bill_the_galactic_hero_v1.1-第4部分

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m　X　squad　sitting　around　the　table　all　clapped　and　cheered；　as　they　always　did　when　Bowb　said　something。
　　〃Tell；　us　more；　Bowb！〃
　　〃It　can　still　talk…I　thought　it　was　dead！〃
　　〃Go　on…why　is　the　body　a　wonderful　thing？〃
　　They　waited　in　expectant　silence；　while　Bowb　managed　to　tear　a　bite　from　his　sausage　and；　after　ineffectual　chewing；　swallowed　it　with　an　effort　that　brought　tears　to　his　eyes。　He　eased　the　pain　with　a　mouthful　of　beer　and　spoke。
　　〃The　human　body　is　a　wonderful　thing；　because　if　it　doesn't　die　it　lives。〃
　　They　waited　for　more　until　they　realized　that　he　was　finished；　then　they　sneered。
　　〃Boy；　are　you　full　of　bowb！〃
　　〃Sign　up　for　OCS！〃
　　〃Yeah…but　what　does　it　mean？〃
　　Bill　knew　what　it　meant　but　didn't　tell　them。　There　were　only　half　as　many　men　in　the　squad　as　there　had　been　the　first　day。　One　man　had　been　transferred；　but　all　the　others　were　in　the　hospital；　or　in　the　mental　hospital；　or　discharged　for　the　convenience　of　tire　government　as　being　too　crippled　for　active　service。　Or　dead。　The　survivors；　after　losing　every　ounce　of　weight　not　made　up　of　bone　or　essential　connective　tissue；　had　put　back　the　lost　weight　in　the　form　of　muscle　and　were　now　pletely　adapted　to　the　rigors　of　Camp　Leon　Trotsky；　though　they　still　loathed　it。　Bill　marveled　at　the　efficiency　of　the　system。　Civilians　had　to　fool　around　with　examinations；　grades；　retirement　benefits；　seniority；　and　a　thousand　other　factors　that　limited　the　efficiency　of　the　workers。　But　how　easily　the　troopers　did　it！　They　simply　killed　off　the　weaker　ones　and　used　the　survivors。　He　respected　the　system。　Though　he　still　loathed　it。
　　〃You　know　what　I　need；　I　need　a　woman；〃　Ugly　Ugglesway　said。
　　〃Don't　talk　dirty；〃　Bill　told　him　promptly；　since　he　had　been　correctly　brought　up。
　　〃I'm　not　talking　dirty！…〃　Ugly　whined。　〃It's　not　like　I　said　I　wanted　to　re…enlist　or　that　I　thought　Deathwish　was　human　or　anything　like　that。　I　just　said　I　need　a　woman。　Don't　we　all？〃
　　〃I　need　a　drink；〃　Bowb　Brown　said　as　he　took　a　long　swig　from　his　glass　of　dehydrated　reconstituted　beer；　shuddered；　then　squirted　it　out　through　his　teeth　in　a　long　stream　onto　the　concrete；　where　it　instantly　evaporated。
　　〃Affirm；　affirm；〃　Ugly　agreed；　bobbing　his　mat　haired；　warty　head　up　and　down。　〃I　need　a　woman　and　a　drink。〃　His　whine　became　almost　plaintive。　〃After　all；　what　else　is　there　to　want　in　the　troopers　outside　of　out？〃
　　They　thought　about　that　a　long　time；　but　could　think　of　nothing　else　that　anyone　really　wanted。　Eager　Beager　looked　out　from　under　the　table；　where　he　was　surreptitiously　polishing　a　boot　and　said　that　he　wanted　more　polish；　but　they　ignored　him。　Even　Bill；　now　that　he　put　his　mind　to　it；　could　think　of　nothing　he　really　wanted　other　than　this　inextricably　linked　pair。　He　tried　hard　to　think　of　something　else；　since　he　had　vague　memories　of　wanting　other　things　when　he　had　been　a　civilian；　but　nothing　else　came　to　mind。
　　〃Gee；　it's　only　seven　weeks　more　until　we　get　our　first　pass；〃　Eager　said　from　under　the　table；　then　screamed　a　little　as　everyone　kicked　him　at　once。
