Temon needed to deal with their most pressing problem. "We're concerned for Urdo. Could we leave him in your care, Alina?"

  "Yes, I'll take care of Urdo and try to help him recover his memories."

  "Thank you! We'll come back to collect him."

  "How long will you be away?" asked the cleric.

  "It could take us a week or two to finish this."

  Alina asked, "Can I ask you about your plans?"

  Temon stood up from the table and walked over to the door. He looked outside across the distant pink and purple mesas.

  Alina voiced her concern at his back. "I understand your desire for justice, Temon. Yet you should consider the consequences of your actions."

  He laughed and shook his head. "Don't worry. I'll play nice when we meet the Ashok. We're not here to cause trouble."

  Rejah agreed. "Our intentions towards the Ashok are genuine. We respect their culture."

  "That may be," the cleric replied, "but if things escalate to violence, it could trigger a backlash against the Eastern Territory. Perhaps you could reconsider your mission if it looks like it would come to that."

  Temon was in no mood to reconsider or turn back, as she seemed to be suggesting. "This isn't just about money. It's about bringing a murderer to justice."

  "I understand that justice is important, yet so is peace."

  "What are you saying, cleric? That I let Eyeman go free!"

  "No. But don't let the reward push you into taking actions that could spark a conflict. There may be other ways to seek justice without risking war."

  Temon turned around, came back to the table and sat down. "If I worry about avoiding conflict instead of pursuing justice, aren't I just failing at my mission?"

  Alina sighed. "It's a difficult situation. But these are the realities we're facing beyond the frontier."

  "Cleric, I understand your concerns, but I can't walk away from this."

  Rejah agreed. "We've come too far to turn back now. We're not looking to start a war here. Our goal is to bring in Eyeman with as little fuss as possible. If we don't act, who will? Sometimes you have to take risks to do what's right."

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  "Can I see the bounty notice?" Alina asked.

  "Yes." Temon got it from his pocket and handed it over for her to see. The Eastern Mining Alliance was putting up the bounty. They offered a thousand sols for the Eyeman, dead or alive.

  Alina's eyes met his. "This is troubling. The Alliance's involvement raises some serious questions."

  "What do you mean?"

  "The Alliance is trying to expand beyond the border of the Eastern Territory. They're after gold and minerals, Temon. They care not for the people who live here."

  "So you think there's more to this bounty than just catching an outlaw?" Rejah asked, voicing Temon's own thoughts.

  The cleric nodded. "I fear this could be the start of something bigger. If the Alliance gains a foothold here, it may spell disaster for the Ashok people."

  "So you think we might be playing in a larger game?"

  "Yes. There are other forces at play here."

  He pushed his bowl aside and leaned toward her."The Alliance's involvement changes nothing. The reward money is just reward money." T

  Alina crossed her arms and raised her chin slightly so her blue eyes stared down at him along her fine chiseled nose . "What about their motives? They're after minerals Temon."

  He bit his tongue. She had a nerve assuming he should care about all that. He turned to Rejah for her opinion but his companion said nothing. "The Alliance can do as it pleases. They're not causing us any problems right now."

  He saw an expression of disbelief flash across Alina's face. There was a long silence between them.

  Rejah looked at him and then at the cleric. "We hear what you're saying, Alina. But in our line of work, the one who pays sets the terms. That's just how it is,"

  Alina straightened her back and pursed her lips. "You shouldn't trust the Alliance. Their motives are suspect at best."

  The cleric pushed her chair back from the table and got to her feet. Alina then began pacing around the table, all the while rubbing her chin. "You can't ignore the possibility that you are being used. This isn't just about one bounty. It's about the future of these lands and the people who call them home."

  "So what?" He was unable to keep the edge from his voice. "You want us to go back empty-handed?"

  She stopped pacing. "We should consider the consequences of our actions, Temon. This bounty could be the first step in a larger plan."

  He stared at Rejah and she shook her head. "Damn it. Alina, our mission is hard enough already!"

  The cleric continued pacing around the table. "The Alliance can't be trusted, Temon. Their greed threatens everything."

  He drummed his fingers on the table. She was annoying him. "I'm not here to worry about the Alliance's business."

  "Can't you see? This bounty might be connected to their plans for the Ashok lands."

  "Ashok lands aren't my concern. Anyway," he said sharply,"your fears about the Alliance are not my concern."

  The cleric walked back to the table and sat down facing him again. "The Alliance may take extreme measures against the Ashok if circumstances present themselves."

  The air in the room held the scent of lingering incense. Temon inhaled deeply, trying to calm down.

  "Whatever the Alliance's ambitions are," he shouted, "they don't interfere with our pursuit of Eyeman. Our job is the mission. It's time for us to get going!"

  With that he stood up and together with Rejah left the building to get their horses. He was very angry and in a hurry to leave.

  Cool evening air carried the fragrant aroma of blooming cactus from the garden.

  Alina embraced Temon. "May the light of the Eternal Sun bless you."

  He waited until she had let go of him and nodded to Urdo. "Get well, colonist."

  Undo smiled. "Goodbye for now! Thank you for rescuing me!"

  They mounted their horses and rode off back to pick up Eyeman's trail.

  He didn't look back.