The Eisenhorn TrilogyXenos(科幻战争)-第47部分

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　have
dissolved。　Orbul　Infanta　had　been　just　the　first　part　of　a　long　stratagem；　and　thanks　to　Tantalid；　it　had　ended　badly。　I'd　failed　to　contact
Gladus；　and　discovered　that　as　careful　as　I　had　been；　my　communiques　were　not　secure。　The　third　task　I　had　planned　to　undertake　on
Orbul　Infanta；　a　search　of　the　Imperial　archivum　for　certain　information　relating　to　Quixos；　hadn't　even　been　started。
At　least　the　weapons　were　consecrated。　And　Barbarisater　had　more　than　proved　itself　in　combat。
FRIGATES　OF　THE　Frateris　Militia；　along　with　several　Imperial　Navy　guard　boats；　attempted　to　block　the　Essene；　but　Maxilla's
navigator　got　us　out　of　the　system　and　real　space　before　they　could　even　close　range。　Some　ships　pursued　us　into　the　warp；　and　we
were　chased　for　eight　days；　finally　losing　our　pursuers　through　a　series　of　real…space　decelerations　and　redirections。　We　went　to
ground。　A　month　at　a　low…tech　depot　on　a　farming　world；　another　two　at　the　automated　station　at　Kwyle。　I　was　jumping　at　shadows　by
then；　expecting　enemies　and　rivals　to　loom　out　of　every　doorolested。　Maxilla　had　made　a
career　out　of　passing　unnoticed　and　avoiding　attention。　He　lent　that　practiced　art　to　our　cause　now；　and　reassured　me　into　the　bargain。
THREE　MONTHS　AFTER　leaving　Orbul　Infanta　in　such　haste；　we　risked　a　run　to　Gloricent；　an　outlying　but　prosperous　trade　world　in　the
Antimar　subsector；　another　division　of　the　Scarus　Sector；　just　two　subsectors　over　from　the　Helican　sub　itself。　Though　worlds　like
Gudran　and　Thracian　Primaris　were　a　good　four　months　away　by　starship；　it　felt　a　little　like　being　home。　Disguised；　Medea　and　I
visited　the　sea…lashed　stone　piles　of　one　of　the　main　trade…hives；　and　procured　a　pair　of　astropaths；　hiring　their　services　from　the　local
commercial　guild　on　an　open…ended　lease。
Their　names　were　Adgur　and　Ueli；　both　young　males；　both　psychically　capable　but　dull…witted　and　emotionless。　Their　young　heads
were　shaved　and　their　plugs　shiny　and　new；　and　they　spoke　to　me　in　overly　formal　ways　that　sounded　like　the　parrot…learned　etiquette
it　sadly　was。　But　their　eyes　were　ringed　with　darkness　and　their　flesh　was　losing　its　youthful　lustre。　The　rigour　of　the　astropathic　life
was　already　taking　its　toll。
USING　THEM；　I　sent　fresh　communiques　that　superceded　the　original　ones　and　revised　certain　aspects　of　my　scheme。　None　of　the
messages　now　suggested　the　sort　of　trial　meetings　I　had　attempted　with　Gladus。　I　would　not　give　so　much　away　now。
After　a　week；　and　no　reponses；　we　left　Gloricent　and　went；　via　Mimonon　to　Sarum；　the　capital　world　of　the　Antimar　subsector。　I
managed　to　do　some　useful　work　in　its　libraries；　but　backed　off　when　a　sour　little　confessor　on　a　research　sabbatical　took　to　following
me　as　if　he　recognised　me。
While　at　anchor　off　Sarum；　I　got　my　first　responses；　all　coded：　from　Bequin　on　Messina；　and　from　Aemos　on　Gudrun。　Both　reported
that　their　parts　of　the　plan　were　going　much　more　smoothly　than　mine　had。　Two　days　later；　a　partially　scrambled　astropathic　message
came　from　Inshabel　on　Elvara　Cardinal。　What　parts　I　got　of　it　seemed　to　indicate　some　success。　I　was　impatient　to　know　more。
The　week　before　we　left　Sarum；　I　received　two　more；　both　anonymous；　one　from　Thracian　Primaris；　the　other　from　a　cluster　of　slaveworlds
that　owed　fealty　to　the　Salies　Province　of　the　Ophidian　subsector。　From　the　careful　code　and　language　of　both；　I　recognised
their　senders。
My　spirits　lifted。

AFTER　THAT　IMPROVEMENT；　things　again　seemed　to　slow　and　stagnate。　There　was　no　progress；　and　no　further　communications。　We
were　forced　to　quit　Lorwen；　our　next　stop　after　Sarum；　with　unseemly　haste；　when　a　flotilla　of　warships　from　Battlefleet　Reaver
