the.stainless.steel.rats.revenge-第19部分

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。　This　murderous　tableau　held　for　a　moment　and　there　was　no　way　of　knowing　how　it　might　have　ended　if　a　soldier　had　not　rushed　into　view　with　a　field　radio。　The　colonel　took　the　phone　and　went　back　to　the　war　while　I　stuffed　two　bottles　into　the　back　of　my　jacket　and　went　out　the　other　exit；　stepping　over　Pire　who　was　unconscious　on　the　floor　and　undoubtedly　better　off　that　way。　I　was　gone　before　the　colonel　realized　it　and　I　took　the　drink　back　to　the　ship　and　sent　it　up　the　service　lift　to　Otrov。　〃And　don't　drink　more　than　one；〃　I　ordered　and　his　voice　responded　with　a　happy　cry　over　the　inter。
　　　　I　was　on　my　own　now　and　I　meant　to　make　the　most　of　the　opportunity。　With　the　battle　still　being　waged　my　movements　would　not　be　watched　and　I　could　make　my　observations。　Of　course　I　might　also　be　killed；　but　that　is　one　of　the　occupational　hazards　of　the　service。　Once　the　invasion　had　succeeded　movement　would　be　sharply　restricted　and　I　would　probably　be　on　my　way　back　to　Cliaand。　The　guide　booklet　was　still　in　my　pocket；　the　heat　of　my　hip　keeping　the　action　going　on　the　cover。　I　opened　it　and　flipped　through　the　pages　which　were　heavy　on　pictures　and　short　on　copy。　This　was　the　hard　sell　all　right　with　low　music　ing　from　the　illustration　of　the　floating　orchestra　on　beautiful　Sabun　Bay　and　the　scent　of　flowers　from　the　Kanape　fields。　I　expected　some　snow　to　fall　out　of　the　picture　of　skiing　in　the　Kar　mountains；　but　the　technology　of　advertising　did　not　extend　this　far。　There　was　a　map　showing　the　airport　and　the　city；　diagrammatic　and　worthless　for　the　most　part；　though　it　did　tell　me　I　was　standing　in　Sucuk　Spaceport　close　by　Sucuk　City。　I　threw　away　the　book　and　went　to　see　the　sights。
　　　　Depressing。　It　would　be　a　long　time　before　the　tourists　came　back　to　these　sunny　shores。　I　walked　through　the　empty　streets；　peeked　by　explosions　and　charred　by　fire；　and　wondered　what　the　purpose　of　this　could　possibly　be。　War；　always　a　foolish　business；　seemed　even　more　infantile　at　this　moment。　Horrible　might　be　a　better　word；　I　saw　my　first　corpses。　There　was　the　sound　of　dragging　feet　and　a　horde　of　prisoners　appeared　in　the　street　ahead；　guarded　on　all　sides　by　alert　Cliaandian　troops。　Many　of　the　prisoners　were　wounded　and　few　bandaged。　The　sergeant　in　charge　saluted　when　they　went　by　and　gave　a　wave　of　victory。　I　smiled　in　return　but　it　took　an　effort。　What　I　had　to　do　now　was　to　find　some　responsible　citizen　of　Sucuk　City　who　was　not　yet　a　prisoner　or　dead　and　get　the　answers　to　some　questions。
　　　　The　citizen　found　me　first。　I　left　the　main　road　and　turned　down　a　narrow　winding　street　ominously　labeled　Matbaacilik…sasurtmekany　street　with　a　name　like　that　could　not　be　all　good。　My　suspicions　had　some　justification　in　fact。　I　discovered　this　when　I　turned　a　sharp　corner　and　found　myself　facing　a　young　woman　who　was　pointing　a　large　bore　hunting　rifle　at　me。　I　was　waving　my　little　fingers　in　the　air　even　before　she　spoke。　
　　　　〃Surrender　or　die！〃
　　　　〃I've　surrenderedcan't　you　see！　Long　live　Burada；　rah…rah　。　。　。〃
