rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第28节

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　〃Sir；〃　said　the　tall　tuxedoed　Mannerly；　stepping　carefully　on　the　slick　tiles；　〃there　are　visitors。　Most　urgent；　they　say。〃
　〃Urgent？　Have　you　their　card？〃
　〃Yessir；〃　Mannerly　replied。
　〃Then　bring　it　here；　at　once。〃
　Mannerly　managed　to　reach　his　master　in　a　few　more　moments　of　dangerous　slipping　and　sliding。　He　leaned　over　the　seated　naked　man　and　proffered　a　silver　tray；　upon　which　was　a　single　business　card。
　Stafford　grumbled　and　picked　it　up。　It　was　already　soggy。　Bdos　Err；　Chief　of　the　Civil　Guard；　it　said。
　〃Hrummph；〃　Stafford　said；　〃Well；　I　guess　I　must　see　him　…　fetch　me　that　robe　over　there。。。〃
　Mannerly　gingerly　stepped　to　the　hook　and　removed　the　white　robe；　then　brought　it　to　Stafford。
　Stafford　walked　while　he　put　it　on；　and　Mannerly　followed；　hoping　to　not　get　lost　in　the　steam。
　Stafford；　once　out　into　the　gray…carpeted　gray　living　room　bare　of　any　decorations；　sat　down　in　his　audience　chair；　clad　in　his　robe。　He　looked　up　at　the　tall　pinch…nosed　Mannerly。　His　tuxedo　was　quite　soggy；　and　damp；　all　the　starch　ing　out　of　it。　Stafford　grinned。　He　looked　positively　unfortable。　He　himself　was　quite　fortable。　The　heat　of　the　volcanic　heated　sauna　room　lingered　in　his　bones。　〃Show　Bdos　Err　in。　Mannerly；　don't　just　stand　there。〃
　Bdos　Err；　all　six　foot　six；　three　hundred　muscular　pounds　of　him；　toting　his　bullwhip　in　his　hamhock…sized　fist　and　wearing　metal　armor…mail；　strode　in　noisily。　At　his　side　were　his　two　martial　arts　experts；　Nunchaku…man　and　Dedman。　They　wore　plainer　outfits；　black　synth…leather　fighting　suits。
　They　looked　formidable；　and　were。　In　the　recent　disturbances；　they　had　struck　terror　…　and　death　…　into　the　rising　tide　of　dissenters　to　Stafford's　iron　rule。
　Bdos　Err　was　the　toughest　man　in　Eden。　Stafford　wished　he　had　more　like　him。　The　Civil　Guard　was　too　weak；　too　soft。
　〃Sir；〃　the　Guard　chief　began；　saluting　across　his　broad　chest　of　steel；　〃our　detectors　buried　in　the　floor　of　the　Amethyst　Cave　show　movements　in　the　area。〃
　〃Earth　tremors？〃
　〃No　sir…footsteps。　We　weren't　sure　at　first；　they　were　so　far　away　…　but　they　are　getting　louder　…　and　a　few　minutes　earlier；　a　whole　series　of　sharp　reports　…　explosions。〃
　Stafford　stood　up　and　wrapped　the　robe's　belt　around　his　rather　rotund　waist。　He　balled　his　fists　and　hissed；　〃It　must　be　Danik。〃
　〃Or　an　attack　from　Death　City；　sir。　We've　been　expecting　one　for　fifty　years。〃
　〃No；〃　said　Stafford；　〃it's　Danik。　He's　e　back。。。　How　many　people　are　there　ing　our　way？〃　Stafford's　forehead　was　a　mass　of　wrinkles　of　concern。
　〃A　half…dozen；　perhaps　a　few　more。〃
　Stafford　smiled。　〃That's　around　the　same　number　we　suspect　Danik　left　with。　So；　he　returns　from　the　surface。　I　told　him　…　and　his　party　of　fools　…　that　the　surface　is　impossible。　A　terrible　unlivable　hell。　Well；　his　failure　will　show　the　people　how　correct　I　am。。。　Bdos；　it　is　good　you　e　here　with　these　words。　I　want　the　group　rounded　up　the　minute　they　exit　into　our　paradise。　I　do　not　want　either　him　or　any　of　his　party　injured　…　just　apprehended。〃　Stafford　smiled；　pacing　back　and　forth；　thinking。　〃Yes；　they　are　to　be　executed　in　the　Public　Square。　That　will　end　the　last　resistance　to　my　rule。　The　dissenters　figure　Danik　to　be　their　leader　…　his　death　before　their　eyes。。。〃
