the.stainless.steel.rats.revenge-第12部分

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ensive　equipment　all　painted　the　same　color；　that　sort　of　thing。　What　I　had　to　find　out　would　not　be　that　easy　to　uncover。　My　bags　were　dumped　in　the　tiny　room；　salutes　exchanged；　the　soldier　left；　and　a　voice　spoke　hoarsely　from　the　other　bed。
　　　　〃You　don't　happen　to　have　a　drink　on　you；　do　you？〃　
　　　　I　looked　closely　and　saw　that　what　I　at　first　thought　was　a　bundle　of　crumpled　blankets　now　appeared　to　contain　a　scrawny　individual　who　wore　dark　glasses。　The　effort　of　talking　must　have　exhausted　him　and　he　groaned；　adding　another　breath　of　alcoholic　vapor　to　the　already　rich　atmosphere　of　the　room。
　　　　〃It　so　happens　that　I　do；〃　I　said；　opening　the　window。　〃My　name　is　Vaska。　Do　you　prefer　any　particular　brand？〃　
　　　　〃Otrov。〃
　　　　I　could　think　of　no　drink　by　that　title　so　presumably　it　was　my　roommate's　name。　Taking　the　flask　with　the　most　potent　beverage　from　my　collection　I　poured　him　half　a　glass。　He　seized　it　with　trembling　fingers　and　drained　it　while　shudders　racked　his　frame。　It　must　have　done　some　good　because　he　sat　up　in　bed　and　held　out　the　glass　for　more。
　　　　〃We　blast　off　in　two　days；〃　he　said；　sniffing　his　drink。　〃This　really　isn't　paint　remover；　is　it？〃
　　　　〃No；　it　just　smells　that　way　to　fool　the　MP's。　Where　to？〃　
　　　　〃Don't　make　jokes　so　early　in　the　morning。　You　know　we　never　know　what　planet　we're　hitting。　Security。　Or　are　you　with　security？〃
　　　　He　blinked　suspiciously　in　my　direction：　I　would　have　to　watch　the　questions　until　I　knew　more。　I　forced　a　smile　and　poured　a　drink　for　myself。
　　　　〃A　joke。　I　don't　feel　so　good　myself。　I　woke　up　a　flight…major　this　morning。。。〃
　　　　〃And　now　you're　a　lieutenant。　Easy　e；　easy　go。〃　
　　　　〃They　didn't　e　that　easy！〃
　　　　〃Sorry。　Figure　of　speech。　I've　always　been　a　lieutenant　so　I　wouldn't　know　how　the　others　feel。　You　couldn't　just　tip　a　little　more　into　this　glass？　Then　I'll　be　able　to　dress　and　we　can　get　over　to　the　club　and　get　into　some　serious　drinking。　It's　going　to　be　awful；　all　those　weeks　without　drink　until　we　get　back。〃　
　　　　Another　fact。　The　Cliaand　fought　their　battles　refreshed　with　water。　I　wondered　if　I　could。　I　sipped　and　the　disturbing　thought　that　had　been　poking　at　me　for　some　minutes　surfaced。
　　　　The　real　Vaska　Hulja　was　back　at　the　hotel　and　would　be　discovered。　And　I　could　do　nothing　about　it　because　I　was　in　this　sealed　base。
　　　　Some　of　the　drink　went　down　the　wrong　pipe　and　I　coughed　and　Otrov　beat　me　on　the　back。
　　　　〃I　think　it　really　is　paint　remover；〃　he　said　gloomily　when　I　had　stopped　gasping；　and　began　to　dress。
　　　　As　we　walked　to　the　officers'　club　I　was　in　no　mood　for　munication；　which　Otrov　probably　blamed　on　my　recent　demotion。　What　to　do？　Drink　seemed　to　be　in　order；　it　wasn't　noon　yet；　and　it　would　be　wisest　to　wait　until　evening　to　crack　out　of　the　base。　Face　the　problems　as　they　arose。　Right　now　I　was　in　a　perfect　position　to　imbibe　drink　with　my　new　peer　group　and　gather　information　at　the　same　time。　Which；　after　all；　was　the　reason　that　I　was　here　in　the　first　place。　Before　leaving　I　had　slipped　a　tube　of　killalc　pills　into　my　pocket。　One　of　these　every　two　hours　would　produce　a　massive　heartburn；　but　would　also　grab　onto　and　neutralize　most　of　the　alcohol　as　soon　as　it　hit　the　stomach。　I　would　drink　deep　and　listen。　And　stay　sober。　As　we　walked　through　the　garish　doorway　of　the　club　I　slipped　one　out　and　swallowed　it。
