douglashill.galacticwarlord-第20部分

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dominal　armour　extended　to　cover　the　loins；　the　belly　and　the　kidneys；　stretching　up　over　the　solar　plexus　and　the　lower　ribs。
　All　the　weaker　points　on　the　human　body　…　from　neck　to　thigh　…　were；　on　Thr'un；　protected　from　harm。
　Keill　had　backed　away　a　step；　involuntarily。　But　he　saw　the　sadistic　light　in　the　giant's　eyes；　and　fought　to　bring　his　shock　and　revulsion　under　control　…　willing　his　aching；　wounded　body　into　the　poised　relaxation　of　bat　readiness。　His　right　shoulder　felt　as　if　naked　flame　was　still　eating　at　his　flesh。　But　it　was　not　a　crippling　wound；　he　knew。　Beyond　the　pain；　he　still　had　the　use　of　the　arm。
　Yet　he　let　it　dangle　limply；　as　if　the　shoulder　was　shattered。　Over…confidence　might　be　the　only　weakness　that　Thr'un　would　show。
　Then　the　giant　attacked；　without　warning。
　Keill　was　nearly　trapped　by　the　speed　and　power　of　the　rush。　But　he　managed　to　dodge　one　blow；　block　another；　and　spin　away　out　of　reach。　Instantly　Thr'un　was　upon　him　again　…and　again　Keill　evaded　the　attack；　twisting　away。
　It　became　the　pattern　of　the　fight。　Keill　remained　on　the　defensive　…　dodging；　blocking；　circling；　relying　on　his　balance　and　speed　of　reflexes　to　preserve　him。　But　it　was　a　dangerous　game。　With　his　injury　and　loss　of　blood；　and　the　after…effects　of　the　jangler；　he　was　likely　to　tire　and　weaken　before　Thr'un　did。　And　he　was　still　persisting　in　using　only　his　left　arm　to　defend　himself。
　Also；　Thr'un　was　swift；　immensely　strong；　and　considerably　skilled。　Not；　for　all　his　boasting；　up　to　Legion　standards；　Keill　had　soon　realized。　Thr'un's　bat　skills　were　a　little　too　orthodox；　a　little　too　predictable　and　unimaginative。
　But　that　offered　small　advantage　…　when　the　uncanny　body　armour　protected　him　so　well。
　And　Keill　soon　found　out　how　well。　Knowing　that　he　could　not　last　in　a　prolonged　battle；　he　took　the　fight　to　Thr'un　more　and　more；　counter…attacking　out　of　defence。　But　he　found　that　striking　the　armour　was　like　hitting　a　padded　wall。　The　thick；　leathery　substance　seemed　to　give　slightly　under　any　blow；　absorbing　its　power；　so　that　Thr'un　was　hardly　troubled；　Keill　had　to　look　for　targets　on　the　head　or　legs　…and　the　giant；　knowing　he　could　leave　his　torso　virtually　undefended；　could　more　easily　block　or　evade；　preventing　Keill　from　landing　an　effective　blow。
　So　they　fought　on；　Keill　still　circling；　defending；　probing　for　an　opening　that　seemed　never　to　e　…　the　giant　still　aggressive；　confident。　Each　attack　was　a　flurry　of　blows　and　counters；　a　blur　of　weaving；　swaying　bodies。　The　giant　feinting　with　a　straight　right…hand　slash　at　the　belly；　the　left　hand　whipping　across　to　chop　at　the　neck　…　Keill　sliding　inside　the　blow；　heel　of　the　left　hand　driving　up　…　Thr'un　blocking　and　striking　for　the　face　in　the　same　fluid　motion　…　Keill　dropping　almost　to　one　knee；　a　foot　lashing　out　at　a　kneecap　…　Thr'un　swivelling　away　from　the　kick；　his　own　foot　countering　to　smash　at　Keill's　jaw　…　Keill　rolling　away；　ing　to　his　feet；　fingers　flickering　out　in　a　stab　at　the　eyes　as　the　giant　leaped　again；　huge　hands　clutching。。。
　Weariness　began　to　seep　into　Keill's　limbs；　and　his　breathing　grew　heavier。　His　time　was　running　out。　Now　the　giant　was　reaching　him　more　often；　as　Keill's　energy　flagged。　Time　and　again　only　desperate　reflex　turned　a　crushing　elbow…smash　from　Thr'un　into　a　glancing　graze；　only　reflex　dragged　his　thigh　around　to　deflect　a　hurtling　kick　to　the　groin。　And　each　of　these　times　Keill　staggered；　and　a　little　more　strength　drained　from　his　weary；　damaged　body。
　But　his　mind　was　still　a　legionary's　mind　…　controlled；　disciplined；　aware。　He　did　not　miss　the　glitter　of　anticipation　and　triumph　in　Thr'un's　eyes　whenever　Keill　staggered；　or　when　one　of　Keill's　attacks　failed。　And　Keill　did　not　hesitate　when　his　mind　weighed　up　the　danger；　and　produced　what　could　be　his　only；　desperately　risky　chance　to　survive。
　The　giant　was　given　to　gloating；　to　over…confidence。　He　had　already　been　led　to　believe　that　Keill　had　only　one　usable　arm。　Lead　him　on　a　little　further　。。。
　Now　as　he　circled　and　countered；　Keill　let　his　body　sag　even　more；　let　himself　stumble　and　catch　himself　more　often；　let　his　breathing　bee　ragged　panting。
　The　gleam　grew　in　Thr'un's　eyes；　his　teeth　flashed　in　a　victory　smile；　as　he　plunged　in　pursuit　of　his　apparently　collapsing　opponent。
　Any　moment　now；　Keill　told　himself　as　he　weakly　swayed　aside　from　a　flailing　boot；　pretending　to　half…stagger　before　recovering。　He　circled　again；　moving　carefully。　The　timing　had　to　be　perfect；　Thr'un　had　to　approach　at　exactly　the　right　angle；　and　had　to　respond　in　exactly　the　right；　orthodox；　predictable　way。。。
　The　giant　hurtled　forward；　just　as　Keill　wanted　him　to。　And　Keill　swung　his　left　fist；　slowing　the　punch　slightly；　invitingly。
　Thr'un　took　the　invitation。　One　hand　flashed　up　and　grasped　Keill's　wrist；　the　other　huge　arm　clamped　his　elbow。　Then　the　giant　pivoted；　twisted；　and　threw。
　In　the　microsecond　before　his　feet　left　the　floor；　a　flurry　of　images　passed　through　Keill's　mind。　The　unbelievable　words　of　Talis；　on　the　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　f