"2568-13" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jerome Bigge - Warlady 6 - In Harms Way)"IN HARM'S WAY" AN ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN By Robert J. Simmons Chapter Thirteen "Back again," Carol said, held in my arms while Kathi looked on, perhaps a bit "puzzled" by my wife's tone of voice... The rooms were cold, chilly, but the sun was streaming in through the shutters, the sound of children playing in the "enclosure" formed by the buildings faintly audible through the closed windows. Dularnian cities are laid out in square blocks, with the build- ings all fronting the street like a solid wall while the interior of the "block" is left open for a playground and gardens. The idea of separate "yards" as such being almost completely "alien" to any one of this era as is the idea of "private property" in housing as we used to think of it in our own time. Our own quar- ters being rather similar in design to what would have been called a "town house" in the Twentieth Century. Such design does of course allow for a greater population density than what would be practical with a more "spread out" sort of housing, space be- ing at somewhat of a premium in a walled city such as Arsana is. Such a design also has its advantages for military defense, as it would force any invader to pass through the streets while subject to fire from the roof tops on either side. I might also add that the "roof top patios" above most Dularnian homes are often used in warm weather for entertainment and some degree of privacy. I might also note here that I've never seen windows on any house on the first floor, which makes breaking into a house rather diffi- cult without the use of something like a battering ram or the use of ladders. There is no such thing as "zoning" as such, although heavy manufacturing is not carried out in "residential" areas. On the other hand you do not need to go far to buy your daily "necessities", and most people do travel by foot throughout the city, often with their two wheeled little "carts" that you pull behind you, or have your slave girl "pull" for you if you are "wealthy" enough to have such a delightful wench to serve you so. Arsana is the largest city in Dularn, and measures about two miles across. The largest city I know of is Sarn, the capital of California, which is built in the shape of a horseshoe and covers a considerably larger area due to the bay in the center of it. It is doubtful at our present level of technology that a city of larger size than this would be practical in a society where most people travel by foot to their destinations.* Trella does have "public mass transit" in the form of horse drawn trolleys, an "invention" of Lorraine's that Maris is hoping to someday "copy", although there is considerable "opposition" from those now en- gaged here in the trade of transporting people for pay. Most people who live in the city do not own horses or unicorns, such animals being quite expensive to keep, both due to their feed and the "tax" that you must pay that is used to clean up the "messes" the animals make on the streets when they "relieve" themselves.** * The bicycle is just a "curiosity" since the streets are not "smooth" enough to make it practical nor is rubber available for the tires. "Experiments" with animal skins have proved useless. ** There are "public restrooms" for the people spaced every few blocks along the streets. These are quite "practical" in a soci- ety like ours with good social discipline. The sort of "vandal- ism" that I saw in the Twentieth Century doesn't exist in Dularn. Children in this society (the same is true in California) are ex- pected to "mind their manners" or they get a good whipping until they do. The people of this era are strict with their children. The type of "teen age activities" known in our time would not be "tolerated" anywhere in this era by the people of any country. A son or daughter who cannot be "controlled" is turned over the "authorities" for "discipline". For girls this is often slavery. For men this means castration and lifelong work on a labor gang. "Nice having a `wench' around though," Carol smiled, sitting there watching our slave girl. Kathi busy at work taking care of things, and seeing to our own comforts. Her present attire being such that one saw much of her legs, Kathi wearing only her leath- er halter and matching leather miniskirt. As our home from cel- lar to the roof top patio is five floors, she had ample opportu- nity for "exercise" in climbing all the stairways. It should be noted here that Kathi was also responsible for taking care of our animals, and seeing to all the household chores, all of which kept her busy most of the day. She was frequently given "time off", and we did give her an "allowance" to spend upon herself... The life of slave girls in a society like ours is not unpleasant. Most masters are well aware of the fact that a "happy" slave girl is more pleasant to have around than one who is always unhappy... "Especially if her skirt is short and she's `built' like a brick palace," I smiled, seeing Kathi now look up at me and grin. I often "patted" the wench whenever my wife wasn't around to see. Kathi enjoying such "teasing", as many slave girls do, I notice. Like Carol, Kathi has strong female drives, and no "doubts" about herself as a woman. She is better "built" than my wife, but not as "good" in bed despite the fact that she tries hard to be so... "I think the `term' referred to a different sort of `struc- ture'," Carol laughed, sipping at her wine as we ate our dinner there on the third floor now overlooking the "enclosure" outside. We rarely opened the windows on the "street" side any more as there was nothing to see but just the buildings on the other side of the street. Such also tended to keep out the street noises... "In any case she is a `pleasure to the eye'," I observed, Kathi at the moment bending over to feed the fireplace. The de- sign of these fireplaces is such that they are quite "energy ef- ficient" in that they also serve to heat water at the same time for the radiators that are commonplace in many Dularnian homes. One has the benefits of the open fire, and energy efficiency too. A grill work is built in the top of the fireplace through which the water is circulated. Usually only the upper floors are heat- ed in the colder months of the year, I might also mention here. Most Dularnian construction tends to be quite thick walled, which also "helps", and one also "dresses" for the climate, of course. "I trust you do not find me `displeasing'," my wife teased. "You do `smell' a bit better," I answered, Kathi in need of a bath, I had noticed earlier whenever she stood too close to me. "Steel or iron will rust when exposed to sea water," the man said, looking up at his beautiful Queen standing there. He was of the caste of Builders, which in turn covered the occupations of Engineering and Science, although the "latter" is also split among a number of other castes such as Physicians and Scribes. I was well aware of that fact, but didn't consider it "important". "Paint will serve to protect it," Maris smiled back then. "There is no provision for sails," the man protested then. "It is powered by steam, not by the wind," Maris now smiled. "It looks like something out of a sailor's nightmare," the man said. I tended to "agree" just a bit with him on that idea! "I wonder if Lorraine has the same problems," Maris said to me as the man left with the drawings. The "fact" that Lorraine could build steam ships didn't mean that we could, I was aware... "People raised in a `Twelfth Century' technology will have a hard time dealing with that of the early Nineteenth," I answered. "And what shall our `dreadnought' be called?" Maris asked. "That," I smiled, "I will leave up to the Queen of Dularn." "Starting to `show' a bit now," Maris smiled, Carol nodding. it was late spring, the great bulk of the "DIANA" there in the shipyard having drawn its share of the idly curious. The news- papers had dubbed it "Simmons' Folly", it being held that no ship without sails would be of any "practical value" for warfare de- spite the proven fact that Lorraine's steam frigates had "proved" themselves without doubt there on the southern coast of Alaska. The shape of the hull, like that of a fish, had aroused suspi- cions that perhaps we of the 20th Century knew little of ships! In the water it would give the impression of a great sea monster! The "spines" that ran down the Diana's back were an added touch! The painted "eyes" and all the rest merely adding to the "look". "Gives me a bit more of a `stake' in things," Carol said. "I think that is `why' we have Queens," Maris smiled back. "That Prince of the Wyomings seemed to like you a bit," my wife smiled. That was a bit of an "understatement", I thought... He'd been almost totally infatuated with Queen Maris, I'd noted. Such a marriage would have important political ramifications for Dularn, especially with Queen Valeris there to the north now. The "Queen of the North" having spread her ideology of "feminism" over a considerable area with the "help" of Imperial weaponry and "advisors". In this I suspected the hand of Lorraine, who was of course well aware of Twentieth Century history and such "things". Maris was supplying the Wyomings with our weapons, along with a number of "advisors" upon my suggestion, it being obvious to me that eventually some day Dularn and Queen Valeris were going to clash, especially as she worked her way further to the south now. In such a case it would be "wise" to have allies such as the Wyo- mings, whose cavalry might be more an "answer" to her wolves. I was also concerned about the Imperial "spy" we'd caught, no doubt an agent of either Darlanis or Lorraine, who it could be expected would view the construction of the Diana with some concern here. "He did make me arch and moan like no man before," Maris an- swered in a quiet tone that she might not be overheard just then! I had suspected that she had "given" herself to him, which among the high born women of Dularn doesn't usually occur unless the woman is very sure of her own emotional feelings towards the man. The type of sexual promiscuity like in our era is almost unknown. On the other hand prostitution is "legal" and quite commonplace. "He is a rather `handsome' devil," Carol then smiled back. "Who knows how to `pleasure' a woman," Maris assured her. "Would master come," Kathi interrupted, now kneeling there. "This makes the design more complex," the chief engineer said to me, showing me the drawings that I had prepared for him. "It also allows to run both engines off of either boiler," I now pointed out to him in reply, seeing him nod. While it made a "plumber's nightmare" out of things a bit, I felt it would also make the ship more "reliable" especially under combat situations. The Diana's top speed would be about seven knots. Quite inferior to that of even steam frigates under sail, but on the other hand we could make seven knots right into the teeth of the wind, which no sailing ship, not even the well designed North Star could do!