"2565-61" - читать интересную книгу автора (Warlady 1 - 2565 Ad Book 2)2565 A.D.! A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN By Jerome B. Bigge Book Two Chapter Eighteen "I thought Indians weren't supposed to get `lost'," I teased Sa-she-ra as she freed us, the monster body of the Garth lying there at the edge of the clearing proof of her amazing abilities! "You won't `tell' anyone, will you?" Sa-she-ra laughed, cut- ting the rawhide thongs with her dagger. Her name in her lan- guage meant something like "she who sees far" and her daughter's "child of who sees far". Perhaps someday I will see her again, although it won't of course be in this world, but in that other to which we all go after death. What we now call the "astral" world, and her people "the happy hunting grounds". She is my "blood-sister". I do believe in such things even if you won't be able to understand. Once, back in the 20th Century, I consid- ered all such things "NONSENSE". I was proud of my Atheism. Of the fact that I was an "educated woman". A medical doctor. One who specialized in the field of psychiatry. Then I discovered the art of hypnosis. Read a book called "THE SEARCH FOR BRIDLEY MURPHY". Considered it "nonsense" at first. But was curious enough to try hypnotic age regression. Obtained the same results as had Morey Bernstein. Continued my research with the help of the fantastic Janet Rogers. Had to admit even to myself that it was now a proven fact that there was life after death and that we did pass through cycles of reincarnation. Then I flew with Shar- on through the Gateway. Spoke to people here who told me that it was a proven fact that reincarnation took place. Even heard the same story from the antennae of the Lorr themselves. Spoke with SHE, who confirmed everything. Now I no longer have any doubts! "It's going to be a long walk," Gayle commented, dressing herself, looking out into the darkness. Our unicorns were gone. I had no desire to be in the forest at night. This is not the 20th Century. There are things that roam the night-time forest against which my sword or Sa-she-ra's bow would be nearly use- less. Garths, Tigons, other "things". I felt it best to stay where we were for the night. Walk back to my estate in the morn- ing. I threw some more wood on the fire. Sa-she-ra's eyes glit- tered up into mine. I owed her more than I would ever be able to repay her. I noticed that Princess Tara had forgotten her notes. I watched Jupiter gleam down through the trees, Gayle and Sa-she-ra huddled together against the chill of the night. Gayle was blonde, white-skinned. Came from an "advanced" society. Sa-she-ra was brunette, copper-skinned. Came from a society that most "civilized" people of 2565 A.D. looked down upon. Yet she possessed a "code of honor" that would have made any Warrioress proud. She had risked her life to save ours. The body of the dead Garth proof of that as it laid there at the edge of the lit- tle clearing. Behind me was the dark mass of the "Earth Home" that had once belonged to my friends from the 20th Century, al- though to be truthful his wife never really liked me very much! I looked into the fire and wondered why Carol had always been somewhat "hostile" towards me. There was no sexual competi- tion between us. Carol was a brownette delight, provocative, sensual, the sort of a woman that is totally completely "female". Something like Lara Warsan, although Carol didn't look like her. She was the sort, I smiled to myself, that would go for fifty gold crowns in a slave market. Not because of her "beauty", but because she was so incredibly "female". I doubted that anyone would pay much of anything for me. I am not very attractive. I do only one thing very well, and that is an ability that seems to be leading me to the day that I will finally end up standing be- fore SHE and hearing her judgment for my sins. I wondered why Jon Richards still loved me. Why he had spoken the words to me as he had there less than a week ago there on the Janis. I was rich, wealthy, but I did not think it meant much of anything to him. His love was of the sea. Of ships that sailed upon its bo- som. I recalled Maris Marn. What he had said of her to me. It was perhaps well that she was no longer one of my slave girls. I fear I would have been guilty of "slave abuse". Suddenly, as I sat there before the fire, there came a great furry form dashing towards me across the clearing, its body pale against the darkness. The terror freezing my heart as I saw that it was a dire wolf! One of the most fearsome beasts of the 26th Century! Its speed so great that I had no more time than to scream a warning and go for my dagger before it was upon me! Gayle and Sa-she-ra crying out in surprise as my face was then slurped by that great wet tongue. It was Delilah! My Delilah! "When you and mummy didn't come back, I told Delilah to go look for you," Ta-she-ra said as her mother hugged her to her- self. Sanda Talen and her husband smiling. It had been a nice walk. I needed the exercise. I seldom get to talk to those I love for as long as I had. My unicorn had come trotting back. I hoped