tz.cobra strike-第59部分

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　〃Oh？〃　Pyre　eyed　her。　〃You'd　rather　I　not　be　down　on　Qasama？〃
　〃I'd　rather　you　not　risk　your　life；　if　you　must　know；〃　she　said　grudgingly。　〃You've　done　your　bit。〃
　〃Ah。　You　feel　the　same　way　about　Justin；　Michael；　and　Dorjay？　Or　is　it　different　because　you　specifically　asked　that　/　be　aboard　the　Dewdrop　the　last　time　around？〃
　Her　Up　curled。　〃So　you　did　know。　I'd　hoped　I'd　hid　my　tracks　a　bit　better　than　that。〃
　〃I　have　friends　among　the　elite；　too。　Which　is　why　I　was　surprised　you'd　requested　me。〃
　Telek　exhaled　loudly。　〃Well；　it　wasn't　because　you　were　a　good　friend　of　the　Moreaus；〃　she　said。　〃Though　that　was　why　I　asked　you　and　Halloran　for　the　initial　cost　study。　But　for　the　trip　itself。。。。〃　She　paused；　eyes　drifting　to　the　window　and　the　Capitalia　city…scape　beyond。　〃It　bothered　me　all　the　way　from　the　beginning　why　the　Baliu　demesne　should　think　Cobras　would　have　a　better　shot　at　the　Qasamans　then　they　did。〃
　〃They　already　knew　the　mojos　attack　drawn　weapons；〃　Pyre　suggested。
　〃True。　And　there　was　the　whole　question　of　whether　this　was　a　test。　But　it　occurred　to　me　that　there　was　one　other　possibility。〃
　Pyre　frowned　in　thought　。。。　and　suddenly　it　hit　him。　〃You　think　they　knew　we　were　the　same　species　as　the　Qasamans？〃
　〃I　think　it　highly　probable；〃　Telek　nodded。　〃Cobras　would　have　an　advantage　in　a　war　against　other　humans。　And　being　the　connivers　they　are；　of　course；　they　wouldn't　want　us　to　know　who　we　were　facing　until　we'd　mitted　to　some　course　of　action。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　Pyre　said　slowly。　〃We　nearly　got　killed　on　Qasama　and　we're　still　barely　holding　our　own　with　public　opinion。　Imagine　the　furor　if　we'd　known　in　advance　we　were　being　asked　to　exterminate　another　human　society。〃　He　cocked　an　eyebrow　at　her。　〃That　doesn't　explain　my　presence　aboard；　though。〃
　She　took　a　deep　breath。　〃I　didn't　like　the　fact　that　I　might　be　called　upon　to　betray　another　human　colony　out　there。　You　were　there　to　make　sure　I　kept　my　priorities　straight。　Did　you　know；　Almo；　that　I　was　married　once？〃
　He　shook　his　head；　taking　the　abrupt　subject　change　in　stride。　〃Divorced？〃
　〃Widowed。　Since　before　I　became　a　governor。　He　was　a　Cobra　。。。　and　he　died　on　Caelian。〃
　She　paused；　memories　flicking　visibly　across　her　face。　Pyre　waited；　sensing　what　would　e　next。　〃You　remind　me　a　great　deal　of　him；〃　she　continued　at　last。　〃In　appearance；　even　more　in　spirit。　I　wanted　you　there　as　a　constant　reminder　that　we　need　a　new　world　for　the　Caelians　to　move　to。〃
　〃Even　if　that　world　is　bought　with　the　Qasamans〃　lives？〃　he　snarled。
　The　words　came　out　harsher　than　he'd　intended　them　to；　but　Telek　never　flinched。　〃Yes；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃Even　then。　My　duty　is　to　the　Cobra　Worlds；　first　and　foremost　。。。　and　it's　going　to　stay　that　way。〃
　Pyre　looked　at　her；　a　sudden　chill　sending　a　shiver　up　his　back。　All　the　time　together　on　the　Dewdrop　。。。　and　he　hadn't　really　known　her　at　all。
　〃I'm　sorry　if　that　makes　you　hate　me；〃　she　said　after　a　moment。　〃But　in　my　opinion　I　had　no　choice。〃
　He　nodded；　though　to　which　part　of　her　statement　he　wasn't　sure。　〃If　you'll　excuse　me；〃　he　said；　hearing　the　stiffness　in　his　voice；　〃I　need　to　get　back　to　work。　I　have　a　roster　to　plete　for　the　team　I'll　be　taking　to　Qasama。〃
　She　nodded。　〃All　right。　I'll　talk　to　you　later。〃
　He　turned　and　left　。。。　and　wondered　that　he　didn't　hate　her　for　her　ruthlessness。　The　Cobra　board　took　Justin's　plan　apart；　examined　it；　debated　it；　and…in　places…changed　it；　and　then　they　put　it　together　again　and　pronounced　it　sound。　The　forty…eight　Cobras　and　fourteen　scientists　who　would　be　landing　on　Qasama　were　chosen　and　trained。　The　Baliu　demesne　expressed　their　displeasure　at　funding　a　second　mission　on　what　still　amounted　to　speculation；　but　well　before　the　training　period　was　over　Jonny　and　Stiggur　were　able　to　change　the　aliens〃　minds。
　And　less　than　a　month　after　the　Dewdrop　had　returned　from　Qasama；　both　it　and　the　Menssana　lifted　quietly　from　the　Capitalia　starport　and　headed　back。
　
　
　Chapter　27
　
　Night　on　Qasama。
