hh.thessrat.sings.the.blues-第4部分

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　wanted　to　see　how　well　you　did。〃
　〃How　did　I　do？〃
　〃Very　good…for　a　lad　your　age。　You　got　the　job。〃
　〃Well　good　for　me。　But　what　about　my　double…the　bloke　who　took　my　place？〃
　〃That　bloke；　as　you　refer　to　him；　is　one　of　the　finest　and　most　expensive　humanoid　robots　that　money　can　afford。　Which　money　will　not　be　wasted　since　the　doctor　who　is　now　performing　the　postmortem　is　in　our　pay。　The　incident　is　closed。〃'
　〃Wonderful；〃　I　sighed；　dropping　limply　onto　the　couch。　〃Look；　can　I　get　a　drink？　It　has　been　a　long　day。　No　spirits　howevera　beer　will　do　fine。〃
　〃A　capital　idea。　I　will　join　you。〃
　A　tiny　but　well…stocked　bar　unfolded　from　one　wall；　the　dispenser　produced　two　chilled　brews。　I　gulped　and　smacked。
　〃Excellent。　If　I　have　only　thirty　days　to　go　shouldn't　you　be　telling　me　about　what　you　want　me　to　do？〃
　〃In　good　time；〃　he　said；　sitting　down　across　from　me。　〃Captain　Varod　asked　me　to　send　his　regards。　And　to　convey　the　message　that　he　knee　you　were　lying　when　you　promised　to　give　up　a　life　of　crime。〃
　〃So　he　had　me　watched？〃
　〃You're　catching　on。　After　this　last　criminal　assignment　for　us　you　will　bee　an　honest　man。　Or　else。〃
　〃Who　are　you　to　talk！〃　I　sneered　and　drained　the　glass。　〃A　crooked　shyster　who　is　theoretically　paid　to　uphold　the　law。　Yet　you　stand　by　and　let　the　thugs　here　on　Paskonjak　pass　legislation　to　have　trials　after　an　execution…then　you　employ　a　criminal　to　mit　a　criminal　act。　Not　what　I　would　call　sincerely　law…abiding。〃
　〃First；〃　he　said；　lifting　a　finger　in　a　very　legalistic　way；　〃we　have　never　condoned　the　secret　law　in　the　Mint。　It　was　only　recently　produced　by　the　overly…paranoid　management　here。　Yours　was　the　first　arrest…and　will　be　the　last。　There　have　been　numerous　job　replacements　already。　Secondly；〃　another　finger　rose　to　join　the　first；　〃the　League　has　never　condoned　violence　or　criminal　acts。　This　is　the　first　occurrence　and　has　been　produced　by　an　。unusual　series　of　circumstances。　After　great　deliberation　the　decision　was　made　to　do　it　just　this　one　time。　And　never　again。〃
　〃Millions　might　believe　that；〃　I　sneered　disbelievingly。　〃Isn't　it　time　you　told　me　what　the　job　is？〃
　〃No…because　I　don't　know　myself。　My　vote　was　cast　against　this　entire　operation　so　I　have　been　included　out。　Professor　Van　Diver　will　brief　you。〃
　〃But　what　about　the　thirty…day　poison？〃
　〃You　will　be　contacted　on　the　twenty…ninth　day。〃　He　stood　up　and　went　to　the　door。　〃It　is　against　my　principles　to　wish　you　good　luck。〃
　This　was　his　puritanical　pontificatory　exit　line。　Because　as　he　went　out　an　elderly　type　with　a　white　beard　and　a　monocle　entered。
　〃Professor　Van　Diver　I　presume？〃
　〃Indeed；〃　he　said　extending　a　damp；　limp　hand　for　me　to　shake。　〃You　must　be　the　volunteer　with　the　nom　de　guerre　of　Jim　about　whose　presence　I　was　informed；　who　would　await　me　here。　It　was　very　good　of　you　to　undertake　what　can　only　be　called　a　rather　diligent　and　difficult　assignment。〃
　〃Rather；〃　I　intoned；　falling　into　his　academic　mode　of　speech。　〃Is　there　any　remote　possibility　that　I　might　be　informed　of　the　nature　of　this　assignment？〃
