amc.killashandra-第64节

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he　transport　driver　shouted　at　him　as　the　ship's　drive　began　to　rumble　above　the　noise　of　the　take…off　alarm；　and　Blaz　had　no　recourse　but　to　retreat　to　safety。
　〃Oh；　that　was　well…done！〃　Killashandra　cried　and；　finding　her　legs　a　bit　unstable　in　reaction　to　the　final　moments　of　escape；　she　sank　onto　the　nearby　couch。
　Trag　thumbed　the　bar　that　released　the　restraints　on　Lars's　wrists　and　Lars　stumbled　to　enfold　Killashandra　in　his　arms。
　〃Everyone；　take　a　seat；〃　Chadria　warned；　sliding　into　the　pilot's　gimballed　chair。　〃We　were　told　to　make　it　a　fast　exit；　she　added　with　a　grin。　〃Okay。　Sam；　they're　secure。　Let's　shake　the　dust！〃
　Chapter　25
　Killashandra's　placency　about　their　confrontation　with　the　Federated　Council　on　Regulus　Base　altered　drastically　as　the　CS　914　began　its　final　approach　to　the　landing　strip。　The　building　which　housed　the　administrative　offices　for　that　sector　of　the　Federated　Sentient　Planets　covered　an　area　slightly　more　than　twenty　klicks　square。
　Chadria　cheerfully　informed　her　passengers　that　there　was　as　much　again　in　subterranean　levels　as　above　ground；　and　some　storage　areas　delved　as　much　as　a　half　a　klick　below　Regulus's　surface。　Monorail　lines　connected　the　sprawling　offices　with　the　residential　centers　thirty　and　forty　klicks　away；　for　most　of　the　workers　preferred　the　nearby　valleys　and　the　many　amenities　available　there。　Regulus　was　a　good　post　for　everyone。
　From　a　distance；　the　profile　was　awe　inspiring。　The　random　pattern　of　rectangular　extrusions　above　the　mass　of　the　plex　was　silhouetted　against　the　light　green　early…morning　sky。　Even　Trag　was　impressed；　a　reaction　which　did　nothing　to　assuage　Killashandra's　growing　sense　of　doubt。　She　inched　as　close　to　Lars　as　possible　and　felt　him　return　the　pressure　in　an　answering　need　for　tactile　reassurance。　But　he　was　nowhere　near　as　tense　as　she　was。　Perhaps　she　was　just　hypersensitive　due　to　her　recent　ordeal。　As　they　approached；　the　building　dominated　the　landscape　to　the　exclusion　of　any　other　features　on　Chinneidigh　Plain。　Skimmers　could　then　be　seen　landing　and　taking　off　at　the　myriad　entrances；　each　embellished　with　official　symbols　depicting　the　department　housed　within。
　〃We　re　cleared　to　land　at　the　Judicial　Sector；〃　Chadria　said；　swinging　about　in　her　gimballed　chair。　〃Don't　look　so　worried。〃　She　grinned　up　at　the　three。　〃They　don't　leave　you　hanging　about　here　for　weeks　on　end。　You'll　know　by　midday。　It's　anticipation　that　gets　to　you；　and　waiting！〃
　Killashandra　knew　that　Chadria　meant　to　reassure　them；　for　both　brain　and　brawn　partners　had　been　excellent　hosts；　with　stories　scurrilous　and　amusing；　and　stocks　of　exotic　foods　and　beverages　in　the　scout　ship's　well…stocked　larder　to　tempt　every　taste。　With　exquisite　tact；　the　others　had　left　Killashandra　and　Lars　to　enjoy　their　own　pany　for　the　week　in　which　the　CS　914　hurtled　from　one　corner　of　the　sector　to　the　Regulan　planet　at　its　center。　Courtesy；　however；　had　dictated　to　both　Lars　and　Killashandra　that　they　join　the　others　at　mealtimes　and　for　evening　conversations；　and　the　occasional　rehearsals　of　Lars's　defense　against　the　warrant's　charges。　Trag　and　Olav　had　begun　a　friendly　petition　over　a　tri…dimensional　maze　game　which　could　last　up　to　a　day　between　well…matched　players。　Chadria　and　Samel　had　teamed　up　against　the　two　men　in　another　contest；　one　of　multiple…choice；　which　could　be　expanded　to　include　Lars　and　Killashandra　whenever　they　chose　to　play。
