Battle for the Known Unknown Ch. 19

The four crusaders discovered that there were other English-speaking communities scattered about the level. The holographic signs were sufficiently intelligent to guide Isaac and his comrades to the community from which they had come, though it crossed all of their minds that there might be others of their own faith, or exact interpretation of the Christian faith, in amongst these other settlements. They weren't disposed to investigate further as these other English-speakers—although also proudly displaying the cross in one form or other—didn't appear at all keen to have strangers approach them.

Just over a day later, Isaac and his comrades had completed the circuit of the invisible perimeter that enclosed the Holy Crusaders. The other crusaders they passed were similarly engaged in determining the limits of territory but the only remaining sign of the unity of their mission was that they too were naked and stubble-pated. Even though none of his comrades understood other languages any better than did Isaac, it was obvious from the frosty tone of the greeting that passed between the fellow crusaders that it was only the lack of weapons that forestalled any outright violence.

When Isaac's company eventually returned to the point from which they'd started, they were just in time to see a flurry of robotic activity as the bowls and dishes containing one day's repast was replaced by another.

"What did you find?" Jeremiah asked of his comrades as they squeezed past the doors to the other chambers of their villa into the one where Isaac's company resided.

The crusaders listened intently as Isaac and his comrades described how the territory assigned to them was circumscribed and how escape, let alone the pursuance of their crusade, seemed impossible.

"We are prisoners," concluded Amos. "The atheists have confined us within these empty homes and keep us fatted like calves. We are in purgatory. We are in a world where we are daily tested by the heresies of the other crusaders and cannot pursue our mission."

"The Lord will find a way," said Isaac with determination. "He will not abandon us."

"Amen!" agreed Elijah.

"And what next?" Amos asked. "The atheists haven't yet made known their intentions. Do they toy with us still?"

An uneasy silence was the only response to Amos' questions. The six crusaders who'd stayed behind regarded each other nervously.

Finally Jeremiah spoke for them.

"Yesterday while you were abroad, five atheist soldiers entered the villa," he said. "They were heavily armed and two of them were women. They took four crusaders away with them and one of them was David."

All eyes now focused on their comrade who was clearly embarrassed by the attention. David held his hands knotted together over his crotch and regarded his comrades nervously.

"They took me by one of their hovering crafts to a cell where I was interrogated," he said. "I was blindfolded on the journey and know only that where I was taken was to a place very unlike this level. The flight took less than ten minutes and I was accompanied by heretics whose faith I do not know."

"Did they torture you?" asked Ezra.

David shook his head. "I was in a single room, bound to a seat by cords, and was asked questions by an atheist."

"What did you say?" Amos asked.

"As little as I could," said the crusader. "But the questioning was subtle. After only a few hours I was transported back here."

"You weren't tortured?" asked Isaac anxiously.

"No," said David. "The atheist asked questions the answers to which he already seemed to know. He had none of the usual tools of interrogation on hand."

This seemed highly unlikely. If Isaac had the duty of interrogating a prisoner on Holy Trinity, then he would have, at the very least, removed a finger or testicle. What could possibly be discovered without the use of torture?

Isaac decided that either David had betrayed his comrades without a struggle or that his comrade was being brave and wouldn't admit to the sadistic horrors he'd suffered. The latter seemed unlikely, however. David had none of the traumas Isaac associated with the victims of interrogation. The inevitable conclusion was that his comrade must be a traitor. If only he had the necessary equipment then he would soon extract from his comrade the truth he already suspected.

Nevertheless, a lingering doubt remained in Isaac's mind. These atheists might know of methods of torture he'd never come across before. They might have tortured David without leaving the usual scars and obliterated his memory of the suffering he'd undergone. It was thus unwise for him to directly accuse his comrade of treachery.

But most of all Isaac dreaded the occasion when he too would be dragged away by the atheists and interrogated. How well would he withstand their interrogation? With what scars would their torture leave him when he refused to give them the answers they were seeking?