01 Taxilas Children

TAXILA'S CHILDREN
assessed him quietly. He wasn't a young man but he was younger than Lyot. Laoni looked
almost a child compared with him. Steve wondered momentarily, if Laoni had ever been a
child, he dismissed the thought. Rho Arpor was richly decked in a tunic which shone with
gold and silver thread. Here and there, a gem sparkled in the light of the oil fed chandeliers.
His hair was long and fell straight to his shoulders. He was clean shaven, unlike most of the
other Lynxe males around the table. The High Thane glanced in his direction and smiled
slightly, Steve nodded and didn't drop his eyes.
The evening passed quite convivially and Steve consumed a carefully controlled volume of
the slightly acidic wine. He maintained his level of alertness and for some reason
remembered an Old Earth saying: 'If you sup with the devil, make sure you use a long spoon'.
The inner man suddenly stirred and Rho Arpor looked at him and smiled again. This time,
Steve looked away and for the first time, realised that Zayez the All Wise, together with a
party of his Adepts, were seated some way around the fan of tables. It stood to reason that he
would be present at such an important occasion - he might even be called upon to take some
part in the Formal Declaration.
The celebration lasted well into the night. Eventually, Rho Arpor rose in his place and took
his intended consort by one hand. It was the signal for them to go to their beds. Steve had a
passing thought and wondered in whose bed Laoni would spend the night. He dismissed it, it
wasn't his concern. Of one thing he was sure, no one would spend the night with him.
The Bole had also had an uneventful evening. If Rho Arpor was planning any retribution
for past events, he was not going to risk a frontal assault. Steve lay on his bed and stared out
into the night. The rumble of the cascade was soothing - but it also masked any sounds
beyond the curtain of his room. He drifted into sleep, lulled by the muted roar of water. It was
time for one of his journeys.
This time, he did not resist or struggle against the separation from his sleeping form. He
glanced briefly downward at his physical self, before commencing the wild ride through the
star fields to a destination part of him knew. Once again, he came to a place where time and
matter was in flux. Where he felt the tug of an almost irresistible force which threatened to
draw him after the flow of stars racing past him.
He waited, but there was no whisper of voices from the Abyss. He was there for a purpose,
but it was not to listen to the complaints of Zayez, Hella and Harma. He knew why he was
there. From out of the flood of star stuff, another figure emerged. He watched its approach
critically. The golden hair flowed over its shoulders and the naked body gleamed in the light
of a million suns. He drew close and stabilised to hover a few paces from him. The newcomer
smiled.
"We meet at last, Taxila."
Taxila nodded.
"It is our destiny always to meet and to be in conflict, Shaita."
Shaita laughed.
"Who is to tell us what is our destiny, Taxila? We are free agents now that they have
entered the Abyss!"
"You mean, they were deluded into entering the Abyss."
Shaita's smile widened.
"Yes, I was rather clever wasn't I?"
"We trusted you - "
"Which proves how unreliable it is to be trusting."
"Always the clever tongue, Shaita."
"Flatterer! Just think, Taxila, they are at our mercy. One exertion in the Psi and Zayez,
Harma and Hella will be thrust down beyond the point of return and they will be gone for
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