The Eisenhorn TrilogyXenos(科幻战争)-第41章

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'Had　you　cold；　Enforcer　Kaleil。'
Kaleil　gave　her　a　murderous　glare　and　led　us　towards　the　security　station。
THE　STATION　WAS　on　the　second　floor　of　a　round　building　on　the　corner　of　the　deserted　plaza。　A　guard…rail　ran　at　hip…height　around　the
office；　and　beyond　that；　inwardly…raked　windows　permitted　a　wide　view　down　into　the　plaza　area。　Kaleil　thumbed　a　wall…control　that
reduced　the　tinting　in　the　glass　and　made　the　room　a　little　brighter。
Seats　were　arranged　around　a　central；　circular　workstation；　above　which　glowed　a　holo…display。　Empty　ration　pouches　and　ale　bottles
cluttered　the　surfaces　of　the　workstation；　and　handwritten　notes　and　memos　had　been　taped　along　the　edges　of　the　console。　Around　the
room　were　couch　seats　with　splitting　upholstery；　and　piles　of　junk。　A　door　in　the　rear　led　through　to　an　armoury　and　a　ready　room。　The
air　was　humid　and　smelled　of　sweat　and　unwashed　clothes。
Kaleil　took　off　his　mesh　jacket　and　tossed　it　onto　a　couch。　He　wore　a　grubby　vest　that　shoperial　Guard
tattoos　on　his　upper　arms。
His　badge　of　office　hung　down　over　his　chest　like　an　athlete's　medal。
'Get　'em　refreshment；'　he　told　Bandelbi。　The　miner　began　swishing　each　of　the　ale　bottles　standing　on　the　cowling　of　the　workstation
to　find　one　with　some　contents　left。
'Fresh　ones；'　Kaleil　scolded。　'And　I'm　sure　the　doctor　would　prefer　something　softer…　or　harder。'
'Amasec；　if　you　have　it；'　said　Aemos。
'Ale's　fine；'　smiled　Medea；　flopping　onto　a　couch　and　folding　her　legs　up　under　her。
I　shook　my　head。　'Nothing。'
Bandelbi　disappeared。
Kaleil　sat　down　backwards　on　one　of　the　workstation　chairs　so　he　could　fold　his　arms　on　the　top　of　the　backrest。
'Okay；　doctor。　What's　the　story？'
'I　am　the　head　of　the　metallurgy　department　at　the　Royal　Scholam。　Do　you　know　Mendalin？'
Kaleil　shook　his　head。　'Never　been　there。'
'A　fine　world；　a　noble　world。　Famed　for　its　academia。'　Aemos　carefully　took　a　seat　next　to　Medea。
I　stood　back；　by　the　windows。　I　could　tell　Kaleil　had　one　eye　on　me。
'We　are　engaged　in　a　twenty　year　program；　commissioned　by　Archduke　Frederik　himself；　to　investigate　the　inner　transition　qualities　of
the　rarest　metals　for…　well；　the　applications　are　classified；　actually。　The　results　may　improve　the　industrial　health　of　Mendalin's
engine　yards。　The　archduke　is　a　keen　amateur　metallurgist。　He's　the　patron　of　the　Royal　Scholam；　in　fact。'
'Do　tell；'　murmured　Kaleil。
'Phorydnum　is　one　of　the　metals　to　be　covered　in　our　program。　And　this　planetoid　is　one　of　the　nearest　sources　of　it。　The
Administratum　has　kindly　issued　me　with　a　bond　to　visit　Cinchare　and　obtain　samples；　and　I　have　letters　from　the　Lord　Director　of
Imperial　Allied　to　inspect　the　phorydnum　workings。　Do　you　wish　to　see　them？'
Kaleil　waved　a　dismissive　hand。
'I　also　hoped　to　meet　with　the　tech…priests　stationed　here　in　order　to　discuss　their　understanding　of　the　properties　of　this　precious
substance。'
'You're　on　a　fact…finding　trip？'
'A　research　mission；'　said　Aemos。
