gc.thewhiterose-第22章

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　　　Meantime；　smoke　began　to　waft　up　over　the　ruined　walls　of　Rust。　One…Eye's　mission　had　succeeded。　Somebody　was　doing　something。　Some　of　the　imperials　pulled　out　and　hurried　back　to　deal　with　it。
　　　As　the　stars　came　out　I　told　Tracker；　〃Guess　we'll　soon　know　if　the　Lieutenant　was　right。〃
　　　He　just　looked　puzzled。
　　　Imperial　horns　sounded　signals。　panies　moved　toward　the　wall。　He　and　I　stood　to　our　bows；　seeking　targets　that　were　difficult　in　the　darkness；　though　there　was　a　bit　of　moon。　Out　of　the　nowhere；　he　asked；　〃What's　she　like；　Croaker？〃
　　　〃What？　Who？〃　I　let　fly。
　　　〃The　Lady。　They　say　you　met　her。〃
　　　〃Yeah。　A　long　time　ago。〃
　　　〃Well？　What's　she　like？〃　He　loosed。　A　cry　answered　the　twang　of　his　bowstring。　He　seemed　perfectly　calm。　Seemed　unaware　that　he　might　die　in　minutes。　That　disturbed　me。
　　　〃About　what　you'd　expect；〃　I　replied。　What　could　I　say？　My　contacts　with　her　were　but　sketchy　memories　now。　〃Hard　and　beautiful。〃
　　　The　answer　did　not　satisfy　him。　It　never　satisfies　anyone。　But　it　is　the　best　I　can　give。
　　　〃What　did　she　look　like？〃
　　　〃I　don't　know；　Tracker。　I　was　scared　shitless。　And　she　did　things　to　my　mind。　I　saw　a　young；　beautiful　woman。　But　you　can　see　those　anywhere。〃
　　　His　bow　twanged；　was　answered　by　another　cry。　He　shrugged。　〃I　sort　of　wondered。〃　He　began　loosing　more　quickly。　The　imperials　were　close　now。
　　　I　swear；　he　never　missed。　I　loosed　when　I　saw　something；　but　。　。　。　He　has　eyes　like　an　owl。　All　I　saw　was　shadows　among　shadows。
　　　Goblin；　One…Eye；　and　Silent　did　what　they　could。　Their　witcheries　painted　the　field　with　short…lived　little　flares　and　screams。　What　they　could　do　was　not　enough。　Ladders　slapped　against　the　wall。　Most　went　right　back　over　again。　But　men　came　up　a　few。　Then　there　were　a　dozen　more。　I　scattered　arrows　into　the　darkness；　almost　randomly；　as　quickly　as　I　could；　then　drew　my　sword。
　　　The　rest　of　the　men　did　likewise。
　　　The　Lieutenant　shouted；　〃It's　here！〃
　　　I　flicked　a　glance　at　the　stars。　Yes。　A　vast　shape　had　appeared　overhead。　It　was　settling。　The　Lieutenant　had　guessed　right。
　　　Now　all　we　had　to　do　was　get　aboard。
　　　Some　of　the　young　men　broke　for　the　parade　ground。　The　Lieutenant's　curses　did　not　slow　them。　Neither　did　Elmo's　snarls　and　threats。　The　Lieutenant　yelled　for　the　rest　of　us　to　follow。
　　　Goblin　and　One…Eye　loosed　something　nasty。　For　a　moment　I　thought　it　was　some　cruel　conjured　demon。　It　looked　vile　enough。　And　it　did　stall　the　imperials。　But　like　much　of　their　magic；　it　was　illusion；　not　substance。　The　enemy　soon　caught　on。
　　　But　we　had　us　a　head　start。　The　men　reached　the　parade　before　the　imperials　recollected　themselves。　They　roared；　certain　they　had　us。
　　　I　reached　the　windwhale　as　it　touched　down。　Silent　snagged　my　arm　as　I　started　to　scramble　aboard。　He　indicated　the　documents　we　had　scrounged。　〃Oh；　damn！　There　isn't　time。〃
　　　Men　scrambled　past　me　during　my　moment　of　indecision。　Then　I　tossed　sword　and　bow　topside　and　began　pitching　bundles　up　to　Silent；　who　got　somebody　to　relay　them　to　the　top。
　　　A　gang　of　imperials　charged　toward　us。　I　started　for　an　abandoned　sword；　saw　I　could　not　reach　it　in　time；　thought：　Oh；　shit…not　now；　not　here。
　　　Tracker　stepped　between　me　and　them。　His　blade　was　like　something　out　of　legend。　He　killed　three　men　in　the　blink　of　an　eye；　wounded　another　two　before　the　imperials　decided　they　faced　someone　preternatural。　He　took　the　offensive；　though　still　outnumbered。　Never　have　I　seen　a　sword　used　with　such　skill；　style；　economy；　and　grace。　It　was　a　part　of　him；　an　extension　of　his　will。　Nothing　could　stand　before　it。　For　that　moment　I　could　believe　old　tales　about　magic　swords。
　　　Silent　kicked　me　in　the　back；　signed　at　me；　〃Quit　gawking　and　get　moving。〃　I　tossed　up　the　last　two　bundles；　began　scaling　the　monster。
　　　The　men　Tracker　faced　received　reinforcements。　He　retreated。　From　up　top　someone　sped　arrows　down。　But　I　did　not　think　he　would　make　it。　I　kicked　at　a　man　who　had　gotten　behind　him。　Another　took　his　place；　leapt　at　me　。　。　。
