douglashill.galacticwarlord-第11节
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'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 ha
