the.stainless.steel.rats.revenge-第25部分

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　Corps；　everything。〃　
　　　　〃Did　you　at　least　sign　my　name？〃　I　asked；　petulantly。
　　　　She　patted　my　hand。　〃Of　course；　darling。　It　was　your　work　and　I　wouldn't　think　of　trying　to　get　credit　for　it。〃
　　　　I　was　filled　with　instant　regret　for　speaking　like　that；　and　apologized；　then　she　apologized　because　my　ill　temper　probably　had　to　do　with　the　brain　business；　and　we　had　a　drink　and　that　was　settled　and　I　tried　to　get　back　to　the　business　at　hand。　
　　　　〃So　you　sent　the　report。　And　then？〃
　　　　〃Then　it　went　to　a　relay　ship　on　the　other　side　of　this　sun　and　was　sent　out　as　a　psi　gram　to　Inskipp。　His　answer　came　in　and　he　said　'message　received；　congratulations；　return　at　once。'　So　you　see　you　will　have　to　go　back。〃　
　　　　I　snorted　through　my　nose；　then　sipped　my　drink。　
　　　　〃Do　you　think　I'll　go　back？〃
　　　　〃You're　not　well；　you　need　medical　attention；　you've　done　what　you　came　to　do〃　
　　　　〃That's　not　what　I　asked。　Do　you　think　I'll　go　back　now？〃　
　　　　Angelina　tried　to　look　fierce；　which　she　cannot　do　unless　she　really　means　itthen　shrugged　her　shoulders　in　a　very　resigned　way。
　　　　〃Of　course　not。　If　you　did　you　would　not　be　the　man　I　married。　So　now　we　wipe　out　these　fiends　and　save　Burada　and　stop　the　invasions。〃
　　　　〃Not　quite　all　at　once；　but　that　is　sort　of　what　I　had　in　mind。　A　resistance　movement　will　have　to　be　organized；　with　our　advice　and　material　help　Taze　should　be　able　to　handle　that；　but　there　is　one　thing　that　takes　priority　over　even　that。　We　must　capture　Kraj　or　one　of　IBS　gray　men。〃
　　　　〃What　a　wonderful　idea！　If　they　think　they　know　about　torture　they　will　soon　learn　a　thing　or　two。　I　remember　。　。　。〃　
　　　　〃Angelina！　That　is　not　what　I　had　in　mind。　For　a　moment　there　a　lot　of　the　old　reconstructed　you　was　shining　through。〃　
　　　　〃Nonsense。　I　admit　I　could　use　one　or　two　techniques　I　learned　in　those　days；　but　my　motives　are　the　purest。　Lioness　defending　her　mate　and　that　sort　of　thing。　Perfectly　justified。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　that　might　be　so；　but　it　is　not　quite　what　I　was　talking　about。　I　want　one　of　those　gray　men　in　a　laboratory　and　I　want　exhaustive　tests　run　on　him。　When　you　were　beating　up　on　that　bunch　earlier　today　did　you　notice　anything　strange　about　them？〃　
　　　　〃Nothing　particular；　I　was　otherwise　occupied　you　might　say。　Just　the　fact　that　they　weren't　wearing　enough　clothing　or　something；　because　their　skins　felt　so　chill。〃
　　　　〃Exactly　so。　And　they　never　laugh　or　show　emotion；　they　don't　gossip　or　talk　unless　there　is　something　important　to　say；　and　have　a　number　of　other　little　traits　that　draw　the　attention。〃　
　　　　〃Just　what　are　you　trying　to　say；　darling；　that　they　are　zombies　or　robots　or　something？　I　thought　that　sort　of　thing　appeared　only　on　space　operas　for　the　kiddies。〃
　　　　〃Laugh　now；　while　there　is　still　time。　Not　robots　or　such；　these　types　are　alive　enough。　I　just　don't　think　that　they　are　human；　that's　all。　There　are　aliens　among　us。〃
　　　　〃Perhaps　you　better　have　some　more　sleep。　I'll　turn　down　the　light。〃
