[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.Mount the whole thing on a circular base ten feet in diameter.Color it a dirty bronze-tinted blue all over, and add a few dents, patches, and scars.That was a Watcher, as Richard Blade faced one for the first time on top of the Wall.He could hear Twana's breath coming in quick gasps, and he didn't blame her.Even if one hadn't gone in fear of the Watchers all one's life, they weren't a pleasant thing to meet.Particularly when there wasn't much hope of either fighting or running.Those weren't the only choices, fortunately.This machine had to be the creation of an advanced civilization.If its masters were watching through its eyes and listening through its ears, perhaps there was a way to communicate with them.Certainly it was worth trying.Carefully Blade laid down his sword.Then he straightened up, holding his empty hands well out from his sides, fingers spread wide.If the Watcher's masters were humanoid, the gesture should have its almost universal meaning of "Peace." Then he whispered sharply to Twana, "Do the same as I've done.""Blade, I-""Do it!"He heard Twana suck in her breath with a hiss.Then at last her courage deserted her, and she turned and ran.Before she'd taken two steps, the Watcher let out another ear-splitting hoot, rose a foot off the ground with a whine and a blast of air, and started after her.All four arms were raised, and both eyes were blinking rapidly.Blade threw himself to one side, just in time to save his life.A beam of dazzling white light flared from one of the blue muzzles in the Watcher's head.It played across Blade's sword, and when it passed on, it left the metal blackened and warped.As Blade sprang to his feet, the Watcher's arms on the side toward him lashed out.The tentacle whipped around his knees, while the claw on the upper arm unfolded until it could span his waist.Blade was jerked off his feet and into the air, as the Watcher swept by in pursuit of Twana.The girl screamed as she saw the Watcher gaining on her.Then she stumbled and went down, the sword flying out of her hand.Blade's arms were free.He reached down to the jointed arm that held him by the waist, grabbed the elbow with both hands, and heaved with all his strength.It should have been impossible, flesh matched against metal in this way, but Blade's strength somehow made it possible.The arm gave with a screech of twisted and torn metal and went limp, pouring out smoke and sticky bluish fluid.Blade found himself dangling in midair, held only by the tentacle around his knees.He tried to swing himself toward the body of the Watcher.If he could get a firm grip there and then start on the joints with the knife from his belt-He never made it.The head turned toward him, and Blade had a moment of staring into the mouth of one of the blue tubes-a moment just long enough for him to know that he was about to die.Then Twana screamed again, and the world dissolved around Blade in white fire and terrible pain.Chapter 9Blade awoke in a comfortable bed.He was surprised not only at the bed, but at still being alive to wake up at all.Apparently the Watcher had merely knocked him unconscious, rather than frying him like a piece of bacon.It had left a few traces behind-his head ached, and his skin prickled as if he'd been slightly sunburned all over.He started to sit up, felt a wave of nausea rising in him, and lay down again with his eyes closed until it passed.At last he sat up and looked around the room.It was impressively large-it would have held all five rooms of his London flat with plenty of space left over.A ceiling of metal hexagons was at least thirty feet above his head.The bed under him was large enough for three or four people and almost too soft for comfort.Red and gray-checked blankets of some musty-smelling synthetic material were piled thickly on it.Blade threw off the blankets and climbed out of the bed.The floor underfoot was soft and springy, except in a few places where bare stone showed through.The floor covering seemed to grow out of the stone, like pale blue grass, rather than lying on it like a rug.Apart from the bed, there was nothing in the room but three chairs around a low table in one corner and a large double wardrobe standing in another corner.Blade somehow had the feeling that this austerity was the result of neglect rather than a deliberate decorating scheme.Except for the wardrobe, the room and everything in it were well-worn, almost shabby.It was absolutely immaculate, as though it were dusted several times a day.But the metal of the ceiling was tarnished, the walls were stained and patched in several places, and the furniture was threadbare and faded.It reminded Blade of the kind of room he'd seen in old houses owned by families who could no longer really afford them, filled with slowly decaying family heirlooms.He wasn't quite sure what he'd expected to find beyond the Wall, but this room certainly wasn't it.If he were supposed to be a prisoner, it was about the oddest cell he'd ever seen!Blade walked over to the wardrobe.It looked brand-new and was made of something like pale gray plastic with a pebbled finish.When he was three feet away, the front of the wardrobe quietly folded itself up.Inside he saw his clothing and gear, all of it cleaned and hung on hooks as neatly as a trained valet could have done.A quick examination told Blade that nothing was missing except his bow and arrows.Even the knife and the spare sword he'd tied to his pack were there.He began to wonder if he were a prisoner at all, or some sort of guest.He decided the only way to find out was to search out his captors-or hosts.He also wanted to find Twana.If the Wall-people hadn't killed him, they probably hadn't killed her, but she might be half out of her wits with fear over actually being in the hands of the Watchers.He wanted to calm her, and when he'd calmed her, they could start planning what to do next-including escaping, if that turned out to be necessary.On the opposite side of the room from the bed was a pointed archway fifteen feet high and ten feet wide.Blade could see a lighted corridor beyond it [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.Mount the whole thing on a circular base ten feet in diameter.Color it a dirty bronze-tinted blue all over, and add a few dents, patches, and scars.That was a Watcher, as Richard Blade faced one for the first time on top of the Wall.He could hear Twana's breath coming in quick gasps, and he didn't blame her.Even if one hadn't gone in fear of the Watchers all one's life, they weren't a pleasant thing to meet.Particularly when there wasn't much hope of either fighting or running.Those weren't the only choices, fortunately.This machine had to be the creation of an advanced civilization.If its masters were watching through its eyes and listening through its ears, perhaps there was a way to communicate with them.Certainly it was worth trying.Carefully Blade laid down his sword.Then he straightened up, holding his empty hands well out from his sides, fingers spread wide.If the Watcher's masters were humanoid, the gesture should have its almost universal meaning of "Peace." Then he whispered sharply to Twana, "Do the same as I've done.""Blade, I-""Do it!"He heard Twana suck in her breath with a hiss.Then at last her courage deserted her, and she turned and ran.Before she'd taken two steps, the Watcher let out another ear-splitting hoot, rose a foot off the ground with a whine and a blast of air, and started after her.All four arms were raised, and both eyes were blinking rapidly.Blade threw himself to one side, just in time to save his life.A beam of dazzling white light flared from one of the blue muzzles in the Watcher's head.It played across Blade's sword, and when it passed on, it left the metal blackened and warped.As Blade sprang to his feet, the Watcher's arms on the side toward him lashed out.The tentacle whipped around his knees, while the claw on the upper arm unfolded until it could span his waist.Blade was jerked off his feet and into the air, as the Watcher swept by in pursuit of Twana.The girl screamed as she saw the Watcher gaining on her.Then she stumbled and went down, the sword flying out of her hand.Blade's arms were free.He reached down to the jointed arm that held him by the waist, grabbed the elbow with both hands, and heaved with all his strength.It should have been impossible, flesh matched against metal in this way, but Blade's strength somehow made it possible.The arm gave with a screech of twisted and torn metal and went limp, pouring out smoke and sticky bluish fluid.Blade found himself dangling in midair, held only by the tentacle around his knees.He tried to swing himself toward the body of the Watcher.If he could get a firm grip there and then start on the joints with the knife from his belt-He never made it.The head turned toward him, and Blade had a moment of staring into the mouth of one of the blue tubes-a moment just long enough for him to know that he was about to die.Then Twana screamed again, and the world dissolved around Blade in white fire and terrible pain.Chapter 9Blade awoke in a comfortable bed.He was surprised not only at the bed, but at still being alive to wake up at all.Apparently the Watcher had merely knocked him unconscious, rather than frying him like a piece of bacon.It had left a few traces behind-his head ached, and his skin prickled as if he'd been slightly sunburned all over.He started to sit up, felt a wave of nausea rising in him, and lay down again with his eyes closed until it passed.At last he sat up and looked around the room.It was impressively large-it would have held all five rooms of his London flat with plenty of space left over.A ceiling of metal hexagons was at least thirty feet above his head.The bed under him was large enough for three or four people and almost too soft for comfort.Red and gray-checked blankets of some musty-smelling synthetic material were piled thickly on it.Blade threw off the blankets and climbed out of the bed.The floor underfoot was soft and springy, except in a few places where bare stone showed through.The floor covering seemed to grow out of the stone, like pale blue grass, rather than lying on it like a rug.Apart from the bed, there was nothing in the room but three chairs around a low table in one corner and a large double wardrobe standing in another corner.Blade somehow had the feeling that this austerity was the result of neglect rather than a deliberate decorating scheme.Except for the wardrobe, the room and everything in it were well-worn, almost shabby.It was absolutely immaculate, as though it were dusted several times a day.But the metal of the ceiling was tarnished, the walls were stained and patched in several places, and the furniture was threadbare and faded.It reminded Blade of the kind of room he'd seen in old houses owned by families who could no longer really afford them, filled with slowly decaying family heirlooms.He wasn't quite sure what he'd expected to find beyond the Wall, but this room certainly wasn't it.If he were supposed to be a prisoner, it was about the oddest cell he'd ever seen!Blade walked over to the wardrobe.It looked brand-new and was made of something like pale gray plastic with a pebbled finish.When he was three feet away, the front of the wardrobe quietly folded itself up.Inside he saw his clothing and gear, all of it cleaned and hung on hooks as neatly as a trained valet could have done.A quick examination told Blade that nothing was missing except his bow and arrows.Even the knife and the spare sword he'd tied to his pack were there.He began to wonder if he were a prisoner at all, or some sort of guest.He decided the only way to find out was to search out his captors-or hosts.He also wanted to find Twana.If the Wall-people hadn't killed him, they probably hadn't killed her, but she might be half out of her wits with fear over actually being in the hands of the Watchers.He wanted to calm her, and when he'd calmed her, they could start planning what to do next-including escaping, if that turned out to be necessary.On the opposite side of the room from the bed was a pointed archway fifteen feet high and ten feet wide.Blade could see a lighted corridor beyond it [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]