Starfist: Lazarus Rising by David Sherman & Dan Cragg Page B
Authors: David Sherman & Dan Cragg
Tags: Military science fiction
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was sure he was also a native of this world, like everyone else around him.
Zechariah nodded. "The security measures you recommend, Charles, are very wise. You have had experience in these matters at some time in your life, that's obvious to everyone. I pray each night the Lord will restore your memory perfectly.
I have a feeling we'll need all the advice we can get in the near future. When will you feel up to taking over the training of our able-bodied people to form some kind of defensive force?"
"Tomorrow, Zechariah."
"Good." He turned to Comfort. "Daughter, you go on watch in one hour."
"Yes, Father." As she walked back into the house she frowned back at Charles.
At first Charles was surprised at the look she gave him, and then his face reddened. Damn, he thought, she saw me kiss Colleen. The girl has a crush on me!
He was both amused and alarmed. "Comfort," he called out, "wait up!" and followed her into the house.
Spencer Maynard placed a hand on Reuben Stoughton's arm as they walked down the street. "See that?" He nodded at Charles and Comfort. "She's pretty sweet on that stranger." Spencer was twenty-five years old, and he'd been thinking of courting Comfort long before the community had moved to the Sea of Gerizim.
"You are looking daggers at the man's back, Spencer," the older man observed wryly.
"Lord forgive me for that," Maynard answered. They continued walking down the street. "But Reuben, is there something, you know, suspicious about the strangers? I mean, they come to us out of the night claiming they don't remember who they are, and we take them in. We really don't know who they are, do we? I do not trust them.
In fact, Reuben," he leaned close and whispered into Reuben's ear, "I think they're spies ." He nodded firmly.
"Hmm, I'm not so sure," Reuben replied. "They came with no clothes and nearly dead—the other man and the woman would have died if we hadn't found them in the morning—"
"Ah! You need only one man to do the job, but you send three? And what do we know about this ‘amnesia,’ eh? I looked it up, Reuben. They weren't hit on the head.
We've all talked to them and they don't seem to be trying to forget something awful in their personal lives. They don't seem to be suffering from any diseases that would cause loss of memory, and if they were exposed to toxic substances, wouldn't that show up in some way? Oh, they talk about being tortured, but they remember that experience, they're not trying to forget it! They want us to believe the devils did it to them, but Reuben, the devils kill human beings, like they did all our friends, they don't just let them go! No, no, there's something about these three that just doesn't add up, Reuben."
"Hmm. Yes, maybe?" Reuben said doubtfully. He looked hard at his companion.
He was fully aware that Spencer was jealous of Charles's relationship with Comfort, and he did not discount that as his motive for making such a slander. Still... He clapped Spencer on the shoulder, "Let us keep a close watch on the three of them, and if your suspicions grow into facts, we'll talk to Zechariah. Meanwhile, I've got the watch tonight."
Spencer Maynard nodded and smiled. He'd get the facts, all right.
CHAPTER 8
Charles followed Comfort back into the house. She was slinging her shot rifle and picking up her coat when he caught up with her. Outside someone was giving the signal for the relief watch to muster at the meetinghouse— Bong! —one, two— Bong!
—one, two— Bong! —one of the several warning signals Charles and Zechariah had worked out before instituting the watch system.
"Comfort..." Charles paused, catching his breath. His long convalescence had weakened him. Comfort glared back at him. "Um, is that rifle loaded?" he asked.
Comfort's expression changed to one of bewilderment. The Remchester 870
Police Model shot rifle was based on the simple design of the old-fashioned pump shotgun, with a tubular magazine mounted beneath the barrel;
Zechariah nodded. "The security measures you recommend, Charles, are very wise. You have had experience in these matters at some time in your life, that's obvious to everyone. I pray each night the Lord will restore your memory perfectly.
I have a feeling we'll need all the advice we can get in the near future. When will you feel up to taking over the training of our able-bodied people to form some kind of defensive force?"
"Tomorrow, Zechariah."
"Good." He turned to Comfort. "Daughter, you go on watch in one hour."
"Yes, Father." As she walked back into the house she frowned back at Charles.
At first Charles was surprised at the look she gave him, and then his face reddened. Damn, he thought, she saw me kiss Colleen. The girl has a crush on me!
He was both amused and alarmed. "Comfort," he called out, "wait up!" and followed her into the house.
Spencer Maynard placed a hand on Reuben Stoughton's arm as they walked down the street. "See that?" He nodded at Charles and Comfort. "She's pretty sweet on that stranger." Spencer was twenty-five years old, and he'd been thinking of courting Comfort long before the community had moved to the Sea of Gerizim.
"You are looking daggers at the man's back, Spencer," the older man observed wryly.
"Lord forgive me for that," Maynard answered. They continued walking down the street. "But Reuben, is there something, you know, suspicious about the strangers? I mean, they come to us out of the night claiming they don't remember who they are, and we take them in. We really don't know who they are, do we? I do not trust them.
In fact, Reuben," he leaned close and whispered into Reuben's ear, "I think they're spies ." He nodded firmly.
"Hmm, I'm not so sure," Reuben replied. "They came with no clothes and nearly dead—the other man and the woman would have died if we hadn't found them in the morning—"
"Ah! You need only one man to do the job, but you send three? And what do we know about this ‘amnesia,’ eh? I looked it up, Reuben. They weren't hit on the head.
We've all talked to them and they don't seem to be trying to forget something awful in their personal lives. They don't seem to be suffering from any diseases that would cause loss of memory, and if they were exposed to toxic substances, wouldn't that show up in some way? Oh, they talk about being tortured, but they remember that experience, they're not trying to forget it! They want us to believe the devils did it to them, but Reuben, the devils kill human beings, like they did all our friends, they don't just let them go! No, no, there's something about these three that just doesn't add up, Reuben."
"Hmm. Yes, maybe?" Reuben said doubtfully. He looked hard at his companion.
He was fully aware that Spencer was jealous of Charles's relationship with Comfort, and he did not discount that as his motive for making such a slander. Still... He clapped Spencer on the shoulder, "Let us keep a close watch on the three of them, and if your suspicions grow into facts, we'll talk to Zechariah. Meanwhile, I've got the watch tonight."
Spencer Maynard nodded and smiled. He'd get the facts, all right.
CHAPTER 8
Charles followed Comfort back into the house. She was slinging her shot rifle and picking up her coat when he caught up with her. Outside someone was giving the signal for the relief watch to muster at the meetinghouse— Bong! —one, two— Bong!
—one, two— Bong! —one of the several warning signals Charles and Zechariah had worked out before instituting the watch system.
"Comfort..." Charles paused, catching his breath. His long convalescence had weakened him. Comfort glared back at him. "Um, is that rifle loaded?" he asked.
Comfort's expression changed to one of bewilderment. The Remchester 870
Police Model shot rifle was based on the simple design of the old-fashioned pump shotgun, with a tubular magazine mounted beneath the barrel;
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