"Bova, Ben - Orion 07 - Vengeance of Orion" - читать интересную книгу автора (Bova Ben)

substantial than golden light. He was the source of all the radiance. He shone
so beautifully that it hurt my eyes to look upon him. Yet I could not look away.
He was splendid. Thick mane of golden hair, gold-flecked eyes. Skin that glowed
with life-giving radiance. Utterly handsome face, masculine yet beautiful, calm
and self-assured, the hint of a smile curling his lips. Broad shoulders and wide
hairless chest. Bare to the waist, where draperies of gleaming gold enfolded
him.
"My poor Orion." His smile turned almost mocking. "You are certainly in a sorry
state."
I did not know what to reply. I could not reply. My voice froze in my throat.
"Do you remember your Creator?" he asked, tauntingly.
I nodded dumbly.
"Of course you do. That memory is built so deeply into you that nothing but
final destruction can erase it."
I knelt before my Creator, my mind whirling with faint half memories, struggling
to find my voice, to speak, to ask him...
"Do you remember my name?" he asked.
Almost, I did.
"No matter. For the present you may call me Apollo. Your companions on the plain
of Ilios refer to me by that name."
Apollo. The Greek god of light and beauty. Of course. The god of music and
medicineЧor is it biotechnology, I wondered. But I seemed to recall that he had
another name, another time. And there were other gods, as well. And a goddess,
the one whom I loved.
"I am being harsh with you, Orion, because you disobeyed me in the matter of
Ahriman. You deliberately twisted the course of the continuum, out of
sentiment."
"Out of love," I replied. My voice was weak, gasping. But I spoke.
"You are a creature, Orion," he sneered. "What can you know of love?"
"The woman," I pleaded. "The goddess..."
"She is dead."
His voice was as coldly implacable as fate. I felt ice freezing my veins.
"You killed her," I said dully.
His sneering smile faded into grim solemnity. "In a sense, Orion, it was you who
killed her. By daring to love a goddess, by tempting her to assume a human form,
you sealed her doom."
"You blame me..."
"Blame? A god does not blame, Orion. A god punishes. Or rewards. You are being
punishedЧfor the while. Accept your fate and your punishment will cease."
"And then?"
His smile returned. "I have other tasks for you, my creature, after the Trojans
have beaten off these Greek barbarians. Don't be afraid, I don't plan on letting
you die again, not for a while. There is much work for you to do in this era."
I began to ask him what he meant, but a sandaled foot prodded my ribs and I
opened my eyes to see that I was on the beach among the Greeks who were
besieging Troy, a thes, the lowest of the low.
"On your feet! There's work to be done!" shouted the whipmaster.
I looked up at him but saw instead the blinding radiance of the morning sun. I
winced and bowed my head.