hh.thessrat.sings.the.blues-第27部分

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a　touch　of　gray　to　her　hair；　were　the　only　signs　of　age。
　〃Wele　to　the　other　side　of　Paradise；　Jim；〃　she　said…and　held　out　her　hand。　Her　handshake　was　firm　and　quick。　I　opened　my　mouth　but　could　not　think　of　anything　relevant　to　say。
　〃I　know　that　you　have　many　questions。〃　Her　words　filled　the　gap。　〃M　of　which　xill　be　answered。　But　it　would　be　wisest　to　postpone　our　little　chat　until　we　are　out　of　this　place。　A　moment；　please。〃
　She　took　a　very　efficient…looking　hypodermic　from　the　reticule　hanging　at　her　waist。　Uncapped　it　and　bent　to　brush　aside　the　thick　hair　on　his　leg　to　give　Iron　John　a　quick　injection。
　〃He　will　sleep　the　better；〃　she　said。　〃Bethuel…will　you　lead　the　way？〃
　The　guard　raised　her　spear　in　a　quick　salute；　then　marched　resolutely　past　the　throne　and　into　the　opening。　Madonette　touched　Steengo's　cheek；　then　waved　Floyd　to　her。　〃Help　me　carry　him。　Jim　will　have　enough　to　do　just　moving　himself。〃
　I　resented　the　remark…a　blotch　on　my　masculine　pride　but　before　I　could　stumble　over　they　had　lifted　him　and　were　following　the　guard；　Bethuel。
　There　were　no　lights　in　the　tunnel　behind　the　throne。　At　least　none　until　Mata　had　entered　behind　us　and　sealed　it　once　again。　Pale　illumination　flickered　into　existence。　More　than　enough　to　see　by。　Nor　was　it　a　long　walk　to　the　open　door　at　the　far　end。　We　emerged　into　a　large；　red　brick　room　that　could　have　been　a　mirror…image　of　the　one　that　we　had　just　left。
　Just　in　physical　size；　though。　Here　the　walls　were　covered　by　pleasant　hangings；　tapestries　of　sunshine　and　floral　landscapes。　Instead　of　the　swords　and　shields　that　adorned　the　other。　The　stained…glass　windows　here　depicted　scenes　of　mountains　and　valleys；　villages　and　forests。　Unlike　Iron　John's　windows　which　featured　the　clash　of　battle；　spackle　of　gore。　This　was　altogether　more　civilized。
　As　was　the　murmur　of　concerned　voices　from　the　women　in　attendance　here。　They　tenderly　carried　Steengo　to　a　couch　where　another　woman；　dressed　in　white；　ministered　to　him。　I　dropped　into　the　nearest　chair　and　scowled　around　at　all　the　female　bustle。　My　voice；　louder　and　more　censorious　than　I　had　intended；　cut　through　the　peaceful　scene。
　〃Now　would　somebody；　anybody；　tell　me　just　what　the　hell　is　going　on。〃
　The　way　I　was　ignored　was　ment　enough　in　itself。　Though　a　smiling　girl　did　bring　me　a　glass　of　cool　…vine…on　the　way　to　serve　the　others。　Madonette　sat　next　to　Mata；　where　they　put　their　heads　together　for　a　moment　before　Madonette　spoke。
　〃First…and　most　important　now　that　you　all　are　safe…is　the　fact　that　the　artifact　is　here　and　is　being　looked　after。　In　addition　there　is…〃
　〃Excuse　if　I　interrupt；〃　I　said。　〃A　matter　of　priority。〃　I　clamped　my　jaw　twice。　〃Did　you　hear　that；　Tremearne？〃　His　answer　buzzed　in　my　jawbone。
　〃I　did；　and　。　。　。〃
　〃Priorities；　Captain。〃　I　spoke　quietly　so　only　he　could　hear。　〃Mission　plete。　Alien　artifact　returned。　Antidote　for　me　on　its　way　down。　Nine　days　is　close　enough　to　e。　Do　you　understand　all　that？〃
