douglashill.galacticwarlord-第6部分

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　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　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