deathworld-第1部分

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　 With　a　gentle　sigh　the　service　tube　dropped　a　message　capsule　into　the　receiving　cup。　The　attention　bell　chimed　once　and　was　silent。　Jason　dinAlt　stared　at　the　harmless　capsule　as　though　it　were　a　ticking　bomb。
　 Something　was　going　wrong。　He　felt　a　hard　knot　of　tension　form　inside　of　him。　This　was　no　routine　service　memo　or　hotel　munication；　but　a　sealed　personal　message。　Yet　he　knew　no　one　on　this　planet；　having　arrived　by　spacer　less　than　eight　hours　earlier。　Since　even　his　name　was　new…dating　back　to　the　last　time　he　had　changed　ships…　there　could　be　no　personal　messages。　Yet　here　one　was。
　 Stripping　the　seal　with　his　thumbnail；　he　took　the　top　off。　The　recorder　in　the　pencil…sized　capsule　gave　the　taped　voice　a　tinny　sound；　with　no　clues　as　to　the　speaker。
　 〃Kerk　Pyrrus　would　like　to　see　Jason　dinAlt。　I'm　waiting　in　the　lobby。〃
　 It　was　wrong；　yet　it　couldn't　be　avoided。　Chances　were　that　the　man　was　harmless。　A　salesman　perhaps；　or　a　case　of　mistaken　identity。　Nevertheless　Jason　carefully　positioned　his　gun　behind　a　pillow　on　the　couch；　with　the　safety　off。　There　was　no　way　to　predict　how　these　things　would　turn　out。　He　signaled　the　desk　to　send　the　visitor　up。　When　the　door　opened；　Jason　was　slumped　down　on　a　corner　of　the　couch；　sipping　from　a　tall　glass。
　 A　retired　wrestler。　That　was　Jason's　first　thought　when　the　man　came　through　the　door。　Kerk　Pyrrus　was　a　grey…haired　rock　of　a　man；　his　body　apparently　chiseled　out　of　flat　slabs　of　muscle。　His　grey　clothes　were　so　conservative　they　were　almost　a　uniform。　Strapped　to　his　forearm　was　a　rugged　and　much…worn　holster；　a　gun　muzzle　peering　blankly　from　it。
　 〃You're　dinAh　the　gambler；〃　the　stranger　said　bluntly。　〃I　have　a　proposition　for　you。〃
　 Jason　looked　across　the　top　of　his　glass；　letting　his　mind　play　with　the　probabilities。　This　was　either　the　police　or　the　petition…and
　he　wanted　nothing　to　do　with　either。　He　had　to　know　a　lot　more　before　he　became　involved　in　any　deals。
　 〃Sorry；　friend；〃　Jason　smiled。　〃But　you　have　the　wrong　party。　Like　to　oblige；　but　my　gambling　always　seems　to　help　the　casinos　more　than　myself。　So　you　see。　。　。〃
　 〃Let's　not　play　games　with　each　other；〃　Kerk　broke　in　with　a　chesty　rumble。　〃You're　dinAh　and　you're　Bohel　as　well。　If　you　want　more　names；　I'll　mention　Mahaut's　Planet；　the　Nebula　Casino　and　plenty　more。　I　have　a　proposition　that　will　benefit　both　of　us；　and　you　had　better　listen　to　it。〃
　 None　of　the　names　caused　the　slightest　change　in　Jason's　half…smile。　But　his　body　was　tensely　alert。　This　musciebound　stranger　knew　things　he　had　no　right　to　know。　It　was　time　to　change　the　subject。
　 〃That's　quite　a　gun　you　have　there；〃　Jason　said。　〃But　guns　make　me　nervous。　I'd　appreciate　it　if　you　took　it　off。〃
　 Kerk　scowled　down　at　the　gun；　as　if　he　were　seeing　it　for　the　first　time。　〃No；　I　never　take　it　off。〃　He　seemed　mildly　annoyed　by　the　suggestion。
　 The　testing　period　was　over。　Jason　needed　the　upper　hand　if　he　was　to　get　out　of　this　one　alive。　As　he　leaned　forward　to　put　his　drink　on　the　table；　his　other　hand　fell　naturally　behind　the　pillow。　He　was　touching　the　gun　butt　when　he　said；　〃I'm　afraid　I'll　have　to　insist。　I　always　feel　a　little　unfortable　around　people　who　are　armed。〃　He　kept　talldng　to　distract　attention　while　he　pulled　out　his　gun。　Fast　and　smooth。
　 He　could　have　been　moving　in　slow　motion　for　all　the　difference　it　made。　Kerk　Pyrrus　stood　dead　still　while　the　gun　came　out；　while　it　swung　in　his　direction。　Not　until　the　very　last　instant　did　he　act。　When　he　did；　the　motion　wasn't　visible。　First　his　gun　was　in　the　armholster…then　it　was　aimed　between　Jason's　eyes。　It　was　an　ugly；　heavy　weapon　with　a　pitted　front　orifice　that　showed　plenty　of　use。
　 Jason　knew　if　he　swung　his　own　weapon　up　a　fraction　of　an　inch　more　he　would　be　dead。　He　dropped　his　arm　carefully；　angry　at　himself　for　trying　to　substitute　violence　for　thought。　Kerk　flipped　his　own　gun　back　into　the　holster　with　the　same　ease　he　had　drawn　it。
　 〃Enough　of　that　now；〃　Kerk　said。　〃Let's　get　down　to　business。〃
