"2569-02" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jerome Bigge - Warlady 7 - The Dularnian Queen)2569 A.D.! THE DULARNIAN QUEEN AN ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN By Jerome B. Bigge Chapter Two "It is a `work' of the `Ancients'," the man said, one of the caste of Builders, as he supervised his labor gang now pounding away with hammers and chisels against the reinforced concrete of the vault like structure they'd found outside the city of Arsana. "And it is obvious from its design that it was meant to `protect' something from the ravages of time," he added, giving me a smile. The falling wet late winter snow giving everything a coating of white, including the Queen of Dularn, who wasn't all that "de- lighted" in being called out to look at this latest "discovery"! The evergreens growing up about us now lovely tapering columns of white pointing up into the grayness of the sky over our heads. The mist of our breath, that of our animals adding its own "qual- ity" to the scene. My unicorn, those of my Royal Guard shuffling and stamping about there behind us. The snow coating us all this wintry March day, the year 522 A.W. with a chilly coat of white* * Time was "dated" in this era from The War of 2047. (J.B.) The trio of guardswomen with me speaking softly among themselves. My personal Scribe there at my side, quietly watching everything. A "discovery" like this would be "meaningful" to her, I supposed. "Looks like a `tomb' of some sort," I "ventured", standing there, the snow now coating my lovely fur coat, wetting my golden hair, the diamond studded tiara that I wore as Dularn's Queen. There was, in my opinion, little "value" in digging up the past although I suppose that those of the "learned" castes might dif- fer with me on that. I am of the Warrioresses, a "caste" not noted for "intellectual" qualities, but for the blood we "shed", the battles that we fight against the foes of our lovely island. "Built awful `strong' for that," the Builder grinned back. "It's not likely to contain anything `valuable'," I said. "One never `knows' about such things," he "reminded" me. "Perhaps it contains valuable books," my Scribe ventured. "Or a `computer' like the one Lorraine found," I commented. I supposed a "device" like that might be "useful", although I had little "idea" why it might be, as Lorraine got little practical use of hers despite the fact that she bragged about having one... The Builder nodding at my Scribe, who now shrugged her shoulders, no doubt sharing the "opinion" that I was really just another "Warrioress" who had little education or "interest" in "anything" but killing people and making war with other countries. I sup- pose I shouldn't have said what I did, but I wasn't in the best of "moods" just then and I just didn't care what I said now! The "fact" that they'd sent someone to bring ME out "here" was I sup- posed "proof" that they thought this was "important", but to me I couldn't see "why" they needed the Queen of Dularn for this. The structure was now quite obviously a "tomb", and nothing else! "They're through," my Scribe breathed, the Builder nodding, as white as a snowman, the snow melting and running down my neck! I wondered to myself if down in the Empire they got Darlanis to come and "look" at every bit of "history" they dug up? I rather doubted it, knowing what I did about that tall golden Imperial!! "There's something inside," one of the men called out. I smiled to myself, holding back the comment that there doubtlessly would be or those of the past wouldn't have ever built this tomb! "Those are `coffins', your majesty," the Builder said to me, holding the smoky torch he'd made from some pine branches twisted together. I repressed the comment that I knew what a coffin was! They were well preserved, although that didn't mean that much now as the Ancients had metals that were proof against almost every- thing. Those of the past building in steels that never "rusted". Like the Lorr they had even possessed the ability to travel be- tween worlds, although this last had been their "downfall" when Mankind had attempted to destroy the Lorr with a gigantic comet "redirected" so that it would strike Mars and destroy the "ants". "After five centuries there won't be `much'," I answered. I was well aware that the ancients had possessed secrets of pre- serving dead bodies that we couldn't match today, but even so it was rare to find a body from that era still more than just bones. On the other hand someone had gone to a lot of trouble to build this "tomb", and the stainless steel coffins were obviously de- signed to preserve a dead body for as long as was possible here. "We will need tools, and a place to work," the Builder said. "I will give orders for such to be done," I smiled at him. "Your mother was a famous Warrioress," I said, craddling the little baby girl in my arms, Hope Lynn Simmons looking up at me. Carol had been my Warlady, my "good right arm", and a friend like none I'd ever had before. A woman who I had greatly "admired"... I had seen the tears in her eyes when she had held her child for the last time and then placed her in my arms, well aware that here at least she might live out her life without fear of what lived there beneath the surface of Mars. The horrid Lorr that in 2047 A.D. would come close to destroy Mankind in a great WAR... Hope was now a "Princess of Dularn", my own "daughter" under the laws of my country. In her I would still "have" my friend Carol! "We have opened the coffins, your majesty," the man of the Builders said to me as one of