ng is controlled. It's--they're two
different materials. Leaving aside the ion-index differential and
quality of incident light, you still can't--"

"_I_ can ..." As the pause lengthened, Jason's gaze was finally drawn to
Lonnie's face. "You still haven't changed a bit, have you, Jasey? Still
all wrapped up in _how_ any collection of doodads work instead of just
for what it'll do. You know, I wouldn't be surprised if that hasn't
always been the difference between us. Where's it got you?"

Jason strode for the door.

"Wait a minute." Lonnie's voice came louder. "Better wait, copper. I'm
not through ... That's better."

From behind Jason came the sound of rubbing palms. "We've come a long
way from Gimlet Street, haven't we, Jasey? You particularly. Captain.
Promotions. Pay raises ..." Then Lonnie was in front of him, staring up.
"You're quite a substantial citizen now. Yes? Well, look at that. Go on,
look at it."

Against the side wall stood a gigantic triptych. More than life size,
the central panel canopied the statue of a Mongol potentate; the two
side wings, a pair of guards in bas-relief. All three wrought in
chryselephantine gold and ivory; the gold with flowing pallid
highlights. Damascened armor, encrusted with jewels, girdled the chest
of the Asiatic Prince; helmeted the sullen head carved from a single
immensity of ivory.

Ruby eyes glared arrogantly under ebon brows. Against the statue's
folded shins, its pommel negligently gripped by one immovable, ivory
hand, leaned a short Turkish scimitar of watered steel. Beneath the
carved hassock upon which the statue sat, a dais of three steps fell
away to the floor.

"That's Genghis Khan," Lonnie said. "I had him made. That isn't gold
he's made of; that's aureum--and it cost plenty to have the silver mixed
in. It makes it better. And I get the best! A hundred thousand, it cost
me. And thirty-six thousand more to brace the wall and floor. It's good.
It's the best that's made!"

He came up on tiptoe, thrusting his chin as close as possible to Jason's
averted face. "Why don't you buy one for your place, Captain?"

* * * * *

Jason stared into the malevolent eyes of the statue.

"Huh ... hu-hu ... hu-ha-ha-ha ..." At the dais, Lonnie put his foot on
the second step and patted Genghis Khan familiarly on one ivory knee. "I
like this old boy. He had the right idea. I have it. You haven't. You
never had. If you had, you'd'a listened