rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第32章
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e 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。 Their eyes are strange。。。 especially that one with the white streak through his hair。 And that woman … have you ever seen such a tall woman … of such coloring？ Maybe they are humanoid； but they are not human。〃
〃Keep your weapons accurately aimed； men；〃 Bdos ordered as the prisoners were helped aboard the barge。
CHAPTER 23
The barge motor was turned on and the flat wide boat that had lain hidden in the reeds slowly moved out low in the water； carrying its prisoners back to Eden City。 Rockson and the tall muscled bald man who was the leader of the Civil Guard； the man they called Bdos Err； had a sort of staring contest。 Rockson sensed the man was not like his two henchmen。 No； this Bdos Err had some sort of nobility。 What was it？ A sense of purpose？ What purpose could an intelligent man have in serving a mad dictator？ No； it wasn't purpose he saw in the burly man wearing the metal armor。 It was … duty。 Yes； duty propelled this man。 Not avarice； or cunning； but simply duty。 The perfect soldier … obeys orders。 Obeys anyone in authority； even the mad。 Even to mit atrocities if so ordered。
Rockson spent less time on the two henchmen。 The one they called Nunchaku…man was of an estimable height； and like his boss； the man appeared well muscled and alert。 But that half…grin he wore； the curl of those lips under that long twisted black moustache。。。 Sadism； pure and simple。 He was in his position because he was terror incarnate。 Men who would not fear Bdos； despite the man's power and his blind obedience； feared the wrath of Nunchaku…man。
And at the stubby bow of the barge； his face to the warm foul wind； stood Dedman。 Dedman … what an apt name for the gray…faced expressionless killer with the sword stuck jauntily into his scabbard。 He held that long metal spear of his … Rock noted the bit of dried red on its tip … as if it were a part of his physique。 He had a rigid posture； his eyes were like that of an automaton。
Danik whispered information about the three Civil Guards。 They were raised in an abnormal way … the result of genetic experiments； they had been created in vitro； in petri dish fertilization。 They had been kept by machines； fed intravenously for ten years； fed a special vitamin formula that made them stronger than all the others of Eden。 All the others in the experiment had died but these three。 They'd been taught the arts of death by an old man； the last of his warrior class； some dozen years ago。
Rockson paid scant attention to the rest of the thin crew that had disarmed and bound him and his friends。 They would be nothing without their disintegrator sidearms。 And probably not very good with the weapons； either。 The three leaders showed their disdain for the lower ranks by not carrying any modern weapons。 If there was a showdown； the coiled bullwhip of Bdos Err and the nunchaku and the sword and spear of his henchmen would be the difficulty。
The water vessel approached the docks now。 Before Rockson； in a chemical…brown smog of stale air； stood the oddest city Rockson had ever encountered in all his journeys。 It was so damned squalid。 Sooty five… or six…story buildings； totally devoid of adornment； featureless； storeless streets perfectly perpendicular to one another。
The gray…brown buildings seemed to eat up the faint artificial sunlight that poured down from above。 No building； as far as Rock could see from the barge； had any design or style except the geometric … cubes； triangles； pentagons。 The building blocks must have been cut from gray basalt or like volcanic rock。 And built according to some simple； unimaginative； functional formula。
No； that wasn't quite true。。。 Rockson saw； at the far side of the cavern…city about five hundred yards down the broad main avenue； a taller building。 A seven…story job。 The other buildings in the city had no glass； this one seemed to be made entirely of black glass。 It glimmered bleakly in the eternal sunlight。
The broad avenue leading to it filled with activity。 From the hidden side streets poured a crowd of squat； pale； listless people。 They headed toward the docks； not with excitement； which woul
