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y south along its face as well。 The plan he had in mind required that he go south。 It was a simple plan； basically。 It was also madly dangerous … or he would have thought it so； had he not found himself in a situation where every other course seemed suicidal。
Anyway； he had now acted on his plan。 He had rebelled； assaulted an officer； deserted； and there was nothing to do now but go on。 From handhold to foothold he moved down； and slowly south。
At least he was able to see a little more clearly now； by the light of a horned moon that had recently e up over the eastern sea。 The sky was gradually clearing after the storm； but low fog still shrouded the ocean and its shoreline； which were still at a frightening and discouraging distance below him。 The sound of breakers still came drifting up； weaker now； almost indistinguishable from the weakening wind。 And Ben had certain bad moments； in which he thought he was able to hear another sound as well … the voices of six men trapped and howling in a cave。 One of the six was armed with a sword。 But would that do him any good； when the great white hands came reaching out for him？
Ben fought down the images springing from his imagination。 Then another kind of sound reached his ears； and was enough to drive imaginary terrors away。 He heard the steps of the dragon。 It was ing back for him； walking the flatland now some uncertain number of meters above his head。 Ben continued to descend； a few centimeters at a time。 There was nothing else for him to do。
The dragon must have been able to sense his presence； for it came to the clifftop immediately above him。 Looking up； Ben caught one glimpse of its head； a lovely silver in the moonlight； and saw the red glow of its breath。 After that he kept his own head down。
The dragon bellowed at Ben。 Or； for all he knew； it might be the horned moon that drew its wrath。 Stamping with table…sized feet along the brink； it shook down stones and clods of earth。 Ben's helmet saved him once from being stunned。 The dragon projected fire out into the night。 Ben saw the glow on the rocks around him； and he felt the backwash of the heat； as if a door had opened briefly to some tremendous oven。 But either the creature could not bend over the cliff far enough to breathe at him directly； or it did not care to try。 Ben was confident that it lacked the intelligence to try to trickle fire on him along the rocks。
Presently； as he continued moving down； the hail of dirt and stones abated。 Then the stamping moved away； until he could no longer feel it in the earth。 Ben heard the chiming snort again； this time from some considerable distance； and almost drowned in wind。
As if he had never had any other goal in life； and could imagine none； he kept on moving。 Mechanically he went down； and south。 And presently he found to his relief that the slope was no longer quite so steep。 He began to make real progress。
His way now took him round a large convexity of cliff； and out of most of the remaining wind。 Looking to seaward now； from a level only a little above the tendrils of the fog； he saw that he was confronting a long but possibly narrow inlet of the sea； a fjord that stretched inland to the west for some indeterminable distance。 Ben could just discern high land across the water； but in fog and intermittent moonlight he could only guess at that land's distance and its nature。
According to the mental map that he relied on for guidance； he had to continue south if he was to have any hope of leaving Blue Temple land behind him before daylight。 But now continuing south meant somehow crossing this arm of the sea。 There was no choice。 Unless he stumbled on a boat when he got down to the shore … and he had no reason to think he would … he was going to have to trust his fate to the powers of the deep； and swim across。
As he worked his way lower and lower； getting into patchy fog； he kept trying to estimate the height and distance of those opposing cliffs。 But under the conditions he could not。 He was not even certain he was not looking at an island。 All he could really be sure of was that if he stayed where he was until morning； he would be discovered by Blue Temple searchers who would be out in force。 He had to assume that they would have flying creatures out looking for him at sunrise。 And if they found him on this cliff he would do well then to hurl himself to speedy death。。。
The land flattened briefly at the cliff's foot。 Ben moved among fallen boulders； able to feel the spray now from invisible waves。 He moved onto a shingle of coarse rounded stones； and was granted a dim vision of the sea at last。 There was no boat； of course； nor any sign of one。 Not even a scrap of log。
Uttering silent prayers to Neptune； he crept forward onto a jutting rock； with sea…foam bubbling at his feet。 He stripped off a few more garments； and threw his helmet out as offering to the sea。 Then； not giving himself time to think； he entered the water in a bold leap。
He surfaced gasping with the salt chill； and struck out boldly。 How the tides and currents might run here he had no idea。 His fate was in the hands of the sea gods； but drowning was hardly the worst fate that might overtake him in the next few hours。
Ben was a strong swimmer； and all but impervious to cold。 The water was not warm； but he doubted that it was cold enough to kill him。 Glimpsing the horned moon through ragged clouds as he swam； he tried to keep it on his left。 The waves were strong and regular。 Once he got out a little from the shore； it was hard to tell if they were helping or hindering his progress。 Patches of fog closed in at times； obscuring the moon and making him doubt whether he was swimming in the right direction。 But always the moon came back； and he was never very far off his chosen course。
Eventually he thought that the moon was higher。 Had he been swimming for an hour now？ For two？ It couldn't have been for very long； he told himself； or there'd be signs in the sky of the ing daylight。。。
