Chapter 13 Chapter Thirteen

The Sovereign tiptoed the spacesuit aside and sat down on a larger ottoman. He said: "I haven't played this for a long time. But, they say, once you learn it, you never forget it. Evidently, I haven't either. Hello, Farrier! My Lord Gilbret , Hello. This, if you remember correctly, is the daughter of the governor of Rhodia, Miss Artemisia!" He held a long cigarette precisely between his upper and lower lips, and lit it with a single inhale.The air was suddenly filled with the alluring aroma of tobacco. "Didn't expect to see you so soon, Farrier," he said. "Perhaps, not at all, to be sure!" said Byron sharply.

"Of course, no one will know," echoed the Lord Lingen Star, "there are only five words 'Gilbret' in the letter. According to what I know, Gilbreth may not necessarily be able to drive a spaceship; I also know that I once sent a young man Going to Rhodia, he can fly a spaceship; when desperate, he is fully capable of stealing a Tyranid cruiser and fleeing; and I have also heard that there is a man on the spaceship, young and aristocratic , so the conclusion is obvious. I am not surprised to see you." "I thought you were surprised," said Byron. "I thought you'd be terrified to see me. As an assassin, you should. Do you think I'm not as good at reasoning as you are?"

"I can only compliment you, Farrier." The king of Lingen Star looked calm and composed, and Byron was too angry to speak.He turned angrily to the other two and said, "This fellow is Sander Jondy—the Sander Jondy I told you about. He's probably doing fifty things like that besides being the Lord of Lingen." Lord of the planet. None of that matters. To me, he's just Sand Jondee." Artemisia said, "He's the one..." Gilbrecht placed his bony little hand tremblingly on his forehead. "Calm down, Byron, are you crazy?" "That's the guy! I'm not crazy!" Byron yelled, trying to calm himself down. "Yeah, I don't think there's any need to yell. Get off my ship. Gentle enough, Jondee. Get out."

"My dear Farrier, why?" Gilbreth murmured several times in his throat, but Byron pushed him aside roughly, and said to the Ringen Lord sitting there: "You made a mistake, Jondee, just a mistake. You didn't expect me to leave my watch in my dormitory on Earth when I ran out of it. You see, my watch strap is just right for a radiation level indicator." Lord Lin Genxing blew out a smoke ring and smiled contentedly. Byron said: "But the watch strap didn't turn blue, Jondee. There was no radiation bomb in my room that night. Just a fake one that was put there on purpose! You'd be lying if you didn't admit it. Joan Dee, or Ringen Star Lord, or whatever you like to call yourself.

"Besides, you were the one who dropped that fake radiation bomb, the one who sedated me with Hypnite, and orchestrated the rest of that night's drama. You know, it's the clearest thing. If I Staying there alone, I'll sleep till dawn, then I'll never know if anything goes wrong. So, who's calling me on TV until he actually finds out I'm awake What? Woke me up to let me discover the radiation bomb. The radiation bomb was deliberately placed near the counter so that I could see it at a glance so that I would not be negligent. Who blew the door open so that I could discover that the radiation bomb turned out to be a fake Did the bastard leave the room before? You should have been proud of yourself that night, Jondee."

Byron paused and waited for a reaction from the Ringen Star Lord, who only nodded politely out of interest in listening to him.Byron felt his anger grow.It's like waving a whip to pump water and kicking the air with a flying foot, which is futile and futile. He snapped: "My father was about to be executed then. I could have known it. I could have gone to Neferos or I could have not. I could have acted with my sound sense of things, It's up to me to openly defy the Tyranids or not. I'd take my chances. I was prepared to bear the consequences. "However, you want me to go to Rhodia, to meet Hinrik. But, generally speaking, you can't expect me to do what you ask of me, and it's unlikely that I'll come to you for advice. You. Unless, you set up an appropriately dramatic scene to bring me under. And that's what you did!

"At the time I thought I was under the threat of radiation bombs, but I couldn't understand the reason. And you think about it, it seems that you saved my life, and it seems that you know everything and know everything. For example, , What should I do in the future, etc., you know everything. I was flustered and confused, so I listened to your rhetoric." Byron was panting, waiting for an answer, but there was no response.He yelled: "You didn't tell me that I was on a Rhodia passenger liner when I left Earth, and that, as you are fully aware, the captain of the spaceship knew my real identity. Why didn't you tell me Make it clear that I will fall into the hands of the Tyranids as soon as I set foot on Rhodia. Can you deny all this?"