arrived。　I　know　now　that　the　Battlefleet　manoeuvres　at　Lorwen　…　and　incidentally　at　Sarum　and　Femis　Major　too　…　were　part　of　a　major
precautionary　deployment　against　a　pair　of　space　hulks　that　had　suddenly　roamed　into　the　subsector。　But　they　caused　us　over　thirteen
weeks　of　anxious　hiding　amongst　the　brown　and　black　dwarf　stars　of　an　extinguished　stellar　nursery。
Another　Candlemas　went　by　while　we　were　in　the　empyrean；　en　route　to　the　Drewlian　Group。　Medea；　Maxilla　and　I　marked　it
together；　just　the　three　of　us。　The　two　astropaths　and　the　navigator　were　not　invited　to　attend。　I　raised　a　glass　to　toast　the　continued
success　of　our　mission。　I　don't　think　I　would　have　been　so　hearty　if　I　had　known　it　would　be　another　full　year　before　the　final　act　of　the
plan　would　play　out。
I　SPENT　THE　first　four　months　of　342　fruitlessly　engaged　in　a　search　for　the　celebrated　precog…hermit　Lukas　Cassian　in　the　stinking
marshes　of　Drewlia　Two；　only　to　learn　that　he　had　been　murdered　by　a　Monodominant　cult　four　years　earlier。　During　that　quest；　I
terminated　the　activities　of　a　plague…daemon　sect　infesting　the　marshlands。　That　was　quite　an　undertaking　in　its　own　right；　but　my　full
account　of　it　is　filed　in　the　Inquisition　archives　separately；　and　it　has　no　bearing　on　this　record。　Besides；　I　still　regard　it　bitterly　as　an
interruption　and　waste　of　time。　Neither　will　I　set　down　here　the　full　story　of　Nathan　Inshabel's　ventures　on　Elvara　Cardinal；　or　Harlon
Nayl's　frankly　extraordinary　experiences　on　Bimus　Tertius；　though　both　tales　connect　to　this　record。　Inshabel　has　written　his　own；
refreshingly　witty　account　of　his　exploits；　which　may　be　accessed　by　those　with　the　appropriate　clearance；　something　I　recommend　as
illuminating　and　rewarding。　Nayl　asked　me　not　to　include　his　story；　and　has　never　committed　it　to　record。　It　may　be　learned　only　by
those　with　the　temerity　to　ask　him　and　the　money　to　pay　for　a　long　night's　serious　drinking。
All　this　while；　I　remained　an　Imperial　outlay　heresies。　It　is　interesting　to　note　that　at　no　time　during
this　period　did　the　Inquisition　formally　refute　or　overturn　the　carta　I　had　declared　on　Quixos。
THE　YEAR　343。M41　was　half　gone　already　by　the　time　the　Essene　took　me　to　Thessalon；　a　feudal　world　near　Hesperus　in　the　Helican
subsector。　It　had　been　chosen　by　Nayl　as　the　point　for　our　secret　congregation。　Commanding　a　twenty　man　field　team　selected　from
my　staff　on　Gudrun；　he　arrived　a　week　before　the　rest　of　us　to　secure　the　location　and　make　sure　we　were　not　compromised。　His
preparations　were　thorough　and　ingenious。　No　one　entered　the　area　without　him　knowing　it；　nor　could　anyone　have　done　so。　At　the
slightest　sign　of　outside　interruption　or　official　interference；　we　would　have　ample　time　to　withdraw　and　flee。　As　a　final　precaution；　I
was　the　last　to　arrive。
THESSALON　IS　A　tough　little　world　whose　population　lives　in　a　dark　age　and　knows　nothing　of　the　Imperium　or　the　galaxy　beyond　its
skies。
The　meeting　place　was　a　rained　keep　in　the　north　of　the　second　continent；　two　thousand　kilometres　from　the　nearest　indigenous
community。　A　few　lonely　animal　herders　and　subsistence　farmers　undoubtedly　saw　the　lights　of　our　ships　in　their　heavens；　but　to　them
they　were　just　the　portents　of　the　gods　and　the　bright　eyes　of　fabulous　beasts。
MEDEA　DEPOSITED　ME　at　the　edge　of　a　conifer　forest　at　nightfall；　and　then　took　the　gun…cutter　back　to　stand　off　as　air…cover；　ready　to
redeploy　at　a　moment's　notice。　For　the　first　time　in　over　two　standard　years；　I　was　dressed　as　an　inquisitor　in　black　leather；　storm　coat
and　proudly　displayed　rosette。　I　also　wore　my　faith…harness　with　the　engraving　Puritus。　Damn　anyone　who　believed　I　wasn't　worthy　of
it。
Nayl；　in　combat　armour；　with　a　laser　carbine　cradled　over　one　arm；　appeared　out　of　the　trees　and　greeted　me。　We　shook　hands。　It　was