He tried to hold his thought on how difficult it was going to be for the Blue Temple searchers when they came looking for him。 They'd find his cloak right away； up on the cliff； if the dragon hadn't swallowed it whole。 They'd think that it had swallowed him。。。 they'd never find him in this kind of fog。
He was wondering seriously whether he was going to make it； when a mass of land loomed vaguely ahead； and from the same direction he heard the sound of waves on rocks again。
The dawn rising grayly out of the sea seemed to carry Ben up with it； lifting him onto land。
On a small strip of sandy beach he lay quietly for a few minutes； breathing heavily； having a little difficulty realizing that he was still alive。 He was nearer exhaustion than he had realized。 But he did not forget a prayer of thanks to Neptune。
A few meters inland； the foot of an unfamiliar cliff confronted him。 As soon as he felt able； he got to his feet and began to climb it。 The mist from the sea seemed to rise with him as he climbed； like some demonic substance seeking to escape the depths。 Even though he still moved through fog； the movement dried and warmed him。
When he'd gained what he thought was a considerable height he paused to catch his breath and look back。 Across the fjord； the headland that he'd fled was hard to make out。 Clouds shrouded it from the first direct rays of the morning sun。 The search for him had probably already started over there； but he couldn't see it。 He trusted that so far they hadn't been able to see him； either。
What he had to do now was get himself off this exposed cliff； get inland as rapidly as possible。 Climbing now at the fastest pace he could sustain； Ben saw with alarm that his tough hands were starting to bleed from their prolonged struggle with sharp rock。 If the Blue Temples flying scouts should e to visit this cliff as well； would they be able to trail him by those tiny flecks of blood？
If so； there was no point in worrying about it。 He was doing all he could do to survive； he told himself。 If he'd gone meekly down into the cave that last time as he'd been ordered； he'd be quite meekly dead by now。 That much he was sure of。 He was convinced that the five other drivers were dead by now。。。 unless； he thought suddenly； they had somehow been kept alive for questioning about the plot。 The higher…ups were sure to think that there had been some kind of plot。 Probably even Radulescu； if he was still alive； was being questioned。
Excuse me； sir； there wasn't no plot； sir。 Just Big Ben； Slow Ben； doing his best to stay alive。
He thought about that as he climbed。 Certainly； last night when he'd started running； there'd been nothing more on his mind than keeping himself alive。 And even now； climbing rapidly； he was willing to settle for that。
But now。。。
Now； with the possibility of escape looking more real with each passing moment； other ideas were inviting themselves into Ben's mind。 True； he hadn't been trying to carry away any important secrets。 But； since they were going to hunt him anyway。。。 well； he'd be a fool not to try to get some chance to benefit out of this； as well as the chance of getting killed。
Twenty…three years' experience had taught Ben that the life of a poor man was not much of a life。 It was too bad the world was like that； but so it was。 He wanted money； enough at least to promise some kind of minimal security。 Once a man had a little gold in his pocket； he could be somebody； could have some kind of chance for a decent life。 Ben had joined the Blue Temple service a year ago only because he saw in it the possibility at least of modest success； security … in a word； of getting a little money。 A man had to have a certain minimum of that。 At least he did if he was ever going to attract and keep a woman whose own yearnings were for prosperous stability。
Once Ben had enlisted； given his size and strength and lack of other education； there was little doubt about which branch of the Temple service he'd be assigned to。 Not for him one of the easy desk jobs； tallying and re…tallying the Temples wealth in all its categories； figuring up the interest on all the loans they had outstanding。 He'd seen the rows of busy clerks； scribbling at the long desks。 That looked like an easy life。 But he himself had been sent into the Guards。
For Ben； already accustomed to a hard； poor existence； and not expecting much from his new career right at the start； the life of a military recruit had not seemed too unpleasant。 He had already taken part in more actual fighting than he had ever wanted to see； but he had managed to live through it； in the peaceful Blue Temple garrison where he was first assigned； he really did not expect to be called upon for more。 Adequate food and clothing were regularly provided； and a man who did what he was told could usually keep himself out of trouble。
It had turned out； though； somewhat to Ben's own surprise； that he was not the kind of man to always do what he was told。
He might have enlisted in other organizations than Blue Temple； sought jobs under other conditions of service； in other places； that would have offered him just as good a chance of security。 It was easy to realize that now。 Now； he saw that he had picked Blue Temple really because the idea of its great wealth had attracted him。 He hadn't been quite naive enough to imagine that he was going to bee personally rich as soon as he signed up … as the recruiter had somehow managed to suggest。 No。 But still Ben had known that all the money； the wealth； the gold of the Blue Temple； was going to be around； and the idea of it had attracted him。 At the time he'd told himself that he'd chosen to join Blue Temple because it lacked the reputation for gratuitous oppression and cruelty that was shared by so many of the world's other powers。 The Dark King； for example； or the Silver Queen of Yambu； or the late Duke Fraktin。
Blue Temple were the worshippers of wealth； the harvesters and heapers…up of gold。 Somehow they usually contrived to extract the stuff from everyone who came in reach； from rich and poor； devotees and scoffers； friends and deadly foes alike。