　　But　slow　as　subjective　time　crawled　by；　the　objective　clocks　were　still　operating；　and　the　seven　weeks　did　pass　by　and　eliminate　themselves　one　by　one。　Busy　weeks　filled　with　all　the　essential　recruit…training　courses：　bayonet　drill；　smallarms　training；　short…arm　inspection；　greypfing；　orientation　lectures；　drill；　munal　singing　and　the　Articles　of　War。　These　last　were　read　with　dreadful　regularity　twice　a　week　and　were　absolute　torture　because　of　the　intense　somnolence　they　brought　on。　At　the　first　rustle　of　the　scratchy；　monotonous　voice　from　the　tape　player　heads　would　begin　to　nod。　But　every　seat　in　the　auditorium　was　wired　with　an　EEG　that　monitored　the　brain　waves　of　the　captive　troopers。　As　soon　as　the　shape　of　the　Alpha　wave　indicated　transition　from　consciousness　to　slumber　a　powerful　jolt　of　current　would　be　shot　into　the　dozing　buttocks；　jabbing　the　owners　painfully　awake。　The　musty　auditorium　was　a　dimly　lit　torture　chamber；　filled　with　the　droning；　dull　voice；　punctuated　by　the　sharp　screams　of　the　electrified；　the　sea　of　nodding　heads　abob　here　and　there　with　painfully　leaping　figures。
　　No　one　ever　listened　to　the　terrible　executions　and　sentences　announced　in　the　Articles　for　the　most　innocent　of　crimes。　Everyone　knew　that　they　had　signed　away　all　human　rights　when　they　enlisted；　and　the　itemizing　of　what　they　had　lost　interested　them　not　in　the　slightest。　What　they　really　were　interested　in　was　counting　the　hours　until　they　would　receive　their　first　pass。　The　ritual　by　which　this　reward　was　begrudgingly　given　was　unusually　humiliating；　but　they　expected　this　and　merely　lowered　their　eyes　and　shuffled　forward　in　the　line；　ready　to　sacrifice　any　remaining　shards　of
their　self…respect　in　exchange　for　the　crimpled　scrap　of　plastic。　This　rite　finished；　there　was　a　scramble　for　the　monorail　train　whose　track　ran　on　electrically　charged　pillars；　soaring　over　the　thirty…foot…high　barbed　wire；　crossing　the　quicksand　beds；　then　dropping　into　the　little　farming　town　of　Leyville。
　　At　least　it　had　been　an　agricultural　town　before　Camp　Leon　Trotsky　had　been　built；　and　sporadically；　in　the　hours　when　the　troopers　weren't　on　leave；　it　followed　its　original　agrarian　bent。　The　rest　of　the　time　the　grain　and　feed　stores　shut　down　and　the　drink　and　knocking　shops　opened。　Many　times　the　same　premises　were　used　for　both　functions。　A　lever　would　be　pulled　when　the　first　of　the　leave　party　thundered　out　of　the　station　and　grain　bins　became　beds；　salesclerks　pimps；　cashiers　retained　their　same　function…though　the　prices　went　up…while　counters　would　be　racked　with　glasses　to　serve　as　bars。　It　was　to　one　of　these　establishments；　a　mortuary…cum…saloon；　that　Bill　and　his　friends　went。
　　〃What'll　it　be；　boys？〃　the　ever　smiling　owner　of　the　Final　Resting　Bar　and　Grill　asked。；
　　〃Double　shot　of　Embalming　Fluid；〃　Bowb　Brown　told　him。
　　〃No　jokes；〃　the　landlord　said；　the　smile　vanishing　for　a　second　as　he　took　down　a　bottle　on　which　the　garish　label　Rte。　WHISKEY　had　been　pasted　over　the　etched…in　EMBALMING　FLUID　〃Any　trouble　I　call　the　MPs。〃　The　smile　returned　as　money　struck　the　counter。　〃Name　your　poison；　gents。〃