　〃Of　course。　But　there　is　a　plication　。　。　。〃
　〃plication！〃　I　could　hear　the　squeak　of　fear　edging　my　voice。　〃What？〃
　〃I　sent　for　the　antidote　to　the　thirty…day　poison　as　soon　as　I　heard　about　it。　I　had　no　intention　of　waiting　until　the　deadline　to　administer　it。　However　there　was　an　accident　in　transit。〃　Sweat　suddenly　beaded　my　forehead　and　my　toes　tapped　anxiously　on　the　floor。　〃These　things　happen。　I've　sent　for　a　second　batch　and　it's　en　route　now。〃
　I　cursed　viciously　under　my　breath；　then　realized　that　I　was　the　object　of　more　than　one　concerned　glance。　Smiled　woodenly　and　snarled　my　answer。
　〃Do　it。　Get　it。　No　excuses。　Now。　Understood。〃
　〃Understood。　〃
　〃Fine。〃　I　stopped　whispering　and　called　out。　〃I'm　most　cheered　to　hear　that　the　artifact　has　been　found。　Now；　if　you　please；　an　explanation　of　what　all　this　is　about。〃
　〃Seems　obvious；〃　Madonette　said　undoubtedly　miffed　by　my　surly　behavior。　〃It　looks　like　the　ladies　have　saved　your　bacon　and　you　should　be　grateful。〃
　Which　did　nothing　to　clear　the　air。　〃As　I　recall；〃　I　recalled。　〃It　was　the　gentlemen…at　some　physical　cost　I　must　add…who　polished　off　that　russet　rottweiler　before　you　all　came　onto　the　scene。　I　also　remember　that　we　were　watched　all　the　time　during　the　life…and…death　struggle　by　one　of　your　lot　who　did　nothing　to　help。〃
　The　tough　answer　sprang　to　her　lips　and　I　snarled　around　at　the　female　pany。　Tempers　flared　on　all　sides　but　Mata　cooled　things　down。
　〃Children…there　has　been　enough　tribulation　and　pain；　so　do　not　cause　yourself　any　more。〃　She　turned　to　me。　〃Jim；　let　me　explain。　The　soldier　who　aided　your　escape；　Bethuel；　is　one　of　our　spies　who　keeps　us　informed　about　all　the　masculine　meanderings　beyond　the　wall。　I　ordered　her　to　help　you　escape　your　guards；　which　she　did。　I　also　ordered　her　not　to　reveal　her　presence　to　Iron　John。　The　men　beyond　the　wall　have　no　idea　that　we　watch　them　closely　and　I　wish　it　to　remain　that　way。　She　aided　your　escape　and　you　should　be　grateful。〃
　I　was；　and　I　should　have　admitted　it；　but　I　was　still　bullheaded　and　angry　and　settled　for　a　surly　mutter　and　growl。　Mata　nodded　blithely　as　though　I　had　municated　something　of　importance。
　〃See　how　well　everything　has　worked　out？　You　are　here　and　safe；　your　friends　safe　as　well；　and　that　for　which　you　seek；　the　strange　artifact；　is　secure　and　close　by。〃
　I　only　half　listened。　Fine　for　the　troops。　But　there　were　other　forces　at　work　that　did　not　bode　well　for　my　future。　Accidents　in　transit　did　not　happen　by　accident。　Someone　in　the　bureaucracy　that　was　manipulating　me…did　not　like　me。　Perhaps　had　never　liked　me　and　never　had　any　intention　of　supplying　the　antidote。　I　would　certainly　be　less　trouble　to　them　if　I　were　safely　dead。　And　there　were　only　nine　days　left　to　sort　the　whole　thing　out。
　I　had　touched　my　puter　controls　automatically　while　these　thoughts　were　whizzing　about　my　tired　brain。　The　number　glowed　before　me。　I　really　had　had　a　longer　sleep　than　I　realized。
　Eight　days　to　go。
　
　CHAPTER　20
