"2570-22" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jerome Bigge - Warlady 8 - The Queen Of Time)THE QUEEN OF TIME 2570 A.D.! A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE By Jerome B. Bigge Chapter Twenty Two "You look `tired' this morning," Queen Maris said to me as I joined her and the others for breakfast, the Queen of Dularn hav- ing laid a table that twice our number couldn't have done justice to. I'd spent a long time lying awake, thinking of what Tais had said to me. Questioning my own beliefs. Wondering too about that last "comment" she'd made. I am a master shot with a rifle. Did she wish me to travel back in time with her to assassinate someone? I did not think so, recalling what she'd said about the insane Scribe who had so "terrorized" Trella there last winter... Could such "methods" be used against a more "developed" society?* * This is incidentally the very concept of "NEO-TERRORISM", which is to "terrorism" what nuclear weapons are to warfare. (J.B.B.) "Had a `visit' from Tais," I smiled back, enjoying the looks on their faces. "Seems we're being `tested' here," I then added. This producing the "effect" that I'd expected that it would here! That "look" of surprise on their faces that I'd expected to see!! "I suspect if it wasn't for Lorraine here," Maris breathed, her eyes meeting mine, "History would have `duplicated' itself". We're not really "friends", but I do "respect" Maris Marn a lot! She has a first rate mind, and the ability to use it effectively! "My thoughts exactly," Darlanis smiled, grinning at Sharon. "One of Tara's `lieutenants' is `involved' in this," I said. "Knew we hadn't `heard' the `last' of that `bitch'!" Darla- nis growled, the Empress having good cause to hate the Princess after the evil Princess had once almost killed her back in 2565!! "What!" Maris gasped, the four of us "staring" in awe. The woman standing there an attractive brunette, slim, dark eyed, a woman that everyone here in the room instantly recognized! JANET ROGERS! The ruler of the World Federation of the 21st Century... The clothing, the sword at her hip leaving no doubts of this too! The mid thigh height soft black leather skirt, the provocatively styled halter top of black silk trimmed with a leather accenting. The thigh top high stylish "strap boots" beautifully accenting her legs were a "trademark" of the 21st Century like none other! "I was sent here to help you," Janet Rogers smiled, her eyes meeting mine as I nodded in awe, knowing that this was indeed no other than JANET ROGERS!! "Even if I will not be allowed to ever retain the `memories' of what I learn here in the 26th Century." "Tais!" I breathed, Janet Rogers giving me a big smile! "I was told we'd meet again," Janet Rogers said to me. "I think we can `entertain' ourselves," Maris spoke. "Lorraine," Janet breathed, now reaching out to me. "I'll see that you are not disturbed," Maris said. "You have my `thanks'," I said, now going to Janet. "I have missed you," Janet smiled, holding my hands. "Let me take you somewhere more `private'," I breathed. "Its been such a long time!" I said, taking her in my arms as soon as I could shut the door behind us, hugging her to me, so glad to see her once again even if only perhaps for a few days. Even if Tais would strip from her the memories of our once again being together! My doubts, my unhappiness with her gone now for the moment!! I'd been "rude" perhaps to the others, "hustling" Janet off the way that I did, but she was the closest thing I've had to really having a "daughter", a woman who shared the same "viewpoints" that I had! Janet's NEW ORDER being based upon the teachings and philosophy in part of Ayn Rand, upon my own person- al philosophy here. Upon the "realities" of the 21st Century... "I'm afraid there's a lot you wouldn't `like' if you knew," Janet Rogers said, her dark eyes so much like my own glowing into mine. "Things that I had to `do' that I didn't like so `doing'." Reaching up, and wiping the tear from my cheek with a fingertip. A seagull flying by the bedroom window calling out to another... The chirps of nesting birds there beneath the eaves there above. What I'd seen there aboard the Gaia for the time being forgotten. "You were more the `realist' than me," I smiled, hugging her to me again, holding her, my face in her coal black hair so much like my own. Recalling that people used to think that we were mother and daughter, so great was the physical resemblance here!* * We were, of course, as you know if you looked at the last chap- ter of my book here. Learned the "truth" about Janet Rogers... That she was really my own daughter, my very own Princess Ann! I was also shown that the Earth was not as "lifeless" as Tais had thought it was when we'd orbited it there in the Gaia in 2650 AD. "All societies have `limitations'," Janet smiled back at me. That was one of her most "famous" quotations, one that every school child in this era learns. Along with Robert A. Heinlein's own "There is no such thing as free lunch!", which combined with Janet's own philosophy, leaves no doubts as to "things" here now. Everything you "do" has a "cost" of one sort or another, either in "money" or in the lost "opportunity" to "do" something else... This is not easy to understand, but it is a "truth" known every- where in the Universe, I'm told by Tais here who should know so. "Your policies towards medical care for those over seventy two..," I breathed, hating myself for getting into this with her! Holding her close, the tears yet