lrh.villainyvictorious-第49部分

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Bolz　couldn't　register　what　was　happening。　He　had　no　way　of　knowing　this　was　the　battalion　that　had　been　sent　by　Lombar　to　〃search　out　any　traitors　that　were　confederates　of　Heller's　or　took　his　orders　and　exterminate　them。〃　For　the　Blixo　had　left　a　couple　days　before　the　order　had　been　issued　by　the　crashed　Lombar　Hisst。
A　man　in　a　black　uniform　with　scarlet　gloves；　taller　than　Bolz；　loomed　over　him。　〃I　am　Colonel　Flay　of　the　243rd　Death　Battalion。　Who　are　you　and　where　is　everyone　here？〃
〃I　am。。。　I　am。。。　Captain　Bolz　of　the　Blixo；　this　ship。　I　have　an　urgent　cargo　of　drugs　for　Voltar。〃
An　officer　yelled　from　the　Blixo's　airlock；　〃Colonel；　this　ship　is　carrying　contraband　drink！〃
The　colonel　glared　at　Bolz。　〃A　smuggler！〃
〃I'm　captain　of　an　Apparatus　freighter！〃
〃In　those　clothes？　Answer　me。　Why　weren't　we　challenged？　Where　is　the　personnel　of　this　base？〃
〃They've　gone！〃　quavered　Bolz。
〃Gone　where？〃
〃We　don't　know！〃　screamed　Oh　Dear；　who　was　being　held　by　a　Death　Battalion　soldier。　〃I　am　a　courier　to　Lord　Endow！〃
〃Ha！〃　said　Colonel　Flay。　〃Travelling　with　a　smuggler？　Bend　that　pretty　fellow　over　a　rifle　and　make　him　talk。〃
〃No！　Look　at　my　identoplate　…　〃
Two　soldiers　grabbed　either　end　of　a　rifle。　Another　grabbed　Oh　Dear's　head；　a　fourth　grabbed　his　feet。　The　first　two　held　the　rifle　horizontally　in　the　middle　of　his　back。　The　second　two　pulled。　Oh　Dear's　spine　began　to　crack。　He　screamed。
〃Tell　me　where　the　others　have　gone！〃　roared　Flay。
〃We　don't　know！〃　shrieked　Oh　Dear。　〃Look　at　my　I。D。！〃
An　officer　fished　in　Oh　Dear's　pockets。　He　looked　at　the　identoplate　he　found。　〃This　just　says　he's　a　clerk　in　Section　451。　That's　this　planet。　He's　no　courier。〃
〃Make　him　talk！〃　said　Flay。
They　pulled　on　Oh　Dear　harder。
〃You　better　talk！　You　know　where　they　have　gone　well　enough。　Don't　lie　again。　TALK！〃
Oh　Dear　went　into　a　high…pitched　keening　as　his　spine　stretched　and　cracked。　He　was　able　to　get　out；　〃I　have　a　despatch。　I　have　a　despatch。　I　have　a　despatch！　I　must　get　it　through！〃
〃To　Hells　with　your　despatches；〃　said　Flay。
Oh　Dear　had　fainted。
Flay　gave　a　signal　and　soldiers　grabbed　Bolz。　One　of　them　pulled　his　head　back　with　a　handful　of　hair　and　another　hit　him　in　the　body　with　a　fist。　Bolz　grunted　with　the　force　of　it。
〃Where　have　they　gone？〃　demanded　Flay。
〃They　did　not　tell　us！〃　cried　Bolz。
The　colonel　snapped　his　fingers　and　an　officer　put　a　light　in　his　hand。　Flay　walked　up　to　Bolz　and　shined　the　light　in　his　eye。　〃Are　you　lying　to　us？〃
Bolz　writhed；　trying　to　get　away　from　the　light。　The　only　thing　which　was　registering　with　him　was　that　this　colonel　might　discover　that　he　intended　to　keep　this　base　for　his　own　use。
〃His　pupillary　reaction；〃　said　Flay；　〃shows　that　he　is　lying！　Hit　him！〃
The　blow　echoed　through　the　hangar。
〃Once　more；〃　said　Flay；　〃I　am　going　to　ask　you　politely　and　then　we　will　really　get　to　work　on　you。　Where　has　this　base　crew　gone？〃
〃I　DON'T　KNOW！〃　screamed　Bolz。
〃Hit　him！〃　said　the　colonel。
It　was　the　last　order　he　ever　issued　in　this　life。
The　blow　hit　the　button　remote　in　Bolz's　pocket。
There　was　a　searing　flash　throughout　the　hangar！
The　Death　Battalion；　the　warship；　the　Blixo；　the　crew；　Captain　Bolz　and　Oh　Dear　glowed；　suddenly　outlined　in　incandescence。　They　shifted　color　upward　from　red　to　yellow　to　violet。　They　went　black。　They　turned　to　silica；　momentarily　holding　shape；　then　they　became　molten　glass。
No　one　in　the　base　was　left　alive。
The　wall　boxes　that　held　the　beams　in　place　turned　into　sand　which；　under　the　ferocity　of　heat；　turned　to　liquid　dribble。
And　then　with　a　shuddering　roar；　the　walls　of　the　hangar　twisted　and　began　to　cave　in。
The　slide　of　rock　went　on　for　quite　a　while。
Fantastic　heat　fused　the　inside　of　the　mountain。
Then　there　was　nothing　left　of　the　Earth　base。
And　buried　there；　because　of　the　delay　and　self…interest　of　Bolz；　lying　under　the　pile　of　shuddering　glass　which　had　been　Oh　Dear　and　under　the　countless　tons　of　boiling　silica　above　it；　was　the　ash　of　the　despatch　which　had　been　designed　to　stave　off　an　invasion　of　Earth。
It　would　never　be　delivered。