Bandelbi　returned　with　three　ales　and　an　enamel　cup。　He　carried　them　on　a　dented　locker　door　which　he　was　using　as　a　tray。
'It's　not　good　stuff；'　he　told　Aemos；　handing　him　the　cup。　'Just　ration　issue　grade。'
Aemos　sipped　it　without　the　hint　of　a　shudder。　'Rough；　but　bracing；'　he　announced。
Kaleil　took　his　bottle　and　tugged　a　swig　from　the　neck。
'You've　had　a　wasted　journey；　I'm　afraid；'　he　said。　'Emperor　knows　what　Imperial　Allied　were　playing　at　when　they　gave　you　those
letters。　They　must　know　their　people　have　pulled　out。'
'Explain；'　I　said。　Kaleil　shot　me　a　glance。
'This　rock's　been　worked　pretty　consistently　for　the　last　nine　centuries。　It's　hazardous　work；　but　the　rewards　are　great。　As　you　said；
Cinchare's　a　rich　source　of　many　metals　that　are　very　hard　to　come　by。'
He　took　another　swig。
'These　last　twenty　years；　the　authorities　here　have　been　getting　worried　about　the　conditions。　The　gravity　distortions。　Cinchare　moving
ever　closer　into　the　grav　fields　of　Pymbyle。　Reckoning　was　that　the　place　would　be　unviable　in　another　eighty；　ninety　years。　Imperial
Allied　and　Ortog　stepped　up　their　work；　trying　to　strip　out　as　much　as　they　could　before　Cinchare　passed　into　a　gravity　envelope　that
would　make　it　untouchable　for　the　next　few　thousand　years。　The　indie　prospectors　too…　they　came　flocking。　Regular　old　fashioned
ore…rush；　the　past　few　years。'
'So　what　happened？'　asked　Medea。
'The　Gravs；'　said　Bandelbi。　He　was　clearing　a　seat　for　himself　on　one　of　the　paper…stacked　couches。　He　looked　up　and　saw　Medea's
quizzically　raised　eyebrow。

'Gravity　sickness；'　he　said　at　once　in　response　to　her　unasked　question。　He　scratched　the　birthmark　on　his　neck　nervously。　He'd　been
keeping　a　keen　eye　on　her。　She　was　probably　the　first　woman　he'd　seen　in　a　while。　Kaleil　was　more　composed。
'Gravity　sickness；'　Bandelbi　continued；　'weight　distemper；　lead…head；　the　Gravs…　you　know。'
'Chronic　Gravitisthesia；　also　known　as　Mazbur's　Syndrome。　A　progressive　disorder　caused　by　exotic　gravitational　flux。　Symptoms
include　paranoia；　loss　of　co…ordination；　bursts　of　anxiety　or　rapture；　memory　loss；　hallucination　and　sometimes；　in　extremis；　homicidal
urges。　The　condition　is　usually　accompanied　by　myasthenia　gravis；　osteochondritis；　osteoporosis；　scoliosis　and　leukaemia；'　Aemos
finished。
Kaleil　widened　his　eyes。　'I　thought　you　were　a　doctor　of　metals；　doctor；　not　a　medicae。'
'I　am。　But　gravity；　that　invisible　power；　is　a　fundamental　part　of　the　life　of　all　elements。　So　I　take　an　interest　in　it。'
'Yeah；　well…　the　predictions　said　Cinchare　might　become　unviable　due　to　gravity　in　ninety　years。　But　the　human　body　is　softer　than　a
hunk　of　mineral　ore。　The　Gravs　first　showed　up　about　two　years　back。　Workers　getting　sick。　A　few　cases　of　violence　and　insanity。
Then　we　realised　what　was　going　on。　Imperial　Allied　pulled　out　nine　months　ago。　Ortog　seven。'
'It's　ironic；'　Aemos　said。　'Cinchare　is　mineral　rich　precisely　because　of　the　exotic　gravities　it　has　been　subjected　to　in　its　billion　year
life。　Elements　have　been　transmuted　and　rearranged　here　in　ways　that　may　be　unique。　Cinchare　is　a　precious　philosopher's　stone；　my
