hh.thessrat.sings.the.blues-第19章

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　fit。　Without　damaging　the　circuits　in　any　way。〃
　〃E？　M？〃　Floyd　asked。
　〃Earplugs　and　microphone。〃
　〃Then　what？〃　I　asked；　almost　humbly；　dazed　by　the　sudden　appearance　of　a　munications　wizard　in　our　midst。
　〃They　are　powered　by　the　destruction　of　the　phagocytes　that　e　to　eat　them　where　they　touch　the　cuticle。　Which　means　that　the　power　is　always　on。　Anytime　you　are　outside　or　in　a　building　with　thin　floors…your　signal　zips　up　to　the　satellite　and　back　down　to　the　other　receiver。　Simple。　Just　put　your　index　finger　into　your　ear　and　talk　into　the　microphone　on　your　pinkie。〃
　I　measured　a　pair；　trimmed　and　glued　with；　I　must　admit；　a　certain　amount　of　trepidation。　Stuck　my　finger　into　my　ear　and　said；　〃I　hope　it　works。〃
　〃Of　course　it　does；〃　Tremearne　said；　speaking　through　my　fingernail　instead　of　my　jaw　for　a　change。
　While　we　had　been　installing　the　MIPSCs　we　had　been　going　over　and　over　all　of　the　possibilities；　had　returned　always　to　the　only　viable　plan。
　〃Let's　do　it；〃　Madonette　said；　admiring　her　new　municating　fingernails。　She　put　on　her　pack；　shrugged　it　into　fortable　position；　then　turned　and　walked　off　on　her　side　of　the　barrier。　With　each　step　the　wall　grew　higher；　until；　very　quickly；　it　was　as　high　as　her　head；　then　higher。　After　a　last　wave　of　her　hand　she　vanished　from　sight。
　〃Keep　in　touch；〃　I　said　into　my　pinkie。　〃Regular　reports　and　sing　out　if　you　see　anything…anything　at　all。〃
　〃Just　as　you　say；　boss。〃
　We　slipped　on　our　packs　and　started　walking。　By　the　time　an　hour　had　passed　the　wall　was　high　and　unscalable。　Though　I　stayed　in　radio　contact　with　her；　Madonette　was　now　pletely　alone。　I　kept　telling　myself　that　armed　help　could　zip　down　from　the　orbiting　spacer　if　needed。　This　did　not　make　me　feel　much　better。
　〃First　tilled　fields　ing　up；〃　Floyd　said。　〃And　more　than　that；　That　dust　cloud　next　to　the　wall…it's　ing　our　way。〃
　〃Weapons　ready…and　I　have　some　concussion　grenades　handy　if　things　get　hairy。〃
　We　stopped　and　waited　and　watched。　In　the　distance　it　looked　like　a　horse　that　was　trotting　towards　us。
　〃Horse…but　no　rider；〃　I　said。
　Steengo　had　the　keener　vision。　〃Looks　like　no　horse　I　ever　saw　before。　Not　one　with　six　legs。〃
　It　slowed　to　a　stop　and　looked　at　us。　We　returned　the　favor。　A　robot；　metal。　Jointed　legs　and　in　the　front　a　pair　of　tentacle…like　arms　to　boot。　No　head　to　speak　of；　just　a　couple　of　eyes　that　rose　up　on　a　stalk。　A　loudspeaker　between　its　arms　rustled　and　squawked　metallically。
　〃Bonan　tagon…kaj　bonvenu　al　Paradizo。〃
　〃And　a　good　day　to　you　as　well；〃　I　said。　〃My　name　is　Jim。〃
　〃A　masculine　surname；　most　agreeable。　I　am　called　Hingst　and　it　is　my　pleasure　to　greet　you…〃
　The　creature's　words　were　drowned　out　by　a　throbbing　roar　and　a　cloud　of　black　smoke　emerged　from　its　rear。　We　stepped　back；　weapons　ready。　Hingst's　flexible　arms　lifted　straight　up。
　〃I　wish　you　only　peace；　oh　strangers。　You　would　not　know　it；　since　you　are　untutored　in　science；　but　the　sound　and　fumes　are　merely　the　exhaust　of　my　alcohol　engine。　Which　is　rapidly　turning　a　generator　which　in　turn　。　。　。〃
　〃Charges　up　your　batteries。　We　know　a　thing　or　two　as　well；　Hingst；　greeter　of　strangers　to　Paradise；　and　we　are　not　your　usual　goaty　nomads。〃
　〃Now　that　is　a　pleasure　to　hear；　visiting　gentlemen。　Before　my　operating　system　was　bolted　into　this　rather　crude　construction　I　was　a　class　A42　headwaiterbot　and　worked　at　only　the　most　excellent　restaurants　。　。　。〃
　〃Another　time；〃　I　said。　〃I　would　enjoy　your　reminiscences。　We　have　a　few　questions…〃
　〃And　I　am　sure　I　have　a　few　answers；〃　it　said　with　surly　overtones。　〃But　there　are　preliminaries　to　go　through。〃　It　had　strolled　a　few　paces　forward　as　it　talked　and　now；　like　a　striking　snake；　one　of　its　tentacles　lashed　at　me。　I　jumped　back；　lifted　my　sword…but　not　before　the　cool　metal　tip　had　touched　my　lips　and　just　as　swiftly　been　withdrawn。
　〃Try　that　again　and　you'll　be　a　tentacle　short；〃　I　growled。