Tara had blisters. I did. Sa-she-ra had spoken a word in her tongue that I had not understood. She had laughed, pointed at my feet as I sat there at the base of a tree with my boots off. Gayle had been wearing riding boots. Her feet were as blistered as mine. We were both truly a pair of "TENDERFOOTS"! "I was `wrong' about you. I saw only what I wanted to see," Sanda Talen said to Sa-she-ra as she cleaned the paint from her- self. The paint was not actually the same paint that we used on the estate for painting the manor, sheds, barns, and etc, but more the type of "paint" used by those of the Warrioress caste in military operations. What they called "greasepaint" in the 20th Century. "I saw only the beads and buckskin," Sanda added, Sa- she-ra nodding. Understanding. Sanda was not referring to Sa- she-ra's attire on the estate, but to what a woman of her people would have worn back in their own territory. I suspected that Sanda had learned something important. Something like what I had learned there on Mars. That one must see beneath outward appear- ances to the "truth" that lies below. I much miss Sa-she-ra. I have done what I can for her daughter. She is legally mine now. "Now we know," Carl Talen commented as we ate a late break- fast. Gayle nodding. I don't think she ever realized that there were "things" like Princess Tara in the world. That a woman could actually take pleasure in torturing another woman to death just to see her suffer. Tara was indeed the abode of "THE QUEEN OF DARKNESS"! I had no doubt she was The Evil One's "representa- tive" here on the Earth. SHE had spoken briefly of a "QUEEN OF LIGHT". One so "good" that she would stand for all of Humanity against Evil. I did not think I was that person. I have sinned. My soul is stained. I am not very proud of some of the things I have done. There is, however, another who is free of such sins. She is tall, golden, and very beautiful. Also "good" in a fight. "Precautions will have to be taken," I said. Security would have to be increased. I would put out a "bounty" on Tara. One large enough that it would at least scare her off. I had asked Sa-she-ra why she hadn't put an arrow through Tara. Sa-she-ra said she didn't really know now that she had time to think about it. I suspect that it is impossible to kill Tara. I tried once. The revolver failed to go off although there was a cartridge be- low the firing pin. A rational explanation would be defective ammunition. A primer contaminated by WD-40. That is what I keep telling myself. What I told Darlanis, who is, I believe, the "QUEEN OF LIGHT", the one who is free of sin that will someday destroy Tara. Jon does not believe. I can understand. What SHE considers "sin" and what we consider "sin" are two different things. There is a "goodness" to Darlanis, a "decency" to her I sense whenever I am in her presence. She has been "touched" by SHE who is Mistress of All. Darlanis says that I write nonsense. That she is not the "sterling" character that I make her out to be. That while she has never intentionally "harmed" anyone, she is still the woman personally responsible for a war that took thousands of lives. That only "Lys" can be the judge of such things. Darlanis does not believe that I saw SHE. She believes that I was merely under the influence of Raspa's paralyzing venom and that it was all a dream. I believe, however, that someday she will know the Truth. That she is, indeed, the QUEEN OF LIGHT and that her destiny will be to drive out THE QUEEN OF DARKNESS! Send Her "back" to the plane of existence called Hell from which she came to inhabit the soul of the woman we know as Tara Bisan!! "How's the computer doing?" I asked Sanda, who was studying "word processing". Fortunately the original owner of the device had done the initial programing for us. The "pen" that one touched the screen with was another example of 21st Century tech- nology. It was far easier to use than a "mouse", the "pointing device" commonly used back in my own era. (No, I realize that none of this means anything to my readers, but I don't really know how to really describe such things in 26th Century terms.) "I am becoming rapidly aware of how `stupid' I am," Sanda smiled back. Computers do that to you until you understand them. "It was `hard' for me too at first," I smiled back, touching her shoulder. Looking at what she had written on the screen. It displayed in white lettering on a blue background. Much like the Wordstar 5.0 I had used back in the 20th Century before flying through the time warp to this time. The display was SVGA, 800X600. That I had determined from the manual there in the case with the computer. The plastic coated "paper" as good as ever. "I think I like our time better," Sanda said, shutting off the computer. The life of the battery was limited. "Things are simpler, easier to understand." I nodded in reply, smiled at her words. I thought that they were true. We had worshiped at the "altar of technology". Believed that all the "answers" were de- terminable by Science. Believed ourselves the masters of our world although we had no answers for those who saw silvery discs. 