　　　Toadkiller　Dog　came　out　of　nowhere。　He　locked　his　jaws　in　my　assailant's　throat。　The　man　gurgled；　responded　as　he　might　have　if　bitten　by　a　krite。　He　lasted　only　a　second。
　　　Toadkiller　Dog　dropped　away。　I　climbed　a　few　feet；　still　trying　to　guard　Tracker's　back。　He　reached　up。　I　caught　his　hand　and　heaved。
　　　There　were　awful　shouts　and　screams　among　the　imperials。　It　was　too　dark　to　see　why。　I　figured　One…Eye；　Goblin；　and　Silent　were　earning　their　keep。
　　　Tracker　flung　up　past　me；　took　a　firm　hold；　helped　me。　I　climbed　a　few　feet；　looked　down。
　　　The　ground　was　fifteen　feet　below。　The　windwhale　was　going　up　fast。　The　imperials　stood　around　gawking。　I　fought　my　way　to　the　top。
　　　I　looked　down　again　as　someone　dragged　me　to　safety。　The　fires　in　Rust　were　beneath　us。　Several　hundred　feet　below。　We　were　going　up　fast。　No　wonder　my　hands　were　cold。
　　　Chills　were　not　the　reason　I　lay　down　shaking；　though。
　　　After　it　passed；　I　asked；　〃Anybody　hurt？　Where's　my　medical　kit？〃
　　　Where；　I　wondered；　were　the　Taken？　How　had　we　gotten　through　the　day　without　a　visit　from　our　beloved　enemy　the　Limper？
　　　Going　home　I　noticed　more　than　I　did　ing　north。　I　felt　the　life　beneath　me；　the　grumble　and　hum　within　the　monster。　I　noted　pre…adolescent　mantas　peeping　from　nesting　places　among　the　appendages　which　forested　parts　of　the　whale's　back。　And　I　saw　the　Plain　in　a　different　light；　with　the　moon　up　to　illuminate　it。
　　　It　was　another　world；　spare　and　crystalline　at　times；　luminescent　at　others；　sparkling　and　glowing　in　spots。　What　looked　like　lava　pools　lay　to　the　west。　Beyond；　the　flash　and　curl　of　a　change　storm　illuminated　the　horizon。　I　suppose　we　were　crossing　its　backtrail。　Later；　deeper　into　the　Plain；　the　desert　became　more　mundane。
　　　Our　steed　was　not　the　cowardly　windwhale。　This　one　was　smaller　and　smelled　less　strongly。　It　was　more　spritely；　too；　and　less　tentative　in　its　movements。
　　　About　twenty　miles　from　home　Goblin　squealed；　〃Taken！〃　and　everyone　went　flat。　The　whale　climbed。　I　peeked　over　its　side。
　　　Taken　for　sure；　but　not　interested　in　us。　There　was　a　lot　of　flash　and　roar　way　down　there。　Patches　of　desert　were　aflame。　I　saw　the　long；　creepy　shadows　of　walking　trees　on　the　move；　the　shapes　of　mantas　rushing　across　the　light。　The　Taken　themselves　were　afoot；　except　one　desperado　aloft　battling　the　mantas。　The　one　aloft　was　not　the　Limper。　I　would　have　recognized　his　tattered　brown　even　at　that　distance。
　　　Whisper；　surely。　Trying　to　escort　the　others　out　of　enemy　territory。　Great。　They　would　be　busy　for　a　few　days。
　　　The　windwhale　began　to　descend。　（For　the　sake　of　these　Annals；　I　wish　part　of　a　passage　had　taken　place　by　day　so　I　could　record　more　details。）　It　touched　down　shortly。　From　the　ground　a　menhir　called；　〃Get　down。　Hurry。〃
　　　Getting　off　was　more　trouble　than　boarding。　The　wounded　now　realized　they　were　hurt。　Everyone　was　tired　and　stiff。　And　Tracker　would　not　move。
　　　He　was　catatonic。　Nothing　reached　him。　He　just　sat　there；　staring　at　infinity。　〃What　the　hell？〃　Elmo　demanded。　〃What's　wrong　with　him？〃
　　　〃I　don't　know。　Maybe　he　got　hit。〃　I　was　baffled。　And　the　more　so　once　we　got　him　into　some　light　so　I　could　examine　him。　There　was　nothing　physically　wrong。　He　had　e　through　without　a　bruise。
　　　Darling　came　outside。　She　signed；　〃You　were　right；　Croaker。　I　am　sorry。　I　thought　it　would　be　a　stroke　so　bold　it　would　fire　the　whole　world。〃　Of　Elmo；　she　asked；　〃How　many　lost？〃
　　　〃Four　men。　I　don't　know　if　they　were　killed　or　just　got　left。〃　He　seemed　ashamed。　The　Black　pany　does　not　leave　its　brethren　behind。
　　　〃Toadkiller　Dog；〃　Tracker　said。　〃We　left　Toadkiller　Dog。〃
　　　One…Eye　disparaged　the　mutt。　Tracker　rose　angrily。　He　had　salvaged　nothing　but　his　sword。　His　magnificent　case　and　arsenal　remained　in　Rust　with　his　mongrel。
　　　〃Here　now；〃　the　Lieutenant　snapped。　〃None　of　that。　One…Eye；　go　below。　Croaker；　keep　an　eye　on　this　man。　Ask　Darling　if　the　guys　who　ran　out　yesterday　made　it　back。〃
　　　Elmo　and　I　both　did。
　　　Her　answer　was　not　reassuring。　The　great　cowardly　windwhale　dumped　them　a　hundred　miles　north；　according　to　the　menhirs。　At　least　it　descended　before　forcing　them　off。
　　　They　were　walkin