第78节

times before finally collapsing in a mangled heap.

Toshiro and Ryoshi brushed aside the Heron Pool commander's abject

apologies. The demonstration had shown that the propulsion system

worked. A second trolley, rigged with the same rudimentary wing and

tail, was wheeled out. Several more dressed stones were added to

increase the weight, and the test was repeated.

This time, the trolley veered wildly from side to side but stayed in

contact with the ground. When the rockets burned out, the trolley

thundered on across the grass and - to the great delight of the

watching Iron Masters exploded into matchwood as it hit the low stone

wall at the far side of the field.

'Was that all?" enquired the Herald.

No. 'Brickman' still had a card to play. A third trolley was produced

from the workshops, but this one was manned. In addition to the

stub-wing and the tail perched on two struts at the rear, there were

more struts at the front; a triangular cage in which a Mute slave was

seated on a basket-weave chair. On closer inspection, Toshiro saw it

was his co-conspirator - the disguised 'mexican'.

Hhhawww!

Via Shigamitsu, 'Brickman' explained that by means of a simple steering

device controlled by the passenger's feet, the tail could be pivoted to

the left and right. This third trolley only had one front wheel and

this could be turned in the same direction as the tail when the Mute

pushed the bar with his feet. The rear edge of the wing could also be

pivoted up and down by moving the vertical stick set between the

passenger's knees. This deflected the air passing over the wing and

kept the vehicle on the ground.

Ahh-so. . I The Iron Masters retired once more, the fuse was lit and

the trolley was sent on its way. Toshiro watched anxiously as the

first two rockets ignited. He did not want the 'mexican' to come to an

untimely end demonstrating something that had already been shown to

work. He had much more important things to do such as disposing of the

Consul-General. His Japanese colleagues, unaware of his private

concerns, watched avidly. All Iron Masters were fascinated with the

aesthetics of savagery. In peacetime this was expressed through their

pursuit of bloodsports - from cockfighting to hunting with spear and

bow. For them, the climactic kill was an essential part of life, and

they now waited with gleeful anticipation for the trolley and its rider

to self-destruct against the stone wall.

Ppa-ppowww! The speeding trolley accelerated as the second pair of

rockets ignited. Steve felt himself pushed back against the seat. The

first static tests had not produced an impressive amount of thrust, but

with the additives that AMEXICO had advised him to throw into the basic

mix the rockets were now delivering a real kick in the pants.

The stone wall was now coming up at a high rate of knots. Time for the

party trick. It hadn't been his idea, but he'd been obliged to go

along with it in order to worm his way deeper into Cadillac's

confidence. And it had better goddam work, he told himself. Otherwise

they'd be shipping him out feet first.

The visiting Iron Masters and the motley crowd of unofficial spectators

were unaware that, with Shigamitsu's agreement, a low, grass-covered

ramp had been secretly constructed on the far side of the field.

Situated close to the wall, it could not be seen from where Toshiro and

the other Iron Masters stood. Steve applied a touch of left rudder to

bring the speeding trolley into line with the ramp. He'd been keeping

the stick forward to keep the wheels firmly on the ground but, as he

hit the ramp, he pulled it hard back and found himself sailing through

the air. This was the bit there hadn't been time to rehearse. Steve

and Cadillac had been over the ground and agreed it was feasible. But

only just.

A collective gasp of surprise left the throats of the invited guests

and watching workers as the stub-winged tr