douglashill.galacticwarlord-第15部分

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　the　corridor；　so　that　even　Keill　could　not　hope　to　turn　and　lunge　at　both　together。　So　he　went　without　argument；　using　his　chance　to　examine　what　he　could　see　of　the　layout　of　the　dome。
　It　seemed　to　follow　the　basic；　standard　shape　of　most　space…domes。　It　was　ovoid；　and　on　two　levels。　The　upper　one　would　normally　be　a　hemisphere　of　metal　and　plastic；　topped　with　a　broad　lens…like　circle　of　plastiglass　and　used　primarily　for　observation；　munication　and　the　like。　So　Keill　knew　from　the　flat；　blank　ceiling　that　he　must　be　on　the　lower　level。
　Most　space…domes　had　one　wide　corridor　running　round　the　circumference　of　the　lower　level；　just　inside　the　tough　outer　hull。　That　main　corridor　would　surround　all　the　various　functioning　sections　of　the　dome　…　like　workrooms　and　laboratories；　sleeping　quarters；　munal　eating　and　recreation　areas　…　along　with　the　usual　life…support　systems；　storage　rooms　and　so　on。　And　these　would　be　connected　by　narrower　passages　that　would　each　join　up　at　some　point　with　the　main　outer　corridor。
　So　it　seemed　to　be；　in　this　case。　The　passage　they　had　entered　from　the　cubicle　led　to　a　broad；　curving　corridor　as　Keill　had　expected。　A　quick　glance　over　his　shoulder　arid　he　had　exactly　what　he　needed　for　his　bearings　…　because　he　had　glimpsed；　behind　them；　the　broad　and　heavy　hatchway　of　an　airlock。　That　had　to　be　the　dome's　entrance　…　almost　certainly　its　only　one。
　They　moved　along　the　main　corridor；　then　soon　turned　down　another　of　the　narrow　connecting　passages。　There　the　two　armed　men　had　to　walk　nearly　shoulder　to　shoulder；　but　even　so　it　would　have　been　insanely　risky　for　Keill　to　turn　on　them。　Anyway；　there　was　too　much　he　still　wanted　to　find　out　…　and；　he　hoped；　there　might　be　better　chances　for　escape　later。
　In　a　moment　they　came　to　a　doorway　opening　off　the　passage；　and　the　two　urged　Keill　through　it。　It　might　once　have　been　a　laboratory；　when　the　dome　was　serving　its　original　purpose　of　scientific　research。　Now　it　was　disused　and　empty；　except　for　a　low；　heavy　metal　platform；　which　had　once　probably　held　an　assortment　of　machinery　and　equipment。
　Now；　apparently；　it　was　to　hold　Keill　Randor。
　'Get　on　there；'　Jiker　snarled；　with　a　gesture　of　the　jangler。　'On　y'r　back。'
　Keill　did　as　he　was　told；　calmly；　though　he　could　guess　what　was　to　e。　But　Rish　was　holding　the　beam…gun　aimed　unerringly　at　Keill's　head；　and　looked　only　too　ready　to　use　it。
　Jiker　stooped　and　took　several　metal　bands　and　clamps　from　beneath　the　platform；　obviously　well　prepared　beforehand　for　their　purpose。　He　fastened　the　bands　tightly　across　Keill；　clamping　him　to　the　bare　metal　surface　so　that　he　was　immobilized　…　held　by　wrists　and　ankles；　and　by　bands　across　chest　and　thighs。
　'Now；'　Jiker　said；　licking　thin　lips；　'think　about　them　questions　the　boss　asked　y'。'
　He　raised　the　jangler　and　pressed　the　stud。
　The　agony　flooded　in。　It　was　as　if　every　nerve…end　was　being　dragged　forcibly　from　its　place；　to　be　dipped　in　acid　and　hacked　at　by　a　saw…toothed　blade。　Keill's　body　contorted；　convulsed；　threshing　within　the　confines　of　the　bands　that　held　him　…　and　blood　streamed　from　his　lip　where　he　had　sunk　his　teeth　in　to　keep　from　screaming。
　Then；　instantly；　the　pain　was　gone。　Breathing　heavily；　he　licked　his　torn　lip　and　glared　with　hatred　at　the　grinning　face　of　Jiker。
