hh.thessrat.sings.the.blues-第2部分

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hed　a　singularly　depressing　room。　Traditionally　bare　with　unshielded　lights　and　a　backless　stool。　I　sighed　and　sat。
　My　attempts　at　conversation　were　ignored；　as　was　my　press　pass。　Which　was　taken　from　me　along　with　my　shoes…then　the　rest　of　my　clothes。　I　pulled　on　the　robe　of　itchy　black　burlap　that　they　gave　me；　dropped　back　into　the　chair　and　made　no　attempt　to　outstare　my　guards。
　To　be　frank　this　was　a　kind　of　a　low　point；　made　even　lower　when　the　effects　of　the　calm…and…collected　pill　began　to　wear　off。　Just　about　the　time　my　morale　hit　bottom　the　loudspeaker　gurgled　inprehensible　instructions　and　I　was　hurried　down　the　hall　to　another　room。　The　lights　and　stool　were　the　same…but　this　time　they　faced　a　steel　desk　with　an　even　steelier…eyed　officer　behind　it。　His　glare　spoke　for　him　as　he　pointed　to　my　dissected　clothing；　bag；　shoes。
　〃I　am　Colonel　Neuredan　…　and　you　are　in　trouble。〃
　〃Do　you　always　treat　interstellar　journalists　like　this？〃
　〃Your　identity　is　false。〃　His　voice　had　all　the　warmth　of　two　rocks　being　grated　together。　〃Your　shoes　contain　molebind　projectors　。
　〃There's　no　law　against　that！〃
　〃There　is　on　Paskonjak。　There　is　a　law　against　anything　that　threatens　the　security　of　the　Mint　and　the　Interstellar　Credits　produced　here。〃
　〃I've　done　nothing　wrong。〃
　〃Everything　that　you　have　done　has　been　wrong。　Attempting　to　deceive　our　security　with　false　identification；　stunning　a　guard；　penetrating　the　Mint　without　supervision…these　are　all　crimes　under　our　law。　What　you　have　mitted　so　far　makes　you　liable　for　fourteen　concurrent　life　sentences。〃　His　grim　voice　grew　even　grimmer。　〃But　there　is　even　worse　than　that…〃
　〃What　could　be　worse　than　fourteen　life　sentences？〃　Despite　my　efforts　at　calm　control　I　could　hear　my　voice　cracking。
　〃Death。　That　is　the　penalty　for　stealing　from　the　Mint。〃
　〃I　haven't　stolen　anything！〃　Definitely　a　quaver　now。
　〃That　will　be　determined　very　shortly。　When　the　decision　was　made　to　mint　five…hundred…thousand…credit　coins　every　precaution　was　taken　to　prevent　their　theft。　Integral　to　their　fabric　is　a　transponder　that　listens　for　a　specific　signal　at　a　specific　frequency。　It　answers　and　reveals　the　location　of　the　coin。〃
　〃Stupid；〃　I　said　with　more　bravado　than　I　felt。　〃Won't　work　here。　Not　with　all　the　coins　you　have　made…〃
　〃All　now　safe　behind　ten　feet　of　solid　lead。　Radiation　proof。　If　there　are　any　other　coins　not　in　our　custody　the　signal　will　sound。〃
　Right　on　cue　I　heard　the　pealing　of　bells　in　the　distance。　The　iron　face　of　my　inquisitor　was　touched　by　a　fleeting　cold　smile。
　〃The　signal；〃　he　said。　We　sat　in　silence　for　long　seconds。　Until　the　door　burst　open　and　the　hurrying　guards　dropped　a　very　familiar　bag　onto　the　desk。　He　lifted　the　end　slowly　and　the　coins　jangled　forth。
　〃So　that's　what　they　look　like。　I　never
　〃Silence！〃　he　thundered。　〃These　were　removed　from　the　minting　room。　They　were　found　suspended　in　the　chimney　from　the　smelter。　Along　with　these　other　objects。〃
　〃Proves　nothing。〃
　〃Proves　everything！〃　Quick　as　a　snake　he　grabbed　my　hands；　slammed　them　onto　a　plate　on　his　desk。　A　hologram　of　my　fingerprints　appeared　instantly　on　the　air　above。
　〃Any　prints　lifted　from　the　coins？〃　he　asked　over　his　shoulder。
　〃Many；〃　a　spectral　voice　responded。　A　portion　of　the　desk　top　rose　up　bearing　what　appeared　to　be　photographic　prints。　He　looked　at　them　and　for　the　second　time　I　was　treated　to　the　sight　of　that　frigid　smile　as　he　dropped　the　prints　through　a　slot。　A　second　hologram　floated　in　the　air　beside　the　first；　moved　over　and　merged　with　it　as　he　touched　the　controls。
　The　double　image　flickered　and　became　one。
　〃Identical！〃　he　said　triumphantly。　〃You　can　tell　me　your　if　you　wish。　So　it　can　be　spelled　correctly　on　your　tomb　stone。　But　only　if　you　wish。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean　tombstone？　And　what　do　you　mean　death　sentence？　That's　illegal　by　galactic　law！〃
　〃There　is　no　galactic　law　down　here；〃　he　intoned　with　a　voice　like　a　funeral　march。　〃There　is　only　the　law　of　the　Mint。　Judgment　is　final。〃
