douglashill.galacticwarlord-第20章

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　Jiker　was　taking　a　tentative　step　forward。　'Can't　be　faking　…not　after　what　we　gave　him。　Must　be　a　lot　stronger　'n　he　looks。'
　Keill　made　his　chest　heave；　gave　a　choking　rattle　in　his　throat；　then　sagged；　not　breathing。
　Jiker　took　another　stride　forward；　and　bent　over　him；　listening。
　And　with　the　howling；　throbbing　roar　of　a　thousand　devils；　Keill's　spaceship　thundered　past　overhead；　no　more　than　a　man's　height　from　the　upper　surface　of　the　dome。
　Both　men　jerked　their　heads　up；　gaping　fearfully。
　And　Keill　reached；　grasped　Jiker's　tunic；　shifted　his　hips　for　leverage；　and　flung　the　skinny　man　into　Rish's　face。
　Every　muscle　of　his　back　shrieked　its　displeasure；　but　it　was　an　entirely　bearable　pain。　He　swung　round　and　came　to　his　feet；　just　as　Rish；　face　contorted　with　anger；　also　scrambled　upright。　Both　men　had　dropped　their　guns　as　they　sprawled；　but　Rish　was　too　enraged　to　think　about　weapons。　He　lowered　his　head　like　a　bull；　and　charged。
　Keill　swayed　aside；　grasped　and　jerked　at　a　meaty　shoulder　so　that　the　charge　became　a　headlong　plunge。
　The　impact　of　Rish's　forehead　on　the　corner　of　the　metal　platform　echoed　dully　in　the　room。　The　heavy　man　sagged　to　the　floor；　his　face　a　mask　of　blood；　an　indentation　showing　where　a　segment　of　his　skull　had　been　crushed　back　into　his　brain。
　Keill　did　not　glance　at　the　corpse；　for　Jiker　was　scrabbling　across　the　floor　towards　one　of　the　guns。　Keill　sprang　to　intercept　him　…　grasping　him　by　the　belt　and　hurling　him　across　the　room；　where　he　bounced　from　the　wall　and　lay　huddled。　Then　Keill　scooped　up　both　the　jangler　and　his　own　energy…gun。
　'Now　it's　your　turn　to　do　a　little　dance；'　he　growled。
　Jiker　was　jibbering　with　fear。　'How　。　。　。　how　c'n　you　be　alive？'
　'Worry　about　your　own　life；'　Keill　said。　'The　other　men　…where　will　they　be　？'
　'Dunno；'　Jiker　gabbled。　'Canteen；　maybe　…　no！'　His　voice　rose　thinly　as　Keill　aimed　the　jangler　at　him。　'They'll　be　suitin'　up　…　to　go　out　an'　see　what　that　was　just　went　by！'
　Keill　flung　out　a　mental　message。　'Glr；　circle　back　and　disable　their　ship。　Then　bring　the　ship　down　and　fire　a　blast　or　two　just　in　front　of　the　dome's　entrance。'
　To　keep　them　penned　up　inside？　Glr　said；　doubtfully。
　'Yes。'　There　was　a　cold　deadliness　in　the　mental　tone。　'I　want　them　all　in　here；　with　me。'
　As　you　wish；　said　Glr。
　Keill　had　not　taken　his　eyes　from　Jiker。　'Where　will　the　men　be；　suiting　up　？'
　'Equipment　room；　down　th'　other　end　by　th'　entrance。'
　'And　Thr'un？'
　'Maybe　with　'em。。。　Maybe　up　in　th'　dome；　where　he　stays　most　'f　th'　time。。。'　An　evil　glint　lit　up　Jiker's　eyes。　'Y'　won't　get　past　him；　y'know！　He'll　take　y'　apart！　He　ain't　human！'
　Keill　was　about　to　demand　more　detail　on　that　interesting　point　when　the　door　to　the　chamber　was　flung　open。
　One　of　the　other　men　burst　in；　obviously　sent　to　collect　Jiker　and　Rish。　The　pass　Glr　had　made　in　the　ship　had　produced　action。　Thr'un　would　be　organizing　his　men　to　face　a　possible　attack。
　But　Keill　spun　and　fired　…　with　the　beam…gun　…　before　the　newer　could　open　his　mouth。　The　man　screamed　and　toppled；　a　small　flame　licking　for　an　instant　at　the　edge　of　the　hole　burned　by　the　energy　gun　in　the　centre　of　his　chest。　And　in　that　instant　Jiker　scrambled　to　his　feet　and　lunged　desperately　at　Keill。
　Effortlessly　Keill　stepped　within　the　reach　of　the　frantically　clawing　fingers　and　drove　a　short；　jabbing　punch　at　the　side　of　the　long　jaw。　Anger　and　left…over　pain　put　extra　venom　behind　his　fist　…　and　the　angle　of　Jiker's　head；　as　his　body　sprawled；　showed　that　it　was　not　only　janglers　that　broke　necks。
　Beneath　his　feet　the　floor　quivered；　heavy　vibrations　shaking　the　rock　foundation　of　the　dome。　That　would　be　Glr；　making　short　work　of　the　cruiser。
　Keill　moved　quickly　towards　the　door；　bending　over　the　man　he　had　shot；　freeing　his　gun。　A　needier；　just　for　variety。　But　not　much　more　useful　to　Keill　than　the　jangler。　He　dropped　both　weapons　on　the　floor；　and　smashed　them　with　two　driving　blows　of　his　heel。　His　own　beam…gun　would　be　all　the　weapon　he　would　need。
