[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
except working parties like themselves. And the time and energy saved by
using the shaft would be more than worth it, particularly if they had
to fight. Blade hoped they wouldn't, but he couldn't be sure.
They had to cover about two hundred feet of open corridor from the head of the
stairs to the entrance to the shaft. They passed one working party of four Low
People being herded along by a
candidate master, who bowed to Kun-Rala but said nothing. This was
encouraging at least mildly so.
There was no one in the shaft car that whisked them up to the work levels in
the usual few seconds.
And there was no one in the corridor outside the shaft door. But when they
turned the bend in the corridor that led to the work chambers, they saw a
guard standing before the main door to the chambers.
Blade swore mentally and drew Kun-Rala flat against the wall. There was thirty
feet of well-lit open floor between them and the guard, and only a foot or so
between the guard and what was obviously a newly-installed alarm signal
"This is new," said Kun-Rala. "The High People have never bothered putting
guards in these areas before."
"Just be thankful there's only one," said Blade. "I think we can take him. If
you will pull your robe down to the waist "
Kun-Rala's eyes opened as she stared at him.
"Yes strip to the waist. Then step out into the guard's view. He should keep
his eyes on you for a few seconds. That will be all I need."
"You can't cross the whole floor before he sees you and gives the alarm,
Blade."
"I'm not planning to," said Blade with a grin. He patted his short sword.
"This throws fairly well."
Then he patted Kun-Rala on her rear. "Hurry, now." She looked up at him with
an expression that was not much short of worship, then undid the top of her
robe and pulled it down until her breasts were bare.
Slowly she stepped out into view, trying to give her body a sensuous sway. She
was not very good at that, unfortunately.
But she was good enough. The guard's eyes widened as he saw her gliding toward
him, and his mouth opened wide. Then Blade stepped out into the open, and his
short sword flashed in the light.
There was a meaty chunk as it split the guard's face open. His shout of
surprise turned to a whimpering gurgle, and he collapsed to the floor, his
eyes and mouth still open.
Without bothering to pull up her robe, Kun-Rala snatched a key from her belt
pouch and opened the door to the work chambers. "Quick," she said. "Drop him
down the disposal shaft. If we leave him here, somebody may come. And if they
Page 61
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
find him here they'll start their search in the work chambers." There was no
strain or trembling in her voice or body now; she seemed entirely in control
of herself.
Blade nodded and hoisted the body onto his shoulders. As he did so, footsteps
sounded behind him.
He dropped the body to the floor, snatching the short sword from its face as
he did so, and turned to face his enemy. Then he stopped dead. It was his turn
to stare wide-eyed and wide-mouthed, and behind him he heard Kun-Rala gasp.
Pen-Jerg stood before them, both swords drawn and an inquisitive smile on his
bearded face.
"Blade-Liza?" he said softly, though it was more of a statement than a
question.
Blade momentarily toyed with the idea of playing the dumb and uncomprehending
Low Person. But he rejected the idea in the next moment. It would be a waste
of time, and dangerous too. Pen-Jerg appreciated honesty. Well, he would get
it.
"Yes," said Blade shortly.
"You are not supposed to be here," said Pen-Jerg mildly. "You could be
administered for this, you know. And I suppose you killed the guard?"
Blade nodded. He noted that Pen-Jerg had said "could" be administered, not
"will" be. Then he shot back a question of his own, in a mildly sarcastic
tone, "What are you doing here at this hour of the night, Pen-Jerg, brave
commander? Are you inspecting the guard posts for Nris-Pol?"
Pen-Jerg started as though Blade had stabbed him, and his face worked. Then he
actually spat on the polished floor. "That is for Nris-Pol. No, I am making
the rounds on my own. Nris-Pol has been spreading strange rumors of
stranger things happening among the Low People. I wanted to see for myself
whether Nris-Pol was spreading tales or not." He shook his head. "I am not
sure what the answer is, now. What are you doing here, Blade?"
Blade told him, leaving out only the parts about raising the Low People in
rebellion and about the great wands. He knew that Pen-Jerg would not stand for
the first, and had best not know about the second. Not as long as he was going
to be around Nris-Pol, who would probably have few scruples about torture.
When Blade had finished, Pen-Jerg stood in silence for such a long time that
Blade began to get edgy. Suppose somebody else came along somebody less
sympathetic? Finally Pen-Jerg shook his head slowly. Blade braced himself,
ready to try to jump Pen-Jerg and kill him quickly and silently.
Pen-Jerg read the look in Blade's eyes, and smiled again.
"Be calm, Blade-Liza. If what you do is for Queen Mir-Kasa with all her
faults and against the power of Nris-Pol, then I will not hinder you. In fact
I will mount guard while you and your friend do your business in the work
chambers. I think I will arouse less curiosity than that " and he pointed to
the body at Blade's feet.
Pen-Jerg hoisted the body on his own shoulders, while Blade and Kun-Rala
darted into the work chambers. As they ran from room to room, Kun-Rala was
looking nervously at Blade.
"Can we trust him?"
"Yes, as far as he knows what we're doing. He had no more love for Nris-Pol
than we do. And in any case, do we have any choice?"