coming, knowing the PAIN that she would cause me, knowing yet that WHAT she had done had been done out of necessity, that there had been no other choice here! "You are `familiar' as a doctor with the `philosophy' of `triage'?" Janet asked, that awesome 190 I.Q. at work here now! Triage being the concept of allocating limited medical resources to where they will be the most "effective" in saving human life. Allocating any sort of resources to deal with a problem, I knew. It is a military term, and is usually found in military medicine where the number of "casualties" may far exceed your ability to treat. In such a case you treat only those who will not survive without immediate medical care, not treating those who will sur- vive one way or another, and ignoring those who are beyond help. "Yes," I answered, being well aware here too of such things as a Warrioress who had seen combat, who had seen "such" herself. "Given a limited amount of money, and the desire to save as many human lives as possible, what `do' you `do'?" Janet asked... "You save those most `valuable' to your society," I said. "Which is `what' I did," Janet Rogers smiled back at me. "Your `logic' is unassailable," I said, knowing it was. "I often take `comfort' in that fact," she "answered". "I suspect you feel otherwise," I said to Janet then. "I have been called a `Hitler' by many," she answered. "I have found it hard to be a `Queen'," I told her now. "I trust history did not judge me too harshly," she smiled. "You are the most famous woman in the history of Mankind," I told her, speaking the "truth" that I was sure she'd soon learn. There has been a "movement" among the Scribes to change our dat- ing system from the date of The War to the birth of Janet Rogers. "Hillary Clinton said I'd be `infamous'," she grinned back. "Hillary `who'?" I asked, trying to remember "who" she was. "The `Queen of the Left'," Janet Rogers smiled, the memories now coming back, conversations I'd had with Sanda years ago now. The former First Lady having made it almost a personal crusade to oppose Janet Rogers almost from the beginning, especially on such matters where Hillary could get considerable "support" from those who lived at the expense of the taxpayers. People on "welfare", on Social Security, those who believed that they were "entitled" to things. The "bankruptcy" of the United States of America in 2007 having made it impossible to continue on as before here now! "Hillary Rodham Clinton," I breathed, the name having quite a "ring" to it, which is why she always insisted on using it too! She was best known for her advocacy of a system of "national med- ical care" that would have bankrupted any country that tried it, although there were few radical ideas that she hadn't supported! "If I'd been the `Hitler' she said I was, I'd hauled her off to a concentration camp somewhere in Alaska and seen the `end' of her," Janet Rogers smiled back, her dark eyes glowing into mine. "What year is it in your time?" I asked her now, having ne- glected so far to ask this rather important question here of her! "2023," Janet smiled, walking to the window, looking out. I had no doubts she'd learn eventually of "how" she had died, and when, but that would be a problem for Tais to deal with, I mused! Physically she wasn't a "young" woman, having been born in 1965, but she still looked pretty good, no doubt thanks to exercise and taking pains with her appearance, her hair at this time "dyed" to hide the "gray" that was now starting to "streak" it here at 58. "Your civilization will `survive' twenty four more years," I said, wishing her to hear it from my lips rather than another's. "Tais gave me a `thumbnail' sketch of things," she replied. "`If' you hadn't died..." I wept, the tears really running! "You gave Mankind so much...," I sobbed, my voice breaking here! "I was an old woman," Janet answered, wiping away my tears. "And Domino Tremaine wasn't `competent' to run things without my help," she said, answering a "question" I've always wondered about. "She tried, but she didn't `have it' like I did," Janet added, trying to "cap the well" as I stood there weeping like a baby, knowing that this woman had once given Mankind a chance at the stars! That Man himself had "blown" that chance at GLORY...* * I suppose it wouldn't have made any difference in the long run as the "Guardians" would have put a "halt" to such things eventu- ally when Mankind encountered other races of intelligent beings. "We found Domino's `last remains' a few years ago," I said. "Tais told me she lives here in this time with her mother," Janet answered, having apparently been told a good deal by Tais. I supposed such a precaution was wise, since otherwise "feelings" could be hurt, although I'm sure that Darlanis knows that Domino wasn't anywhere near the "Leaderess" that Janet Rogers had been!! "I've been `forward' in time to `the end of the world'," I said to Janet then, curious to see what her "reaction" would be. Telling her of what I'd seen there on the Gaia, what Tais had told me. Of the "plans" the Priestesses of Lys had to try to transport at least a portion of the human race to somewhere else. "There could have been `survivors' given a high enough tech- nology," Janet mused thoughtfully, that awesome mind hard at work here! "If you could tunnel beneath the surface of the Earth, the internal heat would be enough to keep you warm for millions of years. On the other hand the great earthquakes and such would be something that would make such preparations perhaps futile here." THE QUEEN OF TIME 2570 A.D.! A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE By Jerome B. Bigge Chapter Twenty Two "You look `tired' this morning," Queen Maris said to me as I joined her and the others for breakfast, the Queen of Dularn hav- ing laid a table that twice our number couldn't have done justice to. I'd spent a long time lying awake, thinking of what Tais had said to me. Questioning my own beliefs. Wondering too about that last "comment" she'd made. I am a master shot with a rifle. Did she wish me to travel back in time with her to assassinate someone? I did not think so, recalling what she'd said about the insane Scribe who had so "terrorized" Trella there last winter... Could such "methods" be used against a more "developed" society?