THE MAGIC LABYRINTH

"Then La Viro a

"This was The Gift, as it's generally called. You'll see it in the Temple. A golden helix. And so he made his home here.

"The children were brought up with discipline and love, and it was they who built this culture you see all about you."

John said, "If the citizens are as beautiful in spirit as their country is to the sight, then they must be angels."

"They're human," Goring said, "and so this is no Utopia, no Paradise. I believe, however, that you will not find any other place which has so many truly friendly, open, generous, and loving persons. It is a very pleasant place to live in, if you have a kindred spirit."

"Perhaps this would be a good place for a long shore leave," John said. "Besides, the motors need rewiring, and that takes time."

"How long you stay here depends upon you," Goring said.

John looked sharply at him.

Goring smiled, Was John considering how he could take advantage of the Virolanders? Or was he merely thinking that he could relax here, not have to worry about his boat being seized?

At this moment, a man entered the control room. He was about six feet high, deeply sun-bronzed, wide-shouldered, and barrel-chested. His straight hair was very black. Thick black eyebrows shaded large fierce black eyes. His face was as strong as any Goring had ever seen. The man radiated an aura which in Goring's childhood would have been called "animal magnetism."

John, catching sight of him said, "Ah, Gwalchgwy

Goring felt as if his blood had deserted his heart.

He murmured, "Burton!"

23

NO ONE SEEMED TO HAVE HEARD HIM.

From Burton's shocked expression, quickly masked, Goring knew that he had recognized him. When Goring was introduced to him as Brother Fenikso, La Viro's emissary and a subbishop, Burton bowed. He drawled, "Your Reverence," and he smiled mockingly.

"The Church has no such titles, Captain," Goring said. Burton knew that, of course. He was just being sarcastic.

That didn't matter. What did matter was that Burton seemed to have no desire to reveal that Fenikso was in reality Goring. He wasn't doing it to help Goring because he liked him, however. If he gave Goring's natal name, then Goring would reveal Burton's. And Burton must have much more at stake than he, Goring had. Actually, Goring had no strong reason to be pseudonymous. He just wanted to avoid having to explain why he was now a member of the Church. It was a long story and took much time, and many just refused to believe that his conversion had been sincere.

King John was charming to his visitor. He must have completely failed to recognize the man whose head he'd once savagely struck with a pistol butt. Goring wanted it to stay that way. If John still believed that he could rape and rob the locals, he would be on guard if he knew that a victim of the past was present. If he thought Fenikso was just a simple i

Of course, it might be that John's nature had changed for the better. Would Burton serve him if it hadn't?

Yes, he might if he wanted strongly to get to the headwaters.

But perhaps John was no longer a human hyena. Not that Goring meant to give the hyenas a bad name.

Wait and find out.

John invited the bishop to tour the boat. Goring accepted gladly. He'd been through it in Parolando before it was quite finished and so, even after so many years, knew its layout well. But now he could see it fully furnished and armed. He'd give a complete report to La Viro. His chief could then determine if it would be possible to sink the boat if it was necessary to do so. Goring didn't really take La Viro's statements about this seriously. He was sure that it couldn't be done without some bloodshed. However, he'd keep his counsel until asked for it.

Burton disappeared shortly after the tour began. He reappeared behind them ten minutes later and quietly rejoined them. This was just before they went into the grand salon. On entering, Goring saw the American, Peter Jairus Frigate, and the Englishwoman, Alice Hargreaves, playing billiards. He was shocked, and he stuttered for a moment replying to one of John's questions. The memory of what he'd done to them, especially to the woman, smote him with guilt.

Now his identity would be out. John would remember him. Strubewell would, too. And John would be deeply distrustful of him.

Goring wished now that he'd given his old name as soon as he met John. But who would have thought that, out of over thirty-five or -six billion people, one whom he'd known too well would be on this boat? And who would have imagined that not one but three such would be aboard?

Gott! Were there others? Where was that Neanderthal, Kazz, who worshipped Burton? The Arcturan who also claimed to be from Tau Ceti? The Tokharian, Loghu? The Jew, Ruach?

Like most of the many people in the salon, they looked up when the party entered. Even the black man playing the ragtime piece, "Kitten on the Keys," on the piano stopped, his fingers poised.

Strubewell loudly asked for silence and attention and got it. He introduced Brother Fenikso, La Viro's emissary, and said that Fenikso would be traveling with them to Aglejo. He was to be treated with every courtesy but at this time was not to be approached. His Majesty was taking him for a tour of the Rex.

The piano playing and the conversation started up again. Frigate and Hargreaves stared at him for a minute longer, then returned to their game. They did not seem to recognize him. Well, Goring thought, it has been nearly sixty years since we last saw each other. They didn't have his near-perfect recall. Still, their experiences with him had been so harrowing that he would have thought they'd never forget his face. Besides, Frigate, on Earth, had seen many photographs of him as a young man, which should reinforce his memory.

No, they wouldn't have forgotten. What had happened was that Burton had gotten to them during his absence from the tour. He'd told them to act as if they'd never seen him before.

Why?

To spare him guilt, their silence saying, in effect, "We forgive you now that you've changed. Let it be as if we're meeting for the first time"?

That didn't seem likely unless Burton's character had also changed. The true reason probably was that Goring, if revealed, would then reveal Burton. And for all he knew, Frigate and Hargreaves were under false names.

He didn't have much time to think about this matter. King John, playing the gracious host, insisted on showing him almost everything in the Rex. He also introduced him to many people, a large number of whom had been famous, infamous, or well known in their time. John, during the many years of travel up The River, had had a chance to pick up such notables. Which meant that he must have had to kick off those not so famous to make room for the famous.

Goring was not as impressed as John had expected him to be. As one who'd been the second-in-command of the German empire and thus had met many of the world's greats, Goring was not easily awed or bamboozled. Even more, his experiences with the greats and the near-greats on both worlds had made him well aware that the public image and-the person behind the facade were often pathetically or disgustingly dissimilar.