hh.thessrat.sings.the.blues-第37部分

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ng　about　unhappily；　〃a　reaction　of　some　kind。　when　we　attempted　to　test　the　circuitry。〃
　〃A　reaction？　If　you　have　made　a　mistake　the　world　has　just　ended！　Show　me。〃
　〃No；　not　a　big。　reaction。　Just　that　it　absorbed　electricity　from　our　test　circuit。　We　were：　not　aware　of　this　at　first…and　we　instantly　terminated　the　test　when　we　saw　what　was　happening。〃
　〃And　just　what　did　you　sees　happening？〃　The　mander　asked；　voice　like　a　file　on　rough　steel。
　〃That；　sir；　we　saw　that。　A　cover　of　some　kind　fell　away　disclosing　this　recess。　And　。。　the　lights。　That　is　all。　just　lights　。　。　。〃
　Fascinated；　we　all　leaned　forward　to　look。　Yes；　there　was　the　recess。　And　inside　it　there'　were　four　little　blobs　of　light。　Green；　red；　orange　and　white。
　〃What　is　the　significance　of　this？〃　my　inquisitor　asked；　fingers　strumming　on　the　gunbutt。
　〃Nothing　important；〃　I　sand；　stifling　a　yawn　at　the　unimportance　of　it　all。　〃The　test　circuitry　is　simply　testing　the　circuits　of　your　test　circuitry。〃
　I　poked　out　a　casual　finger…　towards。　the　glowing　lights　and　found　the　barrel　of　his　weapon　grinding　into　my　side。
　〃That　sounds　like　absolute　waffle　to　me。　The　truth；　now；　or　you　are　dead。〃
　There　are　seconds　that　sometimes　；appear　to　stretch　for　a　length　of　time　bordering　on　eternity。　This　was　one　of　those　occasions。　The　mander　glared　at　me。　I　tried　to　look　innocent：　The　scientists；　slack…jawed；　looked　at　him。　The　Killerbot　waited　in　the　doorway　and　clanked　to　itself；　hissing　steam　and　probably　wishing　that　it　was　killing　something。　Time　stood　still　and　eternity　hovered　close　by。
　I　had　very　few　options　open。
　Like　none。
　〃The　truth　is　。　。　。〃　I　said。　And　could　not　go　on。　What　could　I　。possibly　say　that　would　impress　this　maniac　in　any　way？　At　this　moment　there　was　a　great　explosion　and　pieces　of　Killerbot　Banked　and　rattled　in　through　the　door。
　As　you…u　might　imagine　this　really　did　draw　everyone's　attention。　As　did　the　voice　that　rang　out　an　instant　later。
　〃Jim…drop！〃
　And　there　was　Floyd　at　the　open　door；　brandishing　an　impressive　weapon　of　some　kind。　Fido　has　done　its　job　and　freed　him。　He　had　polished　off　the　Killerbot　and　was　now　taking　the　action　from　there。
　The　mander　swung　his　weapon　around；　raised　it；　ready　to　fire。
　I　did　not　drop　as　instructed　because　I　was　possessed　by　a　hallucinatory　moment　of　madness。　I　had　been　pushed　around　too　much　of　late　and　suddenly；　overwhelmingly；　felt　like　doing　a　little　pushing　back。
　The　lights　in　the　artifact　glowed　their　wele　and　my　finger　punched　out　in　their　direction。
　To　do　what？
　To　touch　one　of　the　beckoning　colored　lights；　of　course。
　Which　one？
　What　color　meant　what　to　the　ancient　aliens　who　had　built　this　thing；
　I　had　no　idea。
　But　green　had　always　meant　go　to　me。
　Cackling　hysterically　I　stabbed　down　on　the　green
　
　CHAPTER　26
　Apparently　nothing　happened。　I　pulled　my　finger　back　and　looked　at　the　lights。　Then　at　The　mander　and　his　drawn　gun；　wondering　why　he　hadn't　used　it。
