the.stainless.steel.rats.revenge-第11部分

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m　through　the　entranceway　ahead　of　me。　The　roar　of　great　machines　was　loud　behind　me；　joined　a　moment　later　by　the　sound　of　rapid　firing　weapons　and　the　boom　of　explosions。
　　　　〃Perfect；〃　I　panted；　hurling　the　last　of　the　boxes。　〃Weapons　are　meant　to　be　used；　so　they　are　using　them。　I　was　sure　they　would　be　a　trigger…happy　bunch　and　I'm　most　pleased　to　see　my　conclusions　justified。〃　A　louder　boom　announced　the　destruction　of　my　car。　It　could　not　have　been　better。　I　felt　for　the　transmitter　by　the　entrance　and　took　it　with　me　as　I　climbed　up　the　ladder；　at　a　much　more　leisurely　pace。
　　　　Standing　fortably　on　the　ladder；　with　my　elbows　resting　on　the　ground；　I　had　the　best　seat　for　the　performance。　Jets　roared　and　propellers　thrashed　from　the　sky　above。　Bullets　sang　and　bombs　exploded。　The　groundcar　burned　nicely；　sending　up　angry　spurts　of　flame　whenever　the　wreck　was　strafed。　As　the　banging　and　booming　began　to　taper　off　I　livened　it　up　by　pressing　the　first　button　on　the　transmitter。
　　　　With　a　satisfying　explosion　of　sound　the　rapid…fire　guns　began　to　fire　from　the　top　of　the　Pot；　while　at　occasional　intervals　rockets　shot　up　out　of　the　launcher。　Every　other　round　was　tracer　so　the　show　was　most　impressive。　The　forces　in　the　sky　above　zoomed　away　to　regroup；　then　returned　to　the　attack　with　savage　vigor。　The　top　of　the　Pot　and　the　ground　all　about　was　torn　with　explosions。　I　had　raided　the　Cliaand　armory　for　my　weapons　and　it　was　nice　to　see　the　same　side　shooting　at　itself。　A　bomb　exploded　no　more　than　thirty　meters　from　me　and　sand　shook　down　my　neck。　This　part　of　the　show　was　over；　time　for　the　finale。
　　　　Sand　was　falling　all　around　me　as　I　dropped　back　to　the　bottom　of　the　hole。　With　a　certain　amount　of　haste　I　pulled　the　ladder　through　the　entrance；　then　tugged　on　the　cables　and　darted　inside。　A　good　part　of　the　sand　I　had　dug　out　was　piled　above　the　entrance　and　held　back　by　restraining　boards。　Now　removed。　I　pushed　the　door　shut　as　the　sand　slid　down　with　sudden　speed。　Standing　there　in　the　darkness　I　counted　slowly　to　ten　to　allow　enough　time　for　the　sandslide　to　pletely　fill　the　hole。　Then　I　pressed　the　second　button。　
　　　　Nothing　happened。
　　　　And　this　was　an　essential　part　of　the　operation。　With　all　the　bombs　going　off；　the　ground　still　shook　with　their　vibration；　one　more　explosion　would　not　be　noticed。　The　second　button　was　to　have　triggered　a　buried　charge　that　would　conceal　all　signs　of　my　activities　and　seal　my　rat　hole　at　the　same　time。　If　it　did　not　go　off　I　would　be　easily　found　and　dug　out　。　。　。
　　　　Memory　returned　and　I　cursed　my　own　foolishness。　Of　course　I　had　made　plans　for　this　contingency。　The　radio　signal　from　my　little　transmitter　could　not　reach　through　the　ground。　I　had　known　that。　I　groped　for　the　flashlight　I　had　left　by　the　entrance；　turned　it　on　and　saw　the　bare　end　of　wire　sticking　through　the　wall。　It　was　even　labeled　2　so　there　would　be　no　confusion　if　I　were　in　a　hurry。
　　　　I　was　in　a　hurry。　The　explosions　were　dying　away；　presumably　the　mechanical　enemy　on　the　Pot　had　been　destroyed；　and　if　my　explosion　did　not　go　off　soon　it　would　look　very　suspicious　to　say　the　least。　I　wrapped　the　end　of　the　wire；　it　extended　up　to　ground　level；　around　the　whip　aerial　on　the　transmitter　and　thumbed　the　button　again。　There　was　silence。
　　　　Until　a　jarring　explosion　went　off　just　overhead；　shaking　the　bones　inside　my　body　and　rattling　my　teeth　together。　My　concrete　cave　boomed　like　a　drum　and　dirt　and　chips　rattled　down。　I　was　safe。
　　　　Snug　as　a　roach　in　the　rafters。　I　turned　on　the　light　and　looked　with　pride　on　my　residence　for　the　next　couple　of　weeks。　Power　supply；　shielded　of　course；　food；　water；　atmosphere　renewal；　everything　a　man　might　need。　And　the　solid　state　circuitry　and　devices　that　had　arrived　in　the　meteor。　I　would　work　and　assemble　my　equipment　and　emerge　ready　to　face　the　world。　While　the　desert　above　was　searched　and　quartered　and　the　chase　went　further　away。　They　would　never　think　to　look　right　under　their　noses；　never！　I　smiled　and　looked　for　a　bottle　to　open　to　celebrate。

