hh.thessrat.sings.the.blues-第36部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃We've　met　them。　Youngsters　who　perhaps　aren't　too　happy　with　the　militaristic　status　quo　and　war　forever。　Who　perhaps　prefer　a　future　in　the　bosom　of　their　families。　That　is　assuming　you　do　have　families？〃
　〃Of　course；　safe　and　secure　in　the　residential　caverns。　We　guard　them　and　protect　them…〃
　〃As　well　as　having　a　generally　good　time　playing　soldier　and　bossing　everybody　about。〃
　〃Your　criticism　is　being　tiring。〃
　He　looked　quizzically　at　his　cigar　ash；　then　tapped　it　into　the　ashtray　before　him。　Which　was　made　from　a　shell　casing　of　course。　Something　black　stirred　at　the　very　edge　of　my　vision　but　I　made　no　move　to　look　that　way。　It　was　about　time　Fido　made　an　appearance。
　〃So　what　do　you　want　us　for？〃　Floyd　asked。
　〃I　thought　that　was　obvious。　I　want　to　find　out　who　you　are　and　how　much　you　know　about　us。〃
　There　was　a　quick　movement　from　under　the　table　to　my　chair；　out　of　The　mander's　line　of　sight。　The　thing　must　have　then　climbed　the　back　of　my　chair　because　Aida's　voice　whispered　in　my　ear。
　〃I　have　done　a　voice　analysis　of　a　recording　I　made　during　the　interrupted　meeting。　I　stripped　away　the　interference　of　the　voice　occulter　and　now　know　who　the　speaker　who　called　himself　Alphamega　is　。　。　。〃
　〃I　already　know；〃　I　said。
　〃Know　what？〃　The　mander　said。　〃What　are　you　saying？〃
　〃Sorry；　just　speaking　my　thoughts　aloud。　My　thoughts　being　that　you　are　playing　some　kind　of　plicated　game；　aren't　you？　You　called　me　by　name…and　we　have　never　been　introduced。　Of　course　if　you　were　present　at　the　meeting　of　the　young　dissidents　you　would　know　who　I　was。　And　now　I　know　who　you　are。〃
　I　smiled　and　let　the　silence　stretch　before　I　spoke。
　〃The　mander…or　Alphamega…which　name　do　you　prefer？　Since　you　are　both　of　them　rolled　into　one。〃
　
　CHAPTER　25
　I　can　kill　you…quite　quickly；〃　The　mander　said　coldly　and　calmly。　But　at　the　same　time　he　was　stubbing　and　crunching　his　cigar　out　in　a　most　agitated　manner。
　〃Temper；　temper；〃　I　said。　〃Since　you　appear　to　be　in　charge　of　both　sides　in　this　internal　conflict；　and　you　obviously　got　us　here　for　a　reason…why　don't　you　just　tell　us　all　about　it？〃
　He　was　scowling　now；　angry　and　dangerous。　As　my　mother　always　said…why　was　her　memory　still　popping　up？…you　catch　more　porcuswine　with　honey　than　you　do　with　vinegar。　Gently；　gently。
　〃Please；　mander；〃　I　pleaded　most　unctuously；　〃we're　on　your　side；　even　when　no　one　else　is。　You　know　exactly　what　you　are　doing…while　none　of　your　troops　has　the　slightest　idea　what　is　happening。　Not　only　are　you　in　charge　here；　but　it　looks　as　though　you　have　managed　a　mild　insurrection　on　your　own　terms。　You　have　done　an　incredible　job　that　no　one　else　was　capable　of　doing。　We　can　help　you…if　you　will　let　us。〃
　The　scowl　faded。　Floyd　followed　my　lead；　smiled　and　nodded　agreement　and　said　nothing；　another　cigar　was　produced　and　lit。　The　smoke　rose　up　and　the　smoker　nodded　beneficently。
