Simon Rack 2 by Laurence James

Author:Laurence James
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: space opera, scifi adventure, piccadilly publishing, laurence james, simon rack, space pulp fiction
Publisher: Piccadilly Publishing

Chapter Five – With Ideals and Violence

The light in his eyes seemed dazzling, and he shook his head to try and move away from it. But it persisted, flashing and tearing at his closed eyelids. Finally, regretfully, Simon Rack sat up.

Kneeling on the dusty ground in front of him, was one of the Aleph nobles, Lord Vasia. Already he was able to recognize one brilliant figure from another, despite their chameleon make-up’

‘Forgive me, Ambassador, for waking you. But I wondered if there was a chance of having a private talk with you at some time? There are one or two points that I would like to try and make clear. Perhaps to show you that not all things are always as they seem.’

Rubbing his aching head Simon looked quizzically at Lord Vasia. ‘You intrigue me with your riddles and your puzzles, my lord. Why don’t you come to us in our chambers tonight around the eleventh hour? If that is satisfactory?’

The lord nodded, his bowed head hiding his eyes. ‘I thank you, Ambassador. I will be there.’

He walked away, unsteady on the rough ground in his high heels. Those mild eyes hid much, Simon thought. His initial arrogance at the spaceport seemed to have evaporated completely. And what in Hell’s name could he have to talk about?

Someone was calling his name and he stood up, rubbing the back of the neck. The stiffness was still there, although a day and a half had passed since he was struck. And here was his assailant, hopping towards him with all the elegance of a double-grav tanker.

While he dusted the dirt from his trousers he thought back with a rueful grin. All he had known was that he had been hit hard from behind as he entered his own quarters two nights before. He had come round to find Bogie peering worriedly into his face as he lay on his own bed. There was dampness in his hair. An exploratory finger had found a lump as big as two knuckles on the base of the skull, with a trickle of blood still oozing.

Hovering in the background he saw the nervous figure of Angis Weil. He raised his eyebrows and Bogart explained in a few choice terse phrases.

‘He’d come back to talk to us, heard the screaming and shooting a ways off, then heard men coming this way. He actually thought we’d been snuffed and they were coming for him. He shut the door and waited. Heard someone fumbling at the lock, and then smashed whoever came in with the big jug of water from the table. That’s the bits of it on the floor.’

And here was that same Angis Weil. Simon remembered his words to the worried tutor when he managed to stand up again. ‘I had counted you among my friends here in Capua, Master Weil. I dread what might happen if I had instead selected you among my enemies.’

His face oddly flushed under the bright midday green of the sun, Weil was as untidy as ever.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.