the stainless steel rat-第15部分

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ight　now；　and　the　thought　alone　was　enough　to　make　me　sweat。　I　was　going　against　Inskipp's　direct　orders；　walking　out　on　him　and　the　Corps。　Not　really　walking　out；　since　I　only　wanted　to　finish　the　job　I　had　started　for　them。　But　I　was　obviously　the　only　one　who　would　look　at　it　that　way。
　　　　　There　were　tools；　gadgets　and　a　good　deal　of　money　in　my　quarters　that　would　e　in　very　handy　on　this　job。　I　would　just　have　to　do　without　them。　When　Inskipp　started　to　think　about　my　sudden　conversion　to　his　point　of　view　I　wanted　to　be　well　away　in　space。
　　　　　A　mechanic　with　a　drag…robot　was　pulling　an　agent's　ship　into　place　on　the　launching　ramp。　I　stamped　over　and　used　my　official　voice。
　　　　　〃Is　that　my　ship？〃
　　　　　〃No；　sir…it's　for　Full　Agent　Nielsen；　there　he　is　ing　up　now。〃
　　　　　〃Check　with　control　central；　will　you？　It's　going　to　be　rush　no　matter　how　we　handle　it。〃
　　　　　〃New　job；　Jimmy？〃　Ove　asked　as　he　came　up。　I　nodded　and　watched　the　mechanic　until　he　vanished　around　the　corner。
　　　　　〃Same　old　business；〃　I　said。　〃And　how's　your　tennis　game　ing？〃　I　asked；　lifting　my　hand　with　an　imaginary　racket。
　　　　　〃Getting　better　all　the　time；〃　he　said；　turning　his　head　to　look　at　his　ship。
　　　　　〃I'll　teach　you　a　new　stroke；〃　I　said；　bringing　my　hand　down　sharply　and　catching　him　on　the　side　of　the　neck　with　the　straightened　edge。　He　folded　without　a　sound　and　I　lowered　him　gently　to　the　deck　and　dragged　him　out　of　sight　behind　a　row　of　lubrication　drums。　I　gently　pried　the　box　with　the　course　tapes　from　his　limp　fingers。
　　　　　Before　the　mechanic　could　return　I　was　in　the　ship　and　had　the　lock　sealed。　I　fed　the　course　tape　into　the　controls　and　punched　the　tower　bination　for　clearance。　There　was　a　subjective　century　of　waiting；　during　which　eternal　period　of　time　I　produced　a　fine　heading　of　sweat　all　over　my　head。　Then　the　green　light　came　on。
　　　　　Step　one　and　still　in　the　clear。　As　soon　as　the　launching　acceleration　stopped　I　was　out　of　the　chair　and　attacking　the　control　panel　with　the　screwdriver　ready　in　my　hand。　There　was　always　a　remote　control　unit　here　so　that　any　Corps　ship　could　be　flown　from　a　distance。　I　had　discovered　it　on　my　first　flight　in　one　of　these　ships　since　I　have　always　maintained　that　there　is　a　positive　value　to　being　nosey。　I　disconnected　the　input　and　output　leads；　then　dived　for　the　engine　room。
　　　　　Perhaps　I　am　too　suspicious　or　have　too　low　an　opinion　of　mankind。　Or　of　Inskipp；　who　had　his　own　rules　on　most　subjects。　Someone　more　trusting　than　I　would　have　ignored　the　radio　controlled　suicide　bomb　built　into　the　engine。　This　could　be　used　to　scuttle　the　ship　in　case　of　capture。　I　didn't　think　they　would　use　it　on　me　except　as　a　last　resort。　Nevertheless　I　still　wanted　it　disconnected。
　　　　　The　bomb　was　an　integral　part　of　the　engine　mounting；　a　solid　block　of　bermedex　built　into　the　casing。　The　lid　dropped　off　easily　enough　and　inside　there　was　a　maze　of　circuits　all　leading　to　a　fuse　screwed　into　the　thick　metal。　It　had　a　big　hex…head　on　it　and　I　scraped　my　knuckles　trying　to　get　a　wrench　around　it　and　turn　it　in　the　close　quarters。　With　a　last　grate　of　bruised　flesh　and　knucklebones　I　twisted　it　free。　It　hung　down　from　its　wire　leads；　a　nerve　drawn　from　a　deadly　tooth。
　　　　　Then　it　exploded　with　a　loud　bang　and　a　cloud　of　black　smoke。
　　　　　With　most　unnatural　calm　I　looked　from　the　cloud　of　dispersing　smoke　back　to　the　black　hole　in　the　bermedex　charge。　This　would　have　turned　the　ship　and　its　contents　into　a　fine　dust。
　　　　　〃Inskipp；〃　I　said；　but　my　throat　was　dry　and　my　voice　cracked　and　I　had　to　start　again。　〃Inskipp；　I　get　your　message。　You　thought　you　were　giving　me　my　discharge。　Accept　instead　my　resignation　from　the　Special　Corps。〃
　Chapter　9
　
　　　　　My　most　overwhelming　feeling　was　one　of　relief。　I　was　on　my　own　again　and　responsible　to　no　man。　I　actually　hummed　a　bit　as　I　dropped　the　ship　out　of　warpdrive　long　enough　to　slip　in　a　course　tape　chosen　at　random　from　the　file。　There　would　be　no　chance　of　an　intercept　this　way　and　I　could　cut　a　tape　for　a　new　course　once　I　was　well　clear　of　the　headquarters　station。
