The Eisenhorn TrilogyXenos(科幻战争)-第18部分

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　to
carry　nothing　that　would　mark　us　out　from　the　twist　population。　Tech…levels　were　low　in　the　shanty。　A　plasma　gun　might　have　ended
this　quickly；　but　stories　would　have　got　round。
The　scaly　giant　was　on　me　again；　and　I　fell　through　the　rotting　flakboard　of　a　fence　in　my　efforts　to　evade　his　swing。　I　found　myself
lying　amid　the　debris　in　the　back　yard　of　one　of　the　loathsome　hab…rents。　A　light　went　on　in　an　upper　window　and　abuse；　stones　and
the　contents　of　a　chamber　pot　were　hurled　at　me。
The　giant　came　on；　swinging　his　club　from　side　to　side。　The　nails　and　blades　were　darkly　caked　with　dried　blood。
He　backed　me　towards　the　rear　of　the　rent　dwelling　and　made　to　swing　again。
No！　I　commanded；　using　the　will。　He　stopped　dead。　The　rain　of　abuse　and　excrement　from　above　stopped　too。
It　would　take　him　a　moment　to　reconfigure　his　mind　and　find　his　anger　again。　I　moved　right　at　him；　punching　a　knuckle…curved　fist　at
the　place　where　his　nose　should　have　been。　There　was　a　crack　of　bone　and　a　spray　of　blood。
The　giant　went　down　hard　on　his　back；　his　nasal　bone　slammed　back　into　his　brain。
Nayl　seemed　to　be　enjoying　his　uneven　duel。　He　was　jeering　at　his　attackers；　deflecting　the　sickles　with　his　sword　and　blocking　the
strenuous　attacks　of　the　mace　with　his　knife。　I　saw　him　spin　and　belly…kick　the　male　away；　then　turn　to　give　the　ghastly；　snorting
female　his　full　attention。
But　more　figures　were　emerging　from　the　night。
Ugly；　abhuman　scum　dressed　in　rags。　Three；　four　of　them。

I　called　a　warning　out　to　Nayl　and　pulled　out　my　blackpowder　pistol。　It　　the　black　market　on
Front's　Planet；　but　even　so　I'd　dumbed　it　down　to　Eechan　tech　levels　by　replacing　the　engraved　furniture　with　a　shaped　piece　of
packet…wood。
The　flintlock　mechanism　was　in　good　order；　though。　It　cracked　loudly　with　a　fizz　and　a　flash；　the　recoil　punishing　my　wrist；　and　the
ball　went　point…blank　through　the　forehead　of　the　nearest　twist；　exploding　the　rear　of　his　cranium　in　a　surprisingly　messy　fountain。
But　it　was　a　one…shot　piece　and　there　was　no　time　for　reloading。
Two　of　the　remaining　outlaws　came　right　at　me；　the　other　turning　to　come　in　on　Nayl's　flank。
I　broke　the　teeth　of　the　first　one　to　reach　me　with　the　rounded　butt　of　the　pistol；　and　ducked　the　second's　poorly　judged　slice　with　a
rapier。
Backing　away；　I　drew　my　own　blade。　Also　a　rapier。　Shorter　by　a　good　ten　centimetres　than　my　opponent's　but　balanced　and　guarded
with　a　hand…net　of　articulated　metal　struts。
Our　blades　clashed。　He　was　good；　trained　to　his　skill　by　a　life　of　slaughter　in　the　underhive。　But　I…　I　had　me　on　my　side。
I　dazzled　him　with　the　ulsar　and　the　uin　ulsar；　and　then　drove　him　back　with　a　four…stroke　combination　of　pel　ighan　and　uin　pel　ihnarr
before　ripping　the　blade　out　of　his　dazed　fingers　with　a　swift　tahn　asaf　wyla。
Then　the　ewl　caer。　My　blade　transfixed　his　torso。　He　looked　confused　for　a　second　and　then　fell　down；　sliding　dead　off　my　blade。
His　broken…faced　accomplice；　blood　spilling　from　my　pistol　whipping；　flew　at　me　and　I　span；　decapitating　him　with　the　edge　of　my
blade。　The　Carthaens　believe　side…blade　work　is　lazy；　and　stress　the　use　of　the　point。
But　what　the　hell。
Nayl　had　killed　the　third　attacker　with　a　bodypunch；　and　as　I　turned；　he　locked　both　of　the　female's　sickles　around　his　twisting　knife
and　ran　her　through　with　his　main　blade。
He　turned　to　me　and　raised　his　bloody　shortsword　to　his　nose　in　a　salute。　I　returned　it　with　my　rapier。
The　siren　of　an　arbites　groundcar　was　wailing　along　the　alley。　'Time　to　be　gone；'　I　said　to　Nayl。
'I　THOUGHT　YOU　were　dead！'　Bequin　cursed　as　Nayl　and　I　burst　in　to　the　room　in　the　''Twist　and　Sleep''。
