the.stainless.steel.rats.revenge-第20部分

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　distance；　though　I　knew　the　advance　units　of　the　fleet　must　be　attacking　by　this　time。
　　　　I　was　not　looking　forward　to　this　invasionwho　but　a　madman　can　enjoy　the　prospect　of　approaching　war？but　I　was　hoping　to　find　out　the　answer　to　the　question　that　had　brought　me　here。　I　believed　that　interplanetary　invasions　were　still　impossible；　despite　the　fact　that　I　was　now　involved　in　one　myself。　I　felt　somewhat　like　the　man　who；　upon　seeing　one　of　the　most　exotic　animals　in　the　zoo；　said　'there　ain't　no　such　animal。'　Interplanetary　invasions　just　don't　work。
　　　　The　interplanetary　invading　force　rushed　on；　a　mighty　armada　giving　the　lie　to　my　theories。　As　the　nameless　planet　grew　larger　and　larger；　filling　the　forward　screens；　I　could　see　the　first　signs　of　the　war　that　I　knew　was　already　in　progress；　tiny　sparkles　of　light　in　the　night　hemisphere。　Otrov　saw　them　too　and　waved　his　fist　and　cheered。
　　　　〃Give　it　to　them　boys；〃　he　shouted。
　　　　〃Shut　up　and　watch　your　instruments；〃　I　snarled。　Suddenly　hating　him。　And　instantly　relenting。　He　was　a　product　of　his　environment。　As　the　twig　is　bent　so　grows　the　bough　and　so　forth。　His　twig　had　been　bent　nicely　by　the　military　boarding　school　into　which　he　had　been　stuffed　as　a　small　child。　Which；　for　some　unknown　reason；　he　still　thought　well　of　although　every　story　he　told　me　about　it　had　some　depressing　or　sadistic　point　to　make。　He　had　been　raised　never　to　question；　to　believe　God　had　created　Cliaand　a　bit　better　than　all　the　other　planets；　and　that　they　were　therefore　ordained　to　take　care　of　the　inferior　races。　It　is　amazing　the　things　people　will　believe　if　you　catch　them　early　enough。
　　　　Then　we　were　turned　loose　as　the　individual　transports　scattered　to　home　in　on　their　separate　targets。　I　fiddled　with　the　radio　and　Silently　cursed　the　Cliaandian　passion　for　security　and　secrecy。　Here　I　was　landing　a　shipload　of　troopsand　I　didn't　even　know　where！　On　the　planet　below；　surely；　they　could　not　very　well　disguise　that　fact；　but　on　what　continent？　At　what　city？　All　I　knew　was　that　pathfinder　ships　had　gone　in　first　and　planted　radio　beacons。　I　had　the　frequency　and　the　signal　I　was　to　listen　for；　and　when　I　detected　it　I　was　to　home　in　and　land。　And　I　knew　that　the　target　was　a　spaceport。　With　the　final　instructions　I　had　received　some　large　and　clear　photographsthe　Cliaandian　spies　had　obviously　been　hard　at　workof　a　spaceport；　aerial　and　wound　views。　A　big　red　X　was　marked　near　the　terminal　buildings　and　I　had　to　set　the　ship　down　as　close　to　this　site　as　I　could。　Fine。
　　　　〃That's　the　signal！〃　The　dah…dah…dit…dah　was　loud　and　clear。
　　　　〃Strap　inhere　we　go；〃　I　said；　and　fed　instructions　to　the　puter。　It　worked　up　landing　orbit　almost　instantly　and　the　main　jets　fired。　〃Give　the　colonel　the　first　warning；　then　feed　him　proximity　and　altitude　reports　while　I　bring　her　in。〃　
　　　　We　were　dropping　towards　the　terminator；　flying　into　the　dawn。　The　puter　had　a　fix　on　the　transmitter　and　was　bringing　us　down　in　a　slow　careful　arc。　When　we　broke　through　the　cloud　cover　and　the　ground　was　visible　far　below　I　saw　the　first　sign　of　any　resistance。　The　black　clouds　of　explosions　springing　up　around　us。　
　　　　〃They're　shooting　at　us！〃　Otrov　gasped；　shocked。
　　　　〃Well　it's　a　shooting　war；　isn't　it？〃　I　wondered　what　kind　of　a　veteran　he　was　to　be　put　off　by　a　little　gunfire；　and　at　the　same　time　I　hit　the　puter　override　and　turned　off　the　main　jets。　We　dropped　into　free　fall　and　the　next　explosions　appeared　above　and　behind　us　as　the　gun　puter　was　thrown　off　by　our　deceleration　change。
　　　　I　caught　sight　of　the　spaceport　below　and　hit　the　lateral　jets　to　move　us　in　that　direction。　But　we　were　still　falling。　Our　radar　altimeter　readings　were　being　fed　into　the　puter　which　kept　flashing　red　warnings　about　the　growing　proximity　of　the　ground。　I　gave　it　a　quick　program　to　hold　landing　deceleration　as　long　as　possible；　to　drop　us　at　10　G's　to　zero　altitude。　This　meant　we　would　be　falling　at　maximum　speed　and　slowing　down　for　minimum　time；　which　would　decrease　the　time　we　would　be　exposed　to　ground　fire　And　I　wanted　the　colonel　to　have　the　10　G's　he　had　once　warned　me　about。
