hh.thessrat.sings.the.blues-第28章

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　Steengo　much　concerned。　Left　these　for　you　before　we　went　to　the　show。
　I　finished　the　juice；　put　my　glass　down；　lifted　my　eyebrows　quizzically。　He　pointed　quickly　at　his　closed　fist。　When　he　stood　and　passed　me　he　dropped　something　small　into　my　lap。　I　waited　a　minute　before　I　poured　more　juice；　drank　it；　sat　back　with　my　hand　in　my　lap。　Two　small；　soft　objects。　Familiar。　I　rubbed　my　nose　and　glanced　at　them。
　Filter　nose　plugs。　For　neutralizing　gas。　Steengo　had　known　something…or　guessed　something。　He　also　knew　how　affected　I　had　been　by　the　sessions　in　the　Veritorium。　He　had　suspected　that　something　physical；　not　just　the　training　session　itself；　had　gotten　to　me。
　Of　course！　Obvious　by　hindsight。　I　knew　of　a　dozen　hypnotic　gases　that　lowered　the　ability　to　think　clearly；　that　left　the　brain　open　to　outside　influences。　So　it　hadn't　been　emotion　but　plain　old　chemistry　that　had　carried　me　away。　Steengo　had　suspected　this…but　why　hadn't　he　told　me？　Depressingly；　I　realized　that　the　state　of　mind　I　had　been　in；　probably　caused　by　drugs　in　the　earlier　session；　rendered　that　impossible。　He　knew　he　couldn't　tell　me。　But　had　been　suspicious　enough　to　wear　the　plugs　himself。
　And　when　he　saw　me　getting　deeply　involved　in　the　ritual　he　had　interrupted　before　it　was　too　late；　had　brought　the　whole　thing　to　a　screeching　halt。　I　felt　my　teeth　grating　together　and　forced　myself　to　stop。
　He　had　talked　about　mother　and　the　key　under　her　pillow　to　these　people　who　denied　that　women　even　existed！
　With　the　realization　of　the　enormity　of　his　crime　in　the　eyes　of　the　Paradisians　I　felt　a　sudden　overwhelming　fear　for　his　safety。　Would　they　kill　him…or　worse…had　they　killed　him　already？　They　were　certainly　capable　of　anything；　I　was　sure　now　of　that。
　What　next？　munication　with　our　backup　team　in　the　spacer　above　was　very　much　in　order。　I　had　to　get　into　the　open；　away　from　the　bugs；　and　contact　Tremearne。　Bring　him　up　to　date。　Something　had　happened　to　Steengo。　And　the　rest　of　us　surely　were　in　danger　as　well…and　Madonette；　this　might　affect　her。　This　entire　affair　was　getting　a　nasty　and　dangerous　edge　to　it。
　And　thinking　about　dangerous；　there　was　the　other　dangerous　always　hanging　over　my　head。　My　puter　flashed　me　the　highly　unwele　message　of　a　flickering　red　nine。　I　had　been　asleep　longer　than　I　had　realized。
　Artifact　or　no　I　was　just　nine　days　away　from　my　personal　destiny。　When　I　had　first　heard　the　thirty…day　deadline　on　the　poison　I　had　not　been　too　concerned。　Thirty　days　is　a　lot　of　time。　I　thought。
　Nine　days　was　definitely　not　a　lot　of　time　at　all。　And　with　Steengo　suddenly　vanished　I　had　more　problems；　not　less。
　〃Going　for　a　run；〃　I　called　out　to　Floyd；　leaping　to　my　feet　in　a　spasm　of　fear…sponsored　energy。　〃Feel　logy　after　all　that　sleep。　Got　to　clear　my　head。〃
　I　slammed　out　the　door　and　down　the　road　even　as　he　was　answering。　Taking　a　different　route　from　my　usual　one…then　changed　direction　at　random。　Up　ahead　was　a　field　of　polpettone　trees；　laid　out　in　neat　rows　and　bulging　with　fruit。　I　jogged　into　a　path　beside　the　trees；　looking　around　as　I　ran。　No　one　in　sight。　There　was　little　chance　the　Paradisers　would　put　bugs　in　among　the　trees。
　But　they　could　have。　I　turned　into　a　freshly　plowed　field　and　ran　between　the　furrows。　I　should　be　safe　enough　here。　I　clamped　my　jaw　twice。
　〃Hello；　Tremearne；　are　you　there？〃
　〃Very　much　so；　Jim。　We　have　all　been　awaiting　your　report。　Can　you　tell　us　what　is　happening…the　recorder　is　running。〃
　I　jogged　in　position　for　a　bit；　then　bent　to　tie　my　shoe　then　gave　up　and　just　sat　on　the　ground　while　I　finished　the　detailed　report。　I　was　tired；　the　chemicals　still　kicking　around　in　my　system　had　not　been　kind　to　me。
　〃That's　it；〃　I　finished。　〃Steengo　is　gone。　Might　be　dead　。　。　。〃
　〃No。　I　can　reassure　you　on　that　score。　A　few　hours　ago　we　had　a　radio　message　from　him；　just　a　few　words；　theca　contact　was　lost　again。　He　must　be　somewhere　deep　in　the　city；　behind　walls　the　radio　signals　can't　penetrate。　He　might　have　been　moved　from　one　site　to　another；　was　in　the　open　long　enough　for　a　brief　transmission。〃
