“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.”
“That’s quite a bit, Sam . . .”
“The first two merely amount to agreeing that something does exist and has a right to go on. The third will come to pass whether you like it or not, so I’m giving you a chance to be graceful about it.”
“I’ll have to think . . .”
“Take a minute. I’ll wait. If the answer is no, though, we’ll pull out and let Renfrew have this city, defile this Temple. After he’s taken a few more, you’ll have to meet him. We won’t be around then, though. We’ll wait till it’s all over. If you’re still in business then, you won’t be in any position to decide about those terms I just gave you. If you’re not, I think we’ll be able to take the Black One on and best him and what will be left of his zombies. Either way, we get what we want. This way is easier on you, though.”
“All right! I’ll muster the forces immediately. We will ride together in this last battle, Kalkin. Nirriti dies at Khaipur! Keep someone there in the comm-room, so we can stay in contact.”
“I’ll make this my headquarters.”
“Now untie the priest and bring him here. He is about to receive some divine orders, and, shortly, a divine visitation.”
“Yes, Brahma.”
“Sam, wait! After the battle, should we live, I would talk with you—concerning mutual worship.”
“You wish to become a Buddhist?”
“No, a woman again . . .”
“There is a place and a moment for all things, and this is neither.”
“When the time and the moment occur, I will be there.”