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〃Get up；〃 Kerk said。 〃The call came through ten minutes ago。 The launch is leaving now with the cargo and we must ride to meet it。 The
…moropes are already saddled。〃 Jason groaned at the thought and sat up。 All of the heat was instantly sucked from his body and he began to shiver。
〃M…medikit…t；〃 he rattled。 〃Give me a good jolt of stimulants and painkillers because I have a feeling that it is going to be a very long day。〃
〃Wait here；〃 Kerk said。 〃I will meet the launch myself。〃
〃I would like to； but I can't。 I have to check the items before the launch returns to the ship。 Everything must be perfect。〃
They carried him to his morope and put him into the saddle。 Kerk took his reins and led the beast while Jason dozed； clutching the pommel so he would not fall。 They trotted through the predawn darkness and； by the time they had reached the appointed spot； the medication had taken hold and Jason felt remotely human。
〃The launch is touching down；〃 Kerk said； holding the radio to his ear。 There was the faintest rumble on the eastern horizon； a sound that would never be heard back at the camp。
〃Do you have the flashlight？〃 Jason asked。
〃Of course； wasn't that part of the instructions？〃 Jason could imagine the big man scowling into the darkness。 It was inconceivable for a Pyrran to forget instructions。 〃It has a photon store of x 8；ooo lumen…hours； and at full output can put out i；aoo LF。〃
〃Throttle it down； we don't need a tenth of that。 The verticapsule is phototropic and has been set to home on any light source twice as radiant as the brightest star…〃
〃Capsule launched； on this radio bearing； distance approximately ten kilometers。〃
〃Right。 It does about 120 an hour wide open so you can turn the light on now on the same bearing。 Give it something to look for。〃
〃Wait； the pilot's saying something。 Take the light。〃
Jason took the finger…sized tube and switched it on； turning the intensity ring until a narrow beam of light spiked away into the darkness。He pointed it in the direction of the grounded launch。
〃The pilot reports that they had some trouble making a stain take on the nylon rope。 It's on now； but they can't guarantee that it will be waterproof； and it is very blotchy。〃
〃The blotchier the better。 Just as long as it resembles leather from a distance。 And I'm not expecting any rain。 Did you hear that？〃
A rising hum sounded from the sky and they could make out a faint red light dropping down toward them。 A moment later the beam glinted from the silvery hull of the verticapsule and Jason turned down the light's intensity。 There was a faint whistle of jets as the meter…long
shape came into sight； dropping straight down； slowing as its radar altimeter sensed the ground。 When it was low enough； Kerk reached up and threw the landing switch； and it settled with a dying hum to the ground。 Jason ffipped open the cargo hatch and drew out the coil of brown rope。
〃Perfect；〃 he said； handing it to Kerk。 He burrowed deeper and produced a steel hammer that had been hand…forged from a single lump of metal。 It balanced nicely in his palm： the leather wrappings on the handle gave it a good grip。 It had been acid…etched and rubbed with dirt to simulate age。
〃What is this？〃 Kerk asked； pulling a metal spike out of the partment and turning it over in the light。
〃A piton； a solid one。 Half of them should be like that； and half with clips…like this one。〃 He held up a similar spike that had a hole drilled in its broad end through which a ringlike clip had been passed。
'These things mean nothing to me；〃 Kerk said。
'They don't have to。〃 Jason emptied the cargo partment while he spoke。 〃I'm climbing the spire and I know how to use them。 I only wish that I could take along some of the more modern climbing equipment； but that would give me away at once。 If we had any in the ship； which we don't。 There are explosive piton setters that will drive a spike into the hardest rock； and instant…adhesive pitons that set in less than a second and the join is tougher than the rock around it。 But I'm not using any of them。 But I have had this rope wrapped around one of those monofilaments of grown ceramic fiber； the ones we use instead of barbed wire。 With a breaking strength of more than z；ooo kilos。 But what I have here will get me up the spire。 I'll just climb until I run out of handholds； then I'll stop and drive in a piton and climb on it。 For overhangs； or any other place where I need a rope； I use the ones with the rings。 And these are for use close to the ground。〃 He held up a crude…looking piton marred by hand…forged hammer blows and pitted with age。 〃All of these are made from bar…steel stock； which is a little rare in this part of the world。 So the ones Temuchin and his men will see have been made into artificial antiques。 Everything's here。 You can tell the launch to take the verticapsule back。〃
The jets blew sand in their faces as the capsule rose and vanished。 Jason held the light while Kerk tied the plaited leather rope to the end of the stained nylon line； then stowed this in the backpack； along with the rest of the equipment that Jason would use during the climb。 Behind them； as they rode back to the encampment； the first light of dawn touched the horizon。
When the Pyrrans marched up The Slash； they saw that a desperate battle had been fought during the night。 The dam of rubble and rock still sealed the neck of the valley…but now it was sprfnkled darkly with corpses。 Soldiers slept on the ground； out of bowshot of the enemy above； many of them wounded。 A bloodstained nomad； with the totem of the lizard clan on his helm； sat impassively while a fellow clansman cut at the bone shaft of the arrow that had penetrated his arm。
〃What happened here？〃 Jason asked him。
'We attacked at night；〃 the wounded soldier said。 〃We could not be quiet because the rocks slipped and rolled away while we climbed； and many were hurt in this way。 When we were close to the top； the weasels threw bundles of burning grass on our heads and they were above us on the clifftop in the darkness。 We could not fight back and only those who were not high on the rocks lived to e down again。 It was very bad。〃
〃But very good for us；〃 Kerk said as they moved on。 〃Temuchin will have lost prestige with this defeat； and we will gain it when we climb the rock。 If we can…〃
〃Don't start the doubting act again；〃 Jason said。 〃Just stand by at the base here and pretend that you know exactly what is going on。〃
Jason took off his heavy outer clothing and shivered。 Well； he would warm up quickly enough as soon as he started his ascent。 From below the tower looked as unclimbable as the side of a spaceship。 He was tying the piton hammer's thong around his wrist when Ahankk walked up； his face working as he tried both to sneer and to look dubious at the same time。
〃I have been told； jongleur； that you are so stupid you think you can climb straight up rock。〃
〃That is not all you have been told；〃 Jason said； slipping his arms through the pack straps and settling the pack on his back。 〃Lord Temuchin told you to e here to see what happens。 So get fortable and rest your legs for the moment when you must run to your master with the glad news of my success。〃