Seetee Alert by E. C. Tubb

Author:E. C. Tubb [Tubb, E. C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science fiction
ISBN: 9780575107786
Publisher: DAW Books
Published: 2011-09-29T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

The room was full of sounds, sighs, snores, heavy breathing, the little noises made by men at the edge of utter exhaustion. On the bunk above a man twisted, moaning, from those at either side came a whimper, a sibilant muttering.

‘No! Please, God, no! Don’t do it! Not again! Not again!’

Kennedy had learned the man had almost killed his brother after being tormented beyond endurance.

He relaxed and closed his eyes in feigned sleep as he heard boots halt outside the door. The patrolling guard was careless as to noise as he passed through the room, the light of his flash passing over the bunks. He was casual, the men were as dead, worn out by unremitting labor: The suits donned a hundred times, marches in the hot sun, exercises that could save their lives but for which they were not grateful.

And Kennedy had labored twice as hard and twice as long as any other.

Remuk’s revenge, using him as a substitute, not knowing that he hadn’t cared.

As the guard left the hut Kennedy rose, a shadow in the dimness, gliding toward the door and opening it without sound. Outside, stars threw a fitful light over the camp, thick pools of shadow resting at the sides of the buildings, deceptive between walls. He blended into them, moving silently, watchful, halting as a guard passed, halting again beneath a window.

The administration block never closed, but at dark only a skeleton staff was at work – Luden among them. As Kennedy raised his head, he saw Luden busy at a desk. Softly he tapped the window, dropping low as Luden shook his head. Five minutes later the window opened.

‘Cap?’

‘Here.’

‘The door fifty yards down.’

As Kennedy slipped along the wall a guard called, ‘That window – close it!’

‘It’s hot in here.’

‘Close it!’

The door was flush to the wall. It yielded beneath Kennedy’s hand, giving on to a narrow corridor flanked with doors. One stood open, the interior of the room dark, and he slipped inside. From the shadow Luden called softly, ‘If we’re caught, Cap, your name is Pren Geltai. We’re checking on supplies.’ He turned on the light. ‘Cap!’

‘It’s all right, Jarl.’ Kennedy could guess how he looked. ‘Just hard work; it won’t kill me. Any luck?’

‘Very little. In order to do a good job I persuaded them to let me have full access to the files. This thing is bigger than we imagined, Cap. The drain on the planetary economy is tremendous from a labor and material point of view. The Chambodian funds must be to provide only the services of the Artificers.’

‘A swindle?’

‘Not in the usual sense of the term,’ said Luden. ‘But it is obvious to me that Samope is being used. Once sold on the idea of the project they had little choice but to continue. If they pull out, they will lose everything. They must be hoping that the completion will bring the promised reward. However, that is none of our concern. In fact, it might be to our advantage.

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