deathworld-第14部分

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　 〃You're　talking　nonsense；〃　Kerk　said。　〃This　is　just　an　'alien　world　that　must　be　battled。　The　causes　are　self…obvious　facts　of　existence。〃
　 〃No；　they're　not；〃　Jason　insisted。　〃Consider　for　a　second。　When　you　are　away　for　any　length　of　time　from　this　planet；　you　must　take　a　refresher　course。　To　see　how　things　have　changed　for　the　worse　while　you　were　gone。　Well　that's　a　linear　progression。　If　things　get　worse　when　you　extend　into　the　future；　then　they　have　to　get　better　if　you　extend　into　the　past。　It　is　also　good　theory…though　I　don't　know　if　the　facts　will　bear　me　out…to　say　that　if　you　extend　it　far　enough　into　the　past　you　will　reach　a　time　when　mankind　and　Pyrrus　were　not　at　war　with　each　other。〃
　 Kerk　was　beyond　speech　now；　only　capable　of　sitting　and　listening　while　Jason　drove　home　the　blows　of　inescapable　logic。
　 〃There　is　evidence　to　support　this　theory。　Even　you　will　admit　that　I；　if　I　am　no　match　for　Pyrran　life；　am　surely　well　versed　in　it。　And　all　Pyrran　flora　and　fauna　I've　seen　have　one　thing　in　mon。　They're　not　functional。　None　of　their　immense　armory　of　weapons　is　used　against　each　other。　Their　toxins　don't　seem　to　operate　against　Pyrran　life。　They　are　good　only　for　dispensing　death　to　homo　sapiens。　And　that　is　a　physical　impossibility。　In　the　three　hundred　years　that　men　have　been　on　this　planet；　the　life　forms　couldn't　have　naturally　adapted　in　this　manner。〃
　 〃But　they　have　done　it！〃　Kerk　bellowed。
　 〃You　are　so　right；〃　Jason　told　him　calmly。　〃And　if　they　have　done　it；　there　must　be　some　agency　at　work。　Operating　how；　I　have　no　idea。　But　something　has　caused　the　life　on　Pyrrus　to　declare　war；　and　I'd　like　to　find　out　what　that　something　is。　What　was　the　dominant　life　form　here　when　your　ancestors　landed？〃
　 〃I'm　sure　I　wouldn't　know；〃　Kerk　said。　〃You're　not　suggesting；　are　you；
　that　there　are　sentient　beings　on　Pyrrus　other　than　those　of　human　descent？　Creatures　who　are　organizing　the　planet　to　battle　us？〃
　 〃I'm　not　suggesting　it…you　are。　That　means　you're　getting　the　idea。　I　have　no　idea　what　caused　this　change；　but　I　would　sure　like　to　find　out。　Then　see　if　it　can　be　changed　back。　Nothing　promised；　of　course。　You'll　agree；　though；　that　it　is　worth　investigating。〃
　 Fist　smacking　into　his　palm；　his　heavy　footsteps　shaking　the　building；　Kerk　paced　back　and　forth　the　length　of　the　room。　He　was　at　war　with　himself。　New　ideas　fought　old　beliefs。　It　was　so　sudden…and　so　hard　not　to　believe。
　 Without　asking　permission；　Jason　helped　himself　to　some　chilled　water　from　the　bottle　and　sank　back　into　the　chair；　exhausted。　Something　whizzed　in　through　the　open　window；　tearing　a　hole　in　the　protective　screen。　Kerk　blasted　it　without　changing　stride；　without　even　knowing　he　had　done　it。
　 The　decision　didn't　take　long。　Geared　to　swift　activity；　the　big　Pyrran　found　it　impossible　not　to　decide　quickly。　The　pacing　stopped　and　he　looked　steadily　at　Jason。
　 〃I　don't　say　you　have　convinced　me；　but　I　find　it　impossible　to　find　a　ready　answer　to　your　arguments。　So　until　I　do；　we　will　have　to　operate　as　if　they　are　true。　Now　what　do　you　plan　to　do；　what　can　you　do？〃
　 Jason　ticked　the　points　off　on　his　fingers。　〃One；　I'll　need　a　place　to　live　and　work　that　is　well　protected。　So　instead　of　spending　my　energies　on　just　remaining　alive　I　can　devote　some　study　to　this　project。　Two；　I　want　someone　to　help　me…and　act　as　a　bodyguard　at　the　same　time。　And　someone；　please；　with　a　little　more　scope　of　interest　than　my　present　watchdog。　I　would　suggest　Meta　as　the　person　most　suited　for　this　job。〃
　 〃Meta？〃　Kerk　was　surprised。　〃She's　a　space　pilot　and　defense　screen　operator；　what　good　could　she　possibly　be　on　a　project　like　this？〃
　 〃The　most　good　possible。　She　has　had　experience　on　other　worlds　and　can　shift　her　point　of　view…at　least　a　bit。　And　she　must　know　as　much　about　this　planet　as　any　other　educated　adult　and　can　answer　any　questions　I　ask。〃　Jason　smiled。　〃In　addition　to　which　she　is　an　attractive　girl；　whose　pany　I　enjoy。〃
