Chapter 22 Chapter VII

Theo Ebolat is a priest with a high status in Anacreon. In this expedition mission, he was appointed as the chief chaplain on the flagship "Vinness". He was able to get this appointment not only because of status and seniority considerations, but more importantly because he was very familiar with this starship.During its restoration, he worked under the direct direction of the saints from the base, adjusted the engine, reconnected the video phone line, refurbished the entire communication system, repaired the dry and dry hull, Reinforce the structure of the hull.He was even allowed to help when a highly sacred device was installed on board.Because this device called a hyperwave repeater is so sacred, it has never been installed on any starship or spaceship in the past, and it is specially reserved for this great starship.

Therefore, it pained him deeply that this sacred starship should now be used for injustice.Verisov had already told him that this starship was about to commit a terrible and evil crime—its guns would turn on the Great Base, but he had always been reluctant to do so.The great base, where he was trained as a priest when he was young, provided all the well-being of his compatriots there, how can he aim the gun at the base now? However, after hearing what the fleet commander said, he found that this fact was beyond doubt. However, how could the Holy King allow such evil actions?Maybe, he thought, that wasn't what the king meant?If not, maybe that nasty regent, Winnis, falsely preached the decree, and the king is still kept in the dark.Moreover, the commander of this fleet is the son of Winnis, who told himself five minutes ago: "Priest, you only need to take care of the soul and pray earnestly. I will take care of my starship."

Aborat showed a strange smile, he thought: Of course I will look after the soul and pray seriously, but I will also curse seriously, so that you—Prince Revkin—will burst into tears soon. Now he was entering the main communications room, led by his curate.The two officers on duty did not stop them, because the chief chaplain had the right to enter any part of the starship. "Close the door." Aborat ordered, and then looked at the chronometer—it was five minutes to twelve, and he calculated the time accurately. With quick and skilled movements, he turned on all the communication systems on the ship.Therefore, on this two-mile-long starship, his voice can be heard and his image can be seen in any corner.

"Attention all officers and soldiers on the Winnikin flagship, this is your chief chaplain speaking!" Aborat knew very well that his voice would immediately echo throughout the starship—from the nuclear battery at the stern, Go to the pilot station at the bow. "Your starship," he yelled, "is committing a crime of blasphemy. Its actions, without your knowledge, are enough to send your souls to eternal exile in the freezing cold of space! Listen! Your commanders , due to the sinful evil thoughts in his heart, intends to sail this starship to the base, bombard and subdue our source of blessing. Because this action is his intention, in the name of the Holy Spirit of the Galaxy, I release him from command right now. Because Without the blessing of the Galactic Holy Spirit, there is no command. Even the Holy King, without the sanction of the Holy Spirit, cannot maintain his throne."

Aborat's voice became deeper and deeper, the assistant priest listened reverently, and the two officers on the side became more and more frightened as they listened. "Due to such evil deeds by this starship, the protection of the Galactic Holy Spirit has long since disappeared." At this time, Aborat solemnly raised his hands. In front of nearly a thousand video phones on board, the officers and soldiers stared intently at the majestic image of the chief chaplain in awe. "In the name of the Galactic Spirit, and in the name of the Prophet Hari Seldon and his Interpreters, the Holy Ones of the Foundation, I curse this starship. Make it blind all its eyes - the videophones; let it paralyzed its arms—the grapples; disabled its fists—nukes; stopped its heart—the engine; silenced its voice—communicators; Its respiratory organ—the ventilator—is dying; its soul—the light—is completely extinguished. In the name of the Galactic Spirit, I thus curse the starship.”

When he finished speaking, it happened to be exactly twelve o'clock at midnight.A few light-years away in Agrid's Spirit Hall, a hand turned on the switch of the super wave repeater.The super wave it sent, without an instant of delay, turned on another repeater on the flagship of the "Winnis" at the same moment. As a result, the entire starship stopped completely in an instant! This is the most important feature of scientific religion-everything can really be fulfilled.Aborat's curse on this starship has become a reality. Aborat saw darkness enveloping the starship, and heard the soft whirring of distant hypernuclear engines suddenly stop.He was very happy, and he took out the nuclear light bulb with its own power supply from the vestment, filling the room with pearly light.

Then he looked at the two officers, they were undoubtedly brave soldiers, but now faced with extreme spiritual fear, they unexpectedly knelt down involuntarily. "Save our souls, Master. We are all innocent wretches who have no idea of ​​the crime committed by the Commander," one of them whimpered. "Follow me!" said Aborat in a stern tone, "Your souls have not sunk yet." The entire starship fell into chaos in the dark, and the sense of fear seemed to be felt and smelled.Wherever Ebolat and the circle of light around him passed, officers and soldiers swarmed up, pulling the edge of his cassock, begging him for a little bit of mercy.

But his answer was always the same: "Follow me!" At last he found Prince Revkin, who was groping his way past the officers' quarters, cursing the darkness. Revkin glared at the chief chaplain viciously: "You are here!" The prince's blue eyes were inherited from his mother, but his hooked nose and squinting eyes showed that he was the son of Winnis. "What do you mean by your rebellious behavior? Quickly restore the ship's power, I am the commander here." "You are not anymore." Aborat said in a dark tone. Revkin looked around frantically, then roared, "Grab this man, arrest him. Or I swear, I'll grab you disobedients, strip them naked, and throw them out of the airlock into outer space." go."

He paused, then screamed again: "This is your commander's order, catch him!" But still no one made a move, which made him completely lose his mind, and shouted again: "Will you be fooled by this jester, this buffoon? Why should you be afraid of this nonsense religion? This man is a liar , The Holy Spirit of the Galaxy he mentioned is simply a fictional cover, the purpose is to..." Aborat interrupted him angrily: "Take down this blasphemer, and hear his words, and endanger your souls." Several officers and soldiers immediately swarmed up and grabbed the honorable commander tightly.

"Catch him and follow me!" Aborat turned and left, and Refkin was caught behind him, and the corridor was crowded with officers and soldiers.Aborat returned to the main communication room and immediately ordered Refkin to be brought to a video phone that was still working, and then said to the former commander: "Order the fleet to stop advancing and prepare to return to Anacreon .” Revkin had been beaten to the point of bleeding, his clothes were in rags, and he was a little delirious from fright, so of course he had no choice but to obey. Aborat continued sternly: "Now we have made superwave contact with Anacreon, you follow my instructions."

Revkin made a gesture of reluctance, which immediately attracted a terrifying roar from the surrounding officers and soldiers. "Let's talk!" Ebolat said, "Start: Anacreon Fleet..." So Revkin started.