* * The ship ended up with three engines and a top speed of about eleven knots, which while not a match for the "faster" sailing ships, did make the Diana much more "effective" as a ship of war. The "appearance" of the vessel also helped in terrifying enemies. "Last Sunday the High Priestess gave a sermon there at the Temple about the need of living in `peace' with one's neighbors," the man spoke, looking me straight in the eye. I was well aware that we were "pushing the law" quite a bit with the Diana and its new weaponry. "She said that in the `time of myth' that men did nothing but build better ways of killing each other," he added. I had recently been running experiments with "carbide" cannons... I suspected that the Priestesses of Lys had their own spies too. "She is right," I smiled, "But on the other hand if we allow the Imperials to build ships and weapons that we have no defense against, then will our children `curse' our names as the flag of the Empire flies over Arsana?" I challenged him back. He knew of course that Carol was pregnant, that she was carrying our child. The "welfare" of one's children is taken seriously in this era. "We'd all feel better if you talked to her," he answered. Neither Carol or I had ever paid much "attention" surprising as it may seem to the Lys "religion" as such. While we were well aware that nearly everyone in this era followed their teachings, neither my wife or I have ever been "religious" people as such or did we ever "belong" to any church back in the Twentieth Century. Thus as we stepped down from the taxi carriage in front of the great temple that covers an entire city block here in Arsana, we felt a certain degree of "awe" mixed with some "unease" despite the fact that we both knew that what we were doing was "right" whatever the High Priestess of the city said about our actions... "Impressive," Carol said, looking about. We had I supposed passed it at one time or another, but we hadn't paid it much note at the time. Surprising as it may seem to the reader, there were a lot of places in Arsana than we'd never seen despite the months that we'd lived here. This "temple" being the "mother temple" for the rest of the much smaller local temples here in Arsana. I might note here that "religion" is considered "important" in this era, and that I have never met an "atheist" even among those who you might think would be one. It is taken for "granted" that Lys exists, that she is "Prime Cause" of everything as the Priestess- es say. The Priestesses themselves pointing to Lorraine's own documented experiences there on Mars when she supposedly met up with Lys, who the Imperial Warlady herself refers to as "SHE"... "IN HARM'S WAY" AN ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN By Robert J. Simmons Chapter Thirteen "Back again," Carol said, held in my arms while Kathi looked on, perhaps a bit "puzzled" by my wife's tone of voice... The rooms were cold, chilly, but the sun was streaming in through the shutters, the sound of children playing in the "enclosure" formed by the buildings faintly audible through the closed windows. Dularnian cities are laid out in square blocks, with the build- ings all fronting the street like a solid wall while the interior of the "block" is left open for a playground and gardens. The idea of separate "yards" as such being almost completely "alien" to any one of this era as is the idea of "private property" in housing as we used to think of it in our own time. Our own quar- ters being rather similar in design to what would have been called a "town house" in the Twentieth Century. Such design does of course allow for a greater population density than what would be practical with a more "spread out" sort of housing, space be- ing at somewhat of a premium in a walled city such as Arsana is. Such a design also has its advantages for military defense, as it would force any invader to pass through the streets while subject to fire from the roof tops on either side. I might also add that the "roof top patios" above most Dularnian homes are often used in warm weather for entertainment and some degree of privacy. I might also note here that I've never seen windows on any house on the first floor, which makes breaking into a house rather diffi- cult without the use of something like a battering ram or the use of ladders. There is no such thing as "zoning" as such, although heavy manufacturing is not carried out in "residential" areas. On the other hand you do not need to go far to buy your daily "necessities", and most people do travel by foot throughout the city, often with their two wheeled little "carts" that you pull behind you, or have your slave girl "pull" for you if you are "wealthy" enough to have such a delightful wench to serve you so. Arsana is the largest city in Dularn, and measures about two miles across. The largest city I know of is Sarn, the capital of California, which is built in the shape of a horseshoe and covers a considerably larger area due to the bay in the center of it. It is doubtful at our present level of technology that a city of larger size than this would be practical in a society where most people travel by foot to their destinations.