the.stainless.steel.rats.revenge-第10部分

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　aside；　put　on　his　uniform　cap；　ordered　the　robot　into　the　back　of　the　truck　and　returned　to　the　warehouse　for　my　wares。　They　stowed　neatly　behind　the　crates　of　dehydrated　meals；　forms　in　triplicate；　cans　of　boot　polish　and　other　essential　military　items　in　the　truck。　Dressed　in　the　soldier's　red　uniform；　he　dozing　nicely　in　my　green；　I　said　good…by　to　the　robot；　my　only　friend　on　this　inhospitable　planet。　He　answered　nothing　in　return　which　did　not　hurt　me。　I　left。
　　　　My　papers　and　identification　were　accepted　with　military　taciturnity；　examined　and　approved；　and　I　was　free。　I　sped　merrily　out　into　the　night　and　phase　two　of　my　plan。　Physically　this　involved　a　lot　of　rushing　about；　stealing　various　vehicles　to　confuse　my　trail；　and　a　long　trek　through　the　central　desert　to　a　certain　landmark。　This　was　a　great　lump　of　stone　standing　very　much　by　itself　in　the　sea　of　sand。　It　was　shaped　very　much　like　a　pot　and　was　called　lonac　in　the　Cliaand　language。　Which　means　pot　and　gives　you　some　idea　of　the　great　scope　of　their　imagination。　The　camouflage　net　covered　the　stolen　groundcar；　and　I　worked　most　industriously　here　for　seven　full　days　before　I　was　satisfied　with　the　results。　What　I　had　built；　with　my　own　two　little　hands　and　the　help　of　an　excavation　robot；　was　a　pletely　self…contained　underground　shelter　no　more　than　100　meters　from　Pot　rock。　This　was　the　last　and　final　bit　of　preparation　for　phase　three。　That　night　I　initiated　this　phase。　My　little　home…wired　transmitter　was　tuned　and　ready　to　go；　the　antenna　pointed　straight　up　at　the　zenith。　Exactly　at　midnight　I　turned　it　on　and　the　narrow；　highly　directional　signal　blasted　up　into　space。　I　kept　it　going　for　exactly　thirty　seconds；　then　shut　it　off。
　　　　That　was　that。　The　die　cast　and　the　next　move　was　up　to　Them。　Them　being　a　Special　Corps　detachment　that　had　arranged　this　phase。　Hopefully　arranged　it；　I　would　know　nothing　positive　until　the　following　evening。　If　the　plan　worked；　and　I　chewed　my　lip　a　little　over　the　if　as　I　stowed　the　radio　back　into　the　car；　my　signal　should　have　been　received　by　themand　only　by　them。　Narrow　bandwidth　and　very　directional。　Impossible　to　detect。　The　Cliaandians　should　know　nothing　about　it　at　all。　But　great　powers　would　have　been　set　into　motion。　Mighty　puters　puted　and　gigantic　rockets　fired。　A　selected　meteorite　set　into　motion　along　with　a　collection　of　acpanying　space　debris。　Out　in　space　beyond　the　Cliaand　detectors。　But　ing　this　way；　aimed　at　the　solitary　rock　of　the　Pot。　I　had　a　day　and　a　night　to　wait。
　　　　Knowing　my　attitude　towards　unproductive　waiting　I　had　arranged　a　little　party　for　myself。　There　was　good　food；　or　as　good　as　I　could　get　in　preserved　rations；　and　better　drink　since　I　had　a　far　wider　assortment　to　select　from。　Wine　with　the　meal　and　more　potent　distillates　afterward。　For　closers　I　lit　a　cigar　and　turned　on　the　pocket…sized　screen　of　the　mini…projector　and　ran　a　couple　of　the　feelthy…feely…films　that　I　had　bought　at　an　army　exchange。　Pretty　crude　stuff　for　the　troops；　though　it　looked　pretty　attractive　to　me　in　my　desert　nomad　role。　Sleep　lowered　its　gentle　blanket；　day　followed　night　and　then　night　again　in　its　turn。　And　as　soon　as　it　was　dark　I　was　out　there　with　my　field　glasses　quartering　the　sky。　Nothing。　It　wasn't　due　for　hours　yet；　but　I　was　impatient。　The　entire　plan　was　beginning　to　sound　absurd。　And　I　was　feeling　very　much　alone；　trapped　on　this　alien　planet　light　years　from　civilization。　The　mood　was　a　depressing　one。　I　had　a　drink　from　my　pocket　flask。
　　　　If　all　were　going　well　the　great　hunk　of　rock　should　be　heading　towards　Cliaand　on　a　collision　course。　When　it　was　detected　by　the　defenses　it　should　be　considered　as　just　another　piece　of　spatial　debris。　It　would　hit　the　atmosphere　and　burn。　If　they　were　tracking　it；　on　the　off　chance　that　it　might　be　more　than　it　appeared；　this　should　reassure　them。　The　speed　and　temperature　ruled　out　any　living　cargo。　It　should　also　be　a　little　difficult　to　follow　because　of　the　acpanying　debris　that　would　also　be　bouncing　back　radar　signals。　The　meteor　would　bum　through　the　atmosphere　and　hit　the　desert　with　an　impact　enough　to　destroy　anything　living。　If　there　were　an　investigation　it　would　be　dilatory；　and　important　things　would　happen　before　the　investigators　arrived。　I　hoped。　It　all　sounded　so　good　in　theory　and　seemed　such　an　absurd　piece　of　madness　in　practice。
