The Eisenhorn TrilogyXenos(科幻战争)-第38部分

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'Do　something！'　Riggre　screamed。
'We　have　to　get　him　to　an　infirmary。　Kasr　Derth　is　the　nearest。　We　have　to　get　him　there　quickly　or　he's　dead！'
'That's　ridiculous；　doctor！'　said　Riggre。　'You　must　be　able　to　do　something…'
'Not　here。'
'Call　up　a　flight；　Riggre；'　Fischig　said。
'He's　a　primary　level　prisoner　of　the　Inquisition！　We　can't　just　take　him　out　of　here！'
'Then　get　Osma—'
'He's　gone　back　to　the　mainland　for　the　night。'
Fischig's　voice　was　low。　'Are　you　going　to　be　the　one　to　tell　Osma　you　let　his　prize　captive　die　on　the　floor　of　his　cell？'
'N…no…'
'I'll　tell　him；　then。　I'll　tell　Osma　that　his　man　Riggre　cheated　him　of　the　greatest　prosecution　of　his　career　because　he　couldn't　be
bothered　to　authorise　transport　and　thus　let　Eisenhorn　die　of　toxic　shock　in　this　prison　stack！'
'Call　up　transport！'　Riggre　shouted　at　the　guards。　'Now！'
THEY　CARRIED　ME　up　to　the　stone…cut　landing　pad　on　a　stretcher。　Voices　yelled　and　argued　in　the　biting　wind　and　blizzard…filled
darkness。　The　medic　had　fixed　up　an　intravenous　drip　and　was　trying　to　slow　my　symptoms　with　a　few　drugs　from　his　kit。
The　pad　lights　flickered　on；　cold　and　white；　and　backlit　the　swirling　snow　into　black　dots。
A　Cadian　shuttle　came　in　low；　its　attitude　thrusters　shaking　the　pad　and　swirling　the　snowfall　in　random　directions。
They　carried　me　into　the　green…lit　interior；　and　the　worst　of　the　cold　and　weather　was　stolen　away　as　the　hatch　shut。　I　felt　the　sudden
yaw　of　the　ship　as　we　lifted　up　and　turned　away　towards　the　mainland。　Fischig　loomed　over　me；　adjusting　the　restraining　straps　that
held　me　into　the　shuttle's　cot。　Over　the　roar　of　the　engines；　I　could　hear　Riggre　shouting　at　the　pilot。
Covertly；　Fischig　slid　an　injector　vial　from　his　coat　and　fixed　it　into　the　intravenous　rig　in　place　of　the　prison　doctor's　injector。
I　began　to　feel　better　almost　at　once。
'Stay　still；　and　breathe　slowly；'　Fischig　whispered。　'And　hold　on　tight。　Things　are　about　to　get…　bumpy。'
'Contact！　Three　kilometres　and　coming　in　hard！'　I　heard　the　co…pilot　blurt。
'What　the　hell　is　that？'　Riggre　demanded。
There　was　a　pinging　sound　from　the　shuttle's　transponder。
'Throne　of　Earth！　They've　got　a　target…lock　on　us！'　exclaimed　the　pilot。
'Attention；　shuttle；'　a　voice　crackled　over　the　open　vox。　'Set　down　on　the　islet　west　five…two　by　three…six。　Now；　or　I　will　shoot　you　out
of　the　air！'
My　vision　was　settling　now。　I　looked　across　the　green…lit　cabin　and　saw　Riggre　pull　a　laspistol。
'What　treachery　is　this？'　he　asked；　looking　at　Fischig。
'I　think　you　should　do　as　you　were　asked　and　set　down　right　now；'　said　Fischig　calmly。
Riggre　made　to　fire　the　pistol；　but　there　was　a　searing　flash　of　light。　Fischig　burned　Riggre　with　a　blast　from　the　digi…weapon　built　into
the　jokaero…made　ring　on　his　right　index　finger。　An　item　of　Maxilla's　jewellery；　I　realised。
Fischig　fired　another　shot　that　vaporised　the　vox…system。

'Down！'　he　ordered　the　pilot；　pointing　the　ring　at　him。
THE　SHUTTLE　MADE　emergency　groundfall　in　a　snowstorm　on　the　rocky　beach　of　the　uninhabited　islet。