2565 A.D.! A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN By Jerome B. Bigge Book Two Chapter Eighteen "I thought Indians weren't supposed to get `lost'," I teased Sa-she-ra as she freed us, the monster body of the Garth lying there at the edge of the clearing proof of her amazing abilities! "You won't `tell' anyone, will you?" Sa-she-ra laughed, cut- ting the rawhide thongs with her dagger. Her name in her lan- guage meant something like "she who sees far" and her daughter's "child of who sees far". Perhaps someday I will see her again, although it won't of course be in this world, but in that other to which we all go after death. What we now call the "astral" world, and her people "the happy hunting grounds". She is my "blood-sister". I do believe in such things even if you won't be able to understand. Once, back in the 20th Century, I consid- ered all such things "NONSENSE". I was proud of my Atheism. Of the fact that I was an "educated woman". A medical doctor. One who specialized in the field of psychiatry. Then I discovered the art of hypnosis. Read a book called "THE SEARCH FOR BRIDLEY MURPHY". Considered it "nonsense" at first. But was curious enough to try hypnotic age regression. Obtained the same results as had Morey Bernstein. Continued my research with the help of the fantastic Janet Rogers. Had to admit even to myself that it was now a proven fact that there was life after death and that we did pass through cycles of reincarnation. Then I flew with Shar- on through the Gateway. Spoke to people here who told me that it was a proven fact that reincarnation took place. Even heard the same story from the antennae of the Lorr themselves. Spoke with SHE, who confirmed everything. Now I no longer have any doubts! "It's going to be a long walk," Gayle commented, dressing herself, looking out into the darkness. Our unicorns were gone. I had no desire to be in the forest at night. This is not the 20th Century. There are things that roam the night-time forest against which my sword or Sa-she-ra's bow would be nearly use- less. Garths, Tigons, other "things". I felt it best to stay where we were for the night. Walk back to my estate in the morn- ing. I threw some more wood on the fire. Sa-she-ra's eyes glit- tered up into mine. I owed her more than I would ever be able to repay her. I noticed that Princess Tara had forgotten her notes. I watched Jupiter gleam down through the trees, Gayle and Sa-she-ra huddled together against the chill of the night. Gayle was blonde, white-skinned. Came from an "advanced" society. Sa-she-ra was brunette, copper-skinned. Came from a society that most "civilized" people of 2565 A.D. looked down upon. Yet she possessed a "code of honor" that would have made any Warrioress proud. She had risked her life to save ours. The body of the dead Garth proof of that as it laid there at the edge of the lit- tle clearing. Behind me was the dark mass of the "Earth Home" that had once belonged to my friends from the 20th Century, al- though to be truthful his wife never really liked me very much! I looked into the fire and wondered why Carol had always been somewhat "hostile" towards me. There was no sexual competi- tion between us. Carol was a brownette delight, provocative, sensual, the sort of a woman that is totally completely "female". Something like Lara Warsan, although Carol didn't look like her. She was the sort, I smiled to myself, that would go for fifty gold crowns in a slave market. Not because of her "beauty", but because she was so incredibly "female". I doubted that anyone would pay much of anything for me. I am not very attractive. I do only one thing very well, and that is an ability that seems to be leading me to the day that I will finally end up standing be- fore SHE and hearing her judgment for my sins. I wondered why Jon Richards still loved me. Why he had spoken the words to me as he had there less than a week ago there on the Janis. I was rich, wealthy, but I did not think it meant much of anything to him. His love was of the sea. Of ships that sailed upon its bo- som. I recalled Maris Marn. What he had said of her to me. It was perhaps well that she was no longer one of my slave girls. I fear I would have been guilty of "slave abuse". Suddenly, as I sat there before the fire, there came a great furry form dashing towards me across the clearing, its body pale against the darkness. The terror freezing my heart as I saw that it was a dire wolf! One of the most fearsome beasts of the 26th Century! Its speed so great that I had no more time than to scream a warning and go for my dagger before it was upon me! Gayle and Sa-she-ra crying out in surprise as my face was then slurped by that great wet tongue. It was Delilah! My Delilah! "When you and mummy didn't come back, I told Delilah to go look for you," Ta-she-ra said as her mother hugged her to her- self. Sanda Talen and her husband smiling. It had been a nice walk. I needed the exercise. I seldom get to talk to those I love for as long as I had. My unicorn had come trotting back. I hoped Tara had blisters. I did. Sa-she-ra had spoken a word in her tongue