"2568-14" - 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 Fourteen "Reminds me a little of cathedrals in Europe and temples in Greece," Carol whispered as we stepped inside the great Temple of Lys here in Arsana. The High Priestess of the Temple also being the High Priestess of Dularn, I might mention here at this point. The interior reminded me of a Catholic Church in a way except for the "differences" in the altar, as the Priestesses do not believe in "Jesus" or anything like that, Lys being always "portrayed" as a beautiful tall golden haired woman. Much like what Lorraine "saw" on Mars. One "wonders" about such things since "blonde" haired women have always been considered somehow "superior" to more common "types". The actual "symbol" of Lys is of course the ankh. I have often wondered just how "far" that Tais has gone back in time. Could she have visited Egypt in the time of the Pharaohs? Or could "SHE" herself have paid a "visit" back then? "You've never been to either place," I pointed out to her. Carol and I had once been to Spain, but we didn't tour the place, having stayed for three weeks at a seashore castle back in 1990. "I've seen `pictures'," Carol now hissed back in low tones. "Here comes a Priestess," I smiled, seeing her approach. There are a number of different "levels" of Priestesses, the most common being the silver ankh, with the gold ankh much more rare. There are also "student" Priestesses, I might mention in passing. The "religion" itself is the consequence of certain "ideas" that Lorraine passed on to Janet Rogers in the Twentieth Century, it having been Lorraine's quite "justified" concern that "electronic hypnosis", for which she is somewhat "responsible" for, could be used as a means of "control" from which there would be no escape. On the other hand the Priestesses themselves are far "more" than what Lorraine ever thought they would be, and I feel that in a way they probably represent the "best" of the Warlady's ideals... Lorraine being one of whom it may be said that she "meant well".* * Sometimes my husband does not clearly "see" what he should. I do not view Lorraine Richards as anything but what she is. (C.S.) "May I be of service to you?" the Priestess asked us both. She was dark haired, and obviously from her "coloring" not of Du- larn, but from a land much further to the south of our island. I suspect that the Priestesses of Lys do possess most of the tech- nology of the 21st Century, and perhaps even have "aircraft" of some sort, although this is nothing but "conjuncture" on my part. "I am Robert Simmons, and this is my wife Carol," I smiled. "Your `activities' are not `unknown' to us," she announced. "I hope not `all' unfavorably," I smiled back at the woman. "Lys `understands' much of such things," she spoke softly. "At least you're an `improvement' over Christianity," Carol smiled back, the Priestess nodding, giving my wife a smile back. The Priestesses of Lys not being "anti-sex" like Christians were. On the other hand just mention the word "hypnosis" to a Priestess sometime and watch the "reaction" you get right back in reply!!! "We follow the true teachings of Lys," she replied in turn. "And obey her commands to `safeguard' Mankind from the Evil One." With this she turned away, beckoning us to follow her across the Temple to the other side, where she indicated a doorway, telling us to enter. Her dark eyes for a brief moment meeting my wife's. "Tais!" I breathed, instantly recognizing the First Priest- ess standing there, the other Priestess beside her no doubt the High Priestess of Dularn herself, a woman by the name of Martis.* * Many Dularnian women have names that end in "is" for some rea- son I've never been able to determine. The practice being much more common among those of the upper classes than otherwise here. "Been making things go `boom', haven't you?" Tais smiled, the room lit by some sort of glowing panels in the ceiling. I'd once been told that the Priestesses "knew" the "secrets of the past" and could use them to do things that no one else could do! I supposed such "devices" served to "awe" the common people into believing that everything the Priestesses said was the TRUTH too. Many of the "tales" spoken about the Priestesses of Lys tend to make me believe now that at least some of their awesome "abili- ties" tends to be nothing more than scientific "trickery" of some sort. Much like that used by stage magicians back in my own era. Their ability to "kill" by merely pointing their hand is due to their "possession" of a device that sends electric current down a coherent beam of light. I once saw such a "weapon" in use too... It is "impressive" in use, but rather inaccurate, and really no "match" for a man with a crossbow if you keep your wits about you. The technology, while "impressive", is "understandable" to one from an era where