　　　　It　was　all　rather　depressing；　particularly　since　I　was　sloshing　the　stuff　down　my　throat　as　fast　as　I　could　drink　it　and　buying　rounds　for　the　others　and　not　feeling　it　at　'all。　As　the　afternoon　went　on　and　thirsts　increased　other　officers　appeared　in　the　club　and　there　were　soon　a　dozen　other　pilots　crowded　around　our　free…spending　table。　All　drinking　well　and　saying　little　of　any　interest。
　　　　〃Drink；　drink；〃　I　insisted。　〃Won　it　gambling。　Don't　need　it　where　we're　going；〃　and　bought　another　round。
　　　　There　was　a　great　deal　said；　as　one　might　well　imagine；　about　the　flying　characteristics　of　various　ships　and　I　filed　all　relevant　details。　And　much　mumbling　over　old　campaigns；　I　dived　from　50；000；　planted　the　bombs；　pulled　up　and　that　sort　of　thing。　The　only　thing　remarkable　about　all　this　was　the　unsullied　record　of　victories。　I　knew　the　Cliaand　armed　forces　were　good；　but　looking　at　this　collection　of　drunks　almost　made　it　impossible　to　believe　they　could　be　that　good。　But　apparently　they　were。　There　were　endless　boasting　tales　of　victory　after　victory　and　nothing　else；　and　after　a　period　I　too　came　to　believe。　These　boys　were　good　and　the　Space　Armada　of　Cliaand　a　winner。　It　was　all　too　depressing。　By　evening　there　was　a　literal　falling　away　of　the　original　drinkers；　though　their　places　at　the　table　were　filled　quickly　enough。　When　one　of　them　slid　to　the　floor　the　servants　would　gently　carry　him　off。　I　realized　that　I　was　the　last　of　the　originals　so　no　one　would　notice　if　I　also　made　an　exit　in　this　apparently　traditional　manner。　Letting　my　eyes　close　I　sank　deep　into　my　chair；　hoping　this　would　do　since　I　did　not　relish　a　trip　to　the　debris　littered　floor。　It　took　them　some　minutes　to　notice　I　was　no　longer　functioning；　but　eventually　they　did。　Hard　hands　caught　me　at　knees　and　armpits　and　I　was　hauled　off。
　　　　When　the　footsteps　had　rattled　away　I　opened　my　eyes　to　a　sort　of　dim　chamber　whose　walls　were　lined　with　bunks。　Nearby　me　was　the　gaping　0　of　Otrov's　mouth；　snoring　away　in　his　cups。　As　were　the　others。　No　one　noticed　when　I　pulled　on　my　gloves　and　went　to　the　door　that　opened　into　the　pany　street　and　let　myself　out。　It　was　almost　dark　and　I　had　to　leave　the　camp　and　I　had　not　the　slightest　idea　of　how　I　could　do　it。
　　　　The　gates　were　impossible。　I　strolled　along　the　wall　to　the　first　one。　Sealed　and　bolted　shut；　solid　steel；　with　a　brace　of　guards　to　see　that　the　locks　weren't　tampered　with。　I　walked　on。　There　were　guards　every　hundred　paces　or　so　along　the　wall　and　I　assumed　that　there　were　an　equal　or　greater　number　of　electronic　safeguards　as　well。　As　evening　approached　searchlights　were　turned　on　that　illuminated　the　outside　of　the　wall　and　glinted　from　the　barbed　wire　that　topped　it。　