deathworld-第30部分

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　 〃Watch　out！〃　Kerk　shouted；　staring　at　the　screen　with　horror。
　 The　cave　was　filled　from　wall　to　wall　with　pallid；　eyeless　animals。　They　poured　from　tiny　side　passages　and　seemed　to　literally　emerge　from　the　ground。　Their　front　ranks　dissolved　in　flame；　but　more　kept　pressing　in。　On　the　screen　the　watchers　in　the　ship　saw　the　cave　spin　dizzily　as　the　operator　fell。　Pale　bodies　washed　up　and　concealed　the　lens。
　 〃Close　ranks…flamethrowers　and　gas！〃　Kerk　bellowed　into　the　mike。　Less　than　half　of　the　men　were　alive　after　that　first　attack。　The　survivors；　protected　by　the　flamethrowers；　set　off　the　gas　grenades。　Their　sealed　battle　armor　protected　them　while　the　section　of　cave　filled　with　gas。　Someone　dug　through　the　bodies　of　their　attackers　and　found　the　pickup。
　 〃Leave　the　bomb　there　and　withdraw；〃　Kerk　ordered。　〃We've　had　enough　losses　already。〃
　 A　different　man　stared　out　of　the　screen。　The　officer　was　dead。　〃Sorry；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃but　it　will　be　just　as　easy　to　push　ahead　as　back　as　long　as　the　gas　grenades　hold　out。　We're　too　close　now　to　pull　back。〃
　 〃That's　an　order；〃　Kerk　shouted；　but　the　man　was　gone　from　the　screen　and　the　advance　continued。
　 Jason's　fingers　hurt　where　he　had　them　clamped　to　the　chair　arm。　He　pulled　them　loose　and　massaged　them。　On　the　screen　the　black…andwhite　cave　flowed　steadily　toward　them。　Minute　after　minute　went　by　this　way。　Each　time　the　animals　attacked　again；　a　few　more　gas　grenades　were　used　up。
　 〃Something　ahead…looks　different；〃　the　panting　voice　cracked　from　the　speaker。　The　narrow　cave　slowly　opened　out　into　a　gigantic　chamber；　so　large　the　roof　and　far　walls　were　lost　in　the　distance。
　 〃What　are　those？〃　Kerk　asked。　〃Get　a　searchlight　over　to　the　right　there。〃
　 The　picture　on　the　screen　was　fuzzy　and　hard　to　see　now；　dimmed　by　the　layers　of　rock　in　between。　Details　couldn't　be　made　out　clearly；　but　it　was　obvious　this　was　something　unusual。
　 〃Never　saw…anything　quite　like　them　before；〃　the　speaker　said。　〃Look　like　big　plartts~　of　some　kind；　ten　meters　tall　at　least…yet　they're　moving。　Those　branches；　tentacles　or　whatever　they　are；　keep　pointing　toward　us　and　I　get　the　darkest　feeling　in　my　head。　。　。　。〃
　 〃Blast　one；　see　what　happens；〃　Kerk　said。
　 The　gun　fired　and　at　the　same　instant　an　intensified　wave　of　mental　hatred　rolled　over　the　men；　dropping　them　to　the　ground。　They　rolled　in　pain；　blacked　out　and　unable　to　think　or　fight　the　underground　beasts　that　poured　over　them　in　renewed　attack。
　 In　the　ship；　far　above；　Jason　felt　the　shock　to　his　mind　and　wondered　how　the　men　below　could　have　lived　through　it。　The　others　in　the　control　room　had　been　hit　by　it　as　well。　Kerk　pounded　on　the　frame　of　the　screen　and　shouted　to　the　unhearing　men　below。
　 〃Pull　back；　e　back。　。　。　。〃
　 It　was　too　late。　The　men　only　stirred　slightly　as　the　victorious　Pyrran　animals　washed　over　them；　clawing　for　the　joints　in　their　armor。　Only
　one　man　moved；　standing　up　and　beating　the　creatures　away　with　his　bare　hands。　He　stumbled　a　few　feet　and　bent　over　the　writhing　mass　below　him。　With　a　heave　of　his　shoulders；　he　pulled　another　man　up。　The　man　was　dead　but　his　shoulder　pack　was　still　strapped　to　his　back。　Bloody　fingers　fumbled　at　the　pack；　then　both　men　were　washed　back　under　the　wave　of　death。
　 〃That　was　the　bomb！〃　Kerk　shouted　to　Meta。　〃If　he　didn't　change　the　setting；　it's　still　on　ten…second　minimum。　Get　out　of　here！〃
　 Jason　had　just　time　to　fall　back　on　the　acceleration　couch　before　the　rockets　blasted。　The　pressure　leaned　on　him　and　kept　mounting。　Vision　blacked　out　but　he　didn't　lose　consciousness。　Air　screamed　across　the　hull；　then　the　sound　stopped　as　they　left　the　atmosphere　behind。
　 Just　as　Mets　cut　the　power；　a　glare　of　white　light　burst　from　the　screens。　They　turned　black　instantly　as　the　hull　pickups　burned　out。　She　switched　filters　into　place；　then　pressed　the　button　that　rotated　new　pickups　into　position。；
　 Far　below；　in　the　boiling　sea；　a　climbing　cloud　of　mushroom…shaped　flame　filled　the　spot　where　the　island　had　been　seconds　before。　The　three　of　them　looked　at　it；　silent　and　unmoving。　Kerk　recovered　first。
