douglashill.galacticwarlord-第23章

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e　Overseers'　asteroid　…　the　aftermath　of　the　torture　session　at　the　hands　of　Jiker　and　Rish　…　the　reassuring　words　of　Glr。。。
　He　had　manoeuvred　Thr'un　into　using　a　standard　hold…and…throw；　so　basic　in　unarmed　bat　as　to　be　almost　instinctive。　If　performed　properly；　as　Keill's　body　was　swung　up　and　across　his　arm　should　break　neatly　in　about　three　places。
　He　had　been　sure　that　Thr'un；　with　the　orthodoxy　of　his　technique；　would　use　the　hold。　And　he　had　been　sure　that　the　giant　would　not　miss　a　chance　to　cripple　his　opponent's　other　arm；　after　which　he　would　no　doubt　take　his　time　at　kicking　Keill　to　death。
　But　the　arm。。。　did　not　break。
　Keill　flexed　his　body　as　he　arched　through　the　air；　and　his　feet　thudded　firmly　on　to　the　floor；　instantly　finding　balance　and　leverage。　The　tendons　in　his　left　elbow　shrieked　with　the　wrenching　pain；　but　held。
　Thr'un；　expecting　a　shattered　arm　within　his　grasp；　but　finding　instead　that　he　was　holding　an　arm　like　a　steel　bar；　was　dragged　forward　for　a　fleeting　instant；　off…balance；　exposed。
　And　Keill；　oblivious　to　the　blaze　of　agony　in　his　injured　shoulder；　swung　his　right　fist　across　in　a　short　arc　with　precise　timing；　swivelling　his　perfectly　poised　body　as　he　struck；　so　that　all　his　weight；　all　his　fury；　all　his　vengeful　hatred　followed　into　and　through　the　blow。
　In　the　Martial　Games　of　Moros；　such　a　blow　from　the　fist　of　Keill　Randor　had　smashed　through　slabs　of　plasticrete　piled　nearly　a　metre　high　…　had　splintered　a　wooden　post　as　thick　as　Keill's　own　waist　…　had　once　even　crumpled　and　cracked　a　plate　of　niconium　steel。
　Now　that　fist　struck　lethally　at　Thr'un's　temple；　just　above　the　ear　where　the　skull　is　thinnest；　and　crushed　it　like　paper。
　The　huge　armoured　body　was　flung　away　like　a　dry　leaf　in　a　storm；　crashing　to　the　floor　with　a　heavy；　echoing　finality。
　
　Part　four
　Aftermath　and　beginning
　
　Chapter　fourteen
　
　The　viewscreens　showed　the　peaceful；　star…glittering　vastness　of　deep　space。　Far　behind；　on　a　tiny　moon　called　Creffa；　lay　the　molten；　crumbled　ruins　of　what　had　once　been　a　gleaming　space…dome；　flattened　by　the　guns　of　Keill's　spaceship　…　the　last　thing　Keill　had　done　before　his　battle　fury　was　spent；　before　he　had　sagged　back　to　let　Glr　take　the　controls。
　The　little　alien　had　taken　the　ship　leaping　out　beyond　the　planetary　system　of　Saltrenius；　far　into　the　weling　reaches　of　space。　There　her　strange；　small　hands　had　dressed　Keill's　shoulder；　rubbed　medication　on　his　aching；　tormented　muscles　and　generally　attended　to　all　his　hurts。　Now　Keill　lay　back；　luxuriating　in　the　restful　clasp　of　the　slingseat；　and　…　with　the　ship　under　puter　guidance　…　waited　while　Glr　finished　her　long…range　telepathic　report　to　the　Overseers。
　At　last　the　round　eyes　opened。　Talis　regrets　that　the　municator　on　the　dome　had　to　be　destroyed。　It　might　have　provided　some　directional　fix。
　Keill　shook　his　head。　'There　wasn't　much　left　of　it　before　I　destroyed　the　dome；'　he　said　aloud。
　Certainly　the　Overseers　approve　the　dome's　destruction；　Glr　said。　They　wished　no　hints　of　what　happened　there　left　to　be　found　by　searchers　from　the　Warlord。