Admittedly　all　this　was　to　keep　anyone　from　getting　inbut　it　worked　equally　well　in　the　opposite　direction。　I　walked　on；　trying　to　fight　off　the　black　depression　that　still　threatened　to　overwhelm　me。　I　passed　through　a　medium　sized　atmosphere　craft　area；　two　crossed　runways　and　some　hangars；　with　a　collection　of　lumbering　jet　transports　standing　about。　For　a　moment　I　considered　stealing　one　of　thesebut　where　would　I　land　without　being　captured？　I　had　to　be　in　this　city　tonight；　not　zipping　off　to　parts　unknown。
　　　　Beyond　the　aircraft　was　a　high　chain　metal　fence　that　cut　off　the　spaceship　area。　Getting　in　there　would　be　easy　enoughbut　what　would　it　acplish？　I　could　see　the　same　high　outer　wall　stretching　off　into　the　distance。　There　was　a　rumble　in　the　sky　and　bright　lights　lanced　down。　I　turned　around　and　watched；　sunk　in　gloom；　as　a　delta　wing　fighter　settled　in　heavily　for　a　landing。　It　looked　like　one　of　the　same　type　that　had　strafed　me　at　Pot　rock。　The　tires　squealed　when　it　was　hit　and　the　jets　roared　with　reverse　thrustand　I　was　running　forward　even　while　the　idea　was　half…formed　in　my　mind。
　　　　Madness？　Perhaps。　But　in　my　line　of　business；　crockery；　you　learn　to　rely　on　hunches　and　trained　reflexes。　And　while　I　ran　the　parts　all　fell　into　place　and　I　saw　that　this　was　It。　Sweet；　fast；　clean　and　dangerous。　The　way　I　liked　things。　I　took　a　false　moustache　out　of　my　pocket　and　fixed　it　on　my　lip　as　I　ran。
　　　　The　jet　turned　and　taxied　off　to　a　hardstand　and　I　trotted　after　it。　A　car　came　out　to　meet　it　and　a　crew　of　mechanics　began　to　service　the　jet。　One　of　them　unloaded　a　ladder　and　placed　it　next　to　the　cockpit　as　the　top　of　the　canopy　opened　like　an　alligator's　mouth。　I　ran　a　little　faster　as　the　pilot　climbed　down　and　made　for　the　car。　He　was　just　climbing　in　when　I　came　stumbling　up　and　he　returned　my　salute。　A　burly　individual　in　heavy　flying　gear；　the　golden　crescent　of　a　major　on　his　collar。
　　　　〃Excuse　me；　sir；〃　I　gasped；　〃but　the　mandant　asked　me　to　make　sure　you　had　the　papers。〃
　　　　〃What　the　hell　are　you　talking　about？〃　he　grumbled；　sliding　into　his　seat。　He　sounded　tired。　I　climbed　into　the　back。
　　　　〃Then　you　don't　know。　Oh；　God！　Driverget　going　as　fast　as　possible。〃
The　driver　did；　since　that　was　his　job；　and　I　slipped　the　tube　out　of　the　holder　m　my　hip　pocket。　When　we　were　out　of　sight　of　the　jet　I　raised　it　to　my　lips。
　　　　〃Major　。　。　。〃I　said；　and　he　turned　his　head　and　grunted。　I　puffed。
　　　　He　grunted　again　and　raised　his　hand　towards　the　little　dart　stuck　in　his　cheekthen　slumped　forward。　I　caught　him　before　he　fell。　
　　　　〃Driverstop！　Something　has　happened　to　the　major。〃　
　　　　The　driver；　obviously　not　a　man　of　much　imagination；　took　a　quick　look　at　the　slumped　figure　and　hit　the　brake。　As　soon　as　we　skidded　to　a　stop；　away　from　any　buildings　I　was　happy　to　see；　I　let　him　have　a　second　narco…dart　and　he　went　off　to　join　the　major　in　dreamland。　I　laid　them　both　on　the　ground　and　stripped　off　the　officer's　flying　suit　and　helmet。　With　a　little　bit　of　struggling　I　managed　to　pull　the　things　over　my　own　uniform；　then　strapped　on　the　helmet　and　pulled　the　tint