such concepts were not that "far-fetched". "I take it you don't `approve'," I answered, well aware of the sort of "power" that Tais now possessed over all of Humanity. For all practical purposes she was the undisputed "ruler" of the entire solar system as such. The room much like an office, with chairs and a large oaken desk. Tais half sitting on the edge of the desk, with the High Priestess sitting in a chair to one side. She was blonde like many Dularnians, her eye color a steel gray. "Not any more than I did Lorraine's ideas to build a second `Constitution'," the First Priestess smiled back, her eyes as "blue" as Darlanis' now glowing straight into mine. I have my suspicions here that the life span of Priestesses is considerably greater than that of ordinary human beings, but this is only a "conjecture" on my part with little to actually base anything on. On the other hand it is noteworthy that Darlanis' daughter, Domi- no Tremaine, who traveled from "somewhere" in the 26th Century back to the 20th Century and died in the year 2047 did not age as much as she should have done considering that great span of time! Carol and I having met the woman in 1990 when she appeared to be in her early thirties. Of course the anti-aging serums may be the "answer" here, especially if she took a supply of the drugs with her back into the past, which may "explain" things here now. "I'd better stick with steam catapults then," I smiled back. "That would be `wise'," the High Priestess of Dularn spoke. "I trust you found the books from our time `useful'," Carol said. Tais having needed us to help her obtain certain books un- known in this time. I expected that the public library would never get them back now, although it was still possible of course to go back in time and return the books if Tais wished to do so.* * This was later done, I might note, Tais being thoughtful enough to do so knowing that otherwise Carol would be "liable" for them. "A great deal of caution must be taken by anyone who travels back in time," High Priestess Martis added, glancing up at Tais. "I am well aware of that `fact'," Tais answered, the tone of her voice leaving no doubt that she and Martis differed on this. I knew from what Lorraine had told me that the "organization" as such was "controlled" by those who had reached the level of "High Priestess". Such in turn forming a "council" which then elected one of their number as the "First Priestess" to represent them... "And this second journey back into time to satisfy your own curiosity about their culture was utterly without reason," Martis snapped in cold icy tones, both women now paying us little note. "Your bringing them here to this time was bad enough, and I still see no justification for they're being here just because you want to keep Darlanis from establishing an Empire of North America!" "Fortunately the majority on the council disagree with you," Tais "retorted", her voice icy cold as her eyes burned into the other's. I recalled the sort of "powers" these women possessed, and shuddered at the thought of what they might do to each other! "We are here, and we hold the welfare of Mankind in just as high a regard as you do," Carol suddenly interrupted them both!!! "Don't build any weapon using explosives," Martis said, her eyes burning hot into mine as she then left the room, closing the door behind herself in a way that left no doubt as to her opinion of things here. Tais giving me a "wan" smile, spreading her hands in a way that made her seem very "human" just then to us... "High intelligence does not always mean great wisdom," the First Priestess smiled. "There are those among us who do not un- derstand that our role here on Earth is to `guide', not `rule'." "Is she...?" Carol breathed, her hand on her sword hilt. "She knows better than to oppose me directly," Tais said. "But she could be `dangerous' to you?" I asked Tais, seeing her nod in reply. I supposed Tais had pretty much the same sort of "problems" that any head of state would have had in our time. She wasn't an "absolute dictator" by any means, and it was just possible that she could be "replaced" with another if the Council of High Priestesses decided she was "unworthy" of her "position". "We are in many ways little different than you humans," she smiled. The way she spoke just then leaving little doubt as to how she saw things. In "form" she was human, in reality perhaps something else. "Our `position' here is to `protect' Mankind from "those" who would wish you harm." That was the general view that the Priestesses of Lys held vs a vs the human race as such. "You could put an `end' to warfare, all `evil things'," my wife retorted. I wondered if the Priestesses did have the power? "In such a society life would hardly be worth living," Tais smiled. "Janet Rogers' World Federation was not a `success' any more than the