　I　looked　around　at　the　peaceful　female　bustle…and　suddenly　felt　very；　very　tired。　My　side　hurt　and　I　felt　sure　that　a　couple　of　ribs　were　broken。　I　sipped　the　wine　but　it　didn't　help。　What　I　really　needed　was　a　couple　of　Blast…off　pills　to　restore　me　to　something　resembling　life。　In　my　pack
　〃My　pack！〃　I　shouted　hoarsely。　〃My　equipment；　everything。　Those　masculine　momsers　have　all　our　gear！〃
　〃Not　quite；〃　Mata　said　in　soothing　tones。　〃As　soon　as　you　left　we　saw　to　it　that　the　porter；　Veldi；　was　rendered　unconscious　and　both　your　packs　are　here　now。　Your　associate　Steengo's　equipment　was　not　in　your　residence　so　we　can　assume　that　it　is　now　in　the　possession　of　Iron　John　or　his　associates。〃
　〃Not　good。〃　I　worried　a　fingernail　with　my　incisors。　〃There　are　things　there　they　shouldn't　see　。　。　。〃
　〃Might　I　interrupt；〃　Tremearne's　voice　spoke　through　my　jaw…a…phone。　〃I　was　waiting　until　things　quieted　down　to　tell　you。　Steengo's　pack　as　safe。〃
　〃You　have　it？〃
　〃Rather　I　should　have　said　‘made　safe。'　All　of　your　packs　are　boobytrapped　with　a　canister　of　rotgrot。　Which；　when　released　by　a　coded　radio　signal；　causes　the　contents　of　the　pack　to　instantly　decay　to　their　ponent　molecules。〃
　〃Nice　to　known。　A　lot　of　secrets　are　being　revealed　of　late；　aren't　they？〃
　There　was　no　response　from　my　jaw。　I　held　out　my　wine　glass　for　a　refill。　〃Some　simple　answers　；　to　some　simple　questions；　if　you　please。〃　My　anger　had　been　blasted　by　fatigue；　excoriated　by　fear　of　imminent　death。　Mata　nodded　in　response。
　〃Good。　On　a　historical　note…how　e　guys　over　there；　girls　here？〃
　〃A　union　of　convenience；〃　Mata　said。　〃Many　years　ago　our　foremothers　were　forcefully　relocated　to　this　planet。　This　inadvertent　transplantation　had　a　sobering　effect　on　them。　Whatever　excesses　of　zeal　they　had　displayed　on　other　worlds　were　not　repeated　here。　Peace；　cool…reasoning　and　logic　prevailed。　We　became　then　as　you　see　us　now。〃
　〃Women；〃　I　said。　〃A　society　of　women。〃
　〃That　is　correct。　Life　here　was　a　running　battle　for　a　good　long　time；　or　so　it　is　written。　The　Fundamentaloids　tried　to　convert　us；　while　our　next　door　neighbors　tried　to　wipe　us　out。　The　inferior　sex　they　called　us；　a　threat　to　their　existence。　When　we　first　came　to　this　planet　we　found　that　those　macho　crazies　were　already　well　established。　Our　group　was　forced　to　spend　a　good　deal　of　effort　just　staying　clear　of　them。　This　was　time　and　energy　wasted；　our　founding　mothers　decided；　so　they　sought　for　ways　to　bring　about　peace。　Eventually　they　convinced　the　male　ruling　clique　that　they　could　prosper　by　utilizing　their　energy　in　a　more　positive　manner。　It　was　a　pletely　selfish　appeal；　arranging　ways　for　the　males　on　top　in　their　society　to　stay　on　top；　while　providing　absolute　control　of　the　rest　of　the　men。〃
　〃Sounds　pretty　terrible；〃　Madonette　said。　〃Turning　all　those　men　into　slaves。〃
　〃Never　say　slaves！　Willing　collaborators　is　more　like　it。　We　showed　those　in　charge；　and　in　particular　the　one　now　called　Iron　John；　how　much　easier　it　would　be　to　rule　by　brain　rather　than　muscle。　We　demonstrated　to　their　satisfaction　how　a　great　deal　more　could　be　acplished。　With　our　intelligence　and　knowledge　of　science；　and　their　muscles；　two　separat