the.stainless.steel.rats.revenge-第38部分

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　　　　He　half　reached　for　his　gunthen　stopped。　For　a　moment　more　be　hesitated　and　I　could　see　the　worried　fear　in　his　eyes。　Then　he　stepped　aside　reluctantly　and　I　gunned　the　car　forward。　I　had　a　brief　glimpse　of　a　soldier　running　out　of　the　guardhouse；　pointing　at　the　car；　shouting　something　that　was　drowned　in　the　roar　of　the　engine。　After　that　I　did　not　look　back；　though　the　military　policemen　obviously　did。　In　the　rear　view　mirror　I　saw　them　whispering　together　and　they　might　have　been　reaching　for　their　guns。　I　took　no　chances。　As　soon　as　we　turned　the　first　corner　I　threw　a　gas　grenade　into　the　backseat；　then　stopped　just　long　enough　to　unload　my　brace　of　sleeping　beauties。
　　　　Hamal　was　also　now　very　soundly　asleep　and　I　strongly　wished　that　I　were　as　well。　I　yawned　broadly　and；　following　the　side　roads；　headed　for　the　dock。

Chapter　21

　　　　〃Explain；　DiGriz；　explain　and　make　it　good。〃
　　　　Inskipp　was　in　his　usual　charming　humor；　growling　and　snarling　and　pacing　the　length　of　the　spacer's　lounge。
　　　　〃First　tell　me　how　the　children　are；　my　sons；　never　seen　by　their　father；　how　do　they　do？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　how　are　they？〃　Angelina　asked；　sitting　back　fortably　in　one　of　the　lounge　chairs。　Inskipp　sputtered　a　bit　but　had　to　answer。
　　　　〃Doing　fine。　Putting　on　weight。　Eat　a　lot　just　like　their　father。　You'll　see　them　soon。　Now　enough　of　that。　I　e　I　don't　know　how　many　light　years　to　supervise　this　operation　because　it　seems　to　have　ground　to　a　full　stop。　And　what　do　I　find？　My　two　agents　have　had　enough　and　have　deserted　the　planet　of　their　assignment　and　meet　me　here　in　orbiteven　though　said　planet　is　clamped　beneath　the　iron　heel　of　the　Cliaand。　Explain。〃　
　　　　〃We　have　won。〃　
　　　　〃No　jokes；　diGriz。　I　can　have　you　shot。〃
　　　　〃You　won't　hurt　me；　you　have　too　much　invested　in　my　hide。　And　I　meant　what　I　said。　We　have　won。　Burada；　clamped　under　the　iron　heel；　doesn't　know　it　yet。　The　Cliaandian　clampers　don't　know　it　yet。　Just　we　privileged　few。〃　
　　　　〃I'm　not　one　of　that　happy　number。　Talk　faster。〃　
　　　　〃A　demonstration　is　in　order。　Angelina　my　sweet；　do　you　have　our　little　toy？〃
　　　　She　opened　a　box　next　to　her　chair　and　handed　over　the　Thing。　It　was　smooth　and　black　and　no　bigger　than　my　hand。　There　were　small　openings　on　its　bottom　and　at　each　end；　while　one　end　had　a　cluster　of　tiny　lenses　as　well。　I　held　it　out　to　Inskipp　who　looked　at　it　suspiciously。
　　　　〃Do　you　know　what　this　is？〃　I　said。　
　　　　〃No。　And　I　can't　say　that　I　really　care　to。〃
　　　　〃This　is　the　tombstone　on　the　grave　of　all　the　Cliaandian　expansionist　ambitions。　What　type　of　space　vessel　is　this　we　are　aboard？〃
　　　　〃A　light　destroyer；　Gnasher　class。　And　what　relevancy　does　that　have？〃
　　　　〃Patience；　and　all　will　be　revealed。〃
　　　　I　next　took　the　small　control　box　from　Angelina　and　inserted　the　end　of　the　spiked　rod　projecting　from　it　into　the　matched　opening　in　the　Thing。　Then　I　tapped　out　the　serial　number　for　Gnasher　class　destroyers　on　the　keyboard。　With　the　control　box　still　attached　I　carried　the　Thing　to　the　lounge　exit　where　we　could　see　the　bulky　disc　of　the　main　airlock。　Angelina　followed；　leading　the　protesting　Inskipp。
　　　　〃We　must　imagine；〃　I　said；　〃that　this　ship　is　on　the　ground　and　that　the　lock　is　open。　All　airlocks　open　sooner　or　later　and　when　they　do　the　Thing　is　waiting。　And　so　is　the　operator；　watching　from　up　to　three　kilometers　away。　The　lock　opens　and　he　activates　the　Thing。　It　soars　straight　at　the　open　lock　through　it；　and〃
　　　　I　pressed　the　go　button　and　it　went。　Tiny　jets　screamed　and　it　darted　off　like　an　impassioned　hummingbird；　down　the　hallway　towards　the　stem。
　　　　〃After　it！〃　I　shouted　and　led　the　way　at　a　dead　run。
　　　　We　caught　up　with　it　two　decks　down　where　it　had　been　stopped　by　a　closed　doorbut　not　stopped　for　long。　The　thermal　lance　in　the　Thing's　nose　burned　a　quick　hole　through　the　metal　and　it　was　off　again。　When　we　reached　the　engine　room　it　had　almost　eaten　its　way　through　this　thicker　door　and　there　was　just　time　to　throw　the　door　open　as　it　went　through。　It　zoomed　once　around　the　room　as　though　getting　its　bearings；　so　small　and　fast　it　was　almost　impossible　to　follow；　then　it　dived。
