Universe Twister - Keith Laumer [232]
"I perceive," he said in a lowered tone, "that the time has come for the enforcement of more stringent wartime regulations regarding free speech—or more properly—treason!"
"Treason against what, Messire?" Archibald persisted.
"Against me, your sovereign!"
"Princess Adoranne, sire, is my sovereign!" the old nobleman said loudly.
"I may as well tell you—your Princess is dead!"
There was an instant, dead silence. And in the silence, a clear feminine voice spoke:
"Liar!"
All heads whirled; Adoranne, radiant in silver and pearls, her long hair floating like a golden fog behind her, advanced through an aisle that opened magically before her. Behind her, Count Alain strode, tall and impressively handsome in tailcoat and spurs. Daphne followed, trim and beautiful, her face rigid with tortured emotions.
Bedlam broke out. Cheers, laughter, shouts of joy; elderly nobles went to one knee to kiss their princess' hand; younger ones brandished their dress swords overhead; ladies curtseyed until their wimples swept the floor, and rose, wet-eyed to embrace the person nearest. Lafayette jerked free of the suddenly nerveless grips on his arms to see the regent leap to his feet, his face twisted with rage.
"Imposters!" he roared. "Mummers, tricked out to resemble the dead! I myself witnessed the demise of her Highness but an hour since, and with her last breath she charged me with the solemn duty of assuming the crown—"
"Let me at the conscienceless swine!" Alain roared, leaping onto the dais.
"No!" Daphne shrieked, and threw herself at him, impeding his draw as the pretender scuttled backward. "He's not a traitor, Alain. He's just temporarily lost his wits!"
"Grab him!" O'Leary yelled. "But don't hurt him," he added.
"Right!" Lord Archibald chirped as he bounded forward, chrome-plated blade bared. "We need the scoundrel in one piece for trial!"
There was a sudden disturbance behind Lafayette; he turned to see a familiar figure thrusting toward him.
"Lom!" he blurted. "Or should I say Quelius?" He reached for the little man—and froze as the sonic projector swung to cover him.
"Wait!" Lom shouted. "Don't do anything foolish! You don't know—"
"I know I want to get my hands on your skinny neck!" O'Leary yelled, and charged.
"No! You don't understand! We have to—" Lom broke off, ducked under O'Leary's clutch, whirled to face the dais.
"Quelius!" Lom roared. "Stand where you are! It's all over!"
Lafayette checked in midstride as the usurper spun to face Lom.
"You!" the regent said in a strangled tone. "But—but—but—"
"That's right—me!" Lom yelled, as the man on the dais fumbled in his robes, drew out an object the size of an electric can opener, fumbled with it—
A soundless detonation sent O'Leary whirling off into lightless depths.
3
The stars were rushed toward him; they struck with a ghostly impact, blasting him outward in the form of an expanding shell of thin gas. Gazing inward from all points of the compass at once, he saw all the matter in the universe, gathered at his exact center, dwindle to a single glowing point and wink out. At once he was collapsing inward, shrinking, compressing. There was a momentary sensation of searing heat and crushing weight—
He was stumbling backward, to fetch up hard against folds of a velvet hanging against the wall. Something heavy slid down over his right eye, clanged to the floor and rolled. Below him, the man he had known as Lom looked swiftly up; his eye—as piercing as a red-hot needle—fell on O'Leary. His mouth quirked in a smile of ferocity; he raised the sonic projector—and uttered a yell as Sir Archibald brought the dull edge of his sword down on his wrist, knocking the weapon across the floor.
"I said he'll live to stand trial, you old goat!" the elderly courtier snapped. "Seize him, gentlemen! And the false regent as well!"
Eager hands grabbed Lom, who kicked and cursed in vain. And elegantly manicured hands fell on O'Leary, dragged him forward and held him, as the crowd stared up at him, wide-eyed.
"Alain," Lafayette barked. "Let go, you big oaf! It's all right now!