bill_the_galactic_hero_v1.1-第13部分

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　　〃Now　hear　this。　Attention　all　hands　。　。　。　stand　by　。　。　。　in　a　few　moments　we　will　be　taking　you　to　the　flagship　for　a　on…the…spot　report　from　the　admiral　。　。　。　stand　by　。　。　。〃　The　voice　was　cut　off　by　the　sounding　of　General　Quarters　but　went　on　again　when　this　hideous　sound　had　ended。　〃。　。　。　and　here　we　are　on　the　bridge　of　that　gigantic　conquistadore　of　the　spacelanes；　the　twenty…mile…long；　heavily　armored；　mightily　gunned　super　battleship　the　Fairy　Queen　。　。　。　the　men　on　watch　are　stepping　aside　now　and　ing　toward　me　in　a　simple　uniform　of　spun　platinum　is　the　Grand　Admiral　of　the　Fleet；　the　Right　Honorable　Lord　Archaeopteryx　。　。　。　Could　you　spare　us　a　moment　Your　Lordship？　Wonderfull　The　next　voice　you　hear　will　be　。　。　。　〃
　　The　next　voice　was　a　burst　of　music　while　the　fusemen　eyed　their　fusebands；　but　the　next　voice　after　that　had　all　the　rich　adenoidal　tones　always　heard　from　peers　of　the　Empire。
　　〃Lads…we're　going　into　action！　This；　the　mightiest　fleet　the　galaxy　has　ever　seen　is　heading　directly　toward　the　enemy　to　deliver　the　devastating　blow　that　may　win　us　the　war。　In　my　operations　tank　before　me　I　see　a　myriad　pinpoints　of　light；　stretching　as　far　as　the　eye　can　see；　and　each　point　of　light…I　tell　you　they　are　like　holes　in　a　blanket！is　not　a　ship；　not　a　squadron…but　an　entire　fleet！　We　are　sweeping　forward；　closing　in　。　。　。〃
　　The　sound　of　tom…toms　filled　the　air；　and　on　the　fuseband　that　Bill　was　watching　appeared　a　matched　set　of　golden　gates；　swinging　open。
　　〃Tembo！〃　he　screamed。　〃Will　you　knock　that　off　I　want　to　hear　about　the　battle　。　。　。〃
　　〃Canned　tripe；〃　Tembo　sniffed。　〃Better　to　use　the　few　remaining　moments　of　this　life　that　may　remain　to　you　to　seek　salvation。　That's　no　admiral；　that's　a　canned　tape。　I've　heard　it　five　times　already；　and　they　only　play　it　to　build　morale　before　what　they　are　sure　is　to　be　a　battle　with　heavy　losses。　It　never　was　an　admiral；　it's　；from　an　old　TV　program　。　。　。〃
　　〃Yippee！〃　Bill　shouted；　and　leaped　forward。　The　fuse　he　was　looking　at　crackled　with　a　brilliant　discharge　around　the　clips；　and　at　the　same　moment　the　fuseband　charred　and　turned　from　red　to　black。　〃Unggh！〃　he　grunted；　then　〃Unggh！　Ungghl　Ungghl〃　in　rapid　succession；　burning　his　palms　on　the　still　hot　fuse；　dropping　it　on　his　toe；　and　finally　getting　it　into　a　fuseway。　When　he　turned　back　Tembo　had　already　clipped　a　fresh　fuse　into　the　empty　clips。
　　〃That　was　my　fuse　you　shouldn't　have　。　。　。〃　there　were　tears　in　his　eyes。
　　〃Sorry。　But　by　the　rules　I　must　help　if　I　am　free。〃
　　〃Well；　at　least　we're　in　action；〃　Bill　said；　back　in　position　and　trying　to　favor　his　bruised　foot。
　　〃Not　in　action　yet；　still　too　cold　in　here。　And　that　was　just　a　fuse　breakdown；　you　can　tell　by　the　clip　discharge；　they　do　that　sometimes　when　they　get　old。〃
　　〃。　。　。　massed　armadas　manned　by　heroic　troopers　。　。　。〃
　　〃We　could　have　been　in　bat。〃　Bill　pouted。
　　〃。　。　。　thunder　of　atomic　broadsides　and　lightning　trails　of　hurtling　torpedoes　。　。　。　〃
　　〃I　think　we　are　now。　It　does　feel　warmer；　doesn't　it；　Bill？　We　had　better　undress；　if　it　really　is　a　battle　we　may　get　too　busy。〃
　　〃Let's　go；　let's　go；　down　to　the　buff；〃　First　Class　Spleen　barked；　leaping　gazellelike　down　the　rows　of　fuses；　clad　only　in　a　pair　of　dirty　gym　socks　and　his　tattooed…on　stripes　and　fouled…fuse　insignia　of　rank。　There　was　a　sudden　crackling　in　the　air；　and　Bill　felt　the　clipped…short　stubs　of　his　hair　stirring　in　his　scalp。
　　〃What's　that？〃　he　yiped。
　　〃Secondary　discharge　from　that　bank　of　fuses；〃　Tembo　pointed。　〃It's　classified　as　to　what　is　happening；　but　I　heard　tell　that　it　means　one　of　the　defense　screens　is　under　radiation　attack；　and　as　it　overloads　it　climbs　up　the　spectrum　to　green；　to　blue　to　ultraviolet　until　finally　it　goes　black　and　the　screen　breaks　down。〃
　　〃That　sounds　pretty　way　out。〃
　　〃I　told　you　it　was　just　a　rumor。　The　material　is　classified。。〃
　　〃THERE　SHE　GOES！！〃