　〃What　are　my　orders；　sir？〃
　〃Go　to　the　Lake　Area；　keep　a　lookout　near　the　crevice　that　leads　to　the　caverns。　Apprehend　anyone　who　emerges。　Bring　them　to　me。〃
　〃If　they　resist？〃　These　words　of　Bdos　Err　brought　twisted　smiles　to　his　panions'　faces；　for　they　were　adepts　at　rendering　pain；　at　destroying　flesh。　Nunchaku…man　fingered　the　two　metal　sticks　attached　to　a　chain　shoved　into　his　waistband。　And　Dedman　tightened　his　grip　on　the　steel　shaft　of　a　spear　that　he　held　to　his　side。
　〃Use　whatever　level　of　violence　the　situation　demands。　No　more。　If　you　must　use　the　disintegrators；　use　low　power。　Don't　entirely　burn　them　up。　There　must　be　enough　left　to　torture；　and　to　display　in　the　Square。〃
　Bdos　Err　saluted　smartly；　and　he　and　his　grim　panions　in　terror　exited　the　apartments。
　Stafford　was　now　restless。　He　would　not　return　to　the　steam；　instead　he　had　Mannerly　hand　him　his　tunic。　He　put　it　on　and　went　into　the　entertainment　area。
　No　one　in　Eden　lived　as　well　as　Stafford。　No　one　had　a　steam　bath；　an　entertainment　area；　or　the　other　amenities。　But　then　again；　no　one　else　had　the　guts　to　seize　power　and　take　what　he　wanted；　Stafford　mused。
　He　sat　down　in　a　lounge　chair　in　the　artificial　wood…paneled　room　and　pressed　a　button　activating　the　wide　screen。　The　lights；　sound；　and　action　of　a　Hollywood　movie　of　the　1980s　swept　across　the　screen。　The　Night　of　the　Grizziys；　his　favorite　movie　began　again。　He　had　seen　it　102　times。
　He　leaned　back　to　watch　the　dangerous　creatures　of　the　surface　walk　again；　terrorizing　and　tearing　flesh。
　To　think　that　these　creatures　existed　even　before　the　nuke　war。　What　hideous　things　Danik　must　have　seen；　what　terror　must　have　driven　him　back　into　the　arms　of　his　executioner　now；　in　this　age　of　mutations　above。　Yes；　the　surface　had　been　dangerous　even　before　the　radiation　mutated　the　creatures　into　more　hellish　forms。　These　movies　proved　it。
　He　wondered　now；　a　look　of　concern　crossing　his　face。　Were　those　footsteps　that　Bdos　Err　had　told　him　of　humane；　or　were　they。。。　monsters　from　the　surface　world？
　
　Rockson　and　his　group　came　stumbling　out　of　the　narrow　fissure　into　brilliant；　whitish　sunlight。　At　first　Rockson　thought　somehow　they　had　returned　to　the　surface；　but　then　he　saw　the　reeds　waving　in　the　cool　winds　from　the　cavern　behind　them。　They　were　green；　and　so　were　the　lily　pads；　with　their　multicolor　lotus　flowers。　It　was　winter；　and　even　at　this　latitude；　the　plant　life　was　all　dead　on　the　surface。　Another　tip…off　was　the　sun　above　…　it　had　a　paleness；　an　unhealthy　quality；　that　the　real　sun　never　had。　It　was　a　lithium…boron　flame。　Burns　for　a　thousand　years。。。　The　air　smelled　stale　and　malodorous；　like　a　closed　tomb。　That's　what　Eden　was　…　a　closed　tomb。