Soviet dictatorship that died out in your own era. Man does not `need' another planetary dictatorship of that sort." "Queen Valeris of the `Free Women' doesn't think too much of your organization," I smiled, recalling what I'd been told then. "The `feeling' is rather `mutual', I fear," Tais smiled. "They practice a sort of `witchcraft' that in other eras has re- sulted in considerable harm, and I must tell you that there are `ways' that one can bring evil spirits from the `astral world'." "I'm from the 20th Century, not the 12th," I smiled at her. "Such things `exist', and I am not lying about this either," Tais snapped back. "We have been forced already once to `close' a sort of `GATEWAY' that was established between this world and the `astral world' that lies in another plane of existence." The tone of her voice leaving no doubt that she "believed" all this!! "And hypnosis has something to `do' with all this?" I asked, well aware that the Priestesses strongly opposed its "use" by any but themselves. I suspected too that I knew the reason why here. "We possess the `power' to open `Gateways' both through time and into other planes of existence," Tais answered, "And we have learned at the cost of a number of lives to be a bit `cautious'." "`Parallel Universes'?" I asked her, recalling my reading, wondering what life might be "like" in such different "worlds"... "There are `planes of existence' where life has become ex- tinct on the Earth, others where Man has remained only a barbaric savage living in caves, and others where he has conquered his own solar system and sought the stars," the First Priestess answered. "What about `what' you were talking about?" Carol now asked. "There are `non-material' planes of existence where exist be- ings of great power, beings who are more `evil' than any man who ever lived on this Earth," she said, "And I might add, there is a `HELL' where lives the `being' we call the `EVIL ONE', the `anti-Lys' who has since the beginning of time opposed LYS her- self for the immortal souls of beings throughout the Universes." "Lorraine was told `something' of this," I said to my wife. "The `Battle Between Good And Evil' will take place eleven years from now in the southeast part of Trelandar," Tais replied. "There is a `possibility' that it will be the end of life here on Earth if the `EVIL ONE' wins against us," the Priestess answered. "IN HARM'S WAY" AN ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN By Robert J. Simmons Chapter Fourteen "Reminds me a little of cathedrals in Europe and temples in Greece," Carol whispered as we stepped inside the great Temple of Lys here in Arsana. The High Priestess of the Temple also being the High Priestess of Dularn, I might mention here at this point. The interior reminded me of a Catholic Church in a way except for the "differences" in the altar, as the Priestesses do not believe in "Jesus" or anything like that, Lys being always "portrayed" as a beautiful tall golden haired woman. Much like what Lorraine "saw" on Mars. One "wonders" about such things since "blonde" haired women have always been considered somehow "superior" to more common "types". The actual "symbol" of Lys is of course the ankh. I have often wondered just how "far" that Tais has gone back in time. Could she have visited Egypt in the time of the Pharaohs? Or could "SHE" herself have paid a "visit" back then? "You've never been to either place," I pointed out to her. Carol and I had once been to Spain, but we didn't tour the place, having stayed for three weeks at a seashore castle back in 1990. "I've seen `pictures'," Carol now hissed back in low tones. "Here comes a Priestess," I smiled, seeing her approach. There are a number of different "levels" of Priestesses, the most common being the silver ankh, with the gold ankh much more rare. There are also "student" Priestesses, I might mention in passing. The "religion" itself is the consequence of certain "ideas" that Lorraine passed on to Janet Rogers in the Twentieth Century, it having been Lorraine's quite "justified" concern that "electronic hypnosis", for which she is somewhat "responsible" for, could be used as a means of "control" from which there would be no escape. On the other hand the Priestesses themselves are far "more" than what Lorraine ever thought they would be, and I feel that in a way they probably represent the "best" of the Warlady's ideals... Lorraine being one of whom it may be said that she "meant well".