172 - One of the Populous

The first tenth is the hardest. Minis told himself. Then he found out how hard the second tenth was.  He had an idea of how long he’d been lying in the light by the songs.  The hymns helped him keep track… at least at first.

Then he started getting gaps in his memory as his thoughts wound around and around how badly he hurt, how much he felt like he was frying in Muunas’s palm.  Surely the Temple wouldn’t let him be damaged, but the Temple didn’t care, as long as there was an Heir and a Coronet.

…burning. Help me, oh Ten… Help me… help us… I lay myself in destruction’s way to beseech you.  Assembly has commanded.  My people will that I come before you.  Let me humbly beg your attention.

…CLICK… Healing protocols engaged… Argos sub-section #456656BZEEE %%%%%%%% ##### error… repair codes?? IMPERIAL OVERIDE.  M#####s Aan authorized…

…error…

…do you need fixing?...

…error…

You have anything you need from me, Ergas… let me speak to the Gods…

…error…

Temple. Repair yourself.

…attempting… error… repair code A a N 1… working… Operator: repair protocols active in sections 1a through 10zazz, 4,555,230,000 inactive 1,974,135,556,345 Isolate damage?

Ergas. I am First Minis Kurkas Amitzas Aan. Repair all the damage…

…error…

His frustration grew and as he got angry and fearful, the pain in his body came up sharply. He forced himself to relax and as he relaxed the horrific pain faded.

How long has it been? The crowd were still singing, following the choir’s lead.  “Exalt Us, Oh Ten!”

He could feel a pair of tears roll out under his clenched closed eyes, roll down his temples, evaporating and leaving a stinging, itchy trail into his hair.  If they hit the stone will they sizzle as they evaporate?

He took a deep breath and tried hard to relax.  He let his eyes relax, and his jaw, and his neck. He managed to open his eyes a slit and then opened them with relief.  The sun was shining through the slit almost sideways as it sank toward the Rim and was only barely on him.

That was when the commotion started on the floor the the Temple.  "I DON' CARE IF THE TEN KILL ME! GET BACK! GEROFF ME!"

Minis couldn’t take his attention from this but he could hear that people were crying out to someone else.  An okas name.

People cried out in horror, or held their breaths. The choir continued on, resolutely as the crowd gasped in wonder this time.  

A cool splash of water startled Minis and he twitched, turned his head to see.  The okas stood, empty bucket in his hands, in a belligerent stance as he dropped his bucket down to his water cart, complete with white temple house-donkey, drew up a second that he hurled onto Minis where he lay. Priests all around stood, hands raised as the okas not only touched the High God but stood on His lap.

“YEAH, WELL Y’ SAID HE WEREN’T TO TAKE WATER! HE AIN’T.  NOTHIN’ SAY I CAIN’T GIVE IT!” The man shouted and flung a third bucket over Minis where he lay, delightfully cool.  “I’M ONE WHO VOTED FER THIS ‘UN AND SOME POLITICIANS GOT A BUG UP THEIR ARSE AN’ ARE TRYIN’ TE GET RID O’ MY VOTE!”  Another bucket of blessedly cool water, poured over Minis and dripped onto the Temple floor, forming a pool under Muunas’s hand.

“I KIN KEEP THIS UP ALL DAY AN IF I CAN THEN EVERYONE ELSE CAN TOO! SURE, TALK T’ THE GODS FER ME, IMPERATOR, BUT DON’ YOU FIKKEN DIE DOIN’ IT!”