PART　SEVENTY…NINE
Chapter　1

Oh；　Madison　had　little　doubt　now　that　he　would　be　able　to　finish　his　job　with　Heller。　In　the　foreseeable　future　he　would　have　not　just　the　Apparatus　but　the　entire　Army　and　Fleet　on　Heller's　trail。
Oh；　what　headlines　that　would　make！
He　was　standing　at　an　upper…story　window　of　the　Royal　mansion　on　Relax　Island；　waiting　for　Teenie；　who　was　unaccountably　delayed。　He　had　landed　in　the　rear　of　the　palace　so　as　to　stay　out　of　sight。　He　was　down　here　to　tell　Teenie　some　good　news　and　give　her　some　evidence。
Through　the　window　came　one　of　the　softest　and　most　perfume…laden　breezes　he　had　ever　felt。　The　magnificent　view　of　the　valley　below　soothed　his　nerves。　And　one　particular　ten…acre　square　of　the　farmland　down　there　would　soothe　other　nerves　as　well：　it　was　smoothly　rippling　with　a　flourishing　crop　of　marijuana…Panama　Red；　if　he　recalled　aright　when　Teenie；　working　a　crew　from　her　five…thousand　island　population；　had　told　him　what　she　was　doing。
But　no　labors　jarred　today　the　tranquil　scene　of　the　terrace。　A　masked　woman；　middle…aged；　an　editor's　wife；　was　strolling　along　the　balustrade；　loosely　gowned　and　indolent。　From　time　to　time　she　turned　her　eyes　away　from　the　view　and　cast　glances　expectantly　along　the　front　of　the　palace。
Ah；　here　came　what　she　was　looking　for。　A　gallant　young　officer　in　a　brilliant　silver　uniform　approached　her　at　a　slow　pace。　He　stopped；　he　spread　his　hands　admiringly；　he　bowed。　She　stopped　and　steadied　herself　against　the　balustrade。　The　young　officer　approached　closer。　He　said　something　in　a　low　voice　and　the　woman　laughed　coquettishly。　He　took　her　arm　and　they　began　to　stroll　together。
Madison　admired　how　well　Teenie　had　taught　her　regiment。　He　knew　that　their　lessons　did　not　include　just　deportment。
And　here　behind　them　smoothly　appeared　a　musician　with　a　chorder…beat。　But　the　tune　he　was　playing　and　the　tones　had　been　taken　from　Teenie's　record　collection：　it　sounded　exactly　like　a　romantic　gypsy　violin。
The　officer　and　the　lady　sauntered　down　the　wide　palace　steps。　Followed　by　the　violin　music；　they　strolled　along　a　path。　They　entered　one　of　the　many　secluded　nooks。　Each　one；　Madison　knew；　had　a　softly　padded　bench。　He　could　just　see　the　end　of　one　through　the　flowering　trees。
A　begging　babble　reached　his　ears。
Presently；　as　he　expected；　he　saw　the　woman's　gown　being　laid　gently　on　the　bench　end。
The　musician　was　now　behind　a　tree；　his　back　to　the　nook；　but　the　violin　music　played　on。
In　the　limbs　above；　a　branch　of　blossoms　began　to　weave。
The　musician's　face　was　watchful；　intent。　He　was　playing　faster　now。
Blossoms　exploded　and　the　petals　showered　down。
The　music　now　was　mild　and　slow。
An　attendant　in　silver　livery　who　bore　a　silver　tray　sped　across　the　terrace。　He　entered　the　nook。
Shortly　the　gray…blue　smoke　of　marijuana　rose。
The　violin　music　played　on。
Madison　looked　down　at　the　terrace。　Another　publisher's　wife　had　e　out。　She　was　masked；　but　Madison　knew　her　husband　published　the　Daily　Conservative。
Another　officer　came　out　of　the　palace。　He　stopped；　he　bowed；　he　approached。　He　whispered　something　in　her　ear　and　she　handed　him　a　flower。
They　sauntered　down　another　path。
Another　musician　followed　them。
The　pair　entered　another　nook。
From　the　palace　now　came　a　third　officer。　He　strolled　to　the　first　nook。　Madison　faintly　heard　his　voice；　〃I　say；　old　man；　may　I　cut　in？〃
Above　the　second　nook　a　branch　of　blossoms　was　going　in　a　circle。
The　second　musician；　back　to　it；　played　faster　and　faster。
The　branch　of　blossoms　erupted　in　a　blast　of　petals。
The　second　musician　smiled　and　began　to　play　dreamily。
The　attendant　with　the　silver　tray　approached　the　second　nook　at　speed。
Out　from　the　palace　came　a　third　publisher's　wife。
The　violin　music　played　on。　And　Madison　knew　it　would　play　on　for　the　rest　of　the　day。　And　other　violins　would　play　for　the　twenty　other　wives　who　would　be　sporting　in　these　gardens　this　afternoon…after　sporting　in　their　bedrooms　the　entire　night　before！
Aside　from　marijuana；　any　LSD　trips　they　had　now　were　totally　full　of　handsome　young　officers！
Madison　stole　a　peek　at　the　clipping　book　he　was　carrying。　The　first　batches　of　women　were　long　since　returned　home。　Just　to　test　his　muscle　he　was　getting　psychiatry　good　coverage。　Page　after　page　contained　news　stories　about　the　marvelous　cures　it　was　effecting；　how　magnificent　Crobe　was；　how　misguided　any　other　form　of　treatment　was　and　how　all　rival　ideas　should　be　crushed　out。　Life　had　bee　impossible　for　publishers　and　editors　unless　they　ran　columns　and　columns　about　this　marvelous　new　science　imported　from　Blito…P3！
Oh；　there　was　no　doubt　of　it　that　psychiatry　had　all　the　answers。　They　had　won　press　domination　on　Earth　the　very　same　way：　get　the　wives　of　the　publishers　and　editors　on　the　couch　and　being　liberally　（bleeped）　and　you　got　all　the　column　inches　you　could　ever　want！　And　woe　betide　any　petitor　in　the　field：　he　would　be　slaughtered！
A　voice　behind　him　jarred　into　his　mood。　〃What　the　hell　have　you　bee？　Some　God　（bleeped）　voyeur？〃