　There　had　been　eight　men；　and　Thr'un　had　made　nine。　Now　there　were　five；　besides　the　giant。
　More　vibrations　underfoot　…　and　then　the　voice　of　Glr　in　Keill's　mind。
　At　the　entrance；　as　requested。　Two　men　in　spacesuits　had　started　to　e　out。　They　have　gone　back　in　at　some　speed。
　'Good；'　Keill　replied。　'Stay　there　and　keep　watch。　And　don't　speak　for　a　while　…I'm　going　to　be　busy。'
　Gun　in　hand；　he　sprang　through　the　door　and　moved　away　along　the　narrow　passage。
　There　had　been　no　one　in　the　passage　…　and　as　Keill　came　to　its　junction　with　the　wide　outer　corridor；　and　peered　carefully　round　the　corner；　there　was　still　no　one　in　sight。　No　doubt　most　of　the　remaining　men　were　collected　at　the　other　end　of　the　dome；　near　the　airlocks；　as　Jiker　had　said。　All　their　attention　would　be　on　the　spaceship　…　with　its　Legion　markings　…　guarding　the　dome's　entrance。　The　last　thing　they　would　expect　would　be　one　man　attacking　them　from　within。　
　And；　because　that　one　man　was　an　armed　legionary　of　Moros；　in　full　fighting　readiness　and　with　a　good　many　scores　to　settle；　it　was　all　too　likely　that　it　would　be　the　last　thing　they　would　expect。
　Keill　turned　into　the　corridor　and　moved　swiftly　and　silently　along　it；　hugging　the　inner　wall。　His　movements　seemed　to　have　eased　the　pain　from　his　strained　and　tortured　muscles；　and　he　moved　as　lightly　and　fluidly　as　he　ever　did。　He　slowed　his　pace　as　he　neared　the　opening　of　another　connecting　passage。　A　careful　glance　round　…　and　again　no　one。　But　soon；　he　was　certain；　the　curving　main　corridor　would　reveal　the　opening　of　the　airlock　at　the　dome's　entrance。。。
　And　there　it　was；　and　two　men　in　space　suits；　with　guns　in　their　hands　…　energy　guns。　They　hesitated　only　for　a　second；　astonished　at　the　sight　of　him；　then　jerked　up　their　guns　and　fired。
　Keill　dived　full　length　straight　ahead。　His　left　hand　slapped　on　the　smooth　metal　floor　to　break　his　fall；　as　the　beams　from　the　others'　guns　sizzled　above　his　head。　Then　he　was　sliding　a　few　paces；　full　length　on　the　floor；　but　his　own　gun　was　rocksteady　in　his　right　hand；　blazing　out　its　deadliness。
　The　two　men　dropped　with　a　clatter；　and　Keill　was　up　again。　To　the　left　of　the　spacesuited　bodies；　a　doorway　that　had　to　be　the　end　chamber　where　the　others　were　gathered。　Three　left　now；　besides　the　giant。
　He　flattened　against　the　wall；　swiftly　glanced　round　the　edge　of　the　door　and　drew　back。　Energy　beams　hissed　past；　biting　into　the　doorframe；　the　metal　sliding　and　dripping　as　it　melted。　Two　of　them；　waiting；　hidden　behind　metal　cases　in　what　must　be　the　equipment　room。　He　could　hear　their　voices；　high…pitched　and　nervous　in　the　face　of　this　unexpected　attack。
　Beyond　them；　he　had　seen　in　that　lightning　glance；　had　been　another　doorway。　And　somewhere　there　was　a　third　man。。。
　He　moved　quietly　away　from　the　door。　The　two　inside　the　equipment　room　would　keep　for　a　moment　…　they　were　not　likely　to　move。　But　the　third　man　was　probably　trying　to　circle；　to　get　behind　Keill。　Would　he　use　the　nearest　connecting　passage；　the　one　Keill　had　just　e　past　？
　Apparently　he　would。　Keill　waited　at　the　corner　of　the　passage；　ears　straining；　and　caught　the　muffled　slide　of　boots　on　metal　as　the　man　crept　forward。　Listening　carefully；　Keill　waited　…　not　a　muscle　moving；　hardly　breathing；　as　if　he　were　carved　in　stone。
　Another　soft　shuffle　of　a　foot　…　nearer　now。　Carefully　Keill　weighed　the　distance　and　the　timing；　poising　himself；　silently　shifting　his　gun　to　his　left　hand　。。。
　Then　the　other　man　put　his　head　round　the　corner；　and　met　the　axe…edge　of　Keill's　hand　across　his　throat。
　Keill　caught　the　body　as　it　collapsed；　easing　it　soundlessly　to　the　floor；　ignoring　the　purple…black　of　the　face　as　the　man　died　swiftly　from　a　crushed　larynx。　Silent　as　before；　he　drifted　along　the　narrow　connecting　passage；　rounded　the　corner；　then　let　his　boots　ring　solidly　on　the　metal　as　he　stepped　through　the　doorway　into　the　chamber　behind　the　last　two　men　who　waited；　watching　nervously　in　the　wrong　direction。
　They　swung　round　in　panic；　wildly　trying　to　bring　their　guns　to　bear；　and　Keill　dropped　them　with　one　shot　apiece。
　And　now　th