'Hands　on　your　heads！'　Fischig　ordered　the　crewmen　as　he　bundled　me　out　of　the　hatch　and　into　the　blizzard。
I　could　barely　walk　and　he　had　to　support　me。
'You　poisoned　me；'　I　gasped。
'I　had　to　make　it　convincing。　Aemos　prepared　a　dose　that　would　reactivate　the　binary　poison　in　your　body。　Pye's　poison。'
'You　bastards！'
'Hah！　A　man　who　can　curse　is　far　from　dead。　Come　on！'
He　half…carried　me　across　the　shingle　into　the　oceanic　gale；　snowflakes　stinging　our　faces。　Lights　swooped　down　ahead　of　us　as　the
gun…cutter　came　in；　executing　a　perfect；　Betancore…style　landing　on　the　icy　shingle。
Fischig　bundled　me　up　the　landing　ramp　into　the　arms　of　Bequin　and　Inshabel。
'Dear　lord；　have　you　thought　this　through？'　I　wheezed。
'Of　course　we　have！'　Bequin　snapped。　'Nathun！　Get　a　booster　shot　of　antivenin！'
FOR　THE　SECOND　time　in　under　two　years；　I　was　dead。　From　binary　poison　at　the　hands　of　Beldame　Sadia's　henchmen　on　Lethe；　and
now；　dead　in　a　shuttle…crash；　brought　down　in　a　winter…storm　over　the　Caducades　on　Cadia。
The　gun…cutter　lofted　from　the　beach；　ran　the　length　of　it；　and　then　came　back　towards　the　downed　shuttle。
May　the　Emperor　forgive　me　and　my　staff　for　the　deaths　of　Riggre　and　the　two　flight　crew。　Their　deaths　were　the　only　way　I　could
maintain　my　security。
'Fire；'　I　heard　Nayl　tell　Medea。
The　gun…cutter's　ordnance　strafed　the　Cadian　shuttle　and　blew　it　apart。　By　dawn；　the　jetsam　along　the　remote　islet's　shore　would
suggest　nothing　but　a　tragic　crash　caused　by　the　hellish　storms。
WE　BANKED　UP　through　the　cover　of　the　storms　towards　orbital　space。　Though　no　one　told　me；　I　knew　our　flight　plan　was　covered　by
someone　else's　authority　code。
Neve's　was　my　guess。　Probably　with　her　permission。
The　Essene　was　waiting　for　us。
'Now　what？'　I　asked　Fischig　hoarsely。
'Dammit；　I've　risked　everything　I　count　dear　to　get　you　this　far；'　he　replied。　'I　was　kind　of　hoping　you'd　know　what　to　do　now。'
'Cinchare；'　I　said。　'Tell　Maxilla　to　get　us　to　Cinchare。'
THERE　ARE　SOME　secrets　that　are　worth　keeping。
'What's　at　Cinchare？'　Bequin　asked。
'An　old　friend；'　I　said。
'Not　a　friend；　exactly；'　added　Aemos。
'No。　Aemos　is　right。　An　old　associate。'
'Two　old　associates；　to　be　specific；'　Aemos　added。
'Bequin　pulled　a　particularly　angry　face。　'You　pair　and　your　old　intimacies。　Why　don't　you　ever　give　a　straight　answer？'
'Because　the　less　you　kno　you　if　we're　caught；'　I　said。
'THE　NEW　LEAN　you；'　syruped　Maxilla　as　I　walked　onto　the　Essene's　bridge。
I　had　shaved　away　my　beard；　had　my　ragged　hair　clipped　back；　and　dressed　in　a　suit　of　black　linen　after　my　shower。　I　was　still　terribly
weak　on　my　feet　and　in　no　mind　for　Maxilla's　foolery。
'Course　is　set　for　Cinchare；'　Maxilla　said　stiffly；　apparently　recognising　my　mood。　His　gold…masked　servitors　chimed　in　agreement。
His　hooded　navigator；　all　senses　fixed　on　some　different；　quite　other　place；　said　nothing。
'I　have　a　question；'　said　Inshabel。　He　was　seated　at　secondary　navigation　position；　reviewing　the　star…maps。　'Why　Cinchare？　A　mining
world　out　in　the　edges　of　the　Segmentum；　almost　a　Halo　Star。　I　thought　we'd　be　trying　to　find　Quixos。'
