tz.cobra strike-第1章

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　The　whine　of　Troft　thrusters　drifted　in　through　the　window　on　the　late…summer　breezes；　jarring　Jonny　Moreau　awake。　For　one　heart…wrenching　moment　he　was　back　in　the　midst　of　the　Adirondack　war；　but　as　he　tipped　his　recliner　back　to　vertical　the　abrupt　stab　of　pain　in　elbows　and　knees　snapped　him　back　to　the　present。　For　a　minute　he　just　sat　there；　gazing　out　the　window　at　the　Capitalia　skyline　and　trying　to　bring　his　brain　and　body　back　on…line。　Then；　reaching　carefully　to　his　desk；　he　jabbed　at　the　inter　button　on　his　phone。　〃Yes；　Governor？〃　Theron　Yutu　said。
　Jonny　leaned　back　in　his　chair　again；　snagging　a　bottle　of　pain　pills　from　the　desktop　as　he　did　so。　〃Is　Corwin　back　from　the　Council　meeting　yet？〃
　The　image　jumped　to　another　desk　and　Jonny's　27…year…old　son。　〃Haven't　gone　yet；　Dad；〃　he　said。　〃The　meeting's　still　an　hour　away。〃
　〃Oh？〃　Jonny　squinted　at　his　watch。　He'd　have　sworn　the　meeting　was　scheduled　for　two　。　。　。　sure　enough；　it　was　just　a　few　minutes　past　one。　〃Felt　like　I'd　slept　longer；〃　he　muttered。　〃Well。　You　all　set　to　go？〃
　〃Pretty　much；　unless　there's　something　new　you　want　me　to　bring　up。　Hang　on…I'll　e　in　there　and　we　can　talk。〃
　The　screen　went　blank。　Flexing　his　elbows　experimentally；　Jonny　eyed　the　pain　pills。　Later；　he　decided　firmly。　His　arthritis　would　ease　some　as　he　started　moving　around　again；　and　the　drugs　invariably　left　his　brain　fuzzier　than　he　liked。
　The　door　opened　and　Corwin　Jame　Moreau　strode　into　the　room；　the　inevitable　board　tucked　under　his　arm。　The　boy…the　man；　Jonny　reminded　himself…　had　taken　to　the　world　of　politics　with　a　zest　the　older　Moreau　had　never　been　able　to　generate。　More　and　more　Corwin　reminded　Jonny　of　his　own　brother　Jame；　working　up　through　the　ranks　of　the　Dominion　of　Man's　highest　political　power。　Fourteen　years　ago　Jame　had　been　a　trusted　aide　to　a　member　of　the　Central　mittee　itself。　What　was　he　now；　Jonny　often　wondered…aide；　designated　successor；　a　…mitte　himself？
　Jonny　would　never　know。　It　was　one　of　the　few　results　of　the　Troft　Corridor　closing　that　he　was　still　able　to　wholeheartedly　regret。
　Setting　his　board　on　a　corner　of　Jonny's　desk；　Corwin　pulled　up　a　chair。　〃Okay；　let's　see。　The　main　points　you　wanted　me　to　present　were　the　exclusivity　clause　of　the　new　trade　agreement　with　the　Hoibe'…ryi'sarai…〃　the　Troft　demesne…name　flowed　smoothly　from　Corwin's　tongue…　〃the　need　for　more　Cobras　to　be　shifted　to　spine　leapard　duty　in　the　outer　districts；　and　the　whole　question　of　whether　Caelian　is　really　worth　hanging　onto。〃
　Jonny　nodded；　feeling　a　twinge　of　guilt　for　once　again　skipping　the　Council　duties　a　governor　emeritus　was　supposed　to　perform　or　at　least　put　up　with。　〃Lean　on　the　latter　two　especially…I　don't　know　how　the　spine　leopards　figure　out　their　numbers　are　down；　but　their　breeding　rate　sure　shows　that　they　know　somehow。　Make　sure　even　the　densest　syndics　understand　that　we　can't　take　on　a　full…scale　spine　leopard　resurgence　and　also　make　any　headway　on　Caelian　without　lowering　the　standards　at　the　Cobra　factory。〃A　frown　flickered　across　Corwin's　face。　〃Speaking　of　the　academy。。。。〃　He　stopped；　looking　unfortable。
　Jonny　closed　his　eyes　briefly。　〃Justin。　Right？〃
　〃Well　。。。　yes。　Mom　wanted　me　to　try　and　get　you　to　change　your　mind　about　using　your　Council　veto　on　his　application。〃
　〃To　what　end？〃　Jonny　sighed。　〃Justin　is　smart；　exceptionally　stable　emotionally；　adaptable；　and　with　a　strong　desire　to　serve　his　world　this　way。　You'll　forgive　a　father's　pride；　I　trust。〃
　〃I　know　all　that…〃
　〃More　to　the　point；〃　Jonny　inturrupted；　〃he's　22　years　old　and　has　been　wanting　to　be　a　Cobra　since　he　was　16。　A　period；　you'll　notice；　in　which　he's　had　ample　opportunity　to　mull　over　exactly　what　a　few　decades　of　Cobra　gear　does　to　a　man。〃　He　raised　his　hands　slightly　as　if　offering　his　body　for　inspection。　〃If　that　hasn't　dampened　his　resolve…and　the　tests　show　it　hasn't…then　I'm　not　about　to　veto　his　admission。　He's　exactly　the　kind　of　man　we　need　in　the　Cobras。〃