* * Sometimes my husband does not clearly "see" what he should. I do not view Lorraine Richards as anything but what she is. (C.S.) "May I be of service to you?" the Priestess asked us both. She was dark haired, and obviously from her "coloring" not of Du- larn, but from a land much further to the south of our island. I suspect that the Priestesses of Lys do possess most of the tech- nology of the 21st Century, and perhaps even have "aircraft" of some sort, although this is nothing but "conjuncture" on my part. "I am Robert Simmons, and this is my wife Carol," I smiled. "Your `activities' are not `unknown' to us," she announced. "I hope not `all' unfavorably," I smiled back at the woman. "Lys `understands' much of such things," she spoke softly. "At least you're an `improvement' over Christianity," Carol smiled back, the Priestess nodding, giving my wife a smile back. The Priestesses of Lys not being "anti-sex" like Christians were. On the other hand just mention the word "hypnosis" to a Priestess sometime and watch the "reaction" you get right back in reply!!! "We follow the true teachings of Lys," she replied in turn. "And obey her commands to `safeguard' Mankind from the Evil One." With this she turned away, beckoning us to follow her across the Temple to the other side, where she indicated a doorway, telling us to enter. Her dark eyes for a brief moment meeting my wife's. "Tais!" I breathed, instantly recognizing the First Priest- ess standing there, the other Priestess beside her no doubt the High Priestess of Dularn herself, a woman by the name of Martis.* * Many Dularnian women have names that end in "is" for some rea- son I've never been able to determine. The practice being much more common among those of the upper classes than otherwise here. "Been making things go `boom', haven't you?" Tais smiled, the room lit by some sort of glowing panels in the ceiling. I'd once been told that the Priestesses "knew" the "secrets of the past" and could use them to do things that no one else could do! I supposed such "devices" served to "awe" the common people into believing that everything the Priestesses said was the TRUTH too. Many of the "tales" spoken about the Priestesses of Lys tend to make me believe now that at least some of their awesome "abili- ties" tends to be nothing more than scientific "trickery" of some sort. Much like that used by stage magicians back in my own era. Their ability to "kill" by merely pointing their hand is due to their "possession" of a device that sends electric current down a coherent beam of light. I once saw such a "weapon" in use too... It is "impressive" in use, but rather inaccurate, and really no "match" for a man with a crossbow if you keep your wits about you. The technology, while "impressive", is "understandable" to one from an era where such concepts were not that "far-fetched". "I take it you don't `approve'," I answered, well aware of the sort of "power" that Tais now possessed over all of Humanity. For all practical purposes she was the undisputed "ruler" of the entire solar system as such. The room much like an office, with chairs and a large oaken desk. Tais half sitting on the edge of the desk, with the High Priestess sitting in a chair to one side. She was blonde like many Dularnians, her eye color a steel gray. "Not any more than I did Lorraine's ideas to build a second `Constitution'," the First Priestess smiled back, her eyes as "blue" as Darlanis' now glowing straight into mine. I have my suspicions here that the life span of Priestesses is considerably greater than that of ordinary human beings, but this is only a "conjecture" on my part with little to actually base anything on. On the other hand it is noteworthy that Darlanis' daughter, Domi- no Tremaine, who traveled from "somewhere" in the 26th Century back to the 20th Century and died in the year 2047 did not age as much as she should have done considering that great span of time! Carol and I having met the woman in 1990 when she appeared to be in her early thirties. Of course the anti-aging serums may be the "answer" here, especially if she took a supply of the drugs with her back into the past, which may "explain" things here now. "I'd better stick with steam catapults then," I smiled back. "That would be `wise'," the High Priestess of Dularn spoke. "I trust you found the books from our time `useful'," Carol said. Tais having needed us to help her obtain certain books un- known in this time. I expected that the public library would never get them back now, although it was still possible of course to go back in time and return the books if Tais wished to do so.