What he saw below brought him up short. Evening had come to Sargol but
the scene immediately below was not in darkness. Blazing torches
advanced in lines from the grass forest and the portable flood light of
the spacer added to the general glare, turning night into noonday.
Van Rycke and Jellico sat on stools facing at least five of the seven
major chieftains with whom they had conferred to no purpose earlier. And
behind these leaders milled a throng of lesser Salariki. Yes, there was
at least one carrying chair--and also an orgel from the back of which a
veiled noblewoman was being assisted to dismount by two retainers. The
women of the clans were coming--which could mean only that trade was at
last in progress. But trade for what?
Dane strode down the ramp. He saw Paft, his hand carefully covered by his
trade cloth, advance to Van Rycke, whose own fingers were decently veiled
by a handkerchief. Under the folds of fabric their hands touched. The
bargaining was in the first stages. And it was important enough for the
clan leaders to conduct themselves. Where, according to Cam's records, it
had been usual to delegate that power to a favored liege man.
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