douglashill.galacticwarlord-第6章

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　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　darkness　around　him。　He　might　not　even　have　felt　the　blow　that　deepened　his　doze　into　unconsciousness。
　Keill　lowered　the　guard's　body　to　the　ground；　listening　carefully　to　the　man's　breathing。　He　had　struck　with　precision　at　the　base　of　the　skull；　using　only　the　tips　of　stiffened　fingers；　for　he　was　not　there　to　kill。　Even　so；　some　people　have　thinner　skulls　than　others　…　and　he　was　glad　to　hear　the　guard　begin　softly　snoring。
　He　slipped　the　guard's　pistol　from　its　holster　…　a　needle…gun；　as　he　had　hoped　…　and　snapped　it　open；　sniffing　at　the　points　of　the　tiny　projectiles　within　it。　Also　as　he　had　hoped；　the　guards　used　anaesthetic　in　their　needlers。　They；　too；　were　not　there　to　kill。
　Like　a　shadow　himself　he　moved　through　shadow　towards　his　goal　…　the　office　of　the　senior　security　man；　he　with　the　sour　expression。　A　dimly　lit　window　drew　him。　Peering　carefully　in；　he　saw　one　guard；　seated　at　the　central　desk　with　his　back　to　the　door；　chewing　at　a　handful　of　some　nameless　Saltrenian　confection。
　Keill　ghosted　to　the　door；　opened　it　without　a　sound。　Even　the　needle…gun　seemed　to　whisper　as　he　fired　it。　The　guard；　mouth　still　full；　sagged　forward　onto　the　desk。
　The　metal　cabinet　…　at　which　the　senior　officer　had　taken　his　giveaway　look　…　was　securely　shut；　with　some　form　of　electronic　bination　lock。　The　cabinet　was　sheet　metal；　a　sturdy　alloy。　Keill　stepped　a　pace　away；　took　a　deep　breath；　another。
　Then　he　leaped；　and　drove　a　booted　foot　at　full　stretch　into　the　centre　of　the　cabinet　door。
　The　blow　had　every　gram　of　his　weight　perfectly　poised　and　delivered　behind　it。　It　also　had　all　the　pent…up　frustration；　anger；　desperation　and　urgency　that　had　acpanied　Keill　throughout　the　whole　of　his　day　on　Saltrenius。
　The　metal　cabinet　boomed　hollowly。　And　the　door　seemed　to　fold　inwards；　as　if　it　had　developed　new　hinges　down　its　centre。
　Keill　stood　silent　for　a　moment；　listening。　But　the　sound；　loud　enough　in　the　enclosed　room；　would　not　have　carried　far　outside。　And　more　than　one　guard　must　have　been　feeling　sleepy　that　night。　No　voices　were　raised；　no　footsteps　began；　no　alarm　sounded。
　He　turned　back　to　the　cabinet。　On　one　side　of　the　door；　the　electronic　lock　had　held。　On　the　other　side；　the　door　had　been　pletely　ripped　off　its　hinges。　In　a　moment　Keill　had　pulled　aside　the　crumpled　metal　and　was　rummaging　through　the　shelves。　In　another　moment　a　thin　strip　of　light　metal　lay　in　his　hand。
　The　key　to　the　seal　that　held　his　ship　prisoner。
　Then　he　was　outside　again；　circling；　more　silent　than　the　dust　that　swirled　softly　in　the　air。　He　approached　his　ship　from　the　rear；　rounded　it　cautiously。　The　lone　guard　was　at　least　wakeful；　but　when　he　saw　Keill　he　could　not　decide　for　an　instant　whether　to　shout　or　to　reach　for　his　pistol。　Keill　shot　him　before　he　could　make　up　his　mind。
　While　he　was　dragging　the　unconscious　man　to　safety；　well　away　from　the　energy　blast　of　his　lift…off；　Keill　heard　a　sound；　on　the　threshold　of　audibility。　Like　the　sound　he　had　heard　at　the　hostel　…　a　soft　rustle；　as　if　of　cloth。　He　spun　round；　pistol　ready　…　but　saw　nothing；　except　his　waiting　ship　and　swirls　of　soft　dust。　Carefully；　warily；　he　circled　his　ship。　Nothing。　The　plasticrete　was　bare；　deserted；　as　far　as　he　could　see　in　the　darkness。