　 Jason　reached　out　and　downed　a　large　mouthful　from　his　glass；　bridling　his　temper。　He　was　fast　with　a　gun…his　life　had　depended　on　it　more　than　once…and　this　was　the　first　time　he　had　ever　been　outdrawn。　It　was　the　offhand；　unimportant　manner　it　had　been　done　that　irritated　him。
　 〃I'm　not　prepared　to　do　business；〃　he　said　acidly。　〃I've　e　to　Cassylia　for　a　vacation；　get　away　from　work。〃
　 〃Let's　not　fool　each　other；　dinAh；〃　Kerk　said　impatiently。　〃You've　never　worked　at　an　honest　job　in　your　entire　life。　You're　a　professional　gambler　and　that's　why　I'm　here　to　see　you。〃
　 Jason　forced　down　his　anger　and　threw　the　gun　to　the　other　end　of　the　couch　so　he　wouldn't　be　tempted　to　mit　suicide。　He　had　been　so　sure　that　no　one　knew　him　on　Cassylia　and　had　been　looking　forward　to　a　big　kill　at　the　Casino。　He　would　worry　about　that　later。　This　wrestler　type　seemed　to　know　all　the　answers。　Let　him　plot　the　course　for　awhile　and　see　where　it　led。
　 〃All　right；　what　do　you　want。〃
　 Kerk　dropped　into　a　chair　that　creaked　ominously　under　his　weight；　and　dug　an　envelope　out　of　one　pocket。　He　flipped　through　it　quickly　and　dropped　a　handful　of　gleaming　Galactic　Exchange　Notes　onto　the　table。　Jason　glanced　at　them…then　sat　up　suddenly。
　 〃What　are　they…forgeries？〃　he　asked；　holding　one　up　to　the　light。
　 〃They're　real　enough；〃　Kerk　told　him；　〃I　picked　them　up　at　the　bank。　Exactly　twenty…seven　bills…or　twenty…seven　million　credits。　I　want　you　to　use　them　as　a　bankroll　when　you　go　to　the　Casino　tonight。　Gamble　with　them　and　win。〃
　 They　looked　real　enough…and　they　could　be　checked。　Jason　fingered　them　thoughtfully　while　he　examined　the　other　man。
　 〃I　don't　know　what　you　have　in　mind；〃　he　said。　〃But　you　realize　I　can't　make　any　guarantees。　I　gamble…but　I　don't　always　win。〃
　 〃You　gamble…and　you　win　when　you　want　to；〃　Kerk　said　grimly。　〃We　looked　into　that　quite　carefully　before　I　came　to　you。〃
　 〃If　you　mean　to　say　that　I　cheat　。　。　。〃　Carefully；　Jason　grabbed　his　temper　again　and　held　it　down。　There　was　no　future　in　getting　annoyed。
　 Kerk　continued　in　the　same　level　voice；　ignoring　Jason's　growing　anger。　〃Maybe　you　don't　call　it　cheating；　frankly　I　don't　care。　As　far　as　I'm　concerned；　you　could　have　your　sleeves　lined　with　aces　and　electromagnets　in　your　toes。　As　long　as　you　win。　I'm　not　here　to　discuss　moral　points　with　you。　I　said　I　had　a　proposition。
　 〃We　have　worked　hard　for　that　money…but　it　still　isn't　enough。　To　be　precise；　we　need　three　billion　credits。　The　only　way　to　get　that　sum　is　by　gambling。　With　these　twenty…seven　million　as　bankroll。〃
　 〃And　what　do　I　get　out　of　it？〃　Jason　asked　the　question　coolly；　as　if　any　bit　of　the　fantastic　proposition　made　sense。
　 〃Everything　above　the　three　billion　you　can　keep；　that　should　be　fair　enough。　You're　not　risking　your　own　money；　but　you　stand　to　make　enough　to　keep　you　for　life　if　you　win。〃
　 〃And　if　I　lose？〃
　 Kerk　thought　for　a　moment；　not　liking　the　taste　of　the　idea。　〃Yes；　there　is　the　chance　you　might　lose。　I　hadn't　thought　about　that。〃
　 He　reached　a　decision。　〃If　you　lose…well；　I　suppose　that　is　just　a　risk　we　will　have　to　take。　Though　I　think　I　would　kill　you　then。　The　oz~es　who　died　to　get　the　twenty…seven　million　deserve　at　least　that。〃　He　said　it　quietly；　without　malice；　and　it　was　more　of　a　considered　decision　than　a　threat。
　 Stamping　to　his　feet；　Jason　refilled　his　glass　and　offered　one　to　Kerk　who　took　it　with　a　nod　of　thanks。　He　paced　back　and　forth；　unable　to　sit。　The　whole　proposition　made　him　angry；　yet　at　the　same　time　had　a　fatal　fascination。　He　was　a　gambler　and　this　talk　was　like　the　sight　of　drugs　to　an　addict。
　 Stopping　suddenly；　he　realized　that　his　mind　had　been　made　up　for　some　time。　Win　or　lose…live　or　die…how　could　he　say　no　to　the　chance　to　gamble　with　money　like　that！　He　turned　suddenly　and　jabbed　his　finger　at　the　big　man　in　the　chair。
　 〃I'll　do　it…you　probably　knew　I　would　from　the　time　you　came　in　here。　There　are　some　terms　of　my　own；　though。　I　want　to　know　who　you　are；　and　who　they　are　you　keep　talking　about。　And　where　did　the　money　e　from…is　it　stolen？〃
　 Kerk　drained　his　own　glass　and　pushed　it　away