douglashill.galacticwarlord-第13部分

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　He　saw　such　wars　arise；　time　and　again；　without　warning　and　almost　without　reason。　An　irrational　growth　of　racial　prejudice　between　two　planets　that　had　once　been　wholly　friendly　…　an　eruption　of　a　new　religious　cult　that　led　its　followers　into　holy　war　…　an　unexplained　political　assassination　…　an　outburst　of　space　piracy　…　a　senseless　breakdown　of　simple　trade　negotiations　。。。
　And　much　more。　As　the　hours　passed　and　the　facts　accumulated；　the　tapes　made　the　crucial　points　clear。　In　each　case　there　had　been　no　likelihood　or　prospect　of　war　…　until　something　had　begun　stirring　up　the　worst　elements　of　the　human　character。　Greed　and　self…interest；　the　urge　to　power；　suspicion；　prejudice　and　fear。　And　these　stirrings　were　fed　by　unexpected　events　…　and　by　deception；　lying　propaganda；　treachery　and　murder。
　Further；　Keill　saw；　on　every　one　of　the　planets　there　were　one　or　two　people　who　had　seemed　to　e　out　of　nowhere；　but　who　rose　swiftly　to　positions　of　power　and　influence。　These　individuals　were　always　at　the　heart　of　the　events　that　led　to　the　catastrophe　of　war。
　Finally；　his　mind　swimming　with　the　terrible　images　that　had　been　revealed　to　him；　Keill　returned　to　the　relaxation　room　in　search　of　Talis。　The　old　man　had　preceded　him；　and　was　waiting；　still　shadowed　within　his　cowl。
　'Now　you　have　seen　the　summaries　of　our　findings；'　the　old　voice　said；　'do　you　believe　what　I　have　told　you　？'
　Keill　looked　at　him　impassively　for　a　long　moment。　'I　have　seen　the　stories　of　a　great　many　wars；'　he　said　at　last。　'None　of　them　pleasant　…　but　wars　never　are。'
　'Did　you　not　perceive　the　pattern　？'　Talis　insisted。
　Keill　shrugged。　'I　saw　resemblances。　But　the　essence　of　war　is　usually　much　the　same；　wherever　it　happens。　I　saw　no　final　proof　of　connections。　And　I　still　find　it　hard　to　believe　that　all　those　wars　were　caused　by　one　。　。　。　Warlord。　Surely　others　would　have　guessed　at　the　existence　of　such　a　being。'
　'The　galaxy　is　large；'　Talis　said；　'and　there　is　not　enough　information…sharing　among　planets。　Aside　from　trade　and　short…range　travelling；　there　are　hardly　any　galaxy…wide　links。
　So　no　one　would　assemble　all　the　data；　to　see　what　is　happening　on　the　overall；　galactic　scale。'
　'Except　yourselves。'
　'Just　so。'
　'Yet　for　all　your　overview'　Keill　said　bluntly；　'you　seem　to　know　very　little。　What　of　these　individuals　that　the　tapes　singled　out　…　the　ones　who　rose　so　quickly　to　positions　of　power？'
　'They　are　of　course　servants　of　the　Warlord；'　Talis　replied；　'sent　as　emissaries　to　worm　their　way　into　positions　where　they　can　spread　the　infection　that　leads　to　war。'
　'Could　you　not　have　these　people　investigated；'　Keill　asked；　'to　see　if　there　are　connections　among　them　that　might　lead　back　to　your　Warlord　？'
　'It　has　been　tried；'　said　Talis　glumly。　'But　on　most　worlds　where　they　have　appeared；　they　have　quickly　bee　too　powerful　to　be　investigated。　In　the　few　cases；　though；　where　a　planet　has　resisted　the　infection；　and　has　stopped　the　Warlord's　servants　before　they　gained　power；　we　have　learned　some　things。　We　have　learned　that　the　Warlord　is　hidden　even　to　his　emissaries；　who　receive　their　orders　indirectly。　And　we　have　learned　that　a　failed　emissary；　like　those　of　whom　I　speak；　does　not　remain　alive　for　long。'
　'It　is　not　much；'　Keill　said。
　'True　…　but　we　dare　not　press　too　hard。　As　far　as　we　know　the　Warlord　has　not　guessed　our　existence。　And　he　must　not；　as　yet；　for　we　know　too　little　to　oppose　him　properly。　That　is　why　we；　too；　are　so　secretive　…　even　with　you；　Keill　Randor。　If　you　were　ever　to　fall　into　the　hands　of　the　Warlord　or　his　servants；　they　would　not　be　able　to　wrest　knowledge　from　you　that　you　do　not　have　…　of　who　we　are；　where　we　are。'
　Keill　smiled　dryly。　'You　must　hide；　so　he　won't　know　of　you　…　yet　while　you're　hiding；　you　can't　learn　more　of　him。　This　is　foolishness！'
　'No；'　said　Talis　quietly；　'it　is　the　reason　why　we；　too；　need　an　emissary。'
　'By　which；'　Keill　said；　'you　mean　me。'