〃None　of　your　sickening　jokes；　you　foul　war…mongering　male；　or　I'll　shoot　you　on　the　spot。〃
　　　　〃I'm　on　your　side；　believe　me。　Peace　on　Burada；　good　will　to　menand　women　too　of　course。〃
　　　　She　snorted　at　this　and　waved　me　towards　a　dark　doorway　with　the　gun。　Even　in　anger　she　was　a　handsome　woman；　wide…faced　with　flaring　nostrils　and　black　hair　hanging　straight　to　her　shoulders。　She　wore　a　dark　green　uniform；　high　boots；　leather　straps　and　all；　with　some　kind　of　insignia　on　the　sleeve。　She　was　feminine　despite　this；　no　uniform　could　be　made　to　disguise　the　magnificent　swell　of　that　bosom。　I　entered　the　doorway　as　she　demanded　and　she　reached　to　take　my　pistol　as　I　passed。　I　could　have　done　some　quick　business　then　with　her　arm　and　the　gun　barrel　and　ended　up　with　both　weapons；　but　I　restrained　myself。　As　long　as　she　felt　she　was　in　charge　she　might　talk　more　easily。　We　entered　a　dark　inner　room　with　a　single　window；　an　office　of　some　kind；　where　another　girl　in　uniform　was　stretched　out　on　the　desk。　Her　eyes　were　closed　and　the　leg　of　her　uniform　had　been　cut　away　to　disclose　an　ugly　wound　now　bound　with　clumsy　bandages。　Blood　had　seeped　through　them　and　pooled　upon　the　desk　top。
　　　　〃You　have　medicine？〃　my　captress　asked。
　　　　〃I　do；〃　I　said；　opening　the　medpack　at　my　waist。　〃But　I　don't　think　it　will　do　much　good。　She　appears　to　have　lost　a　lot　of　blood　and　needs　medical　attention。〃　
　　　　〃Where　will　she　get　it？　Not　from　you　swine　invaders。〃　
　　　　〃Perhaps。〃　I　was　busy　with　pressure　points；　tearing　off　the　old　bandages；　sprinkling　on　antiseptic　powder　and　applying　better　bandages。　〃Her　pulse　is　slow　and　very　weak。　I　don't　think　she　will　make　it。〃
　　　　〃If　she　doesn'tyou　killed　her。〃　Tears　were　in　my　opponent's　eyes；　though　this　did　not　stop　her　from　keeping　the　blunderbuss　pointed　at　my　midriff。
　　　　〃I'm　trying　to　save　her；　remember？　And　you　can　call　me　Vaska。〃
　　　　〃Taze；〃　she　said　automatically。　〃Sergeant　in　the　Guard　before　they　took　over。〃
　　　　〃They？〃　I　felt　slightly　confused。　〃You　mean　them；　us；　the　army　of　Cliaand？〃
　　　　〃No；　of　course　not。　But　why　am　I　talking　to　you　when　I　should　be　killing　you　。　。　。〃
　　　　〃You　shouldn't。　Kill　me　I　mean。　Would　you　believe　me　if　I　told　you　I　was　a　friend？〃
　　　　〃No。〃
　　　　〃That　I　was　a　spy　from　elsewhere　now　working　against　the　Cliaands　although　I　am　in　their　Space　Armada？〃
　　　　〃I　would　say　that　you　are　a　worm　pleading　for　your　worthless　life　and　willing　to　say　anything。〃
　　　　〃Well　it's　true；　anyway；〃　I　grumbled；　realizing　she　wasn't　going　to　take　my　revelations　on　faith。
　　　　〃Taze　。　。　。〃　the　girl　on　the　table　said　weakly　and　we　both　turned　that　way。　Then　〃Taze〃　again　and　died。
　　　　I　thought　I　was　dead　as　well。　Taze　swung　the　rifle　up　and　I　could　see　her　knuckles　whiten　as　she　squeezed。　I　did　a　lot　of　things　quickly；　starting　with　a　dive　to　get　under　the　gun　and　a　roll　right　into　her。　The　gun　firedthe　blast　almost　taking　my　head　off　in　the　confined　spacebut　I　wasn't　hit。　Before　she　could　fire　again　I　had　the　barrel　in　my　hand　and　did　a　quick　chop　at　the　muscles　in　her　arm　and　a　few　other　things　one　does　not　normally　do　to　women　except　in　an　emergency　like　this。　Then　I　had　the　rifle；　as　well　as　my　pistol　back；　and　she　was　lying　against　the　wall　with　something　to　really　cry　about　this　time。　It　would　be　a　number　of　minutes　before　she　could　use　her　fingers　again；　I　had　stopped　just　short　of　breaking　the　bone。
