The Stainless Steel Rat Goes to Hell

The Stainless Steel Rat Goes to Hell Read Free Page B

Book: The Stainless Steel Rat Goes to Hell Read Free
Author: Harry Harrison
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…”
    â€œ Know about? Would you like to explain that?”
    He looked uncomfortable. “Well, like any civilized planet we practice the galactic constant of complete freedom of religion. You have heard of the Interstellar Freedom of Religion Act?”
    â€œVaguely, in school.”
    â€œThe Act is not vague. The history of religion is a history of violence. Only too often religion kills, and we have had enough killing. Therefore no state or planet can have an official religion. Neither can a state or planet make any laws controlling religion. Freedom of worship and assembly is essential to civilization.”
    â€œWhat about nut cults?”
    â€œI was coming to that. Galactic law requires us not to interfere with any religion and to adhere to that rule sternly. But since the weak and the juvenile require protection so that, always legally and with the utmost caution, we do investigate all religions thoroughly. We make ongoing investigations to assure that religious rights are not violated, that each religion has the freedom to practice in its own way, that minors’ rights are not violated, that parishioners have complete freedom of choice—”
    â€œWhat you are trying to say is that you keep tabs on who goes to what church and how often and you know what they are getting up to.”
    â€œPrecisely,” he growled defensively. “The records are secure and can only be accessed at the highest level in case of emergency .”
    â€œAll right. We have an emergency and they have been accessed. Tell me.”

    â€œRowena Vinicultura is one of the first members of the Temple. She attends regularly. She brought your wife to exactly four seances or sessions or whatever they call them.”
    â€œSo?”
    He was beginning to look uncomfortable again. “So, as I have explained, our records are detailed and complete. Except, that the leader of the Temple of Eternal Truth, one Master Fanyimadu, is, well …”
    His voice ran down and he stared at his desktop. I finished the sentence for him.
    â€œMaster Fanyimadu does not appear in any entry in any of your records.”
    He nodded without looking up. “We know his place of residence and have documented his attendance at the temple. However to preserve religious freedom we have done no more than that.”
    â€œNo investigations? No cross-reference with Immigration or Criminal Affairs?”
    He shook his head in silence. I glowered.
    â€œLet me guess. You don’t know how he came to this planet, or if he is still here—or if he has left. Is that correct?”
    â€œThere has been … a certain failure of communication, an oversight.”
    â€œOversight!” I exploded, jumping to my feet and stamping the length of the room and back. “Oversight! Fire and blood and an explosion, a woman in the hospital and my wife vanished—and you call that oversight!”
    â€œThere is no need to lose your temper—”
    â€œYes there is!”
    â€œâ€”we are proceeding with the investigation and have already made some progress.” He ignored my sneer. “The blood found in the temple has been subjected to analysis down to the molecular and subatomic levels. These results have been compared to those of everyone on this planet. We keep complete health and hospital records as you might imagine. Computers are accessing this immense data base at the present moment. When I called you earlier the search had been narrowed to less
than twenty possibilities. As we talked I have been following the progress on this readout.” He tapped the screen on the desk. “The exacting comparison has now been reduced to five. No—four. Wait—there are only three now. And two of them are women! And that remaining man is …”
    As he tore the slip from his printout we turned as one and raced for the door.
    â€œWho?” I shouted as we ran. He read without breaking his

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