　Then　looked　at　him　again。　And　saw　that　he　wasn't　moving。　I　mean　just　not　moving　in　the　slightest。　I　mean　like　paralyzed。　Petrified。　Glassy…eyed　and　frozen。
　As　was　everyone　else　in　the　room。　Floyd　stood　in　the　doorway；　gun　raised　and　mouth　open　in　an　endless　shout。　Behind　him；　for　the　first　time；　I　noticed　an　unmoving　Fido。
　The　world　was　a　freeze…frame　and　I　was　the　only　one　not　trapped　in　it。　I　was　surrounded　by　people　stopped　in　the　act　of　speaking；　walking；　moving。　Off…balance；　hands　raised；　mouths　gaping。　Now　stilled；　silent…dead？
　I　started　towards　The　mander；　to　relieve　him　of　his　gun…saw　that　his　finger　was　tight　on　the　trigger！　But　with　each　step　I　felt　the　air　resisting　my　movement；　growing　firm；　then　more　solid　until　it　was　like　walking　into　an　unyielding　wall。　Nor　could　I　breathe…the　air　was　a　thick　liquid　that　I　could　not　force　into　my　lungs。
　Panic　grew　and　grabbed　me…then　died　away　just　as　quickly　when　I　stepped　back。　I　felt　normal　again。　Air　was　air　and　I　breathed　in　and　out　quite　nicely。
　〃Put　the　mind　in　gear；　Jim！〃　I　shouted　at　myself；　my　words　loud　in　the　surrounding　silence。　〃Something　is　happening…but　what？　Something　happened　after　you　touched　the　green　light。　Something　to　do　with　the　artifact。〃
　I　stared　at　it。　Tapped　it　with　my　knuckles。　Groped　about　for　inspiration。　Found　it。
　〃Tachyons！　This　thing　emits　them…we　know　that　because　that　is　how　Aida　tracked　it　in　the　first　place。　Tachyons…the　units　of　time　。　。　。〃
　The　device　was　now　functioning…I　had　turned　it　on　when　I　had　pressed　the　light。　Green　for　go。　Go　where？
　Stasis　or　speed。　Either　I　had　been　speeded　up　or　the　world　had　slowed　down。　Or　how　could　I　tell　the　difference？　From　my　point　of　view　everything　seemed　to　have　slowed　and　stopped。　The　artifact　had　done　something；　projected　a　temporal　field　or　stopped　the　motion　of　molecules。　Or　had　created　an　occurrence　that　froze　the　surrounding　world　in　a　single　moment　of　time。　Time　had　e　to　a　stop　everywhere　that　I　could　see…except　in　the　close　vicinity　of　the　device。　I　moved　even　closer　and　patted　it。
　〃Good　little　time　machine。　Time　mover；　slower；　halter；　stopper…whatever　you　are。　Neat　trick。　But　what　do　I　do　next？〃
　It　chose　not　to　answer　me。　Nor　did　I　expect　it　to。　This　was　my　problem　now　and　I　had　to　force　myself　to　take　the　time　to　think　it　out。　For　the　moment　I　had　all　the　time　I　needed。　Though　eventually　I　would　have　to　do　something。　And　that　something　would　probably　mean　touching　another　one　of　the　colored　buttons。　Either　that　or　I　could　stand　looking　dumbly　at　the　device　while　I　quietly　died　of　thirst　or　starvation　or　whatever。
　But　which　light？
　Green　had　been　obvious　enough…even　more　obvious　by　hindsight。　And　the　decision　had　been　made　at　a　moment　of　life　and　death。　Nov；　I　was　not　so　sure。　I　reached　out；　then　dropped　my　hand。　With　plenty　of　time　to　decide　I　had　bee　the　master　of　indecision。　Green　had　meant　go；　turn　on；　get　started。　Did　red　mean　off；　stop？　Maybe。　But　what　about　white　and　orange？
　〃Not　an　easy　one；　Jimmy　boy？〃　I　said　in　what　I　hoped　was　a　jocular　voice…which　came　out　very　mournful　and　doomladen。　I　wrung　my　hands　together　with　indecision。　Then　stopped　and　looked　at　them　as　though　I　might　see　some　answer　printed　on　my　fingers。　All　I　saw　was　dirt　under　the　nails。
