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  Chapter Seven

  582 BC. Babylonia

  ‘Welcome to the great Babylon, the Gate of the gods!’ Eel announced as we stood gaping at the high tar smeared metallic gates. Two men stood in the midday heat, on guard facing us. Hordes of other men, all with covered faces mounted upon camels noisily chattered away in strange tongues. Heavily loaded donkeys too stood in queues patiently waiting to enter through the shut gates. The air smelt of exotic spices. The two guards, I saw, wore what looked like medieval silvery knight armor, their faces hidden behind metal helmets, each holding a metallic lance, and it appeared, they had blocked the passage into what lay behind the high mud brick walls.

  ‘Would you please let us know what year this is?’ I heard Uncle Henry inquire from Eel.

  ‘Does it really matter professor?’

  One of the Guards, the bigger of the two, yelled something incomprehensible pointing his lance towards us. Eel walked up to him and they seemed to get into a heated argument before Eel leisurely walked back to where we stood.

  ‘Our friend over there,’ Eel explained in a calm tone, ‘says we are standing by the wrong gate and insists foreigners should use the south gate, the same used by lepers, slaves and animals.’

  ‘Then who are these in the queue?’ inquired Doctor Lynn looking disgusted.

  ‘Foreign Merchants but us, we are diviners, sorcerers from the future with an urgent message for the king. At least that's what I told the guard.'

  ‘Then to the south gate we must go.’ Uncle Henry said raising his arms in the air.

  'No,' Eel interjected. 'He says he will send word to his superiors, who in turn will inform their superiors, who will then inform the high priest Ossus, who has the ear of the King.’

  ‘'Did he,' irritated, Uncle Henry asked out aloud, ‘also give you a time frame for all this informing? Besides, this could take the whole day from the way matters here seem to be handled. What then will we in the meantime be doing?' He stared at us in turns. 'I still think we should take the south gate.’

  ‘No professor.' Eel said pulling him to one side. 'I say we wait. You don’t want to be seen to spite their hospitality. They can be very ruthless if spited.’

  ‘I haven’t spited anyone,' Uncle Henry loudly protested, 'on the contrary; I simply was trying to find a solution. It was you who a few moments ago were yelling at the guard.’

  ‘I wasn’t yelling. As a matter of fact, he and I were simply chatting a way forward if I may put it that way, looking for a middle ground.’

  ‘What a strange way of making an acquaintance if you asked me.’ Doctor Lynn interjected.

  ‘No doctor,' Eel replied, 'I was paying a bribe. That’s how it’s done in these parts. I signal to the guard by winking. He then summons me. To bystanders, I have simply stepped out of line, committed a misdemeanor. The guard proceeds to engage me in an argument while I slip a Shekel into his hand before stating my business here. Watch, in a few, he will summon me again. This time, we all should approach. He will motion to his colleague to remove the two logs unlocking the huge gates for us to enter leaving behind all these gullible merchants and their camels to roast in the Babylonian heat.’

  Hardly was Eel done with this strange tale than the guard summoned him again.

  ‘Follow me.’ He said to us.

  Inside, past the city gates, I was immediately frisked by about five poorly dressed smelly children.

  ‘Hold on to our possessions and follow me!’ Eel yelled. Uncle Henry and Doctor Lynn too were wrestling human scavengers of their own.

  ‘Hey! Let go!’ I yelled shoving off one who had tagged onto my back pack. We were saved by a group of sentinels who on being seen, the scary kids vanished, running into the alleys on either side of the mud brown stone and mortar houses in the narrow congested streets. Relieved, we continued to follow Eel as he kept weaving through noisy crowds selling all sorts of exotic birds, reptiles, slaves and strange looking animals. Everything and everyone here it appeared, was up for sale.

  ‘Look! Up there! It's where we are headed.’ Eel said pointing to a grand palace up on a hill in the distance. 'The palace belongs to the King of Babylon and his wife, Queen Amytis. In these parts, it's known as the marvel of mankind’

  Inside the palace gates, were erected very high walls supported by stone pillars and lavishly decorated windows with all kinds of glittering gemstones. There was also, an acropolis and besides it, a hanging Garden. The palace park extended four hundred meters in either direction. The garden sloped like a hillside and below it, stood thick lavishly painted columns supporting the whole edifice built of solid rock, and on top of which were laid a flat surface of squared stones strong enough to bear the deep layer of earth placed upon it.

