rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第24部分

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　smile　errupted　upon　her　face。　Rona　felt　good　…　very　good。　She　couldn't　remember　what　she　had　been　angry　about。　All　these　people　were　so　nice　and　respectful。　Did　it　really　matter　where　she　was？　〃That's　much　better；〃　Manion　said；　lowering　his　weapon　of　delights。　〃You　will　remember　soon；　Your　Majesty。　We　will　teach　you　what　you　must　have　forgotten　on　the　awesome　journey　down　here　from　the　heavens　above。　All　will　be　as　it　has　been　written。〃
　The　high　priest　Manion　led　bemused　and　scantily　clad　Rona　down　the　corridors　outside　her　sumptuous　room　toward　the　great　metal　door　with　the　bear　emblazoned　upon　it　…　he　led　her　to　the　Temple　of　Renquist；　the　holiest　place　in　Death　City。
　Once　inside；　amid　the　thousands　of　candles　and　before　the　enormous　statue　that　was　of　a　man　in　a　suit；　a　man　with　a　gold　muttonchop　beard　and　moustache；　Manion　said　to　Rona；　〃He　wants　you；　and　he　will　have　you。〃
　Rona　was　unsteady　on　her　feet；　her　elbows　supported　by　two　handmaidens。　However；　her　mind　was　clearing　from　its　pleasant　indecisive　state。　And　she　was　putting　two　and　two　together。　The　gas　she'd　seen　erupting　from　a　popping　shell。　An　attack。　Then　awakening　in　the　strange　room　…　the　nonsense　about　her　being　Sandra。
　She　had　been　kidnapped　by　the　Death　City　Cultists。　They　thought　she　was　this　Sandra；　somebody　they　worshipped。　They　were　planning　something　for　her　…　possibly　a　sacrifice　to　their　damned　god；　the　Renquist。　Well；　that　would　not　happen。
　Quickly　the　near…naked　Freefighter　gauged　the　situation。　Manion；　the　handmaidens　…　pushovers。　But　in　the　flickering　light　of　the　candles　…　a　dozen　or　more　helmeted　guards；　all　with　guns　of　some　sort　bolstered　at　their　waists。　Not　good。　Play　along　for　a　while；　find　out　what　gives　here。
　〃Please　tell　me　…　the　things　I　must　do；〃　she　said；　still　playing　bemused；　placent　Sandra。　〃Please　tell　me　so　that　I　might　do　the　right　thing　and　please　the　Renquist。〃
　Manion　smiled。　〃That's　better；　much　better　…　I　was　worried　for　a　while　that　you；　despite　your　appearance；　might　not　be　the　Sandra；　the　One　for　Renquist。〃
　〃What　would　happen　were　I　not　the　Sandra？〃
　〃Immediate　torture…execution　for　defiling　the　sacred　Temple。　Your　bones　would　join　the　bejeweled　skulls　and　femurs　that　make　up　the　punishment　mound　in　the　Sanctuary　of　the　Snake。〃
　〃I　am　the　Sandra；〃　Rona　said　with　utter　conviction　in　her　voice。
　〃Then；　I　will　show　you　what　is　to　be　for　you。　What　your　sacred　duty　will　be　after　the　remarriage。〃
　〃Lead　on；　oh　priest　Manion；〃　Rona　said。　Remarriage？　What's　that　about；　Rona　wondered；　as　they　left　the　temple　by　a　small　side　door　and　plunged　into　a　steeply　slanting　tunnel　that　grew　increasingly　cold。　She　noticed　footsteps。　The　dozen　soldiers　had　fallen　in　behind　their　small　party。　Damn。
　It　became　even　colder；　they　threw　a　smock　over　her。　The　handmaidens　each　placed　a　bejeweled　slipper　upon　each　cold　foot。
　〃These　are　ice　caves；〃　she　observed；　looking　around　at　the　giant　color…bright　ice　stalagmites　on　both　sides　of　their　route。　〃What　happens　here？〃
　〃Here　is　preserved　the　blessed　seed　of　the　Renquist。　For　use　after　your　marriage　ceremony。〃
　〃Seed？〃
　〃Yes；　the　frozen　semen　of　our　Founder…God　Renquist。　You　will　again　be　his　wife；　his　Goddess　Queen。　And　you　will　be　impregnated　with　his　seed。　The　Renquist　stored　his　seed　here　…　in　the　ice。　He　called　it；　'Eden　Sperm　Bank。'　You　will　bear　his　child　to　bee　our　prince。　Though　the　Renquist　has　left　his　human　body　these　past　hundred　and　five　years；　yet　he　will　bear　us　a　leader　…　through　you；　Sandra。〃
　〃What　a　privilege；〃　Rona　muttered。　The　guards；　or　whatever　they　were；　were　double　the　original　number　now；　and　she　was　deeper　into　this　damned　cold　place。　This　was　worse　than　the　time　she'd　been　kidnapped　by　the　Nazis　and　they'd　mistaken　her　for　Eva　Braun；　Hitler's　mistress。　The　Nazis　at　least　hadn't　expect　her　to　bear　a　dead　man's　child。
　But　being　tortured　to　death　seemed　the　only　alternative。　At　the　moment。
　
　
　CHAPTER　17
　