* * This is incidentally the very concept of "NEO-TERRORISM", which is to "terrorism" what nuclear weapons are to warfare. (J.B.B.) "Had a `visit' from Tais," I smiled back, enjoying the looks on their faces. "Seems we're being `tested' here," I then added. This producing the "effect" that I'd expected that it would here! That "look" of surprise on their faces that I'd expected to see!! "I suspect if it wasn't for Lorraine here," Maris breathed, her eyes meeting mine, "History would have `duplicated' itself". We're not really "friends", but I do "respect" Maris Marn a lot! She has a first rate mind, and the ability to use it effectively! "My thoughts exactly," Darlanis smiled, grinning at Sharon. "One of Tara's `lieutenants' is `involved' in this," I said. "Knew we hadn't `heard' the `last' of that `bitch'!" Darla- nis growled, the Empress having good cause to hate the Princess after the evil Princess had once almost killed her back in 2565!! "What!" Maris gasped, the four of us "staring" in awe. The woman standing there an attractive brunette, slim, dark eyed, a woman that everyone here in the room instantly recognized! JANET ROGERS! The ruler of the World Federation of the 21st Century... The clothing, the sword at her hip leaving no doubts of this too! The mid thigh height soft black leather skirt, the provocatively styled halter top of black silk trimmed with a leather accenting. The thigh top high stylish "strap boots" beautifully accenting her legs were a "trademark" of the 21st Century like none other! "I was sent here to help you," Janet Rogers smiled, her eyes meeting mine as I nodded in awe, knowing that this was indeed no other than JANET ROGERS!! "Even if I will not be allowed to ever retain the `memories' of what I learn here in the 26th Century." "Tais!" I breathed, Janet Rogers giving me a big smile! "I was told we'd meet again," Janet Rogers said to me. "I think we can `entertain' ourselves," Maris spoke. "Lorraine," Janet breathed, now reaching out to me. "I'll see that you are not disturbed," Maris said. "You have my `thanks'," I said, now going to Janet. "I have missed you," Janet smiled, holding my hands. "Let me take you somewhere more `private'," I breathed. "Its been such a long time!" I said, taking her in my arms as soon as I could shut the door behind us, hugging her to me, so glad to see her once again even if only perhaps for a few days. Even if Tais would strip from her the memories of our once again being together! My doubts, my unhappiness with her gone now for the moment!! I'd been "rude" perhaps to the others, "hustling" Janet off the way that I did, but she was the closest thing I've had to really having a "daughter", a woman who shared the same "viewpoints" that I had! Janet's NEW ORDER being based upon the teachings and philosophy in part of Ayn Rand, upon my own person- al philosophy here. Upon the "realities" of the 21st Century... "I'm afraid there's a lot you wouldn't `like' if you knew," Janet Rogers said, her dark eyes so much like my own glowing into mine. "Things that I had to `do' that I didn't like so `doing'." Reaching up, and wiping the tear from my cheek with a fingertip. A seagull flying by the bedroom window calling out to another... The chirps of nesting birds there beneath the eaves there above. What I'd seen there aboard the Gaia for the time being forgotten. "You were more the `realist' than me," I smiled, hugging her to me again, holding her, my face in her coal black hair so much like my own. Recalling that people used to think that we were mother and daughter, so great was the physical resemblance here!* * We were, of course, as you know if you looked at the last chap- ter of my book here. Learned the "truth" about Janet Rogers... That she was really my own daughter, my very own Princess Ann! I was also shown that the Earth was not as "lifeless" as Tais had thought it was when we'd orbited it there in the Gaia in 2650 AD. "All societies have `limitations'," Janet smiled back at me. That was one of her most "famous" quotations, one that every school child in this era learns. Along with Robert A. Heinlein's own "There is no such thing as free lunch!", which combined with Janet's own philosophy, leaves no doubts as to "things" here now. Everything you "do" has a "cost" of one sort or another, either in "money" or in the lost "opportunity" to "do" something else... This is not easy to understand, but it is a "truth" known every- where in the Universe, I'm told by Tais here who should know so. "Your policies towards medical care for those over seventy two..," I breathed, hating myself for getting into this with her! Holding her close, the tears yet coming, knowing the PAIN that she would cause me, knowing yet that WHAT she had