　 〃Head　for　home；　Mets；　and　get　operations　on　the　screen。　Twentyfive　men　dead；　but　they　did　their　job。　They　knocked　out　those　beasts…　whatever　they　were…and　ended　the　war。　I　can't　think　of　a　better　way　for　a　man　to　die。〃
　 Meta　set　the　orbit；　then　called　operations。
　 〃Trouble　getting　through；〃　she　said。　〃I　have　a　robot　landing　beam　response；　but　no　one　is　answering　the　call。〃
　 A　man　appeared　on　the　empty　screen。　He　was　beaded　with　sweat　and　had　a　harried　look　in　his　eyes。　〃Kerk；〃　he　said；　〃is　that　you？　Get　the　ship　back　here　at　once。　We　need　her　firepower　at　the　perimeter。　All　blazes　broke　loose　a　minute　ago；　a　general　attack　from　every　side；　worse　than　I've　ever　seen。〃
　 〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Kerk　stammered　in　unbelief。　〃The　war　is　over。　We　blasted　them；　destroyed　their　headquarters　pletely。〃
　 〃The　war　is　going　like　it　never　has　gone　before；〃　the　other　snapped　back。　〃I　don't　know　what　you　did；　but　it　stirred　up　the　stewpot　of　hell　here。　Now　stop　talking　and　get　the　ship　back！〃
　 Kerk　turned　slowly　to　face　Jason；　his　face　pulled　back　in　a　look　of　raw　animal　savagery。
　 〃You！　You　did　it！　I　should　have　killed　you　the　first　time　I　saw　you。　I　wanted　to；　now　I　know　I　was　right。　You've　been　like　a　plague　since　you　came　here；　sowing　death　in　every　direction。　I　knew　you　were　wrong；　yet　I　let　your　twisted　words　convince　me。　And　look　what　has
　happened。　First　you　killed　Welf。　Then　you　murdered　those　men　in　the　cave。　Now　this　attack　on　the　perimeter…all　who　die　there；　you　will　have　killed！〃
　 Kerk　advanced　on　Jason；　step　by　slow　step；　hatred　twisting　his　features。　Jason　backed　away　until　he　could　retreat　no　further；　his　shoulders　against　the　chart　case。　Kerk's　hand　lashed　out；　not　a　fighting　blow；　but　an　open　slap。　Though　Jason　rolled　with　it；　it　still　battered　him　and　stretched　him　full　length　on　the　floor。　His　arm　was　against　the　chart　case；　his　fingers　near　the　sealed　tubes　that　held　the　jump　matrices。
　 Jason　seized　one　of　the　heavy　tubes　with　both　hands　and　pulled　it　out。　He　swung　it　with　all　his　strength　into　Kerk's　face。　It　broke　the　skin　on　his　cheekbone　and　forehead　and　blood　ran　from　the　cuts。　But　it　didn't　slow　or　stop　the　big　man　in　the　slightest。　His　smile　held　no　mercy　as　he　reached　down　and　dragged　Jason　to　his　feet。
　 〃Fight　back；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　have　that　much　more　pleasure　as　I　kill　you。〃　He　drew　back　the　granite　fist　that　would　tear　Jason's　head　from　his　shoulders。
　 〃Go　ahead；〃　Jason　said　and　stopped　struggling。　〃Kill　me。　You　can　do　it　easily。　Only　don't　call　it　justice。　Weif　died　to　save　me。　But　the　men　on　the　island　died　because　of　your　stupidity。　I　wanted　peace　and　you　wanted　war。　Now　you　have　it。　Kill　me　to　soothe　your　conscience；　because　the　truth　is　something　you　can't　face　up　to。〃
　 With　a　bellow　of　rage；　Kerk　drove　the　piledriver　fist　down。
　 Mets　grabbed　the　arm　in　both　her　hands　and　hung　on；　pulling　it　aside　before　the　blow　could　land。　The　three　of　them　fell　together；　half　crushing　Jason。
　 〃Don't　do　it；〃~he　screamed。　〃Jason　didn't　want　those　men　to　go　down　there。　That　was　your　idea。　You　can't　kill　him　for　that！〃
　 Kerk；　exploding　with　rage；　was　past　hearing。　He　turned　his　attention　to　Meta；　tearing　her　from　him。　She　was　a　woman　and　her　supple　strength　was　meager　pared　to　his　great　muscles。　But　she　was　a　Pyrran　woman　and　she　did　what　no　off…wonder　could。　She　slowed　him　for　a　moment；　stopped　the　fury　of　his　attack　until　he　could　rip　her　hands　loose　and　throw　her　aside。　It　didn't　take　him　long　to　do　this；　but　it　was　just　time　enough　for　Jason　to　get　to　the　door。
　 Jason　stumbled　through　and　jammed　shut　the　lock　behind　him。　A　split　second　after　he　had　driven　the　bolt　home；　Kerk's　weight　plunged　into　the　door。　The　metal　screamed　and　bent；　giving　way。　One　hinge　was　torn　loose　and　the　other　held　only　by　a　shred　of　metal。　It　would　go　down　on　the　next　blow。
　 Jason　wasn't　waiting　for　that。　He　hadn't　stayed　to　see　if　the　door　would　stop　the　raging　Pyrran。　No　door　on　the　ship　could　stop　him。
　Fast　as　possible；　Jason　went　down　the　gangway。　There　was　no　safety　on　the　ship；　which　meant　he