　There　was　a　strange　dichotomy　about　that　journey：　the　tug　between　learning　more　of　each　other's　minds　and　sating　their　bodies　and　senses　sufficiently　to　cushion　the　imminent　parting。　On　the　final　day；　it　was　more　than　Killashandra　or　Lars　could　endure　to　make　love：　instead　they　sat　close　together；　one　pair　of　hands　linked；　playing　the　maze　game　with　an　intensity　that　bordered　the　irrational。
　Now　Chadria　swung　back　to　the　screens　as　their　progress　to　the　landing　site　closed　with　the　linear　diagram　Samel　displayed　on　the　situation　screen。　Killashandra　could　not　restrain　the　small　gasp　nor　her　instinct　to　clutch　at　Lars's　hands　as　the　two　positions　matched　and　the　scout　ship　settled　to　the　ground。
　〃Here　we　are；〃　Samel　said　in　a　tactfully　expressionless　tone。　〃Ground　transport　is　approaching。　Glad　to　have　had　you　all　aboard　and　I　hope　that　Chadria　and　I　will　meet　you　again。〃
　Chadria　lifted　her　long　frame　from　the　chair；　shaking　hands　with　each　one　in　turn；　clasping　Killashandra's　with　an　encouraging　smile　and　giving　Lars　an　impish　grin　before　she　kissed　his　cheek　in　farewell。　〃Good　luck；　Lars　Dahl！　You'll　e　out　on　top！　Feel　it　in　my　bones。〃
　〃Me。　too；〃　Samel　added；　and　opened　the　two　lock　doors。
　Killashandra　wished　that　she　felt　as　positive。　Then；　suddenly；　there　was　no　way　to　evade　the　inevitable。　They　picked　up　their　carisaks　and　filed　out。　Trag　and　Olav　took　the　lift　down　first；　permitting　Lars　and　Killashandra　a　few　moments　privacy。
　Killashandra　didn't　know　what　she　had　expected　but　the　ground　transport　was　a　four…seat　skimmer；　remote　controlled；　the　purple…gold…and…blue　emblem　of　the　FSP　Judiciary　Branch　unobtrusively　marking　the　door　panel。　She　took　in　a　deep　breath。　Looking　off　to　the　massive　tower　of　the　entrance。　As　she　had　done　for　several　days；　she　repeated　to　herself　that　〃justice　would　prevail；〃　that　the　much　edited　wording　of　the　warrant　would　support　their　hopes。　And　that　the　disclosure　of　subliminal　conditioning　would　result　in　the　swift　dispatch　of　a　revisionary　force　to　overthrow　the　Elders'　tyranny　on　Optheria。
　But　one　Killashandra　Ree；　one…time　resident　of　the　planet　Fuerte；　barely　four　years　a　member　of　the　Heptite　Guild；　had　had　no　encounters　at　all　with　Galactic　Justice；　and　feared　it。　She　had　never　heard　or　known　anyone　who　had　been　either　defendant　or　plaintiff　at　an　FSP　court。　Her　ignorance　rankled　and　her　apprehension　increased。
　Silently　the　four　settled　into　the　skimmer　and　it　puffed　along　on　its　short　return　journey。　It　did　not；　as　Killashandra　half　expected；　stop　at　the　imposing　entrance。　It　ducked　into　an　aperture　to　one　side；　down　a　brightly　lit　subterranean　tunnel；　and　came　to　a　gentle　stop　at　an　unmarked　platform。
