16_world_killers-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Somebody　had　to　ask　the　question。　The　fate　of　worlds　was　riding　on　what　the　Sentinels　would　do。　Moralists　would　say　that　the　lives　of　four　individuals　were　as　important　as　the　life　of　a　planet　or　the　oute　of　a　war；　but　Vince　didn't　have　the　luxury　of　dealing　with　the　abstract。

He　wiped　the　perspiration　from　Lisa's　brow　with　a　cloth　and　pulled　the　blanket　back　up　under　her　chin。　He　looked　at　the　other　stricken　Sentinels。

Here　were　four　lives　that　would　e　to　an　end　unless　the　virtually　miraculous　Haydonian　healing　crafts　were　brought　to　bear。　But　what　might　the　survival　of　the　Hunters　and　the　others　cost？

The　Invid　sounded　so　acmodating…it　could　only　be　some　sort　of　trick。　Vince　drew　a　breath　and　smoothed　out　his　uniform　tunic。　Given　his　size；　no　one…least　of　all；　an　XT…was　likely　to　notice　the　bulge　of　the　Badger　assault　pistols　he　was　wearing　in　shoulder　rigs　under　each　armpit。　If　this　was　a　trap；　the　Regent's　hordes　would　find　out　how　expensive　a　pricetag　such　a　seemingly　simple　skirmish　could　carry。

Vince　was　not　particularly　afraid　of　death。　He　had　long　since　figured　out　his　attitude　about　dying；　and　other　people　sensed　his　inner　calm。　As　the　shuttle　started　to　cut　into　Haydon　IV's　atmosphere；　Max　Sterling　appeared　in　the　hatch；　knotting　his　fingers　together；　and　looked　to　Vince。

Max　had　left　his　place　at　the　controls；　permitting　Wolff　to　take　over；　and　e　aft　to　check　on　his　wife　yet　again。　〃Veidt's　gotten　final　landing　approval；〃　Max　told　them。　He　hesitated；　then　added；　〃They'll　keep　their　word；　don't　you　think？　The　Invid；　I　mean？〃

Jean　Grant；　attending　her　patients；　avoided　eye　contact　with　Max；　she　didn't　want　to　lie；　and　she　didn't　want　to　voice　her　doubts。　Secretly；　she　thought　it　was　only　a　fifty…fifty　possibility　that　Miriya　or　any　of　them　would　be　cured…or　that　anybody　on　the　shuttle　would　survive　the　visit　to　Haydon　IV。

Vince　turned　to　Max　and　said；　〃they'd　better。〃

The　shuttle　came　in　low　over　Glike；　the　principal　Haydonite　population　center。　The　city　looked　like　something　out　of　the　Arabian　Nights…so　fabulous　that　they　momentarily　forgot　their　fears。　Some　of　the　architectural　styles　had　been　borrowed　from　other　worlds…Tiresian　columns　and　friezes；　Spherisian　crystal　palaces；　Praxian　statuary　and　totems。　But　most　of　Glike　was　uniquely　Haydonite：　slender　minarets　and　spires；　fantastic　white…frost　gingerbread　mansions；　lacy　elfin　halls　that　seemed　to　shine　with　an　inner　light。

Besides　flying　craft　like　Veidt's；　there　were　machines　from　the　various　worlds　that　traded　with　Haydon　IV；　and　different　forms　of　Haydonite　ship。　Jean　spotted　one；　on　a　scope；　that　reminded　her　of　a　pilot　whale　with　great；　flipperlike　wings…all　curves　and　a　bulging　transparent　passenger　partment。

There　were　also　flying　carpets；　or　what　looked　enough　like　them　to　make　her　think　of　Scheherazade。

Just　then　Veidt　and　Sarna　appeared　from　the　flight　deck；　where　they　had　been　guiding　Wolff　in　his　landing　approach。　They　looked　as　unearthly　and　remote　as　ever；　robed　and　floating　a　few　inches　off　the　deck；　their　faces　as　featureless　as　those　of　unfinished　mannequins。