　Corwin　waved　a　hand　in　a　gesture　of　defeat。　〃I　almost　wish　I　could　argue　with　you；　for　Mom's　sake。　But　I'm　afraid　I　have　to　agree。〃
　Jonny　looked　out　the　window。　〃Your　mother's　had　a　lot　of　this　kind　of　pain　in　her　life。　I　wish　I　knew　how　to　make　it　up　to　her。〃
　For　a　long　moment　the　room　was　silent。　Then　Corwin　stirred；　reaching　for　his　board。　〃Spine　leopards　and　Caelian　it　is；　then；〃　he　said；　standing　up。　〃You　going　to　be　here　or　the　therapy　room　when　the　meeting's　over？〃
　Jonny　looked　back　at　his　eldest　son；　grimacing。　〃You　had　to　bring　that　up；　didn't　you？　Oh；　all　right；　I'll　go　make　the　torturers　happy。　What's　left　of　me　will　be　back　here　by　the　time　you're　through。〃
　Corwin　nodded。　〃Okay。　But　be　nice　to　them…they're　just　trying　to　do　their　jobs。〃
　〃Sure。　See　you　later。〃　Jonny　waited　until　the　other　had　closed　the　door　behind　him　and　then　snorted。　〃Their　jobs；　indeed；〃　he　muttered　under　his　breath。　〃Bunch　of　experimentalists　poking　around　with　human　white…rats。〃　All　in　hope　that　they　could　e　up　with　a　therapy　that　would　someday　be　able　to　help　the　rising　generations　of　Cobras。
　One　of　whom　was　going　to　be　his　own　son。
　Sighing；　Jonny　gripped　the　arms　of　his　chair　and　got　carefully　to　his　feet。　He　would　get　outside　to　his　car　on　his　own；　and　without　his　pills；　even　if　it　killed　him。　The　old　man；　as　he　was　fond　of　saying；　wasn't　helpless　yet。
　Even　with　traffic　in　the　Cobra　Worlds〃　capital　as　dense　as　it　was　these　days；　it　would　be　only　a　ten…minute　drive　to　the　Dominion　Building　for　the　Council　meeting。　Corwin　nevertheless　gathered　together　his　magcards　and　other　paraphernalia　as　quickly　as　possible；　hoping　to　get　there　early　enough　for　some　cloakroom　soundboarding　with　the　other　Council　members。　His　father　had　left　for　his　therapy　session；　and　Corwin　was　about　ready　to　leave　himself；　when　his　mother　came　in。
　〃Hello；　Theron；〃　she　smiled　at　Yutu。　〃Corwin；　is　your　father　still　here？〃
　〃He　just　left。〃　Corwin　felt　his　muscles　tense　in　anticipation　of　the　confrontation　he　knew　was　ahead。　〃He'll　be　ing　back　after　his　physical　therapy。〃
　〃What　did　he　say？〃
　Corwin　consciously　unclenched　his　jaw。　〃Sorry；　Mom。　He's　not　going　to　block　it。〃
　The　age　lines　framing　her　features　seemed　to　deepen。　〃You'll　be　casting　the　vote；〃　she　said；　her　meaning　clear。
　〃Let　me　restate　it；　then：　We　are　not　going　to　block　it。〃
　〃So　that's　it；　is　it？〃　she　said　coldly。　〃You're　just　going　to　let　them　condemn　your　brother　to…〃
　〃Mother。〃　Corwin　stood　up；　gesturing　to　his　chair。　〃Sit　down；　will　you。〃
　She　hesitated；　then　plied。　Corwin　pulled　up　a　guest　chair　to　face　her；　noting　peripherally　that　Yutu　had　apparently　just　discovered　something　that　needed　to　be　done　in　Jonny's　office。　Sitting　down；　Corwin　took　a　moment　to　look…really　look…at　his　mother。
　Chrys　Moreau　had　been　beautiful　when　she　was　younger；　he　knew　from　old　pictures　and　tapes；　and　even　with　the　assorted　physical　changes　of　middle　age　she　was　still　strikingly　attractive。　But　there　were　other　changes；　not　all　of　them　explained　by　simple　maturation　of　viewpoint　or　even　a　response　to　her　husband's　long　illness。　She　seemed　to　smile　less　these　days；　and　to　move　with　the　restricted　motions　of　one　deathly　afraid　of　knocking　something　over。　This　business　with　Justin　was　part　of　it；　that　much　Corwin　knew　。。。　but　there　was　more；　and　so　far　he　hadn't　found　the　right　words　to　open　up　that　section　of　his　mother's　thoughts。
　Nor　was　this　time　going　to　be　any　different。　〃If　you're　going　to　give　me　the　old　arguments　why　Jus…tin　should　be　a　Cobra；　please　don't　bother；〃　Chrys　began。　〃I　know　them　all；　I　still　don't　have　any　logical　counters　for　them；　and　I'll　even　admit　that　if　he　weren't　my　son　I'd　probably　agree　with　them。　But　he　is　my　son；　and　irrational　as　it　may　seem；　I　don't　think　it　fair　that　I　should　lose　him　to　the　Cobras；　too。〃
　Corwin　let　her　finish；　though　her　words　represented　no　new　ground　either。　〃Have　you　asked　Joshua　to　talk　with　him？〃　he　asked。
　Chyrs　shook　her　head　minutely。　〃He　won't。　You　should　know　that　better　than　anyone　else。〃
　Despite　the　seriousness　of　the　moment　Corwin　felt　a　brief　smile　touch　his　lips　at　the　memories　evoked。　Five　years　older　than　the　twins；　he　had　nevertheless　been　suc