The Eisenhorn TrilogyXenos(科幻战争)-第42章

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Our　daily　fifteen　minutes。
He　had　brought　a　lamp；　and　a　tray　with　my　night　meal：　thin；　tepid　fish…broth　and　stale　hunks　of　rusk　bread　with　a　glass　of　watered　rum。
I　sat　down　on　the　crude　bunk。
'I'm　to　be　extradited　for　trial；'　I　told　him。
He　nodded。　'But　I　understand　tomorrow　the　painwork　begins。　I've　filed　a　protest；　but　I'm　sure　it'll　be　accidentally　lost　in　the　trash。'
'I'm　sure　it　will。'
'You　should　eat；'　he　said。
'I'm　not　hungry。'
'Just　eat。　You'll　need　your　strength　and　from　the　look　of　you；　you've　precious　little　of　that。'
I　shook　my　head。
'Gregor；'　he　said；　dropping　his　voice。　'I　have　a　question　to　ask　you。　You　won't　like　it　much；　but　it's　important。'
'Important？'
'To　me。　And　to　your　friends。'
'Ask　it。'
'Do　you　remember　…　God…Emperor；　but　it　seems　so　long　ago！　…　last　year；　when　we　met　up　again；　at　that　grave　field　outside　Kasr
Tyrok？'
'Of　course。'
'In　the　shrine　tower；　you　said　to　me　that　you　couldn't　conceive　of　doing　anything　that　would　please　or　benefit　a　daemon。　You　said；　〃I
can't　ever　imagine　myself　that　insane。〃'
'I　remember　it　clearly。　You　said　that　if　you　ever　thought　I　was；　you'd　shoot　me　yourself。'
He　nodded；　with　a　sour　chuckle。　There　was　a　moment　of　silence；　broken　only　by　the　crackling　of　the　lamp　and　the　boom　of　the　sea
outside　the　prison　ramparts。
'You　want　to　be　sure；　don't　you；　Godwyn？'　I　asked。
He　looked　at　me；　reproachfully。
'I　can　understand　that。　I　expect　total　loyalty　from　you　and　all　my　staff。　You　have　the　right　to　be　assured　of　the　same　from　me。'
'Then　you　know　my　question。'
I　fixed　him　with　my　eyes。　'You　want　to　ask　if　I'm　lying。　If　there's　any　truth　to　the　charges。　If　you　have　been　working　for　a　man　who
consorts　with　daemons。'
'It's　a　stupid　question；　I　know。　If　you　are　those　things；　you　won't　hesitate　to　lie　again　now。'
'I'm　too　tired　for　anything　but　the　truth；　Godwyn。　I　swear；　by　the　Golden　Throne；　I　am　not　what　Osma　says　I　am。　I　am　a　true　servant　of
the　Emperor　and　the　Inquisition。　Find　me　an　eagle　and　I'll　swear　on　that　too。　I　don't　know　what　else　I　can　do　to　convince　you。'
He　got　to　his　feet。　'That's　enough　for　me。　I　just　wanted　to　be　sure。　Your　word　has　always　been　enough；　and　after　all　the　years　we've
been　together；　I　was　sure　that　you'd　tell　me　if…　even　if　it　was…'
'Know　this；　old　friend。　I　would。　Even　if　I　was　the　scum　Osma　believes　me　to　be；　and　even　if　I　could　hide　it　from　him…　I　couldn't　lie　to
a　direct　question　from　you。　Not　you；　Chastener　Fischig。'
The　guard　rapped　on　the　cell　door。
'One　minute　more！'　Fischig　shouted。　'Eat　your　supper；'　he　said　to　me。
'Did　Osma　put　you　up　to　this？'　I　asked。
'Hell；　no！'　he　snarled；　offended。
'It's　all　right。　I　didn't　think　so。'
The　guard　hammered　again。
'All　right；　damn　your　eyes！'　Fischig　growled。
'I'll　see　you　tomorrow；'　I　said。
'Yeah；'　he　replied。　'Do　one　thing　for　me。'
'Name　it。'
'Eat　your　supper。'
THE　CRAMPS　BEGAN　just　after　what　I　guessed　was　midnight。　They　woke　me　from　a　bad　sleep。　Pain　surged　through　my　body　and　my
mind　was　numb。　I　hadn't　felt　this　bad　since　Pye's　handiwork　on　Lethe　Eleven；　during　the　Darknight　almost　two　whole　years　before。
I　tried　to　rise；　and　fell　off　the　bunk。　Spasms　wracked　me；　and　I　cried　out。　I　vomited　up　the　dregs　of　the　dire　supper。　Bouts　of　fever…heat
and　death…chill　twitched　through　me。
I　don't　know　how　long　it　took　for　me　to　crawl　to　the　cell　door；　or　how　long　I　lay　there　beating　my　fists　against　it　until　it　opened。　Hours；
possibly。
Consciousness　ebbed　and　flowed　with　the　cramping　and　the　rising　agony。

'Holy　Emperor！'　the　guard　exclaimed　as　he　opened　the　door　and　saw　me　by　the　light　of　his　rush…lamp。
He　called　out　and　feet　came　beating　down　the　cell　way。
'He's　sick；'　I　heard　the　guard　say。
'Leave　him　till　morning；'　said　another。
'He'll　be　dead；'　the　first　guard　answered　nervously。
'Please…'　I　stammered；　reaching　out　my　hand。　It　was　frozen　in　a　claw…shape；　paralysed　and　ugly。
Others　were　arriving。　I　heard　Fischig's　voice。
'He　needs　a　doctor。　Trained　medicae　help；'　Fischig　said。
'It's　not　allowed；'　complained　a　guard。
'Look　at　him；　man！　He's　dying！　An　attack　of　some　sort。'
'Let　me　through；'　said　another　voice。
It　was　the　prison　medic；　accompanied　by　Interrogator　Riggre；　who　looked　as　if　he　had　been　roused　from　his　bed。
'He's　faking　it；　leave　him！'　Riggre　said　contemptuously。
'Shut　up！'　Fischig　snarled。　'Look　at　him！　That's　no　act！'
'He's　a　master　of　deception；'　Riggre　returned。　'Maybe　he's　been　licking　the　lead…paint　off　the　door　to　aid　his　act；　more　fool　him。　This　is
a　sham。　Leave　him。'
'He's　dying；'　said　Fischig。
'He　looks　bloody　sick；'　said　a　guard　uncomfortably。
More　cramping　spasms　twisted　me　involuntarily。
The　doctor　was　hunched　over　me。　I　could　hear　the　beeping　of　the　medicae　auspex　he'd　taken　from　his　pharmacopoeia。
'This　is　no　act；'　he　muttered。　'His　body's　in　seizure。　You　can't　fake　muscle　binding　like　that。　Blood…oxygen　is　down　to　thirty　per　cent
and　his　heart　is　defibrillating。　He'll　be　dead　in　less　than　an　hour。'
'Give　him　a　shot。　Fix　him！'　Riggre　yelled。
'I　can't；　sir。　Not　here。　We　haven't　got　the　facilities。　Ahh！　Emperor；　look！　He's　bleeding　out　now；　from　the　eyes　and　nose。'
'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！'