　The　villages　along　the　eastern　arm　of　what　was　now　referred　to　as　the　Fertile　Crescent　were　dark　as　the　Menssana　drifted　down　on　its　gravity　lifts。　Dark；　but　visible　enough　in　infrared　scanners。　The　roads　connecting　the　towns　were　visible；　too；　the　network　narrowing　like　a　filigree　arrowhead　to　point　at　the　most　southerly　village　at　the　end　of　the　crescent　。。。　with　but　a　single　road　northward　connecting　it　to　the　rest　of　Qasaman　civilization。
　The　Menssana　stopped　first　along　that　road；　some　twenty　kilometers　north　of　town；　and　when　it　lifted　again　it　had　left　twenty…two　people　and　the　two　aircars　behind。　The　aircars　themselves　lifted　before　the　ship　was　out　of　sight；　bound　on　missions　of　their　own；　and；　almost　lazily；　the　Menssana　swung　southward　toward　the　sleeping　target　village；　its　sensors　taking　in　great　gulps　of　electromagnetic　radiation；　sound；　and　particulate　matter　and　spitting　out　maps　and　lists　in　return。　The　ship　circled　the　village　once；　maintaining　a　discreet　distance　to　avoid　detection。　When　it　finally　set　down　in　the　forest　some　fifty　meters　from　the　wall；　the　forty　passengers　who　emerged　had　a　fair　idea　what　they　were　getting　into。
　　　Within　half　an　hour；　though　no　one　else　yet　knew　it；　they　had　taken　the　town。
　The　mayor　got　a　full　two　steps　into　his　office　before　his　face　registered　the　fact　that　someone　else　was　sitting　on　his　cushions…and　he　managed　another　step　and　a　half　before　he　was　able　to　stop。　His　eyes　widened；　then　narrowed　as　surprise　turned　to　anger。　He　snapped　something；　〃Who　are　you〃？　the　Menssana's　puter　translated　it。
　〃Good　morning；　Mr。　Mayor；〃　Winward　said　gravely　from　the　cushions；　his　newly　reconstructed　eyes　steady　on　the　other's　mojo。　〃Forgive　the　intrusion；　but　we　need　some　information　from　you　and　your　people。〃
　The　mayor　seemed　to　freeze　at　the　first　words　from　the　pendant　around　Winward's　neck　。。。　and　as　his　eyes　searched　the　Cobra's　face　the　blood　abruptly　drained　from　his　cheeks。　〃You！〃　he　whispered。
　Winward　nodded　understanding。　〃Ah；　so　Kimmeron　circulated　our　pictures；　did　he？　Good。　Then　you　know　who　I　am　。。。　and　you　know　the　foolishness　of　resistance。〃
　The　mayor's　gun　hand　was　trembling　as　if　in　indecision。　〃I　wouldn't　advise　it；〃　Winward　told　him。　〃I　can　kill　both　you　and　your　mojo　before　you　can　draw。　Besides；　there　are　others　with　me…lots　of　others…and　if　you　start　shooting　the　rest　of　your　people　probably　will；　too；　and　we'll　just　have　to　kill　a　bunch　of　you　to　prove　we　can　do　it。〃　He　cocked　his　head。　〃We　don't　have　to　prove　that；　do　we？〃
　A　muscle　in　the　other's　cheek　twitched。　〃I've　seen　the　reports　of　your　carnage；〃　he　said　grimly。
　〃Good；〃　Winward　said；　matching　the　other's　tone。　〃I　hate　having　to　cover　the　same　ground　twice。　So。　Are　you　going　to　cooperate？〃
　The　mayor　was　silent　for　a　moment。　〃What　do　you　want　from　us？〃
　Quietly；　Winward　let　out　the　breath　he'd　been　holding。　〃We　want　only　to　ask　your　people　some　ques…
　　tions　and　do　a　few　painless　and　harmless　studies　on　them　and　their　mojos；〃
　He　watched　the　mayor's　face　closely；　but　he　could　see　no　obvious　reaction。　〃Very　well；〃　the　Qasaman　said。　〃Only　to　prevent　unnecessary　bloodshed；　I　will　give　in。　But　be　warned：　if　your　tests　aren't　as　harmless　as　you　claim　you'll　soon　have　more　bloodshed　than　you　have　taste　for。〃
　〃Agreed。〃　Winward　stood　and　gestured　to　the　cushions　and　the　low　switch…covered　console　beside　it。　〃Call　your　people　and　tell　them　to　leave　their　homes　and　e　into　the　streets。　They　may　bring　their　mojos　but　must　leave　their　guns　inside。〃
　〃The　women　and　children；　too？〃
　〃They　must　e　out；　and　some　will　need　to　be　tested。　If　it'll　make　you　feel　better；　I　can　allow　a　close　relative　to　be　present　while　any　woman　or　child　is　being　questioned。〃
　〃That　。。。　would　be　appreciated。〃　The　mayor's　eyes　held　Winward's　for　a　moment；　〃To　what　demon　have　you　sold　your　soul；　that　you　are　able　to　return　from　the　dead？〃
　Winward　shook　his　head　minutely。　〃You　wouldn't　believe　it　if　I　told　you；〃　he　said。　〃Now　call　your　people。〃
　The　Qasaman　pursed　his　lips　and　sat　down。　Flipping　a　handful　of　switches　on　the　console；　he　began　speaking；　his　voice　echoing　faintly　from　the　streets。　Winward　listened