　　　　〃Don't　humor　me；　damn　it！　I　have　been　thinking　about　this　ever　since　I　first　met　Kraj；　so　it　is　no　figment　of　a　recently　tortured　mind。　There　is　all　sort　of　evidence。　The　Cliaand　soldiers　are　deathly　afraid　of　Kraj　and　his　thugs　and　won't　even　talk　about　them。　The　gray　men　are　cut　off　from　normal　Cliaandian　life　and　different　in　every　way　from　them。　Almost　as　though　they　were　not　the　same　people。　I　can　visualize　these　gray　men　doing　a　survey　of　the　human　planets　and　finding　Cliaand　just　ripe　for　their　picking。　A　stratified；　militarized　way　of　life　with　everyone　in　uniform。　All　they　had　to　do　was　take　over　at　the　top　and　they　would　be　in　control。　And　this　they　seem　to　have　done。　They　appear　in　none　of　the　tables　of　organization　or　charts　so　dear　to　the　military　mindyet　they　seem　to　be　running　things　most　of　the　time。〃　
　　　　〃Well。。。〃
　　　　〃There。　You're　not　convinced　but　you　are　beginning　to　doubt。　Then　you'll　help　me　get　a　specimen　gray　man？〃
　　　　〃Help？〃　She　clapped　her　hands　with　sheer　girlish　enthusiasm。　〃I'm　simply　looking　forward　to　it。　Of　course　he　might　get　a　little　damaged　while　I'm　bringing　him　in；　but　as　long　as　he　still　works　that　is　really　all　that　matters；　isn't　it？〃
　　　　Before　I　could　answer　Taze　ran　in　and　threw　an　armload　of　clothing　onto　the　bed。
　　　　〃Get　dressed；　quickly；〃　she　ordered。　〃The　boots　are　the　biggest　we　could　find　and　I　hope　they　fit。〃　〃Is　there　any　reason　for　all　this…rush？〃　I　asked。
　　　　〃There　certainly　is。　There　are　troops　and　heavy　weapons　on　all　sides。　This　building　is　pletely　surrounded　by　the　enemy。〃

Chapter　16

　　　　The　boot　was　tight　and　delicately　pointed；　but　I　squeezed　my　foot　in　as　fast　as　I　could。　〃Were　we　followed　here？〃　I　asked　Taze。
　　　　〃Noof　course　not。　I　am　no　beginner　at　this　business。　Nor　is　the　stolen　car　here　any　longer。〃
　　　　I　cudgeled　my　sluggish　brain　into　thought　while　I　struggled　with　the　second　boot。　The　telephone　rang　and　I　frozeas　did　the　two　womenstaring　at　it　like　a　poison　snake。　It　rang　just　once　more　then　the　tiny　inset　screen　lit　up　and　Kraj　stared　out　of　it；　as　emotionless　as　ever。
　　　　〃You　know　that　you　are　surrounded；〃　he　said。　〃Resistance　is　useless；　diGriz。　Surrender　quietly　and　none　of　your　friends　will　be　hurt。。。〃
　　　　My　boot　hit　the　screen　and　Kraj's　image　flared　and　died；　I　ripped　the　entire　instrument　out　by　the　roots　and　buried　it　against　the　wall。　A　fine　cold　sweat　dotted　my　skin。　I　knew　that　most　phones　can　be　turned　on　from　central　with　the　right　equipment；　but　this　was　a　bad　time　to　see　the　theory　proven。
　　　　〃Don't　panic！〃　I　shouted；　mostly　to　myself　I　imagine；　because　Angelina　and　Taze　were　perfectly　calm。　I　hopped　about　the　room　getting　on　the　other　boot　and　tried　to　jar　some　clear　thought　into　my　tangled　brain。　The　last　hop　ended　me　up　sitting　on　the　cot；　panting；　counting　off　on　my　fingers。
　　　　〃Let　us　forget　that　call　for　a　moment　and　figure　out　what　is　happening。　One；　we　were　not　followed　when　we　came　here。　Two；　our　transportation　is　gone　so　that　could　not　be　traced。　Three；　Kraj　knew　that　I　was　here；　which　means　they　may　have　planted　a　directional　radio　transponder　in　me。　In　which　case　the　services　of　a　surgeon　and　a　good　x…ray　machine　will　be　needed　as　soon　as　we　get　out　of　here。〃　
