deathworld-第4部分

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　 〃Sire　Ellus　has　retired　for　the　night；　would　you　please　call　again　in　the　morning。　All　appointments　are　made　in　advan…〃
　 The　voice　broke　off　as　Kerk　pushed　the　door　open。　He　did　it　almost　effortlessly　with　the　flat　of　his　hand。　As　they　went　in；　Jason　looked　at　the　remnants　of　torn　and　twisted　metal　that　hung　in　the　lock　and　wondered　again　about　his　panion。
　 Strength…more　than　physical　strength…he's　like　an　elemental　force。　1　have　the　feeling　that　nothing　can　stop　him。
　 It　made　him　angry…and　at　the　same　time　fascinated　him。　He　didn't　want　out　of　the　deal　until　he　found　out　more　about　Kerk　and　his　planet。　And　〃they〃　who　had　died　for　the　money　he　gambled。
　 Sire　Ellus　was　old；　balding　and　angry；　not　at　all　used　to　having　his　rest　disturbed。　His　plaints　stopped　suddenly　when　Kerk　threw　the　money　down　on　the　table。
　 〃Is　the　ship　being　loaded　yet；　Ellus？　Here's　the　balance　due。〃　Ellus　only　fumbled　the　bills　for　a　moment　before　he　could　answer　Kerk's　question。
　 〃The　shipbut；　of　course。　We　began　loading　when　you　gave　us　the　deposit。　You'll　have　to　excuse　my　confusion；　this　is　a　little　irregular。　We　never　handle　transactions　of　this　size　in　cash。〃
　 〃That's　the　way　I　like　to　do　business；〃　Kerk　answered　him。　〃I've　canceled　the　deposit；　this　is　the　total　sum。　Now　how　about　a　receipt。〃
　 Ellus　had　made　out　the　receipt　before　his　senses　returned。　He　held　it　tightly　while　he　looked　unfortably　at　the　three　billion　spread　out　before　him。
　 〃Wait…I　can't　take　it　now；　you'll　have　to　return　in　the　morning；　to　the　bank。　In　normal　business　fashion；〃　Ellus　decided　firmly。
　 Kerk　reached　over　and　gently　drew　the　paper。　out　of　Ellus'　hand。~
　 〃Thanks　for　the　receipt；〃　he　said。　〃I　won't　be　here　in　the　morning　so　this　will　be　satisfactory。　And　if　you're　worried　about　the　money；　I　suggest　you　get　in　touch　with　some　of　your　plant　guards　or　private　police。　You'll　feel　a　lot　safer。〃
　 When　they　left　through　the　shattered　door；　Ellus　was　frantically　dialing　numbers　on　his　screen。　Kerk　answered　Jason's　next　question　before　he　could　ask　it。
　 〃I　imagine　you　would　like　to　live　to　spend　that　money　in　your　pocket；　so　I've　booked　us　two　seats　on　an　interplanetary　ship。〃　He　glanced　at　the　car　clock。　〃It　leaves　in　about　two　hours　so　we　have　plenty　of　time。　I'm　hungry；　let's　find　a　restaurant。　I　hope　you　have　nothing　at　the　hotel　worth　going　back　for。　It　would　be　a　little　difficult。〃
　 〃Nothing　worth　getting　killed　for；〃　Jason　said。　〃Now　where　can　we　go　to　eat？　There　are　a~few　questions　I　would　like　to　ask　you。〃
　 They　circled　carefully　down　to　the　transport　levels　until　they　were　sure　they　hadn't　been　followed。　Kerk　nosed　the　car　into　a　shadowed　loading　dock　where　they　abandoned　it。
　 'We　can　always　get　another　car；〃　he　said；　〃and　they　probably　have　this　one　spotted。　Let's　walk　back　to　the　freightway；　I　saw　a　restaurant　there　as　we　caine　by。〃
　 Dark　and　looming　shapes　of　overland　freight　carriers　filled　the　parking　lot。　They　picked　their　way　around　the　man…high　wheels　and　into　the　hot　and　noisy　restaurant。　The　drivers　and　early　morning　workers　took　no　notice　of　them　as　they　found　a　booth　in　the　back　and　dialed　a　meal。
　 Kerk　chiseled　a　chunk　of　meat　off　the　slab　in　front　of　him　and　popped　it　cheerfully　into　his　mouth。　〃Ask　your　questions；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　feeling　much　better　already。〃
　 'What's　in　this　ship　you　arranged　for　tonight？　What　kind　of　a　cargo　was　I　risking　my　neck　for？〃
　 〃I　thought　you　were　risking　your　neck　for　money；〃　Kerk　said　dryly。　〃But　be　assured　it　was　in　a　good　cause。　That　cargo　means　the　survival　of　a　world。　Guns；　ammunition；　mines；　explosives　and　such。〃
　 Jason　choked　over　a　mouthful　of　food。　〃Gun…running！　What　are　you　doing；　financing　a　private　war？　And　how　can　you　talk　about　survival　with　a　lethal　cargo　like　that？　Don't　try　and　tell　me　they　have　a　peaceful　use。　Who　are　you　killing？〃
　 Most　of　the　big　man's　humor　had　vanished：　he　had　that　grim　look　Jason　knew　well。
　 〃Yes；　peaceful　would　be　the　right　word。　Because　that　is　basically　all　we　want。　Just　to　live　in　peace。　And　it　is　not　who　are　we　killing…it　is　what　we　are　killing。〃
