hh.thessrat.sings.the.blues-第40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！


were　also　carried　through　in　the　interior　decorations；　light　fixtures　made　of　aerial　bombs；　machine…gun　flowerpots；　draperies　assembled　from　tattered；　ancient　banners。　I　found　it　horribly　depressing。
　Without　looking　back　our　captor　marched　around　the　gigantic　conference　table　and　sat　down　in　the　single；　high…backed　chair　there。　With　a　wave　of　his　hand　he　indicated　the　two　smaller　chairs　before　us。
　〃Sit；〃　he　manded。　Behind　us　was　a　clank　and　rattle；　a　hiss　of　escaping　steam。　We　sat。
　Something　brushed　my　ankle　and　I　looked　down　and　saw　that　padded　clamps　had　swung　into　position　to　secure　my　legs；　motors　whirred　and　they　tightened。
　I　threw　my　arms　into　the　air　just　as　clamps　from　the　chair　arms　swung　out　and　clicked　shut　on　empty　air。
　〃Not　wise；〃　our　host　said。　There　was　a　clank…clank　close　behind　me　and　what　could　only　have　been　a　gun…muzzle　ground　into　the　back　of　my　neck。　The　wrist　clamps　snapped　open。　I　sighed　and　dropped　my　arms。　I　didn't　have　to　look　to　know　that　Floyd　had　been　imprisoned　the　same　way。
　〃Leave。〃
　When　his　master　manded　the　ambulatory　war…machine　clanked　and　rumbled　out　of　the　room　and　I　heard　the　immense　doors　close。
　〃I　am　The　mander；〃　our　captor　said；　leaning　back　in　his　chair　and　lighting　a　large；　green　cigar。
　〃Is　that　your　title　or　your　name？〃　I　asked。
　〃Both；〃　he　said；　blowing　a　ring　of　blue　smoke　towards　the　ceiling。　〃I　have　imprisoned　you　since　I　do　not　wish　to　be　attacked…nor　do　I　wish　to　have　anyone　or　anything　present　while　we　talk。〃　He　touched　a　button　on　his　desk　and　looked　at　pulsing　purple　light。　〃And　now　we　are　secure　against　eavesdropping。〃
　〃Going　to　tell　us　who　all　you　guys　are；　what　you　are　doing　here　and　that　sort　of　thing？〃　I　asked。
　〃Assuredly。　We　are　The　Survivalists。〃
　〃I　think　I　heard　a　reference　to　your　mob　before。〃
　〃Undoubtedly。　During　the　years　of　the　Breakdown　there　were　a　number　of　groups　with　that　name。　We　are　the　only　ones　who　deserve　it　since　we　are　the　only　ones　who　survive。〃
　〃Survivalists；〃　Floyd　said；　and　went　on　as　though　reading　from　a　book。　〃Groups　who　believed　in　the　inevitability　of　the　ing　war；　as　well　as　the　inability　of　their　own　governments　to　protect　them；　who　then　withdrew　from　society　into　underground　bunkers　equipped　with　food；　water；　ammunition　and　supplies　adequate　to　survive　any　catastrophe。　None　survive。〃
　〃Very　good…you　are　quoting　from　。　。　。　？〃
　〃Handbook　of　Historical　Nuts；　Cults　and　Saviors。〃
　〃Very　good…except　for　the　title　and　the　last　line。　We　survived。〃
　〃A　little　too　well；〃　I　said。　〃The　Breakdown　Wars　are　long　gone　and　the　galaxy　is　at　peace　now。〃
　〃I'm　glad　to　hear　that。　Just　don't　tell　anyone　else　here。〃
　〃Why　not？　But　let　me　guess。　You　want　to　keep　them　stupid　and　in　line　because　you　are　onto　a　very　good　thing。　For　as　long　as　there　is　war　or　the　threat　of　war　those　in　charge　tend　to　stay　in　charge。　Which；　of　course；　is　you。〃
　〃An　excellent　summation；　Jim。　Though　there　are　those　who　are　unhappy　with　the　state　of　things　。　。　。〃
　〃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　surveillan