A long freeze.Jondy stubbed out his cigarette. Gilbret rubbed his hands together. ''Byron, you are unreasonable, how could the monarch..." At this moment Jondy raised his head and said slowly: "However, the sovereign will do all this. I admit all this. You are quite right. Byron, I am glad you can see through all this. I will put it on my own." The radiation bombs there are indeed fake, and I did send you to Rhodia to let the Tyrens arrest you." The suspicion on Byron's face dissipated.Life seemed less boring.He said, "One day, Jondee, I'll have to settle the bill. As it stands, you're the Lord of Lyngen, and you've got three ships waiting for you. That's a little in my way, and I don't like it. However,' The Relentless' is my ship and I'm its pilot. Put on your spacesuit and get out. The space cables are still where they were."

"This isn't your ship. You're a Space Bandit not an astronaut." "Possession is everything here. I'll give you five minutes, put on your space suit." "Please stop acting. I need you, and you need me, and I'm not going out at all." "I don't need you. Even if the home fleet of the Tyranids is approaching. And you can drive them into space for me, I don't need you." "Farrier," said Jondee, "you act like a child of twelve or thirteen. I let you finish what you have to say. Can I say a few words too?" "No, I don't need to listen to you at all."

"Ever seen this?" Artemisia screamed.Byron moved.stopped again.His face flushed because of frustration, he was nervous but helpless. "Thankfully I was prepared," Jondy said. "It's a pity I had to use a weapon so roughly to make threats. But I think it will help me force you to listen to me." He holds a pocket bomber in his hand, this kind of bomber is not only used to hurt or stun people, it can kill you! He said: "For many years, I organized Lingen against the Tyranids. Do you know what this means? It is not easy, it is almost hard and difficult, and the inner planetary kingdoms will never provide any help. According to the long-term We have learned this from experience since. No one will come to save the Nebula Kingdoms, they will have to save themselves. But it is not a joke to make the leaders of our planets understand this. Your father was actively engaged in this activity, and the result Killed. No joke! You have to remember.