good　to　see　him　again。　His　men；　who　were　all　around　I　was　sure；　were　invisible　in　the　gathering　darkness。
Nayl　led　me　through　the　black　woods　into　a　break　in　the　trees　where　the　pine　tops　framed　a　perfect　oval　of　starfilled　mauve。　The　keep；
a　jumbled　pile　of　grey　stone；　stood　in　the　clearing；　with　hooded　lamps　glowing　from　the　lower　slit　windows。
Nayl　walked　me　past　and　around　the　alarm…sensors；　the　tripwires　and　the　beams　of　motion　detectors　that　webbed　the　structure。
Servitor…skulls　from　my　personal　arsenal　hovered　in　the　shadows；　alert　and　armed。
Bequin　and　Aemos　met　me　under　the　broken　entrance　arch。　Aemos　looked　pale　and　worried；　but　his　face　broke　into　a　warm　smile　as
he　sae。
'How　many？'　I　asked　her。
'Four；'　she　said。
Not　bad。　Not　great；　but　not　bad。　It　rather　depended　who　those　four　were。
'And　everything　else？'
'All　the　preparations　are　now　set。　We　can　begin　this　undertaking　at　any　time；'　Aemos　said。
'We　have　a　target？'
'We　do。　You'll　learn　how　when　we　brief　everyone。'
'Good；'　I　paused。　'Anything　else　I　should　know？'
All　three　of　them　shook　their　heads。
'Let's　do　it　then；'　I　said。

DESPITE　ALL　THE　precautions；　I　was　taking　my　life　in　my　hands。　I　was　presenting　myself；　voluntarily；　to　four　members　of　the
Inquisition。　I　was　trusting　that　my　previous　friendships　and　allegiances　with　them　would　count　for　more　man　the　accusations　Osma
had　laid　at　my　door。　These　four　were　the　only　four　who　had　responded　out　of　the　original　twenty　communiques。　Nayl　had　vetted　each
one；　but　there　was　still　a　very　real　chance　that　any　or　all　of　them　had　attended　simply　to　execute　the　declared　heretic　Gregor　Eisenhorn。
I　would　soon　know。
AS　I　STEPPED　into　the　main；　candlelit　chamber；　a　hush　killed　the　small　talk　and　six　men　turned　to　face　me。　Fischig；　imposing　in　black
body　armour；　nodded　me　a　half…smile。　Interrogator　Inshabel；　in　a　bodyglove　and　lightweight　cloak；　bowed　his　head　and　smiled
nervously。
The　other　four　stared　at　me　levelly。
I　walked　into　their　midst　solemnly。
The　first　lowered　the　hood　of　his　maroon　cape。　It　was　Titus　Endor。　'Hello；　Gregor；'　he　said。
'Well　met；　old　friend。'　Endor　had　been　one　of　the　first　two　to　contact　me　anonymously　the　previous　year；　from　the　Salies　slave…worlds。
The　other；　who　had　written　from　Thracian　Primaris；　stood　next　to　him。
'Commodus　Voke。　You　honour　me　with　your　presence。'
The　wizened　old　wretch　sneered　at　me。　'For　the　sake　of　our　history；　and　damn…his…eyes　Lyko；　and　other　matters；　I　am　here；　Eisenhorn；
though　the　Emperor　knows　I　am　very　suspicious　of　this。　I　will　hear　you　out；　and　if　I　don't　like　what　you　have　to　say；　I　will　withdraw…
without　breaking　the　confidence　of　this　meeting！'　he　added　sternly　with　a　raised　finger。　'I　will　not　betray　this　congress；　but　I　reserve　the
right　to　leave　and　quit　if　I　find　it　worthless。'
'That　right　is　yours；　Commodus。'
To　his　left　stood　a　tall；　confident　man　I　didn't　recognise。　He　wore　brown　leather　flak　armour　under　a　long　blue　coat　of　cavalry　twill　and
his　silver　rosette　was　fixed　on　the　left　breast。　His　domed　head　was　shaved；　but　there　was　a　violet　glint　in　his　eyes　that　told　me　he　was　a
Cadian。
'Inquisitor　Raum　Grumman；'　said　Fischig；　stepping　forward。　Grumman　took　my　proffered　hand　with　a　curt　nod。
'Inquisitor　General　Neve　acknoe　to　express　her　true　sadness　that　she　could　not　join　you
here。　She　personally　requested　me　to　take　her　place；　and　render　you　the　service　I　freely　render　her。'
'I　am　grateful　for　it；　Grumman。　But　right　from　the　start；　I　want　to　be　sure　that　you　know　what　we're　about　here。　Just　being　here　because
your　provincial　chief　requested　it　isn't　enough。'
The　Cadian　smiled。　'Actually；　it　is。　But　to　reassure　you；　I　have　reviewed　the　matter　carefully　with　Neve　herself　and　your　man