　 Jason　pushed　his　plate　away　with　an　angry　gesture。　〃You're　talking　in　riddles；〃　he　said。　〃What　you　say　has　no　meaning。〃
　 〃It　has　meaning　enough；〃　Kerk　told　him。　〃But　only　on　one　planet　in　the　universe。　Just　how　much　do　you　know　about　Pyrrus？〃
　〃Absolutely　nothing。〃
　 For　a　moment　Kerk　sat　wrapped　in　memory；　scowling　distantly。　Then　he　went　on。
　 〃Mankind　doesn't　belong　on　Pyrrus…yet　has　been　there　for　almost　three　hundred　years　now。　The　age　expectancy　of　my　people　is　sixteen　years。　Of　course　most　adults　live　beyond　that；　but　the　high　child　mortality　brings　the　average　down。
　 〃It　is　everything　that　a　humanoid　world　should　not　be。　The　gravity　is　nearly　twice　earth　normal。　The　temperature　can　vary　daily　from　arctic　to　tropic。　The　climate…well　you　have　to　experience　it　to　believe　it。　Like　nothing　you've　seen　anywhere　else　in　the　galaxy。〃
　 〃I'm　frightened；〃　Jason　said　dryly。　'What　do　you　have；　methane　or　chlorine　reactions？　I've　been　down　on　planets　like　that…〃
　 Kerk　slammed　his　hand　down　hard　on　the　table。　The　dishes　bounced　and　the　tablelegs　creaked。　〃Laboratory　reactions！〃　he　growled。　〃They　look　great　on　a　bench…but　what　happens　when　you　have　a　world　filled　with　those　pounds？　In　an　eye…wink　of　galactic　time　all　the　violence　is　locked　up　in　nice；　stable　pounds。　The　atmosphere　may　be　poisonous　for　an　oxygen　breather；　but　taken　by　itself　it's　as　harmless　as　weak　beer。
　 〃There　is　only　one　setup　that　is　pure　poison　as　a　planetary　atmosphere。　Plenty　of　H2O；　the　most　universal　solvent　you　can　find；　plus　free　oxygen　to　work　on…〃
　 'Water　and　oxygen！〃　Jason　broke　in。　〃You　mean　Earth…or　a　planet　like　Cassylia　here？　That's　preposterous。〃
　 〃Not　at　all。　Because　you　were　born　in　this　kind　of　environment；　you　accept　it　as　right　and　natural。　You　take　it　for　granted　that　metals　corrode；　coastlines　change；　and　storms　interfere　with　munication。　These　are　normal　occurrences　on　oxygen…water　worlds。　On　Pyrrus　these　conditions　are　carried　to　the　nth　degree。
　 〃The　planet　has　an　axial　tilt　of　almost　42°；　so　there　is　a　tremendous　range　of　temperature　from　season　to　season。　This　is　one　of　the　prime　causes　of　a　constantly　changing　icecap。　The　weather　generated　by　this　is　spectacular　to　say　the　least。〃
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　 〃If　that's　all；〃　Jason　said；　〃I　don't　see　why。　。　。〃
　 〃That's　not　all…it's　barely　the　beginning。　The　open　seas　perform　the　dual　destructive　function　of　supplying　water　vapor　~o　keep　the　weather　going；　and　building　up　gigantic　tides。　Pyrrus'　two　satellites；　Samas　and　Bessos；　bine　at　times　to　pull　the　oceans　up　into　thirty　meter　tides。　And　until　you've　seen　one　of　these　tides　lap　over　into　an　active　volcano　you've　seen　nothing。
　 〃Heavy　elements　are　what　brought　us　to　Pyrrus…and　these　same　elements　keep　the　planet　at　a　vulcanic　boil。　There　have　been　at　least　thirteen　supernovas　in　the　immediate　stellar　neighborhood。　Heavy　elements　can　be　found　on　most　of　their　planets　of　course…as　well　as　pletely　unbreathable　atmospheres。　Long…term　mining　and　exploitation　can't　be　done　by　anything　but　a　self…sustaining　colony。　Which　meant　Pyrrus；　where　the　radioactive　elements　are　locked　in　the　planetary　core；　surrounded　by　a　shell　of　lighter　ones。　While　this　allows　for　the　atmosphere　men　need；　it　also　provides　unceasing　vulcanic　activity　as　the　molten　plasma　forces　its　way　to　the　surface。〃
　 For　the　first　time；　Jason　was　silent。　Trying　to　imagine　what　life　could　be　like　on　a　planet　constantly　at　war　with　itself。
　 〃I've　saved　the　best　for　last；〃　Kerk　said　with　grim　humor。　〃Now　that　you　have　an　idea　of　what　the　environment　is　like…think　of　the　kind　of　life　forms　that　would　populate　it。　I　doubt　if　there　is　one　off…world　specie　that　would　live　a　minute。　Plants　and　animals　on　Pymis　are　tough。　They　fight　the　world　and　they　fight　each　other。　Hundreds　of　thousands　of　years　of　genetic　weeding…out　have　produced　things　that　would　give　even　an　electronic　brain　nightmares。　Armor…plated；　poisonous；　claw…tipped　and　fanged…mouthed。　That　describes　everything　that　walks；　flaps　or　just　sits　and　grows。　Ever　see　a　plant　with　teeth…that　bite？　I　don't　think　yo