  Eel, to my surprise had somehow managed to get us into the palace and as we stood in awe of the grandeur, an old man in a deep maroon robe walked in with two armed guards on either side. He traced an unusually long grey beard tied in a knot at its tip. We were led into an expansive hall with a very high ceiling which was ornamented with rather strange grotesque paintings. The marble floor we walked on was crisp clean. I could see my startled reflection as we were quietly ushered into a freshly scented expanse. The man turned whispering into Eel’s ear.

  ‘The high priest says,’ Eel explained, 'Doctor Lynn is indecently dressed, an abominable sight in front of his majesty. So, she is to be appropriately prepared before appearing in the presence of the king.'

  ‘Oh really?’ Uncle Henry turned looking surprised, 'and what is she supposed to do about that?'

  ‘He says these two guards will escort her to the ladies' chamber where she will be bathed and readied by courtesans before she can enter into the king’s presence.’

  ‘And if she doesn’t feel like getting a scrub?’ Uncle Henry asked irritated.

  ‘Please Henry, don’t push it,’ interjected Doctor Lynn ‘it’s okay, I’ll go. Hope to meet up with you guys later.’

  The old priest beckoned to the guards who turned and led a nervous Doctor Lynn in the opposite direction.

  ‘You think she will be alright Uncle?’ I inquired.

  ‘I certainly hope so.’

  We all rose on cue. Twenty people in all, inside the expansive hall the old priest had ushered us into.

  Eel laboring to interpret what the male voice thundered.

  ‘Hail the king! Great Oh Nebuchadnezzar! The world’s king of all kings! A true god in flesh, immortal among mortals! Now bow for your king all you men who serve him, bow down to your god!’

  On cue again, everyone inside the hall went on their knees first before bringing our foreheads to kiss the marble floor.

  ‘This is crap.’ Uncle Henry whispered, knees pressed onto the hard marble.

  ‘Quiet professor,’ Eel whispered back, ‘your mouth could cost you your head.’

  'My beloved wife Queen Amytis,' said the extravagantly dressed thick bearded king whose thick black eyebrows and probing eyes kept pointed towards us.A diamond crested crown pressed onto his huge head. 'Your wonderful features the mistress of the gods has made perfect above all other women. For your beauty alone, I have had a palace of pure loveliness, delight and joy built in your honor.'

  The king sat elevated on a bronze throne facing us. His equally lavishly attired queen sat to his right and blushed at his every utterance. Seated erect by their sides were two African cheetahs with belts straps fastened around their necks.

  I noticed the king wore a bronze breastplate, a tiny pale grey rock placed in its center. Again, no one stood beside or behind the king and queen, the entire force of guards stood far off but kept alert.

  ‘The King is asking whether we are the entertainers he is expecting from Mesopotamia.’ Eel interpreted before diving into that strange tongue possibly explaining that we are sorcerers from the future.

  King Nebuchadnezzar’s probing eyes turned darkly before widening. He cried out in a loud hoarse voice and within a matter of seconds, we were surrounded by angry
faces pointing spears and sharp blades at our necks.

  ‘What did you say to them Eel?' Uncle Henry cried out, 'what did you goddamn say?’ They all seem really mad at us!'

  ‘I simply said we were from the future, that’s all.’ Eel replied cowering around us.

  The king was shouting again. He looked frightened too. The queen was being rushed out by guards. I could hear more footsteps thudding in, he had called for reinforcements.

  ‘DS!’ Eel called out as more faces closed in on us.

  ‘Yes!’ I yelled back nervous.

  ‘Slowly, get that rock out from your pocket,’ He said, 'and show it to them.'

  I did, and in that instant, spears, daggers and blades were withdrawn and all the men bowed to the ground. Mightily relieved, I turned in wonder to face Eel and Uncle Henry, who too were breathing heavily.

  The king yelled a command and all the men dissipated. He assumed his seat but kept staring nervously at me.

  ‘What should I do now Eel?’ I asked still nervous.

  ‘Relax.' He answered, 'don’t act scared. They think you are a god, so act like one.’

  ‘How do gods act like?' I asked again.

  ‘Just be you and let me do the talking.'

  'If I recall,' Uncle Henry chipped in,' the last time you did the talking, you almost got our throats slit.'

  Eel glared at him.

  'You, DS, are the god of fertility here to bless the king and Queen.’

