rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第15节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


hat　lay　out　there。
　If　only　Danik　and　his　men　would　return　with　the　help　they　believed　they　could　get　on　the　surface。　Of　course　it　was　only　a　theory；　a　pipe　dream；　that　Danik　had。　He　said　men　walked　up　there；　not　monsters。　He　said　that　the　surface　people　would　be　civilized；　that　he　could　bring　some　back　to　convince　the　unconvinced　to　open　up　Eden　to　the　light　and　fresh　air　above。　But　the　weeks　went　by　and　Dutil　had　failed　to　return　from　the　surface。　Then；　Stafford's　Civil　Guard　had　begun　rounding　up　all　dissidents；　ferreting　them　out　of　their　jobs　in　the　offices　and　factories　of　Eden；　sometimes　tearing　their　bedsheets　off　their　cringing　bodies　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　Tyranny　had　e　to　Eden。　And　terror。
　The　large　minority　…　about　forty　percent　of　the　population　…　that　had　supported　Stafford　in　the　beginning　had　now　dwindled　to　a　few　percent。　But　everybody　was　scared。　Especially　since　the　alterations　at　the　planetarium。　Once　a　place　of　rest　and　renewal　under　the　artificial　stars；　the　planetarium　had　bee　something　horrible；　something　unknown　but　horrible　after　Stafford　altered　it。　All　that　Subscript　knew　about　those　alterations　were　the　results。　Those　persons　arrested　for　violation　of　the　new　edicts　would　go　in；　and　after　a　long　while　there　would　be　screaming。　And　then　no　one　would　e　out。　No　bodies；　no　bones　…　nothing。
　And　those　new　edicts。　They　were　the　sure　sign　that　Stafford　was　a　madman。
　Edict　Number　One　…　promulgated　just　two　weeks　earlier　…　stated　that　all　persons　caught　congregating　without　a　permit　would　be　subject　to　arrest。
　Edict　Number　Two　enlarged　the　small　Civil　Guard；　previously　just　ceremonial　soldiers　stationed　in　front　of　Government　Building；　into　a　force　of　five　thousand。　This　was　to　enforce　Edict　Number　One。
　Edict　Number　Three　was　the　elimination　of　Time　itself。　This　wasn't　that　impossible　in　Eden。　For　the　〃sun〃　above　was　stationary　and　constant。　To　remove　all　clocks；　as　Stafford　ordered；　effectively　ended　time。　Stafford　decided　what　time　it　was；　and　announced　it　whenever　he　chose　to　over　the　central　PA　system　connected　to　his　newly　refurbished　office。
　Edict　Number　Four　abolished　democracy　…　if　he　hadn't　done　so　already　…　and　made　Eden　a　kingdom。
　And　now　Edict　Number　Five。　The　retroactive　edict。　All　who　opposed　Stafford　were　retroactively　guilty　of　treason。
　And　now　the　executions。
　Subscript　heard　the　heavy　booted　feet　of　the　guards　ing　for　him。　He　cringed；　whimpered；　for　he　was　not　strong　and　brave　like　Dutil。　No；　he　would　cry　and　scream　and　beg　…　no；　no　he　would　not。
　〃Your　time　has　e　to　die；　traitor；〃　said　the　burly　guard。　Subscript　knew　that　face　and　thick　body　anywhere　…　the　head　of　the　Civil　Patrol　the　meanest；　most　dangerous　man　in　Eden　…　Bdos　Err。　Chief　of　the　terror。　〃e　with　us。〃　Subscript　was　savagely　brought　to　his　feet　by　the　heavy　hands　of　the　guard　and　shoved　out　of　the　cell。　There　was　no　place　to　run；　no　place　to　hide。　He　determined　to　face　his　death　…　probably　at　the　scaffolds　he　had　seen　being　constructed　outside　the　Government　Building　shortly　before　he　was　arrested　a　few　day　earlier。　Hanging　…　not　a　pleasant　death。