〃We'll　be　landing　soon；〃　Veidt　said　in　that　weird；　whispery；　processed…sounding　voice。　〃I　think　you　would　do　well　to　prepare　yourselves　and　your　patients。〃

Max　returned　to　the　pilot's　seat　and　handled　the　touchdown　with　an　assist　from　Colonel　Wolff。　Cabell　and　Sarna　looked　on。　Haydon　Control　had　directed　them　to　a　landing　stage　in　the　middle　of　the　city；　one　of　a　number　of　platforms　of　smoky　blue　glass　sprouting　from　a　central　tower。

A　reception　mittee　had　already　appeared　to　meet　them；　standing　together　on　a　flying　carpet　that　hovered　a　few　yards　above　the　landing　surface。　As　Vince；　Max；　and　Wolff　opened　the　hatch；　the　carpet　floated　toward　them　and　stopped　a　foot　or　so　off　the　platform。

As　had　been　agreed；　Veidt　and　Sarna　went　first　to　greet　the　half…dozen　Haydonites　waiting　on　the　carpet…or；　more　precisely；　floating　just　off　it。　Jonathan　Wolff　took　advantage　of　the　moment　to　look　the　flying　carpet　over。

The　carpet　was　thicker　than　the　ones　from　the　tales。　It　resembled　an　undulating　judo　mat；　yet　it　was　textured　and　decorated　with　exotic；　iridescent　patterns。　It　was　vaguely　rectangular；　but　he　could　see　that　it　tended　to　shift　and　change　conformation。　Moreover；　the　other　carpets；　sailing　around　over　the　city　came　in　many　shapes　and　dimensions；　from　one…passenger　wele　mats　to　dance…floor…size。

Veidt　and　Sarna　exchanged　ritualistic　and　dignified　bows　with　their　people。　Since　Haydonites　lacked　arms　as　well　as　faces…and　legs　too；　Wolff　supposed　（although　nobody　he　knew　of　had　ever　gotten　a　look　under　those　hovering　robe　hems　to　find　out　what　was　underneath　them）…the　whole　ceremony　had　a　reserved；　inhuman　look　to　it。

Wolff　found　that　he　could　tell　the　males　and　females　apart。　The　Haydonite　men's　faces　had　angular　planes；　and　saucer…size；　gemlike　things　displayed　on　their　robes。

The　leader　of　the　weling　mittee　was　a　male；　taller　and　more　slender　than　Veidt。　He　had　a　bulging　cranium　and　a　deep　coppery　tone　to　his　skin。　A　shimmering　symbol　like　a　star　sapphire's　light　shone　from　the　center　of　his　forehead。　〃So；　Veidt；　you　return　to　bring　your　disturbances　among　us　yet　again？〃

But　it　was　Sarna　who　answered。　〃You　know　better　than　that；　Vowad！　Our　friends　are　gravely　ill；　and　only　Haydonite　science　can　save　them！　You　know　the　Law；　we're　obligated　to　help。〃

The　one　called　Vowad　made　an　irritated　sound。　〃Yes；　yes…and　if　it　hadn't　been　this　excuse；　it　would　have　been　some　other；　eh？〃

The　others　behind　Vowad　shifted　uneasily；　and　one　of　them　intervened。　〃Enough！　If　lives　are　in　jeopardy；　it　is　best　the　healing　begin　at　once。〃

Wolff　wasn't　so　sure　he　liked　what　he　had　heard；　and　he　didn't　know　if　he　wanted　to　stake　his　life　on　the　Haydonites'　good　graces；　but　it　was　too　late　to　back　out。　He　surreptitiously　made　sure　the　conventional　weapons　he　had　concealed　under　his　clothes　were　secure；　and　regretted　that　it　was　impossible　to　carry　Protoculture　weapons　due　to　these　planetary　defenses　everybody　kept　talking　about。

Sarna　turned　to　the　humans　waiting　by　the　foot　of　the　shuttle's　ramp。　〃Bring　them　forth。　We　go　to　the　Halls　of　Healing　immediately！〃

