rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第34部分
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his hair； the masculine woman； the others from the surface hell？〃
Rockson spoke up； having observed Stafford's behavior for a sufficient time to develop a psychological strategy。
Rockson now saw that there was no talking to the little man…who…would…be…God。 His megalomania allowed no rational discourse。 And with that realization； Rockson developed another strategy。 The man was proud； vain。 A little god。 And with such men； there was only one course； until you could overpower them through cunning。 Rockson would play up to Stafford。 He would feed the man's ego。
〃I am the leader of my group；〃 said Rockson； 〃I am a mutant； that is true； but I can appreciate true leadership and knowledge。 I never dreamed that Eden could be so beautiful and clean。 Had I known what wonders there were here； I would never have believed Danik's madness。 This is paradise。 The surface is hell。 If I die； I will die happy to have seen the beauty here； happy to have witnessed true leadership。〃
Stafford eyed him up and down； and finally said； 〃You are wiser than you look。 Though you are a mutation。 I might have a use for you … but not for the others。。。〃
Stafford ordered the rest of the Freefighters and Danik held in the detention cells until suitable arrangements for their public humiliation and then execution could mence。
And Stafford ordered the senators to leave also。 He told Bdos and his two henchmen and a contingent of six guards to remain behind。 And bade Rockson stay and talk for a while。
Once the prisoners had been escorted from the chamber； and the senators； gossiping and gesturing to one another； had left； Stafford clapped his hands and said； 〃Mannerly； have the doctor e and treat our friend's leg … it obviously needs help。〃
The servant returned with a squat silent man； who opened a bag and took out some salve that he applied to Rock's wound。 It worked wonders。
Rockson sat； tasting hors d'oeuvres and what looked like cheese but tasted like shit from the tray Mannerly brought。 He took a little wine； which wasn't as bad； because he was thirsty。
Pouring on the flattery。 Rock ingratiated himself to the dictator for more than an hour。 Finally； Stafford said； 〃Perhaps you would like to see more of our wondrous city。〃
〃I would be honored；〃 Rockson replied。 Now this was more like it。 Perhaps he could find some way out … maybe if they got careless he could still instigate his original plan。 Seize Stafford； and order the patrols to lay down their arms。
But Stafford was a cunning sort； well used to intrigues and treachery。 When he and the Doomsday Warrior set out on their brief tour of Eden； they were acpanied by ten guards。 And Rockson was not unbound。 However； his elbow bindings were removed to make him more fortable； though his wrists were still held in check behind his waist。 Ah well； some progress is better than no progress。
The two…bit 〃king〃 started pointing out the 〃grand〃 sites。
Always the watchful phalanx of Civil Guards with drawn weapons kept a close eye on them。
〃First； Rockson； I will show you the new sources of food。 I realized that we were exhausting the canned and preserved foods provided in abundance over a hundred years ago。 I have instituted bold new measures to produce more food。 We do not need the poisonous surface soil to raise food。〃
〃What is your new means of production； King Charles？ Is it hydroponic gardening？ If you intend to do that you need grow lights。 Your sun is not sufficiently full…spectrum；〃 Rockson stopped and smiled broadly。 〃Of course； I am being foolish。 You have some pletely new revolutionary method of food production in mind。 Am I right？〃
〃Yes；〃 the king said。 〃We will have no need for water and minerals and grow lights。 There is an easier way than hydroponics。。。 e along； I will show you。〃
Soon they had passed through a blasted…away rock wall into the most foul…smelling place Rockson had ever encountered。 Machines similar to big Soviet bulldozers were moving around piles of fecal matter and garbage。 The air … if it could be called that … was filled with little gnats that insisted on buzzing his face。 What was all this mad activity about？ The cacophony of grinding gears； the smell of the fecal rot was hardly endurable to the Doomsday Warrior。 But evidently the Edenites； including the king； had less sensitive sensory apparatus。
The King boasted； 〃Here； the fecal waste of four generations of Eden has lay wasted。 We are in the so…called 'disposal cave'；〃 Stafford said。 〃This precious resource has been lying here sealed off； wasted。
〃I have decided to use this precious resource。 The excretions of the past can be processed into tasty replicas of all the necessary proteins； minerals； and fiber necessary to the human body。 It can be shaped by machinery into what appears to be steaks； potatoes； and such。 Coloring can be added。 People would hardly know the difference。 I venture to say that they won't know the difference between this new food supply and their old canned and preserved real foods。〃
In his wildest nightmare Rockson couldn't imagine this。。。 People would be forced to eat … 〃Shit；〃 Rockson blurted out。
〃What？〃 asked Stafford。
〃I said I am awed。 This is very interesting。〃 Rockson tried to turn his attention from the bulldozers moving the excrement piles to the metal hoppers； where a conveyor belt carried the matter through a wall … presumably a processing plant lay beyond that wall。
The flies were getting to him； he wanted to leave。 But Stafford wanted Rock's attention on a set of fifty long slender poles hanging from high above。 〃Note that the flies are congregating； swarming around the poles？〃
〃Yes；〃 Rockson said； brushing at his face； trying to keep the little gnats from his eyes at least。 Indeed the flies were droning around the many hanging poles。 The poles seemed to have a sticky surface on them。 Flies were massed in some places inches deep on the stickiness。
〃I see you're trying to do something about the fly problem；〃 Rockson said； not knowing what was expected of him。
〃Do something about them？〃 the king said； as if incredulous at the stupidity of the ment。 〃My dear fellow； we are collecting them； they will be the source of the flavoring of the new food。〃
Rockson was happy he had a strong stomach。 Still； the remark was almost too much。 He watched in mute horror as special 〃skimming〃 vehicles crawled up to the most fly…clogged poles and a cylindrical device slid up over the poles and sucked off the dead flies。 The trucks； once this was acplished； deposited their flies in a hopper next to the fecal conveyor belts。
〃See；〃 bragged the king； 〃we have no need of returning to the surface to make food。 With these innovations； we will have enough food forever。〃
〃Fascinating。 King Charles。。。〃 muttered the Freefighter。 〃Now； could we perhaps see that park you mentioned？ The one that doesn't need maintenance？〃
〃Yes； yes； of course；〃 the king said。 They exited the abominable scene； and Rockson was never so glad to leave a place in his life。
The 〃park；〃 which was two blocks from the fecal cavern； consisted of thirty brown…metal poles painted with barklike graphics。 They were supposed to be the maintenance…free trees of Eden。 Rockson leaned against one。 It was cold and steely to the touch。 The grass below their feet was the kind of matting they'd used to use in football stadiums … when the pollution of the 1980s made it impossible to maintain real grass fields。
Several backless benches in the park； among the evenly distributed 〃trees；〃 were occupied by oldsters。 The withered men and women； sacklike forms that drooled out on their tunics； were watching a group of painters repaint a peeling 〃tree。〃
〃Nice park；〃 Rockson said。 〃I dont see any children playing； though。〃
〃We have … reproductive problems；〃 Stafford admitted begrudgingly。 〃It's our one negative。 But I have teams of my best scientists working on the problem。 Years ago we had some experiments in genetics that resulted in the three strong leaders of the Guard。 I am hoping to reproduce those successes without the necessity of sexual intercourse； which is； of course； a filthy animal practice。〃
〃Of course；〃 Rockson agreed。 What else could he say？ 〃Well； it's a very nice park。。。〃