Chapter　2

It　was　Teenie　and　she　looked　very　cross。　Her　air　limousine　must　have　landed　in　the　back　near　his；　for　he　hadn't　heard　it。　She　was　drawing　off　a　pair　of　black　gloves　and　two　maids　were　hastily　attending　her。　This　was　her　upper　dressing　antechamber。
〃Oh；　Teenie；〃　said　Madison；　〃you　have　done　so　well。　Organizing　this　place　and　training　the　officers　as　you　have　was　a　superhuman　feat。　And　look：　here　are　the　first　fruits　of　victory！〃
He　shoved　the　clipping　book　under　her　nose。　She　shook　off　a　maid　who　was　trying　to　b　out　her　hair　and　reorder　the　ponytail　and　took　the　book。
She　looked　at　it。　〃I　don't　see　anything　here　about　Gris。〃
〃No；　no。　This　just　shows　the　dawning　of　press　control。　Right　now　they're　just　bragging　about　psychiatry。　Isn't　it　marvelous？　Some　of　this　is　front　page！　It's　never　been　done　before　in　the　history　of　Voltar！　Influencing　their　press。〃
〃Listen；　buster；　I'm　helping　you　for　just　one　reason。　You'll　forget　that　to　your　sorrow！　I　want　that　Gris　spread…eagled　on　the　block　down　there　and　hours　and　hours　every　day　filled　with　his　screams。　I've　thought　of　things　way　beyond