  ‘From what I have read in comic books and legends,’ interjected Uncle Henry, ‘aren’t fertility gods meant to be female?’

  ‘Alright professor, what god do you want him to be?’ Eel asked. I could sense he was getting angry.

  ‘Call what you want, but not for fertility. It’s too obvious.' Uncle Henry went at him again, 'we will be easily suspected of being impostors.’

  ’We have the rock don’t we?’ Eel shot back walking to the front.

  He straightened himself before approaching near to the King’s throne, took a bow and waited patiently to be addressed.

  ‘The king wishes to know which gods you are.’ The high priest Ossus’ deep but weary voice bellowed.

  ‘I am birdu the underworld messenger.’ replied Eel, ‘To my right is my lord Dagan, god of fertility, Shamash, god of the sun and Ningizzia, guardian of the gate of heaven, the eastern gate and the gate of the morning who is being prepared before she comes into your presence my lord, god of earth, king Nebuchadnezzar.’

  The king sprang up from his throne, rumbling what appeared to be orders and within a matter of seconds, loud horn sounds blared throughout the palace walls and outside in the streets I suppose because, as we were being led out onto the balcony by the old priest, I could see throngs coming our way, first in their hundreds, then the numbers began to swell.

  ‘Eel what’s going on?’ Uncle Henry asked staring at the mammoth crowds gathering inside the palace walls.

  ‘Well, you my friends are the star attraction. All these people are here to see the gods.’

  The old priest kept screaming on top of his voice.

  ‘Keep blowing the horns! Call all the citizens of Babylon together! For in our midst, are gods!’

  For a moment, I thought his lungs were about to explode and eyes to pop out.

  ‘I guess celebrations are in order now,' Uncle Henry said with a chuckle, 'Danny my boy, ready your tummy enzymes, this might be a bumpy ride.’

  The ceremony was electric and extravagant. We were arrayed in strange sticky and smelly garments dribbled in animal blood and excrete.

  The old priest Ossus led the colorful procession of dancers, magicians, fortunetellers, and mediums right in front of us.

  ‘What are they up to now?’ Uncle Henry asked Eel amidst the loud chants and drum beats.

  ‘Ritual worship of the gods,' Eel answered loudly trying to keep audible above the ever increasing noise. 'It puts them in touch with the supernatural.’

  I noticed the king’s expression was grim, his mind preoccupied with something else, but since I didn’t speak his tongue, I couldn’t figure out with what, besides, my interest was in something else too, the meteorite in his breastplate and how we were going to retrieve it from him.

  The brutal sacrifice of the bull on the flaming stone alter with a double edged axe from the look of things, it seemed, marked the climax to this wild celebration but not before the high priest had transcended into a state of ecstasy, feverously wriggling and gyrating his old frame that at some point, I thought he was about to tear into bits.

  Then I saw Doctor Lynn. I was shocked when I recognized her from all the paint on her face. She was sitting in a roll up chair with her hands folded on her lap. Her head was bowed and when she raised eyes to look at me, she could barely smile. Her face looked disfigured, and her skin pulled so tight from near surgical procedures that smiling or laughing seemed very difficult for her. She had suffered terribly I guessed from this beauty treatment to try and make her presentable to Nebuchadnezzar. I marveled at how these ancients placed an incredible premium on looks.

  ‘Are you sure it’s her?’ Uncle Henry asked me when I pointed out Doctor Lynn seated next to Queen Amytis under a shade.

  ‘Yes am certain.’

  ‘She looks more like a Japanese maiden to me.’ He retorted.

  ‘You don’t seem very pleased with her new look are you?’ inquired Eel, ‘but don’t you worry, it depends on the tastes of this day and age. To them, she looks great and that’s all that counts.’

  ‘I didn’t say she doesn’t look great, I only think she looks different.’ Uncle Henry protested.

  ‘But still looks great, nonetheless.’ Eel asserted.

  ‘Yes, strangely great.’ Uncle Henry answered.

  Later that evening, without any let up on the festivities, we retreated back into the hall to feast on whole roasted animals served on golden plates. Wine in large quantities, in glittering jars was served to us by scantily dressed maidens. Seated between me and the now visibly drunk King was our interpreter, Eel. The king leaned over, his potent alcohol breath accosting my nostrils. He beckoned to me.

