Soul Rider 05 - Children of Flux and Anchor by Jack L. Chalker

Author:Jack L. Chalker [Chalker, Jack L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-12-16T19:41:53+00:00

9

A BRUSH WITH SOME FLUXLORDS

"In the old days," Matson told them, "there weren't very many wars. Once in a while, though, one of these Fluxlords would start believing his own dreams and attack another, usually a neighbor, just to show he was really a god. Can you imagine folks being forced to go to war because one Fluxlord says another Fluxlord is blasphemous for not worshipping him? Now it's gotten more political, and nastier."

They were still in the trees, and had been for hours, even though Sondra was back with her report.

"I never heard that Liberty's Fluxlords were that way," Spirit noted. "Then why the big war at all?"

"Size. Sheer size. You pull what Suzl pulled in a standard Fluxland and it's a fight to the finish. This thing's too big for the lords. I'm half surprised these trees are still here. Hell, even their shields are a hundred kilometers in from their borders. You don't hold down this kind of place by Flux supremacy. You have to be a politician. Control the common folk another way. A war's always a good rallying cry for the folks, so long as you win it and so long as it doesn't drag out forever. That's the problem here. They bit off more than they can chew and things are getting lax. The kind of revolt those officers mounted here would be impossible in a one-Fluxlord Fluxland."

Dell sighed. "What do you think they're doing in that shield?"

"I figure they know they can't get to the void before a Fluxlord comes. Might be one here now. Without their officers, though, all those troops are at the mercy of the immediate Fluxlord, which is Suzl. They're hers now: All transformed and all still ready to fight. The three officers won't do much better. They don't dare leave;—the Fluxlords would make them wish they were dead. They can't really escape. My feeling is they'll wind up getting the treatment voluntarily, same as Morgaine, to save their necks, only they won't be any Ayesha doubles. Counting the family as one, they have five wizards now. That's not bad. Five wizards and the projector and a few hundred total converts. It'd take three or four of Libery's five Fluxlords to beat 'em, and they can't spare that many; they'd be punched through and smashed to hell up north. They'll make a deal. Move out with the traitors to the void unmolested or maybe they'll punch through this shield and really cause havoc."

Spirit started to say something, then stopped, looking behind them. Nearby, Morgaine was showing an awestruck Verdugo that she could move her enormous breasts by voluntary muscle action. Spirit was not amused. "I don't know what I can do," she sighed. "Dad—can you talk to her?"

"I'll try," he said, standing up and stretching, "but I think this is her party."

He did, however, walk over to her and sit, dismissing a very-turned-on and disappointed New Eden major. "I think we should talk," he said softly.

She sighed. "Mother again, right?"

"Partly.

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