　 Kerk　grunted。　〃I　was　wondering　if　you　would　get　around　to　mentioning　that　last　reason。　The　others　make　sense；　though；　so　I'm　not　going　to　argue。　I'll　round　up　a　replacement　for　her　and　have　Meta　sent　here。　There　are　plenty　of　sealed　buildings　you　can　use。〃
　 After　talking　to　one　of　the　assistants　from　the　outer　office；　Kerk　made　some　calls　on　the　screen。　The　correct　orders　were　quickly　issued。　Jason　watched　it　all　with　interest。
　 〃Pardon　me　for　asking；〃　he　finally　said。　〃But　are　you　the　dictator　of　this　planet？　You　just　snap　your　fingers　and　they　all　jump。〃
　 〃I　suppose　it　looks　that　way；〃　Kerk　admitted。　〃But　that　is　just　an　illusion。　No　one　is　in　plete　charge　on　Pyrrus；　neither　is　there　anything　resembling　a　democratic　system。　After　all；　our　total　population　is　about　the　size　of　an　army　division。　Everyone　does　the　job　they　are　best　qualified　for。　Various　activities　are　separated　into　departments　with　the　most　qualified　person　in　charge。　I　run　Coordination　and　Supply；　which　is　about　the　loosest　category。　We　fill　in　the　gaps　between　departments　and　handle　procuring　from　off…planet。〃
　 Meta　came　in　then　and　talked　to　Kerk。　She　pletely　ignored　Jason's　presence。　〃I　was　relieved　and　sent　here；〃　she　said。　〃What　is　it？　Change　in　flight　schedule？〃
　 〃You　might　call　it　that；〃　Kerk　said。　〃As　of　now　you　are　dismissed　from　all　your　old　assignments　and　assigned　to　a　new　department。　Investigation　and　Research。　That　tired…looking　fellow　there　is　your　department　head。〃
　 〃A　sense　of　humor；〃　Jason　said。　〃The　only　native…born　one　on　Pyrrus。　Congratulations；　there's　hope　for　the　planet　yet。〃
　 Mete　glanced　back　and　forth　between　them。　〃I　don't　understand。　I　can't　believe　it。　I　mean　a　new　department…why？〃　She　was　nervous　and　upset。
　 〃I'm　sorry；〃　Kerk　said。　〃I　didn't　mean　to　be　cruel。　I　thought　perhaps　you　might　feel　more　at　ease。　What　I　said　was　true。　Jason　has　a　way…or　may　have　a　way…to　be　of　immense　value　to　Pyrrus。　Will　you　help　him？〃
　 Meta　had　her　posure　back。　And　a　little　anger。　〃Do　I　have　to？　Is　that　an　order？　You　know　I　have　work　to　do。　I'm　sure　you　will　realize　it　is　more　important　than　something　a　person　from　off…planet　might　imagine。　He　can't　really　understand。　。　。〃
　 〃Yes。　It's　an　order。〃　The　snap　was　back　in　Kerk's　voice。　Meta　flushed　at　the　tone。
　 〃Perhaps　I　can　explain；〃　Jason　broke　in。　〃After　all；　the　whole　thing　is　my　idea。　But…first　1　would　like　your　cooperation。　Will　you　take　the　clip　out　of　your　gun　and　give　it　to　Kerk？〃
　 Meta　looked　frightened；　but　Kerk　nodded　in　solemn　agreement。　〃Just　for　a　few　minutes；　Meta。　I　have　my　gun　so　you　will　be　safe　here。　I　think　I　know　what　Jason　has　in　mind；　and　from　personal　experience　I'm　afraid　he　is　right。〃
　 Reluctantly　Mete　passed　over　the　clip　and　cleared　the　charge　in　the　gun's　chamber。　Only　then　did　Jason　explain。
　 〃I　have　a　theory　about　life　on　Pyrrus；　and　I'm　afraid　I'll　have　to　shatter　some　illusions　when　I　explain。　To　begin　with；　the　fact　must　be
　admitted　that　your　people　are　slowly　losing　the　war　here　and　will　eventually　be　destroyed。　。　。　。〃
　Before　he　was　half　through　the　sentence；　Meta's　gun　was　directed　between　his　eyes　and　she　was　wildly　snapping　the　trigger。　There　was　only　hatred　and　revulsion　in　her　expression。　It　was　the　most　terrible　thought　in　the　world　for　her。　That　this　war　they　all　devoted　their　lives　to　was　already　lost。
　 Kerk　took　her　by　the　shoulders　and　sat　her　in　his　chair；　before　anything　worse　happened。　It　took　some　time　before　she　could　calm　down　enough　to　listen　to　Jason's　words。　It　is　not　easy　to　have　destroyed　the　carefully　built　up　rationalizations　of　a　lifetime。　Only　the　fact　that　she　had　seen　something　of　other　worlds　enabled　her　to　listen　at　all。
　 The　light　of　unreason　was　still　in　her　eyes　when　he　had　finished；　telling　her　the　things　he　and　Kerk　had　discussed。　She　sat　tensely；　pushed　forward　against　Kerk's　hands；　as　if　they　were　the　only　things　that　stopped　her　from　leaping　at　Jason。
　 〃Maybe　that　is　too　much　to　assimilate　at　one　sitting；〃　Jason　said。　〃So　let's　put　it　in　simpler　terms。　I　believe　we　can　find　a　reason　for　this　unrelenting　hatred　of　humans。　Perhaps　we　don't　smell　right。　Maybe　I'll　find　an　essence　of　crushed　Pyrran　bugs　that　will　render　us　immu