douglashill.galacticwarlord-第7部分

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　'I　will。'　Keill　turned　away；　then　looked　back　and　said　almost　casually；　'But　you　have　the　key　here　？'
　'No　concern　of　yours　where　it　is；'　the　official　growled。　'Not　till　the　CC　says　otherwise。'
　Keill　nodded　and　left　the　room；　hiding　his　grim　satisfaction。　Before　the　officer　had　replied；　his　eyes　had　briefly　flicked　sideways；　towards　a　locked　metal　cabinet　against　one　wall。　The　man　had　probably　not　even　realized　that　he　had　made　the　movement。　But　it　was　all　Keill　needed。
　Leaving　the　spaceport　building；　he　glanced　for　a　moment　across　the　empty　plasticrete　towards　where　his　ship　stood。　The　distance　was　considerable；　for　the　main　pads　were　well　away　from　the　buildings。　But　Keill's　eyes　could　make　out　enough　details　…　and　what　he　saw　made　him　stop　abruptly　and　stare。
　Four　men　had　gathered　around　his　ship。　One　of　the　men　was　a　uniformed　spaceport　security　guard。　Two　of　the　others　wore　different　uniforms；　which　Keill　recognized　at　once　despite　their　abundant　covering　of　Saltrenian　dust。　Legion　uniforms。
　And　the　fourth　man　。。。
　At　least　a　head　taller　than　the　others；　massively　built。　And　naked　to　the　waist。
　The　three　men　seemed　to　be　examining　Keill's　ship；　while　chatting　with　the　security　guard。　And　the　big　man　was　laughing。
　Keill　had　taken　three　running　strides　across　the　plasticrete　before　a　sharp　voice　behind　him　brought　him　up　short。
　'Randor！'
　He　turned　and　saw　the　senior　security　officer　in　the　doorway。
　'My　orders　say　you're　to　be　kept　away　from　that　ship；'　he　growled。　'I've　put　a　man　on　it。　Don't　get　any　ideas。'
　Anger　swelled　within　Keill；　but　his　voice　was　cool。　'There　are　some　men　out　there；'　he　said；　pointing；　'who　I　must　talk　to。'
　The　officer　narrowed　his　eyes　and　peered。
　'Do　you　know　them　？'　Keill　'asked　quickly。
　'Yes　…　think　so。'　The　officer　nodded。　'Those're　the　legionaries　who've　set　up　on　Creffa。'　He　looked　down　at　Keill；　some　of　the　sourness　leaving　his　eyes。　'Guess　I　can　understand　you　wanting　to　see　them。　Go　on；　then　…　just　stay　away　from　the　ship。'
　Keill　whirled　and　ran。　But　in　that　moment　…　whether　by　some　instinct　or　accident　…　the　half…naked　giant　in　the　distance　turned；　and　caught　sight　of　the　figure　sprinting　towards　them。
　Immediately　the　huge　man　spoke　to　his　panions　…　who　turned；　looked；　and　began　to　walk　away。　They　did　not　seem　to　hurry；　but　they　did　not　stroll。　And　it　was　only　a　short　distance　to　the　bulky　cylinder　of　the　space　cruiser　that　stood　waiting　on　the　next　pad。
　Despite　his　desperate　speed；　Keill　had　covered　only　half　the　distance　when　the　three　men　vanished　through　the　airlock　of　their　ship。　But　not　before　the　big　man　had　paused　for　one　more　look　back　at　Keill。
　Keill　was　able　to　see　him　more　closely　then。　He　could　see　the　vast　muscles　swelling　beneath　bronze　skin。　And；　faintly；　the　peculiar　markings　that　the　newsman　had　mentioned　…　the　narrow；　raised　bands　encircling　the　thick　throat；　the　ridged　belly。
　He　could　also　see　the　mockery　behind　the　big　man's　laughter。
　Then　the　hatch　closed；　and　Keill　was　left　to　watch　helplessly　as；　in　seconds；　the　cruiser　lifted　away。
　He　might　have　screamed　with　rage　and　desperation。　He　might　have　rushed　to　his　own　ship　to　tear　with　crazed　hopelessness　at　the　unbreakable　seal。
　Instead；　he　turned　on　his　heel　and　walked　calmly　away　to　find　the　offices　of　the　Civil　Control。
　The　afternoon　was　beginning　to　wane　by　the　time　he　had　found　his　way。　And　there；　too；　he　met　frustration。　The　uniformed　Civil　Control　officer　in　the　front　office　was　less　sour　than　the　man　at　the　spaceport；　but　no　more　helpful。　He　knew　nothing　about　the　seal　on　Keill's　ship；　or　the　reasons　for　it。　The　Deputy　Co…ordinator　was　not　available。　No　one　else　would　be　able　to　tell　Keill　anything。
　'Why　don't　you　just　do　what　the　letter　says？'　the　officer　suggested。　'Go　to　the　hostel　and　wait。　The　Deputy　will　be　along。　It's　all　you　can　do。'
　Again　the　helplessness　swept　over　Keill。　Again　deep　anger　throbbed　within　him。　Again　he　was　icily　impassive　as　he　turned　and　left　the　offices。