Kun-Rala had to admit that they didn't. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl rafalstec.xlx.pl
except working parties like themselves. And the time and energy saved by
using the shaft would be more than worth it, particularly if they had
to fight. Blade hoped they wouldn't, but he couldn't be sure.
They had to cover about two hundred feet of open corridor from the head of the
stairs to the entrance to the shaft. They passed one working party of four Low
People being herded along by a
candidate master, who bowed to Kun-Rala but said nothing. This was
encouraging at least mildly so.
There was no one in the shaft car that whisked them up to the work levels in
the usual few seconds.
And there was no one in the corridor outside the shaft door. But when they
turned the bend in the corridor that led to the work chambers, they saw a
guard standing before the main door to the chambers.
Blade swore mentally and drew Kun-Rala flat against the wall. There was thirty
feet of well-lit open floor between them and the guard, and only a foot or so
between the guard and what was obviously a newly-installed alarm signal
"This is new," said Kun-Rala. "The High People have never bothered putting
guards in these areas before."
"Just be thankful there's only one," said Blade. "I think we can take him. If
you will pull your robe down to the waist "
Kun-Rala's eyes opened as she stared at him.
"Yes strip to the waist. Then step out into the guard's view. He should keep
his eyes on you for a few seconds. That will be all I need."
"You can't cross the whole floor before he sees you and gives the alarm,
Blade."
"I'm not planning to," said Blade with a grin. He patted his short sword.
"This throws fairly well."
Then he patted Kun-Rala on her rear. "Hurry, now." She looked up at him with
an expression that was not much short of worship, then undid the top of her
robe and pulled it down until her breasts were bare.
Slowly she stepped out into view, trying to give her body a sensuous sway. She
was not very good at that, unfortunately.
But she was good enough. The guard's eyes widened as he saw her gliding toward
him, and his mouth opened wide. Then Blade stepped out into the open, and his
short sword flashed in the light.
There was a meaty chunk as it split the guard's face open. His shout of
surprise turned to a whimpering gurgle, and he collapsed to the floor, his
eyes and mouth still open.
Without bothering to pull up her robe, Kun-Rala snatched a key from her belt
pouch and opened the door to the work chambers. "Quick," she said. "Drop him
down the disposal shaft. If we leave him here, somebody may come. And if they
Page 61
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
find him here they'll start their search in the work chambers." There was no
strain or trembling in her voice or body now; she seemed entirely in control
of herself.
Blade nodded and hoisted the body onto his shoulders. As he did so, footsteps
sounded behind him.
He dropped the body to the floor, snatching the short sword from its face as
he did so, and turned to face his enemy. Then he stopped dead. It was his turn
to stare wide-eyed and wide-mouthed, and behind him he heard Kun-Rala gasp.
Pen-Jerg stood before them, both swords drawn and an inquisitive smile on his
bearded face.
"Blade-Liza?" he said softly, though it was more of a statement than a
question.
Blade momentarily toyed with the idea of playing the dumb and uncomprehending
Low Person. But he rejected the idea in the next moment. It would be a waste
of time, and dangerous too. Pen-Jerg appreciated honesty. Well, he would get
it.
"Yes," said Blade shortly.
"You are not supposed to be here," said Pen-Jerg mildly. "You could be
administered for this, you know. And I suppose you killed the guard?"
Blade nodded. He noted that Pen-Jerg had said "could" be administered, not
"will" be. Then he shot back a question of his own, in a mildly sarcastic
tone, "What are you doing here at this hour of the night, Pen-Jerg, brave
commander? Are you inspecting the guard posts for Nris-Pol?"
Pen-Jerg started as though Blade had stabbed him, and his face worked. Then he
actually spat on the polished floor. "That is for Nris-Pol. No, I am making
the rounds on my own. Nris-Pol has been spreading strange rumors of
stranger things happening among the Low People. I wanted to see for myself
whether Nris-Pol was spreading tales or not." He shook his head. "I am not
sure what the answer is, now. What are you doing here, Blade?"
Blade told him, leaving out only the parts about raising the Low People in
rebellion and about the great wands. He knew that Pen-Jerg would not stand for
the first, and had best not know about the second. Not as long as he was going
to be around Nris-Pol, who would probably have few scruples about torture.
When Blade had finished, Pen-Jerg stood in silence for such a long time that
Blade began to get edgy. Suppose somebody else came along somebody less
sympathetic? Finally Pen-Jerg shook his head slowly. Blade braced himself,
ready to try to jump Pen-Jerg and kill him quickly and silently.
Pen-Jerg read the look in Blade's eyes, and smiled again.
"Be calm, Blade-Liza. If what you do is for Queen Mir-Kasa with all her
faults and against the power of Nris-Pol, then I will not hinder you. In fact
I will mount guard while you and your friend do your business in the work
chambers. I think I will arouse less curiosity than that " and he pointed to
the body at Blade's feet.
Pen-Jerg hoisted the body on his own shoulders, while Blade and Kun-Rala
darted into the work chambers. As they ran from room to room, Kun-Rala was
looking nervously at Blade.
"Can we trust him?"
"Yes, as far as he knows what we're doing. He had no more love for Nris-Pol
than we do. And in any case, do we have any choice?"
Kun-Rala had to admit that they didn't. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]