tz.cobra strike-第32部分

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　begin　again。
　〃What's　going　on？〃　York　whispered　again。
　〃A　duel；　as　I　said；〃　Ingliss　murmured　back。　〃Each　man　takes　turns　casting　his　curse　ball　bola　at　the　other　until　both　weapons　have　been　lost　to　the　crowd　or　one　opponent　has　conceded。　The　curse　balls　will　leave　impressive　bruises；　but　seldom　do　more　physical　damage。〃
　〃Lost　to　the　crowd？〃
　〃If　a　throw　goes　wide　or　is　otherwise　not　caught；　the　observers　will　not　return　it。　Two　such　misses；　clearly；　and　the　duel　must　end。〃
　〃What　keeps　one　of　them　from　charging　his　opponent　between　throws　and　beating　his　brains　out？〃
　〃The　same　thing　that　keeps　them　from　using　their　guns；〃　Ingliss　replied　calmly。　〃Their　mojos…there　and　there。〃　He　pointed　to　two　of　the　spectators；　each　of　whom　had　an　extra　bird　on　his　shoulder。
　York　frowned。　〃You　mean　they　guard　against　all　attacks；　even　unarmed　ones？　I　thought　they　only　reacted　to　the　drawing　of　guns。〃
　〃Oh；　of　course　they　can't　defend　against　alt　attacks；〃　the　mayor　shrugged。　〃You　could　hit　me　now；　suddenly；　before　my　mojo　could　stop　you。　Though　it　would　keep　you　from　continuing　the　attack。〃　He　nodded　to　the　duelists；　now　beginning　to　show　sweat　sheens　from　their　efforts。　〃But　they　are　so　obviously　fighting　that　their　mojos　will　keep　them　apart。〃
　〃I　see。〃　York　thought　about　the　implications　of　that　for　the　Cobras；　should　they　eventually　need　to　go　into　action。　Would　the　mojos　recognize　them　as　the　source　of　the　lethal　laser　flashes　in　a　battle？　There　was　no　way　to　know。　〃At　least；〃　he　mented　out　loud；　〃that　explains　why　no　one's　tried　to　e　up　with　a　gun　or　weapon　the　mojos　wouldn't　recognize　as　such。　You'd　get　one　free　shot　at　your　target；　but　that's　about　all。〃
　〃You　Aventinians　seem　to　think　a　great　deal　in　terms　of　interpersonal　conflict；〃　Ingliss　said　in　a　voice　that　seemed　oddly　tight。　〃Your　planet　must　be　a　frightening　one　to　live　on。　Perhaps　if　you　had　mojos　of　your　own。。。。　At　any　rate；　you're　correct　about　alternative　weapons。　In　the　early　days　of　mojo　domestication　many　people　tried　making　them；　with　the　result　you've　already　deduced。〃
　〃Uh…huh；〃　York　nodded　and　settled　down　to　watch。　It　seemed　to　take　a　long　time；　but　in　actual　fact　the　duel　was　over　in　just　a　few　minutes；　York　couldn't　tell　offhand　what　it　solved；　but　as　the　crowd　closed　in　on　the　fighters；　separating　them　as　secondary　masses　of　seemingly　happy　well…wishers　and　friends　formed　around　each；　he　decided　that　they　all　considered　it　to　have　been　worthwhile。　Maybe　Nnamdi　could　sort　out　the　sociology　and　psychology　of　it　aboard　ship；　for　York；　it　was　a　low…priority　worry　indeed。　Glancing　around　through　the　dispersing　crowd；　he　located　the　islands　of　stability　that　were　the　rest　of　the　contact　team；　Mayor　Ingliss　and　the　escorts…
　And　Moff。
　York　blinked；　trying　hard　to　keep　any　hint　of　surprise　or　chagrin　out　of　his　face。　Despite　his　best　efforts；　the　Qasaman　had　slipped　back　into　the　group　unnoticed；　just　as　he'd　left　it。　It　suddenly　made　the　duel's　timing　suspicious　。。。　and　if　the　duel　was　a　？fake　it　automatically　raised　the　importance　of　Moff's　secret　errand；　raised　it　unfortably　high。　Throwing　together　such　a　diversion　required　either　a　lot　of　people　ready　on　a　moment's　notice；　or　else　a　smaller　group　capable　of　fooling　the　locals　as　well　as　the　Aventinian　visitors。　Either　one　implied　a　great　deal　of　effort　and…perhaps…a　fair　amount　of　advance　planning。
　Were　the　Qasamans　on　to　them？　And　if　so；　for　how　long？
　〃I'm　sorry　you　had　to　see　that；〃　Moff　said　as　the　team　and　escort　drew　back　together。　〃It's　a　form　of　aggression　we've　been　unable　to　eliminate　pletely。〃
　〃It　seems　pretty　mild　pared　to　some　I've　seen；〃　Cerenkov　assured　him。　Neither　he　nor　the　others　showed　any　reaction　to　Moff's　reappearance；　and　York　quietly　let　out　the　breath　he'd　been　holding。
　〃It's　still　more　than　a　truly　civilized　society　should　have；〃　Moff　said　stiffly。　〃Our　strength　of　will　should　be　turned　outward；　toward　the　conquering　of　this　world。〃
　〃And　beyond？〃　Rynstadt　murmured。
　Moff　looked　at　him；　an　intense　look　on　his　face。　〃The　stars　are　mankind's　future；〃　he　said。　〃We　won't　always　be　confined　to　this　one　world。〃
