lrh.villainyvictorious-第59部分

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l　run　along。　I'll　stop　by　the　canteen。。。。〃
〃Jet；〃　said　Snelz　in　a　tight　and　urgent　voice；　〃you　get。。。　get　out　of　here。　Honest；　my　heart　won't　start　again　until　you've　left　this　camp！〃
〃The　day　you're　that　scared；　Snelz；〃　laughed　Heller；　〃that　will　be　the　day。　e　on　and　walk　with　me　to　the　canteen。〃
Snelz　convulsively　was　climbing　into　his　uniform　tunic。
Firmly　but　carefully　looking　very　casual；　he　walked　Heller　straight　back　to　the　landing　target　area　and　got　him　into　his　airbus。
Heller　took　off。
Two　hours　later；　at　Emergency　Fleet　Reserve；　Heller　plimented　old　Atty　for　restocking　the　tug；　shook　hands　with　a　worried　mander　Crup　and；　exhibiting　the　ship　identoplate　of　the　cruiser　Happy　Return；　was　spaceward　ho　for　Calabar。

Chapter　8

One　cannot　help　but　wonder；　dear　reader；　what　the　course　of　history　might　have　been　if　Captain　Snelz　had　not　thought　of　the　man　he　did　when　asked　to　design　a　way　to　get　the　message　into　Lombar's　hands。　If　he　had　only　told　Heller　the　name　that　had　popped　into　his　mind；　the　fate　of　Earth　might　well　have　been　quite　different。
For　the　man　Snelz　had　thought　of　was　J。　Walter　Madison！
As　he　stood　on　the　landing　target　watching　Heller's　airbus　leave；　Snelz　was　putting　through　his　mind　exactly　how　to　do　this。
Lately　Lombar　Hisst　had　been　ing　to　Spiteos　almost　every　day　for　a　brief　period；　usually　in　the　morning。　He　was　doing　something　strange　down　in　the　storerooms　with　that　weird　powder。　Snelz　himself　had　escorted　in　several　truckloads　of　strange　things　marked　Lactose；　Epsom　Salts；　Quinine；　Baking　Powder；　Photo　Developer；　Insecticide　and　Strychnine。　Hisst　had　several　technicians　who　would　take　something　called　amphetamine　out　of　its　original　capsules；　mix　the　powder　with　these　other　things　and　then；　using　new　capsules；　expand　the　original　batch　enormously。　According　to　one　of　the　technicians；　Hisst　seemed　to　take　a　lot　of　pleasure　in　this　strange　exercise：　he　called　it　〃cutting〃　and　seemed　to　think　nobody　else　could　do　it　as　expertly　as　he。
And　Snelz　had　noted　that　the　Earthman　Madison　was　never　kept　informed　as　to　where　he　could　find　Hisst：　that　was　no　real　mystery；　as　Hisst　always　had　the　idea　that　anywhere　he　went；　an　assassin　would　be　waiting　for　him。　So；　at　odd　times　of　the　day　or　night；　Madison　would　show　up　at　Spiteos。
It　had　bee　so　well　known　now　that　Madison　was　a　close　creature　of　Hisst　that　Madison　could　e　and　go　as　he　pleased。　The　very　distinctive　Model　99　with　its　four　flying　angels　was　never　even　challenged　in　the　air。　Once　landed；　Madison　had　carte　blanche。　He　needed　no　escort；　he　didn't　even　show　his　plate；　he　simply　trotted　over　to　the　zipbuses；　went　through　the　tunnel；　up　the　elevator　and　into　the　north　tower。　Often；　nowadays；　there　weren't　even　clerks　up　there。
Knowing　Madison　for　a　fake　and　no　friend　of　Heller's；　Snelz　selected　him　for　a　messenger　whose　message；　it　seemed；　could　end　in　somebody's　death。
Accordingly　Snelz；　despite　the　hour；　paraded　his　pany。　He　went　down　the　line；　looking　very　closely　at　his　men。　Suddenly　he　stopped　and　pointed　his　baton。
〃You　there。　You　have　just　volunteered。　Lieutenant；　dismiss　everyone　but　this　man　and　Timyjo。〃
Snelz　took　the　two　men　aside。　Timyjo　was　the　pany's　best　thief。　〃Timyjo；　go　into　town　and　get　an　expensive　suit　of　gray　shimmercloth　and　all　those　conservative　things　that　go　with　it。　The　stores　at　this　hour　should　be　easy　to　rob。　Make　sure　they　fit　this　man。　Be　back　before　dawn。〃
Snelz　whiled　away　the　time　by　buying　the　guard　officer　some　drinks　and　shooting　a　little　dice。　He　even　had　an　hour　for　a　nap。
Timyjo　returned　laden。　In　his　dugout；　Snelz　dressed　the　volunteer。　He　stepped　back　admiringly。　Same　height；　same　build；　same　hair　coloring。　To　all　intents　and　purposes；　unless　one　knew　him　well；　one　was　looking　at　Madison。
