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〃Earth tremors？〃
〃No sir…footsteps。 We weren't sure at first； they were so far away … but they are getting louder … and a few minutes earlier； a whole series of sharp reports … explosions。〃
Stafford stood up and wrapped the robe's belt around his rather rotund waist。 He balled his fists and hissed； 〃It must be Danik。〃
〃Or an attack from Death City； sir。 We've been expecting one for fifty years。〃
〃No；〃 said Stafford； 〃it's Danik。 He's e back。。。 How many people are there ing our way？〃 Stafford's forehead was a mass of wrinkles of concern。
〃A half…dozen； perhaps a few more。〃
Stafford smiled。 〃That's around the same number we suspect Danik left with。 So； he returns from the surface。 I told him … and his party of fools … that the surface is impossible。 A terrible unlivable hell。 Well； his failure will show the people how correct I am。。。 Bdos； it is good you e here with these words。 I want the group rounded up the minute they exit into our paradise。 I do not want either him or any of his party injured … just apprehended。〃 Stafford smiled； pacing back and forth； thinking。 〃Yes； they are to be executed in the Public Square。 That will end the last resistance to my rule。 The dissenters figure Danik to be their leader … his death before their eyes。。。〃
〃What are my orders； sir？〃
〃Go to the Lake Area； keep a lookout near the crevice that leads to the caverns。 Apprehend anyone who emerges。 Bring them to me。〃
〃If they resist？〃 These words of Bdos Err brought twisted smiles to his panions' faces； for they were adepts at rendering pain； at destroying flesh。 Nunchaku…man fingered the two metal sticks attached to a chain shoved into his waistband。 And Dedman tightened his grip on the steel shaft of a spear that he held to his side。
〃Use whatever level of violence the situation demands。 No more。 If you must use the disintegrators； use low power。 Don't entirely burn them up。 There must be enough left to torture； and to display in the Square。〃
Bdos Err saluted smartly； and he and his grim panions in terror exited the apartments。
Stafford was now restless。 He would not return to the steam； instead he had Mannerly hand him his tunic。 He put it on and went into the entertainment area。
No one in Eden lived as well as Stafford。 No one had a steam bath； an entertainment area； or the other amenities。 But then again； no one else had the guts to seize power and take what he wanted； Stafford mused。
He sat down in a lounge chair in the artificial wood…paneled room and pressed a button activating the wide screen。 The lights； sound； and action of a Hollywood movie of the 1980s swept across the screen。 The Night of the Grizziys； his favorite movie began again。 He had seen it 102 times。
He leaned back to watch the dangerous creatures of the surface walk again； terrorizing and tearing flesh。
To think that these creatures existed even before the nuke war。 What hideous things Danik must have seen； what terror must have driven him back into the arms of his executioner now； in this age of mutations above。 Yes； the surface had been dangerous even before the radiation mutated the creatures into more hellish forms。 These movies proved it。
He wondered now； a look of concern crossing his face。 Were those footsteps that Bdos Err had told him of humane； or were they。。。 monsters from the surface world？
Rockson and his group came stumbling out of the narrow fissure into brilliant； whitish sunlight。 At first Rockson thought somehow they had returned to the surface； but then he saw the reeds waving in the cool winds from the cavern behind them。 They were green； and so were the lily pads； with their multicolor lotus flowers。 It was winter； and even at this latitude； the plant life was all dead on the surface。 Another tip…off was the sun above … it had a paleness； an unhealthy quality； that the real sun never had。 It was a lithium…boron flame。 Burns for a thousand years。。。 The air smelled stale and malodorous； like a closed tomb。 That's what Eden was … a closed tomb。
〃We must be in Eden。 Pretty foul smelling。〃 Rock stated。 His eyes were adjusting to the harsh artificial sunlight。 The others mented upon the foul air … and the restrained sunlight also。 Rona said； 〃Why； if the hole into the caverns didn't exist； they would have suffocated here。〃
〃Long as the air's breathable；〃 Detroit said as a way of breaking through the delay； 〃let's get going。〃
Danik said。 〃You're right； I know the area ahead well； it's a shallow lake； we can wade along in the reeds till we reach the flowerbeds。 Then we can filter into town； and contact my friends； plan our attack。〃
Rockson； favoring his injured leg； turned to look back where they had e out of the fissure。 It was almost invisible at this angle。 Just the flutter of the grass near what appeared to be a solid rock wall gave any indication of the hole。 No wonder so few in Eden knew of it。
Bdos Err had kept his men quiet and low in the barge for a half hour。 And his patience and stealth was rewarded。 The sounds of men wading； rippling the water in the reeds not far off。 He knew he had his catch。 And better still； the fish were walking right into the fisherman's lap。
〃Halt； and don't move for your weapons；〃 he said； rising and pointing his disintegrator forward。 His soldiers； scattered about the reeds up to their knees in the waters； did likewise。 Twenty disintegrators leveled on the seven strangely garbed intruders … before they could raise their odd weapons。
The intruders； a strange lot； stood there in the waist…deep waters。 Danik was among them； but these others … they were not the dissenters he had expected to catch。 They were bizzarely appareled men of strong physique not unlike his own。 And there was a tall woman among them； a woman who put the women of Eden to shame in her strong beauty。
〃Stafford's elite guard；〃 Danik exclaimed； a note of hopelessness in his strained voice。 He was soon cringing behind the Rockson。 〃We have e so far and now we are doomed； Rockson。 Those are disintegrators they are brandishing。〃
〃We are not dead yet；〃 Rockson snapped； and in the Anasazi language； he muttered to Detroit Green； who stood nearest to the Doomsday Warrior。 〃Well that saves us the trouble of finding Stafford … as I hoped。〃
Detroit nodded slightly。
They made no move for their weapons。 Bdos sent some men wading to disarm them while the rest kept watch； their disintegrators poised。 Bdos kept a careful eye on the one with the white streak through his dark mane of hair。 He stood so straight； he had bearing。 The bearing of a warrior。 He wondered if the man would surrender his odd weapon … a long…barreled ancient…style pistol。 If not； Bdos Err would take the man's holster off with his bullwhip。
Once they were disarmed； the mander of the guard ordered that they be tied by their elbows behind their backs。
While this was done； Nunchaku…man came up alongside his leader in the barge and whispered。 〃Are they surface people？ They look somewhat like us。〃
〃Maybe looks are deceiving；〃 said Bdos。 〃Maybe they look like us but are monsters underneath。〃 That ment brought a grin to the tall multi…scarred face next to him。 〃Maybe they can take more torture than our citizens … may