　　A　crackling　bang　split　the　humid　air　of　the　fuse　room；　and　a　bank　of　fuses　arced；　smoked；　burned　black。　One　of　them　cracked　in　half；　showering　small　fragments　like　shrapnel　in　every　direction。　The　fusemen　leaped；　；grabbed　the　fuses；　slipped　in　replacements　with　sweating　hands；　barely　visible　to　each　other　through　the　reeking　layers　of　smoke。　The　fuses　were　driven　home；　and　there　was　a　moment's　silence；　broken　only　by　a　plaintive　bleating　from　the　munications　screen。
　　〃Son　of　a　bowb！〃　First　Class　Spleen　muttered；　kicking　a　fuse　out　of　the　way　and　diving　for　the　screen。　His　uniform　jacket　was　hanging　on　a　hook　next　to　it；　and　he　struggled　into　this　before　banging　the　RECEIVE　switch。　He　finished
closing　the　last　button　just　as　the　screen　cleared。　Spleen　saluted；　so　it　must　have　been　an　officer　he　was　facing；　the　screen　was　edge…on　to　Bill；　so　he　couldn't　tell；　but　the　voice　had　the　quacking　no…chin…and…plenty…of…teeth　whine　that　he　was　beginning　to　associate　with　the　officer　class。　
　　〃You're　slow　in　answering；　First　Class　Spleen…maybe　Second　Class　Spleen　would　be　able　to　answer　faster？〃
　　〃Have　pity；　sir…I'm　an　old　man。〃　He　dropped　to　his　knees　in　a　prayerful　attitude　which　took　him　off　the　screen。
　　〃Get　up；　you　idiot！　Have　you　repaired　the　fuses　after　that　last　overload？〃
　　〃We　replace；　sir；　not　repair　。　。　。〃
　　〃None　of　your　technical　gibberish；　you　swine！　A　straight　answer！〃
　　〃All　in　order；　sir。　Operating　in　the　green。　No　plaints　from　anyone；　your　worship。〃
　　〃Why　are　you　out　of　uniform？〃
　　〃I　am　in　uniform；　sir；〃　Spleen　whined；　moving　closer　to　the　screen　so　that　his　bare　behind　and　shaking　lower　limbs　could　not　be　seen。
　　〃Don't　lie　to　me！　There's　sweat　on　your　forehead。　You　aren't　allowed　to　sweat　in　uniform。　Do　you。　see　me　sweating？　And　I　have　a　cap　on　too…at　the　correct　angle。　I'll　forget　it　this　time　because　I　have　a　heart　of　gold。　Dismissed。〃
　　〃Filthy　bowb！〃　Spleen　cursed　at　the　top　of　his　lungs；　tearing　the　jacket　from　his　stifling　body。　The　temperature　was　over　120　and　still　rising。　〃Sweat！　They　have　air　conditioning　on　the　bridge…and　where　do　you　think　they　discharge　the
heat？　In　here！　YEEOOW！！〃
　　Two　entire　banks　of　fuses　blew　out　at　the　same　time；　three　of　the　fuses　exploding　like　bombs。　At　the　same　moment　the　floor　under　their　feet　bucked　hard　enough　to　actually　be　felt。
　　〃Big　trouble！〃　Tembo　shouted。　〃Anything　that　is　strong　enough　to　feel　through　the　stasis　field　must　be　powerful　enough　to　flatten　this　ship　like　a　pancake。　There　go　some　morel〃　He　dived　for　the　bank　and　kicked　a　fuse　clear　of　the　clips　and　jammed　in。　a　replacement
　　It　was　an　inferno。　Fuses　were　exploding　like　aerial　bombs；　sending　whistling　particles　of　ceramic　death　through　the　air。　There　was　a　lightning　crackle　as　a　board　shorted　to　the　metal　floor　and　a　hideous　scream；　thankfully　cut　short；　as
the　sheet　of　lightning　passed　through　a　fuse　tender's　body。　Greasy　smoke　boiled　and　hung　in　sheets；　making　it　almost　impossible　to　see。　Bill　raked　the　remains　of　a　broken　fuse　from　the　darkened　clips　and　jumped　for　the　replacement　rack。
He　clutched　the　ninety…pound　fuse　in　his　aching　arms　and　had　just　turned　back　toward　the　boards；　when　the　universe　exploded。
　　All　the　remaining　fuses　seemed　to　have　shorted　at　once；　and　the　screaming　bolt　of　crackling　electricity　crashed　the　length　of　the　room。　In　its　eye…piercing　light　and　in　a　single；　eternal　moment　Bill　saw　the　flame　sear　through　the　ranks　of　the　fuse　tenders；　throwing　them　about　and　incinerating　them　like　particles　of　dust　in　an　open　fire。　Tembo　crumpled　and　collapsed；　a　mass　of　seared　flesh；　a　flying　length　of　metal　tore　First　Class　Spleen　open　from　neck　to　groin　in　a　single　hideous　wound。
　　〃Look　at　that　vent　in　Spleen！〃　Bowb　shouted；　then　screamed　as　a　ball　of　lightning　rolled　over　him　and　turned　him　to　a　blackened　husk　in　a　fraction　of　a　second。
　　By　chance；　a　mere　accident；　Bill　was　holding　the　solid　bulk　of　the　fuse　before　him　when　the　flame　struck。　It　washed　over　his　left　arm；　which　was　on　the　outside　of　the　fuse；　and　hurled　its　flaming　weight　against　the　thick　cylinder。　The　force　hit　Bill；　knocked　him　back　toward　the　reserve　racks　of　fuses；　and　rolled　him　end　over　end　flat　on　the　floor　while　the　all…destroying　sheet　of　fire　crackled　inches　above　his　head。　It　died　away　as　suddenly　as　it　had　e；　leaving