douglashill.galacticwarlord-第2部分

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　It　was　almost　unfair。
　The　thugs　were　grinning。　They　saw　themselves　as　four　tough；　well…armed　men　facing　only　one　man；　empty…handed；　helpless。
　But　they　were　facing　a　legionary　of　Moros。　A　man　whose　people　were　trained　…　all　of　them；　and　from　infancy　…　to　the　highest　pitch　in　the　arts　and　skills　of　battle。　And　a　man　who；　in　his　own　right；　had　been　a　leading　medal…winner　for　each　of　the　previous　two　years　in　his　planet's　annual　Festival　of　Martial　Games。　Many　of　those　medals　had　been　for　unarmed　bat。
　So　Crask　was　still　in　the　process　of　raising　the　needier　when　Keill　moved。
　He　gave　no　hint　or　warning；　did　not　tense　or　poise　his　body。　He　simply　dropped；　full…length；　to　one　side。
　His　right　hand　met　the　plasticrete；　the　arm　rigid　to　take　his　weight。　On　the　pivot　of　that　hand；　his　body　swung　in　a　horizontal　arc；　legs　scything。
　One　boot　swept　the　feet　out　from　under　a　club…wielder。　The　point　of　the　other　boot　struck　precisely　against　the　beefy　wrist　of　the　hand　that　held　the　needier。
　The　crack　of　bone　breaking　was　nearly　drowned　by　Crask's　shriek　of　pain。　As　the　needle…gun　sailed　away　into　darkness；　Keill　had　already　flexed　his　body　like　a　spring　and　e　to　his　feet。
　Crask　had　staggered　and　half…fallen；　clutching　his　shattered　wrist　and　moaning。　The　club…wielder　whom　Keill　had　felled　was　struggling　to　his　feet；　the　second　one　had　just　begun　to　bring　up　his　club。　Keill　moved　again　with　the　same　bewildering　speed；　slipping　under　the　raised　weapon。　A　rib　crunched　as　Keill's　elbow　slammed　into　the　thick　chest；　and　the　man　screamed　and　collapsed。　In　the　same　motion　Keill　lashed　out　with　his　left　foot；　the　blow　perfectly　timed；　burying　the　point　of　his　toe　in　the　first　club…wielder's　bulging　paunch；　sending　him　hurtling　back　to　collide　with　the　knife…man；　both　sprawling。
　The　knife…man　picked　himself　up；　staring　wide…eyed　at　Keill；　who　stood　quietly；　waiting。　Then　the　therm…blade　drew　a　glowing　curve　in　the　air　as　the　man's　hand　swept　back；　and　threw。
　As　the　white…hot　knife　spun　towards　him　Keill　seemed　to　sway　aside　almost　lazily。　But　the　other　man's　eye　was　not　quick　enough　to　follow　the　movement　of　the　legionary's　hand　as　it　flashed　up　and　plucked　the　knife　from　the　air　by　its　insulated　handle。
　In　a　continuation　of　the　same　blurred　movement；　Keill　pressed　the　stud　that　deactivated　the　blade；　and　with　a　snap　of　wrist　and　forearm　hurled　the　knife　back。
　He　had　thrown　to　deliver　the　knife　hilt…first；　for　he　had　no　wish　to　kill。　The　heavy　handle　made　a　dull　smack　as　it　struck　the　knife's　owner　exactly　between　the　eyes。　He　toppled　backwards　and　lay　still。
　Keill　stepped　past　the　crumpled　forms　of　the　two　club…wielders　and　took　hold　of　the　collar　of　Crask's　coverall；　effortlessly　jerking　the　bulky　form　to　a　sitting　position。
　'I　want　what　information　you　have；'　he　said　quietly；　'and　I　want　it　now。'
　'You　bust　m'　arm！'　Crask　groaned；　almost　sobbing。
　Keill　tightened　his　grip；　twisting　so　the　collar　bit　into　the　thick　neck。　'Your　neck　will　break　as　easily。'
　'Don't　…　wait！'　Crask　shouted；　half…choking。　'I'll　tell　y'　！'
　'Go　on。'　The　steely　grip　eased　a　fraction。
　'Don't　really　know　much；'　Crask　mumbled。
　Keill's　other　hand　came　round；　palm　under　Crask's　heavy　jaw；　bending　the　neck　back。　'After　all　this；　you　had　better　know　something；'　he　said　grimly。
　'Wait！　All　right！'　Again　the　grip　eased；　and　Crask；　gasping；　began　to　spill　out　words。　'Just　bar…talk；　see？　Weeks　back。　When　everybody　was　talkin'　about　your　planet；　wonderin'　how　it　happened；　lots　of　rumours。'
　'What　kind　of　rumours　？'
　'Just　space　talk。　You　know。　One　figures　a　sun　flare；　another　figures　a　collision　with　somethin'　from　space。　Nobody　knows。　Then　one　fella；　freighterman；　he　says　he's　seen　some　legionaries。　Two；　three　of　'em。　An'　they're　like　you　…　lookin'　for　others。'
　'What　did　this　freighterman　say　about　them　？'
　'Not　much。　He　didn't　talk　to　them。　One　of　them　was　a　real　big　son　…　dangerous　lookin'。　But　this　fella；　the　freighterman；　he　heard　that　these　legionaries　were　aimin'　to　set　up　a　base　somewhere。'
