'They were after me, but I wasn't there. Jacowicz settled his score with me by killing the two people who were most important to me.'
'Because of your father?'
Dorland shook his head. 'Because of me.' A wry, humorless smile crossed his lips. 'I was also a heretic.'
'Now they've found you again.'
'It would appear so.'
Brill's got ten more like Deacon Bekman.
'You're wanted for heresy. But you've been away from Clarion for years. Why would they want you badly enough to risk coming after you?' Dorland took a moment to answer. 'High Elder Brill and Elder Jacowicz see me as a threat.'
'Why?'
'Because I know some of their secrets.'
'What kind of secrets?'
'How they maintain their grip over the people of Clarion.'
William Greenleaf
50
Paul decided to let that rest for a while. 'We should level with Sabre. Tell him what he wants to know so he can protect you.'
'Nobody can protect me from the Holy Order.' Paul sipped again from the cup. 'Do you have the stream coordinates for Clarion?'
Dorland shook his head.
'Then how can we get there?'
'We'll go with Selmer.'
'He's already gone.'
'Selmer wouldn't give up that easily. He'll be back tonight. Tell Jeffrey to watch for him in the auditorium and let him know I want to talk to him.'
'We'll never see him again. He said you had just one chance.'
'He'll be back.'
Chapter Five
PAUL FELT A BRIEF INSTANT OF VERTIGO WHEN
the scoutcraft broke out of the stream after the final skip. The bank of vidscreens above the control console flickered, and the screen in the center cleared with a view of a brownish-green planet.
In the pilot's chair beside him, Selmer Ogram gave the drive system a final command and leaned back to look at the screen. 'Home at last!' He looked over his shoulder at Dorland Avery in the rear passenger compartment. 'Look familiar?' Dorland offered no response. He was hunched in one corner of the wide seat, staring up at the vidscreen. His face was expressionless. He had been immersed in his own thoughts during the entire trip.
Ogram turned back to the console. 'Well, it looks good to me.'
Paul had fervently hoped they would never see Selmer Ogram again after his departure through the window of Dorland's dressing room. But
Ogram had returned to the auditorium for the 51