friends；　an　alchemist's　dream！　And　now　mankind　cannot　benefit　from　its　gifts　for　precisely　the　same　reason　they　exist　in　the　first
place！'
'Yeah；　doc；　ironic　is　what　it　is；'　said　Bandelbi；　knocking　back　his　ale。
'That　doesn't　explain　why　you're　still　here；'　I　said。
'Skeleton　crew；'　said　Kaleil　in　a　tone　that　said　it　was　none　of　my　business。　'The　Adeptus　Mechanicus　pulled　out　too；　about　three
months　ago。　But　one　of　theirs　stayed　behind。　Some　sort　of　vital　research　that　had　to　be　finished。　And　we　were　ordered　to　stay　behind
and　keep　Cinchare　Minehead　open　until　he　finished。'
I　moved　round　and　looked　out　of　the　station　windows。　The　plaza　was　empty　of　everything　except　trash。　'And　how　many　is　〃we〃；
Enforcer？'
'Service　crew　of　twenty。　I'm　in　charge。　All　volunteers。'
'The　techlords　promised　us　triple　pay！'　Bandelbi　told　Medea；　clearly　trying　to　impress　her。
'Gee　whiz；'　she　smiled。
'Where　are　the　others？　The　other　eighteen？'　I　pressed。
Kaleil　got　up　off　his　chair　and　tossed　his　empty　bottle　at　an　overflowing　litter　basket　in　the　corner。　It　bounced　off　and　broke　on　the
floor。　'Around　about。　This　is　a　big　place。　What　you　see　is　just　the　tip。　Like　a…　what's　it　called；　those　frozen　lumps　of　water　they　have
in　the　sea　on　some　planets？'
'Iceberg？'　Medea　suggested。
'Yeah；　like　one　of　those。　Ninety　per　cent　of　Cinchare　Minehead　is　subsoil。　That's　a　crap　of　a　lot　of　space　to　patrol；　maintain　and　keep
ticking　over。'
'You're　in　vox　contact　with　the　rest　of　the　skeleton　crew？'
'We　keep　in　touch。　Some　I　don't　see　for　weeks。'
'This　tech…priest；　the　one　who　remained？'　Aemos　said。　'Where　is　he？'
Kaleil　shrugged。　'Gone　rockside。　Into　the　karsts　and　the　mines。　I've　not　seen　him　for　two　months。'
'When　do　you　expect　him　back？'　Aemos　said；　as　if　it　didn't　matter。
Kaleil　shrugged　again。　'Never。'
'What　was　his　name？'　I　asked；　turning　to　look　directly　into　the　enforcer's　dark　eyes。
'Bure；'　he　said。　'Why？'
'Well；　this　is　all　most　perturbatory！'　Aemos　blurted；　rising　from　his　seat。　'The　archduke　will　be　very　put　out。　It　has　cost　a　deal　of　time
and　money　to　venture　this　mission。　Mr　Kaleil…　since　we've　come　this　far；　I'd　like　to　do　what　little　I　can。'
'Like　what；　doctor？'
'Obtain　some　samples；　inspect　the　phorydnum　workings；　study　the　mineralogy　ledgers？'
'I　don't　know…　Cinchare　Minehead's　meant　to　be　closed　up　now。　Officially。'
'Would　it　really　be　too　much　to　ask？　I'm　sure　the　Lord　Director　of　Imperial　Allied　would　be　pleased　if　you　co…operated　with　me。
Pleased　enough　to　proffer　a　bonus　if　I　made　a　report　to　him。'
Kaleil　frowned。　'Uh　huh。　What　are　we　talking　about？'
'A　day　to　overview　the　ledgers　and　the　mineralogy　database；　perhaps　another　day　to　examine　the　sample　archives　from　the　quarries。
And…　well；　how　long　would　it　take　to　arrange　a　visit　to　the　phorydnum　face？　The　latest　one？'
'I　call　my　staff　in；　maybe　two　days　round　trip。'
'So…　excellent！　Four　days　total　and　we'll　be　gone。'
'I　dunno…'said　Bandelbi。
'Don't　you　want　me　hanging　around　for　a　few　days？'　asked　Medea；　reading　Bandelbi's　body　language　as　acutely　as　any　trained
inquisitor；　and　revealing　as　much　latent　acting