deathworld-第13部分

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　rest　of　my　life　in　your　bloodthirsty　nursery　school　if　I　didn't　do　something　about　it。　So　here　I　am。〃
　〃Ready　to　return　to　the　'civilized'　worlds；　now　that　you've　seen　enough　of　Pyrrus？〃
　 〃I　am　not；〃　Jason　said。　〃And　I'm　getting　very　tired　of　everyone　telling　me　to　leave。　I'm　beginning　to　think　that　you　and　the　rest　of　the　Pyrrans　are　trying　to　hide　something。〃
　 Kerk　smiled　at　the　thought。　〃What　could　we　have　to　hide？　I　doubt　if　any　planet　has　as　simple　and　one…directional　an　existence　as　ours。〃
　 〃If　that's　true；　then　you　certainly　wouldn't　mind　answering　a　few　direct　questions　about　Pyrrus；　would　you？〃
　 Kerk　started　to　protest；　then　laughed。　'Well　done。　I　should　know　better　by　now　than　to　argue　with　you。　What　do　you　want　to　know？〃
　 Jason　tried　to　find　a　fortable　position　on　the　hard　chair；　then　gave　up。　〃What's　the　population　of　your　planet？〃　he　asked。
　 For　a　second　Kerk　hesitated；　then　said；　〃Roughly　thirty　thousand。　That's　not　very　much　for　a　planet　that　has　been　settled　this　long；　but　the　reason　for　that　is　obvious。〃
　 〃All　right；　population　thirty　thousand；〃　Jason　said。　〃Now　how　about　surface　control　of　your　planet？　I　was　surprised　to　find　out　that　this　city　within　its　protective　wall…the　perimeter…is　the　only　one　on　the　planet。　Let's　not　consider　the　mining　camps；　since　they　are　obviously　just　extensions　of　the　city。　Would　you　say　then　that　you　people　control　more　or　less　of　the　planet's　surface　than　you　did　in　the　past？〃
　 Kerk　picked　up　a　length　of　steel　pipe　from　the　desk　that　he　used　as　a　paperweight　and　toyed　with　it　as　he　thought。　The　thick　steel　bent　like　rubber　at　his　touch　as　he　concentrated　on　his　answer。
　 〃That's　hard　to　say　offhand。　There　must　be　records　of　that　sort　of　thing；　though　I　wouldn't　know　where　to　find　them。　It　depends　on　so　many　factors。　。　。　。〃
　 〃Let's　forget　that　for　now　then；〃　Jason　said。　〃I　have　another　question　that's　really　more　relevant。　Wouldn't　you　say　that　the　population　of　Pyrrus　is　declining　steadily；　year　after　year？〃
　 There　was　a　sharp　clang　as　the　pipe　struck　the　wall。　Then　Kerk　was　standing　over　Jason；　his　hands　extended　toward　the　smaller　man；　his　face　flushed　and　angry。
　 〃Don't　ever　say　that！〃　he　roared。　〃Don't　let　me　ever　hear　you　say　that　again！〃
　 Jason　sat　as　quietly　as　he　could；　talking　slowly　and　picking　out　each　word　with　care。　His　life　hung　in　the　balance。
　 〃Don't　get　angry；　Kerk。　I　meant　no　harm。　I'm　on　your　side；　remember？　I　can　talk　to　you；　because　you've　seen　much　more　of　the　universe　than　the　Pyrrans　who　have　never　left　the　planet。　You　are　used　to　discussing　things。　You　know　that　words　are　just　symbols。　We　can　talk　and　know　you　don't　have　to　lose　your　temper　over　mere　words。　。　。　。〃
　 Kerk　slowly　lowered　his　arms　and　stepped　away。　Then　he　turned　and　poured　himself　a　glass　of　water　from　a　bottle　on　the　desk。　He　kept　his　back　turned　to　Jason　while　he　drank。
　 Very　little　of　the　sweat　that　Jason　wiped　from　his　sopping　face　was　caused　by　the　heat　in　the　room。
　 〃I'm…sorry　I　lost　my　temper；〃　Kerk　said；　dropping　heavily　into　his　chair。　〃Doesn't　usually　happen。　Been　working　hard　lately；　must　have　got　my　temper　on　edge。〃　He　made　no　mention　of　what　Jason　had　said。　〃Happens　to　all　of　us；〃　Jason　told　him。　〃I　won't　begin　to　describe　the　condition　my　nerves　were　in　when　I　hit　this　planet。　I'm　finally　forced　to　admit　that　everything　you　said　about　Pyrrus　is　true。　It　is　the　most　deadly　spot　in　the　system。　And　only　native…born　Pyrrans　could　possibly　survive　here。　I　can　manage　to　fumble　along　a　bit　after　my　training；　but　I　know　I　would　never　stand　a　chance　on　my　own。　You　probably　know　I　have　an　eight…year…old　as　a　bodyguard。　Gives　a　good　idea　of　my　real　status　here。〃
　 Anger　suppressed；　Kerk　was　back　in　control　of　himself　now。　His　eyes　narrowed　in　thought。　〃Surprises　me　to　hear　you　say　that。　Never　thought　I　would　hear　you　admit　that　anyone　could　be　better　than　you　at　anything。　Isn't　that　why　you　came　here？　To　prove　that　you　were　as　good　as　any　native…born　Pyrran？〃
