douglashill.galacticwarlord-第6节

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　Keill　smiled　grimly。　'If　they　really　are　legionaries；　I'll　let　you　know。　If　they're　not　…　then　I'll　probably　be　too　busy；　for　a　while。'
　
　Chapter　four
　
　Keill　went　back　to　the　spaceport　as　rapidly　as　he　could；　fighting　to　keep　his　inner　calm　and　control　despite　the　puzzlement　and　urgency　that　chafed　at　him。　Questions　upon　questions；　mysteries　upon　mysteries　heaped　themselves　up　in　his　mind；　with　one　especially　looming　largest　and　most　disturbing。
　Were　the　three　men　legionaries　？
　If　they　were；　a　huge　range　of　possibilities　…　and　other　questions　…　would　open　up；　mainly　to　do　with　the　murder　of　Moros　and　the　unknown　destroyer。
　But　if　they　were　not。。。　then　what　were　they　up　to　？
　And　what　could　he　do　about　it　？
　He　knew　it　would　be　a　journey　of　less　than　an　hour　from　lift…off　to　landing　on　the　moon　Creffa；　where　some　at　least　of　these　questions　would　be　answered。　But　he　knew　also　that　he　would　resent　the　passage　of　each　one　of　those　minutes。
　Time　was　now　his　most　precious　possession。　Every　minute　gone　was　another　step　towards　the　day　…　soon　now；　as　the　medic　had　said　…　when　the　pain　would　grow　strong　enough　to　batter　down　his　iron　control；　when　the　radiation　within　him　would　overwhelm　and　quench　his　life。
　Every　delay；　however　brief；　was　a　robbery　…　making　it　even　less　likely　that　he　would　find　the　answers　he　needed　before　that　final　moment　came。
　So　another　man　…　a　man　without　the　inner　discipline　of　a　legionary　…　might　have　gone　wholly　berserk　with　fury　and　frustration　if　he　had　found　what　Keill　found　at　the　spaceport。
　He　could　not　enter　his　ship。
　Someone　had　fixed　an　electromolecular　seal　across　the　hatch　of　the　airlock　…　a　plain　metal　band；　but　as　secure　and　unopenable　a　fastening　as　could　be　found　in　the　galaxy。　Someone　did　not　want　Keill　Randor　to　leave。
　The　senior　security　officer　of　the　spaceport　was　not　inclined　to　be　helpful。
　'Can't　tell　you　any　more。'　The　official　was　a　grey…faced　Saltrenian　with　a　permanently　sour　expression；　made　sourer　by　the　visible　anger　behind　Keill's　questions。　'Like　I　said；　official　orders　came　…　for　me　to　seal　your　ship　and　give　you　that。'　；
　He　pointed　to　the　paper　Keill　held。　What　it　contained　had　only　served　to　deepen　the　mystery。　The　paper　had　announced；　unnecessarily；　the　official　sealing　of　his　ship。　And　it　had　'requested'　Keill　to　take　a　room　at　a　spacer　hostel　near　the　port；　and　wait　there　to　be　contacted　on　'a　matter　of　some　urgency'。
　The　paper　did　not　say　who　would　make　the　contact。　But　it　was　signed　by　the　Deputy　Co…ordinator　of　the　Saltrenian　Civil　Control。
　'I've　broken　no　laws　on　this　planet；'　Keill　said　fiercely。　'I've　been　here　barely　a　day　…　now　I　simply　want　to　leave。　Peacefully。　Your　people　have　no　right　to　stop　me。'
　'I've　got　my　orders；'　said　the　officer；　'and　that's　all　there　is。'　He　let　one　hand　stray　meaningfully　near　the　weapon　at　his　side　…　another　needle…gun；　Keill　had　seen。　'If　you　want　to　argue；　and　talk　about　rights；　take　it　up　with　the　CC。　Your　ship　stays　sealed　till　they　say　otherwise。'
　'I　will。'　Keill　turned　away；　then　looked　back　and　said　almost　casually；　'But　you　have　the　key　here　？'
　'No　concern　of　yours　where　it　is；'　the　official　growled。　'Not　till　the　CC　says　otherwise。'
　Keill　nodded　and　left　the　room；　hiding　his　grim　satisfaction。　Before　the　officer　had　replied；　his　eyes　had　briefly　flicked　sideways；　towards　a　locked　metal　cabinet　against　one　wall。　The　man　had　probably　not　even　realized　that　he　had　made　the　movement。　But　it　was　all　Keill　needed。
　Leaving　the　spaceport　building；　he　glanced　for　a　moment　across　the　empty　plasticrete　towards　where　his　ship　stood。　The　distance　was　considerable；　for　the　main　pads　were　well　away　from　the　buildings。　But　Keill's　eyes　could　make　out　enough　details　…　and　what　he　saw　made　him　stop　abruptly　and　stare。
　Four　men　had　gathered　around　his　ship。　One　of　the　men　was　a　uniformed　spaceport　security　guard。　Two　of　the　others　wore　different　uniforms；　which　Keill　recognized　at　once　despite　their　abundant　covering　of　Saltrenian　dust。　Legion　uniforms。
　And　the　fourth　man　。。。
　At　least　a　head　taller　than　the　others；　massively　built。　And　naked　to　the　waist。
　The　three　men　seemed　to　be　examining　Keill's　ship；　while　chatting　with　the　security　guard。　And　the　big　man　was　laughing。
　Keill　had　taken　three　running　strides　across　the　plasticrete　before　a　sharp　voice　behind　him　brought　him　up　short。
　'Randor！'
　He　turned　and　saw　the　senior　security　officer　in　the　doorway。
　'My　orders　say　you're　to　be　kept　away　from　that　ship；'　he　growled。　'I've　put　a　man　on　it。　Don't　get　any　ideas。'
　Anger　swelled　within　Keill；　but　his　voice　was　cool。　'There　are　some　men　out　there；'　he　said；　pointing；　'who　I　must　talk　to。'
　The　officer　narrowed　his　eyes　and　peered。
　'Do　you　know　them　？'　Keill　'asked　quickly。
　'Yes　…　think　so。'　The　officer　nodded。　'Those're　the　legionaries　who've　set　up　on　Creffa。'　He　looked　down　at　Keill；　some　of　the　sourness　leaving　his　eyes。　'Guess　I　can　understand　you　wanting　to　see　them。　Go　on；　then　…　just　stay　away　from　the　ship。'
　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　unconsciousne