Not　to　take　any　chances；　Snelz　put　a　pair　of　sand　goggles　on　him；　a　thing　he　had　lately　seen　Madison　wear。
He　gave　the　fellow　the　envelope。　He　said；　〃Now；　don't　talk　to　anybody。　Just　get　on　a　zipbus；　go　up　in　the　elevator；　walk　through　the　clerk's　room；　enter　the　office　of　Lombar　Hisst　and　lay　this　squarely　in　the　middle　of　his　desk。　Then　walk　out　and　e　back　here。〃
〃And　if　I　don't？〃
〃Then　we　throw　you　in　the　chasm　and　forget　about　it。〃
It　was　well　after　dawn。　A　sleepy　camp　was　recovering　from　hangovers。
The　volunteer；　feeling　very　nervous；　pleaded　at　least　for　a　canister　of　tup。　Then；　fortified；　he　walked　out；　got　on　a　zipbus；　got　off；　got　in　the　elevator；　went　up　to　tower　level　and　entered　the　clerk's　outer　room。　He　froze。　The　old　criminal　chief　clerk　was　sitting　there；　back　to　the　door。
With　no　choice　but　the　chasm　if　he　did　and　the　chasm　if　he　didn't；　the　volunteer　walked　boldly　across　the　room。
The　old　chief　clerk　glanced　up。　〃He　isn't　here；〃　he　muttered　and　went　back　to　his　work。
The　volunteer　pretended　he　had　not　heard。　He　walked　to　Hisst's　office　door　and　went　in。　The　place　impressed　him　very　unfavorably：　one　whole　wall　was　glass；　a　throne　chair　that　looked　like　tomb…loot　was　behind　the　desk。　But　the　volunteer　wasted　no　time。
He　took　the　envelope　out　of　his　coat。　He　laid　it　on　the　desk　and　propped　it　up　with　a　stinger。　Anybody　who　sat　down　would　be　hit　with　the　address。
The　volunteer　walked　out。
The　chief　clerk　muttered；　〃I　told　you　he　wasn't　here。〃
The　volunteer　got　into　the　hall。
Meanwhile　Snelz　was　experiencing　shock　and　heart　failure。　The　volunteer　had　no　more　than　gotten　on　the　zipbus　when　the　feeling　of　being　smart　and　clever　turned；　in　Snelz；　to　horror。
THE　MODEL　99　LANDED！
In　a　state　of　acute　paralysis　he　watched　Madison　get　out；　walk　through　the　dust　to　the　barricade　before　the　zip…bus。　Snelz　didn't　dare　breathe。　Would　the　officer　on　duty　notice　he　was　logging　Madison　in　TWICE？
Action　was　the　answer　to　everything　with　Snelz。　He　drew　a　hand　blastgun；　fired　at　the　top　of　a　pole　and　shattered　the　light。　He　ducked。
As　glass　showered　down；　the　guards　raced　for　cover。　Madison　put　into　action　his　own　method　of　escape。　He　swung　aboard　a　zipbus　quickly　and　looked　back　as　it　sped　away　into　the　tunnel。
Not　daring　to　think　what　would　happen　when　Madison　ran　into　〃Madison〃　in　the　elevator　or　hall；　he　did　something　he　almost　never　did：　he　prayed。
The　volunteer；　meanwhile；　was　waiting　in　the　hall　for　an　elevator　shaft　to　signal　it　was　clear。　Somebody　was　ing　up！
Not　wanting　anything　like　a　confrontation；　possibly　even　with　Lombar；　the　volunteer　looked　hastily　around。　There　was　a　big　box　of　fresh　puter　paper　in　the　hall。　It　was　only　four　feet　high　but　he　quickly　dived　behind　it。　Peering　out；　he　was　horrified　to　see　the　real　Madison　step　out　of　the　shaft！
The　instant　the　hall　was　clear；　the　volunteer　dived　headfirst　into　the　shaft　to　get　out　of　there。
The　real　Madison　walked　into　the　clerk's　office。
〃What'd　you　do？〃　the　chief　clerk　said；　after　an　indifferent　glance。　〃Forget　something？〃
Madison　walked　on　into　Lombar's　office；　saying；　〃I'll　wait。〃
He　had　the　newest　clippings　from　the　press。　They　gave　a　lot　of　juicy　speeches　about　Hisst　wanting　law　and　order　and　raging　about　anyone　trying　to　defame　the　honor　of　Apparatus　officers；　and　he　knew　these　shots　of　his　angry　face　would　delight　Lombar　no　end。　He　wanted　to　make　a　nice　display　of　them　on　the　desk。
A　stinger　was　propping　up　a　big　envelope　and　he　accidentally　knocked　it　down。　He　set　it　up　once　more。　But　it　was　in　the　way　of　his　clipping　spread。　He　decided　it　should　be　put　further　back。　He　took　hold　of　it　once　more　and　moved　the　stinger　and；　then；　with　a　double　take；　suddenly　registered　what　was　in　his　hand。
He　stared；　stunned。

