Part 36 (2/2)

”Not necessarily. If the reflectives do not see such moves as part of their overall plan, they will travel elsewhere, and it will be difficult for us to resist being carried along.”

”Then they will need a little convincing.” Kestrel

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smiled and rubbed his hands together. His thoughts began to jump as he looked back to Abel with calculating

eyes.

”What about a trap?” he asked. ”Now that I think of it, this move to the center of the hexagon seems very obvious. Suppose it is part of some greater symmetry that is being planned by the reflectives.”

”I had not thought of that,” Astron exclaimed. The demon looked at Kestrel and wrinkled his nose. ”Another example of the kind of thinking you were talking about as we returned from the glen of the harebell, I suppose. But yes, if I can understand the strategy of the move with such little exposure, how subtle indeed can it be? Why would the reflectives move to the node that completes the hexagon, rather than choose another oasis that does not impress symmetry so strongly upon them?”

Kestrel did not bother to hear the rest of what Astron said. He sprang to his feet and walked to the subnode that was occupied by the commander. Fortunately the rotators had so carefully distributed everyone about the oasis that the resistance of maintaining symmetry could almost totally be ignored.

”Commander,” he said, ”how cunning have the reflectives proven to be in the past?”

Abel looked up from the map he was studying and pursed his lips. ”The reflectives do not act with cunning. If they did, I would grant them a small token of respect. Instead, they employ any methods to enforce advantage -poisoning oases just as they leave or imitating our signal flares with messages of deception.”

”And you?” Kestrel smiled. ”The rotators do not engage in such tactics when the alternative would be a defeat?”

”Certainly not.” Abel glowered. ”It is the fundamental difference between the two of us. We wish to rid this realm of the reflectives, it is true; but for the rotators, the end does not justify all means.”

Kestrel looked to the horizon and rubbed his chin. ”Suppose I can provide you a method that will result in substantial advantage,” he said, ”something that might

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tip the struggle permanently in your favor,”

”I do not know the customs of your realm,” Abe! said. ”What you judge to be of no consequence might be totally out of concert with what we rotators believe.”

”It is more a a matter of cunning than the poisoning of wells,” Kestrel said.

”Speak and I shall judge,” Abel said. ”If what you say has merit, then I will pledge my token to your command and all of those who can be communicated with by sky-ribbon as well.”

Kestrel looked into the cold gray eyes and hesitated. Among men, he had seen such an expression only in the most steadfast of wizards. ”I do not seek your command,” he said quickly. ”I propose only to offer advice. If it is accepted, then the results will be compensation enough for those who travel with me.”

”I command or I do not,” Abel said. ”If your plan is accepted, then you carry the burden of responsibility of our lives. That has been the way of the rotators since the beginning of time.”

Kestrel looked around the oasis uncomfortably. Enough of the stone-gray warriors at other subnodes had overheard the conversation that they were looking at him intently. His goal was to get Phoebe away from another realm as well. He glanced out over the sands and felt a return of the feeling that had pulled at him until just moments before. There was no other choice. He would have to see through Astron's idea and work out the consequences later.

”I think that rather than moving to the center of the hexagon that we now occupy,” Kestrel said at last, ”we should strike for the origin of the realm by another route. The present maneuver is too obvious; it is most likely a trap. What do you say to surrendering responsibility if such were my first command?”

”Your scheme is one of correct moves and nothing more?” Abel asked. ”No special weapons or tricks outside the custom?”

”No, none of that,” Kestrel said. ”But that is not the point.”

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