　Through　the　gathering　dusk　he　located　the　spacer　hostel　that　the　official　letter　had　named；　and　took　a　room　…　indifferent　to　its　drab；　functional；　none…too…clean　interior。　And　there　he　waited。
　It　was　all　he　could　do。
　He　was　standing　at　the　open　window　of　his　second…floor　room；　ignoring　the　dust…laden　breeze；　staring　out　at　the　two　moons　that　had　risen　into　the　night　sky　of　Saltrenius；　when　the　knock　came。　He　flung　open　the　door　before　the　startled　man　who　had　knocked　had　even　begun　to　lower　his　hand。
　The　Deputy　Co…ordinator　was　a　civil　servant　through　and　through。　His　name　was　Shenn；　and　he　was　small；　grey　as　any　Saltrenian；　precise　in　movements　and　speech。　Less　small　and　less　neat　were　the　two　large　uniformed　men　behind　him；　with　the　metallic　'CC'　gleaming　on　cap　and　collar。　But　the　Deputy　left　them　outside；　at　the　door；　and　even　managed　a　precise　little　smile　as　he　greeted　Keill。
　The　smile　faded　somewhat　when　Keill　told　him；　in　terms　all　the　more　unnerving　for　the　frozen；　knife…edged　tone　of　voice；　what　he　thought　of　his　situation；　the　CC；　and　Saltrenius　in　general。
　'I　fear　I　can　explain　very　little　to　you；'　Shenn　said　at　last。　'Orders　came　to　me　that　you　were　not　to　leave　the　planet。'
　'Orders　from　whom　？'　Keill　demanded。
　'Higher　authority。　In　the　government。'
　'And　why；'　Keill　wanted　to　know；　'should　your　government　want　to　keep　me　here　against　my　will　？'
　'It　seems　that　they　received　a　request。'　Shenn　quickly　lifted　a　small　hand　before　Keill　could　interrupt。　'I　do　not　know　its　origin　…　it　is　not　for　me　to　know。　But　someone　of；　apparently；　great　importance；　off…world；　is　sending　a　message　to　Saltrenius　for　you。　On　a　matter　of　grave　urgency。　We　were　requested　to　ensure　that　you　remained；　till　this　message　arrives。'
　'Nothing　more　？'
　'Nothing。'
　'No　idea　what　this　mysterious　message　is　about；　or　who　sent　it？'
　'None。'
　'Then；'　Keill　said；　'you　are　wasting　my　time。'
　He　took　hold　of　the　Deputy　before　the　little　man　could　even　draw　breath　to　shout。　One　hand　over　the　mouth　to　silence　him；　one　hand　clamped　on　his　neck；　thumb　pressing　the　carotid　artery　that　feeds　blood　to　the　brain。　In　seconds　Deputy　Shenn　crumpled　into　unconsciousness；　with　not　a　sound　to　alert　the　waiting　guards　outside。
　Keill　dumped　the　man　on　the　bed；　knowing　that　he　would　awaken；　unharmed；　almost　as　quickly　as　he　had　collapsed。　But　for　a　second　he　paused；　curiosity　tugging　at　him。　He　wanted　very　much　to　know　what　lay　behind　the　sealing　of　his　ship；　and　who　was　the　mystery　person　with　so　much　influence；　who　was　sending　an　unknown　message。　Yet　he　wanted　even　more　to　get　off…planet；　to　find　the　three　men　who　said　they　were　legionaries。
　The　lack　of　time　demanded　that　a　choice　must　be　made。　And　Keill's　choice　was　obvious。
　Perhaps　he　would　try；　afterwards；　to　contact　Saltrenius　and　learn　more　about　this　mystery。　If　there　was　time。　If　he　was　still　alive　to　contact　anyone。
　Meanwhile。。。
　He　eased　himself　out　of　the　window；　and　glanced　down。　A　gloomy　passageway　ran　behind　the　hostel；　filled　with　stenches　and　shadows。　He　moved　out　on　to　the　sill　…　then　halted。
　An　odd　sound　above　him；　like　a　rustle　of　cloth。
　He　glanced　up　quickly。　Nothing　but　the　blank　edge　of　the　roof；　the　night　sky　above　it。
　A　legionary's　training　covers　a　great　many　physical　skills；　including　knowing　how　to　fall　…　even　two　storeys。　He　took　the　impact　with　legs　well　bent　…　rolled；　and　bounced　to　his　feet　again；　casually　rubbing　one　slightly　bruised　hip。　Then　he　slid　into　a　shadow；　and　was　gone。
　Spaceport　security　guards　on　minor　planets　do　not　have　a　difficult　job。　The　owners　of　spaceships　pay　a　small　fee　for　the　use　of　the　port　…　a　larger　fee　if　passengers　or　freight　handling　are　involved。　But　shipowners　are　responsible　for　protecting　their　own　ships；　usually　managed　with　little　more　than　some　advanced　technology　in　the　locking　mechanisms　on　both　entrances　and　control　panels。　Few　spaceships　were　stolen；　in　Keill's　day：　they　were　too　easy　to　trace；　to　difficult　to　re…sell。　Saltrenius　had　not　had　a　spaceship　theft　in　living　memory。
　So　the　guard　on　the　perimeter　of　the　central　port　buildings　might　have　been　forgiven　for　being　half　asleep；　lulled　by　the　unbroken　silence　and