TO　LOMBAR　HISST
FROM　JETTERO　HELLER
Private。　Personal。　Secret。

How　had　that　gotten　there？
It　was　still　sealed。
Lombar　hadn't　seen　it　yet。
Not　knowing　anything　about　Heller's　admonition　to　Snelz　that　Lombar　would　have　the　messenger　killed；　particularly　if　the　seals　were　broken；　Madison　quivered　with　greed　to　know。
What　was　this？　Some　secret　munication　line？
And　as　it　was　from　the　only　reason　he　was　doing　all　he　was　doing；　he　could　hardly　resist。
He　broke　the　seals。
It　was　all　quiet　in　the　outer　office。
Madison　swiftly　read：

Hisst；

Greetings　and　salutations　and　all　that　son　of　thing；　none　of　them　sincere：
You　have　known　for　some　time　the　pany　I've　been　enjoying　as　I　left　you　the　present　of　my　baton。
As　you　know…for　you　keep　saying　so　on　Homeview…His　Majesty　is　suffering　from　an　indisposition；　and　we　really　do　not　want　to　trouble　him　with　such　a　small　matter　as　signing　and　sealing　a　Royal　proclamation　declaring　you　a　traitor　and　a　menace　to　the　state。
However；　we　can　promise　you　that　in　the　event　you　seek　to　use　the　Army　or　the　Fleet　in　attacking　Calabar；　the　proclamation　will　be　issued　and　that　will　be　the　end　of　Hisst。　So　my　advice　to　you　is　simply　to　fly　into　a　few　rages；　shoot　some　of　your　own　staff　and　let　nature　take　its　course。

Hoping　not　to　have　the
pleasure　of　seeing　you
hanging　on　the　gallows；

Jettero　Heller

Madison　read　it　again。　Suddenly　everything　began　to　click　together。　Time　after　time　he　had　told　Hisst　that　all　he　had　to　do　was　get　a　Royal　proclamation　about　this　thing　or　that：　Hisst　every　time　had　looked　extremely　cagey！
Madison　abruptly　understood。
There　was　no　Emperor　back　of　that　Palace　City　door　Hisst　guarded　and　saw　guarded　so　carefully！
Jettero　Heller　had　kidnapped　the　Emperor！
So　THAT　was　what　this　was　all　about！
Madison　glanced　around。　He　did　not　think　that　he　was　in　any　way　observed。
This　was　not　a　munication　line。　It　was　a　first　time。
Risks　were　the　very　thing　his　profession　was　made　of。　Madison　put　the　envelope　and　despatch　in　his　own　briefcase。　He　left　no　trace　of　it　on　the　desk。
He　arranged　his　PR　display　of　clippings。　He　went　into　the　clerk's　office。　He　said；　〃Have　there　been　any　urgent　messages　for　Hisst？〃
The　old　clerk　shook　his　head。
A　surge　of　elation　coursed　through　Madison。　What　an　outlaw！　Heller　had　somehow；　unbeknownst　to　anyone；　slipped　into　this　office；　maybe　from　the　roof；　and　had　left　Hisst　this　envelope。
Looking　very　calm；　Madison　sat　down　at　the　console　of　the　puter　and；　as　though　to　pass　the　time；　began　to　extract　bits　of　information　he　might　find　handy；　such　as　the　strength　of　forces　on　the　planet　Calabar。　Then　he　began　to　tally　up　the　enormous　numbers　available　in　the　Army　and　the　Fleet。
Obviously；　from　the　message；　Heller　didn't