my warrioresses ushered him into my private chambers where I was now enjoying my dinner. The thought going through my mind that whatever the "news" was, it could "wait" until I finished eating. The snow having quit, with a wet rain having replaced it, the wind having changed into the south. Cleo Landis, my Scribe, looking up, giving him a smile in reply. A dark eyed, dark haired woman, she was extremely "competent"... "Were the skeletons in good condition?" I asked, chewing, the sky dark through the windows as the day now came to an end. In another week it would be "spring" according to the calendar. Such is always a cause for celebration here in Dularn, where the winters can be unpleasant due to the "after effects" of The War. Kathi holding Hope in her arms, cooing to her as women often do. "The bodies were quite well preserved, your majesty," he an- swered, standing there, the guardswoman just behind him, her hel- met and chain mail now gleaming in the light from the oil lamps. "And we have identified `who' they were, your majesty," he said. "Someone `important'?" I smiled, wondering why it mattered? Kathi giving me a "grin", her body provocative under her attire. "They once lived here in Arsana only months ago," he spoke. His words seeming to echo from the walls as I stared up at him!! "They were the `SIMMONS', your Sealord and Warlady," he said now. "I will come," I said, standing up, my dinner now forgotten. The news having completely destroyed my appetite for any food... "We also found `this' with his body," the man of the Build- ers said, handing me the strange book as I stood there looking down at the last remains of a man I had once muchly "admired"... In the other coffin had been the body of Carol, clad in a metal- lic mesh, a sword at her hip, the grayness of the hair leaving no doubts in my mind that they had lived for a long time after re- turning to their own time back in the year 1991. I took the book from his hands, his face now blurring a bit before me as I turned away, not wishing him to see the tears that then filled my eyes. "You will seal these coffins, replace them where you found them, and `repair' the tomb," I said, my tone of voice that of a Queen giving orders. I understood now "much" I had not before... "It is `late', your majesty," La-ra said, yawning, her eyes heavy with sleep as she held a heavy shawl about herself. I had read much of the book, of things that I had known, but not really "understood" as such. It had been a story of love, of a couple so deeply in love that they died together, with their last wish only being to be buried together side by side in a tomb on what was then the Island of Vancouver, near what they knew would some- day be the city of Arsana, the capital of Dularn. A short foot- note by Janet Rogers indicates that she carried out their last wishes for them, although she did not of course know just "why". "How is Kathi doing?" I asked, aware that Kathi had been quite upset by the "find". She had been, after all, their slave. "She is sleeping now," La-ra smiled. "The wine was strong". "Their daughter is our Princess," I said to La-ra in reply. "Only their bodies `died'," the former Nevada smiled back. "They still `live' in our memories," I spoke, knowing that what they had stood for still was a part of "what" Dularn was... ***************************************************************** (The Next Morning) "Her arrival was completely `unexpected', your majesty!" the major domo said, the "ship" now entering the harbor much like one of ours, but flying the flags of Imperial California and Orgon! "Sharon is not one to live by `protocol'," I smiled back. "I need a `friend' to talk to," Sharon said to me as we em- braced there on the quay, her sailors in their brightly colored shirts and jackets no doubt wishing it was a bit "warmer" here... The sun leaping in and out from behind the clouds doing little to "warm" the day, although it was still "better" than it'd been the day before when we'd found the last remains of the "Simmons" in a tomb less than a mile from the city of Arsana. The children who had discovered the tomb no doubt having little understanding of "why" such a find told a tale that left no doubts of things now. "I expect Darlanis wasn't too `pleasant' about it," I said. Sharon's attire jaunty, stylish, proper for a young Queen as her. I understood Darlanis' feelings in this, the sense of "betrayal" she no doubt felt as she had looked upon Sharon as a "daughter". The "news" from Orgon indicating that Sharon and Darlanis were on opposite sides of the "issue" of Orgonian "independence"; such I knew having been "raised" by the new Orgonian Liberation Party... The Empire claimed that I was "behind" it all, which wasn't true, although to those of the Empire I was always usually the cause of everything... Their philosophy little changed from that held by certain Americans during the time of "Communism" when it was felt that there was a "Russian" behind everything that happened then! "I feel terrible about `hurting' her like I did," Sharon said softly in reply, looking up into my eyes as I nodded back at her. She is blonde, blue eyed, a "beautiful" woman in her own way now. Her green woolen tunic, fawn hose and boots were at- tractive. A cap and pheasant feather completing the Queen's at- tire. Mine was somewhat "similar", but in a royal blue I prefer. "You have `responsibilities'," I answered, seeing her nod. "It's not `easy' being a Queen," Sharon "admitted" softly. "Your people `come first'," I said, seeing her nod back. "That doesn't justify what I `did' to Darlanis," she said. 2569 A.D.! THE DULARNIAN QUEEN AN ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN By Jerome B. Bigge Chapter Two "It is a `work' of the `Ancients'," the man said, one of the caste of Builders, as he supervised his labor gang now pounding away with hammers and chisels against the reinforced concrete of the vault like structure they'd found outside the city of Arsana. "And it is obvious from its design that it was meant to `protect' something from the ravages of time," he added, giving me a smile. The falling wet late winter snow giving everything a coating of white, including the Queen of Dularn, who wasn't all that "de- lighted" in being called out to look at this latest "discovery"! The evergreens growing up about us now lovely tapering columns of white pointing up into the grayness of the sky over our heads. The mist of our breath, that of our animals adding its own "qual- ity" to the scene. My unicorn, those of my Royal Guard shuffling and stamping about there behind us. The snow coating us all this wintry March day, the year 522 A.W. with a chilly coat of white* * Time was "dated" in this era from The War of 2047. (J.B.) The trio of guardswomen with me speaking softly among themselves. My personal Scribe there at my side, quietly watching everything. A "discovery" like this would be "meaningful" to her, I supposed. "Looks like a `tomb' of some sort," I "ventured", standing there, the snow now coating my lovely fur coat, wetting my golden hair, the diamond studded tiara that I wore as Dularn's Queen. There was, in my opinion, little "value" in digging up the past although I suppose that those of the "learned" castes might dif- fer with me on that. I am of the Warrioresses, a "caste" not noted for "intellectual" qualities, but for the blood we "shed", the battles that we fight against the foes of our lovely island. "Built awful `strong' for that," the Builder grinned back. "It's not likely to contain anything `valuable'," I said. "One never `knows' about such things," he "reminded" me. "Perhaps it contains valuable books," my Scribe ventured. "Or a `computer' like the one Lorraine found," I commented. I supposed a "device" like that might be "useful", although I had little "idea" why it might be, as Lorraine got little practical use of hers despite the fact that she bragged about having one... The Builder nodding at my Scribe, who now shrugged her shoulders, no doubt sharing the "opinion" that I was really just another "Warrioress" who had little education or "interest" in "anything" but killing people and making war with other countries. I sup- pose I shouldn't have said what I did, but I wasn't in the best of "moods" just then and I just didn't care what I said now! The "fact" that they'd sent someone to bring ME out "here" was I sup- posed "proof" that they thought this was "important", but to me I couldn't see "why" they needed the Queen of Dularn for this. The structure was now quite obviously a "tomb", and nothing else! "They're through," my Scribe breathed, the Builder nodding, as white as a snowman, the snow melting and running down my neck! I wondered to myself if down in the Empire they got Darlanis to come and "look" at every bit of "history" they dug up? I rather doubted it, knowing what I did about that tall golden Imperial!! "There's something inside," one of the men called out. I smiled to myself, holding back the comment that there doubtlessly would be or those of the past wouldn't have ever built this tomb! "Those are `coffins', your majesty," the Builder said to me, holding the smoky torch he'd made from some pine branches twisted together. I repressed the comment that I knew what a coffin was! They were well preserved, although that didn't mean that much now as the Ancients had metals that were proof against almost every- thing. Those of the past building in steels that never "rusted". Like the Lorr they had even possessed the ability to travel be- tween worlds, although this last had been their "downfall" when Mankind had attempted to destroy the Lorr with a gigantic comet "redirected" so that it would strike Mars and destroy the "ants". "After five centuries there won't be `much'," I answered. I was well aware that the ancients had possessed secrets of pre- serving dead bodies that we couldn't match today, but even so it was rare to find a body from that era still more than just bones. On the other hand someone had gone to a lot of trouble to build this "tomb", and the stainless steel coffins were obviously de- signed to preserve a dead body for as long as was possible here. "We will need tools, and a place to work," the Builder said. "I will give orders for such to be done," I smiled at him. "Your mother was a famous Warrioress," I said, craddling the little baby girl in my arms, Hope Lynn Simmons looking up at me. Carol had been my Warlady, my "good right arm", and a friend like none I'd ever had before. A woman who I had greatly "admired"... I had seen the tears in her eyes when she had held her child for the last time and then placed her in my arms, well aware that here at least she might live out her life without fear of what lived there beneath the surface of Mars. The horrid Lorr that in 2047 A.D. would come close to destroy Mankind in a great WAR... Hope was now a "Princess of Dularn", my own "daughter" under the laws of my country. In her I would still "have" my friend Carol! "We have opened the coffins, your majesty," the man of the Builders said to me as one of my warrioresses ushered him into my private chambers where I was now enjoying my