'We　had　some　fun　on　the　way　home；'　Nayl　said。　'Don't　worry；　Lizzie；　I　brought　the　boss　back　safe。'
I　smiled　and　fixed　myself　a　small　amasec　from　the　bureau。　Bequin　hated　to　be　called　''Lizzie''。　Only　Nayl　had　the　balls　to　do　it。
Aemos　was　hovering　by　the　window。　Somehow；　the　rags　of　his　twist　disguise　suited　him。
'Most　perturbatory…　the　arbites　are　coming　this　way。'
'What？'
Nayl　moved　to　the　window。
'Aemos　is　right。　Three　land　cruisers　pulled　up　outside。　Officers　coming　in。'
'Hide　yourselves；　now！'　I　ordered。
Aemos　hurried　through　the　communicating　door　into　the　other　bedchamber　and　threw　himself　down　on　the　cot。　Nayl　blundered　into
the　adjoining　bathroom　and　used　a　tooth　mug　and　loud　groans　to　suggest　he　was　busy　throwing　up。
Alizebeth　looked　at　me　frantically。
'Into　bed！　Hurry！'　I　ordered。
The　arbites　kicked　open　the　door　and　played　their　flashlights　over　the　bed。　'Hive　arbites！　Who's　in　here？'
'What　is　this？'　I　asked；　dragging　the　sheets　back。
'Streetfight　killers…　witnesses　said　they　came　in　here；'　said　the　arbites　sergeant；　advancing　towards　the　bed。
'Me；　I　been　here　all　night。　Me　and　my　friends。'
'They　gonna　vouch　for　you；　twist？'　asked　the　sergeant；　raising　his　weapon。
'Wass　goin'　on？　Too　much　light！'　said　Bequin；　emerging　from　the　dirty　linen　on　the　bed。　Somehow　she　had　removed　her　dress　beneath
the　sheets。　Clad　in　brief　underwear；　she　slithered　on　top　of　me。
'Wass　you　doin'？　Stoppin'　a　girl　makin'　her　way？　Shame　on　you！'
The　sergeant　ran　his　flashlight　beam　up　and　down　the　length　of　her　body　as　it　clung　to　me。　I　smiled　the　inane　smile　of　the　lucky　or
well…oiled。
He　snapped　the　light　off。　'Sorry　to　interrupt　you；　miss。'　The　door　closed　and　the　arbites　thumped　away。
I　looked　down　at　Bequin　with　a　wink。　'Good　improvisation；'　I　said。
She　leapt　off　me　and　grabbed　her　clothes。　'Don't　get　any　funny　ideas；　Gregor！'
I'D　HAD　FUNNY　ideas　about　her　for　years；　truth　be　told。　She　was　beautiful　and　sublimely　sexy。　But　she　was　also　an　untouchable。　It　hurt
me　to　be　close　to　her；　physically　hurt。
I　hate　that　fact。　I　feel　a　lot　for　Bequin　and　I　long　to　be　with　her；　but　it　was　never　going　to　happen。　Never；　ever。
That's　one　of　the　truly　great　sadnesses　of　my　life。
And　hers　too；　I　hope；　in　my　more　self…aggrandising　moments。
I　lay　in　bed　and　watched　her　drag　on　her　dress　again；　and　I　felt　the　pang　of　desire。
But　there　was　no　way。　No　way　in　the　galaxy。
She　was　untouchable。　I　was　a　psyker。
That　way　pain　and　madness　lay。

TEN
RUMINATIONS　ON　LYKO。
THE　CHEW〢FTER。
THE　HIGHEST　BIDDER。
TUMULTUOUS　SAP…STORMS　hammered　the　twist…town　in　the　pre…dawn；　blanketing　the　sky　with　swirling　vapours　and　shaking　the　tiles
and　shutters　with　the　gross　weight　of　their　heavy　pelting　goop。　Thunder　rolled。　In　the　aftermath；　veils　of　mist　swathed　the　countryside；
and　the　stillness　was　alive　with　gurgling　and　dripping　and　the　swarming　scurry　of　sap…lice　and　storm…bugs。
Nayl　went　out　early　with　Aemos　and　bought　paper　pails　of　warm　food　from　the　twist…town　commissary　just　down　the　street；　which
was　already　serving　the　work　lines　forming　for　the　shift　change　in　the　mills。　By　the　time　they　returned；　we　had　been　joined　by　Inshabel
and　Husmaan；　who　had　slept　through　the　night's　altercation　with　the　arbites　in　a　shared　room　down　the　hall。
I'd　yet　to　formally　notify　the　ordo　that　Inshabel　had　joined　my　band；　but　he　was　now　very　much　part　of　it。　I　felt　he　had　the　right　to　be
here　on　this　mission；　for　Roban's　sake；　and　for　his　own。　He　had　brought　the　news　of　Esarhaddon　to　me；　directly　and　selflessly。　Few　of
my　team　yet　referred　to　him　by　his　rank　…　it　would　be　a　long　while　until　anyone　eclipsed　the　memory　of　Interrogator　Ravenor　…　but　he
had　meshed　well；　with　his　bright　mind　and　healthy；　caustic　wit。　He　was　already　providing　me　with　more　solid　service　than　Alain　von
Baigg　had　ever　managed。