that I had not understood. She had laughed, pointed at my feet as I sat there at the base of a tree with my boots off. Gayle had been wearing riding boots. Her feet were as blistered as mine. We were both truly a pair of "TENDERFOOTS"! "I was `wrong' about you. I saw only what I wanted to see," Sanda Talen said to Sa-she-ra as she cleaned the paint from her- self. The paint was not actually the same paint that we used on the estate for painting the manor, sheds, barns, and etc, but more the type of "paint" used by those of the Warrioress caste in military operations. What they called "greasepaint" in the 20th Century. "I saw only the beads and buckskin," Sanda added, Sa- she-ra nodding. Understanding. Sanda was not referring to Sa- she-ra's attire on the estate, but to what a woman of her people would have worn back in their own territory. I suspected that Sanda had learned something important. Something like what I had learned there on Mars. That one must see beneath outward appear- ances to the "truth" that lies below. I much miss Sa-she-ra. I have done what I can for her daughter. She is legally mine now. "Now we know," Carl Talen commented as we ate a late break- fast. Gayle nodding. I don't think she ever realized that there were "things" like Princess Tara in the world. That a woman could actually take pleasure in torturing another woman to death just to see her suffer. Tara was indeed the abode of "THE QUEEN OF DARKNESS"! I had no doubt she was The Evil One's "representa- tive" here on the Earth. SHE had spoken briefly of a "QUEEN OF LIGHT". One so "good" that she would stand for all of Humanity against Evil. I did not think I was that person. I have sinned. My soul is stained. I am not very proud of some of the things I have done. There is, however, another who is free of such sins. She is tall, golden, and very beautiful. Also "good" in a fight. "Precautions will have to be taken," I said. Security would have to be increased. I would put out a "bounty" on Tara. One large enough that it would at least scare her off. I had asked Sa-she-ra why she hadn't put an arrow through Tara. Sa-she-ra said she didn't really know now that she had time to think about it. I suspect that it is impossible to kill Tara. I tried once. The revolver failed to go off although there was a cartridge be- low the firing pin. A rational explanation would be defective ammunition. A primer contaminated by WD-40. That is what I keep telling myself. What I told Darlanis, who is, I believe, the "QUEEN OF LIGHT", the one who is free of sin that will someday destroy Tara. Jon does not believe. I can understand. What SHE considers "sin" and what we consider "sin" are two different things. There is a "goodness" to Darlanis, a "decency" to her I sense whenever I am in her presence. She has been "touched" by SHE who is Mistress of All. Darlanis says that I write nonsense. That she is not the "sterling" character that I make her out to be. That while she has never intentionally "harmed" anyone, she is still the woman personally responsible for a war that took thousands of lives. That only "Lys" can be the judge of such things. Darlanis does not believe that I saw SHE. She believes that I was merely under the influence of Raspa's paralyzing venom and that it was all a dream. I believe, however, that someday she will know the Truth. That she is, indeed, the QUEEN OF LIGHT and that her destiny will be to drive out THE QUEEN OF DARKNESS! Send Her "back" to the plane of existence called Hell from which she came to inhabit the soul of the woman we know as Tara Bisan!! "How's the computer doing?" I asked Sanda, who was studying "word processing". Fortunately the original owner of the device had done the initial programing for us. The "pen" that one touched the screen with was another example of 21st Century tech- nology. It was far easier to use than a "mouse", the "pointing device" commonly used back in my own era. (No, I realize that none of this means anything to my readers, but I don't really know how to really describe such things in 26th Century terms.) "I am becoming rapidly aware of how `stupid' I am," Sanda smiled back. Computers do that to you until you understand them. "It was `hard' for me too at first," I smiled back, touching her shoulder. Looking at what she had written on the screen. It displayed in white lettering on a blue background. Much like the Wordstar 5.0 I had used back in the 20th Century before flying through the time warp to this time. The display was SVGA, 800X600. That I had determined from the manual there in the case with the computer. The plastic coated "paper" as good as ever. "I think I like our time better," Sanda said, shutting off the computer. The life of the battery was limited. "Things are simpler, easier to understand." I nodded in reply, smiled at her words. I thought that they were true. We had worshiped at the "altar of technology". Believed that all the "answers" were de- terminable by Science. Believed ourselves the masters of our world although we had no answers for those who saw silvery discs. |
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