hh.thessrat.sings.the.blues-第10章

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　Despite　millennia　of　civilization　man's　inhumanity　to　man　persisted　whenever　an　opportunity　presented　itself。
　The　imaged　clouds　blew　by　and　a　massive　five…sided　building　appeared　on　the　screen。　I　supposed　they　called　it　the　Pentagon。
　〃In　a　few　moments　we　will　be　landed　inside　the　walls　of　the　Pentagon　debarkation　station。　Remain　seated　until　you　are　ordered　to　rise。　Follow　instructions　and　your　passage　will　be　made　that　much　easier　。　。　。〃
　I　would　like　to　make　his　passage　easier！　Then　I　relaxed　and　opened　my　fists。　Very　soon　we　would　be　away　from　weary　wardens　and　on　our　own。　That　was　the　moment　to　be　prepared　for。
　We　shuffled　out　in　silence；　down　the　gangway…which　surely　should　have　been　a　gangplank…and　into　the　thick…walled　Pentagon。　To　be　greeted　by　yet　another　naval　officer；　grim…faced　and　gray…haired；　wearing　dark　glasses。
　〃Take　the　prisoners　to　Interview　nine　at　once。〃
　The　petty　officer　of　our　guard　protested。　〃Not　regulation；　sir。　They　have　to…〃
　〃You　have　to　close　your　gob。　Look　at　these　orders。　Do　as　instructed。　You　do　enjoy　being　a　petty　officer？〃
　〃Yes；　sir！　Prisoners　this　way！〃
　The　officer　came　in　after　us；　closed　and　locked　the　door；　smiled　at　us　warmly　and　said　〃Shut　up〃　panionably。　He　then　walked　around　the　room　with　what　I　recognized　as　being　a　state　of　the　art　munication　detector。　I　couldn't　imagine　who　would　want　to　bug　the　room　here　at　the　end　of　the　universe…but　he　was　in　charge。　Satisfied　he　put　the　detector　away　and　turned　to　face　us　and　handed　me　a　key。
　〃You　can　take　the　cuffs　off　while　we　are　in　this　room。　I　am　Captain　Tremearne　and　I　am　your　contact　here。　Wele　to　Liokukae。〃　He　took　off　the　dark　glasses　and　smiled　at　us　and　waved　us　to　the　chairs。　I　could　see　now　that　a　wicked　scar　slashed　across　his　face　and　the　bridge　of　his　nose。　He　was　blind。　But　could　undoubtedly　see　fine　with　the　electronic　replacement　eyes　that　had　been　fitted。　They　were　gold…plated　and　gave　him　a　highly　interesting　appearance。
　〃I　am　the　only　one　here　in　the　Pentagon　who　knows　the　real　nature　of　your　assignment　here。　You　are　all　volunteers　and　I　would　like　to　thank　you。　Help　yourself　to　refreshments　because　that　is　the　last　kind　word　you　are　going　to　hear　for　quite　a　while。〃
　〃What　is　it　like　out　there？〃　I　asked；　touching　the　seal　on　a　chilled　container　of　beer　and　taking　a　life…reviving　swig。　There　were　fresh　sandwiches　and　hot　swinedogs　there　as　well　and　my　panions　all　dived　in。　I　joined　them；　but　not　before　I　had　opened　a　concealed　drawer　in　my　synthezier　and　taken　out　some　necessary　items。
　〃What's　life　like　on　this　planet？　Grim…and　worse　than　grim；　Jim。　In　the　centuries　that　Liokukae　has　been　used　as　a　societal　galactic　wastebin　there　has　been　a　rather　deadly　shaking　down。　Different　cultures　have　been　formed　here　as　like　found　like。　Or　violent　men　forced　violent　solutions　upon　weaker　men。　One　of　the　most　stable　of　these　has　been　developed　right　outside　the　Pentagon。　They　call　themselves　the　Machmen。　Man　is　strong；　woman　weak；　virility　rules；　strength　through　strength；　I'm　sure　that　you　know　the　kind　of　thing。　The　top　dog　in　this　kennel；　whom　I　am　sure　you　will　be　meeting　soon；　is　named　Svinjar。〃
　〃Are　these　weirdos　what　the　psych　books　call　male　chauvinist　pigs？〃　I　asked。　He　nodded。
　〃Absolutely　correct。　So　do　your　best　to　keep　Madonette　out　of　sight。　And　practice　walking　on　your　toes　and　flaring　your　nostrils　at　the　same　time。　If　you　can't　think　of　anything　else　to　do　crook　your　arm　and　admire　your　biceps。〃
　〃Sounds　a　paradise；〃　she　frowned。
　〃Won't　be　too　bad　if　you　watch　your　step。　They　like　to　be　entertained…since　they　haven't　enough　brains　to　entertain　themselves。　Very　big　on　jugglers；　duels；　arm　wrestling。〃
　〃What　about　music？〃　Steengo　asked。
　〃Fine…as　long　as　it　is　loud；　martial　and　not　sentimental。〃
　〃We'll　do　our　best；〃　I　said。　〃But　it　is　a　group　called　the　Fundamentaloids　that　I　want　to　look　for。〃