　Quickly　he　returned　to　the　seal；　slipping　in　the　key；　catching　the　band　of　heavy　metal　as　it　fell　away；　opening　the　airlock　hatch；　moving　swiftly　in。。。
　The　sound　again。　Behind　him。　Not　a　rustle　this　time　…　more　like　a　cloth　flapping　in　the　wind。
　He　was　quick　enough　to　turn；　quick　enough　to　glimpse　the　shape　that　hovered　outside　…　like　a　wide　sheet；　like　a　sail；　blackly　silhouetted　against　the　star…filled　sky。
　Then　the　needle　bit　into　his　neck；　and　it　seemed　that　all　the　shadows　in　the　world　rose　to　engulf　him　in　darkness。
　
　Part　two
　The　hidden　asteroid
　
　Chapter　five
　
　He　opened　his　eyes　slowly；　his　mind　sluggish；　resisting　wakefulness。　The　messages　from　his　senses　were　ing　to　him　slowly；　as　if　from　a　great　distance；　with　difficulty。
　The　first　message　they　sent　was　frightening。　He　was　totally　immobilized。　He　could　not　move　a　single　muscle　in　his　body　except　those　around　his　eyes　and　mouth。
　The　second　message　was　reassuring。　He　still　had　feeling　in　his　body　…　he　was　not　paralysed。　Instead；　something　was　constraining　him；　something　that　clung　to　every　centimetre　of　his　skin　except　his　face；　preventing　even　the　smallest　movement。
　The　third　message　was　unbelievable。　Though　he　could　not　move；　though　his　mind　was　far　from　clear；　though　he　felt　an　immense　weariness　throughout　his　entire　being；　so　that　even　moistening　his　lips　with　his　tongue　was　an　effort　…　despite　all　this；　he　felt　wonderful。
　The　pain　had　gone。
　The　lancing　fire　that　had　seared　every　cell　in　the　depths　of　his　body；　through　every　waking　minute　of　the　months　past。。　。　Gone。
　Unless；　of　course；　he　was　dreaming　again。　Or　perhaps　delirious；　in　the　final　stages　of　the　death　that　the　pain　had　been　a　prelude　to。
　He　rolled　his　eyes；　up；　down；　sideways；　to　the　limits　of　his　peripheral　vision。　He　saw　the　plain　walls　and　ceiling　of　an　unremarkable　room；　with　cheerful　diffuse　lighting。　He　noted　that　he　was　not　lying　flat　on　his　back　but　propped　up；　half…reclining；　on　some　padded　surface　contoured　to　fit　his　body　perfectly。
　He　saw　all　that；　but　it　was　overridden　by　the　shock　of　having　seen　himself。
　He　was　entirely　covered　by　a　garment　that　clung　like　a　second　skin；　which　was　certainly　what　held　him　immobile。　It　was　silvery；　shiny；　and　apparently　without　a　seam。　From　many　points　on　the　garment　…　and　so；　presumably；　from　Keill's　body；　though　he　felt　no　disfort　…　sprouted　a　huge　array　of　tubes　and　wires；　like　the　tendrils　of　some　wild　alien　growth。　The　tubes　and　wires　led　on　each　side　to　a　variety　of　plicated　machinery；　none　of　which　seemed　familiar　to　Keill　in　any　way。
　It　was　no　dream；　he　decided。　And　it　was　an　odd；　unlikely　scene　for　a　delirium　to　shape。　But　then　…　what　was　it　？
　At　that　moment　a　voice　spoke　in　the　room。　A　firm　male　voice；　with　a　note　of　friendliness；　even　kindliness；　that　seemed　to　e　from　everywhere。
　'Are　you　awake；　Keill　Randor　？'
　Keill　struggled　in　his　throat　to　find　his　voice；　found　only　a　whisper。　'Who　are　you？'
　The　voice　did　not　return　at　once。　When　it　did；　it　seemed　slightly　muffled；　as　if　the　speaker　had　turned　aside；　addressing　someone　other　than　Keill。
　'Amazing　powers　of　recuperation　。　。　。　He　shouldn't　have　wakened　for　days　yet。'
　'Days　？'　Keill　whispered。
　The　voice　replied　at　full　volume　again；　but　with　an　extra　firmness。　'It　is　too　soon；　Keill　Randor；　for　you　to　ask　questions　or　receive　answers。　You　will　sleep　again　now；　and　we　will　speak　later　when　you　are　entirely　restored。'
