01 Taxilas Children

TAXILA'S CHILDREN
"I'm not trying to pick a fight with you."
"Sorry."
"You don't know what you're riding into."
"Nothing's happened at the Thanehold which would make me nervous. I would know."
"But something is going to - "
"Perhaps - I can look after myself."
"Against Rho Arpor, seven Adepts and thirty armed men?"
"You sound like a mother Vix with twins."
They clasped hands and Danyk mounted. He called over his shoulder.
"I'll let you know when it's safe to come."
"I thought you said it was safe NOW!"
"I'll give your passionate greetings to Maia!"
He nudged the Vix into a slow plod across the open ground and vanished into the inner
archway. Steve felt suddenly vulnerable. He turned quickly and re-entered the Temple, it was
suddenly a cavern in which lurked obscure dangers. He avoided crossing the part of the floor
which contained the image and kept his eyes averted from it. If Danyk was correct, at some
time in a future journey, he would return to a younger planet and to the people who had
created this city and he would be the inspiration of the artist who would fashion his likeness.
In the quietness of the living area, he forced himself to think about it. The past was the
future, the future was the past. The journey through the channels of the Psi promising to be
one of contradictions and convolutions. It sounded like a trackless nightmare.
He was untroubled by a visitation from the man within. Perhaps, Taxila needed to sleep as
well - there was no responsive surge of humour at the thought - perhaps, he wasn't home!
Steve grew more restless as the day progressed. Eventually, he couldn't stand being confined
within the living quarters any longer and the great room of the Temple had no attraction. He
felt dwarfed by its immensity and the consciousness of his image imbedded in the floor, gave
him no peace. He wondered how far into the city he had been permitted to penetrate. It was a
huge place and he knew only a tiny corner.
The parkland surrounded the Temple, coming right up to the colonnaded steps on three
sides. The fourth side, which contained the living quarters, was much greater than he had
supposed, but the parkland continued round the solid wing of the building. Beyond the
parkland was a high wall, similar to that in which the five sided arch had given him access.
He followed it round, it took some time and he was very warm by the time he had completed
the circuit. He found himself back at the original entry point.
The rest of the city was still closed off to him. If he had had the energy and the inclination,
he could have tried thinking intensely of how nice it would be to enter the closed areas. He
wasn't all that interested. He wanted to be free of the place and the ever present image which
seemed to leer at him as he passed. His imagination was working overtime. The Temple
seemed an ominous place now that he was alone. His restlessness increased with every
passing minute.
He tried to feel if Danyk had opened a channel to him, but it appeared that he had not done
so. He tried to visualise what might be happening at the Thanehold. Danyk would have
arrived just as the evening meal was being served. Steve could imagine the scene, with Rho
Arpor sitting languidly confident in the place of honour, whilst Lyot would act the perfect
host, his mind locked against any intrusion.
Maia would be there, her thoughts focused on him. He wondered why he wasn't able to
grasp her in his mind, but it was as if she slipped away every time he tried to hold her. He
wondered if it was some trick of Rho Arpor and his seven remaining Adepts, or whether it
was the hidden man Taxila, denying him the consolation of her company - even in thought!
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