the.stainless.steel.rats.revenge-第22部分

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er　arm　and　a　few　other　things　one　does　not　normally　do　to　women　except　in　an　emergency　like　this。　Then　I　had　the　rifle；　as　well　as　my　pistol　back；　and　she　was　lying　against　the　wall　with　something　to　really　cry　about　this　time。　It　would　be　a　number　of　minutes　before　she　could　use　her　fingers　again；　I　had　stopped　just　short　of　breaking　the　bone。
　　　　〃Look　I'm　sorry；〃　I　said；　putting　my　pistol　away　and　fumbling　with　the　archaic　mechanism　of　the　rifle。　〃I　just　didn't　feel　like　getting　killed　at　the　moment　and　this　was　the　only　way　that　I　could　stop　you。〃　I　worked　the　bolt　and　ejected　all　the　cartridges；　then　squinted　inside　to　make　sure　I　hadn't　missed　any。　〃What　I　told　you　was　true。　I　am　on　your　side　and　want　to　help　you。　But　you　will　have　to　help　me　first。〃
　　　　She　was　puzzled；　but　I　had　her　attention。　She　wiped　her　eyes　on　her　sleeve　when　I　handed　back　her　rifle；　then　widened　them　when　I　passed　over　the　ammunition。
　　　　〃I　would　appreciate　it　if　you　would　keep　that　weapon　unloaded　for　the　moment。　I'll　trade　you　information　if　you　don't　want　to　give　it　freely。　There　is　an　organization　you　probably　never　heard　of　who　is　very　interested　in　what　the　Cliaand　are　doing。　And　what　they　are　doing　is　interstellar　invasionBurada　is　the　sixth　on　the　list　and　it　looks　as　though　it　will　be　as　successful　as　the　others。〃　
　　　　〃But　why　do　they　do　this？〃　
　　　　I　had　her　interest　now　and　I　rushed　on。
　　　　〃The　why　isn't　important；　at　least　not　for　the　present；　since　evil　ambitions　are　not　unusual　among　the　varied　political　forms　of　mankind。　What　I　want　to　know　is　the　how。　How　did　they　get　away　with　this　invasion　in　the　face　of　the　defenses　of　the　planet？〃
　　　　〃Blame　the　Konsolosluk；〃　she　said　with　vehemence；　shaking　the　rifle。　〃I'm　not　saying　that　the　Women's　Party　didn't　make　mistakes；　but　nothing　like　theirs。〃
　　　　〃Could　you　fill　in　some　background　detail；　because　I'm　afraid　that　you've　lost　me。〃
　　　　〃I'll　give　you　detail。　Men！〃　She　spat　and　her　eyes　glowed　with　anger　and　she　was　beginning　to　look　attractive　again。　〃The　Women's　Party　brought　centuries　of　enlightened　rule　to　this　planet。　We　had　prosperity；　there　was　a　good　tourist　trade；　no　one　suffered。　So　maybe　men　voted　a　few　years　later　than　women　or　couldn't　get　the　best　jobs。　So　what？　Women　suffered　through　this　sort　of　thingand　worseon　other　planets；　and　they　didn't　revolt。　Those　Konsolosluk；　sneaking　around　everywhere；　whispering　lies。　Men's　rights　and　down　with　oppression　and　that　kind　of　thing。　Getting　people　worked　up；　winning　a　few　seats　in　parliament；　disturbing　the　country。　Then　their　one　day　revolution；　seizing　everything；　getting　control。　And　all　their　promises。　All　they　wanted　to　do　was　strut　around　and　act　superior。　Some　superior！　Worthless　all　of　them。　Know　nothing　of　Government　or　fighting。　When　your　pigs　landed　more　of　these　men　ran　away　than　fought；　weak　fools。　And　surrendering　rather　than　fighting。　I　would　never　have　surrendered。〃　
　　　　〃Perhaps　they　had　to。〃　
　　　　〃Never。　Weaklings；　that's　all。〃
　　　　All　of　which　gave　me　pause　to　think；　and　with　thought　came　suspicion　and　after　this　the　dawning　light　of　discovery。　Pieces　began　to　fall　into　shape　in　my　mind　and　I　tried　not　to　get　too　excited。　It　was　a　formless　idea　yetbut　if　it　workedif　it　worked！
　　　　Then　I　would　know　how　the　Cliaandians　managed　their　invasion　trick。　Simple；　like　all　good　ideas；　and　foolproof　as　well。
　　　　〃I'll　need　your　help；〃　I　told　Taze。　〃I'll　stay　in　the　Space　Armada；　at　least　for　the　moment；　since　I　can　learn　more　there。　But　I　won't　leave　this　planet。　This　is　where　the　Cliaandians　are　the　weakest　and　this　is　where　they　are　going　to　be　beaten。　Have　you　ever　heard　of　the　Special　Corps？〃　
　　　　〃No。〃
　　　　〃Well　you　have　now。　It　is；　well；　it　is　the　group　that　is　going　to　help　you。　I　work　for　them　and　they　should　be　keeping　an　eye　on　me。　They　saw　the　fleet　leave　Cliaand　and　are　certain　to　have　followed　it　here。　That　was　one　of　the　developments　we　had　planned　for。　Right　now　a　message　drone　should　be　circling　this　planet。　It　will　relay　any　messages　to　the　Corps　and　we　will　have　all　the　help　we　need。　Can　you　get　access　to　a　medium　powered　radio　transmitter？〃
　　　　〃Yesbut　why　should　I？　Why　should　I　believe　you？　You　could　be　lying。〃
　　　　〃I　could　bebut　you　can't　take　the　chance。〃　I　scratched　feverishly　on　a　message　form。　〃I'm　leaving　you　now；　I　have　to　get　back　to　my　ship　before　they　begin　to　wonder　where　I　have　gone。　Here　is　the　message　you　are　to　transmit　on　this　frequency。　You　can　do　it　without　getting　caught；　it's　easy　enough。　And　you　lose　nothing　by　doing　it。　And　you　may　save　your　planet。〃　
　　　　She　was　still　doubtful；　looking　at　the　paper。
　　　　〃It's　so　hard　to　believe。　That　you　are　really　a　spyand　want　to　help　us。〃
　　　　〃You　can　believe　he　is　a　spy；　take　my　word　for　it；〃　a　voice　said　from　the　doorway　behind　me　and　I　felt　a　cold　hand　clamp　down　on　my　heart。　I　turned；　slowly。
　　　　Kraj；　the　man　in　gray　was　standing　there。　Two　other　gray　uniformed　men　stood　behind　him　leveling　their　weapons　at　me。　Kraj　pointed　his　finger　like　a　third　gun。
　　　　〃We　have　been　watching　you；　spy；　and　waiting　for　this　information。　Now　we　can　proceed　with　the　destruction　of　your　Special　Corps。〃

