unleashed,” said Sidonicus, “are often difficult to restrain.”
“I will have troops fire on them,” said Iaachus.
“And create a thousand martyrs?” asked the exarch.
“They are arsonists, looters, murderers,” said Iaachus.