　〃Of　course。　I　have　the　requisite　authority　to　provide　augmentive　information　to　you　concerning　the　history　and　tragic　circumstance　of　the　loss。　Another　individual；　who　shall　be　nameless；　will　supply　the　assistance　that　you　will　require。　I　shall　begin　with　the　circumstances　that　occurred　a　little　over　twenty　years　ago　。　。　。〃
　〃A　beer。　I　must　have　refreshment。　Will　you　join　me？〃
　〃I　abstain　from　all　alcoholic　and　caffeine…containing　beverages。〃　He　glared　at　me　glassily　through　his　menacing　monocle　as　I　refilled　my　mug。　I　sipped　and　sat　and　waved　him　into　action。　His　voice　washed　over　me　in　turgid　waves　and　soon　had　me　half…asleep…but　the　content　of　his　talk　woke　me　up　fast　enough。　He　went　on　far　too　long；　with　far　too　many　digressions；　but　despite　this　it　was　fascinating　stuff　to　listen　to。
　A　stripped…down　version　wouldn't　have　been　half　as　much　fun　for　him　and　would　have　taken　only　a　few　minutes　to　tell。　Simply；　Galaksia　Universitato　had　sent　an　expedition　to　a　reported　archeological　site　on　a　distant　world…where　they　had　uncovered　an　artifact　of　non…human　origin。
　〃You　must　be　kidding；〃　I　said。　〃Mankind　has　explored　a　great　part　of　the　galaxy　in　the　last　thirty…two　thousand　years　and　no　trace　of　an　alien　race　has　ever　been　found。〃
　He　sniffed　loudly。　〃I　do　not　‘kid'　as　you　say　in　your　simple　demotic。　I　have　pictorial　proof　here；　photographs　sent　back　by　the　expedition。　The　artifact　was　uncovered　in　a　stratum　at　least　a　million　years　old　and　resembles　nothing　in　any　data　base　existent　in　the　known　universe。〃
　He　took　a　print　from　his　inner　pocket　and　passed　it　over　to　me。　I　took　it　and　looked　at　it；　then　turned　it　around　since　there　was　no　indication　of　which　was　top　or　bottom。　A　twisted　hunk　of　incongruous　angles　and　forms　resembling　nothing　I　had　ever　seen　before。
　〃It　looks　alien　enough　to　be　alien；〃　I　said。　Looking　at　it　was　beginning　to　hurt　my　eyes　so　I　dropped　it　onto　the　table。　〃What　does　it　do；　or　what　is　it　made　of　or　whatever？〃
　〃I　haven't　the　slightest　idea　since　it　was　never　conveyed　to　the　university。　It　was；　I　must　say；　interrupted　in　its　journey　and　it　is　essential　that　it　be　recovered。〃
　〃Pretty　sloppy　way　to　handle　the　only　alien　artifact　in　the　universe。
　〃That　is　beyond　the　scope　of　my　authority　and　not　for　me　to　say。　But　I　am　authorized　to　unperfunctorily　predicate　that　it　must　be　found　and　returned。　At　any　cost　which　sums　I　am　duly　authorized　to　pay。　Officers　of　the　Galactic　League　have　assured　me　that　you；　pseudonymous　Jim；　have　volunteered　to　find　and　return　the　artifact。　They　have　convinced　me　that　you；　ins　young　as　you　are；　are　a　specialist　in　these　matters。　I　can　only　wish　you　best　of　luck…and　look　forward　to　meeting　you　again　when　you　return　with　that　which　we　desire　the　most。〃
　He　exited　then　and　a　bald；　uniformed　naval　officer　entered　m　his　place。　Closed　the　door　and　glared　at　me　with　a　steely　gaze。　I　glared　back。
　〃Are　you　the　one　who　is　finally　going　to　tell　me　what　is　going　on？〃　I　asked。
