deathworld-第17部分

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　time；　rows　of　heads　or　hazy　backgrounds　where　the　user　had　left　the　field　of　view。　Many　of　the　heads　were　talking　at　the　same　time　and　the　babble　of　their　voices　made　no　sense　whatsoever。
　 After　examining　the　controls　and　making　a　few　experiments；　Jason　began　to　understand　the　operation。　Though　all　stations　were　on　the　screen　at　all　times；　their　audio　channels　could　be　controlled。　In　that　way　two；　three　or　more　stations　could　be　hooked　together　in　a　linkup。　They　would　be　in　round…robin　munication　with　each　other；　yet　never　out　of　contact　with　the　other　stations。
　 Identification　between　voice　and　sound　was　automatic。　Whenever　one　of　the　pictured　images　spoke；　the　image　would　glow　red。　By　trial　and　error；　Jason　brought　in　the　audio　for　the　stations　he　wanted　and　tried　to　follow　the　course　of　the　attack。
　 Very　quickly　he　realized　this　was　something　out　of　the　ordinary。　In　some　way；　no　one　made　it　clear；　a　section　of　the　perimeter　had　been　broken　through　and　emergency　defenses　had　to　be　thrown　up　to　encapsulate　it。　Kerk　seemed　to　be　in　charge；　at　least　he　was　the　only　one　with　an　override　transmitter。　He　used　it　for　general　mands。　The　many；　tiny　images　faded　and　his　face　appeared　on　top　of　them；　filling　the　entire　screen。
　 〃All　perimeter　stations　sent　25　per　cent　of　your　plement　to　Area
　52。〃
　
　 The　small　images　reappeared　and　the　babble　increased；　red　lights　flickering　from　face　to　face。
　 〃…abandon　the　first　floor；　acid　bombs　can't　reach。〃
　 〃If　we　hold　we'll　be　cut　off；　but　salient　is　past　us　on　the　west　flank。　Request　support。〃
　 〃DON'T；　MERVV…IT'S　USELESS！〃　…
　 and　the　napalm　tanks　are　almost　gone。　Orders？〃
　 〃The　truck　is　still　there；　get　it　to　the　supply　warehouse；　you'll　find　replacements…〃　…
　 Out　of　the　welter　of　talk；　only　the　last　two　fragments　made　any　sense。　Jason　had　noticed　the　signs　below　when　he　came　in。　The　first　two　floors　of　the　building　below　him　were　jammed　with　military　supplies。　This　was　his　chance　to　get　into　the　act。
　 Just　sitting　and　watching　was　frustrating。　Particularly　when　it　was　a
　desperate　emergency。　He　didn't　overvalue　his　worth；　but　he　was　sure　there　was　always　room　for　another　gun。
　 By　the　time　he　had　dragged　himself　down　to　the~street　level；　a　turbotruck　had　slammed　to　a　stop　in　front　of　the　loading　platform。　Two　Pyrrans　were　rolling　out　drums　of　napalm　with　a　reckless　disregard　for　their　own　safety。　Jason　didn't　dare　enter　that　maelstrom　of　rolling　metal。　He　found　he　could　be　of　use　tugging　the　heavy　drums　into　position　on　the　truck　while　the　others　rolled　them　up。　They　accepted　his　aid　without　acknowledgment。
　 It　was　exhausting；　sweaty　work；　hauling　the　leaden　drums　into　place　against　the　heavy　gravity。　After　a　minute；　Jason　worked　by　touch　through　a　red　haze　of　hammering　blood。　He　realized　the　job　was　done　only　when　the　truck　suddenly　leaped　forward　and　he　was　thrown　to　the　floor。　He　lay　there；　his　chest　heaving。　As　the　driver　hurled　the　heavy　vehicle　along；　all　Jason　could　do　was　bounce　around　in　the　bottom。　He　could　see　well　enough；　but　was　still　gasping　for　breath　when　they　braked　at　the　fighting　zone。
　 To　Jason；　it　was　a　scene　of　incredible　confusion。　Guns　firing；　flames；　men　and　women　running　on　all　sides。　The　napalm　drums　were　unloaded　without　his　help　and　the　truck　vanished　for　more。　Jason　leaned　against　a　wall　of　a　half…destroyed　building　and　tried　to　get　his　bearings。　It　was　impossible。　There　seemed　to　be　a　great　number　of　small　animals；　he　killed　two　that　attacked　him。　Other　than　that　he　couldn't　determine　the　nature　of　the　battle。
　 A　Pyrran；　tan　face　white　with　pain　and　exertion；　stumbled　up。　His　right　arm；　wet　with　raw　flesh　and　dripping　blood；　hung　limply　at　his　side。　It　was　covered　with　freshly　applied　surgical　foam。　He　held　his　gun　in　his　left　hand；　a　stump　of　control　cable　dangling　from　it。　Jason　thought　the　man　was　looking　for　medical　aid。　He　couldn't　have　been　more　wrong。
　 Clenching　the　gun　in　his　teeth；　the　Pyrran　clutched　a　barrel　of　napalm　with　his　good　hand　and　hurled　it　over　on　its　side。　Then；　with　the　gun　once　more　in　his　hand；　he　began　to　roll　the　drum　along　the　ground　with　his　feet。　It　was　slow；　cumbersome　work；　but　he　was　still　in　the　fight。
