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take their pleasures without thought. When I visited their headquarters a woman who gave an obviously
false name, that she wouldn't be held to account, forced herself upon me, seeking a moment's relief from
her lust not even an honest whore, as she took no money, but simply humiliated me for her own
amusement. These are the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, come again."
 And you're no Sodomite, yourself?"
 No."
 I almost believe you, she said, staring at him.  This woman... She trailed off.
John waited for her to finish her question, but when she did not he simply let it drop and turned away.
He had had enough of the conversation in any case.
At Little St. Peter John left the airship and hired a ride into town; as the wagon crawled up the slope he
looked around for Miriam, but saw no sign of her in the darkness. He wondered if he had finally
managed to lose her.
He quickly dismissed her from his thoughts as unimportant, however, and concentrated on his plans to
organize a guerilla resistance against the Heaveners.
He remembered James Redeemed-from-Sin at St. Peter's Inn, who had spoken so strongly on the
Heaveners behalf; that, he decided, would be a very bad place to start. Accordingly, when the wagon
dropped him in the market square, he asked a few questions and found himself a room at a small
boarding house, owned and run by the widow Worthy-of-Heaven.
In four days he found only one man who was willing to fight the Heaveners. Jonas Dust-to-Dust was
perhaps not the most desirable recruit he had ever seen fifty years old, but as bent and wrinkled as a
man of eighty, not very bright and apparently ready to hate just about anybody, particularly if there were
money or food to be had by doing so.
He was, however, a start, and he did happen to make one very useful remark.
 Seems to me, he said when John had explained the situation,  that if you want to put together an army
you should go where there's already some soldiers. All we got here in Little Pete is those fool guards on
the walls, that work those big guns, and they ain't really soldiers at all."
John accepted the truth of this immediately. While it was true that he would have preferred to turn the
people of the protectorate against their masters, it would be far faster and easier to find soldiers
elsewhere. He had had no trouble recruiting allies for his disastrous first attack; surely he would be able
to find ready allies for a guerilla war. The Chosen had seen what happened to their hated enemies; they
might now be frightened enough to help. With Jonas in tow, he spent most of his remaining reparation
money on three horses and set out for Spiritus Sancti.
No one in the protectorate paid much attention to them, but within an hour of crossing the border into
the territory of the Chosen of the Holy Ghost they were surrounded by armed men, taken prisoner, and
herded onward toward Spiritus Sancti.
John did not resist this treatment; he simply announced, over and over, that he carried an important
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r r
message for the Anointed.
Jonas was less cooperative; despite John's example he put up a fight, knocking two men to the ground
before someone broke his jaw with a rifle butt. He was bound and flung across his horse's back. John
was permitted to ride upright, though the soldiers did confiscate the long knife he had bought in Little
St. Peter, as a replacement for his own sword, which had somehow never been returned to him after his
hospitalization.
To John's disappointment, they were not taken directly to the capital; instead, they turned off the main
road and found themselves in a military outpost. Here, after delays that John struggled to take calmly, he
was dragged before a harried-looking captain, leaving Jonas to wait his turn.
 Name? the captain asked wearily, without looking up from his desk.
 John Mercy-of-Christ, former captain in the army of the People of the True Word and Flesh, John
replied.  I have a message for the Anointed."
The captain looked up. He stared at John for a moment, then commented,  You're not in uniform."
 I said former captain, sir; I was relieved of my command."
The captain sat back, folding his hands behind his head.  Mr. Mercy, I sure hope you know what you're
doing. It's traditional to use  retired or  discharged officers as spies; you could be hanged for espionage
if you're not careful."
 I'm not a spy, sir; I have a message for the Anointed. I came into your territory openly, I haven't done
or said anything out of line; what else am I supposed to do? I was relieved of my command, for leading
my men into a massacre; should I lie about it, or wear a uniform I'm not entitled to? Besides, I haven't
got a uniform; it was burned. They took my sword, too."
The captain leaned forward again. Even if he had not recognized John's name, he had certainly heard of
the massacre the True Worders walked into.
 What's this message? he asked.  Who's it from?"
 It's for the Anointed, from a group who want to keep the protectorate run by the People of Heaven from
getting any bigger than it already is; I can't tell you the details, but we're hoping for some help."
 You didn't do very well with your first try that is, if you were really in command of that attack."
 I was, sir and that's why I won't try a frontal assault again. There are other ways, though."
The captain stared at him.  How many of you are there? The True Worders are too scared to fight; you
must be an independent operation, right?"
 Well, sir, we aren't connected with the traitors in the True Worder government who sold out to the
Heaveners, that's true. As for how many of us there are, even if I told you, would you believe what I
said?"
 Probably not, the captain admitted. He thought for a moment, still staring at John.
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r r
 All right, he said at length,  if your buddy bears out your story, I'll send you to Spiritus Sancti with a
recommendation that you be given a chance to talk to the Anointed. And if you are what you say you [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]