　〃Temper；　temper。　After　all　you　are　armed　strangers　and　I　am　simply　doing　my　duty。　Which　is　to　sample　your　saliva。　And　test　it；　which　I　have　done。　You　may　proceed；　Gentleman　Jim；　because　you　indeed　are　of　the　male　sex。　I　would　appreciate　samples　from　your　associates。〃
　〃As　long　as　it　is　just　spit　you　are　after；〃　Floyd　growled；　hands　joined　and　cupped　over　his　nether　regions。
　〃Oh；　I　do　appreciate　a　sense　of　humor；　stranger。〃　The　tentacle　took　its　sample　from　his　mouth。　〃Gentleman　stranger　I　can　now　say。　Final　traveler　if　you　please。　Lovely；　thank　you。　You　may　now　proceed。〃
　It　turned　away　and　I　jumped　in　front　of　it。
　〃A　moment　first；　Hingst　the　Official　Greeter。　A　few　questions　。　。　。〃
　〃Sorry。　I　am　not　programmed　for　that。　Kindly　step　aside；　Gentleman　Jim。〃
　〃Only　after　I　get　a　few　answers。〃
　When　I　didn't　move　the　other　tentacle　touched　my　arm　and　lightning　struck！
　I　was　lying　dizzily　on　the　ground　watching　it　trot　away。　〃Shocking；　isn't　it！〃　Hingst　called　back　smugly。　〃Big　batteries。
　Floyd　helped　me　to　my　feet　and　dusted　me　off。　〃So　good　so　far。〃
　〃Thanks。　But　you　aren't　the　one　who　was　short…circuited。〃
　I　reported　to　Madonette　as　we　went　on；　with　Tremearne　listening　in。　〃Applied　technology；〃　he　said。　〃Perhaps　this　lot　isn't　as　bad　as　the　rest　of　the　crumb…bums　on　this　planet。〃　Since　I　was　still　tingling；　and　had　a　burnt　taste　in　my　mouth；　I　sneered　in　silence　and　did　not　bother　to　answer。　Very　soon　after　that　Madonette　called　in　that　a　creature　like　the　one　we　had　described　was　ing　towards　her。　I　clutched　my　sword　in　helpless　anger；　relaxed　only　when　she　called　back。
　〃Just　like　you…only　with　a　different　name。　Hoppe。　As　soon　as　it　made　the　test　it　trotted　off。　What　now？〃
　〃We　go　on…and　you　take　a　break。　If　things　are　going　to　be　the　same；　or　similar；　on　both　sides　of　the　wall　we'll　find　out　first。〃
　〃Male　chauv　superiority？〃
　〃mon　sense。　We're　three　to　your　one。〃
　〃A　solid　argument…and　I　could　use　the　rest。　Keep　an　contact。　〃
　〃You've　got　it。　Here　we　go。〃
　The　path　had　widened　and　was　more　of　a　dirt　road　now。　We　passed　some　tilled　fields　and　came　to　a　large　grove　of　polpettone　trees。　Obviously　cultivated　since　they　were　planted　in　neat　rows。　Beyond　them　was　a　low　huddle　of　buildings　that　could　be　a　farm。
　Blocking　the　path　was　a　brick　building　with　an　archway　that　spanned　the　road；　we　slowed　and　stopped。
　〃Is　that　what　I　think　it　is？〃　Steengo　said。
　〃I　think　that　it　is　a　building　with　an　arch　under　it；〃　Floyd　said。　〃And　we're　not　going　to　find　out　any　more　just　standing　around　here。〃
　We　shuffled　forward　slowly　and　stopped　again　when　a　man　appeared　in　the　archway。　Our　hands　twitched　away　from　our　weapons　when　he　stepped　out　into　the　sunlight。　He　blinked　his　red…rimmed　eyes　against　the　glare；　nodded　his　head　so　his　mane　of　long　white　hair　bobbed；　then　tapped　the　arrow…and…circle　symbol　picked　out　in　white　on　the　front　of　his　gray　robe。
　〃Wele；　strangers；　wele　to　Paradise。　I　am　Afatt　the　official　greeter。　Market　opens　at　dawn　tomorrow。　You　may　stay　out　here；　or　if　you　wish　to　camp　beyond　the　arch　your　weapons　will　be　looked　after　until　you　return。　A　payment　of　one　fedha　is　required　for　attendance。〃
　The　way　he　flicked　a　look　over　his　shoulder　as　he　said　this　strongly　suggested　that　what　he　wanted　was　more　bribe　than　payment。
　〃No　way；　aged　Afatt；〃　I　intoned。　〃Those　you　see　before　you　are　not　peasant　traders　but　galaxy…famous　chart…topping　musicians。　We　are　。　。　。　The　Stainless　Steel　Rats！〃
　His　jaw　dropped　and　he　stepped　back　a　pace。　〃Don't　need　no　rats　in　Paradise。　A　rusty；　chipped　old　fedha　will　do　。　。　。〃
　〃We　got　a　real　fan　in　old　Afatt　here；〃　Floyd　muttered。　〃I　thought　the　planet　was　hip…deep　in　TV　sets？〃
　A　more　military　Paradisian　appeared　in　the　archway。　Younger；　bigger；　and　he　came　plete　with　studded　metal　helmet　and　heavy　leather　trappings。　〃What　did　you　say？〃　he　said　as　he　swung　a　shining　and　singularly　nasty　looking　ax。
　〃You　heard　me；　Sunny。　I　don't　repeat　myself　for　the　troops。〃
　This　provoked　a　twisted　snarl　and　a　barked　mand。
　〃Guard…fall　out。　We　got　some　sheot　shaggers　here　that　need　a　lesson　in　civility。〃
　This　was　followed　instantly　by　the　clanking　of　metal　and　the　thud　of　running　feet。
　Many　of　them。
　
　CHAPTER　13
　There　were　a　lot