　〃Mankind　will　never　be　confined　again；〃　Cerenkov　agreed　solemnly。　〃Tell　me；　does　this　sort　of　duel　happen　very　often？　The　whoever　it　was　with　the　headband　seemed　to　be　right　on　top　of　things。〃
　〃Each　village　and　city　has　one　or　more　judges；　depending　on　its　population；〃　Moff　said。　〃They　have
　many　other　duties　besides　overseeing　duels。　But　e…we　have　a　great　many　more　places　to　visit　here。　Mayor　Ingliss　has　yet　to　show　you　the　local　government　center；　and　we　should　also　have　time　to　see　a　typical　residential　neighborhood　before　the　krisjaw　hunters　return。　At　that　point　we'll　be　able　to　visit　the　farming　areas。〃
　Cerenkov　smiled。　〃Point　taken；　Moff…we　do　have　a　busy　schedule。　Please；　lead　on；〃
　They　turned　a　corner　and　headed　for　the　cars　Ingliss's　people　had　driven　around　the　marketplace　area　for　them；　and　York　decided　to　be　cautiously　optimistic。　Sticking　to　the　tour　at　this　point　meant　Moff　believed　his　absence　hadn't　been　noticed。　Which　meant　whatever　the　Qasamans　had　planned　would　be　going　off　on　their　original　schedule。
　Abruptly；　he　was　aware　of　the　gentle　pressure　of　the　calculator　watch　on　his　wrist；　and　of　the　similar　feel　of　the　star　sapphire　on　his　hand。　Together　with　his　pen；　they　were　the　sections　of　his　palm…mate　。。。　a　weapon　neither　the　Qasamans　nor　the　mojos　had　ever　seen　before。　One　free　shot；　the　words　echoed　in　his　brain。　One　free　shot　before　the　mojos　can　stop　me。　I'd　damn　well　better　make　that　shot　count。
　It　happened　as　they　were　driving　back　toward　Sollas　that　evening；　and　their　first　warning　was　the　sudden　burst　of　static　that　replaced　the　hum　of　the　Dew…drop'％　radio　link。　At　the　front　of　the　bus　Moff　stood　up；　steadying　himself　with　his　left　hand。　In　his　right　hand　was　his　pistol。
　〃You　are　under　confinement；〃　a　voice　boomed　from　the　man　sitting　beside　him…or；　rather；　from　the　phone…sized　box　in　the　Qasaman's　hand。　〃You　are　suspected　of　spying　on　the　people　of　Qasama。　You　will　make　no　aggressive　move　until　the　final　destination　is　reached。　If　you　disobey　your　ship　will　be　destroyed。〃
　〃What？〃　Cerenkov　barked；　his　voice　a　blend　of　shock；　bewilderment；　and　outrage。　〃What's　all　this　about？〃
　But　there　was　no　sound　from　his　translator　pendant　and　the　words　fell　on　effectively　deaf　ears。　〃Moff…〃　Cerenkov　began；　half　rising。
　〃Don't　bother；〃　Rynstadt　advised　quietly。　〃That's　just　a　recorder；　not　a　translator。　We'll　have　to　wait　until　we　get　back　to　Sollas　to　clear　this　up。〃
　Cerenkov　opened　his　mouth；　apparently　thought　better　of　it；　and　dropped　back　into　his　seat。　Moff's　gun　hadn't　so　much　as　twitched；　York　noted　unfortably。　A　steady　man；　with　nerves　not　easily　rattled…　which　severely　limited　the　range　of　ploys　that　could　be　used　against　him。　And　his　mojo　。。。
　His　mojo　hadn't　so　much　as　squawked　at　the　sight　of　his　owner　with　a　gun　drawn　on　another　human　being。　None　of　the　birds　had。　For　whatever　reason…　appearance；　odor；　speech…the　Aventinians　apparently　had　been　exempted　from　the　automatic　protection　the　mojos　gave　their　Qasaman　masters。　York　had　almost　dared　to　hope　that　any　Qasaman　action　against　the　team　would　be　at　least　hindered　a　bit　by　the　mojos〃　presence。　But　that　was　obviously　not　going　to　happen。
　Across　the　aisle；　Joshua　shifted　in　his　seat。　〃They　must　have　one　gantua　of　a　puter　capability　to　get　even　that　much　of　a　translation　this　fast；〃　he　muttered。
　〃They　presumably　have　been　recording　both　our　words　and　their　translation；　though；〃　Rynstadt　pointed　out。　He　seemed　relaxed；　almost　unconcerned；　and　for　a　moment　York　stared　at　him　in　utter　inprehension。　Didn't　the　idiot　realize　just　how　much　trouble　they　were　in？　This　isn't　some　game；　the　snarl　welled　up　in　his　throat。　These　people　are　serious；　and　they're　scared。
　He　choked　the　words　down　unsaid。　Of　course　Rynstadt　wasn't　worried…weren't　there　four　Cobras　aboard　the　Dewdrop　ready　to　burst　out　and　rescue　them　in　a　blaze　of　laser　fire？
　　Except　it　wasn't　going　to　be　that　easy；　and　if　none　of　the　others　realized　that　York　certainly　did。　Shifting　his　gaze　to　the　window；　he　studied　the　darkening　sky　and　the　even　darker　forest　flanking　t