　　　　〃You　are　forgetting　a　simpler　explanation；〃　Angelina　said。
　　　　〃Don't　keep　it　a　secret。　If　you　can　think　better　than　I　canwhich　is　no　pliment　right　nowlet's　have　it。〃　
　　　　〃The　torture　box。　You　said　it　was　radio　controlled。〃
　　　　〃Of　course！　A　directional　apparatus　is　probably　an　integral　part　of　the　mechanism。　Is　the　thing　still　here；　Taze？〃　
　　　　〃Yes；　below。　We　thought　there　might　be　a　use　for　it。〃　
　　　　〃There　is　now。　When　we　leave　the　box　stays　here。　Maybe　this　will　keep　their　attention　on　the　buildingand　once　away　they　won't　find　me　this　easily　again。　Now　brief　me；　Taze；　what　kind　of　a　building　is　thisand　how　do　we　get　out　of　it？〃
　　　　〃It　is　a　factory；　owned　by　one　of　our　members。　And　there　is　no　possible　way　out；　we　are　doomed　to　fight　and　die；　but　when　we　do　we　will　sell　our　lives　well　and　take　many　of　those　swine…pig…dogs　with　us　。　。　。〃
　　　　〃That's　fine；　yes　indeed。　But　we'll　sell　our　lives　dearly　only　if　we　have　to。　DiGriz　can　find　escape　routes　where　others　only　despair。　Is　your　factory　owner　here？　Good；　send　her　up　as　quickly　as　possible。〃　
　　　　Taze　left　on　a　run　and　I　turned　to　my　wife。
　　　　〃I　assume　you　brought　the　usual　equipment　with　you？　The　sort　of　thing　we　had　on　our　honeymoon。〃　
　　　　〃Bombs；　grenades；　explosives；　gas　charges；　of　course。〃　
　　　　〃Good　girl。　With　you　for　a　wife　I　have　a　growing　sense　of　security。〃
　　　　Taze　ran　back　in　followed　by　another　uniformed　amazon。　A　little　older　perhaps；　with　a　very　attractive　touch　of　gray　to　her　hair；　yet　full…bosomed　and　round…limbed　in　a　maturely　fascinating　way　。　。　。　I　caught　the　cold　look　frosting　in　Angelina's　eyes　and　quickly　put　my　thoughts　on　more　pressing　matters。
　　　　〃I　am　James　diGriz；　interstellar　agent　and　spy。〃　
　　　　〃Fayda　Firtina　of　the　Guard；〃　she　barked　and　snapped　a　salute。
　　　　〃Yes；　very　good　Fayda；　glad　to　meet　you。　At　ease。　I　understand　that　you　own　this　building。〃
　　　　〃That　is　correct。　Firtina　Amalgamated　（construction）　Robutlers；　Limited。　The　finest　product　on　the　market。〃　
　　　　〃What　is？〃　
　　　　〃Robutlers。〃　
　　　　〃You　wouldn't　think　me　dense　if　I　asked　what　a　robutler　is？〃　
　　　　〃A　luxury　product　that　is　a　necessity　for　the　proper　home。　A　robot　that　is　programmed；　trained；　articulated　and　specially　designed　for　but　a　single　function。　A　butler；　a　servant；　a　willing　aid　around　the　house　that　makes　the　house　a　home；　relieving　the　lady　of　the　establishment　of　the　chores　and　cares　and　stresses　of　modern　living　。　。　。〃
　　　　There　was　more　like　this；　obviously　quotes　from　a　sales　brochure；　but　I　did　not　hear　it。　A　plan　was　forming　in　my　mind；　taking　shapeuntil　the　sound　of　firing　broke　through　my　train　of　thought。
　　　　〃They　have　made　a　probing　attack；〃　Taze　said；　a　…radio　to　her　ear。　〃But　were　repulsed　with　losses。〃
　　　　〃Keep　holding　them。　They　shouldn't　try　the　heavy　stuff　for　awhile　since　they　still　hope　to　get　me　alive。〃　I　waved　over　the　factory　owner　who　seemed　ready　to　go　on　with　her　sales　talk。　〃Fayda；　will　you　give　me　a　quick　sketch　of　the　ground　plan　of　the　building　and　the　immediate　area　around　it。〃