"Your father's arrest is a crisis for us. It's a matter of life and death. He is a figure in our inner circle. It is obvious that the Tyranids are not far behind us. We must get rid of them quickly. Because of this, I can hardly keep my word and be aboveboard when dealing with people. Because, that won't make a big deal. "I can't possibly tell you, Faril, we're distracting the Tyranids. You're a rancher's son, and you're suspected of that. Get out of there, and do goodwill to Hinrik of Rhodia. ...then the Tyranids will go in the wrong direction. It will be dangerous to lure them away from Lingen, and you may die, but the ideal your father died for will soon be realized. "Perhaps you would like to do that, but I can't stand the test. So I instruct you to do it in ignorance. Yes, it will make you suffer a lot, but I didn't Other options. To tell you the truth, I thought you wouldn't survive, but, frankly, you paid the price. But, you see, the truth is that you survived, and I'm glad for that. "One more thing, it's about a document..." Byron said, "What document?" "You're too impatient. I said your father worked for me, so I understand what he already knows, and you're going to get this document. At first, you were a good candidate, and you're legal on Earth , you're young and unlikely to arouse suspicion. I mean, at first! "However, later on, with your father's arrest, you are in danger. You will be the main suspect of the Tyranids, and we cannot allow the documents to fall into your hands, because they will almost certainly fall into the hands of the Tyranids. into their hands. We must drive you off Earth before you can complete your mission. You see, I was right." "So you have the file now?" Byron asked. The Lord of Lingen Star said, "No, it is not in my hands. This document may be the one that has been missing from the earth for several years. If it is that one, then I don't know who got it. I can Put away the bombardment gun? It's getting heavier." "Put it away," Byron said. The monarch put away his guns.He said: "What did your father say to you about this document?" "Since he works for you, what don't you know?" Lord Lin Genxing smiled and said: "That's right!" However, the monarch's smile was obviously duplicity. "Have you finished explaining now?" "It's over." "Then," said Byron, "come on." Gilbret said: "Wait, Byron. There are other things to think about than personal grievances. You know, there's Artemisia and I here. We have something to say, too. As far as I can see, the words of the sovereign Not unreasonable. I want to draw your attention. I saved you on Rhodia. So, I think you should take my opinion into consideration." "Yes, you saved my life," cried Byron.He pointed to the airtight transition chamber. "Then, go with him. Go, get out of here too. You want to find the Lord of Lingen Star, and he is there now! I promised to send you to him, and now I have done my duty. Don't come to the right I point fingers." He turned to Artemisia, furious. "So, what about you? You saved my life too, and everyone else saved my life. Do you want to go with him too?" She said calmly: "I don't need you to speak for me, Byron. If I wanted to go with him, I would." "You don't have to feel any obligation. When you leave, it's up to you." Apparently, her pride was hurt.He turned his face away, as usual, thought about it quietly, and realized that he had done something stupid again.He was pissed off by Jondy, but he couldn't do anything about it.Besides, it was obvious to throw him, Byron Farrier, to the Tyranids, to lure them away from Jondee's neck like bones to dogs.Why are they so indifferent to such despicable tricks.snort!What did they take him for? He thought of the fake radiation bombs, the passenger ships on Rhodia, the Tyranids, that crazy night on Rhodia, and he felt a sting of self-pity. The Lord of Lingen Star said: "What's the matter, Farrier?" Gilbret said, "What's the matter, Byron?" Byron turned to Artemisia and said, "What do you think?" Artemisia said calmly: "I was thinking, he has three spaceships waiting for him outside, and he is the monarch of Lingen. I don't think you have much choice in this situation." The Lord Lingen star looked at her and nodded appreciatively. "Miss, you are such a talented girl. A beautiful appearance coupled with an intelligent heart is really the icing on the cake." His eyes lingered on her for a while. Byron said, "What are you going to do?" "Let me borrow your name and talents, and I will take you to the rebel planet that Master Gilbret said." Byron said sharply, "You think there really is such a rebel planet?" Meanwhile Gilbret said: "So it belongs to you?" The Lord of Lingen Star smiled and said: "I think there is indeed such a planet as the master described, but it doesn't belong to me... "Not yours," said Gilbret disappointed. "So what if I can find it?" "How to find it?" Byron asked. Lord Lyngen said: "This is not as difficult as you think. If we think the stories we hear are to be believed, we have to believe that there must be a rebellious Tyrannic planet. We have to believe that it must Somewhere in the nebular field, and it has not been discovered by the Tyranids for twenty years. If this situation is likely to remain to this day, then there is only one place in the field where this planet may exist." "Where?" "Do you think the answer is not obvious at a glance? Apart from the fact that the planet can only exist in the interior of the nebula itself, is there any other possibility?" "Inside the nebula!" Gilbrecht said: "Galaxy Supreme, that makes sense!" For a split second, the answer seemed obvious.There is no doubt about it. Artemisia asked shyly, "Can people live on the planets inside the nebula?" "Why not?" said Lord Lin Genxing. "Don't misunderstand the nebula. It is a dark mist in space, but it is not a poisonous gas. It is a kind of extremely thin low-temperature matter, composed of sodium atoms, potassium atoms, calcium atoms, etc., which absorb the nebula and directly face it. To the observer the light of the stars obscures them. Apart from this, it is harmless. Moreover, in the immediate vicinity of a star, the presence of nebulae is practically imperceptible. . "Please forgive me if I seem a little bookish. However, in recent months, I have collected some astronomical data about nebulae at Earth University." "Why collect there?" said Byron. "It was hardly necessary, but I met you there, and I still want to know why." "There's nothing mysterious about it. I left Linken because I had some issues at first. They were trivial things. I visited Rhodia about six months ago. My agent, Widemoss The rancher—Byron, your father—was unsuccessful in negotiating with the governor of Rhodia, whom we had hoped to turn against us. So I tried to remedy that, but in vain. Because Hinrique - I'm sorry, miss - such a man is not cut for our kind of work." "Yes, well said," whispered Byron. The Lord of Lyngen continued: "But, as Gilbreth may have told you, I met him. That's how I