　'Just　so。　We　cannot　go　out　among　the　Worlds　ourselves。　We　have　devices　that　can　monitor　events　on　nearly　any　planet　of　our　choosing　…　but　we　need　someone　to　be　our　eyes　and　ears　at　close　range。　Someone　who　can　go　on　to　worlds　threatened　by　the　Warlord　…　and　survive。'
　'One　man　against　this　。。。　emperor　of　wars　？'
　'Not　just　a　man。　A　legionary。　No　one　in　the　galaxy　would　have　a　higher　potential　for　survival。'
　But　as　Talis　spoke；　another　voice　was　also　speaking　…　in　Keill's　mind。
　In　the　midst　of　all　your　doubts；　Randor；　you　would　do　well　to　remember　that　you　survive　now　only　because　of　the　Overseers'　skills；　which　they　gave　to　you　at　considerable　risk。
　Keill　turned　swiftly。　The　alien；　Glr；　was　floating　across　the　room　on　her　translucent　wings；　to　settle　on　a　perch　near　the　door；　her　great　eyes　fixed　as　before　on　Keill。　'
　'I　haven't　forgotten；'　he　said　slowly；　'the　unpayable　debt　I　owe；　for　my　healing。　If　I　am　healed。'
　Glr　fluttered　her　wings　as　if　echoing　the　exasperation　in　Talis's　voice。　'Do　you　doubt　even　that　？'
　'The　medic　told　me；'　Keill　said　stubbornly；　'that　the　effects　of　the　radiation　couldn't　be　reversed。'
　'True；'　Talis　replied。　'It　had　settled　in　your　bones；　irreversibly。　So　…　we　replaced　them。'
　'Replaced。。。　？'
　'A　process　of　my　own　invention；　if　I　may　say　so；'　Talis　went　on。　'Your　skeletal　structure　is　now　posed　of　an　organic　alloy。'
　Keill　stared　at　him　speechlessly。
　It　was　an　interesting　operation。　The　replacement　had　to　be　done　molecule　by　molecule；　taking　care　to　match　your　original　skeleton　exactly　in　shape　and　weight；　and　to　ensure　that　your　bone　marrow　adapted。　But…'　he　gestured　expansively　at　Keill　…'it　all　seems　entirely　successful。'
　Keill　did　not　see　the　gesture。　He　was　looking　down　at　himself；　at　his　arms　and　legs；　his　ribs；　his　knuckles　。。。
　'There　is　an　interesting　side　effect；'　Talis　continued　chattily。　'The　alloy　has　quite　surprising　resilience　and　strength。　Our　tests　have　shown　that　it　is　almost　pletely　infrangible。'
　'Infrangible？　What。。。'
　It　means；　mudhead；　laughed　Glr　in　his　mind；　that　your　bones　cannot　be　broken；
　Keill's　head　jerked　up；　eyes　wide　with　disbelief。　Then　a　smile　began　to　form　on　his　lips　…　a　smile　of　scornful　irony；　but　tinged　with　disappointment。
　'Now　you　have　gone　too　far；'　he　said。　'If　you　thought　you　could　ease　my　doubts　with　a　wild　tale　like　that。。。'
　I　would　gladly　arrange　a　test　for　you；　Glr　put　in；　but　your　flesh　would　suffer　painful　bruising　in　the　process。
　Keill　stood　up　abruptly。　'Talis；　if　that　is　your　name；　I　can　swallow　no　more　absurdity。　You　may　cling　to　your　fantasies　of　Warlords　and　galactic　empires　…　and　bone　replacements　…　and　tell　them　to　the　next　fool　who　es　along。　But　I　have　something　else　to　do　…　a　task　put　on　me　by　a　dear　friend　who　tried　to　save　me　while　she　herself　was　dying。　I'm　going　to　look　for　the　one　who　destroyed　Moros；　whoever　it　may　be；　if　it　takes　the　rest　of　my　life；　long　or　short。　And　I'm　going　to　start　looking　on　that　moon　of　Saltrenius　…　with　no　more　delay。'
　He　turned　and　moved　to　the　door。　But　the　alien　was　there　before　him　…　wings　spread；　sturdy　fingers　revealing　small；　sharp　talons；　equally　sharp　little　teeth　gleaming　in　the　narrow　mouth。
　Keill　halted。　'Old　man；　I　wish　no　harm　to　you　or　to　this　creature。　But　I'm　leaving；　one　way　or　another。'
　Talis　raised　a　hand；　and　some　mental　message　must　have　passed　between　him　and　Glr；　for　the　alien　swirled　away　from　the　door　and　settled。
　'I　would　not　stop　you　leaving；　Keill　Randor；'　said　the　old　man。　'I　have　told　you　all　I　can　tell　you　…　I　cannot　force　you　to　believe　me。　But　certainly；　the　moon　called　Creffa　is　exactly　where　we　wish　you　to　go。'
　Keill　turned　back；　surprised。　'But　before；　on　Saltrenius　。。。　You　went　to　some　lengths　to　stop　me。'
　'Of　course。　You　were　dying　then　…　and　you　were　going　into　danger　unprepared。'　The　old　hand　moved　as　before；　to　the　side　of　the　chair。　'Bear　with　me　a　moment　longer；　and　observe。'
　Again　the　surface　of　the　nearby　wall　shivered。　But　this　time　it　was　not　the　silent　group　of　hooded　figures　that　Keill　saw。
　Instead　the　screen　revealed　an　eerie　alien　landscape；　stark；　rock…strewn；　the　shadows　deep　black　and　sharply　defined。　In　the　background　rose　the　high；　curved　surfa