douglashill.galacticwarlord-第18部分
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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 there was only Thr'un。
A quick but careful survey of the remainder of the dome's lower level confirmed what Jiker had said。 The giant was certainly on the upper level … where he had no doubt gone to look out at the Legion ship that lay in wait at the dome's entrance。
Keill paused at the bottom of the stairs that led to the upper level； staring up at the curving wall； with a patch of stars glinting through the plastiglass at the crest of the dome。 One set of stairs； which emerged through the floor of the top level； so that at the top Keill would be in full view of the waiting Thr'un。
He ghosted up a few steps in total silence； then halted； crouching； and projected a call。 'Glr … another diversion。 Fire a blast over the dome； as close as you can'
At your service； came the cheerful reply。
The plastiglass flared with eerie light as the narrow beam of energy blazed past overhead。 In the same instant Keill sprang up the remaining stairs； dived and rolled。
Another； narrower beam flashed centimetres away from where he had been； burning deep into the floor。 But Keill had found refuge behind a heap of discarded cases； and lay there； listening carefully； looking over his surroundings。
Clearly Thr'un's men had seen no need to be tidy…minded in their occupancy of the dome。 Nor had the scientific group who had first used the structure been any more inclined to neatness when they left。 The upper level； which was one large chamber with the dome itself as ceiling； was filled with clutter and rubble。
There were discarded cases and containers of every size and shape； scattered and heaped at random。 There were what seemed to be stacks of spare parts for machinery； and segments of scientific equipment； probably damaged and thrown aside as irrepairable。 There were even a few mounds of rock … no doubt samples from the surface of the moon； left behind after examination。
It all meant useful cover； for anyone wishing to keep hidden in the wide chamber。 But it was cover for Thr'un as much as Keill。
Then Keill saw that there was a considerable cleared space along one