　Suprised　at　his　own　calmness　he　walked　between　the　guards；　head　held　high；　toward　his　death。　The　populace　stared　and　he　heard　mumbles　of　〃must　be　very　brave。。。　damned　cool　traitor；　isn't　he。。。　see　how　brave　he　is。。。〃　and　Subscript　felt　proud。　He　would　perhaps　make　a　speech　as　the　rope　was　tightened　to　his　neck。　Yes。　What　were　those　words？　Give　me　liberty　or　give　me　…〃
　They　reached　the　foot　of　the　steps。　He　looked　up　at　Stafford；　said；　〃You　may　hang　me　but　you　have　not　scared　me。〃
　〃Who's　going　to　hang　you；　brother？〃　Stafford　said　with　a　wide　smirk　appearing　on　his　thin　lips。　〃Take　him　to　the　Planetarium。〃
　〃The　…　the　…　planetarium？　M　Subscript　stuttered。　〃N…no；　not　the　planetarium。。。　please。。。　I　beg　you　…〃　His　knees　felt　weak；　they　collapsed　under　him。　The　guards　dragged　him　whimpering　away。
　〃Not　the　planetarium；　oh　please。　God；　not　that。。。　not　the　planetarium。〃
　〃Let　them　hear　the　traitor　cry　and　beg；〃　Stafford　yelled。　〃Let　them　all　know　that　the　traitors　are　cowards；　weak　men。　Let　them　all　know　that　the　planetarium　awaits　all　who　oppose　me。〃
　Lowered　eyes　everywhere　around　the　town　square　attested　to　the　degree　of　fear　that　the　new　ruler　had　managed　to　inject　into　the　day's　activities。　〃Now；〃　said　Stafford；　〃let　the　hangings　begin。　The　first　hanging　is　of　Ren　Newname；　for　the　crime　of　eating　more　than　his　quotient。。。〃
　The　first　of　the　regular　criminals　were　brought　forth；　screaming　and　struggling；　and　placed　upon　the　scaffold。　Death　would　e　to　them；　but　only　the　traitors　need　fear　the　planetarium。
　Bored　eventually　by　the　jerking　bodies；　which　soon　filled　the　six　scaffolds；　Stafford　yawned。　He　said；　〃That　will　be　all　for　today　…　everyone　back　to　their　jobs　…　and　be　very　conscientious；〃　and　went　into　the　building　behind　the　throne。
　With　his　engineers　he　went　over　the　drawings　of　the　city。　He　pointed　to　the　map　of　the　Cave　of　Tombs；　the　cave　where　the　honored　dead　of　Eden　lay　at　rest。　It　has　higher　than　the　rest　of　the　plex。　〃Finish　the　shaft　for　the　surface　probe　here。〃　He　jabbed　at　the　map。。。　They　nodded。
　They　trooped　off　to　the　work　Stafford　had　assigned。
　Stafford　retired　to　his　study；　where　he　tried　to　watch　a　video　tape。　He　soon　drifted　of　to　sleep；　smiling。　He　was　dreaming　of　firing　the　Factor　Q　canister　up　the　shaft　in　the　Hall　of　Tombs；　forever　ending　the　fractious　demands　of　some　Edenites　to　go　up　to　the　surface。
　If　the　surface　isn't　totally　unlivable　now；　he　smiled；　it　will　soon　be。
　
　
　CHAPTER　12
　
　Rockson　and　his　panions　had　reached　the　approximate　area　of　Yumak　City。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　the　sextant　readings　on　the　smeary　sun　low　in　the　southwest　indicated　that　they　couldn't　be　more　than　a　mile　from　the　city　of　five　thousand。　Where　the　hell　was　it？　The　coordinates　that　Rock　had　been　given　back　in　Century　City　were　the　coordinates　the　Yumak　people　themselves　had　given　Rath。　Was　this　some　kind　of　sick　joke？　Bringing　the　Freefighters　into　the　middle　of　nowhere？　There　were　some　scraggly　bushes　around。　Rockson　saw　nothing　else。　〃Let's　take　a　break；〃　Rock　said；　down　in　the　dumps。　〃Maybe　when　I　have　some　tea　I　can　find　out　what　is　going　on　here。〃
