the circle of black water far below. They watched in the gathering twilight as a slim white figure free of sword and tunic dove into the still pool.
The Commodore leaned back on a stone bench, his bad humor somewhat abated. He drew a bottle from his pocket. Ohan recognized it as coming from the tavern back at the edge of the forest. The Commodore pulled the cork and offered a toast. "Whether the blood in their veins be warm or cold, their skin furry, scaled or smooth, from one end of the galaxy to the other, they remain a beautiful mystery. Here's to the ladies, may we always be able to appreciate them even though we shall never comprehend them."
He took a long draught from the bottle and passed it to the old man who drank, at first tentatively, then deeply. "Folks used to make stuff like this back in the old days." He took another swallow and passed the bottle to one of the twins. "They used roots and tree bark. I tried to make some on my own a while back. Alexander didn't approve. Thought it was a waste of good roots."
He followed the bottle's progress from one twin to the other. "That was a long time ago," he said wistfully. "Haven't had none since."
Ohan took a small sip, found it unpleasant and passed the bottle to the Commodore who raised it aloft. "Greater love hath no man than to give up booze for a friend. I hope Alexander appreciates your sacrifice."
By the time Leahn and Alexander returned—she looking refreshed and clean, he looking smug—the rest of the party was relaxed and the bottle was empty.
As they sat in the evening air on the rim of the pit, Elor indicated the big pyramid lost in the trees behind them. "We have saved the largest structure for last. Tomorrow we should examine it." He turned to the old man. "You said the smaller ones were dedicated to the two moons. What about the big one?"
"The Eye of God," the old man said. "That's his pyramid."
Elor nodded. "I thought it might be."
"Many's the night my daddy and I would sit up there and watch the sky and he'd tell me about the folks who built the city." He scratched absently behind Alexander's ear. "I'd dearly like to be here when they come back on their pillars of fire. That'd be something to see."
He became excited and turned to the twins. "And if your little machine will paint me a picture of how the big pyramid looks under all that dirt, I'll show it to them, show them it's as good and pretty as new once they scrape the grass and leaves off."
The Commodore heaved himself to his feet. "Our little machine will be delighted to oblige you, my friend. And now, since we're going that way anyway, I propose that we scale the heights of your great pyramid and commune with its essence under the stars before the morrow when we delve into its innards."
The old man clapped his hands. "That would be wonderful. I haven't been up there at night for a long time. Alexander ain't much for climbing."
"You're telling me?" Leahn laughed. "I had to push him up the last half of the trail." Alexander snorted. "He and I have had about all the excitement we need for one day. You go exploring. We're going to bed."
The stone steps cut into the face of the pyramid were steep but not dangerous. The old man had managed to keep the side facing the broad mall relatively free of growth but the other three sides of the big stepped structure had been reclaimed by the forest.
"There's nine platforms including the one on top," the old man puffed as they stopped to rest part way up. "Same number of doorways in each of the long buildings. My daddy showed me that but he didn't know why it was."
Each step was three times as high as it was deep. The party had little breath left to exclaim over the spectacular view that greeted them when they finally arrived, gasping, at the top. The treetops were far below. They faced the ornate stone temple in the center of the topmost platform. Its two dark doorways stared blindly at them but behind and all around the temple rose the cold
The Commodore leaned back on a stone bench, his bad humor somewhat abated. He drew a bottle from his pocket. Ohan recognized it as coming from the tavern back at the edge of the forest. The Commodore pulled the cork and offered a toast. "Whether the blood in their veins be warm or cold, their skin furry, scaled or smooth, from one end of the galaxy to the other, they remain a beautiful mystery. Here's to the ladies, may we always be able to appreciate them even though we shall never comprehend them."
He took a long draught from the bottle and passed it to the old man who drank, at first tentatively, then deeply. "Folks used to make stuff like this back in the old days." He took another swallow and passed the bottle to one of the twins. "They used roots and tree bark. I tried to make some on my own a while back. Alexander didn't approve. Thought it was a waste of good roots."
He followed the bottle's progress from one twin to the other. "That was a long time ago," he said wistfully. "Haven't had none since."
Ohan took a small sip, found it unpleasant and passed the bottle to the Commodore who raised it aloft. "Greater love hath no man than to give up booze for a friend. I hope Alexander appreciates your sacrifice."
By the time Leahn and Alexander returned—she looking refreshed and clean, he looking smug—the rest of the party was relaxed and the bottle was empty.
As they sat in the evening air on the rim of the pit, Elor indicated the big pyramid lost in the trees behind them. "We have saved the largest structure for last. Tomorrow we should examine it." He turned to the old man. "You said the smaller ones were dedicated to the two moons. What about the big one?"
"The Eye of God," the old man said. "That's his pyramid."
Elor nodded. "I thought it might be."
"Many's the night my daddy and I would sit up there and watch the sky and he'd tell me about the folks who built the city." He scratched absently behind Alexander's ear. "I'd dearly like to be here when they come back on their pillars of fire. That'd be something to see."
He became excited and turned to the twins. "And if your little machine will paint me a picture of how the big pyramid looks under all that dirt, I'll show it to them, show them it's as good and pretty as new once they scrape the grass and leaves off."
The Commodore heaved himself to his feet. "Our little machine will be delighted to oblige you, my friend. And now, since we're going that way anyway, I propose that we scale the heights of your great pyramid and commune with its essence under the stars before the morrow when we delve into its innards."
The old man clapped his hands. "That would be wonderful. I haven't been up there at night for a long time. Alexander ain't much for climbing."
"You're telling me?" Leahn laughed. "I had to push him up the last half of the trail." Alexander snorted. "He and I have had about all the excitement we need for one day. You go exploring. We're going to bed."
The stone steps cut into the face of the pyramid were steep but not dangerous. The old man had managed to keep the side facing the broad mall relatively free of growth but the other three sides of the big stepped structure had been reclaimed by the forest.
"There's nine platforms including the one on top," the old man puffed as they stopped to rest part way up. "Same number of doorways in each of the long buildings. My daddy showed me that but he didn't know why it was."
Each step was three times as high as it was deep. The party had little breath left to exclaim over the spectacular view that greeted them when they finally arrived, gasping, at the top. The treetops were far below. They faced the ornate stone temple in the center of the topmost platform. Its two dark doorways stared blindly at them but behind and all around the temple rose the cold
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