　〃You　have　got　to　do　it　sooner　or　later…so　do　it　sooner　before　your　nerve　fails　pletely；〃　I　told　myself。　Reached　out　a　finger…drew　it　away。　It　looked　like　my　nerve　had　indeed　failed　me　pletely。
　〃Take　yourself　in　hand；　Jim！〃　I　ordered。　Reached　back　and　took　a　handful　of　collar　and　shook　myself　as　violently　as　I　could。
　It　was　no　help　at　all。　Random　choice　then？　Why　not；　just　as　good　as　guessing。　I　put　the　finger　out　again　and　promised　myself　that　I　would　push　down　on　whatever　color　was　under　the　finger　when　the　jingle　ended。
　〃Eeeny；　meeny；　miney；　shmoe；　catch　a　。　。　。〃
　I　never　found　out　what　I　was　going　to　catch　because　at　that　moment　I　heard　the　dragging　footsteps　ing　from　the　hall。
　Sound？
　Out　there　where　nothing　moved！
　I　jumped　about；　hands　raised　in　defense。　Lowered　them　and　waited　as　the　footsteps　grew　louder；　came　closer　and　closer　to　the　doorway　。　。　。
　Slipped　past　Floyd's　immobile　body。
　〃Aliens！　Monsters！〃　I　gasped；　pulling　back。　Trying　to　run　although　I　knew　there　was　no　place　to　go。
　Two　hideous　metal　creatures。　Bifurcated　limbs；　many…angled　skulls；　glowing　eyes；　claw…fingered　hands。　ing　towards　me。　Stopping。　Reaching　out
　No！　Reaching　up　to　twist　their　own　heads　off。　I　could　hear　a　gurgling　scream；　was　only　dimly　aware　that　it　was　my　own　voice。
　Twisted　and　turned　and　lifted…
　Lifted　off　the　helmets。　Two　very　human　faces　looked　at　me　with　a　good　deal　of　interest。　I　stared　back　with　the　same　emotion。　Realized　that；　despite　the　close…cropped　hair；　the　one　on　the　left　was　female。　She　smiled　at　me　and　spoke。
　〃Wes　hal；　eltheodige；　ac　hwca　bith　thes　thin　freond？〃
　I　blinked；　didn't　understand　a　word。　Shrugged　and　smiled　in　what　I　hoped　was　a　winning　way。　The　second　visitor　shook　his　head。
　〃Unrihte　tide；　unrihte　elde；　to　earlz'ch　eart　thu　re！〃
　〃Look；〃　I　said；　having　enough　of　this　and　very　much　needing　a　few　questions　answered。　〃Could　you　please　try　Esperanto？　That　good；　old；　simple　intergalactic　second　language　Esperanto。〃
　〃Certainly；〃　the　girl　said；　smiling　a　winning　and　white…toothed　smile。　〃My　name　is　Vesta　Timetinker。　My　panion　is　Othred　Timetinker。〃
　〃Married？〃　I　asked　for　some　inprehensible　reason。
　〃No；　stepsiblings。　And　you…you　have　a　name？〃
　〃Yes；　of　course。　James　diGriz。　But　everyone　calls　me　Jim。〃
　〃A　pleasure　to　meet　you；　Jim。　Our　thanks　for　activating　the　temporooter。　We'll　take　it　off　your　hands　now。〃
　She　started　towards　the　artifact…which　I　now　knew　was　a　temporooter。　Though　I　still　knew　little　else。　I　stepped　in　front　of　it　and　said：
　〃No。〃
　〃No？〃　Her　rather　attractive　forehead　furrowed　while　Othred's　face　suddenly　looked　grim。　I　turned　a　bit　so　I　could　keep　an　active　eye　on　him。
　〃If　no　is　too　abrupt；〃　I　said；　〃then　I　will　ameliorate　it　and　say　hold　on　just　a　moment　if　you　please。　Didn't　you　just　thank　me　for　finding　this　thing？〃
　〃I　did。〃
　〃Finding　means　that　it　has　been　lost。　And　has　now　been　recovered　because　of　my　intervention。　In　return　for　this　favor　I　believe　yo