　Keill　fought　his　voice　into　a　desperate　croak。　'Who　are　you　？　What　are　you　？　What　are　you　doing　to　me　？'
　There　was　a　pause。　'Very　well；　I　see　that　those　questions　deserve　some　answer。'　The　voice　grew　even　kindlier。　'My　name　is　Talis；　though　that　will　mean　little　to　you。　I　am　a　man；　much　as　yourself；　if　a　good　deal　older。'　A　chuckle。　'And　what　we　are　doing；　Keill　Randor；　is　saving　your　life。'
　Keill　wanted　to　cry　out；　wanted　to　scream　questions；　but　his　mind　was　a　darkening　jumble；　unable　to　focus　on　words　or　their　meanings；　and　he　knew　that　one　of　the　tubes　in　his　eerie　garment　had　slid　a　drug　into　his　veins。　He　struggled　with　numbing　lips；　with　the　spreading　blankness　in　his　mind；　and　mumbled　the　only　question　he　could　manage。
　'Why？
　He　was　not　sure　he　had　heard　the　answer；　as　he　drifted　into　sleep。　But　it　had　sounded　like…
　'Because　you　are　needed。'
　He　opened　his　eyes　slowly；　as　before。　But　sensation　flooded　in　upon　him。　His　mind　was　not　dulled　this　time；　but　alert；　functioning；　with　a　strange　extra　feeling　of　being　marvellously　refreshed。
　And　there　was　still　no　pain。
　Yet　his　body　was　behaving　in　a　disturbing　way。　He　still　could　not　move　his　head　or　limbs；　still　felt　himself　gripped　and　held　in　the　half…lifted　position　…　but　every　muscle　was　quivering；　uncontrollably。
　He　glanced　round；　and　down　at　himself；　the　memory　of　his　previous　awakening　plete。　He　was　no　longer　wearing　the　silvery　garment。　Instead；　a　light　covering　had　been　drawn　over　him；　up　to　his　neck。　Beneath　it；　he　knew　he　was　naked。　And　he　was　still　lying　on　the　same　padded　bed；　deeply　contoured　to　fit　the　shape　of　his　body　exactly。
　It　was　the　contours　of　the　bed　that　gripped　him；　and　that　were　trembling　…　vibrating　over　the　whole　surface　of　his　body。　Relaxing　with　relief；　he　saw　that　it　was　an　advanced　form　of　massage　unit；　designed　to　maintain　muscle　tone　and　circulation　in　an　immobilized　patient。
　He　remembered　the　mysterious　voice　that　had　spoken　to　him。　It　had　made　clear　that　he　would　sleep　for　days。　So　he　must　have　lain　on　that　bed　for　a　long　time　in　the　restrictions　of　the　strange　garment。　The　massage　unit　would　have　kept　his　muscles　from　weakening　and　deteriorating　too　much。
　How　weak　he　might　be　remained　to　be　seen。　It　was　not　the　most　important　of　the　questions　that　clamoured　in　his　mind。　But　it　was　probably　the　only　one　that　he　could　answer　for　himself。
　He　inhaled　deeply；　aware　that　his　body　was　relaxed；　but　testing　the　relaxation；　letting　it　spread　through　every　muscle；　out　of　the　centre　of　his　being。　Then　he　concentrated　on　his　right　arm；　gathering　his　energies；　focusing　them；　channelling　them　to　that　arm；　building　the　power　within　it　to　a　higher　and　higher　peak。。。
　Then；　with　a　fierce　exhalation；　he　released　that　power。
　His　arm　ripped　free　of　the　constriction。
　It　was　a　small　triumph；　but　an　important　first　step　…　to　regaining　control　over　his　own　person；　to　putting　an　end　to　his　time　of　lying　trapped　like　a　swaddled　baby；　while　unknown　people　and　strange　machines　did　whatever　they　wished　with　him。
　Yet　he　found　that　he　was　bathed　in　sweat　after　the　exertion；　and　his　free　arm　was　oddly　heavy。　He　let　it　fall　on　the　outside　of　the　covering；　reaching　again　for　the　inner　relaxation；　knowing　that　he　would　need　to　rest　awhile　before　trying　to　summon　the　power　to　free　his　other　arm。
　At　that　point　a　human　figure　appeared　…　materialized；　from　empty　air　…　before　him。
　And