　〃You　are　right　of　course；　Jim。　The　responsibility　has　been　great；　the　pressure　continuous。　And　I　am　surrounded　by　morons…stulteguloj；　kretenoj！　Centuries　of　interbreeding　and　hiding　underground　has　done　little　to　improve　their　brain　capacity。　I　am　amazed　that　I　alone　have　the　intelligence　to　see　this。　I'm　as　different　from　them　as　if　I　had　been　born　on　a　different　planet；　the　child　of　superior　parents。〃
　This　was　sounding　familiar。　There　has　never　been　a　strongman；　dictator；　military　ruler；　who　did　not　believe　that　he　somehow　came　from　superior　stock。
　〃You　are　different；　sir；〃　Floyd　said；　almost　humbly。　〃I　knew　that　as　soon　as　you　spoke。〃
　We　had　both　obviously　read　the　same　textbooks。　Though　I　thought　he　was　spreading　it　on　rather　thickly。　I　was　wrong。
　〃You　could　see　that？　The　difference　is　obvious　I　suppose；　to　someone　from　Outside。　It　hasn't　been　easy；　I　tell　you。　In　the　beginning　I　even　tried　to　talk　to　the　senior　officers；　explain　some　of　the　problems　and　suggest　solutions。　I　could　have　had　more　munication　talking　to　a　wall。　Not　that　the　younger　ones　are　any　better。　Though　they　are　restless；　give　them　that。　When　you　get　down　to　it　there　isn't　much　joy　in　just　plain　surviving。　In　the　beginning　maybe；　it　must　have　been　a　challenge　then。　But　after　a　couple　of　centuries　the　pleasures　begin　to　wear　pretty　thin。〃
　〃Was　it　the　restlessness　of　the　younger　ones　that　gave　you　the　idea　to　supply　a　leader　for　them　to　follow？〃　I　asked。
　〃Not　at　first。　But　I　began　to　see　that　the　young　were　losing　respect　for　the　old。　About　the　only　people　they　looked　up　to　were　the　scientists。　From　their　point　of　view　the　scientists　were　the　only　ones　who　at　least　appeared　to　be　doing　new　and　important　things。　That's　when　I　hit　on　the　Alphamega　role。　They　think　that　I　am　one　of　the　younger　scientists。　A　rebel　who　is　unable　to　make　any　progress　against　the　old　ideas；　the　familiar　ways…therefore　I　have　been　forced　to　enlist　others　of　like　age　and　mind。〃
　〃My　arms　are　getting　stiff；〃　Floyd　said；　smiling。　〃You　wouldn't　mind　taking　off　these　clamps　for　a　bit？〃
　〃I　would。　I　want　you　two　just　where　you　are。〃
　Mercurial；　our　friend。　All　warmth　gone　in　an　instant；　he　dragged　so　hard　on　the　cigar　that　it　crackled　and　sparked。　〃We　Survivalists　watch　events　pretty　closely…all　over　this　planet。　With　a　surveillance　network　set　up　before　anyone　else　arrived。　Amplified　and　spread　ever　since。　Not　a　bird　craps；　not　a　polpettone　fruit　falls　that　we　don't　know　about。　That　I　don't　know　about。　Because　I　watch　the　watchers。　I　watched　and　saw　that　a　lot　of　energy　and　plenty　of　high…powered　work　was　going　into　recovering　that　artifact。　There　is　something　very　important　about　it…and　I　want　to　know　just　what。　I　had　a　squad　steal　it　and　destroy　the　building；　hide　their　tracks。　It　was　impossible　to　follow　them。　Yet　you　did。　I　want　to　know　how　you　did　that　too。　So　talk…and　talk　fast。〃
　〃My　pleasure；〃　I　said。　〃My　friend　here　knows　nothing　about　the　artifact。　But　I　do。　I　am　the　one　who　found　it　first；　then　tracked　it　and　followed　it　here。　I　am　the　only　one　who　can　tell　you　how　it　operates…and　what　incredible　things　it　can　do。　If　you　can　take　me　to　it　I　will　be　happy　to　show　you　how　it　works。〃