　　They　sat　around　a　long；　narrow　table　as　thick　as　it　was　wide；　with　brass　handles　on　both　sides；　and　let　the　blessed　relief　of　ethyl　alcohol　trickle　a　path　down　their　dust…lined　throats。
　　〃I　never　drank　before　I　came　into　the　service；〃　Bill　said；　draining　four　fingers　neat　of　Old　Kidney　Killer　and　held　his　glass　out　for　more。
　　〃You　never　had　to；〃　Ugly　said；　pouring。
　　〃That's　for　sure；〃　Bowb　Brown　said；　smacking　his　lips　with　relish　and　raising　a　bottle　to　his　lips　again。
　　〃Gee；〃　Eager　Beager　said；　sipping　hesitantly　at　the　edge　of　his　glass；　〃it　tastes　like　a　tincture　of　sugar；　wood　chips；　various　esters；　and　a　number　of　higher　alcohols。〃
　　〃Drink　up；〃　Bowb　said　incoherently　around　the　neck　of　the　bottle。　〃All　them　things　is　good　for　you。〃
　　〃Now　I　want　a　woman；〃　Ugly　said；　and　there　was　a　rush　as　they　all　jammed　in　the　door；　trying　to　get　out　at　the　same　time；　until　someone　shouted；　〃Look！〃　and　they　turned　to　see　Eager　still　sitting　at　the　table。
　　〃Woman！〃　Ugly　said　enthusiastically；　in　the　tone　of　voice　you　say　Dinner！　when　you　are　calling　a　dog。　The　knot　of　men　stirred　in　the　doorway　and　stamped　their　feet。　Eager　didn't　move。
　　〃Gee…I　think　I'll　stay　right　here；〃　he　said；　his　smile　simpler　than　ever。　〃But　you　guys　run　along。〃
　　〃Don't　you　feel　well；　Eager？〃
　　〃Feel　fine。〃
　　〃Ain't　you　reached　puberty？〃
　　〃Gee。。。〃
　　〃What　you　gonna　do　here？〃
　　Eager　reached　under　the　table　and　dragged　out　a　canvas　grip。　He　opened　it　to　show　them　that　it　was　packed　with　great　purple　boots。　〃I　thought　I'd　catch　up　on　my　polishing。〃
　　They　walked　slowly　down　the　wooden　sidewalk；　silent　for　the　moment。　〃I　wonder　if　there　is　something　wrong　with　Eager？〃　Bill　asked；　but　no　one　answered　him。　They　were　looking　down　the　rutted　street；　at　a　brilliantly　illuminated　sign
that　cast　a　tempting；　ruddy　glow。　
　　SPACEMEN'S　REST　it　said。　CONTINUOUS　STRIP　SHOW　and　BEST　DRINKS　and　better　PRIVATE　ROOMS　FOR　GUESTS　AND　THEIR　FRIENDS。　They　walked　faster。　The　front　wall　of　the　Spacemen's　Rest　was　covered　with　shatterproof　glass　cases　filled　with　tri…di　pix　of　the　fully　dressed　（bangle　and　double　stars）　entertainers；　and　further　in　with　pix　of　them　nude　（debangled　with　fallen　stars）。　Bill　stayed　the　quick　sound　of　panting　by　pointing　to　a　…small　sign　almost　lost　among　the　tumescent　wealth　of　mammaries。
　　OFFICERS　ONLY　It　read。
　　〃Move　along；〃　an　MP　grated；　and　poked　at　them　with　his　electronic　nightstick。　They　shuffled　on。
　　The　next　establishment　admitted　men　of　all　classes；　but　the　cover　charge　was　seventy…seven　credits；　more　than　they　all　had　between　them。　After　that　the　OFFICERS　ONLY　began　again；　until　the　pavement　ended　and　all　the　lights　were　behind　them。
　　〃What's　that？〃　Ugly　asked　at　the　sound　of　murmured　voices　from　a　nearby　darkened　street；　and　peering　closely　they　saw　a　line　of　troopers　that　stretched　out　of　sight　around　a　distant　er。　〃What's　this？〃　he　asked　the　last　man　in　the　line。
　　〃Lower…ranks　cathouse。　Two　credits；　two　minutes。　And　don't　try　to。buck　the　line；　bowb。　On　the　back；