douglashill.galacticwarlord-第9章

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　And　she　has　stayed；　finding　humanity　a　source　of　considerable　interest。。。'
　And　amusement；　said　the　voice　in　Keill's　mind；　with　soundless　laughter　behind　it。
　'When　we　began　the　process　of　setting　up　our　base；'　Talis　went　on；　'Glr　came　as　well。'
　'I　find　this　no　easier　to　believe　than　anything　else　you　tell　me；'　Keill　said　gruffly。　'Surely　the　arrival　of　such　an　alien　would　have　been　widely　reported　throughout　the　Worlds。　But　I　have　heard　nothing　of　this　。。。　Glr。'
　'I　told　you　the　Ehrlil　are　long…lived；'　said　Talis。　'Her　arrival　was　reported　…　but　it　was　some　sixty　years　ago。　The　scientist　who　befriended　her　was　my　father。'
　Keill　leaned　back　against　the　cushions　of　his　chair；　feeling　slightly　dazed。　And　the　alien's　voice　formed　in　his　mind　again；　still　bubbling　with　laughter。
　I　am　in　fact　quite　young　…　about　four　of　your　centuries。　The　Ehrlil　elders　think　of　me　as　a　wayward；　foolish　child　whose　curiosity　will　get　her　into　trouble。
　Keill　shook　his　head　as　if　to　clear　it。　Again　he　wondered　if　he　was　in　the　grip　of　some　nightmare　from　a　terminal　delirium　…or　if　Talis　was　merely　a　crazed　old　space　hermit　with　an　odd　taste　in　pets。　Pets　with　guns。
　'Isn't　it　time；'　he　said　at　last；　'that　you　told　me　what　I'm　doing　here；　being　held　at　gunpoint　by　an　alien　？'
　'I　regret　the　gun；'　Talis　said　quickly。　'But　the　others　felt　that；　because　you　are　given　to　rash　and　hasty　action；　I　ought　not　meet　you　in　person　without　some　protection。'
　'Fearing　I　might　attack　you　？'　Keill　said。　'If　I　wanted　to　do　so；　old　man；　your　flying　alien　would　not　stop　me。'　Behind　him　the　creature's　wings　flared；　but　he　ignored　it。　'And　I　might　do　so　yet　…　if　you　don't　start　now　to　give　me　some　explanations。'
　'Of　course；'　Talis　said　soothingly。　'That　is　why　we　are　here。　But　there　is　so　much　to　tell。。。〃
　'I　know；'　Keill　said；　'and　so　much　you　can't　tell　me。　You　said　as　much；　earlier。　But　you　will　tell　me；　old　man。　You'll　tell　me　why　I　am　here　…　and　what　you　know　about　this　person；　this　enemy；　who　you　say　destroyed　Moros。'
　'The　enemy；'　Talis　replied　sombrely；　'is　why　you　are　here。　Just　as　he　is　why　my　group　and　myself　are　here。'
　'So　you　also　have　said；'　Keill　interrupted。　'But　I　have　seen　only　yourself；　and　your　alien。'
　'The　others　are　nearby；　and　are　listening。　You　may　see　them　if　you　wish　…　though　I　fear　you　will　learn　little　from　it。'
　He　moved　one　hand　to　the　side　of　his　chair；　and　a　portion　of　the　wall　nearest　them　grew　hazy　…　changing；　as　Keill　watched；　from　a　solid　surface　into　what　seemed　to　be　a　window；　but　was　in　fact　an　enlarged　viewscreen。
　It　revealed　a　group　of　people；　sitting　quietly　together。　Like　Talis；　most　of　them　seemed　elderly　…　as　far　as　Keill　could　tell。　For；　also　like　Talis；　each　of　them　wore　a　voluminous　robe；　with　a　cowl　that　kept　the　face　in　darkness。
　Keill　smiled　sardonically。　'More　mystery。　What　do　you　call　yourselves　…　the　Hooded　Brethren　of　Secrecy　？'
　Talis　moved　his　hand　again；　and　the　silent　group　faded　from　view；　the　wall　resuming　its　smooth　solidity。　'You　will　e　to　understand　our　need　for　secrecy；'　he　said　quietly。　'And　we　have　no　name　for　ourselves　…　though　Glr　has　given　us　one。'
　I　call　them　the　'Overseers'；　said　the　alien's　voice　in　Keill's　mind；　because　they　alone　among　you　mudheads　seem　able　to　see　the　wholeness　of　events　in　this　galaxy。　You　would　do　well；　Randor；　to　show　them　some　respect。
　'I　will　show　respect；'　Keill　replied　aloud；　'when　I　have　been　given　proof　that　respect　is　due。'
　'Just　so；'　said　Talis。　'I　wish　to　provide　such　proof。　I　want　you　to　understand　what　we　began　to　see；　more　than　two　years　ago。'。
　The　group；　Talis　went　on；　made　regular；　wide…ranging　studies　of　major　happenings　in　the　Inhabited　Worlds。　They　analysed　and　investigated；　and　often　they　also　made　projections　…　trying　to　foresee　problems　before　they　occurred；　so　they　could　aid　and　advise　planetary　leaders　whose　worlds　might　be　affected。
　In　the　course　of　their　work；　they　began　to　see　a　strange　and　unsettling　pattern　in　many　of　the　events　…　no　matter　how　widely　scattered　these　events　might　be　in　the　Galaxy。　They　made　more　studies；　more　analyses　…　and　reached　their　conclusion。
　'The　fact　was　inescapable；'　Talis　said。　'It　was　that　many　more　wars　were　happening；　everywhere；　than　should　have　been　happening。'
　Keill　frowned。　'There　are　always　wars。'
　'Of　course。　But　mostly　local　wars；　growing　out　of　local　conditions　…　and　happening　at　random；　with　no　connections　among　them。'　The　old　man　leaned　forward　intently。　'But　the　wars　we　studied　had　too　much　in　mon；　for　mere　coincidence。　Too　much　of　a　pattern。'
　What　a　violent　species　you　are；　said　the　amused　alien　voice。
　Talis　went　on；　unaware　of　the　interruption。　'I　will　give　you　tapes　to　study；　which　are　summaries　of　our　findings。　You　will　see　for　yourself　that　the　pattern　had　to　be　contrived。　Someone　was　setting　out　with　the　conscious；　murderous　intention　of　starting　wars；　around　the　galaxy。'
　'And　this　someone　is　the　enemy　you　speak　of？'
　'Just　so。'
　'Who　is　he　？　And　where　？'
　Talis　sighed。　'That　I　cannot　tell　you；　because　we　do　not　yet　know。　We　know　only　that　such　a　being　must　exist。　We　know　his　ruthless　and　evil　purpose；　and　we　know　something　of　his　methods。　No　more。　Except　that　for　convenience　we　have　given　him　something　of　a　code　name。　We　call　him　the　Warlord。'
　Keill's　frown　deepened。　'You'll　show　me　evidence　that　this　。。。　Warlord。。。　exists　？'
　'We　will。　But　you　already　possess　one　proof　of　his　reality。'
　Keill　tensed；　suspecting　what　was　ing。　'What　proof？'
　'The　murder　of　the　Legions。'
　'Go　on；'　Keill　said　fiercely。
　'Consider；'　Talis　said。　'Everyone　knew　the　reputation　of　the　Legions　…　that　they　would　fight　only　on　the　side　of　people　who　were　defending　themselves；　whose　cause　contained　some　right　and　justice　in　it。　But　words　like　right　and　justice　are　not　in　the　vocabulary　of　the　Warlord。　He　would　surely　have　foreseen　a　time　when　a　war　he　sought　might　be　prevented　by　the　Legions。　And　he　might　have　foreseen　a　time　when　the　Legions　themselves　would　guess　at　his　existence；　and　move　against　him　directly。　It　may　be　that　your　Central　mand　had　already　guessed。　So　…　he　moved　first；　with　power　we　had　not　imagined；　to　erase　that　threat。'
　'A　pre…emptive　strike；'　Keill　said　through　gritted　teeth。
　'Just　so。'
　'If　any　of　this　is　true；'　Keill　said　bitterly；　'such　a　war…maker　would　have　to　be　insane。'
　'It　is　all　true；'　Talis　replied；　'and　he　may　well　be　insane　…with　the　kind　of　madness　that　keeps　pany　with　a　hunger　for　ultimate　power。　For　we　believe　it　is　his　aim　to　set　the　Inhabited　Worlds　at　each　other's　throats；　in　war　upon　war　that　gradually　spread　to　more　and　more　planets　…　ultimately　to　the　entire　galaxy。　And　out　of　that　evil；　that　terrible　destruction；　he　would　hope　to　emerge　as　the　sole　and　supreme　ruler　over　what　remains　of　all　humanity。'
　
　Chapter　eight
　
　The　information　tapes　provided　by　Talis；　summarizing　long　months　of　investigation　by　the　Overseers；　were　voluminous　and　thorough。　Hour　upon　hour　Keill　sat　at　the　viewer；　his　patient　concentration　never　wavering　…　hardly　aware　of　consuming　the　food　and　drink　brought　to　him　at　one　point　by　the　robot　servitor。
　He　saw；　on　the　tapes；　human　societies　upon　world　after　world　torn　apart　by　war。　On　one　distant　planet；　far…flung　tribes　of　nomads　who　had　roamed　their　grasslands　for　peaceful　generations　came　together；　over　a　few　brief　years；　for　no　understandable　reason；　to　launch　a　vicious　attack　on　the　scattered　cities　of　that　planet。　On　another　world；　where　the　people　of　its　one　populated　continent　lived　in　wealth　and　plenty　because　of　their　supplies　of　a　valuable　mineral；　a　ferocious　civil　war　broke　out　between　two　political　groups　…　each　side　wrongly　believing　that　the　other　was　seeking　total　control　over　the　mineral。
　He　saw　entire　solar　systems　erupt　with　violence。　In　one；　a　large；　industrialized　planet　moved　suddenly　and　inexplicably　to　attack　a　smaller；　under…developed　neighbour。　Elsewhere；　two　small　planets　came　together　to　invade　…　without　clear　cause　…　a　third；　and　then　after　their　victory　fell　out　and　fought　between　themselves。
　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