　〃That　is　more　like　it。　You　will　e　with　me。　Your　associate　remains　here　as　a　guarantee…don't　you　agree？〃　He　stood　and　buckled　on　a　large　and　offensive…looking　sidearm。
　〃Of　course。　Sorry　about　that；　Floyd；〃　I　said　as　I　turned　my　head　to　face　him。　Winking　with　my　left　eye；　the　one　our　captor　couldn't　see。　〃I　know　that　you　would　e　after　me　and　help　me　if　you　could。　But　you　can't。　So　stay　here　and　you　will　be　safe。　You　have　the　word　of　James　Fido　diGriz　on　that。〃
　〃I'll　be　okay；　Jim。　Look　after　yourself。〃
　I　only　hoped　that　this　mixture　of　innuendo；　hints　and　suggestions　had　delivered　my　message　to　him。　I　could　only　cross　mental　fingers　and　hope。　The　door　opened　and　there　was　a　hiss；　rumble　and　clank　behind　me　as　my　bonds　snapped　open。　I　rubbed　my　stiff　arms　and　stood　up　slowly　and　carefully。　The　Killerbot　blinked　baleful　little　orange　eyes　at　me　and　waved　a　smoke…stained　flamethrower　in　the　direction　of　the　door。　I　followed　mander　Alphamega　out；　leaving　Floyd　prisoner　in　the　chair。　Not　for　long；　I　hoped；　if　Fido…Aida　had　understood　my　suggestions。
　We　walked　side　by　side　down　the　wide　hall　with　its　framed　portraits　of　heroes。　My　panion　smiled　warmly　in　my　direction。　Pulling　his　gun　a　bit　out　of　the　holster　at　the　same　time；　then　letting　it　slide　back。
　〃You　do　understand　that　if　you　breathe　one　word　about　our　conversation　you　will　be　no　more　than　a　grease　spot　on　the　floor？〃
　〃pletely　aware；　thank　you。　Absolute　silence　on　that　topic；　yes；　sir。　I　will　look　at　the　artifact　and　explain　its　operation。　Nothing　more。〃
　Maybe　I　was　smiling　on　the　outside…but　I　was　pretty　gloomy　on　the　inside。　Jim；　you　are　getting　yourself　in　deeper　than　a　porcuswine　in　a　mudhole。　A　depressing　thought…and　a　true　one。　But　I　really　had　no　choice。
　It　was　quite　a　long　walk　and　I　was　getting　tired　again。　When　all　this　was　over…of　it　were　ever　over…I　promised　myself　a　nice　long　holiday。　Head…up；　Jim！　Think　positive　and　get　ready　to　improvise。
　A　last　door　opened　and　we　were　in　what　was　obviously　a　laboratory。　plete　with　control　boards；　power　cables；　bubbling　retorts　and　aged　scientists　in　white　smocks。　There　was　a　lot　of　loyal　fist…smacking　on　chests　when　the　leader　appeared。　Salutes　that　he　returned　with　the　merest　tap　of　his　own　loosely　clenched　fist。　They　moved　respectfully　back　to　give　us　access　to　a　lab　bench。　On　it；　now　sprouting　wires　and　connections　to　the　surrounding　test　gear；　was　the　alien　artifact。　I　clapped　my　brow　and　staggered。
　〃What　are　you　cretins　doing　with　the　cagleator！〃　I　shouted。　〃We　are　all　dead　if　you　have　actuated　it！〃
　〃No；　no…not　that！〃　an　；elderly　scientist　cackled。　Then　shut　up　and　looked　fearfully　at　the　mander　who　sneered　in　return。
　〃You　are　all　morons。　Now　tell　this　Outsider　what　you　have　done；〃；　he　ordered。　〃He　is　the　；one　who　knows　what　the'　device　can　do。〃
　〃Thank　you；　thank　you！　Of　course；　as　you　have　ordered。〃；　The　wrinkly　turned　back　to。　me　with　shaking　hands　and　pointed　a　quavering　finger。　〃We　have　only　X…rayed　the　device　and　charted　the　circuitry。　Very　plex；　as　you　know。　There　vas；　however　。　。　。〃　he　began　to　sweat；　looking　about　unhappily；　〃a　reaction　of　some　kin