* Trella does have "public mass transit" in the form of horse drawn trolleys, an "invention" of Lorraine's that Maris is hoping to someday "copy", although there is considerable "opposition" from those now en- gaged here in the trade of transporting people for pay. Most people who live in the city do not own horses or unicorns, such animals being quite expensive to keep, both due to their feed and the "tax" that you must pay that is used to clean up the "messes" the animals make on the streets when they "relieve" themselves.** * The bicycle is just a "curiosity" since the streets are not "smooth" enough to make it practical nor is rubber available for the tires. "Experiments" with animal skins have proved useless. ** There are "public restrooms" for the people spaced every few blocks along the streets. These are quite "practical" in a soci- ety like ours with good social discipline. The sort of "vandal- ism" that I saw in the Twentieth Century doesn't exist in Dularn. Children in this society (the same is true in California) are ex- pected to "mind their manners" or they get a good whipping until they do. The people of this era are strict with their children. The type of "teen age activities" known in our time would not be "tolerated" anywhere in this era by the people of any country. A son or daughter who cannot be "controlled" is turned over the "authorities" for "discipline". For girls this is often slavery. For men this means castration and lifelong work on a labor gang. "Nice having a `wench' around though," Carol smiled, sitting there watching our slave girl. Kathi busy at work taking care of things, and seeing to our own comforts. Her present attire being such that one saw much of her legs, Kathi wearing only her leath- er halter and matching leather miniskirt. As our home from cel- lar to the roof top patio is five floors, she had ample opportu- nity for "exercise" in climbing all the stairways. It should be noted here that Kathi was also responsible for taking care of our animals, and seeing to all the household chores, all of which kept her busy most of the day. She was frequently given "time off", and we did give her an "allowance" to spend upon herself... The life of slave girls in a society like ours is not unpleasant. Most masters are well aware of the fact that a "happy" slave girl is more pleasant to have around than one who is always unhappy... "Especially if her skirt is short and she's `built' like a brick palace," I smiled, seeing Kathi now look up at me and grin. I often "patted" the wench whenever my wife wasn't around to see. Kathi enjoying such "teasing", as many slave girls do, I notice. Like Carol, Kathi has strong female drives, and no "doubts" about herself as a woman. She is better "built" than my wife, but not as "good" in bed despite the fact that she tries hard to be so... "I think the `term' referred to a different sort of `struc- ture'," Carol laughed, sipping at her wine as we ate our dinner there on the third floor now overlooking the "enclosure" outside. We rarely opened the windows on the "street" side any more as there was nothing to see but just the buildings on the other side of the street. Such also tended to keep out the street noises... "In any case she is a `pleasure to the eye'," I observed, Kathi at the moment bending over to feed the fireplace. The de- sign of these fireplaces is such that they are quite "energy ef- ficient" in that they also serve to heat water at the same time for the radiators that are commonplace in many Dularnian homes. One has the benefits of the open fire, and energy efficiency too. A grill work is built in the top of the fireplace through which the water is circulated. Usually only the upper floors are heat- ed in the colder months of the year, I might also mention here. Most Dularnian construction tends to be quite thick walled, which also "helps", and one also "dresses" for the climate, of course. "I trust you do not find me `displeasing'," my wife teased. "You do `smell' a bit better," I answered, Kathi in need of a bath, I had noticed earlier whenever she stood too close to me. "Steel or iron will rust when exposed to sea water," the man said, looking up at his beautiful Queen standing there. He was of the caste of Builders, which in turn covered the occupations of Engineering and Science, although the "latter" is also split among a number of other castes such as Physicians and Scribes. I was well aware of that fact, but didn't consider it "important". "Paint will serve to protect it," Maris smiled back then. "There is no provision for sails," the man protested then. "It is powered by steam, not by the wind," Maris now smiled. "It looks like something out of a sailor's nightmare," the man said. I tended to "agree" just a bit with him on that idea! "I wonder if Lorraine has the same problems," Maris said to me as the man left with the drawings. The "fact" that Lorraine could build steam ships didn't mean that we could, I was aware... "People raised in a `Twelfth Century' technology will have a hard time dealing with that of the early Nineteenth," I answered. "And what shall our `dreadnought' be called?" Maris asked. "That," I smiled, "I will leave up to the Queen of Dularn." "Starting to `show' a bit now," Maris smiled, Carol nodding. it was late spring, the great bulk of the "DIANA" there in the shipyard having drawn its share of the idly curious. The news- papers had dubbed it "Simmons' Folly", it being held that no ship without sails would be of any "practical value" for warfare de- spite the proven fact that Lorraine's steam frigates had "proved" themselves without doubt there on the southern coast of Alaska. The shape of the hull, like that of