Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny Page A

altar/control-panel, encircled by a bronze Naga, which held its tail in its teeth.
    The priest bowed three times.
    "Hail, ruler of the universe, mightiest of the four orders of gods and the eighteen hosts of paradise. From your navel springs forth the lotus, your hands churn the oceans, in three strides —"
    "I acknowledge the truth of what you say," replied Brahma. "You are blessed and heard. You may leave us now."
    "?"
    "That is correct. Sam is doubtless paying you for a private line, is he not?"
    "Lord . . . !"
    "Enough! Depart!"
    The priest bowed quickly and left, closing the shelves behind him.
    Brahma studied Sam, who was wearing dark jodhpurs, a sky-blue
khameez
, the blue-green turban of Urath and an empty scabbard upon a chain belt of dark iron.
    Sam, in turn, studied the other, who stood with blackness at his back, wearing a feather cloak over a suit of light mail. It was caught at the throat with a clasp of fire opal. Brahma wore a purple crown, studded with pulsating amethysts, and he bore in his right hand a scepter mounted with the nine auspicious gems. His eyes were two dark stains upon his dark face. The gentle strumming of a
veena
occurred about him.
    "Sam?" he said.
    Sam nodded.
    "I am trying to guess your true identity. Lord Brahma. I confess that I cannot."
    "This is as it should be," said Brahma, "if one is to be a god who was, is and always shall be."
    "Fine garments, those you wear," said Sam. "Quite fetching."
    "Thank you. I find it hard to believe that you still exist. Checking, I note that you have not sought a new body for half a century. That is taking quite a chance."
    Sam shrugged. "Life is full of chances, gambles, uncertainties. . ."
    "True," said Brahma. "Pray, draw up a chair and sit down. Make yourself comfortable."
    Sam did this, and when he looked up again, Brahma was seated upon a high throne carved of red marble, with a matching parasol flared above it.
    "That looks a bit uncomfortable," he remarked.
    "Foam-rubber cushion," replied the god, smiling. "You may smoke, if you wish."
    "Thanks." Sam drew his pipe from the pouch at his belt, filled it, tamped it carefully and struck it to fire.
    "What have you been doing all this time," asked the god, "since you left the roost of Heaven?"
    "Cultivating my own gardens," said Sam.
    "We could have used you here," said Brahma, "in our hydroponics section. For that matter, perhaps we still could. Tell me more of your stay among men."
    "Tiger hunts, border disputes with neighboring kingdoms, keeping up the morale of the harem, a bit of botanical research—things like that—the stuff of life," said Sam. "Now my powers slacken, and I seek once more my youth. But to obtain it again, I understand that I must have my brains strained. Is that true?"
    "After a fashion," said Brahma.
    "To what end, may I ask?"
    "That wrong shall fail and right prevail," said the god, smiling.
    "Supposing I'm wrong," asked Sam, "how shall I fail?"
    "You shall be required to work off your karmic burden in a lesser form."
    "Have you any figures readily available as to the percentage that fails, vis-á-vis that which prevails?"
    "Think not less of me in my omniscience," said Brahma, stifling a yawn with his scepter, "if I admit to having, for the moment, forgotten these figures."
    Sam chuckled. "You say you have need of a gardener there in the Celestial City?"
    "Yes," said Brahma. "Would you like to apply for the job?"
    "I don't know," said Sam. "Perhaps."
    "And then again, perhaps not?" said the other.
    "Perhaps not, also," he acknowledged. "In the old days there was none of this shillyshallying with a man's mind. If one of the First sought renewal, he paid the body price and was served."
    "We no longer dwell in the old days, Sam. The new age is at hand."
    "One would almost think that you sought the removal of all of the First who are not marshaled at your back."
    "A pantheon has room for many, Sam. There is a niche for you, if you choose to claim it."
    "If I do not?"
    "Then