　　　　〃Look　I'm　sorry；〃　I　said；　putting　my　pistol　away　and　fumbling　with　the　archaic　mechanism　of　the　rifle。　〃I　just　didn't　feel　like　getting　killed　at　the　moment　and　this　was　the　only　way　that　I　could　stop　you。〃　I　worked　the　bolt　and　ejected　all　the　cartridges；　then　squinted　inside　to　make　sure　I　hadn't　missed　any。　〃What　I　told　you　was　true。　I　am　on　your　side　and　want　to　help　you。　But　you　will　have　to　help　me　first。〃
　　　　She　was　puzzled；　but　I　had　her　attention。　She　wiped　her　eyes　on　her　sleeve　when　I　handed　back　her　rifle；　then　widened　them　when　I　passed　over　the　ammunition。
　　　　〃I　would　appreciate　it　if　you　would　keep　that　weapon　unloaded　for　the　moment。　I'll　trade　you　information　if　you　don't　want　to　give　it　freely。　There　is　an　organization　you　probably　never　heard　of　who　is　very　interested　in　what　the　Cliaand　are　doing。　And　what　they　are　doing　is　interstellar　invasionBurada　is　the　sixth　on　the　list　and　it　looks　as　though　it　will　be　as　successful　as　the　others。〃　
　　　　〃But　why　do　they　do　this？〃　
　　　　I　had　her　interest　now　and　I　rushed　on。
　　　　〃The　why　isn't　important；　at　least　not　for　the　present；　since　evil　ambitions　are　not　unusual　among　the　varied　political　forms　of　mankind。　What　I　want　to　know　is　the　how。　How　did　they　get　away　with　this　invasion　in　the　face　of　the　defenses　of　the　planet？〃
　　　　〃Blame　the　Konsolosluk；〃　she　said　with　vehemence；　shaking　the　rifle。　〃I'm　not　saying　that　the　Women's　Party　didn't　make　mistakes；　but　nothing　like　theirs。〃
　　　　〃Could　you　fill　in　some　background　detail；　because　I'm　afraid　that　you've　lost　me。〃
　　　　〃I'll　give　you　detail。　Men！〃　She　spat　and　her　eyes　glowed　with　anger　and　she　was　beginning　to　look　attractive　again。　〃The　Women's　Party　brought　centuries　of　enlightened　rule　to　this　planet。　We　had　prosperity；　there　was　a　good　tourist　trade；　no　one　suffered。　So　maybe　men　voted　a　few　years　later　than　women　or　couldn't　get　the　best　jobs。　So　what？　Women　suffered　through　this　sort　of　thingand　worseon　other　planets；　and　they　didn't　revolt。　Those　Konsolosluk；　sneaking　around　everywhere；　whispering　lies。　Men's　rights　and　down　with　oppression　and　that　kind　of　thing。　Getting　people　worked　up；　winning　a　few　seats　in　parliament；　disturbing　the　country。　Then　their　one　day　revolution；　seizing　everything；　getting　control。　And　all　their　promises。　All　they　wanted　to　do　was　strut　around　and　act　superior。　Some　superior！　Worthless　all　of　them。　Know　nothing　of　Government　or　fighting。　When　your　pigs　landed　more　of　these　men　ran　away　than　fought；　weak　fools。　And　surrendering　rather　than　fighting。　I　would　never　have　surrendered。〃　
　　　　〃Perhaps　they　had　to。〃　
　　　　〃Never。　Weaklings；　that's　all。〃
　　　　All　of　which　gave　me　pause　to　think；　and　with　thought　came　suspicion　and　after　this　the　dawning　light　of　discovery。　Pieces　began　to　fall　into　shape　in　my　m