　Rona　had　to　do　something；　anything。　So　what　she　did　was；　at　a　section　of　the　slanting　cold　corridor　that　bent　and　narrowed；　stumble。　It　was　not　a　real　stumble；　Rona　was　catlike　on　her　feet。　It　was　a　pretended　stumble；　to　lurch　her　closer　to　one　of　the　soldier…monks。　She　let　his　hands　e　up　from　his　bolstered　long　silver　weapon；　then　she　made　a　grab　for　it。　The　damned　gun；　or　whatever　it　was；　was　so　long　…　about　two　feet　…　that　she　hadn't　cleared　the　holster　with　it　before　the　iron　grip　of　Manion's　hands　stayed　her　move。　Then　she　was　hit　across　the　face　by　the　guard　who　she　had　lunged　at；　a　glancing　fist　to　the　jaw　that　made　her　see　stars。　She　was　wrestled　to　the　ground　by　the　two　handmaidens；　who　were　stronger　than　they　looked。
　Cursing　a　blue　streak；　the　hellcat　Freefighter　did　her　best　with　the　mob　of　restrainers；　but　she　felt　her　hands　being　drawn　behind　her　back　and　being　lashed　securely　together　with　some　sort　of　smooth　strong　rope。
　〃Now；〃　said　Manion；　gasping　for　breath　as　he　lifted　Rona　to　her　feet；　〃We　will　proceed。　I　do　not　understand　this　behavior；　but　I　hope　you　are　not　injured。　Why　did　you　do　this？〃
　Her　answer　was　full　of　ripe　Freefighter　expletives；　she　kicked　out　and　struggled　like　a　banshee。　Then　Manion　lifted　his　red　flickering　trank…stick；　and　aimed　it　at　her。　The　broadest　smile　of　benevolence　she'd　ever　worn　came　across　Rona's　angry　flushed　face。　She　forgot　what　the　tumult　was　about。　Rona　placently　moved　along；　happy　suddenly　to　be　in　the　pany　of　such　fine　folks。
　They　went　through　an　open　set　of　bronze　doors　into　a　darkened　chamber。　Torches　hung　on　the　wall　lit　the　scene　of　macabre　elegance　…　chairs　of　carved　stone；　elaborate　wall　decorations　of　large　snakes；　intertwined。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　the　whole　chamber　was　snake…motif。
　And　dimly；　in　the　smoky　incense…filled　far　end　of　the　rectangular　high…ceilinged　rock　chamber；　stood　the　full…length　standing　statue　of　the　Renquist。　The　statue　was　of　stone；　a　pale　pink　marble　several　stories　high。　The　statue　was　dressed　in　a　size…300　cloth　pinstripe　suit　…　as　if　it　were　a　real　person；　to　be　well　dressed　for　a　board　meeting。　Several　bald　men　were　bowing　and　scraping　in　front　of　the　statue；　at　some　sort　of　hump。　As　they　approached　the　hump；　Rona　saw　that　it　was　a　mound　of　irregular　shape；　some　four　feet　high。　It　was　posed　of　cemented…together；　jewel…encrusted　bones。　Human　bones。　How　nice；　she　thought；　in　her　dreamlike　state　of　bliss。
　They　led　her　around　the　hump；　and　the　maroon…　robed　keepers　of　the　chamber　took　her；　one　by　each　elbow；　without　struggle；　to　the　statue　of　a　snake；　a　six…foot…tall　standing　cobra　of　black　onyx。　The　snake's　mouth　was　wide　open；　and　was　hissing　out　some　sort　of　icy　breath。　There　was　a　rod　in　the　mouth　of　the　snake；　all　covered　with　ice；　buried　in　the　length　of　the　snake's　body　with　just　the　end　sticking　out；　like　a　forked　snake…tongue。
　〃Behold；〃　said　Manion。　〃The　sperm　bank；　the　seed　of　the　Renquist；　preserved　for　one　hundred　and　six　years　for　this　blessed　moment。〃
　They　removed　her　coverings；　so　that　she　stood　shivering　in　her　gossamer　and　scant　bikini　and　bra；　to　the　right　side　of　the　stone　snake。　Manion　went　over　and　bowed　before　the　immense　Renquist　statue；　and　took　up　a　book　…　a　Bible　…　and　headed　back　solemnly　to　stand　before　Rona；　who　was　drawn　by　the　monks　to　stand　beside　the　stone　snake。　Manion　opened　the　Bible　and　lifted　his　hands　in　a　genuflecting　gesture　that　made　the　sign　of　the　star。　He　intoned；　〃Who　gives　the　bride？〃
　And　he　answered　himself；　〃I　do。〃
　〃Do　you；　Sandra　the　Renquist；　again　take　as　your　lord　and　master　and　husband　this　God；　the　sacred　Edward　Renquist；　as　your　lawful　and　divine　husband；　till　the　end　of　time？〃
　Rona　said；　〃What？〃
　〃Say　yes；〃　Manion　whispered　in　exasperation。
　Rona　was　woozy；　she　thought　she　was　in　Century　City's　chapel　with　Rockson；　all　six　foot　two　of　his　manly　presence；　standing　next　to　her。　She　was　getting　married。　Good。　It　was　about　time。
　〃Yes；　I　do；〃　She　said　firmly。
　Manion　smiled；　〃Then　by　the　power　invested　in　me　as　chief　priest　of　the　Sacred　Holiest　of　Holies；　I　pronounce　you　God　and　Goddess　…　proceed　with　the　chastisement　and　impregnation。〃　He　slammed　shut　the　Bible　and　tossed　it　to　one　of　the　monks；　who　caught　it　and　placed　it　back　near　the　statue。