　'Nice；　was　it　？　Anythin'　t'　say　yet　？'
　Wordless；　Keill　looked　away。
　'Right；　take　as　long　as　y'　like。　Plenty　more　where　that　came　from。'
　Jiker　raised　his　gun　again；　glee　in　his　eyes。
　And　again　the　murderous　pain。
　And　again　。。。　And　again。。。
　After　what　may　have　been　the　sixth　time；　or　the　tenth　…　Keill　could　no　longer　be　sure　…　he　became　aware　that　the　giant　had　entered　the　room。　For　a　time　there　was　a　pause　while　Thr'un　consulted　with　his　men；　and　Keill　could　assess　his　damage。
　His　body　ached　with　bruising　where　the　convulsions　had　thrust　him　against　the　metal　bands。　His　lip　was　swollen　and　throbbing。　And　his　head　seemed　to　have　bee　a　size　larger；　so　ferocious　was　the　ache　that　filled　it。　But；　tentatively　moving　his　neck　and　as　much　of　the　rest　of　himself　as　he　could；　he　knew　that　he　still　had　mand　of　his　body；　that　he　was　not　seriously　injured。
　Then　the　giant　loomed　over　him。
　'You　seem　determined　to　suffer；'　said　the　melodious　bass　voice。　'As　I　would　have　expected。　Are　you　any　closer　to　telling　me　what　I　wish　to　know　？'
　Keill　neither　spoke　nor　looked　at　him。
　'Also　as　I　would　have　expected；'　Thr'un　said　with　an　exaggerated　sigh。　'The　Legions　made　their　men　little　more　than　robots；　blindly　following　the　demands　of　their　masters。'　；
　An　odd　emphasis　in　the　words　gave　Keill　the　glimmer　of　an　idea。　Finding　what　was　left　of　his　voice；　he　croaked；　'Do　you　not　follow　your　masters　？'
　Thr'un　took　the　bait。　'My　Master；'　he　began；　'does　not　require　me。。。'
　He　stopped　abruptly；　glowering　down　at　Keill。　'Very　crafty；　legionary。'　The　voice　rumbled　deep　and　deadly。　'You　have　been　trying　hard；　have　you　not；　to　learn　what　you　can。　But　you　have　learned　nothing。　And　even　if　I　were　able　to　reveal　to　you　the　name　and　whereabouts　of　the　Master；　you　would　not　live　long　enough　to　make　use　of　that　knowledge。'
　Keill　ignored　the　death　threat；　his　mind　grasping　and　examining　the　rest　of　the　speech。　A　'Master'　？　Who　set　up　this　trap　on　Creffa；　and　also　sent　the　men　on　sweeps　near　Moros；　as　Jiker　had　said？　Who　seemed　to　give　his　minions　something　of　a　free　hand　？　And　whose　name　and　whereabouts　Thr'un　was　not　'able'　to　reveal　？
　It　was　all　beginning　to　sound　like　something　he　had　heard　before。
　He　tried　to　focus　his　mind；　to　contact　Glr　and　pass　on　what　he　had　learned。　Perhaps　the　little　alien　could　make　more　sense　out　of　these　vague　hints。　Or　perhaps　the　Overseers　。。。
　But　then　the　giant　was　speaking　again；　distracting　him。　'You　may　now　decide；　Randor。　Tell　me　of　these　other　survivors；　and　you　have　a　chance　to　keep　your　useless　life。　Stay　silent；　and　you　will　die；　now；　in　a　most　unpleasant　manner。'
　Keill　smiled　coldly。　'As　far　as　I　know；　there　are　no　others。　I　have　met　none；　I　have　heard　of　none。'
　'Lies！'　boomed　the　giant；　and　gestured　to　Jiker。　The　thin　man　hurried　forward；　grinning。
　While　Rish　kept　his　beam…gun　steadily　on　Keill；　Jiker　removed　two　of　the　bonds　…　those　across　his　body　…　leaving　him　clamped　only　by　his　wrists　and　ankles。
　'As　you　know；'　Thr'un　said　malevolently；　'janglers　do　not　themselves　kill。　But　you　will　also　know　that　the　convulsions　they　cause　can　be　very　severe。　A　man　who　might　happen　to　be　held　by　hands　and　feet　might　suffer　a　great　deal　of　damage。　He　is　likely　to　bend　himself　almost　in　two　…　and　his　neck　or　his　spine　will　snap　as　if　they　were　glass。'
　Keill　said　nothing；　still　striving　to　gather　his　concentration；　to　reach　Glr。
　'Have　you　an　answer　now　to　my　question？'　Thr'un　bellowed。
　But　Keill　ignored　him；　for　the　voice　of　Glr　had　slid　into　his　mind。
　Keill；　if　you　are　projecting；　I　cannot　fix　on　it。　It　is　too　muzzy。　Try　harder　…　because　there　is　trouble。　I　sense　two　humans　moving　nearby；　probably　searching　for　the　ship。　；
　As　expected；　Keill　thought；　the　giant　had　sent　men　out　to　look　for　their　captive's　ship。　With　a　supreme　effort；　he　gathered　his　thought。　'Glr；　take　off　at　once；　and　stay　in　space　on　the　dark　side。　If　you　hear　nothing　more　from　me；　tell　the　Overseers　that　I。。。'
　But　he　was　unable　to　continue　the　message；　for　Thr'un　was　bellowing　again；　drawing　his　attention。
　'As　you　wish；　legionary！　If　there　are　others；　some　will　no　doubt　visit　me　soon。　They　may　prove　more　co…operative。　I　have　no　more　use　for　you！'　He　turned　to　Jiker。　'Go　ahead。〃
　Jiker　began　his　high…pitched　titter　as　he　took　aim。　Then　the　jangler　flared。
　As　before；　Keill's　body　twisted；　writhed；　flexed　…　and　now　arched　high　off　the　metal　surface。　Arched　in　an　impossible　curve；　jerking　and　threshing；　only　his　arms　and　his　feet　held　still。
　Then　there　was　a　sickening；　grinding　crack。
　Jiker　released　the　firing　stud；　and　Keill's　body　slumped　down；　limp　and　motionless。
　
　Chapter　twelve
　
　The　intense；　crushing　pain　that　continued　within　his　body　proved；　to　Keill's　half…conscious　surprise；　that　he　was　still　alive。　It　also　told　him　that　he　would　probably　not　live　for　much　longer。
　The　pain　clawed　at　every　segment　of　his　body。　Each　muscle　and　joint　was　in　torment；　but　most　of　all　his　neck　and　lower　back。　He　had　clearly　broken　his　spine；　as　Thr'un　had　indicated。　Perhaps　his　spinal　cord　still　held；　temporarily；　but　he　would　not　have　long　before　it　too　gave　way。　He　would　probably　be　dead　even　before　Thr'un　or　his　men　got　round　to　finishing　him　off。
　He　felt　no　fear；　no　self…pity　…　just　an　edge　of　regret　that　he　had　achieved　so　little　against　Thr'un　and　his　false　legionaries。　But　at　least　he　had　gathered　a　few　hints；　which　he　still　had　to　pass　on　to　Glr。　He　fought　with　the　haze　in　his　mind；　fought　to　focus　his　thoughts；　to　make　contact　again　with　the　alien。　But　the　pain；　and　voices　dimly　heard；　intruded。　One　of　the　voices　was　Thr'un's；　from　some　distance　away　…　as　if　the　giant　had　turned　to　leave；　after　Keill's　collapse；　and　was　issuing　orders　from　the　doorway。
　'。　。　。　won't　have　survived　that；'　the　deep　bass　voice　was　saying。　'Strip　off　the　uniform　for　one　of　the　other　men　to　use。'
　'Whatd'　we　do　with　th'　body　？'　Jiker's　thin　voice。
　'Put　it　in　the　airlock；　and　some　of　the　others　can　take　it　to　the　ship。　We'll　throw　it　out　when　we　next　visit　the　planet；　and　let　it　burn　in　atmosphere。'
　Jiker　began　to　say　something　else；　but　Keill　didn't　hear　…　for　Glr　was　in　his　mind；　fear　and　worry　plain　in　the　inner　voice。
　Keill　clutched　at　his　concentration；　and　in　pain…filled　bursts　of　thought；　told　Glr　what　had　happened。
　In　the　midst　of　the　anxiety　pouring　from　Glr's　mind；　he　heard　…　astonishingly　…　the　rise　of　the　alien's　silent　laughter。
　Keill；　you　are　a　hardhead！　Glr　cried。　Clinging　to　your　doubts　still　…even　to　convince　yourself　that　you're　dying！
　Clearly；　Keill　thought；　he　had　not　managed　to　project　properly；　and　Glr　had　misunderstood。　He　began　to　try　again；　but　the　alien　interrupted。
　No；　I　received　you　properly。　Don't　you　see？　Talis　told　you　the　simple　truth。　Nothing　those　men　could　do　could　break　so　much　as　your　little　finger！
　The　hope　that　ballooned　up　within　Keill　was　instant