The Bride Wore Black Leather

Emily.”
    He waved his hand tiredly, and Dr. Benway was old again. She cried out once, as the years weighed down on her again, then she turned away from the Sun King, bent and withered with the renewed burden of age. She started to raise the mirror to look into it again, but she couldn’t do it. She let the mirror go, and it fell to the floor, and broke. And then she straightened up as much as her old body would allow, turned back, and glared at the Sun King defiantly.
    “And you always were the selfish one, Harry. Everything always had to be done your way. Well, let me tell you this; you’re not worthy of me! You never were!” She lost her voice for a moment, the angry words choking her. She clamped her mouth shut, shook her head fiercely, and quickly had control of herself again. “You won’t make me cry. I shed my last tears for you long ago, when you abandoned me in San Francisco. You’ll never make me cry again.”
    “Watch me,” said the Sun King.
    He started forward, and I moved quickly to stand between them, blocking his way. Julien was right there with me. The Sun King smiled on both of us.
    “Here we all are again! I knew you two couldn’t keep away! Not when I have such wonders to show you . . .”
    “Leave her alone,” Julien said harshly. “I won’t let you hurt her any more.”
    “Ah, Julien, you always did have a soft spot for the ladies. And you always made such bad choices in women . . .”
    “I remember your healing the sick in Haight-Ashbury,” Julien said steadily. “You never made any distinctions, then. And to heal a whole hospital full of patients, in a moment? You’ve come a long way, Harry. Where did you get such power?”
    “From all those years in the White Tower,” said the Sun King. “Sitting at the feet of my masters, learning the truths of the universe.”
    “Yes,” I said. “We get that. But who are these Entities from Beyond, exactly? Why can’t you tell us their name?”
    “You want a name?” said the Sun King. “Is it really so important to you? Oh very well, then; call them the Aquarians. Yes, call them that. Because through the power they have bestowed on me, I shall finally bring about the long delayed Age of Aquarius.”
    I looked at Julien. “Never heard of them. You?”
    “The Age of Aquarius was another name for the Big Dream of the sixties,” Julien said slowly. “He’s playing with us.” He met the Sun King’s gaze squarely. “No more games, Harry. Not among such old friends. All those long evenings we spent talking together . . . You always believed in the truth above everything. So tell me—all this power that matters so much to you. Where does it really come from?”
    The Sun King stared steadily back, smiling. “You’ll find out.”
    I opened my mouth to say something, and the Sun King stopped me with a glance. I was so surprised, I let him get away with it. No-one had ever been able to do that to me before.
    “You don’t get to question me,” said the Sun King. “Little man. Annoy me again, and I’ll turn you into something more amusing. I will do what I will do; and no-one will stand in my way.” He dismissed me with another look and concentrated on Julien. His words were suddenly playful, teasing. “You remember what we used to say, Julien. If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. And I’m really not in the mood to put up with any more problems.”
    “So what are you going to do?” said Julien. “Kill me, like everyone else who opposes you? Like all the poor people here who weren’t pretty enough for you?”
    “Killing is easy,” said the Sun King. “I can do better than that. I think I’ll start here, with you and Taylor and the woman. All such a disappointment to me. I think I’ll do something really impressive to you, to send a message. Start as you mean to go on, that’s what I always say.”
    He moved towards Benway, and Julien immediately stepped forward to block his way. “I told you, Harry; I won’t let you hurt her again.”
    “Oh please,” said the Sun King. “Always the perfect En-glish Gentleman. Or did you feel something for sweet little Emily, back in the day; when I was too busy to notice? I think I’ll make you watch what I’m going to do to her, so I can enjoy listening to you scream . . .”
    He walked forward, smiling easily, with all the confidence in the world; and I stepped forward to meet him and threw a handful of coarse-ground black