a fish, had aroused suspi- cions that perhaps we of the 20th Century knew little of ships! In the water it would give the impression of a great sea monster! The "spines" that ran down the Diana's back were an added touch! The painted "eyes" and all the rest merely adding to the "look". "Gives me a bit more of a `stake' in things," Carol said. "I think that is `why' we have Queens," Maris smiled back. "That Prince of the Wyomings seemed to like you a bit," my wife smiled. That was a bit of an "understatement", I thought... He'd been almost totally infatuated with Queen Maris, I'd noted. Such a marriage would have important political ramifications for Dularn, especially with Queen Valeris there to the north now. The "Queen of the North" having spread her ideology of "feminism" over a considerable area with the "help" of Imperial weaponry and "advisors". In this I suspected the hand of Lorraine, who was of course well aware of Twentieth Century history and such "things". Maris was supplying the Wyomings with our weapons, along with a number of "advisors" upon my suggestion, it being obvious to me that eventually some day Dularn and Queen Valeris were going to clash, especially as she worked her way further to the south now. In such a case it would be "wise" to have allies such as the Wyo- mings, whose cavalry might be more an "answer" to her wolves. I was also concerned about the Imperial "spy" we'd caught, no doubt an agent of either Darlanis or Lorraine, who it could be expected would view the construction of the Diana with some concern here. "He did make me arch and moan like no man before," Maris an- swered in a quiet tone that she might not be overheard just then! I had suspected that she had "given" herself to him, which among the high born women of Dularn doesn't usually occur unless the woman is very sure of her own emotional feelings towards the man. The type of sexual promiscuity like in our era is almost unknown. On the other hand prostitution is "legal" and quite commonplace. "He is a rather `handsome' devil," Carol then smiled back. "Who knows how to `pleasure' a woman," Maris assured her. "Would master come," Kathi interrupted, now kneeling there. "This makes the design more complex," the chief engineer said to me, showing me the drawings that I had prepared for him. "It also allows to run both engines off of either boiler," I now pointed out to him in reply, seeing him nod. While it made a "plumber's nightmare" out of things a bit, I felt it would also make the ship more "reliable" especially under combat situations. The Diana's top speed would be about seven knots. Quite inferior to that of even steam frigates under sail, but on the other hand we could make seven knots right into the teeth of the wind, which no sailing ship, not even the well designed North Star could do!* * The ship ended up with three engines and a top speed of about eleven knots, which while not a match for the "faster" sailing ships, did make the Diana much more "effective" as a ship of war. The "appearance" of the vessel also helped in terrifying enemies. "Last Sunday the High Priestess gave a sermon there at the Temple about the need of living in `peace' with one's neighbors," the man spoke, looking me straight in the eye. I was well aware that we were "pushing the law" quite a bit with the Diana and its new weaponry. "She said that in the `time of myth' that men did nothing but build better ways of killing each other," he added. I had recently been running experiments with "carbide" cannons... I suspected that the Priestesses of Lys had their own spies too. "She is right," I smiled, "But on the other hand if we allow the Imperials to build ships and weapons that we have no defense against, then will our children `curse' our names as the flag of the Empire flies over Arsana?" I challenged him back. He knew of course that Carol was pregnant, that she was carrying our child. The "welfare" of one's children is taken seriously in this era. "We'd all feel better if you talked to her," he answered. Neither Carol or I had ever paid much "attention" surprising as it may seem to the Lys "religion" as such. While we were well aware that nearly everyone in this era followed their teachings, neither my wife or I have ever been "religious" people as such or did we ever "belong" to any church back in the Twentieth Century. Thus as we stepped down from the taxi carriage in front of the great temple that covers an entire city block here in Arsana, we felt a certain degree of "awe" mixed with some "unease" despite the fact that we both knew that what we were doing was "right" whatever the High Priestess of the city said about our actions... "Impressive," Carol said, looking about. We had I supposed passed it at one time or another, but we hadn't paid it much note at the time. Surprising as it may seem to the reader, there were a lot of places in Arsana than we'd never seen despite the months that we'd lived here. This "temple" being the "mother temple" for the rest of the much smaller local temples here in Arsana. I might note here that "religion" is considered "important" in this era, and that I have never met an "atheist" even among those who you might think would be one. It is taken for "granted" that Lys exists, that she is "Prime Cause" of everything as the Priestess- es say. The Priestesses themselves pointing to Lorraine's own documented experiences there on Mars when she supposedly met up with Lys, who the Imperial Warlady herself refers to as "SHE"... |
|
|