dinner. The thought going through my mind that whatever the "news" was, it could "wait" until I finished eating. The snow having quit, with a wet rain having replaced it, the wind having changed into the south. Cleo Landis, my Scribe, looking up, giving him a smile in reply. A dark eyed, dark haired woman, she was extremely "competent"... "Were the skeletons in good condition?" I asked, chewing, the sky dark through the windows as the day now came to an end. In another week it would be "spring" according to the calendar. Such is always a cause for celebration here in Dularn, where the winters can be unpleasant due to the "after effects" of The War. Kathi holding Hope in her arms, cooing to her as women often do. "The bodies were quite well preserved, your majesty," he an- swered, standing there, the guardswoman just behind him, her hel- met and chain mail now gleaming in the light from the oil lamps. "And we have identified `who' they were, your majesty," he said. "Someone `important'?" I smiled, wondering why it mattered? Kathi giving me a "grin", her body provocative under her attire. "They once lived here in Arsana only months ago," he spoke. His words seeming to echo from the walls as I stared up at him!! "They were the `SIMMONS', your Sealord and Warlady," he said now. "I will come," I said, standing up, my dinner now forgotten. The news having completely destroyed my appetite for any food... "We also found `this' with his body," the man of the Build- ers said, handing me the strange book as I stood there looking down at the last remains of a man I had once muchly "admired"... In the other coffin had been the body of Carol, clad in a metal- lic mesh, a sword at her hip, the grayness of the hair leaving no doubts in my mind that they had lived for a long time after re- turning to their own time back in the year 1991. I took the book from his hands, his face now blurring a bit before me as I turned away, not wishing him to see the tears that then filled my eyes. "You will seal these coffins, replace them where you found them, and `repair' the tomb," I said, my tone of voice that of a Queen giving orders. I understood now "much" I had not before... "It is `late', your majesty," La-ra said, yawning, her eyes heavy with sleep as she held a heavy shawl about herself. I had read much of the book, of things that I had known, but not really "understood" as such. It had been a story of love, of a couple so deeply in love that they died together, with their last wish only being to be buried together side by side in a tomb on what was then the Island of Vancouver, near what they knew would some- day be the city of Arsana, the capital of Dularn. A short foot- note by Janet Rogers indicates that she carried out their last wishes for them, although she did not of course know just "why". "How is Kathi doing?" I asked, aware that Kathi had been quite upset by the "find". She had been, after all, their slave. "She is sleeping now," La-ra smiled. "The wine was strong". "Their daughter is our Princess," I said to La-ra in reply. "Only their bodies `died'," the former Nevada smiled back. "They still `live' in our memories," I spoke, knowing that what they had stood for still was a part of "what" Dularn was... ***************************************************************** (The Next Morning) "Her arrival was completely `unexpected', your majesty!" the major domo said, the "ship" now entering the harbor much like one of ours, but flying the flags of Imperial California and Orgon! "Sharon is not one to live by `protocol'," I smiled back. "I need a `friend' to talk to," Sharon said to me as we em- braced there on the quay, her sailors in their brightly colored shirts and jackets no doubt wishing it was a bit "warmer" here... The sun leaping in and out from behind the clouds doing little to "warm" the day, although it was still "better" than it'd been the day before when we'd found the last remains of the "Simmons" in a tomb less than a mile from the city of Arsana. The children who had discovered the tomb no doubt having little understanding of "why" such a find told a tale that left no doubts of things now. "I expect Darlanis wasn't too `pleasant' about it," I said. Sharon's attire jaunty, stylish, proper for a young Queen as her. I understood Darlanis' feelings in this, the sense of "betrayal" she no doubt felt as she had looked upon Sharon as a "daughter". The "news" from Orgon indicating that Sharon and Darlanis were on opposite sides of the "issue" of Orgonian "independence"; such I knew having been "raised" by the new Orgonian Liberation Party... The Empire claimed that I was "behind" it all, which wasn't true, although to those of the Empire I was always usually the cause of everything... Their philosophy little changed from that held by certain Americans during the time of "Communism" when it was felt that there was a "Russian" behind everything that happened then! "I feel terrible about `hurting' her like I did," Sharon said softly in reply, looking up into my eyes as I nodded back at her. She is blonde, blue eyed, a "beautiful" woman in her own way now. Her green woolen tunic, fawn hose and boots were at- tractive. A cap and pheasant feather completing the Queen's at- tire. Mine was somewhat "similar", but in a royal blue I prefer. "You have `responsibilities'," I answered, seeing her nod. "It's not `easy' being a Queen," Sharon "admitted" softly. "Your people `come first'," I said, seeing her nod back. "That doesn't justify what I `did' to Darlanis," she said. |
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