　 Jason　pushed　through　the　hurrying　crowd　and　bent　over　the　drum。　〃Let　me　do　it；〃　he　said。　〃You　can　cover　us　both　with　your　gun。〃
　 The　man　wiped　the　sweat　from　his　eyes　with　the　back　of　his　arm　and　blinked　at　Jason。　He　seemed　to　recognize　him。　When　he　smiled　it　was　a　grimace　of　pain；　empty　of　humor。　〃Do　that。　I　can　still　shoot。　Two　half　men…maybe　we　equal　one　whole。〃　Jason　was　laboring　too　hard　to　even　notice　the　insult。
　 An　explosion　had　blasted　a　raw　pit　in　the　street　ahead。　Two　people　were　at　the　bottom；　digging　it　even　deeper　with　shovels。　The　whole　thing　seemed　meaningless。　Just　as　Jason　and　the　wounded　man　rolled　up　the　drum；　the　diggers　leaped　out　of　the　excavation　and　began　shooting　down　into　its　depths。　One　of　them　turned；　a　young　girl；　barely　in　her　teens。
　 〃Praise　Perimeter！〃　she　breathed。　〃They　found　the　napalm。　One　of　the　new　horrors　is　breaking　through　toward　Area　13；　we　just　found　it。〃　Even　as　she　talked　she　swiveled　the　drum　around；　kicked　the　easy…off　plug；　and　began　dumping　the　gelid　contents　into　the　hole。　When　half　of　it　had　gurgled　down；　she　kicked　the　drum　itself　in。　Her　panion　pulled　a　flare　from　his　belt；　lit　it；　and　threw　it　after　the　drum。
　 〃Back　quick。　They　don't　like　heat；〃　he　said。
　 This　was　putting　it　very　mildly。　The　napalm　caught；　tongues　of　flame　and　roiling；　greasy　smoke　climbing　up　to　the　sky。　Under　Jason's　feet　the　earth　shifted　and　moved。　Something　black　and　long　stirred　in　the　heart　of　the　flame；　then　arched　up　into　the　sky　over　their　heads。　In　the　midst　of　the　searing　heat；　it　still　moved　with　alien；　jolting　motions。　It　was　immense；　at　least　two　meters　thick　and　with　no　indication　of　its　length。　The　flames　didn't　stop　it；　just　annoyed　it。
　 Jason　had　some　idea　of　the　thing's　length　as　the　street　cracked　and　buckled　for　fifty　meters　on　each　side　of　the　pit。　Great　loops　of　the　creature　began　to　emerge　from　the　ground。　He　fired　his　gun；　as　did　the　others。　Not　that　it　seemed　to　have　any　effect。　More　and　more　people　were　appearing；　armed　with　a　variety　of　weapons。　Flamethrowers　and　grenades　seemed　to　be　the　most　effective。
　 〃Clear　the　area；　we're　going　to　saturate　it。　Fall　back。〃
　 The　voice　was　so　loud　it　jarred　Jason's　ear。　He　turned　and　recognized　Kerk；　who　had　arrived　with　truckloads　of　equipment。　He　had　a　power　speaker　on　his　back；　the　mike　hung　in　front　of　his　lips。　His　amplified　voice　brought　an　instant　reaction　from　the　crowd。　They　began　to　move。
　 There　was　still　doubt　in　Jason's　mind　what　to　do。　Clear　the　area？　But　what　area？　He　started　toward　Kerk；　before　he　realized　that　the　rest　of　the　Pyrrans　were　going　in　the　opposite　direction。　Even　under　two　gravities；　they　moved。
　 Jason　had　a　naked　feeling　of　being　alone　on　the　stage。　He　was　in　the　center　of　the　street；　and　the　others　had　vanished。　No　one　remained。　Except　the　wounded　man　Jason　had　helped。　He　stumbled　toward　Jason；　waving　his　good　arm。　Jason　couldn't　understand　what　he　said。　Kerk　was　shouting　orders　again　from　one　of　the　trucks。　They　had　started　to　move　too。　The　urgency　struck　home　and　Jason　started　to　run。
　 It　was　too　late。　On　all　sides　the　earth　was　buckling；　cracking；　as　more
　loops　of　the　underground　thing　forced　its　way　into　the　light。　Safety　lay　ahead。　Only　in　front　of　it　rose　an　arch　of　dirt　encrusted　grey。
　 There　are　seconds　of　time　that　seem　to　last　an~　eternity。　A　moment　of　subjective　time　that　is　grabbed　and　stretched　to　an　infinite　distance。　This　was　one　of　those　moments。　Jason　stood；　frozen。　Even　the　smoke　in　the　sky　hung　unmoving。　The　high…standing　loop　of　alien　life　was　before　him；　every　detail　piercingly　clear。
　 Thick　as　a　man；　ribbed　and　grey　as　old　bark。　Tendrils　projected　from　all　parts　of　it；　pallid　and　twisting　lengths　that　writhed　slowly　with　snake…like　life。　Shaped　like　a　plant；　yet　with　the　motions　of　an　animal。　And　cracldng；　splitting。　This　was　the　worst。
　 Seams　and　openings　appeared。　Splintering；　gaping　mouths　that　vomited　out　a　horde　of　pallid　animals。　Jason　heard　their　shriekings；　shrill　yet　remote。　He　saw　the　ne