　　　　Right　at　the　warpdrive　generator　where　it　exploded　in　a　puff　of　black　smoke。
　　　　〃A　harmless　smoke　charge；〃　I　said。　〃To　be　replaced　in　field　operation　by　high　explosive；　more　than　enough　to　destroy　the　warpdrive　generator；　yet　small　enough　not　to　cause　any　other　damage。　A　humane　weapon　indeed。〃　
　　　　〃You're　mad。〃
　　　　〃Only　at　the　Cliaand　and　the　gray　men　for　pursuing　this　futile　war。　If　we　can　go　back　for　that　drink　now　I'll　tell　you　how　it　is　going　to　be　stopped。〃　
　　　　fortably　seated；　throat　cooled；　I　explained。
　　　　〃I　personally　polished　off　the　warpdrive　generators　in　nine　of　the　Cliaand　ships；　just　to　see　if　it　could　be　done　and　if　there　would　be　any　unusual　problems　in　ship　design　or　construction。　There　were　none。　Cliaandian　ships　are　just　like　other　ships；　only　more　so　since　they　like　a　good　deal　of　uniformity　which　makes　our　job　that　much　easier。　The　Thing　has　been　designed　to　do　that　job。　The　Thing　operator　can　sit　at　his　ease　outside　of　a　spaceport；　watching　the　Cliaand　ships　through　high　powered　glasses。　When　the　observed　ship　opens　its　port　the　Thing　strikes。　The　operator　must　merely　aim　it；　feed　in　the　type　of　ship；　and　start　it　on　its　way。　The　Thing　has　a　molecular　level　memory　bank　and　puter　circuitry。　It　zeroes　in　on　the　ship　at　high　speed；　finds　the　port　and　enters　and　then；　using　its　programmed　knowledge　of　the　vessel's　interior；　it　makes　its　way　to　the　engine　room；　stopping　for　nothing。　Where　it　blows　up　the　warpdrive　generator。　End　of　the　Cliaand　invasion。〃　
　　　　〃End　of　one　warpdrive　generator；〃　Inskipp　said；　a　sneer　in　his　voice。　〃They　order　up　another　one　and　that　is　that。〃　
　　　　〃That　is　not　that。　Generators　are　plex　and　not　easy　to　build。　There　are　very　few　factories　that　turn　them　out　because　most　people　are　satisfied　to　buy　them　from　someone　else。　I　am　sure　the　Cliaand　have　at　least　one　factory；　but　that　can　be　found　and　knocked　out　from　space。〃　
　　　　〃So　they　get　one　from　the　warehouse。〃
　　　　〃There　is　a　limit　to　the　number　they　can　have；　and　quite　soon　the　warehouse　will　be　empty。　Because　we　are　going　to　have　agents　on　every　planet　now　ruled　by　the　Cliaand　and　they　are　going　to　blow　up　every　warpdrive　generator　on　every　ship　on　those　planets。　We　won't　have　to　go　anywhere　near　the　home　planet。　The　warpdrive　will　be　knocked　out　of　cargo　ships；　war　ships；　any　and　all　within　the　Cliaand　area　of　control。　Nor　will　they　be　able　to　get　any　from　the　outside　since　this　is　one　embargo　that　it　will　be　easy　for　the　Corps　and　the　cooperating　planets　to　enforce。　End　of　an　empire。〃　
　　　　〃How？〃
　　　　〃Think；　Inskipp；　age　couldn't　have　withered　your　brain　as　much　as　your　leathery　hide。　Angelina　gave　me　the　clue。　The　Cliaandians　must　keep　expanding　or　perish。　They　don't　have　enough　food　or　raw　materials　on　their　single　planet　to　carry　on　this　kind　of　continual　expansion。　So　they　conquer　a　planet；　put　it　to　work　on　their　behalf；　then　restored　and　re…supplied　go　on　to　bigger　and　better　things。　Only　not　any　more。　They　still　have　the　planets　and　the　materialsbut　what　good　are　they　if　they　can't　be　transported　to　where　they　are　needed？　The　expansion　will　have　to　stop；　and　as　the　ships　grow　scarce　they　will　have　to　pull　back。　Further　and　further　back　until　they　are　on　their　home　planet　again　and　that　will　be　the　end　of　that。　Any　single　planet　can　support　itself　with　raw　materials　and　food；　at　least　enough　to　survive。　But　an　empire　cannot　survive　with　its　trade　arteries　cut。　I　give　them　a　year；　no　more；　before　Cliaand　is　just　another　backwater　planet　with　a　lot　of　guys　in　uniforms　and　out　of　jobs。　When　it　is　all　over　normal　trade　can　be　started　again。　A　year　at　the　outside。　What　do　you　think。〃　
　　　　〃I　think　you　did　it　again；　my　boy；　as　I　knew　you　would。〃
　　　　He　beamed　at　me　and　I　winked　at　Angelina　and　we　drank　to　that。
Chapter　22

　　　　We　were　standing　at　the　inner　lock；　ready　to　disembark　from　the　spaceship；　when　one　at　the　pursers　hurried　over　and　handed　me　a　psigram。　Angelina　blasted　it　with　a　withering　look。
　　　　〃Tear　it　up。〃　she　said。　〃If　that　is　from　foul　Inskipp　canceling　the　one　little　vacation　we