Behind a twisted metal rail and raised on steps of stone, the ruins of a huge statue sat. Carved from black rock, it represented a man seated cross-legged on a dais. An arm and shoulder had broken off and lay in pieces on the altar steps. The hand, its fingers as thick as Urson's thigh, lay just behind the altar rail. The head was completely missing. Both the hand still on the statue and the one in front of them on the steps looked as though they had once held something, but whatever it was had been removed. Iimmi was moving along the rail to where a set of stone boxes were placed like foot stones along the side of the altar. "Here, Snake," he called. "Bring a light over here." Snake obeyed, and with Geo's and Urson's help, he loosened one of the lids. "What's in there?" Urson asked. "Books," said Iimmi, lifting out one dusty volume. Geo peered over his shoulder while the dark fingers turned the pages. "Old rituals," Iimmi said. "Look here," and he pointed to one of them. "You can still read them." "Let me see," Geo said. "You know I studied with Eadnu at the University of Olcse Olwnh." Iimmi looked up and laughed. "I thought some of your ideas sounded familiar. I was a pupil of Welis." "You were at Olcse Olwnh too?" Geo asked. "Um-hm," said Iimmi turning the pages. "I signed aboard this ship as a summer job. If I'd known where we'd end up, I don't think I'd have gone, though." Stomach pangs were forgotten. "These rituals are not at all like those of the Goddess," Iimmi observed. "Apparently not," agreed Geo. "Wait!" Iimmi had been turning pages at random. "Look there!" Geo pointed. "What is it?" Iimmi asked. "The lines," Geo said. "The ones Argo recited." He read out loud: "_Forked in the heart of the dark oak the circlet of his sash rimmed where the eye of Hama broke with fire, smoke, and ash._ _Freeze the drop in the hand and break the earth with singing. Hail the height of a man and also the height of a woman._ _The eyes have imprisoned a vision. The ash tree dribbles with blood. Thrust from the gates of the prison smear the yew tree with mud._" "It's the other version of the poem I found in the pre-purge rituals of Argo. I wonder if there were any more poems in the old rituals of Leptar that parallel those of Aptor and Hama?" "Probably," Iimmi said. "Especially if the first invasion from Aptor took place just before, and probably caused, the purges." "What about food?" Urson suddenly asked from where he now sat on the altar steps. "You two scholars have the rest of time to argue. But we may starve before you can enjoy the leisure." "He's right," said Iimmi. "Besides, we have to get going." "Would you two consider it an imposition to set your minds to procuring us some food?" Urson asked. "Wait a minute," Iimmi said. "Here's a section on the burial of the dead. Yes, I thought so." He read out loud now: