douglashill.galacticwarlord-第3部分

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visited　other　worlds；　studied　other　advanced　bat　techniques　and　took　them　home　for　their　people　to　master　them。　So　they　organized　themselves　into　an　armed　force　that　could；　if　needed；　include　every　adult　on　the　planet。　It　was　a　force　that　became　legendary　throughout　the　galaxy。
　The　Legions　of　Moros。
　Even　then；　even　though　any　army　needs　carefully　drawn　lines　and　levels　of　mand；　the　munal　spirit　of　Moros　was　not　impaired。　Nor　was　the　order　and　discipline：　discord；　slacking；　disobedience　were　unknown；　and　would　have　been　shocking　notions　to　any　legionary。　In　battle；　some　led　and　others　followed；　but　they　did　so　in　order　that　every　section　and　unit　would　operate　like　a　finely　tuned　machine。
　Otherwise　the　legionaries　shared　their　lives　as　equals　…working　together；　going　into　bat　together；　celebrating　victories　together。
　And；　in　the　end；　dying　together。
　（Keill　Randor's　dream　shifted；　as　it　always　did；　and　the　broken；　fleeting　images　gathered；　held　steady。　From　the　depths　of　his　sleeping　darkness　Keill　moaned；　as　the　dream…memory　rose；　clear　and　terrible　…　of　the　words　he　had　heard　from　his　ship's　municator　that　day　。。。）
　He　had　been　sent；　with　the　other　one…person　ships　of　his　Strike　Group；　on　a　simple　reconnaissance　mission。　But　it　was　more　than　halfway　across　the　galaxy；　and　in　one　of　the　most　densely　populated　sectors；　where　human　worlds　and　their　stars　clustered　like　…　as　the　Morosian　saying　had　it　…　sand　fleas　at　an　oasis。
　Keill　and　his　Group　had　e　out　of　Overlight　and　were　moving　on　ordinary　planetary　drive　towards　their　objective　…a　small　planet　where　a　local　war　looked　like　expanding　into　a　major　conflict；　and　where　the　Legions　had　been　offered　a　huge　sum　to　join　in　on　one　side。
　The　Strike　Group's　mission　was　simply　to　gather　data；　to　study　the　planet　from　orbit；　to　assess　the　war　potential；　to　monitor　broadcasts　and　so　on。　This　data　would　help　the　Central　mand　of　the　Legions　to　decide　whether　to　take　up　the　offer。
　For　the　Legions；　by　then；　could　pick　and　choose　among　contracts。　And　their　ethic；　born　of　their　history；　would　not　allow　them　to　take　the　side　of　aggressors；　or　fanatics；　or　would…be　exploiters。
　Often　they　had　fought；　for　less　payment；　on　the　side　of　those　defending　themselves　against　just　such　enemies。　Often；　indeed；　the　mere　presence　of　the　Legions　on　the　side　of　the　defenders　had　prevented　an　aggressor　from　ever　launching　a　full…scale　attack。
　As　the　planet　grew　larger　in　their　viewscreens；　Keill　and　his　group　were　checking　their　inter…ship　munications　link；　preparing　to　slide　into　an　orbit　suitable　for　scanning　the　surface　of　this　world。　They　were　not　advertising　their　presence；　and　hoped　to　go　unnoticed　…　so　Keill　was　mildly　annoyed　when　he　spotted　a　handful　of　silvery；　tubular　shapes　rising　towards　his　group　through　clouds　beneath　them。　A　subdued　ripple　of　voices　on　the　municator　showed　that　the　rest　of　the　group　had　also　seen　the　other　ships。
　'Maybe　they're　friendly；　maybe　not；'　Keill　said　to　his　group。　'We'll　ease　away　on　a　new　course　and　be　ready　for　evasive　action。'
　His　fingers　moved　over　the　controls；　programming　in　the　new　course　that　his　group　would　pick　up　and　follow。　He　kept　his　eyes　firmly　on　the　approaching　ships；　waiting　for　some　sign　of　their　intention；　some　munication　from　them。
　As　he　watched；　twin　points　of　light　glimmered　from　the　tapering　noses　of　each　of　the　oning　ships。　Keill　clenched　his　teeth　angrily。　It　was　all　the　sign　he　needed：　he　knew　an　ion…energy　beam…gun　when　he　saw　one。
　'They're　firing；'　he　snapped　into　his　municator。　'Amateurs　…　they're　way　out　of　range　still。　Begin　new　course　for　evasive　action。'
　'Do　we　return　fire　？'　The　voice　from　the　municator　was　that　of　young　Oni　Wolda；　Keill's　next…in…mand　and　his　closest　friend　in　the　Strike　Group。　Her　voice　was　calm；　but　with　a　faint　note　of　eagerness　that　made　Keill　smile。
　'No；'　he　said　quickly。　'We're　not　here　to　fight。　Evasive　action　will　take　us　far　enough　out　for　Overlight　…　that'll　lose　them。　Then　we'll　report　back。'　
　Again　he　made　his　course　corrections　on　the　control　panel。　Then　he　added；　'I'll　drop　back　into　rear　position　and　find　out　who　this　gun…happy　bunch　belongs　to。'
　But　before　any　of　his　group　could　acknowledge；　his　municator　hummed　for　an　instant　and　then　spoke；　not　in　the　voices　of　his　friends　but　in　the　abrasive；　metallic　tone　of　a　long…range　munication。
　URGENT　MESSAGE　FROM　HOME　PLANET　…　MESSAGE　FROM　HOME　PLANET。
　Keill　sat　up；　startled。　Messages　seldom　came　from　Moros　to　legionaries　on　a　mission；　unless　the　legionaries　themselves　first　made　contact；　to　report　or　to　call　for　reinforcements　in　an　emergency。
　The　municator　seemed　to　have　plucked　the　word　from　his　thoughts。
　EMERGENCY　MESSAGE　ALL　LEGIONARIES　…　EMERGENCY　ALL　LEGIONARIES
　PLANET　UNDER　ATTACK　BY　UNKNOWN　FORCES
　ALL　　　LEGIONARIES　　　RETURN　　　TO　　　MOROS　　　AT　　ONCE　　…　　　REPEAT
　RETURN　AT　ONCE　…　PRIORITY　ONE　ORDER　OF　CENTRAL　MAND
　Shock　turned　Keill's　blood　to　ice。　Moros　under　attack　？　It　had　never　happened　…　not　in　all　the　centuries。　Who　would　be　foolhardy　enough　to　attack　the　home　world　of　the　galaxy's　most　renowned　fighting　force　？
　But　the　words　had　been　spoken；　and　had　to　be　true。
　'Emergency　procedure！'　he　shouted。　'Prepare　for　Overlight　at　my　signal！'
　It　was　risky；　entering　Overlight　that　close　to　a　planet's　gravitational　pull；　but　there　was　no　choice。　At　once；　the　terrible　order　had　said　…　and　Keill　had　no　intention　of　arriving　too　late；　if　only　by　seconds；　to　be　of　use。
　His　fingers　flowed　over　the　controls；　making　his　ship　ready　for　Overlight。　His　hand　was　hovering　over　the　activator；　his　mouth　beginning　to　form　the　order　to　his　group；　when　his　ship　jerked　and　leaped　beneath　him　like　a　startled　animal。
　Furious；　he　glanced　at　his　rear　viewscreen。　He　had　nearly　forgotten　the　other　ships；　in　the　shock　of　the　message　from　Moros。　And　because　he　had　dropped　back　into　the　rear　position　of　his　group；　he　had　e　within　range　of　the　others'　beam…guns。　One　of　them　had　got　lucky：　he　had　been　hit。
　It　would　take　time　before　his　puter　could　produce　a　damage　report　…　but　he　could　feel　his　ship　slowing；　juddering　slightly。　Behind　him　the　attacking　ships　were　closing　the　gap；　still　firing　wildly。
　All　he　could　do　was　to　take　his　group　into　safety　…　and　hope　desperately　that　it　was　not　his　Overlight　drive　that　had　been　damaged。
　'Ready　to　enter　Overlight；'　he　snapped；　'now！'
　His　hand　punched　the　activator　…　and　the　formless　void　gathered　him　in。
　Though　in　Overlight；　a　ship　seemed　to　be　at　rest；　motionless；　while　leaping　across　the　unimaginable　distances；　there　were　many　special　stresses　and　pressures　within　the　void。　It　was　a　place　from　which　a　damaged　ship　might　very　well　never　emerge。
　So　Keill　sweated　and　waited　for　the　puter's　damage　report。　It　came　in　seconds；　but　they　seemed　like　hours。
　Damage　recorded　from　energy　beam　contact　　　Hull　sector　eight…A
　Keill's　heart　sank。　It　was　a　forward　sector　of　the　ship's　hull；　holding　some　of　the　weaponry　and　much　of　the　navigational　equipment。　The　puter　went　on；　confirming　his　fears：
　Hull　buckled　but　unbroken；　and　holding　One　forward　beam…gun　inoperable　Navigation　system　planetary　drive　inoperable
　Keill　reached　for　the　puter　keys。　Report　status　of　Overlight　drive；　he　ordered；　and　other　systems。
　The　obedient　puter　replied　at　once。　Overlight　drive　undamaged　Other　weapons　systems　undamaged　Life　support　systems　undamaged　munications　system　undamaged
　Relief　left　Keill　sagging　back　into　his　slingseat。　The　Over…light　was　intact。　The　emptiness　beyond　space　would　not　claim　him。
　He　touched　the　keys　again。　Estimate　repair　time　for　planetary　drive　and　damaged　weapons；　he　ordered。
　E　R　T　for　damaged　beam…gun　nil　Weapon　not　repairable　Full　replacement　required　E　R　T　for　navigation　system　six　hours
　He　cursed　softly。　Six　hours！　He　begrudged　every　moment　that　he　was　in　Overlight　…　yet　now　he　would　need　to　work　for　six　hours　before　his　planetary　drive　could　take　him　to　his　planet's　aid。　And　even　then　he　would　arrive　with　part　of　his　armament　out　of　action。
　But　there　was　nothing　he　could　do。　No　one　went　outside　a　ship　in　Overlight。　No　repairs　could　be　begun　until　he　emerged　into　normal　space；　many　hours　from　then。
　Gritting　his　teeth；　he　fingered　the　keys　again。　At　least　he　could　occupy　himself　usefully　during　the　agonising　wait　…　as　legionaries　were　trained　to　do。　Begin　full　check　of　all　equipment　and　systems；　he　ordered；　other　than　damaged　sector。
　And　he　turned　his　full；　disciplined　concentration　on　to　the　laborious　routine　check；　while　his　crippled　ship　plunged　ahead　through　an　emptiness　as　unknowable　as　the　future。
　
　Chapter　three
　
　（The　dream…memories　were　gathering　pace　now；　and　Keill　writhed　in　his　sleep；　powerless　to　stop　his　unconscious　mind　from　forming　the　images　that　he　had　re…lived　so　often　before；　in　horror　and　despair。。。）
　The　time　of　waiting　had　ground　finally　to　its　end；　and　the　ships　of　Keill's　Strike　Group　came　out　of　Overlight。　They　had　re…entered　normal　space　at　a　maximal　orbital　distance：　legionaries　did　not　plunge　blindly　into　confrontations　without　knowing　what　they　were　confronting。
　But；　as　Keill　studied　the　face　of　the　planet　Moros　looming　and　filling　his　viewscreen；　all　seemed　puzzlingly　calm　and　normal。　There　was　a　faint；　hazy　aura　round　the　image　of　the　planet；　but　Keill　discounted　that　as　a　possible　minor　malfunction　of　the　screen；　to　do　with　the　damage　his　ship　had　suffered。　Certainly　his　ship　sensors　reported　no　other　ships　of　any　sort　within　the　planet's　range；　and　no　form　of　attack　going　on。
　At　least；　then；　his　Group　seemed　to　be　in　no　visible　danger。　So　he　sent　the　other　ships　curving　away　in　their　approach　path　to　the　planet's　surface。　And　he　dragged　on　a　spacesuit；　trudged　but　on　to　the　ship's　exterior；　and　began　with　desperate　speed　to　work　on　his　damaged　navigation　system。
　The　puter's　estimate　was　accurate：　more　than　two　hours　later；　the　work　was　only　half　done。　Keill　sweated　and　fumed　as　he　laboured　…　yet　his　hands　remained　deft；　controlled；　and　his　concentration　remained　plete。
　Until　it　was　broken　by　the　warning；　from　the　puter　in　his　helmet　municator；　that　the　sensors　had　picked　up　a　lone　ship；　approaching　fast　from　the　planet's　surface。
　Keill　was　back　at　his　control