　〃The　trial　。　。　。〃　I　said　feebly；　visions　of　lawyers；　appeals；　torts　and　documents　dancing　in　my　head。
　There　was　no　mercy　in　his　voice　now；　no　touch　of　the　tiniest　of　iceberg　smiles　on　his　lips。
　〃The　penalty　for　theft　in　the　Mint　is　death。　The　trial　takes　place　after　the　execution。〃
　
　CHAPTER　2
　I　am　still　young…and　it　did　not　look　like　I　was　going　to　get　any　older。　My　dedication　to　a　life　of　crime　had　led　to　a　far　shorter　lifespan　than　could　normally　be　expected。　Here　I　was；　not　yet　twenty　years　old。　A　veteran　who　had　fought　in　two　wars；　had　been　imprisoned　and　drafted；　who　had　been　depressed　by　the　death　of　my　good　friend　The　Bishop；　been　impressed　by　Mark　Forer　the　great　Artificial　Intelligence。　Was　that　it？　Had　I　had　it？　No　more　to　life　than　that？　All　over。
　〃Never！〃　I　shouted　aloud；　but　the　two　guards　merely　gripped　my　arms　the　harder　and　pushed　me　along　the　corridor。　A　third　armed　guard　went　ahead　and　unlocked　the　cell　door；　while　the　one　behind　me　prodded　my　kidneys　with　the　barrel　of　his　gun。
　They　were　good　and　they　took　no　chances。　They　were　big　and　mean　and　I　was　small　and　lean。　Shivering　with　fear；　I　was　crouching　even　lower。　Once　the　cell　door　was　open　the　guard　with　the　keys　turned　towards　me　and　unlocked　my　handcuffs。
　Then　gasped　as　my　knee　caught　him　in　the　stomach　and　knocked　him　back　into　the　cell。　At　the　same　time　I　grabbed　the　two　guards　beside　me　by　the　wrists；　crossed　my　arms　with　a　single　spasmodic　burst　of　effort　that　pulled　the　two　of　them　crashing　together；　their　skulls　bonked　nicely。　At　the　same　instant　I　lashed　backward…catching　the　fourth　guard　on　the　bridge　of　his　nose　with　the　back　of　my　head。　Everything　happening　at　approximately　the　same　time。
　Two　seconds　ago　I　had　been　bound　and　captive。
　Now　one　guard　was　out　of　sight；　groaning　in　the　cell。　Two　more　holding　their　heads　and　howling；　the　fourth　one　clutching　a　bloody　nose。　They　hadn't　been　expecting　this：　I　had。
　I　ran。　Back　the　way　we　had　e　and　through　the　still　open　door。　Hoarse；　angry　cries　were　cut　off　as　I　slammed　it　shut；　locked　it。　The　thick　panel　shook　as　heavy　bodies　thudded　against　the　other　side。
　〃Got　you！〃　a　victorious　voice　shouted　and　rough　hands　grabbed　me。　He　could　not　know　by　touch　that　I　was　a　Black　Belt？　He　found　out　the　hard　way。
　Eyes　closed；　breathing　easily；　he　just　lay　there　and　made　no　protest　as　I　stripped　him　of　uniform　and　weapons。　Nor　did　he　thank　me　when　I　draped　my　burlap　robe　over　his　pale　form；　hiding　his　black　lace　undies　from　prying　eyes。　His　clothes　were　not　too　bad　a　fit。　Not　too　good　either　with　the　cap　tilting　forward　over　my　eyes。　But　it　would　have　to　do。
　There　were　three　doors　leading　from　this　room。　The　one　that　I　had　locked　was　pounding　and　bouncing　in　its　frame：　next　to　it　was　the　one　that　we　had　e　in　through。　It　didn't　take　much　intelligence　to　use　the　unconscious　guard's　keys　to　open　the　third　one。
　It　led　to　a　storage　room。　Dark　shelves；　filled　with　nameless　objects；　vanished　away　into　the　distance。　Not　too　promising　but　I　was　in　no　position　to　choose。　I　executed　a　quick　leap　back　to　the　entrance　door；　unlocked　it　and　threw　it　open；　then　dived　ahead　into　the　storage　room。　As　I　closed　this　final　door　behind　me；　even　before　I　could　lock　it；　there　was　a　mighty　crash　and　screams　of　anger　as　the　assaultees　finally　broke　the　door　down。
　Misdirection　wouldn't　last　long。　Run　past　the　shelves。　Hide　here？　No…there　would　be　a　thorough　search。　A　door　at　the　far　end；　bolted　on　the　inside。　I　opened　it　a　crack　and　looked　at　the　empty　room　beyond。　Opened　and　stepped　through。
　And　stopped　quite　still　as　the　guards　who　were　flattened　against　the　wall　all　pointed　guns　at　me。
　〃Shoot　him！〃　Colonel　Neuredan　ordered。
　〃I'm　unarmed！〃　My　gun　slid　across　the　floor　as　I　threw　my　hands　into　the　air。　Fingers　quivered　on　triggers…it　was　all　over。
　〃Don't　shoot…I　want　him　alive。　For　the　moment。〃
　I　stood　frozen；　not　breathing　until　the　trigger　fingers　relaxed。　Looked　up　and　quickly　found　the　security　bug　in　the　ceiling。　Must　be　one　in　every　room　and　corridor　down　here。　They　had　been　watching　me　all　the　time。　A　good　try；　Jim。　The　Colonel　grated　his　teeth　horribly　and　stabbed　a　finger