Duj　Husmaan　had　been　a　skin…hunter　on　his　homeworld　of　Windhover　when　Harlon　Nayl　had　first　met　him。　That　was　back　in　Nayl's
bounty…chasing　days；　before　he'd　joined　my　cause。　I'd　recruited　Husmaan　eight　years　before　on　Nayl's　recommendation；　and　he'd
proved　to　be　a　resourceful；　if　superstitious；　warrior　with　a　great　sense　for　pathfinding。　Nayl　had　personally　selected　him　from　the
individuals　in　my　retinue　as　muscle　for　this　venture；　and　I　had　no　quibble　with　the　choice。
Husmaan　was　a　slender　man　of　medium　height　with　coppery　skin　and　white；　sun…scorched　hair　and　goatee。　Here　on　Eechan；　like　all　of
us；　he'd　drabbed　down　his　clothing　to　ragged　black　twist　robes。　He　ignored　the　bundle　of　disposable　wooden　forks　that　Aemos　had
brought　back　from　the　commissary　and　started　to　eat　the　hot　food　from　his　paper　pail　with　his　fingers。
I　picked　at　my　own　food　idly；　wondering　how　close　we　were　to　Lyko。
LYKO　HAD　BEEN　a　fool　and　had　damned　himself。　The　damaging　revelation　that　it　hadn't　been　Esarhaddon　who　had　been　torched　on　the
lawns　of　the　Lange　palace　could　have　been　circumvented　if　Lyko　had　kept　his　head。　He　could　have　claimed　it　a　mistake；　another
example　of　the　heretic　psyker's　treachery。
But　Lyko　had　run。　Out　of　fear；　or　chasing　some　timetable；　I　didn't　know。　But　he'd　run　and；　in　so　doing；　incriminated　himself。
I'd　gone　to　his　residence；　a　rented　hab　high　in　the　spires　of　Hive　Ten；　the　moment　Inshabel　had　alerted　me　to　the　deceit。　But　Lyko　had
cleared　out；　taking　his　people　with　him。　His　hab　was　empty　and　abandoned；　with　just　a　few　scatterings　of　trash　left　behind　in　the
stripped　rooms。
I　had　set　my　staff　to　work　tracing　him；　a　tall　order　given　the　planet…wide　data…access　problems　in　the　wake　of　the　rioting。　I　had　decided
almost　at　once　to　pursue　him　alone；　without　informing　the　Inquisition。　You　may　see　this　as　odd；　almost　reckless。　In　a　way；　it　was。　But
Lyko　was　an　inquisitor　of　good　repute；　held　in　high　regard；　and　with　many　friends。　There　was　scant　chance　I　could　tell　the　ordos　I　was
undertaking　a　hunt　for　him　on　the　basis　he　was　harbouring　a　notorious　rogue　psyker　without　the　fact　reaching　him；　or　without　his
friends　making　trouble　for　me。
Those　friends　of　his；　of　course；　included　Heldane　and　Commodus　Voke：　the　stalwart　trio　that　had　captured　the　thirty…three　rogues　on
Dolsene　in　the　first　place。　How　empty　that　''heroic''　action　now　seemed　to　me。　I　had　been　so　impressed　when　Lord　Rorken　had　shown
me　the　report。　Perhaps　the　''capture''　had　been　easy；　or　even　staged；　if　Lyko　was　secretly　in　league　with　Esarhaddon。　Perhaps　it　had　all
been　part　of　an　elaborate　conspiracy　to　perpetrate　the　atrocity　of　Hive　Primaris。
I　was　dogged　by　grim；　unanswerable　speculations。　I　had　no　way　to　prove　Lyko　was　corrupt；　not　even　now；　though　I　certainly
suspected　it。　He　might　have　been　an　unwitting　pawn　on　Dolsene；　or　at　the　Lange　palace；　or　he　might　have　been　in　it　all　along。　It　was
possible　too　that　his　departure　from　Thracian　was　a　coincidence　that　I　had　misinterpreted。　It　wouldn't　have　been　the　first　time　an
inquisitor　had　moved　undercover　without　announcement。
It　was　even　possible　that　he　too　had　discovered　the　deceit　after　the　event；　and　was　moving　fast　following　some　lead　to　make　amends
for　his　mistake。　Or　that　he　was　fleeing　the　shame…　or…
So　many　possibilities。　I　had　to　play　the　odds　the　safest　way。　I　was　sure　Lyko　was　guilty　to　a　greater　or　lesser　extent；　so　I　would　follow
him。　Even　if　he　was　simply　chasing　Esarhaddon　too；　it　would　lead　me　in　the　right　direction。
And　I　couldn't　inform　the　Inquisition；　or　talk　to　Voke　or　Heldane。　My　uncertainty　was　such　that　I　couldn't　even　trust　them　not　to　be
part　of　it。
A　COMPLEX　TRAIL　of　almost　subliminal　clues　had　put　me　on　his　tail。　I'll　spare　you　the　bulk　of　the　details；　for　they　wo