　They　made　a　small　fire　with　some　twigs　and　McCaughlin　brewed　some　tea　in　a　bent　metal　pot。　The　dogs　hunkered　down　to　get　some　rest　on　the　inch　or　so　of　snow。　To　them　the　just…above…freezing　weather　was　a　heat　wave；　and　they　liked　to　sleep　through　heat　waves。
　Rockson　sat　on　a　small　boulder　and　sipped　his　mug　of　hot　tea　slowly。　And　then　he　heard　Detroit　exclaim；　〃Rockson；　those　bushes　are　…　moving。〃
　As　Rockson　looked　up；　the　bushes　were　thrown　aside　by　laughing　Indians　of　the　Yumak　tribe。　The　tallest　of　the　bunch　of　camouflage　experts　walked　toward　Rockson；　hand　extended。
　By　their　odd　outfits；　Rockson　realized　that　these　villagers　must　be　related　to　the　Crazy　Alligator　tribe　he'd　spent　an　unfortable　visit　with　years　ago。　The　Yumak　were　wearing　moccasins　…　that's　how　they'd　sneaked　up　quietly。　But　that　was　about　the　only　strictly　Indian　gear　they　wore。
　The　tall　Indian；　a　hook…nosed　man　about　seven　one　in　height；　shoot　Rockson's　hand。　〃How；〃　he　articulated；　〃are　you？〃
　〃Fine；〃　Rockson　answered。　〃I'm　glad　to　see　you　…　I　presume　you're　Chief　Smokestone？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　The　man　was　deep　tan；　bare…armed；　ten　or　twelve　red　feathers　in　a　headband。　He　wore　a　rawhide　tasseled　jacket；　and　a　like　pair　of　pants。　All　the　material　was　covered　with　beadwork　of　blue　and　red；　intricate　scenes　of　fantastic　birds　and　animals。　He　had　a　metal　breastplate　that　seemed　to　be　from　a　twentieth…century　car。　A　hubcap　that　was　shined　to　perfection。　Its　barely　visible　insignia　said　OLDSMOBILE。　The　man's　face　was　rugged；　with　deep…set　dark　eyes　and　high　cheekbones。　His　muscled　arms　looked　as　full　of　sinewy　strength　as　Rockson's。
　〃Where　did　you　put　your　city；　Smokestone？　Aren't　we　near　it？〃
　Smokestone　laughed　heartily。　〃You　are　less　than　a　hundred　meters　from　it。　e；　you　will　see。　But　first　may　I　introduce　my　son　and　nephew。　Steelring　and　Wild　Horse。〃
　The　two　braves　approached　and　shook　Rockson's　hand。　They　too　had　what　appeared　to　be　polished　up　ancient　car　hubcaps　tied　together　as　breast　and　shoulder　plates。　They　had　no　feathers。　Both　looked　around　twenty；　and　strong。　The　two　braves　wore　their　hair　in　two　pigtails。　They　had　pants　made　of　some　sort　of　multicolored　cloth　that　shimmered　like　the　rainbow；　and　were　bare　chested。　Wild　Horse　wore　an　armband　that　had　a　little　naked　plastic　doll　of　the　dime…store　variety　tied　to　it。
　〃You　have　some　very　interesting…looking　sled　dogs　there；〃　Steelring　said；　pointing　to　the　team　that　McCaughlin　had　driven　to　the　spot。
　〃They're　not　sled　dogs；　they're　sled　wolf…dogs。　And　keep　away　from　them；　they　bite。〃　McCaughlin　said　possessively。
　〃Well；　what　is　it　…　do　you　want　to　leave　them　tied　here？　It　would　be　hard　to　get　the　dogs　down　the　cliff　ladders。〃
　〃Cliff　ladders？〃
　〃Yes。　You　see；　it's　the　only　way　to　get　down　to　our　city。　Maybe　a　look　would　be　worth　a　thousand　words。　You　can　tie　the　dogs　to　that　cactus　over　there。〃
　〃Give　the　dogs　a　rest；〃　McCaughlin　said。　〃They　can　use　it。〃　Rockson　agreed。　〃Tie　them　up　here；　we'll　e　back　for　t