'There's　no　point。'
'What？'　Maxilla　and　Inshabel　asked；　almost　in　unison。
I　sat　down　on　a　padded　leather　seat。　'Why　make　the　endeavour　to　find　Quixos　when　he　would　surely　kill　us　at　a　stroke？　We've　barely
survived　individual　encounters　with　two　of　his　daemonhosts。　We　haven't　the　strength　to　fight　him。'
'So？'　asked　Inshabel。
'So　the　first　thing　we　do　is　find　the　strength。　Prepare。　Arm　ourselves。　Make　ourselves　ready　to　take　down　one　of　the　most　powerful
evils　in　the　Imperium。'
'And　for　that　we　need　to　go　to　Cinchare？'　Inshabel　whispered。
'Cinchare's　the　start；　Nathun；'　I　said。　'Trust　me。'

SEVENTEEN
ROGUE　STAR。
DOCTOR　SAVINE；　CORA　AND　MR　HORN。
IN　THE　ANNEX。
EVEN　AT　FULL　warp；　it　took　the　Essene　thirty　weeks　to　reach　Cinchare。
True；　we　took　a　circuitous　route；　avoiding　all　possible　encounters　with　the　forces　of　the　Imperium。　I　hated　that。　For　once；　I　hated　the
subterfuge。
We　learned；　indirectly；　a　few　weeks　into　the　voyage；　that　my　escape　from　Cadia　had　been　discovered。　The　Inquisition　…　and　other
agencies　…　were　hunting　me。　I　had　been　formally　declared　Heretic　and　Extremis　Diabolus。　Lord　Rorken　had　finally　counter…signed
Osma's　carta。
I　was　now　something　I　had　never　been　before。
A　fugitive。　A　renegade。　And　in　aiding　me；　my　band　of　comrades　had　made　themselves　fugitives　too。
We　had　a　few　scrapes。　Refuelling　at　Mallid；　we　were　discovered　and　pursued　by　an　unidentified　warship　which　we　lost　in　the
empyrean。　At　Avignor；　a　squadron　of　Ecclesiarchy　battle…boats；　standing　picket　watch　along　the　border　of　the　diocese；　tried　to　run　us
to　ground。　We　only　escaped　that　one　thanks　to　a　combination　of　Maxilla's　shipcraft　and　Medea's　fighting　nous。
On　Trexia　Beta；　Nayl　and　Fischig　ran　across　a　band　of　arbites　hunters　while　they　were　trying　to　hire　an　astropath。　They　never　told　me
how　many　they　had　been　forced　to　kill；　but　it　sat　badly　with　them　for　weeks。
On　Anemae　Gulfward；　Bequin　succeeded　in　obtaining　the　services　of　an　astropath；　a　sickly　female　called　Tasaera　Ungish。　When
Ungish　found　out　who　I　was；　she　begged　to　be　returned　to　her　backwater　world。　It　took　a　long　time　to　convince　her　that　she　was　in　no
danger　from　me。　I　had　to　open　my　mind　to　her　in　the　end。
At　Oet's　Star；　we　were　discovered　by　an　Inquisitor　Frontalle　during　a　resupply　layover。　As　it　was　with　Riggre　and　the　Cadian　pilots；　I
will　always　be　haunted　by　those　necessary　deaths。　I　tried　to　reason　with　Frontalle。　I　tried　very　hard。　A　young　man；　he　believed　that
taking　me　down　was　the　key　to　a　famous　career。　Eisenhorn　the　Heretic；　he　kept　calling　me。　They　were　the　last　words　on　his　lips　when
I　pitched　him　into　the　geothermal　heating　exchanger。
From　Trexia　Beta　onwards；　there　was　an　almost　permanent　rumour　that　a　kill…team　of　the　Ordo　Malleus's　Grey　Knights　was　hunting
us。　And　the　Ordo　Xenos's　Deathwatch　Chapter　too。
I　prayed　to　my　God…Emperor　that　I　could　complete　this　task　before　the　forces　of　righteousness　overtook　me。　And　I　prayed　to　him　that
my　friends　might　be　spared。
BETWEEN　THOSE　ESCAPADES；　there　were　only　the　long；　slow　weeks　of　trans