　〃Of　course。　As　you　have　been　told　the　spacer　with　the　archeological　expedition　landed　in　their　area　of　operation。　I　led　the　rescue　party　that　took　the　expedition　members　out　of　here…which　is　why　I　am　your　contact　now。　The　Fundamentaloids　are　nomads；　as　well　as　being　pretty　narrow…minded　and　obnoxious。　I　tried　to　keep　things　calm　with　them。　Didn't　work。　In　the　end　I　narcgassed　the　lot　and　went　in　and　pulled　the　scientists　out。　I　didn't　find　out　about　the　missing　artifact　until　much　later　when　we　were　offplanet　and　they　were　conscious　again　and　the　excitement　had　cooled　down。　By　this　time　the　group　that　had　grabbed　them　had　moved　on　and　the　trail　got　cold。　Nothing　more　I　could　do　at　the　time　but　report　it。　It's　all　in　your　hands　now。〃
　〃Thanks　much。　Can't　you　at　least　point　out　to　me　on　the　map　where　they　are？〃
　〃Wish　I　could…but　they're　nomads。〃
　〃Wonderful。〃　I　smiled　insincerely。　Twenty　days　to　deadline。　Deadline！　it　would　be。　I　shook　off　the　dark　feelings　just　one　more　time；　looked　around　at　my　band。
　〃Ask　questions　if　you　have　any　because　this　is　your　last　chance；〃　Tremearne　said。
　〃Do　you　have　a　map？〃　I　asked。　〃I　would　like　to　know　just　what　we　have　to　face　when　we　go　out　there。〃
　Tremearne　reached　to　the　holo　projector　and　switched　it　on。　A　three…dimensional　contour　map　appeared　in　midair　over　the　table。　〃This　is　a　fair…sized　continent　as　you　can　see。　There　are　other　continents　on　this　planet；　some　inhabited；　but　they　have　no　contact　with　this　one。　The　artifact　has　to　be　somewhere　here。〃
　That　really　simplifies　things；　I　thought　to　myself。　Only　one　continent　to　search　and　about　three　weeks　to　do　it　in。　I　shook　off　the　depression　that　was　depressing　my　depression。
　〃Do　you　know　who　and　what　are　out　there？〃
　〃We　have　a　good　idea。　We　plant　bugs　where　we　can；　fly　spyeyes　pretty　often。〃　He　tapped　the　plain　at　the　center　of　the　continent。　〃Here　is　the　Pentagon　with　the　Machmen　close　by　outside　it。　The　Fundamentaloids　could　be　anywhere　here　on　the　plains　depending　on　the　season。　It　is　subtropical　most　of　the　year；　but　rainfall　varies。　They　have　herds　of　sheots；　a　very　hardy　ruminant；　some　kind　of　cross　between　a　sheep　and　a　goat。　Now　over　here　in　the　foothills　is　the　closest　thing　that　passes　for　civilization　in　these　parts。　An　agricultural　society　with　light　industry　that　looks　almost　decent　until　you　get　close。　There　is　a　central　city；　right　here；　surrounded　by　farms。　They　mine　and　smelt　silver　and　produce　a　coin　called　a　fedha。　It　is　the　only　currency　on　the　planet　and　is　used　by　almost　everyone。〃　He　pulled　a　heavy　bag　out　of　a　drawer　and　dropped　it　onto　the　table。　〃As　you　can　well　imagine　they　are　easy　enough　to　forge。　In　fact　ours　have　more　silver　than　the　originals。　Here's　a　supply　for　you。　I　suggest　that　you　share　it　around　and　hide　it　well。　A　lot　of　types　out　there　would　be　happy　to　kill　you　for　just　one　of　these。　The　people　who　mine　the　silver　call　their　city　Paradise…which　is　about　as　far　away　from　a　true　description　as　you　can　get。　Stay　away　from　them…if　you　possibly　can。〃
　〃I'll　try　to　remember　that。　And　I　want　to　copy　this　into　memory　in　my　puter。　Here。〃
　I　took　off　the　small　black　metal　skull　that　hung　on　a　chain　around　my　neck。　When　I　squeezed　it　the　eyes　glowed　greenly　and　a　pressure…sensitive　holoscreen　blinked　into　being；　I　copied　the　map；　thought　about　what　Tremearne　had　said…and　realized　for　the　first　time　what　a　sinkhole　we　were　being　dropped　into。　I　had　another　question。
　〃So　everyone　out　there　is　a　nutcase　or　a　weirdo　of　some　kind？〃
　〃The　ones　that　were　sent　here　for　various　crimes　are。　The　ones　who　were　born　here　grow　up　and　fit　in　just　as　well。〃
　〃And　you　feel　no　passion　for　them？　Doomed　by　an　accident　of　birth　to　existence　in　this　world…wide　spittoon。〃
　〃I　certainly　do…and　I　am　glad　to　hear　you　express　yourself　so　clearly　on　the　subject。　I　never　even　heard　of　this　world　until　the　emergency。　I　got　the　professors　off　safely　then　looked　around。　Which　is　why　I　now　head　the　mittee　that　is　working　to　clean　up　the　operation　here　on　Liokukae。　It　has　been　ignored　for　too　long　by　too　many　stupid　politicians。　I　took　this　assignment　to　see　for　myself。　Your　reports　to　me；　along　with　your　plete　report　when　you　return；　Arifl　be　just　what　we　heed　to　make　this　prison　world　a　thing　of　the　past。〃
　〃If　you　mean　that；　Captain；　I'm　on　your　side。