  ‘Whereas in former times,' He said, 'our forefathers created small bronze statues imitating real life forms to put on display inside our temples, for lack of skill they needed so much oil, wax and tallow for the work, but I Nebuchadnezzar, leader of all princes, a god knowledgeable in all kinds of magic and arts, took much advice and deep thought over doing this kind of work. So I instead created a clay statue of myself by divine intelligence which I raised high above the height of the surroundings of this palace, to be a Wonder for all peoples so they can come and worship me.’

  ‘That is wonderful’ I replied, ‘I saw it on our way here, a true masterpiece I must add.’

  ‘But this,’ pointing his huge hairy hand at the rock fastened in the center of his breastplate ‘was given me by Marduk, to deliver me from all kings, and has made me look down on all my enemies. Marduk,' he continued, his eyes starting to wobble in their sockets. 'was angry with this people, with my ancestors, for they had forsaken him and worshipped foreign gods, but I pleaded with him and although he spared us then, he vowed to return some day to destroy us forever!’ the king's mutterings were loud but his expression somber.

  ‘Who is Marduk?’ I asked Eel puzzled.

  ‘He is the god of war in these parts and patron god of this city, usually referred to simply as Bel-lord, but its Xuryae.’

  ‘Ask him what he did to avert Marduk’s wrath at the time.’ Uncle Henry said. He too had drawn to our conversation.

  ‘When my father Nabopolassar destroyed Nineveh, he set out to attack Assur. I, his son, commander of his armies, he sent south to Ur. I fought against that city, captured, and killed all the people inside it as a sacrifice to Marduk. I brought back all the gold, silver and bronze he had asked for, and I hauled it before his face inside the temple Esagila. When my father went to be with the gods, I became king. Marduk then said to me, 'Go, and bring me m
ore!' So I went, and fought against Egypt, Judah, Tyre, Kish and Moab, capturing and killing whole populations, citizens, aliens and slaves. I burned their cities and brought all their vessels to Marduk.’

  ‘What did he need all that gold and silver for?’ Uncle Henry asked astonished at the king's revelations.

  ‘He didn’t say,' the king replied almost falling over, 'but he carried it all in a flying dragon into the Heavens.’

  All four of us raced rapidly in the dark, high up on the flat palace concrete roof top as a deafening male scream came to my ears. We knew where it had come from, the king’s chamber. It was unbelievably dark as the chilled Babylonian desert winds fiercely pelted our fleeing bodies.

  ‘Faster!’ Uncle Henry hushed as we bolted in the dark both meteorites in my pocket.

  ‘Am running as hard as I can’ Doctor Lynn’s breathless voice sounded. Eel led the way, next was me, and on my back was the back pack, inside, Doctor Lynn’s heavy laptop.

  The king’s scream had inevitably come on discovering the source of his powers had been stolen and the sounds of our rapid retreat on the roof had caught the guards’ attention. We were up here and exposed.

  ‘What do we do next Eel?’ Uncle Henry called out nervously.

  ‘When we get to the end of this roof, we jump.’ replied Eel.

  'Great!' Uncle Henry’s voice came bellowing behind me.

  ‘Is there another roof or do we hit the ground running?’ Doctor Lynn asked. She sounded nervous and anxious now.

  ‘DS, you have the answer.’ Eel screamed.

  ‘What answer?’ I asked, my chest burning within me and I felt my knees begin to hurt.

  ‘You have both rocks don’t you?’ Eel asked

  ‘I do, but what am I supposed to do with them?' I replied, 'it’s not like they came with a manual.’

  ‘Faster!’ Uncle Henry screamed. He was last in the queue. He always seemed to prefer commanding from the back.

  Glancing into the darkness behind us, I faintly saw shapes accelerating towards us. Before I could mentally deduce what or who these were, something whizzed past me, fast.

  ‘Arrows!’ Uncle Henry screamed. Up ahead in the dark, I saw, we had run out of roof. Another figure was coming towards us from the front. We were trapped.

  ‘Strike the two stones at the count of three!' Eel shouted.

  ‘Danny where are the rocks?’ a nervous Uncle Henry asked, we had halted. The approaching figures were closing in on us from all directions.

  ‘They’re in my pockets!’ I replied hardly able to breathe.

  ‘Are you crazy?' Uncle Henry yelled at me, 'Strike the damn rocks!’

  My heart thumped loudly as I hastily retrieved both stones from my front trouser pockets and struck them together just in time as one of the guards reached out to grab at my hand.