　'Secrecy　at　all　costs；'　Keill　intoned；　hearing　Glr's　soft　laughter　in　his　mind。
　Talis　is　very　interested　in　your　mention　of　the　group　called　the　Deathwing。　He　regrets　you　were　not　able　to　learn　more　about　it。
　'I　beg　his　pardon；'　Keill　said　sourly。　'That　conversation　ended　a　little　abruptly。'
　The　mental　laughter　rose。　He　understands　that　the　Deathwing　is　a　special　force　from　which　the　Warlord　selects　his　emissaries。　But　he　wonders　if　you　have　any　theories　about　the　others　in　the　group　…especially　the　person　whom　Thr'un　called　'the　One'。
　'Not　really。　Except　that　if　he's　the　leader　of　that　group；　and　someone　like　Thr'un　only　a　follower；　he　must　be　fairly　impressive。'
　Just　so。　Glr's　imitation　of　Talis's　favourite　phrase　made　Keill　grin。　The　Overseers　also　ask　if　you　have　any　doubts　remaining；　about　what　Talis　told　you　during　your　stay　with　them。
　Doubts　？　Keill　felt　again　the　chill　that　had　swept　over　him　in　that　desperate　moment　of　realization　when；　facing　Thr'un；　he　had　learned　that　the　whole　fearful　story　of　the　Warlord　was　true　beyond　all　doubt。
　'Only　one；'　he　said　grimly。　'That　if　I　meet　any　more　members　of　this　Deathwing；　I　doubt　if　I'll　survive　the　encounter。'
　Glr's　bright　eyes　shone　with　amusement　as　she　relayed　the　message。　Talis　is　sure　you　will；　now　that　you　know　more　about　what　to　expect。　He　is　very　pleased　at　being　right　about　his　assessment　of　your　survival　potential。
　'Fine；'　Keill　muttered。　'Tell　him　we're　all　very　pleased　here；　too。'
　He　also　hopes　you　will　now　confirm；　Glr　went　on；　that　you　will　act　as　the　Overseers'　emissary。　To　go　on　their　behalf　to　worlds　that　are　threatened　by　the　Warlord　…　and　to　do　what　you　can　to　oppose　the　threat。
　Keill　knew　what　his　answer　was；　yet　he　hesitated。　On　their　behalf？　But　he　was　still　a　legionary；　if　alone　…　and　he　had　a　job　to　do；　an　unspoken　promise　to　keep；　to　the　dead　of　Moros。　He　did　not　delude　himself　that　the　defeat　of　Thr'un　was　anything　but　a　first；　small　step　in　keeping　that　promise。　Somewhere　the　real　enemy；　the　real　destroyer；　still　lived；　still　strove　to　spread　his　deadly　infection　of　violence　and　murder。
　'Tell　Talis；'　he　said　slowly；　'that　it　is　as　much　my　fight　as　his　…　or　more。　Tell　him　that　I　will　work　with　the　Overseers；　but　not　for　them。　I　will　accept　advice　and　assistance；　but　not　orders。　Tell　him　that　wherever　I　go；　I　will　do　what　I　can　and　what　I　must　…　but　my　way；　without　interference。'
　Talis　understands　the　conditions；　and　agrees。
　'And　do　you　e　along　as　well　？'
　Of　course；　Glr　laughed。　You　would　certainly　never　survive　without　me。
　Keill　lay　back　in　the　slingseat。　In　his　mind's　eye　an　image　formed　…　an　image　that　always　lurked　on　the　edge　of　his　imagination；　that　would　probably　always　continue　to　lurk　there。　The　image　of　the　planet　Moros　as　he　last　saw　it　…　bathed　in　a　glowing　haze　of　lethal　radiation；　in　which　everything　and　everyone　that　Keill　had　loved　had　met　their　deaths。
　And　beyond　that　image；　another；　newer　one。　Like　a　black　shadow　across　his　inner　vision。　The　dark　mystery　of　the　Warlord　…　and　the　shadow　of　the　Deathwing。
　The　Overseers　are　waiting　for　your　confirmation；　Glr　broke　in。
　'Tell　the　Overseers；'　Keill　said；　'confirmed。　Absolutely　confirmed。'
　　



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