tz.cobra strike-第21部分

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gh；　and　as　the　herd's　headlong　rush　faltered　in　sudden　confusion；　Jonny　could　almost　see　them　lose　their　internal　sense　of　direction。　An　instant　later　the　hesitation　was　gone　and　the　herd　had　doubled　its　speed　to　a　flat…out　run　。。。　but　in　the　slightly　altered　direction　the　Menssana's　additional　magnetic　field　was　defining　for　them　from　the　ship's　new　position　some　ten　kilometers　away。　The　flank　of　the　herd　would　now　miss　the　line　of　Cobras；　and　when　the　Menssana　lifted　in　an　hour　or　so　and　the　flatfoots　resumed　their　original　direction　their　path　would　be　shifted　at　least　a　kilometer　out　of　the　way　of　the　human　encampment。
　Theoretically。　But　there　would　be　time　to　make　sure。
　The　aircar　was　dropping　toward　the　ground　and　the　Cobras　were　beginning　to　converge　on　it。　〃Good　job；〃　Banyon's　voice　came　from　Jonny's　phone。　〃Let's　head　back。〃
　The　last　few　clouds　had　cleared　shortly　before　sunset；　and　the　night　sky　was　alive　with　stars。　Walking　hand　in　hand　just　inside　the　perimeter；　Jonny　and　Chrys　took　turns　naming　the　recognizable　constellations　and　trying　to　match　the　more　distorted　ones　with　their　Aventinian　counterparts。　Eventually；　they　ran　out；　and　for　a　time　they　just　walked　in　silence；　enjoying　the　night　air。　Jonny；　his　audio　enhancers　activated；　heard　the　faint　roar　before　Chrys　did；　and　by　the　time　she　took　notice　the　steady　volume　level　showed　their　plan　had　succeeded。
　〃The　flatfoot　herd？〃　she　asked；　peering　off　into　the　darkness。
　〃Right；〃　he　nodded。　〃And　they're　not　getting　any　closer。　At　least　a　kilometer　away…maybe　two。〃
　She　shook　her　head。　〃Strange。　I　remember　some　biology　class　in　school　where　the　instructor　took　it　upon　himself　to　〃prove〃　that　no　land　animal　larger　than　a　condorine　could　ever　evolve　with　a　magnetic　sense　unless　there　was　some　ridiculously　high　local　field　present。　I　wish　he　was　here　to　see　this。〃
　Jonny　chuckled。　〃/　remember　reading　about　the　old　theory　that　all　the　native　plants　and　animals　on　the　various　Dominion　worlds　were　mutated　descend…ents　of　spores　or　bacteria　that　had　ultimately　been　blown　there　by　solar　winds　from　Earth。　The　argument　was　still　going　strong　when　the　Trofts　and　Minthisti　were　found；　I　understand；　and　I　have　no　idea　what　its　proponents　made　of　Aventine。　If　there　are　still　any　of　them　around。　I　guess　the　possibility　of　making　a　public　fool　of　yourself　is　just　one　of　those　risks　scientists　have　to　face。〃
　〃You　know；　that　universal　genetic　code　thing　has　always　bothered　me；　too；〃　Chrys　mused。　〃Why　should　all　the　life　we　find　show　the　same　DNA　and　protein　forms？　It　doesn't　seem　reasonable。〃
　〃Even　if　that　turns　out　to　be　the　only　workable　structure？〃
　〃I've　never　liked　that　theory。　It　seems　arrogant；　somehow。〃
　Jenny　shrugged。　〃I　don't　especially　care　for　it　either。　I've　heard　the　Troft　theory　is　that　some　major　disaster　three　or　four　billion　years　ago　nearly　sterilized　this　whole　region　of　space；　taking　with　it　an　early　starfaring　people。　The　algae　and　bacteria　that　survived　on　each　world　were　therefore　all　from　one　mon　stock；　though　they've　since　evolved　independently。〃
　〃That　must've　been　one　gantua　of　a　disaster。〃
　〃I　think　it　was　supposed　to　be　either　a　chain　of　supernovas　or　the　final　collapse　of　the　galaxy's　central　black　hole。〃
　〃Jh…huh。　Almost　simpler　to　believe　God　set　it　up　this　way　deliberately。〃
　〃Certainly　makes　a　colonist's　life　easier　to　be　able　to　digest　the　local　flora　and　fauna；〃　Jonny　agreed。
　〃Though　the　vice　versa　is　occasionally　a　problem。〃
　Jonny　tensed；　but　Chrys's　tone　hadn't　been　one　of　accusation。　〃I　appreciate　your　letting　me　go　with　the　others　today；〃　he　said；　as　long　as　they　were　now　on　the　topic。　〃I　know　I　promised　to　stay　out　of　things　on　this　trip…〃
　〃You　could　hardly　hold　out　when　you　were　needed；〃　she　put　in。　〃And　it　wasn't　like　you　were　in　serious　danger　out　there。　Were　you？〃
　〃No；　not　with　the　aircar　and　Menssana　as　backup。　Still；　I'll　try　to　behave　myself　the　rest　of　the　trip。〃
　She　chuckled　and　gave　his　hand　a　squeeze。　〃It's　all　right；　Jonny。　Really。　I　wouldn't　want　you　to　just　sit　on　your　hands　when　you're　needed。　Just　be　careful。〃