　〃What　did　he　say？〃
　The　recording　was　brief　and　scratchy。　Beginning　with　static　and　dying　in　static。　But　it　was　pure　Steengo　all　right。
　〃。　。　。　never　enough！　When　I　get　my　fingers　on　you；　you　。　。　。　〃　The　next　word　was　hard　to　make　out…but　I　could　think　of　a　half　dozen　that　filled　the　bill。
　〃What　do　you　think　we　should　do？　Break　out　of　here？〃
　〃No…go　along　with　everything。　You　will　be　contacted。〃
　〃Contacted？　By　whom；　what；　which？　e　in；　Tremearne。
　There　was　no　answer。　I　rose　and　brushed　off　my　shorts。　Very　mysterious。　Tremearne　was　up　to　something…but　he　was　not　talking　about　it。　Must　be　worried　about　eavesdroppers。　Maybe　he　knew　something　that　I　didn't。
　I　started　back　at　a　slow　run；　changed　that　to　a　fast　walk。　To　a　slow　walk；　then　a　crawl。　If　there　had　been　any　farther　to　go　I　would　probably　have　done　it　on　all　fours。　As　it　was　I　stumbled　into　our　quarters　and　collapsed；　gasping；　onto　the　couch。　Floyd　looked　astonished。
　〃You　look　like　you've　been　dipped　and　rolled。〃
　〃I　feel　even　worse　than　that。　Water；　quickly；　lots　of　it！〃
　I　drank　until　I　was　sloshing；　then　sipped　a　little　bit　more；　handed　the　glass　weakly　back。
　〃Knocked　myself　out。　Be　a　good　buddy　and　get　my　pack。　I　got　some　vitamin　pills　there　should　pick　me　up。〃　When　he　handed　me　the　pack　I　clicked　out　a　couple　of　Blast…offs；　superuppers；　and　swallowed　one。　〃Vitamins；　good　for　you；〃　I　said　as　I　passed　one　over。　Floyd　was　a　little　faster　off　the　mental　mark　lately　and　did　not　ask　any　questions。
　Our　timing　was　pretty　good。　The　wave　of　good　feeling　and　energy　was　washing　away　my　almost…terminal　fatigue　when　Veldi　threw　open　the　door。
　〃On　your　feet！〃　he　called　out。　I　did　not　move。
　〃Veldi；〃　I　said。　〃Old　and　trusted　servant。　No　soft　knock？　No　sweet　tones　。　。　。〃
　〃The　word　is　out　that　you　Stainless　Steel　Rats　are　just　plain　rats。　Troublemakers。　Just　get　going。〃
　There　was　the　quick　thud…thud　of　marching　feet　and　Sergeant　Ljotur　came　in　with　an　armed　squad　of　soldiers。　Armed　with　wicked…looking　spears　with　gleaming　points　and　barbed　shafts。
　〃You　are　to　e　with　me！〃　he　ordered。　He　did　not　look　happy　about　it。
　〃No　longer　a　musical　fan；　Ljotur？〃　I　said；　climbing　slowly　to　my　feet。
　〃I　have　orders。〃　Orders　that　he　obviously　did　not　like。　Which　of　course　he　would　obey　since　independent　thought　had　never　been　encouraged　in　the　military。　Floyd　followed　me　out　and　the　squad　formed　up。　Four　in　front；　four　in　back　of　us。　Ljotur　checked　the　formation；　nodded；　took　position　in　front　and　raised　his　spear。
　〃Forward…burtu！〃
　We　burtu'ed　at　a　slow　trot；　down　the　road　and　turned　right　at　the　corner。　Which　put　us　directly　on　the　route　to　the　red　brick　lodgings　where　Iron　John　lurked；　as　I　remembered　from　our　first　visit。　Trotted　down　the　road　and　into　a　tunnel　under　a；　row　of　buildings。　One　of　the　guards　to　the　rear　tapped　me　on　the　shoulder。
　〃Give　me　a　hand；　will　you？〃　he　asked　in　a　hoarse　voice。
　Then　swung　sideways　and　planted　his　fist　in　the　stomach　of　the　guard　next　to　him。　Who　folded　and　dropped　without　a　sound。
　This　was　easy　enough　to　understand。　I　had　turned　when　he　tapped　me　so　I　kept　turning　to　face　the　rear。　I　reached　out　and　got　a　hand　on　the　other　two　guards'　necks。　Squeezed　as　they　turned　their　spears　towards　me。
　〃Floyd！〃　I　gasped　out；　putting　all　my　energy　into　my　throttle　grips　so　these　jokers　would　pass　out　before　they　harpooned　me。　〃The　others！〃
　One　of　the　guards　dropped　but　the　other　one；　with　a　stronger　neck；　kept　his　spear　ing。　Into　my　stomach
　No；　not　quite。　The　first　guard；　who　had　called　to　me；　gave　him　a　quick　chop　under　the　ear。　He　and　I　whirled　about；　ready　to　jump　to　Floyd's　help。　And　stopped。
　The　four　other　guards　were　lying　in　a　silent；　tumbled　heap　on　the　ground。　Floyd　had　a　spear　pressed　firmly　under　Ljotur's　jaw；　was　holding　him　up　with　his　other　hand。
　〃You　want　to　talk　to　this　guy？〃　Floyd　asked。　〃Or　you　want　him　down　there　with　the　others？〃
　〃I've　nothing　to　say　。　。　。〃
　〃No　talk。　Drop。〃
　Before　I　could　finish　speaking　a　limp　Ljotur　joined　the　rest　of　the　sleeping　patrol。
　〃What　about　this　one？〃　Floyd　asked；　finger