Chapter　13

　　　　〃People　seem　to　be　popping　up　in　doorways　a　lot　today；　ha　ha；〃　I　said　with　a　joviality　I　certainly　did　not　feel。　Kraj　smiled　a　very　wintry　smile。
　　　　〃If　you　mean　the　colonel；　yes；　I　had　him　watching　you。　Now　try　to　act　the　fool。　Pas　Ratunkowy；　or　whatever　your　name　really　is。〃　
　　　　〃Hulja；　Vaska；　Lieutenant　in　the　Space　Armada。〃　
　　　　〃Flight…Major　Hulja　has　been　found　in　the　Dosadan…Glup　Robotnik　Hotel；　which　discovery　put　us　on　your　trail。　Yours　was　a　most　ingenious　plan　and　might　have　succeeded　had　not　an　optical　pickup　burned　out。　The　repairman　sent　to　order　the　matter　discovered　the　Flight…Major　and　his　delusion　about　the　date　and　this　was　brought　to　my　attention。　I'll　take　that。〃
　　　　Kraj　lifted　the　message　form　from　Taze's　unresisting　fingers。　He　seemed　very　much　in　control　of　the　situation。　I　clutched　my　chest　in　the　area　of　my　heart；　rolled　up　my　eyes　and　staggered　backwards。
　　　　〃Too　much　。　。　。〃　I　muttered。　〃Heart　going　。　。　。　don't　shoot　。　。　。　this　is　the　end。〃
　　　　Kraj　and　his　two　men　looked　on　coldly　while　I　was　going　through　all　this　for　their　benefit；　until　the　dramatic　moment　when　I　clutched　at　my　throat　and　shrieked　with　pain；　my　body　arched　and　every　muscle　taut；　then　fell　over　backwards　through　the　window。
　　　　It　was　nicely　done　with　plenty　of　crashing　glass；　and　I　flipped　in　midair　and　landed　on　my　shoulder　and　did　a　roll　and　came　up　to　my　feet；　ready　to　run。
　　　　Looking　right　up　the　barrel　of　a　gaussrifle　held　by　another　silent　and　unsmiling　man　in　gray。　He　scored　zero　as　a　conversationalist　and　for　the　moment　I　could　think　of　nothing　bright　to　say　myself。　Kraj's　voice　came　clearly　through　the　broken　window　behind　me。
　　　　〃Take　the　girl　to　the　prison　camp；　we　have　no　further　need　for　her。　The　rest　of　us　will　return　with　the　spy。　Be　on　guard　constantly；　you　have　seen　what　he　can　do。〃
　　　　Not　very　much；　I　thought　to　myself　in　a　sudden　gloomy　depression。　Not　very　much　at　all。　I　had　penetrated　all　right；　and　found　out　what　I　wanted　to　know；　but　I　had　not　been　able　to　get　my　information　out。　Which　made　it　useless。　Worse　than　useless。　Kraj　might　be　able　to　turn　my　message　to　his　own　ends　which　I　was　sure　were　pretty　nasty　ones。　This　dark　state　of　mind　persisted　while　the　rest　of　the　doom…faced　gray　men　surrounded　me　and　trotted　me　off　to　a　waiting　truck。　There　was　no　chance　at　all　to　escape：　they　were　very　efficient　with　those　guns。
　　　　It　was　a　brief　trip；　though　a　remarkably　unfortable　one。　The　vehicle　was　a　captured　Burada　truck　that　must　have　been　used　for　the　transport　of　garbage　or　something　worse。　I　was　the　only　one　who　seemed　bothered　by　the　permeating　smell。　The　gray　men　neither　mented　on　it　nor　took　their　eyes　from　me　once　during　the　trip；　At　least　the　vehicle　was　silent　and　smooth；　it　burned　gas　in　a　fuel　cell　to　generate　electricitysupplied　to　a　separate　drive　motor　in　each　wheel。　I　considered　desperate　plans　of　ripping　up　one　of　the　cables　where　it　passed　by　my　feet；　of　leaping　out　of　the　rear　of　the　truck　and　so　forth。　None　of　this　was　much　good　and　we　reached　our　destination　wit