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！
n the signal； the chain reaction。。。'
But Keill did not let him finish。 Fury reinforced his strength as he exploded into a surging leap … not sideways round the corner of the municator； but straight up； in a mighty standing jump。
He was firing as he leaped； firing as his feet struck the top of the melting； blackened machine； firing still as he sprang without pause out across the cleared area； at the throat of his enemy。
The giant had flung himself to one side to dodge the deluge of energy blasts； and that movement and Keill's speed threw his own aim off。 Energy beams sizzled past Keill as he charged … and then scalding pain bit deep into his right shoulder as one of the erratic beams found him； spinning him off…balance； hurling him to the floor。
His gun fell and slid out of reach … and then the giant； moving with his own astonishing speed； was towering over him； gun levelled at Keill's face。
Keill waited for the death shot； but Thr'un did nothing； except let a cruel smile of satisfaction grow across his face。
'You see ？' he said。 'I have not failed； after all。'
Keill looked at him with contempt。 'You won't have long to gloat。 My panion will know the moment I am dead …and will destroy the dome with you in it。'
'Indeed？ I doubt if he will know so quickly。 No； I will have no trouble in burning my way out of the rear of the dome and dealing with your panion … after I have dealt with you。'
He widened his mocking smile； then glanced down at Keill's shoulder； where blood seeped steadily through the seared flesh。
'You are injured； which is a shame；' Thr'un said。 'Yet you have proved a dangerous and resourceful opponent； and so you can still be deemed worthy。'
To Keill's astonishment； Thr'un stepped back； and tossed his beam…gun aside。 'e； Randor； let me show you what I know to be true … that the much…admired skill of the Legions is nothing to the power of the Deathwing！'
Keill rose slowly to his feet； hardly able to believe what was happening。 'Deathwing ？'
Thr'un laughed expansively。 'You have not heard the name ？ It is the Master's select force … his chosen lieutenants； who serve his will throughout the galaxy。 Men like myself； Randor； from the altered worlds。 Men to whom the Master has given skills； and strengths； and power； beyond anything dreamed of by a puny legionary！' He raised his arms at his sides； muscles rolling under the naked bronze skin。 'See； Randor！ See how your death will e！'
Keill's eyes widened with amazement and horror。 The weird； ridged markings on the giant's body were moving again。 Writhing； swelling … opening。。。
From beneath the skin； where the ridges encircled Thr'un's body； erupted growths。 Swiftly they extended； upwards and downwards； flaring； fanning out。 They were like slabs of thick and heavy leather； solid linked plates of a dark； unpleasantly muddy colour。 And they protected the giant like armour。
From the band around the neck they spread out to cover the throat and the base of the skull； reaching down over the upper chest and back。 Below； the abdominal 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