tz.cobra strike-第8部分

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rwin。　Time　taken　away　from　your　family。　You　came　to　work　with　me　here；　and　Justin's　being　a　Cobra　。　。　。　and　now　Joshua's　going　to　be　taken　from　her；　too。〃　He　realized　abruptly　he　was　rambling　and　brought　his　eyes　back　to　Corwin。
　The　other　was　looking　pretty　miserable。　〃I'm　sorry。
　Maybe　I　shouldn't　have　done　it。　They　can　still　back　down。〃
　Jonny　shook　his　head。　〃No；　you　did　the　right　thing；　all　the　way　down　the　line。　Putting　the　twins　aboard　could　give　us　a　key　tactical　advantage；　and　the　full　council　probably　wouldn't　have　gone　for　my　proposal　any　more　than　Brom　and　pany　did。　Especially　with　the　cost　estimates　Cally　and　Almo　provided。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃Pity　Cally's　too　old　to　go　along…a　Cobra　with　military　experience　would　be　awfully　nice　to　have　on　the　scene。。。。〃　He　trailed　off　thoughtfully　as　an　idea　suddenly　occurred　to　him。
　〃You're　not　planning　to　go　yourself；　are　you？〃　Corwin　asked　suspiciously　into　his　train　of　thought。
　〃Hm？　Oh；　no。　Not　really。　I　was　just　trying　to　think　of　a　way　to　make　this　all　up　to　your　mother。〃　Taking　a　deep　breath；　he　let　it　out　in　a　controlled　sigh。　〃Well。　I'll　be　out　of　here　in　the　mornng；　or　so　they　say…soon　enough　for　us　to　break　this　to　her。　Why　don't　you　talk　to　Joshua　tonight；　get　his　reaction。　If　possible；　I　think　we　should　all　be　together　when　we　tell　Chrys。〃
　〃All　except　Justin；〃　Corwin　reminded　him。　〃He'll　be　in　surgical　isolation　for　another　week。〃
　〃I　know　that；〃　Jonny　said；　a　touch　of　asperity　making　it　through　the　emotional　damper　around　him。　〃But　the　three　of　us　should　be　there。〃
　〃Right；〃　Corwin　nodded；　standing　up。　〃I'll　let　you　get　back　to　resting　now　and　see　you　in　the　morning。　I　can　check　on　my　way　out　when　you'll　be　released　and　be　here　to　drive　you　home。〃
　〃Fine。　Oh；　and　while　you're　checking　that；　would　you　ask　the　doctor　to　drop　by　when　he's　got　some　time？　There　are　some　things　I　want　to　discuss　with　him。〃
　〃Sure；〃　Corwin　said。　He　held　his　father's　eye　another　second；　then　turned　and　left。
　Shifting　to　a　more　fortable　position；　Jonny　closed　his　eyes　and　let　all　tensions　melt　away。　Had　there　been　another　touch　of　suspicion　in　Corwin's　face　as　he　left？　Jonny　wasn't　sure。　But　it　didn't　really　matter。　Unlike　his　son；　he　had　several　other　governors　besides　Telek　with　whom　he　could　cut　a　deal　and　by　the　time　Corwin　found　out　about　it；　it　would　all　be　arranged。
　And　the　other　would　surely　approve；　anyway。　Eventually。
　
　
　Chapter　5
　
　The　room　they'd　taken　him　to　was　the　first　surprise…　Justin　had　had　the　impression　that　the　new　trainees　would　be　kept　together　for　their　first　postoperative　orientation　session。　A　quick　glance　around　the　office　as　his　escort　left　him　alone　was　a　second　shock：　no　Cobra　training　instructor　could　possibly　have　an　office　this　ornate。　The　desk…had　he　seen　its　carved　cyprene　wood　in　the　Cobra　lecture　tapes　he'd　studied　before　applying？　If　so；　this　was　the　private　office　of　Coordinator　Sun　himself。　Whatever　was　going　on；　this　was　not　part　of　the　published　schedule。
　Behind　the　desk；　a　private　door　opened。　Justin　tensed；　and　as　a　man　stepped　into　the　room；　he　felt　a　relieved　grin　spread　over　his　face。　〃Almo！　I　thought　you　were　still　out　in　Syzra　District　hunting　down　spine　leopards。〃
　〃Hello；　Justin…no；　please　stay　seated。〃　Pyre　sat　down　behind　the　desk。
　And　Justin　suddenly　realized　the　other　hadn't　even　smiled　in　greeting。　〃What's　up；　Almo？〃　he　asked；　his　pleased　surprise　evaporating。　〃Is　something　wrong？　Good　Lord…is　it　Dad？〃
　〃No；　no；　your　family's　fine；〃　Pyre　hastened　to　reassure　him。　〃Although　in　a　couple　of　months…〃　He　broke　off。　〃Let's　start　over。　How　much　do　you　know　about　the　Qasama　thing？〃
　Justin　hesitated。　Admitting　to　Pyre　that　his　father　had　given　the　family　confidential　information　was　no　big　deal　in　and　of　itself　。。。　but　under　these　circumstances。　。　。　。　〃Just　the　basics　of　the　Troft　offer；〃　he　said。　〃My　father　wanted　to　discuss　the　ethical　aspects　with　us。〃
　〃Fine；〃　Pyre　nodded。　〃Then　I　won't　need　to　go　over　that　with　you。　In　the　past　three　weeks　there*ve　been　some　twists　added…by　the　Council　and；　believe　it　or　not；　your　own　brother。〃
