Galactic Destiny by E. C. Tubb

Author:E. C. Tubb [Tubb, E. C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781434447180
Publisher: Wildside Press
Published: 2013-02-13T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIVE

Elric studied the board for a long moment and then carefully moved a piece.

“Check!”

Smith, his eyes wide against the pallor of his face, glanced down, moved, leaned back in his chair.

“Checkmate!”

Elric gave the board a startled glance then admitted defeat.

“For a man of peace, Cleric, you play the war-game well. Another?”

“If you wish. It will help pass the time.”

That, Elric admitted, was as good a reason as any other. They sat in the lounge, huddled into one corner as if to escape from the bleakness of the stripped metal surrounding them. Their cabins had long since been gutted, even the partitions burned away, the men sharing one communal room for sleeping, the women another. Waking hours were spent in the lounge, each amusing himself as best he might. Food, hastily prepared, was served by one or another member of the crew.

“A long journey,” said Elric. “Longer than I expected.” His eyes watched Smith.

The Cleric nodded, his thoughts apparently far away. On Earth, perhaps? Elric didn’t know. During their association he had come to have a great respect for the little man, a respect that had something to do with his profession. Smith had a belief in something bigger even than the universe and a code of ethics, which, Elric admitted, would have ended his profession if followed. Warriors and Christianity had little in common.

He reset the board, hesitated a moment then, as Smith nodded, moved a pawn.

“A long journey,” he repeated. “Longer, perhaps, than any of us expected to make.”

“All of us expect to make a long journey.” Smith did not look at the Warrior.

“Death?” Elric shrugged. “Does the concept bring fear?”

“No.” Smith’s eyes were luminous. “Regret, perhaps, but never fear.” He looked at Elric. “Why have you mentioned death?”

“I spoke only of a long journey.”

“I know of what you spoke.” Smith glanced around the lounge. “You are a man who has travelled much. You have seen many worlds and known many things. It comes to me that you perhaps know more than I, more than any of us in this room.”

“I know that we are in trouble.” Elric studied the board, this time he was determined to win. “They are cutting away parts of the ship, dumping our luggage, reducing mass as much as they can.”

“But they have rebuilt the drive.”

“They have rebuilt a single unit of the drive.” Elric moved another piece. Smith followed. Elric moved again. “A single unit.”

Smith didn’t understand.

“I was employed by the Carl of Delgan once,” said Elric. “We had some Rogue Folk and a handful of others to transport our troops. In space we were attacked; the game of war can be played by both sides. The ship I was in was hit and damaged. We drifted for weeks. We had little food, little air, little water. The journey, you understand, was a short one and every man possible had been crammed into the hull.”

Carefully he moved a piece.

Smith replied to the move.

“Rescue was inevitable—if we could hold out.” Elric shrugged. “We held out.

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