　〃Always；〃　he　assured　her；　wondering　at　her　abrupt　attitude　change。　This　was　the　old　Chrys　back　again；　the　one　who'd　been　so　supportive　of　his　service　when　they　were　first　married。　What　had　happened　to　change　her？　Was　she　simply　reacting　to　the　new　environment；　slipping　into　old　thought　patterns　with　the　reminder　of　their　past　struggles　on　Aventine？
　He　didn't　know。　But　he　liked　the　change　。。。　and　he　had　the　rest　of　the　trip　to　figure　out　how　to　keep　her　this　way　when　they　returned　home。
　
　
　Chapter　10
　
　The　clearance　to　remove　their　filter　helmets　had　e　from　the　Dewdrop　just　before　the　evening's　medical　exam；　and　in　the　hours　between　then　and　bedtime　Joshua　thought　his　nose　had　bee　thoroughly　accustomed　to　the　exotic　scents　of　Qasama's　air。　But　the　group　hadn't　taken　more　than　three　steps　outside　their　guest　house　in　the　morning　before　Joshua　realized　that　belief　had　been　a　little　premature。
　The　new　odor　seemed　to　be　a　mixture　of　baking　aromas　with　some　not…quite…aromatic　smoke　with　something　he　couldn't　begin　to　identify。
　He　apparently　wasn't　the　only　one。　〃What　is　that　I　smell？〃　Cerenkov　asked　Moff；　sniffing　the　breeze。
　Moff　inhaled　thoughtfully。　〃I　smell　the　bakery　one　street　down；　the　boron　refinery；　and　the　exhaust　of　vehicles。　Nothing　more。〃
　〃A　boron　refinery？〃　Rynstadt　spoke　up。　〃In　the　middle　of　the　city？〃
　〃Yes。　Why　not？〃　Moff　asked。
　〃Well　。。　。〃　Rynstadt　floundered　a　bit。　〃I　would　assume　it　would　be　safer　to　put　industries　like　that　away　from　populated　centers。　In　case　of　an　accident　or　something。〃
　Moff　shook　his　head。　〃We　have　no　accidents　of　any
　　　consequence。　And　the　equipment　itself　is　safest　right　where　it　is。〃
　〃Interesting；〃　Cerenkov　murmured。　〃Could　we　see　this　refinery？〃
　Moff　hesitated　a　second；　then　nodded。　〃I　suppose　that　would　be　permissible。　This　way。〃
　Bypassing　the　car　waiting　for　them　at　the　curb；　he　set　off；　the　four　Aventinians　and　five　other　Qasamans　following。　The　refinery　turned　out　to　be　less　than　a　block　away；　located　in　an　unremarkable　building　midway　between　two　of　Sollas's　extra…wide　avenues。
　Joshua　had　never　seen　this　kind　of　light　industrial　plant　before；　and　the　masses　of　tanks；　pipes；　and　bustling　Qasamans　gave　him　more　of　a　feeling　of　confusion　than　of　productivity。　But　Rynstadt…and　to　a　lesser　extent　York…seemed　fascinated　by　the　place。　〃Very　nice　setup；〃　Rynstadt　mented；　gazing　around　the　main　room。　〃I've　never　heard　of　a　boron　extraction　method　using　cold　bubbled　gas。　What　gas　is　that；　if　I　may　ask？〃
　〃I'm　really　not　sure；〃　Moff　said。　〃Some　sort　of　catalyst；　I　expect。　You　are　an　expert　in　this　sort　of　chemistry？〃
　〃No；　not　really；〃　Rynstadt　shook　his　head。　〃I　dabble　in　a　lot　of　fields…my　job　as　an　educator　requires　me　to　know　bits　and　pieces　of　almost　every　subject。〃
　〃A　general　scientific　expert；　then。　I　see。〃
　There　was　something　about　the　way　Moff　said　that　that　Joshua　didn't　care　for；　as　if　Rynstadt's　supposed　expertise　had　added　a　point　against　the　mission's　peaceful　image。　〃Would　something　tike　this　method　be　marketable　on　Aventine；　Marck；　do　you　think？〃　he　spoke　up；　hoping　Rynstadt　would　pick　up　the　cue。
　He　did。　〃Almost　certainly；〃　the　other　nodded　at　once。　〃Boron　plays　a　major　part　in　at　least　a　dozen　different　industries；　and　while　our　methods　aren't　expensive　something　cheaper　would　always　be　wele。　Perhaps　we　can　discuss　this　in　more　detail
　　later；　Moff；　either　with　Mayor　Kimmeron　or　someone　in　planetary　authority。〃
　〃I'll　pass　on　your　request；〃　Moff　said。　His　tone　was　neutral；　but　to　Joshua's　eye　he　seemed　to　relax　just　a　bit。　Like　tiptoeing　through　a　mine　field　with　these　people；　he　thought。
　〃Well；　I　think　we　might　as　well　move　on；　then；〃　Cerenkov　said　briskly。　〃I'd　still　like　to　see　the　art　gallery　you　mentioned　yesterday；　and　perhaps　one　of　your　marketplaces。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　Moff　agreed。　〃Back　to　the　car；　then；　and　we'll　be　off。〃
　〃Well？〃　Telek　asked。
　Christopher　straightened　up　from　his　terminal。　〃I　don't　find　any　reference　to　this　kind　of　boron　refinement　method；〃　he　said。　〃Again；　these　records　are　by　no　means　plete…〃
　〃Sure；　sure。　So　have　t