　〃We　must　be　in　Eden。　Pretty　foul　smelling。〃　Rock　stated。　His　eyes　were　adjusting　to　the　harsh　artificial　sunlight。　The　others　mented　upon　the　foul　air　…　and　the　restrained　sunlight　also。　Rona　said；　〃Why；　if　the　hole　into　the　caverns　didn't　exist；　they　would　have　suffocated　here。〃
　〃Long　as　the　air's　breathable；〃　Detroit　said　as　a　way　of　breaking　through　the　delay；　〃let's　get　going。〃
　Danik　said。　〃You're　right；　I　know　the　area　ahead　well；　it's　a　shallow　lake；　we　can　wade　along　in　the　reeds　till　we　reach　the　flowerbeds。　Then　we　can　filter　into　town；　and　contact　my　friends；　plan　our　attack。〃
　Rockson；　favoring　his　injured　leg；　turned　to　look　back　where　they　had　e　out　of　the　fissure。　It　was　almost　invisible　at　this　angle。　Just　the　flutter　of　the　grass　near　what　appeared　to　be　a　solid　rock　wall　gave　any　indication　of　the　hole。　No　wonder　so　few　in　Eden　knew　of　it。
　Bdos　Err　had　kept　his　men　quiet　and　low　in　the　barge　for　a　half　hour。　And　his　patience　and　stealth　was　rewarded。　The　sounds　of　men　wading；　rippling　the　water　in　the　reeds　not　far　off。　He　knew　he　had　his　catch。　And　better　still；　the　fish　were　walking　right　into　the　fisherman's　lap。
　〃Halt；　and　don't　move　for　your　weapons；〃　he　said；　rising　and　pointing　his　disintegrator　forward。　His　soldiers；　scattered　about　the　reeds　up　to　their　knees　in　the　waters；　did　likewise。　Twenty　disintegrators　leveled　on　the　seven　strangely　garbed　intruders　…　before　they　could　raise　their　odd　weapons。
　The　intruders；　a　strange　lot；　stood　there　in　the　waist…deep　waters。　Danik　was　among　them；　but　these　others　…　they　were　not　the　dissenters　he　had　expected　to　catch。　They　were　bizzarely　appareled　men　of　strong　physique　not　unlike　his　own。　And　there　was　a　tall　woman　among　them；　a　woman　who　put　the　women　of　Eden　to　shame　in　her　strong　beauty。
　〃Stafford's　elite　guard；〃　Danik　exclaimed；　a　note　of　hopelessness　in　his　strained　voice。　He　was　soon　cringing　behind　the　Rockson。　〃We　have　e　so　far　and　now　we　are　doomed；　Rockson。　Those　are　disintegrators　they　are　brandishing。〃
　〃We　are　not　dead　yet；〃　Rockson　snapped；　and　in　the　Anasazi　language；　he　muttered　to　Detroit　Green；　who　stood　nearest　to　the　Doomsday　Warrior。　〃Well　that　saves　us　the　trouble　of　finding　Stafford　…　as　I　hoped。〃
　Detroit　nodded　slightly。
　They　made　no　move　for　their　weapons。　Bdos　sent　some　men　wading　to　disarm　them　while　the　rest　kept　watch；　their　disintegrators　poised。　Bdos　kept　a　careful　eye　on　the　one　with　the　white　streak　through　his　dark　mane　of　hair。　He　stood　so　straight；　he　had　bearing。　The　bearing　of　a　warrior。　He　wondered　if　the　man　would　surrender　his　odd　weapon　…　a　long…barreled　ancient…style　pistol。　If　not；　Bdos　Err　would　take　the　man's　holster　off　with　his　bullwhip。
　Once　they　were　disarmed；　the　mander　of　the　guard　ordered　that　they　be　tied　by　their　elbows　behind　their　backs。
　While　this　was　done；　Nunchaku…man　came　up　alongside　his　leader　in　the　barge　and　whispered。　〃Are　they　surface　people？　They　look　somewhat　like　us。〃
　〃Maybe　looks　are　deceiving；〃　said　Bdos。　〃Maybe　they　look　like　us　but　are　monsters　underneath。〃　That　ment　brought　a　grin　to　the　tall　multi…scarred　face　next　to　him。　〃Maybe　they　can　take　more　torture　than　our　citizens　…　maybe　they　will　last　longer。　Th