Jean　Grant　operated　a　small　remote　unit。　The　automated　med　gurneys　on　which　Rick　and　the　others　had　been　secured　rolled　forth。　Vince　was　going　to　ask　how　the　wheeled　gurneys　were　going　to　get　up　onto　the　flying　carpet　when　a　part　of　it　extended　like　an　upholstered　tongue；　at　a　gentle　incline；　like　a　ramp。　Max　walked　at　his　wife's　side。

Once　Vince　had　secured　the　ship；　he　joined　Wolff；　Jean；　and　the　rest　on　the　flying　carpet。　It　didn't　give　under　his　considerable　weight　and　felt　stable。　More　like　a　flying　cloud　than　a　flying　carpet；　he　thought。

At　some　invisible　mand；　it　rose　and　wafted　away　over　the　city。　Though　there　was　no　fairing　or　windshield；　the　humans　felt　only　a　vague　stirring　of　air…despite　the　fact　that　the　carpet　was　traveling　quite　rapidly。

They　looked　down　on　a　city　busy　with　merce　and　trade。　As　Veidt　and　Sarna　had　explained　it；　Glike　was　similar　to　the　old…time　Hong　Kong。　It　was　a　place　of　enforced　truce；　immune　to　the　military　conflicts　that　had　raged　around　it。

As　the　others　gazed；　enraptured；　at　the　soaring　beauty　and　exquisite　elegance　of　Glike；　Sarna　went　over　to　Max。　〃You　look　tired；　Maximilian。　You　must　rest。　Won't　you　be　seated？〃

He　looked　around　as　she　gestured　with　a　nod　of　her　head；　and　saw　that　the　carpet's　surface　had　bunched　up　to　make　a　kind　of　lounge　chair　just　his　size。　He　had　no　idea　how　she　had　done　that。

Heaven　knew　he　was　exhausted；　but　all　he　could　think　of　was　Miriya；　he　refused　to　leave　her　side。　Max　gestured　toward　Veidt　and　the　other　Haydonites；　now　deep　in　conversation　with　Cabell；　no　doubt　discussing　medical　procedures。

〃That　guy…what's　his　name；　Vowad？　Why's　he　so　angry　at　Veidt？〃

Sarna　looked　at　them。　〃Vowad　believes；　as　many　do；　that　we　can　coexist　with　the　Invid　indefinitely。　That　any　concession　we　make；　any　appeasement；　is　worth　it。　You　already　know　how　my　husband　and　I　feel。　When　Veidt　insisted　on　making　his　opinions　known；　the　Invid　managed　to　kidnap　us　both。〃

Max　felt　sudden　misgiving。　〃But…the　Invid　can't　attack　you　here；　isn't　that　what　you　told　us？　The　planet's　defenses　would　react。〃

Sarna　inclined　her　head；　a　strange　gesture　from　one　who　had　no　eyes　and　only　contours　where　a　face　should　be。　〃Indeed。　But　there　are　other　ways　to　bring　pressure　to　bear…the　threat　of　a　blockade；　or　strikes　against　our　trading　partners　and　customers。　And；　the　Invid　have　attained　great　influence　over　some　of　our　folk…with　economic　leverage　and　other　things。〃

She　moved　closer；　spoke　more　quietly。　〃Vowad　is　perhaps　the　single　most　powerful　Haydonite；　and　I　think　that　it　was　with　his　cooperation　that　Tesla　kidnapped　Veidt　and　me。　We　must　be　wary　of　him。〃

As　if　he　had　heard；　Vowad　turned　toward　Sarna　and　called　out；　〃e；　give　us　your　opinion　of　Cabell's　proposed　treatment　regimen。　Surely；　my　daughter　has　much　to　say？　You　always　did　when　you　were　younger。〃

〃Yes；　Father；〃　Sarna　said；　and　floated　back　to　the　group；　to　leave　Max　slack…jawed　with　surprise。


Lieutenant　Isle　was　no　Rick　Hunter　or　Max　Sterling；　but　he　handled　the　Alpha　with