got to Earth, for Earth is the old home of mankind. Most early expeditions to the Milky Way were initiated by Earth. .Most records also exist on Earth. The Horsehead Nebula has been investigated very thoroughly, at least for several years. Due to the vastness of space that cannot be observed by stars, and the inconvenience of travel, the Horsehead Nebula has never been settled. ...However, all I need to know are the expeditions themselves. "Now, listen carefully. The Tyranid ship on which Master Gilbret was imprisoned was hit by a meteor after its first jump. Assuming the usual commercial route from Tyranid to Rhodia - no The reason may assume that there are other possibilities—then, the fact that the spacecraft is off course in space is certain. Because in ordinary space, it is unlikely to fly more than 50 million miles between two jumps. Such a length , in the boundless space, we can regard it as a point. "Another assumption can be made. Due to damage to the console, the meteor may well have changed the direction of the jump, since it would then suffice to disturb the motion of the ship's gyroscope. This is difficult, but not impossible. However, to change the thrust of the superatomic engine, it is necessary to completely destroy the engine. However, the meteor obviously did not touch the engine. "The thrust of the engine remains the same, so the distances of the remaining four transitions remain the same, and thus the relative directions remain unchanged. This is similar to bending a long twisted wire through an unknown direction in an unknown direction at a certain point. Angle. The final position of the spacecraft falls on a certain point on the surface of an imaginary sphere. The center of the sphere is the point where the meteor hits the spacecraft in space, and its radius is the vector sum of the remaining transitions. "I plotted a sphere whose surface intersects the dense overhang of the Horsehead Nebula. About 6,000 square degrees of the surface of the sphere, or a quarter of the total area of ​​the sphere, lies within the nebula. Thus, We only need to find the stars within ten thousand miles or so. You will remember that when Gilbreth's ship stopped, it was already near a star. (①The distance in space is expressed by parallax. The degree here is the unit of parallax. ——Annotation) "So how many stars do you think there are in the nebula near the surface of the imaginary sphere? Remember, there are a hundred billion stars in the Milky Way." Byron found himself drawn almost involuntarily. "I think there are hundreds of them." "Five!" replied the Lord Lingen Star, "Only five. Don't be fooled by the number '100 billion'. The volume of the Milky Way is about seven trillion cubic light-years, so there is an average of seventy cubic light-years around each star." Years of space. Unfortunately, I don't know which of these five stars has inhabited planets. Unfortunately, the early explorers did not have time to make detailed observations. They only plotted the position, proper motion and spectral type of each star. " "Then," said Byron, "is the Rebel Planet around one of the five stars?" "This is the only conclusion that is consistent with the facts we know." "Assuming that what Gilbret tells is acceptable." "I assumed that." "I'm telling the truth," said Gilbret excitedly. "I swear." "I am going," said the Lord of Lyngen, "to investigate these five celestial bodies one by one. My motives for doing so are obvious. As the Lord of Lyngen, I can equally share in the work they are striving to do." .” "Add two Hinriads and a Widemoth to your side, and you'll be on an equal footing, perhaps a strong and secure one, on the new free planet in the future. It would be far more profitable," Byron said. "I don't care about your sarcasm, Farrier. The answer to this question is obviously yes. If the uprising can succeed, then, obviously, you are also willing to use your strength on the victor's side." "In addition to this, the captains of some successful privateer or rebel spaceships may also be awarded the title of Lord of Lyngen." "Or, to be precise, the status of the Wildmoss rancher." "And what if the uprising doesn't succeed?" "We'll have time to judge that when we find what we're looking for." Byron said slowly, "I'll go with you." "Excellent! So, let's arrange how you leave this ship." "What's that for?" "It's better for you. This ship is a toy." "This is a Tyranid battleship. It would be our mistake to abandon it." "Because it is a Tyrannian battleship, it is more likely to arouse dangerous suspicion." "In the Nebula, it is impossible to say that there is no such danger. I am sorry, Jondee, but I am with you out of expediency. And I will tell you quite frankly: I am looking for the Rebel Planet. But , there is no friendship between us, and I will act on my own will." "Byron." Artemisia said softly, "This spaceship is too small for the three of us." "True, Atta. But we could hang a tugboat, Jondy knows that as well as I do. That way we'd have as much room as we need. And we'd still be in control of our own destiny. Step back , doing so would also effectively conceal the nature of the spaceship." The monarch of Lingen star thought about it. "If we're not going to have a friendship, and we're not going to trust each other. Well, Farrier, I have to protect myself. You can take your own spaceship, add another tugboat, and arrange it however you like. But, I There must be some assurance that you will behave properly. At least, Miss Artemisia must be with me." "No!" said Byron. The monarch raised his eyebrows. "No? Let the lady decide for herself." He turned towards Artemisia, his nostrils parted slightly. "I dare say you'll feel very comfortable after it's gone, miss." "At least I won't make you uncomfortable, my lord. But don't worry," she retorted. "I won't make you uncomfortable. I'll stay here." "I think you'd better reconsider if..." began the Sovereign.Two small wrinkles on the bridge of his nose broke his serene expression. "I don't think it's necessary," Byron interrupted him. "Miss Artemisia has made a choice." "So, you support her choice, don't you, Farrier?" The Lord of Lingen star smiled again. "Full support! All three of us will remain on the Relentless. There is no compromise on this matter." "How queer you pick your friends." "I'm weird?" "I think so." The king of Lingen star seemed to be carefully examining his nails leisurely. "You seem to hate me so much because I've lied to you and put your life in danger. That's strange, then. Isn't it that your daughter with a man like Hinrik seems so friendly. And that A deception, apparently at the behest of Hinrik." "I know Hinrique, and your words won't change my mind." "You know everything about Hinrique?" "I know enough about him." "Do you know that he killed your father?" The Lord of Lingen star pointed at Artemisia, "The girl you are deeply concerned about and wants to put her under your protection, her father is the one who killed your father executioner, you know?"