　Justin　listened　in　silence　as　Pyre　explained　the　Council's　expeditionary　plan　and　Corwin's　suggestion；　his　emotions　turmoiling　between　shock　and　excitement　with　very　little　room　left　amid　it　all　for　rational　thought。　〃The　Council's　voted　to　put　you　two　aboard　if　you're　both　willing　to　go/〃　Pyre　concluded。　〃Any　immediate　reactions？〃
　Justin　took　a　moment　to　find　his　tongue。　〃It　sounds　。。　。　interesting。　Very　interesting。　What's　Joshua　had　to　say　about　it；　and　where　do　you　fit　in？〃
　〃Joshua　you　can　ask　yourself…I'll　send　him　in　when　I'm　done。　As　for　me…〃　Pyre's　lip　twitched　in　something　between　a　smile　and　a　grimace。　〃I'm　going　to　be　head　of　the　shipboard　Cobra　contingent…four　of　us　in　all。　And　if　you　choose　one　of　those　slots；　I'll　be　handling　all　your　Cobra　training　for　the　next　few　weeks。〃
　Justin　was　suddenly　aware　of　the　neckwrap　puter　nestling　around　his　throat…the　programmable　training　puter　that　would　be　replaced　by　the　implanted　Cobra　nanoputer　if　and　when　he　graduated。　〃Specialized　training；　I　gather？　Stuff　you　don't　need　to　fight　spine　leopards？〃
　〃And　special…function　programmed　reflexes　that　are　built　into　the　standard　nanoputer　but　never　needed　in　forest　work；〃　Pyre　nodded。　〃Ceiling　flips；　backspins；　that　sort　of　thing。〃
　〃Won't　your　other　Cobras　need　that；　too？〃
　〃They'll　be　joining　us　once　your　basics　are　out　of　the　way；　three　to　four　weeks　from　now。〃　Pyre　leaned　his　elbows　on　the　desk；　steepling　his　fingertips　in　front　of　him。　〃Look；　Justin；　I've　got　to　be　honest　with　you。　I　can　tell　you're　seeing　this　as　a　big　fat　adventure；　but　you　have　to　realize　the　chances　are　fair　we'll　all　wind　up　dying　on　Qasama。〃
　〃Aw；　e　on；　Almo；〃　Justin　grinned。　〃You'll　be　there；　too；　and　you're　too　lucky　to　be　killed。〃
　〃Stop　that！〃　Pyre　snapped。　〃Luck　is　statistical　chance；　with　a　weak　coupling　to　skill　and　experience。　Nothing　more。　I've　got　a　little　of　both…you'll　have　practically　none　of　either。　If　anyone　dies；　it's　likely　to　be　you。〃
　Justin　shrank　into　his　chair；　taken　aback　by　Pyre's　outburst。　The　older　man　had　been　one　of　Justin's　most　admired　role　models　when　he　was　younger；　the　one　who…as　much　as　his　father…had　catalyzed　his　decision　to　bee　a　Cobra　himself。　To　be　chewed　out　by　that　role　model　was　more　of　a　shock　than　he'd　ever　dreamed　such　a　thing　could　be。
　His　expression　must　have　mirrored　his　feelings；　but　Pyre　nevertheless　continued　to　glare　for　several　more　seconds　before　finally　letting　his　eyes　soften。　〃I　know　that　hurt；〃　he　said　softly；　〃but　it　didn't　hurt　nearly　as　much　as　a　laser　would。　Get　it　into　your　head　right　now　that　this　is　a　probe　into　enemy　territory。　Your　father　will　tell　you　that　fighting　spine　leopards　is　a　picnic　in　parison。〃
　Justin　licked　his　lips。　〃You　don't　want　me　along；　do　you？〃
　For　the　First　time　Pyre's　gaze　slipped　away　from　Justin's　face。　〃What　I　want　personally　is　irrelevant。　The　Council　made　a　decision；　all　the　old　war　veterans　concurred　that　it　made　good　tactical　sense；　and　Governor　Telek　persuaded　them　I　was　the　man　to　lead　the　Cobra　contingent。　My　job's　been　defined　for　me；　and　it's　now　up　to　me　to　carry　it　out。　Period。〃
　〃And　you're　afraid　I　won't　be　able　to　handle　it？〃　Justin　asked；　the　first　stirrings　of　anger　starting　to　seep　through　the　numbness。
　〃I'm　afraid　none　of　us　will　be　able　to；〃　Pyre　replied　tartly。　〃And　if　the　whole　thing　goes　up；　I　don't　like　the　fact　that　my　attention　will　be　split　between　the　mission's　safety　and　yours。〃
　〃Why　should　it　be？〃　Justin　retorted。　〃Because　you've　known　me　since　I　was　in　diapers？　Because　you've　been　Dad's　friend　even　longer？　I'm　22；　Almo；　old　enough　to　take　care　of　myself　now…and　if　you　want　logic；　how　about　the　fact　that　I　won't　have　to　unlearn　all　the　little　tricks　of　fighting　spine　leopards　that　the　rest　of　you　will？　You　have　any　plaints　about　my　youth；　save　them　for　after　the　training；　all　right？　Then　maybe　we'll　have　some　actual　specifics　to　discuss。〃
　Pyre's　eyes　were　again　locked　with　his　and　unconsciously　Justin　braced　for　a　second　outburst。　But　it　didn't　e。　〃Okay；〃　Pyre　said　softly。　〃I　just　wanted　to　make　sure　you　knew　what　you　were　getting