　 〃Score　one　for　your　side；〃　Jason　admitted。　〃I　didn't　think　it　showed　that　much。　And　I'm　glad　to　see　your　mind　isn't　as　musciebound　as　your　body。　Yes；　I'll　admit　that　was　probably　my　main　reason　for　ing；　that　and　curiosity。〃
　 Kerk　was　following　his　own　train　of　thought　and　puzzled　where　it　was　leading　him。　〃You　came　here　to　prove　that　you　were　as　good　as　any　native…born　Pyrran。　Yet　now　you　admit　that　any　eight…year…old　can　outdraw　you。　That　just　doesn't　stack　up　with　what　I　know　about　you。　If　you　give　with　one　hand；　you　must　be　taking　back　with　the　other。　In　what　way　do　you　still　feel　your　natural　superiority？〃　He　asked　it　lightly；　yet　there　was　weight　of　tension　behind　his　words。
　 Jason　thought　a　long　time　before　answering。
　 〃I'll　tell　you；〃　he　finally　said。　〃But　don't　snap　my　neck　for　it。　I'm
　gambling　that　your　civilized　mind　can　control　your　reflexes。　Because　I　have　totalk　about　things　that　are　strictly　taboo　on　Pyrrus。
　〃In　your　people's　eyes　I'm　a　weakling　because　I　cone　from　off…world。　Realize；　though；　that　this　is　also　my　strength。　I　can　see　things　that　are　hidden　from　you　by　long　association。　You　know；　the　old　business　of　not　being　able　to　see　the　forest　for　the　trees　in　the　way。〃
　Kerk　nodded　agreement　and　Jason　went　on。　〃To　continue　the　analogy　further；　I　landed　from　an　airship；　and　at　first　all　I　could　see　was　the　forest。　To　me　certain　facts　are　obvious。　I　think　that　you　people　know　them　too；　only　you　keep　your　thoughts　carefully　repressed。　They　are　hidden　thoughts　that　are　pletely　taboo。　I'm　going　to　tell　you　the　biggest　one　of　these　secret　thoughts　and　hope　you　can　control　yourself　well　enough　not　to　kill　me。〃
　Kerk's　great　hands　tightened　on　the　arms　of　the　chair；　the　only　sign　he　had　heard。　Jason　spoke　quietly；　but　his　words　penetrated　as　smoothly　and　easily　as　a　lancet　probing　into　a　brain。
　 〃I　think　human　beings　are　losing　the　war　on　Pyrrus。　After　hundreds　of　years　of　occupation　this　is　the　only　city　on　the　planet…and　it　is　half　in　ruins。　As　if　it　once　had　a　larger　population。　That　stunt　we　pulled　off　to　get　the　shipload　of　war　materials　was　a　stunt。　It　might　not　have　worked。　And　if　it　hadn't；　what　would　have　happened　to　the　city？　You　people　are　walking　on　the　crumbling　rim　of　a　volcano　and　you　won't　admit　it。〃
　 Every　muscle　in　Kerk's　body　was　rigid　as　he　sat　stiffly　in　the　chair；　his　face　dotted　with　tiny　beads　of　sweat。　The　slightest　push　too　far　and　he　would　explode。　Jason　searched　for　a　way　to　lessen　some　of　the　tension。
　 〃I　don't　enjoy　telling　you　these　things。　I'm　doing　it　because　I'm　sure　you　know　them　already。　You　can't　face　these　facts　because　you　would　then　have　to　admit　that　all　this　fighting　and　killing　is　for　absolutely　no　purpose。　If　your　population　is　dropping　steadily；　then　your　fight　is　nothing　but　a　particularly　bloody　form　of　racial　suicide。　You　could　leave　this　planet；　but　that　would　be　admitting　defeat。　And　I'm　sure　Pyrrans　prefer　death　to　defeat。〃
　 When　Kerk　half…rose　from　his　chair　Jason　stood　too；　shouting　his　words　through　the　other　man's　fog　of　anger。
　 〃I'm　trying　to　help　you…do　you　understand　that？　Wipe　the　hypocrisy　out　of　your　mind；　it's　destroying　you。　Piight　now　you　would　rather　kill　me　than　admit　consciously　that　you　are　fighting　an　already　lost　battle。　This　isn't　a　real　war；　just　a　disastrous　treating　of　symptoms。　Like　cutting　off　cancerous　fingers　one　by　one。　The　only　result　must　be　ultimate
　defeat。　You　won't　allow　yourself　to　realize　that。　That's　why　you　would　rather　kill　me　than　hear　me　speak　the　unspeakable。〃
　 Kerk　was　out　of　his　seat　now；　hanging　over　Jason　like　a　tower　of　death；　about　to　fall。　Held　up　only　by　the　force　of　Jason's　words。
　 〃You　must　begin　to　face　reality。　All　you　can　see　is　everlasting　war。　You　must　begin　to　realize　that　you　can　treat　the　causes　of　this　war　and　end　it　forever！〃
　 The　meaning　penetrated；　the　shock　of　the　words　draining　away　Kerk's　anger。　He　dropped　back　into　the　chair；　an　almost　ludicrous　expression　on　his　face。　〃What　the　devil　do　you　mean？　You　sound　like　a　bloody　Grubber！〃
　 Jason　didn't　ask　what　a　Grubber　was；　but　he　filed　the　name。
　 〃You're　talking　nonsense；〃　Kerk　said。　〃This　is　just　an　'alien　world　that　must　be　battled。　The　causes　are　self…obv