　〃Damn　right；〃　he　growled。　〃Damn　fool　idea…but　the　only　one　we　have　going。　I　am　Admiral　Benbow；　head　of　League　Navy　Security。　Those　dumbhead　academics　let　the　most　priceless　object　in　the　universe　slip　through　their　fingers…now　we　have　to　pick　up　the　pieces　and　run　with　the　ball。〃
　The　Admiral's　mixed　metaphors　were　as　bad　as　the　professor's　academese。　Was　clear　speaking　being　a　lost　art？
　〃e　on；〃　I　said。　〃Simply　tell　me　what　happened　and　what　I　am　supposed　to　do。〃
　〃Right。〃　He　slammed　down　into　a　chair。　〃If　that　is　a　beer　I'll　have　one　too。　No　I　won't。　A　double；　no　a　treble　high…octane　whisky。　No　ice。　Do　it。〃
　The　robobar　supplied　our　drinks。　He　drained　his　while　I　was　just　lifting　mine。
　〃Now　hear　this。　The　expedition　concerned　was　returning　from　their　planetary　dig　when　their　ship　experienced　munication　difficulties。　Worried　about　navigation　they　landed　on　the　nearest　planet；　which　unhappily　and　tragically　turned　out　to　be　Liokukae。〃
　〃Why　unhappily　and　tragically？〃
　〃Shut　up　and　listen。　We　got　them　and　their　ship　back　relatively　intact；　But　without　the　artifact。　For　certain　reasons　we　could　do　no　more。　That　is　why　your　services　have　been　engaged。〃
　〃So　now　you　are　going　to　tell　me　about　those　certain　reasons。〃
　He　coughed　and　looked　away；　stood　and　refilled　his　glass　before　speaking　again。　If　I　didn't　know　better　I　would　have　said　that　the　seasoned　old　space　dog　was　embarrassed。
　〃You　have　to　understand　that　keeping　the　galactic　peace　is　our　role　and　our　goal。　This　is　not　always　possible。　There　are　sometimes　individuals；　even　groups；　that　are　impervious　to　our　attentions。　Violent　people；　some　apparently　incurably　insane；　obnoxious。　Despite　everything　that　we　can　do　they　remain　immune　to　our　blandishments；　impervious　to　our　help。〃　He　gulped　down　the　dregs　and　I　had　the　feeling　that　we　were　finally　getting　to　the　truth。
　〃Since　we　cannot　kill　them　we…and　you　realize　only　the　highest　authorities　know　what　I　am　about　to　tell　you…we　so　to　speak　arrange；　see　to　it　that　they　are；　well；　transported　to　Liokukae　to　live　the　sort　of　life　they　prefer　to　live。　Without　endangering　the　peaceful　cultures　of　the　union…〃
　〃A　galactic　garbage　dump！〃　I　cried　aloud。　〃Where　you　holier…than…thou　bigots　sweep　your　failures　under　the　carpet！　No　wonder　you　keep　this　a　top…secret　secret。〃
　〃Just　knock　off　the　superior　attitude　cagal；　diGriz。　I　know　your　record…and　in　my　book　it　stinks。　But　we　have　you　by　the　short　and　curlies　since　you　drank　the　seven…hundred…and…twenty…hour　poison；　so　you　will　do　just　as　I　say。　So　now　I'm　going　to　fill　you　in　with　all　the　loathsome　details　re　Liokukae；　let　you　see　what　information　we　have。　Then　you　will　e　up　with　a　plan　for　getting　that　thing　back。　You　have　no　choice。〃
　〃Thanks。　What　resources　do　I　have？〃
　〃Limitless　resources；　unrestricted　funds；　boundless　support。　Every　planet　in　the　galaxy　contributes　to　Galaksia　Universitato。　They　have　so　many　credits　that　they　make　the　super…rich　look　super…poor。　I　want　you　to　take　them　to　the　cleaners。〃
　〃Now　you　are　talking　my　language！　For　the　first　time　I　have　some　interest　in　this　poisonous　project。　Bring　on　the　records…and　some　food…and　I