　Urgency　made　Keill's　grip　tighten　again　on　the　collar。　'Where？'
　'Listen；　go　easy；　will　y'　？'　Crask　pawed　weakly　at　the　fierce　grip。　'Somewhere　out　near　Saltrenius。　That's　all　he　said　…　truth。　Don't　know　nothin'　more。'
　Without　a　word　Keill　flung　the　man　aside　and　turned　to　move　swiftly　towards　his　ship。　Despite　his　control；　his　pulse　had　quickened；　his　eyes　were　bright；　tendrils　of　hope　rose　within　him。　He　had　heard　tales　of　legionaries　being　seen；　had　followed　them　all　down　to　their　ultimate　dead　ends。　But　this　was　different。　A　fixed　base；　of　course！　It　was　the　right　thing　to　do　…　and　then　from　it　send　out　the　word　to　be　picked　up　by　any　other　survivors　from　Moros；　to　gather　them　in。
　Above　him　the　blunt　wedge…shape　of　his　ship　loomed。　He　sprang　up　the　ramp　and　through　the　hatch　of　the　airlock；　sealing　it　behind　him　ready　for　space。　Strapping　himself　into　the　padded　slingseat；　he　swiftly　activated　the　control　panel；　feeding　details　into　his　guidance　puter。　Around　him　the　life…support　system　hummed　sweetly　into　action；　and　in　moments　the　ship　rose　howling　into　the　night；　on　a　towering　pillar　of　almost　invisible　energy。
　As　he　hurtled　through　the　territorial　space　of　Coranex；　Keill　brought　himself　under　control；　regaining　his　calm；　his　patience。　His　eyes　and　hands　automatically　monitored　the　precision　of　his　departure　orbit；　while　his　mind　just　as　automatically　sorted　through　the　details　of　the　journey　ahead。　He　knew　his　fuel　core　was　getting　near　to　needing　replenishment；　but　it　would　probably　last。　His　air　renewal；　food　concentrates　and　the　rest　would　also　hold　out。　Thankfully；　he　would　need　no　stopovers　till　he　reached　the　planet　Saltrenius。
　Idly　he　wondered　why　the　group　of　legionaries　…　two？　three？　…　would　choose　such　a　place。　A　sparsely　inhabited　world；　in　a　minor　system；　well　off　the　major　spaceways。　What　could　it　offer　？　And　who；　he　wondered；　was　the　big　legionary　whom　Crask's　freighterman　had　described　as　'dangerous　looking'？
　But　Keill　had　learned　long　before　the　futility　of　asking　questions　that　could　not　be　answered。　Answers　would　e　when　he　reached　Saltrenius。
　He　had　reached　deep　space　now；　the　planet　he　had　just　left　receding　into　a　small　disc　of　brightness　in　the　rear　viewscreen。　The　other　screens；　forward　and　side；　presented　the　familiar　panorama　…　the　unnumbered　points　of　light　that　made　up　mankind's　Inhabited　Galaxy。
　Keill's　fingertips　issued　more　instructions　to　his　puter；　which　searched　its　prodigious　memory　for　the　position　of　the　planet　Saltrenius；　found　it；　and　set　its　course。
　On　the　viewscreens　the　points　of　light　shimmered；　blurred。　The　puter　was　obediently　taking　the　ship　out　of　planetary　drive　and　into　'Overlight'　…　in　which　a　ship　could　cross　the　breadth　of　the　galaxy　in　only　days。
　The　viewscreens　went　blank。　A　formless　void　gathered　round　Keill　and　his　ship。　In　Overlight；　he　no　longer　existed　in　the　normal　universe。　Moving　unfathomable　times　faster　than　the　speed　of　light；　the　ship　had　entered　a　non…place；　leaving　space　and　time　behind　it。　Only　Keill's　inner　time　sense　remained；　to　note　the　puter's　estimate　of　arrival　at　Saltrenius　in　about　ten　hours。
　He　settled　back　against　the　slingseat；　letting　his　eyes　close　wearily。　It　had　been　a　long　and　active　night　…　and　somewhere；　behind　his　rigid　control；　the　pain　still　flamed　and　seared　throughout　his　body。
　Yet　he　felt　a　fierce　gladness　as　sleep　began　to　close　round　him。　At　least　there　was　a　chance　now　that　he　would　find　others　of　his　kind；　before　he　died。　And　perhaps　then　he　would　also　find　answers　to　all　his　questions。　Even；　if　fortune　willed　it；　a　chance　to　wreak　the　bitter；　hate…filled　vengeance　that　blazed　within　him　more　fiercely　than　any　physical　pain。
　But　that　thought；　all　thought；　faded　as　he　drifted　into　sleep。　And　with　sleep；　as　if　from　the　grey　emptiness　that　surrounded　his　speeding　ship；　came　the　dreams。
　
　Chapter　two
　The　dreams　were　fragmentary　at　first；　as　they　always　were。　Broken；　fleeting　visions　of　a　landscape　…　of　a　bleak　and　inhospitable　world；　dominated　by　chill　expanses　of　desert；　by　towering　ranges　of　rock…fanged　mountains。
　It　was　Keill　Randor's　world　…　the　planet　Moros；　in　the　system　of　a