　　　　Very　close　to　midnight　a　new　star　flickered　and　burned　in　the　clear　sky　above　and　I　sighed　and　put　away　the　flask。　Right　on　time　like　a　muter　rocket。　The　point　grew　brighter　and　brighter；　then　brighter　still。　Aimed　right　at　me。　I　knew　that　puters　and　astronomers　were　goodbut　not　that　good。　Was　the　thing　going　to　e　down　right　on　top　of　me？
　　　　Not　quite。　As　I　watched　it　appeared　to　drift　to　one　side；　accelerating　as　it　went；　while　a　great　hissing　roar　like　a　heavenly　steam　kettle　crackled　through　the　air。　I　jumped　into　the　groundcar　and　kicked　it　to　life　as　the　burning　bomb　of　light　vanished　behind　the　tower　of　the　Pot　to　be　followed　instantly　by　a　rolling　explosion　that　lit　the　night　air　and　outlined　the　Pot　with　fire。　I　moved。
　　　　My　headlights　picked　out　a　raw　pit　in　the　ground；　surrounded　by　debris　and　overhung　with　a　cloud　of　smoke　and　dust。　And　at　the　bottom　was　the　great　glazed　chunk　of　steaming　rock。　Bullseye！　I　backed　the　car　behind　the　nearest　sand　dune　and　thumbed　the　transmitter。　There　was　another　explosion；　infinitely　smaller　than　the　one　of　impact；　and　pieces　of　rock　zinged　above　my　head。　When　I　next　looked　at　the　meteor　it　had　been　neatly　cracked　in　half　by　the　charges　and　the　jelly…like　liquid　that　had　protected　the　contents　was　soaking　into　the　sand。
　　　　At　the　same　moment　I　heard　the　rising　rumble　of　approaching　jets　and　killed　the　headlights。　They　roared　by　overhead；　triangles　of　darkness　against　the　stars；　and　tilted　into　a　turn。　At　this　moment　I　gained　new　appreciation　of　the　Cliaand　powers　of　suspicion　as　well　as　a　deep　respect　for　their　radar；　puters　and　organization。　I　was　going　to　have　less　time　than　I　thought。　I　jumped　into　the　hole　trying　to　ignore　the　heat　of　the　crackling　rock。
　　　　The　equipment　was　intact；　sealed　into　flat　boxes；　and　there　was　just　enough　light　from　the　stars　for　me　to　drag　them　out　and　stow　them　into　the　car。　The　jets　circled　above；　brought　to　the　general　area　by　radar　triangulation　and　searching　now　for　the　precise　point　of　impact。　Not　that　they　could　see　much；　at　their　speed　in　the　darkness。　But　slower　aircraft　were　undoubtedly　on　the　way。　With　instrumentation　and　lights　that　could　quarter　the　area。　I　moved　a　little　faster　at　the　thought；　my　imagination　already　producing　the　flutter　of　great　propellers　on　the　horizon。　Panting　heavily；　the　last　box　in　the　groundcar；　I　waited　until　the　jets　were　swinging　away　from　me　before　starting　for　my　hidey…bole。　I　went　as　fast　as　I　dared；　steering　around　the　bigger　obstacles　and　bumping　over　the　small。　When　the　jets　swung　in　my　direction　I　stopped；　trying　to　think　tiny；　waiting　for　them　to　pass。　On　the　next　rush　I　made　it　to　the　entrance。　As　I　dropped　the　first　of　the　boxes　into　the　hole　in　the　ground　I　did　hear　engines。　Strong　lights　were　flickering　in　the　distanceing　my　way。　Things　were　being　shaved　entirely　too　close。　I　buried　the　boxes　out　one　after　another；　not　caring　where　or　how　they　landed。　I　was　ready　to　dive　after　them　and　stow　them　carefully；　when　great　wings　fluttered　overhead　and　a　sizzling　light　raced　from　behind　the　Pot　and　flashed　over　roe；　blinding　me。
　　　　It　moved　on　and　I　groped　for　the　car's　starting　switch　through　a　galaxy　of　rainbows　and　roaring　discs　of　light。　The　groundcar　started　up；　then　leaped　into　motion　as　I　kicked　it　into　gear。　As　the　light　hit　again　I　fell　over　the　side　and　lay　still。
　　　　For　a　considerable　length　of　time　I　was　motionless　and　bathed　by　the　light；　searing　in　even　through　my　closed　eyelids。　It　felt　as　though　I　lay　there　between　two　and　three　years　but　could　only　have　been　a　fraction　of　a　second。　The　ladder　was　in　place　and　I　climbed　down　it；　barking　my　shins　well　on　the　tumbled　clutter　of　boxes。　Rooting　about　like　a　mole　in　the　darkness　I　kicked　and　pushed　them　through　the　entranceway　ahead　of　me。　The　roar　of　great　machines　was　loud　behind　me；　joined　a　momen