　　　　The　jets　fired　at　what　looked　like　treetop　height；　slamming　us　down　into　our　couches。　I　smiled；　which　is　hard　to　do　with　ten　gravities　pulling　at　you；　thinking　about　the　expression　on　the　colonel's　face　at　that　moment。　Watching　the　screen　I　added　some　lateral　drift　until　we　were　just　over　the　hardstand　which　was　our　target　area。　After　this　it　was　up　to　the　puter　which　did　just　fine　and　killed　the　engines　just　as　our　landing　struts　crunched　down。　As　soon　as　all　the　engines　cut　off　I　hit　the　disembark　button　and　the　ship　shivered　as　the　ramps　blew　out　and　down。
　　　　〃That　takes　care　of　our　part；〃　I　said；　unbuckling　and　stretching。
　　　　Otrov　joined　me　at　the　viewport　as　we　watched　the　troops　rush　down　the　ramps　and　run　for　cover。　They　did　not　seem　to　be　taking　any　casualties　at　all　which　was　surprising。　There　were　some　bomb　craters　visible　nearby　and　heaps　of　rubble；　while　fighter…bombers　still　roared　low　giving　cover。　But　it　didn't　seem　possible　that　all　resistance　had　been　knocked　out　this　quickly。　Unless　this　world　did　not　have　much　of　a　standing　army。　That　might　be　one　answer　to　explain　the　Cliaandian　invasion　success；　only　pick　planets　that　are　ripe　for　plucking。　I　made　a　mental　note　to　look　into　this。　Well　behind　his　troops　came　the　colonel　in　his　mand　car。　I　hoped　that　his　guts　were　still　pressed　from　the　landing。
　　　　〃Now　we　have　to　find　some　drink；〃　Otrov　said；　smacking　his　lips　with　anticipation。
　　　　〃I'll　go；　〃I　said；　taking　my　sidearm　from　the　rack　and　buckling　it　on。　〃You　stay　with　the　radio　and　watch　the　ship。〃　
　　　　〃That's　what　all　the　first　pilots　always　say；〃　he　plained；　so　I　knew　I　had　called　this　one　right。
　　　　〃Privilege　of　rank。　Someday　you　will　be　exercising　it　too。　I　shouldn't　be　long。〃　
　　　　〃Spaceport　bar；　that's　where　it　usually　is；〃　he　called　after　me。
　　　　〃Don't　teach　your　grandpa　to　chew　cheese；〃　I　sneered；　having　already　figured　that　one　out。
　　　　All　of　the　interior　doors　had　unlocked　automatically　when　we　landed。　I　climbed　the　ladders　down　to　the　recently　vacated　bat　deck　and　kicked　my　way　through　the　discarded　ration　containers　to　the　nearest　ramp。　The　fresh　sweet　air　of　morning　blew　in；　carrying　with　it　the　smell　of　dust　and　explosives。　We　had　brought　the　benefits　of　Cliaandian　culture　to　another　planet。
　　　　I　could　hear　firing　in　the　distance　and　a　jet　thundered　by　and　was　gone；　but　after　this　it　was　very　quiet。　The　invasion　had　fanned　out　from　the　spaceport　leaving　a　pocket　of　silence　in　its　wake。　Nor　was　anyone　in　sight　when　I　walked；　unexamined；　through　the　customs　area　and；　with　reflex　skill；　found　the　bar。　The　first　thing　I　did　was　to　drain　a　flask　of　beer；　then　poured　a　small　Antarean　ladevandet　to　hold　it　down。　There　were　ranked　bottles　behind　the　bar；　new　friends　and　old　ones；　and　I　made　a　good　selection。　I　needed　something　to　carry　them　in　and　opened　one　of　the　sliding　doors　beneath；　looking　for　a　box　or　a　bag；　and　found　myself　staring　into　the　frightened　eyes　of　a　young　man。
　　　　〃Ne　mortigu　min！〃　he　cried。　I　speak　Esperanto　like　a　native　and　answered　in　the　same　tongue。
　　　　〃We　are　here　to　liberate　you　so　mean　you　no　harm。〃　Word　of　this　conversation　might　get　to　the　authorities　and　I　wanted　to　make　the　right　impression。　〃What　is　your　name？〃
　　　　〃Pire。〃　
　　　　〃And　the　name　of　this　world？〃　This　seemed　sort　of　a　dim　question　for　an　arrogant　invader　to　ask；　but　he　was　too　frightened　to　question　it。　
　　　　〃Burada。〃
　　　　〃That's　fine。　I'm　glad　you　decided　to　be　truthful。　And　what　can　you　tell　me　about　Burada？〃
　　　　Badly　phrased；　admittedly；　and　he　was　too　stunned　to　answer。　He　gaped　for　a　moment；　then　climbed　out　of　the　cabinet　and　turned　to　root　about　in　it。　He　came　up　with　a　booklet　that　he　passed　over　in　silence。　It　had　a　3D　cover　of　an　ocean　with　graceful　trees　on　the　bordering　shore；　that　sprang　to　life　as　soon　as　the　heat　of　my　hand　touched　it；　the　waves　crashed　silently　on　the　golden　sands　and　the　trees　moved　to　the　touch　of　unfelt　breezes。　Letters　formed　of　clouds　moved　across　the　sky　and　I　read　BEAUTIFUL　BURADA　。　。　。　HOLIDAY　WORLD　OF　THE　WESTERN　WARP　。　。　。
　　　　〃Looting