　There　a　man　built　on　the　most　generous　of　scales；　uniformed　in　the　Judicial　Livery；　awaited　them。　In　a　state　of　numbness；　Killashandra　emerged。
　〃Killashandra　Ree；〃　the　man　said；　identifying　her　with　a　nod；　not　friendly　but　certainly　not　hostile。　〃Lars　Dahl；　Trag　Morfane；　and　Olav　Dahl。〃　He　nodded　politely　as　he　identified　each　person。　〃My　name　is　Funadormi；　Bailiff　for　Court　256　to　which　this　case　is　assigned。　Follow　me。〃
　〃I　am　Agent　Dahl；　number　…　〃
　〃I　know；〃　the　man　said　pleasantly　enough。　〃Wele　back　from　exile。　This　way。〃　He　stepped　aside　to　allow　them　to　enter　the　lift　which　had　opened　in　the　wall　of　the　platform。　〃It　won't　take　long。〃
　Killashandra　tried　to　convince　herself　that　his　manner　was　reassuring　if　his　appearance　was　daunting。　He　towered　above　them　and　both　Lars　and　Trag　were　tall　men。　Killashandra　and　Olav　were　not　many　millimeters　shorter　but　she　had　never　felt　so　diminished　by　sheer　physical　proportions。　The　lift　moved；　stopped；　and　its　door　panel　slid　open　to　a　corridor；　stretching　out　in　either　direction；　pierced　by　atriums　with　trees　and　other　vegetation。　Gardens　seemed　an　odd　decorative　feature　of　a　Judicial　building　but　did　nothing　to　buoy　Killashandra's　spirits。　She　rearranged　her　fierce　grasp　on　Lars's　fingers；　hoping　that　Funadormi　did　not　see　it　and　that　he　did；　to　show　this　human　representative　of　the　Courts　that　Lars　Dahl　had　her　total　support。
　Funadormi　gestured　to　the　left　and　then　halted　their　progress　at　the　second　door　on　the　left；　which　bore　the　legend　〃Grand　Felony　Court　256。〃
　Killashandra　reeled　against　Lars　Dahl；　Trag　behind　him　placed　a　reassuring　hand　on　his　shoulder；　and　Olav　straightened　his　lean　frame　against　the　imminent　testing　of　a　scheme　that　had　been　entered　rather　lightheartedly。
　Funadormi　thumbed　open　the　panel　and　entered。　It　was　not　the　sort　of　chamber　Killashandra　would　have　recognized　as　judicial。　She　did　recognize　the　psychological　testing　equipment　for　what　it　was；　and　the　armbands　on　the　chair　beside　it。　Fourteen　fortable　seats　faced　that　chair　and　the　wall　screens　and　a　terminal　which　bore　the　Judicial　Seal。　A　starred　flag　of　the　Federated　Sentient　Planets　bearing　the　symbols　indicating　the　nonhuman　sentient　species　was　displayed　in　the　corner。
　The　door　panel　whooshed　shut　behind　them　and　Funadormi　indicated　that　they　were　to　be　seated。　He　faced　the　screen；　squared　his　shoulders；　and　began　the　proceedings。
　〃Bailiff　Funadormi　in　Grand　Felony　Court　256；　in　the　presence　of　the　accused；　Lars　Dahl；　remanded　citizen　of　the　planet　Optheria；　the　arresting　citizen；　Trag　Morfane　of　the　Heptite　Guild；　the　alleged　victim；　Killashandra　Ree；　also　of　the　Heptite　Guild；　and　witness　for　the　accused；　Olav　Dahl；　Agent　Number　AS…4897/KTE；　present　at　this　sitting。　Accused　is　restrained　under　Federal　Sentient　Planet　Warrant　A…1090088…O…FSP55558976。　Permission　to　proceed。〃
　〃Permission　is　granted；〃　replied　a　contralto　voice；　deep　and　oddly　maternal；　definitely　reassuring。　Killashandra　could　feel　her　muscles　unlock　from　the　tenseness　in　which　she　had　been　holding　herself。　〃Will　the　accused　Lars