Chapter　7

　　　　No　longer　a　thief　I；　nor　a　hider　under　rocks。　On　the　13th　day　I　had　unblocked　my　door　and　dug　my　way　back　to　the　surface。　With　this　symbolic　act　I　left　behind　my　fugitive's　existence　and　entered　Cliaandian　society。　With　assorted　identification　and　various　uniforms　I　now　played　a　wide　selection　of　roles　in　this　rather　repellent　society　until　I　knew　far　more　about　it　than　I　really　cared。　In　my　various　identities　I　only　brushed　the　periphery　of　the　military　since　I　wanted　to　save　my　energies　for　a　frontal　assault　there　in　full　power。
　　　　With　this　possibility　I　boarded　a　SST　flight　to　Dosadanglup；　the　fair　sized　provincial　city　that　happened　to　be　situated　adjacent　to　the　military　base　of　Glupost。　From　what　I　had　been　able　to　determine　Glupost　was　also　a　major　spaceship　center　and　staging　area　for　offworld　expeditions。　So　there　was　more　than　chance　to　the　fact　that　I　loitered　near　enough　to　the　seat　reservation　clerk　to　see　who　got　what；　and　then　asked　for　a　seat　next　to　a　very　attractive　who。
　　　　Attractive　only　to　me；　I　hasten　to　add。　By　any　other　standard　of　measurement　the　flight…major　would　win　no　prizes…His　jaw　was　too　big；　apparently　designed　to　project　into　places　where　it　wasn't　wanted；　and　it　had　a　nasty　little　cleft　built　into　it　as　though　it　had　cracked　from　being　poked　too　far。　Suspicious　dark　eyes　lurked　under　simian　shelving　brows　and　the　cavernous　nostrils　were　twin　fur…lined　subway　tunnels。　I　could　not　care　less。　I　saw　only　the　black　uniform　of　the　Space　Armada；　the　many　decorations　signifying　active　service；　and　the　wings…and…rocket　of　a　senior　pilot。　He　was　my　man。
　　　　〃Good　evening；　sir；　good　evening；〃　I　said　as　I　slipped　into　the　seat　next　to　him。　〃A　pleasure　to　travel　with　you。〃　
　　　　He　aimed　the　twin　cannons　of　his　nose　at　me　and　fired　a　broadside　snort　that　signaled　a　close　to　the　recently　opened　conversation。　I　smiled　in　return　and　buckled　my　belt　and　was　slammed　back　into　the　cushions　as　the　SST　buried　itself　into　the　night　sky。　At　cruising　altitude　most　of　the　wing　area　slipped　back　into　the　hull　and　I　took　out　my　pocket　flask　and　detached　the　two　small　cups。
　　　　〃It　would　be　a　pleasure　to　offer　you　a　drink　of　refreshment；　noble　flight…major；　in　gratitude　for　your　many　services　rendered　to　the　glorious　cause　of　Cliaand。〃
　　　　This　time　he　did　not　even　bother　to　grunt；　but　instead　picked　at　his　teeth　with　a　none　too　clean　pinky　nail　until　he　extracted　a　fragment　of　meat　from　his　recent　dinner。　Close　examination　convinced　him　that　it　was　too　large　to　discard　so　he　re…ingested　it　with　a　certain　relish。　A　man　of　simple　pleasures。　I　offered　a　better　one。
　　　　〃Nothing　too　good　for　our　boys　in　the　service。　This　is　narcolethe。〃　I　sipped　at　the　cup　and　smacked　my　lips。
　　　　He　looked　directly　at　me　for　the　first　time　and　there　should　have　been　little　splintering　sounds　as　his　lips　moved　slowly　into　an　unaccustomed　smile。
　　　　〃I'll　drink　that；〃　he　said　in　a　grating　voice；　and　well　he　should　since　the　small　flask　of　liqueur　would　have　cost　him　a　month's　salary。　Narcolethe；　the　finest　drink　known　to　mankind；　distilled　in　small　quantities　from　a　scarce　botanical　on　a　minor　planet　at　the　galaxy's　rim。　Soothing；　charming；　subtle；　intoxicating；　inspiring；　aphrodisiac；　stimulating。　It　was　everything　any　other　drink　was；　plus　much　more；　with　no　side　effects　and　no　hangover。　He　took　the　proffered　cup　and　lowered　the　caverns　of　his　nose　over　it　and　sipped。
　　　　〃Not　bad；　〃　he　said；　and　I　smiled　at　this　crude　understatement　as　though　it　were　sincerest　flattery　and　offered　him　the　false　name　I　had　assumed。　He　thought　about　it　and　realized　that　an　exchange　was　in　order。
　　　　〃Flight…Major　Vaska　Hulja。〃
　　　　〃The　pleasure　is　mine；　sir；　the　pleasure　is　mine。　May　I　top　that　up　for　you；　these　cups　are　so　small。〃
　　　　Very　soon；　as　our　razor　nosed　craft　cracked　the　sound　barrier　and　boomed　through　the　sleep　of　the　dozing　citizens　on　the　ground；　I　came　to　almost　love　the　flight…major。　He　was　perfect；　all…around；　with　no　bulges　of　doubt　or　pockmarks　of　uncertainty。　Just　as　a　spider　is　a　perfect　spider　or　a　vampire　bat　a　perfect　vampire　bat；　he　was　a　perfect　freewheeling　bastard。　As　his　spi