The priest clenched his fists. "You wouldn't!"

"I would."

"Yes, Greek, I think you would... for you are the ultimate obscene evil..."

"Well?"

"But hear me well, son of darkness. We speak only of the faithless slave girl. What Horus intends to be your fate, only the G.o.d can say."

"Such is my understanding."

"Then consider it done." The priest struck his chest with his fist. "I will have the temple clerks draw up the agreement, in hieroglyphics and in Greek, and I will come with it to the Serapeum tomorrow afternoon. We will sign before witnesses."

"Yes." Eratosthenes turned back toward the balcony. The priest hesitated for a moment, then followed at a dozen paces. He swirled his cloak about him as though to minimize contamination from the air the Greek pa.s.sed through.

15. Sirius Rising

As he stood on the balcony with the girl, Khor found himself thinking of Queva, and Ne-tiy, and how they seemed to blend into one person, one pa.s.sionate loving mind. "I will wait for you," Queva had said.

He had followed closely the negotiations between Eratosthenes and Hor-ent-yotf. Ne-tiy had saved the Greek's life at apparent cost of her own, and now the man had given up all that he had to save her. Khor would not have believed these creatures capable of such n.o.bility. But there it was. Strong stuff. How was he going to enter this in the ship's log? The Supervisor would neither believe nor understand. So skip it all. Maybe tell Queva someday.

I'm very nearly done here, thought the star-traveler. Just one more little job. Ah, come on out on the balcony, Eratosthenes. And here comes Hor-ent-yotf, right behind you. That's good, very good. He shot a thought to the Greek: "Dawn is coming, friend. Look, there's my home star-rising just over the sea!"

"Sirius?" said Eratosthenes, pointing.

"Sothis!" said Hor-ent-yotf, giving the Egyptian name for the great blue star.

Khor spoke again to the mind of Eratosthenes: "Your Sirius-my home star. And a fine conclusion to a profitable visit. You see the first heliacal rising of Sirius, or Sothis, and you tell me that means the Nile has now started to rise. It means the summer solstice, and great festivities throughout the land, going on for days. Thank you for all your help in repairing my ship, and for your contributions, including this last."

"Our pleasure, esteemed visitor!" Then he stopped. "This... last?"

"Especially this last," replied Khor cryptically. "It is time for me to go. If I launch within the next few minutes, my trajectory vectors out directly toward Sirius."

"I'll call Ne-tiy, and she'll run you over to your ship." He was still puzzled.

"No need. I know where it is."

"But how-?"

"Ah, my friend, I see you really didn't know. Well then, in view of what is about to happen, perhaps you should have some important witnesses. Get Ptolemy and one or two others. Quickly now."

Eratosthenes felt a lump of cold lead forming in his stomach.

"Hurry!" said Khor. Through the black body veil the command burst like the hiss of the great gyrfalcon.

G.o.ds! thought the Greek. That was an actual shouted command! He's vocalizing! The librarian sliced through the balcony drapes and stumbled into Claudius Pulcher, arm in arm with Ptolemy. "My lords," he gasped, "could you please join me on the balcony?"

"What's up, Eratosthenes?" demanded the Greek pharaoh. "Oh, I know-Sirius is now visible? Is that it?"

"Majesty, if you please..." Eratosthenes pulled the drapes aside.

A little crowd was already gathering: Pauni... Hamilcar Barca... a dozen gilded dignitaries.

The tall shrouded figure faced them all, then bowed especially to Ptolemy. "Thank you for a pleasant evening, ruler of Egypt," he said in harsh sibilant tones. He took his shroud with both hands and in a smooth majestic motion pulled it away from his head and body, then let it fall to the floor.

They stared.

The great head was entirely feathered. The mouth was an amber beak. Feathers scintillated on arms and chest. Some sort of breech-clout covered the groin. The legs terminated in scales and in what were almost human feet, except that the toes were taloned. As in the raptor birds of the Nile, a horizontal fold over each eye gave the face a stern, even fierce expression.

Eratosthenes now realized that the outlander was a consummate actor, that every word, every gesture, was planned for its dramatic effect, and that this terrified audience lay in the hands of Khor.

The mystery-creature now made his feathers vibrate, so that they excited nearby nitrogen atoms, and surrounded his plumaged body in a golden triboluminescent glow.

Ptolemy dropped his wine cup. Even Eratosthenes, who had suspected something like this would happen, was stunned.

"Horus!" gasped Hor-ent-yotf. "Thou art the G.o.d!"

"Thou sayest, worthy Hor-ent-yotf," hissed the visitor.

"To your knees, everyone," roared the priest.

And so they did. With one exception. Rabbi Ben Shem tore his cloak and ran screaming from the room.

Khor looked full at Hor-ent-yotf. "Come."

Hor-ent-yotf rose and walked forward, as though tranced. Khor took the man in his arms. "Arise, all, and witness," he commanded.

Gigantic wings unfolded from Khor's shoulders. The spread of those great pinions exceeded even the breadth of the balcony.

And now even Eratosthenes was done in. He p.r.o.nounced slowly, quietly, and with great conviction, his favorite schoolboy oath. "Holy... excrement... of Zeus!"

Khor ignored him. "Since I take with me this holy man, I must appoint and sanctify a person to take his place, and to rule my holy temples in his stead. I name Ne-tiy. Come forward, child!"

They made way for the slave-girl. She bowed before the winged thing.

"I name thee High Priestess for Horus, for Egypt, and for all the world, exalted above all men, above even my n.o.ble son, the pharaoh Ptolemy. Take thee to mate whom thou wilt. Be fruitful, and be merry. I go."

He held the priest with one hand and tossed something to Eratosthenes with the other.

Next, there was a tremendous rush of air from the fantastic wings, and the giant birdman leaped over the bal.u.s.trade and was gone.

Eratosthenes watched for a moment. At least the coursing creature was headed in the right direction.

Should he feel sorry for Hor-ent-yotf? He decided that maybe he should. However, he didn't. A character flaw, possibly. But who was perfect?

The rest of them joined him at the parapet. AH eyes were looking out over the city, searching the skies. And now a collective gasp. "There!" cried someone. "The chariot!"' shouted another. "See the lights!"

"Straight into the rising sun!"