Alan Dean Foster The Last Starfighter

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that all is under control.
Also ultimatums directing us to turn back or be destroyed."
"They are down to their final bluff." Kril permitted himself to relax. It was
all but over.
"You see?" Xur said triumphantly from nearby. "I told you. It's been so long
since the League has actually had to fight anyone that they've forgotten how
to do it. That hidden base was their only source of resistance. All other
weaponry is localized." He sniffed disdainfully. "Police functionaries.
Government security. Weaklings and cowards."
"I am pleased nothing has materialized to dispute the correctness of your
information," Kril said smoothly, "though I would still like to know what
happened to your own ships."
Xur turned to stare hungrily at the screen. "When the time is right they'll
show themselves, you'll see.
Haven't I been right about everything else so far? You worry too much, Kril."
"I am aware of that, Xur," the Ko-Dan replied. "That is why I was made
Commander."
Off to one side of the spacious command chamber the officer in charge of
monitoring fleet communications was staring in confusion at his instruments.
He ran the coded message back through the computer, assured himself of its
accuracy, and decided it had to be turned over immediately. His superior
accepted the transcription with the'equivalent of a frown and reluctantly
determined to present it to the
Commander.
He skirted the Rylan renegade and made his presence known.
Kril turned to face him. "Yes, what is it?"
"I would not interrupt your triumph if it were not a matter of some ..."
"Get to the point," Kril said impatiently.
"Yes, Commander." The officer studied the message one last time. "We've picked
up a signal on an emergency frequency. It's been relayed quite a distance from
a primitive world outside League and
Ko-Dan boundaries. It comes from one of our ZZ-Designates."
They were interrupted. "I know what it concerns," said Xur. "Remember that
single small ship that jumped in supralight just before we destroyed the base
on Rylos?"
"Of course I remember." Kril was furious at being treated like some green
junior officer. One time this
Rylan upstart was going to go too far, Imperial orders or no Imperial orders.
"We put a lock on it and estimated its course, then sent Designates to check
for activity indicating the presence of League technology at work on any
inhabited worlds in line with that estimated course and the jump capability of
a vessel that size. As you wished." He faced the officer. "What of the
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message's contents?"
"Rather confusing, Commander," the officer replied. "And brief."
"All Designates file brief reports," Kril declared. "They are not utilized
because of their ability to carry on lengthy conversations."
"No, Commander." The officer swallowed. "The message from ZZ-Designate 61
says, 'The last
Star-fighter . . . .' "
The Beta turned off the dirt road and started climbing a steep slope above the
clearing, hoping to take the assassin by surprise. It might not be expecting
any pursuit, but the Beta was taking no chances.
As the truck bounced crazily over boulders and rills, the Beta held the wheel
firmly in one hand while opening its stomach with the other. Maggie observed
this bloodless operation with silent fascination. The
Beta removed a small box no larger than a pack of cigarettes, stuck it beneath
the pickup's dashboard, and refastened its stomach. The box clung to the
metal, a single red light glowing brightly on one side.
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"What's that?" she asked, her teeth rattling.
"A surprise for our friend below. Isn't it your custom to give presents during
the upcoming time you call
Christmas?"
She nodded. Actually she couldn't do anything but nod, rough as the ride was.
They had reached the top of the low ridge and were starting down the opposite
side.
"This will be an early present for our friend. When I give the word, you jump,
okay?"
"Do I have a choice?" The pickup was beginning to pick up speed as the Beta
sent it rumbling down the rocky slope.
The Beta indicated the metal box attached to the dash. "Not unless you want to
be part of the surprise."
"I don't think so. If this is going to help Alex ..."
The Beta nodded. Maggie put one hand on the door handle, keeping her other on
the overhead grip, and waited anxiously for the robot's command.
At the last instant he shouted, "JUMP!" Without thinking, Maggie threw herself
out the door, covering her face and rolling over a couple of times until
coming to rest against a mercifully soft bush. She sat up fast.
It occurred to her then that she hadn't seen the Beta try to jump clear.
Below, she could see the truck roar toward something shiny and strange of
shape. The last seconds seemed to pass in slow motion, like something out of
an old movie.
The pickup smashed into the vessel concealed by the brush and exploded. The
truck's twin gas tanks erupted in concert with the robot's mysterious metal
box. The alien craft, which would have withstood the gasoline explosion
easily, turned into a geyser of metal and metallic glass. The concussion
knocked
Maggie down. Among the vaporized contents of the spaceship were the remains of
one very surprised alien killer.
The gasoline and the surrounding vegetation continued to burn long after the
ship had been destroyed.
For the second time in as many minutes Maggie slowly picked herself off the
ground. She wiped twigs and dirt from her legs. She was sore and bruised, but
nothing was broken.
She wished she could say the same for the Beta. He was down there, somewhere, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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