* * This was later done, I might note, Tais being thoughtful enough to do so knowing that otherwise Carol would be "liable" for them. "A great deal of caution must be taken by anyone who travels back in time," High Priestess Martis added, glancing up at Tais. "I am well aware of that `fact'," Tais answered, the tone of her voice leaving no doubt that she and Martis differed on this. I knew from what Lorraine had told me that the "organization" as such was "controlled" by those who had reached the level of "High Priestess". Such in turn forming a "council" which then elected one of their number as the "First Priestess" to represent them... "And this second journey back into time to satisfy your own curiosity about their culture was utterly without reason," Martis snapped in cold icy tones, both women now paying us little note. "Your bringing them here to this time was bad enough, and I still see no justification for they're being here just because you want to keep Darlanis from establishing an Empire of North America!" "Fortunately the majority on the council disagree with you," Tais "retorted", her voice icy cold as her eyes burned into the other's. I recalled the sort of "powers" these women possessed, and shuddered at the thought of what they might do to each other! "We are here, and we hold the welfare of Mankind in just as high a regard as you do," Carol suddenly interrupted them both!!! "Don't build any weapon using explosives," Martis said, her eyes burning hot into mine as she then left the room, closing the door behind herself in a way that left no doubt as to her opinion of things here. Tais giving me a "wan" smile, spreading her hands in a way that made her seem very "human" just then to us... "High intelligence does not always mean great wisdom," the First Priestess smiled. "There are those among us who do not un- derstand that our role here on Earth is to `guide', not `rule'." "Is she...?" Carol breathed, her hand on her sword hilt. "She knows better than to oppose me directly," Tais said. "But she could be `dangerous' to you?" I asked Tais, seeing her nod in reply. I supposed Tais had pretty much the same sort of "problems" that any head of state would have had in our time. She wasn't an "absolute dictator" by any means, and it was just possible that she could be "replaced" with another if the Council of High Priestesses decided she was "unworthy" of her "position". "We are in many ways little different than you humans," she smiled. The way she spoke just then leaving little doubt as to how she saw things. In "form" she was human, in reality perhaps something else. "Our `position' here is to `protect' Mankind from "those" who would wish you harm." That was the general view that the Priestesses of Lys held vs a vs the human race as such. "You could put an `end' to warfare, all `evil things'," my wife retorted. I wondered if the Priestesses did have the power? "In such a society life would hardly be worth living," Tais smiled. "Janet Rogers' World Federation was not a `success' any more than the Soviet dictatorship that died out in your own era. Man does not `need' another planetary dictatorship of that sort." "Queen Valeris of the `Free Women' doesn't think too much of your organization," I smiled, recalling what I'd been told then. "The `feeling' is rather `mutual', I fear," Tais smiled. "They practice a sort of `witchcraft' that in other eras has re- sulted in considerable harm, and I must tell you that there are `ways' that one can bring evil spirits from the `astral world'." "I'm from the 20th Century, not the 12th," I smiled at her. "Such things `exist', and I am not lying about this either," Tais snapped back. "We have been forced already once to `close' a sort of `GATEWAY' that was established between this world and the `astral world' that lies in another plane of existence." The tone of her voice leaving no doubt that she "believed" all this!! "And hypnosis has something to `do' with all this?" I asked, well aware that the Priestesses strongly opposed its "use" by any but themselves. I suspected too that I knew the reason why here. "We possess the `power' to open `Gateways' both through time and into other planes of existence," Tais answered, "And we have learned at the cost of a number of lives to be a bit `cautious'." "`Parallel Universes'?" I asked her, recalling my reading, wondering what life might be "like" in such different "worlds"... "There are `planes of existence' where life has become ex- tinct on the Earth, others where Man has remained only a barbaric savage living in caves, and others where he has conquered his own solar system and sought the stars," the First Priestess answered. "What about `what' you were talking about?" Carol now asked. "There are `non-material' planes of existence where exist be- ings of great power, beings who are more `evil' than any man who ever lived on this Earth," she said, "And I might add, there is a `HELL' where lives the `being' we call the `EVIL ONE', the `anti-Lys' who has since the beginning of time opposed LYS her- self for the immortal souls of beings throughout the Universes." "Lorraine was told `something' of this," I said to my wife. "The `Battle Between Good And Evil' will take place eleven years from now in the southeast part of Trelandar," Tais replied. "There is a `possibility' that it will be the end of life here on Earth if the `EVIL ONE' wins against us," the Priestess answered. |
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