　　　　　A　course　to　where？　I　wasn't　sure　yet。　That　would　require　a　bit　of　research；　though　there　was　no　doubt　about　what　I　would　be　doing。　Looking　for　Angelina。　At　first　thought　it　seemed　a　little　stupid　to　be　taking　on　a　job　the　Corps　had　refused　me。　It　was　still　their　job。　On　second　thought　I　realized　that　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　Corps　now。　Angy　had　pulled　a　fast　one　on　me；　pinned　on　the　prize…chump　medal。　That　is　something　that　you　just　don't　do　to　Slippery　Jim　diGriz。　Call　it　ego　if　you　like。　But　ego　is　the　only　thing　that　keeps　a　man　in　my　profession　operating。　Remove　that　and　you　have　removed　everything。　I　had　no　real　idea　of　what　I　would　do　with　her　when　I　found　her。　Probably　turn　her　over　to　the　police；　since　people　like　her　gave　the　business　a　bad　name。　Better　to　worry　about　cooking　the　fish　after　I　had　caught　it。
　　　　　A　plan　was　necessary；　so　I　prepared　all　the　plan　producing　ingredients。　For　one　terrible　moment　I　thought　there　were　no　cigars　in　the　ship。　Then　the　service　unit　groaned　and　produced　a　box　from　some　dark　corner　of　the　deep　freeze。　Not　the　remended　way　to　store　cigars；　but　much　better　than　having　none　at　all。　Nielsen　always　favored　a　rare　brand　of　potent　akvavit　and　I　had　no　objections　to　drinking　it。　Feet　up；　throat　lubricated　and　cigar　smoking；　I　put　the　thinkbox　to　work　on　the　project。
　　　　　To　begin　with；　I　had　to　put　myself　in　Angelina's　place　at　the　time　of　her　escape。　I　would　like　to　have　gone　back　physically　to　the　scene；　but　I'm　not　that　thick。　There　was　guaranteed　to　be　a　trigger…happy　navy　ship　or　two　sitting　there。　However　this　is　the　kind　of　problem　they　build　puters　to　solve；　so　I　fed　in　the　coordinates　of　the　space　action　where　it　all　had　happened。　There　was　no　need　for　notes　on　this…those　figures　were　scratched　inside　my　forehead　in　letters　of　fire。　The　puter　had　a　large　memory　store　and　a　high　speed　scan。　It　hummed　happily　when　I　asked　for　the　stars　nearest　to　the　given　position。　In　under　thirteen　seconds　it　flipped　through　its　catalogs；　counted　on　its　fingers　and　rang　its　little　putation　finished　bell　for　me。　I　copied　off　the　numbers　of　the　first　dozen　stars；　then　pressed　the　cancel　when　I　saw　the　distances　were　getting　too　great　to　be　relevant　anymore。
　　　　　Now　I　must　think　like　Angelina。　I　had　to　be　hunted；　hurried；　a　murderess　with　twelve　fresh　corpses　of　my　own　manufacture　piled　around　me。　In　every　direction　rode　the　enemy。　She　would　have　the　same　list；　ground　out　by　the　puter　on　the　stolen　cruiser。　Now…where　to？　Tension　and　speed。　Get　going　somewhere。　Somewhere　away　from　here。　A　glance　at　the　list　and　the　answer　seemed　obvious。　The　two　nearest　stars　were　in　the　same　quadrant　of　the　sky；　within　fifteen　degrees　of　each　other。　They　were　roughly　equidistant。　What　was　more　important　was　the　fact　that　star　number　three　was　in　a　different　sector　of　the　sky　and　twice　as　far　away。
　　　　　That　was　the　way　to　go；　toward　the　first　two　stars。　It　was　the　sort　of　decision　that　can　be　made　in　a　hurry　and　still　be　sound。　Head　toward　suns　and　worlds　and　the　lanes　where　other　ships　could　be　found。　The　cruiser　would　have　to　be　gotten　rid　of　before　any　planets　were　approached…the　faster　the　better　since　every　ship　in　the　galaxy　would　be　looking　for　it。　Them　meet　another　ship…ship　X…and　capture　it。　Abandon　the　cruiser　and　。　。　。　do　what？
　　　　　My　tenuous　line　of　logic　was　ready　to　snap　at　this　point　so　I　strengthened　it　with　some　akvavit　and　a　fresh　cigar。　With　my　eyes　half…closed　in　reverie　I　tried　to　rebuild　the　flight。　Capture　the　ship　and…head　for　a　planet。　As　long　as　she　was　alone　in　space　Angelina　was　in　constant　danger。　A　planet…fall　and　a　change　of　personality　were　called　for。　When　I　looked　up　those　two　target　stars　in　the　catalog　the　planetary　choice　was　obvious。　A　barbaric　sounding　place　named　Freibur。
　　　　　There　were　a　half　dozen　other　settled　planets　around　the　two　suns；　but　all　eliminated　themselves　easily。　Either　too　lightly　settled；　so　that　a　stranger　would　be　easily　spotted；　or　organized　and　integrated　so　well　that　it　would　be　impossible　to　be　around　long　without　some　notice　being　taken。　Freibur　shared　none