done had been done out of necessity, that there had been no other choice here! "You are `familiar' as a doctor with the `philosophy' of `triage'?" Janet asked, that awesome 190 I.Q. at work here now! Triage being the concept of allocating limited medical resources to where they will be the most "effective" in saving human life. Allocating any sort of resources to deal with a problem, I knew. It is a military term, and is usually found in military medicine where the number of "casualties" may far exceed your ability to treat. In such a case you treat only those who will not survive without immediate medical care, not treating those who will sur- vive one way or another, and ignoring those who are beyond help. "Yes," I answered, being well aware here too of such things as a Warrioress who had seen combat, who had seen "such" herself. "Given a limited amount of money, and the desire to save as many human lives as possible, what `do' you `do'?" Janet asked... "You save those most `valuable' to your society," I said. "Which is `what' I did," Janet Rogers smiled back at me. "Your `logic' is unassailable," I said, knowing it was. "I often take `comfort' in that fact," she "answered". "I suspect you feel otherwise," I said to Janet then. "I have been called a `Hitler' by many," she answered. "I have found it hard to be a `Queen'," I told her now. "I trust history did not judge me too harshly," she smiled. "You are the most famous woman in the history of Mankind," I told her, speaking the "truth" that I was sure she'd soon learn. There has been a "movement" among the Scribes to change our dat- ing system from the date of The War to the birth of Janet Rogers. "Hillary Clinton said I'd be `infamous'," she grinned back. "Hillary `who'?" I asked, trying to remember "who" she was. "The `Queen of the Left'," Janet Rogers smiled, the memories now coming back, conversations I'd had with Sanda years ago now. The former First Lady having made it almost a personal crusade to oppose Janet Rogers almost from the beginning, especially on such matters where Hillary could get considerable "support" from those who lived at the expense of the taxpayers. People on "welfare", on Social Security, those who believed that they were "entitled" to things. The "bankruptcy" of the United States of America in 2007 having made it impossible to continue on as before here now! "Hillary Rodham Clinton," I breathed, the name having quite a "ring" to it, which is why she always insisted on using it too! She was best known for her advocacy of a system of "national med- ical care" that would have bankrupted any country that tried it, although there were few radical ideas that she hadn't supported! "If I'd been the `Hitler' she said I was, I'd hauled her off to a concentration camp somewhere in Alaska and seen the `end' of her," Janet Rogers smiled back, her dark eyes glowing into mine. "What year is it in your time?" I asked her now, having ne- glected so far to ask this rather important question here of her! "2023," Janet smiled, walking to the window, looking out. I had no doubts she'd learn eventually of "how" she had died, and when, but that would be a problem for Tais to deal with, I mused! Physically she wasn't a "young" woman, having been born in 1965, but she still looked pretty good, no doubt thanks to exercise and taking pains with her appearance, her hair at this time "dyed" to hide the "gray" that was now starting to "streak" it here at 58. "Your civilization will `survive' twenty four more years," I said, wishing her to hear it from my lips rather than another's. "Tais gave me a `thumbnail' sketch of things," she replied. "`If' you hadn't died..." I wept, the tears really running! "You gave Mankind so much...," I sobbed, my voice breaking here! "I was an old woman," Janet answered, wiping away my tears. "And Domino Tremaine wasn't `competent' to run things without my help," she said, answering a "question" I've always wondered about. "She tried, but she didn't `have it' like I did," Janet added, trying to "cap the well" as I stood there weeping like a baby, knowing that this woman had once given Mankind a chance at the stars! That Man himself had "blown" that chance at GLORY...* * I suppose it wouldn't have made any difference in the long run as the "Guardians" would have put a "halt" to such things eventu- ally when Mankind encountered other races of intelligent beings. "We found Domino's `last remains' a few years ago," I said. "Tais told me she lives here in this time with her mother," Janet answered, having apparently been told a good deal by Tais. I supposed such a precaution was wise, since otherwise "feelings" could be hurt, although I'm sure that Darlanis knows that Domino wasn't anywhere near the "Leaderess" that Janet Rogers had been!! "I've been `forward' in time to `the end of the world'," I said to Janet then, curious to see what her "reaction" would be. Telling her of what I'd seen there on the Gaia, what Tais had told me. Of the "plans" the Priestesses of Lys had to try to transport at least a portion of the human race to somewhere else. "There could have been `survivors' given a high enough tech- nology," Janet mused thoughtfully, that awesome mind hard at work here! "If you could tunnel beneath the surface of the Earth, the internal heat would be enough to keep you warm for millions of years. On the other hand the great earthquakes and such would be something that would make such preparations perhaps futile here." |
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