tz.cobra strike-第10章
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〃Point taken。 Well 。 。 。 are you willing for us to use
the Menssana for the survey mission if the Trofts… whichever Trofts…pay alt the other expenses？〃
Jonny bit at his lip。 〃I'd rather they provide the ship； too。 But okay…if you have to fall back to that position； go ahead and do so。 They pay for the fuel； though。〃
〃Okay。 Actually； I'll probably wind up holding that option against something the Qasama mission needs。 Talk to you later。〃
They signed off； and for a moment Jonny gazed at the screen as he tried to visualize all the various lines the negotiations could move along。 But it was too much like an oversized game of trisec chess； with just too many possibilities to hang onto simultaneously。 Getting to his feet…an easy enough operation in the overheated room…he went over to the table and sat down next to Chrys。 〃How's it ing？〃 he asked； eyeing the mass of wires； micro…ponents； and centipeds set into her circuit board。
〃Slow；〃 she said； fiddling with the controls on her diagnostic display。 〃I'm beginning to see why everyone prefers buying finished Troft electronics to just getting the ponents and building things themselves。 These centipeds in particular have a lot of odd and not entirely obvious response characteristics outside their quote normal unquote usage range。〃
〃You'll figure it all out；〃 Jonny assured her。 〃You were once the best electronics tech in…〃
〃In Ariel？〃 She snorted。 〃Thanks a spangle。 There were only two of us there…I had to be best or runner…up。〃
〃Best； definitely；〃 Jonny said firmly。 A touch of the old Chrys； the sense of humor that had been so muted lately 。。。 perhaps she was finally getting a grip on the turmoil of the past few weeks。
Or perhaps she was simply retreating into her own past。 It had been years since she'd done anything serious with her electronics training。
〃You realize； of course；〃 she cut quietly into his thoughts； 〃that if you let the Menssana go on this survey mission； there'll be no backup ship available if the Dewdrop gets in trouble on Qasama。〃
Jonny shook his head。 〃We weren't going to use the Menssana for that anyway。 There'll be one or more Troft warships hanging back from Qasama in case some extra muscle is needed。〃
〃I thought the Trofts didn't want to fight the Qasamans。〃
〃If the mission has any trouble； they'll damn well have to；〃 Jonny said grimly。 〃But they shouldn't have any real qualms…a local mando…type strike is hardly the same as mitting to a full…scale war。〃
〃Besides which； they'll want to protect their investment？〃
〃Now you're thinking like a Troft。〃 Reaching over； he put an arm around her shoulders。 〃Just remember； Chrys；〃 he added more seriously； 〃that the Baliuies had to have gotten at least one diplomatic team into and out of Qasama safely to have anything like the data we know they have。 The third…level translator program they'll be giving us shows that much。 Joshua and Justin will be all right。 Really。〃
〃I'd like to believe that；〃 Chrys sighed。 〃But you know it's a mother's prerogative to worry。〃
〃I seem to remember that being a wife's prerogative thirty years ago。〃
〃Things change。〃 Chrys toyed with a hex…shaped centiped。 〃Always do。〃
〃Yes；〃 Jonny agreed。 〃And not always for the better。 I seem to also remember a time when the two of us went on trips together…just the two of us； with no kids along。 What would you say to seeing if we can bring back those days？〃
Chrys snorted faintly。 〃You think the Council could function without you that long？〃
He winced at the implied criticism。 〃Sure they can；〃 he said； choosing to take the question at face value。 〃Corwin knows the ropes well enough； and
nothing important's likely to happen while the Qasama mission's gone； anyway。 Perfect time for a vacation。〃
〃Wait a second。〃 She turned a frown his direction。 〃Are you talking about a vacation while your sons are out there in who knows what kind of danger？〃
〃Why not？〃 he asked。 〃Seriously。 There's not a single thing we can do for them from here； even if we knew something had gone wrong； which we won't… sending shuttles back and forth has already been rejected as too possibly provocative。 Giving your mind something besides worry to occupy it would be good for you。〃
She gestured minutely at the electronics in front of her。 〃If this can't keep my mind busy； I doubt a vacation will。〃
〃That's only because you don't know the kind of vacation I have in mind；〃 he told her； mentally crossing his fingers。 If he presented this right she might just go for it 。。。 and he knew with a solid conviction that it was something they both needed。 〃I was thinking of a leisurely cruise sort of thing； with stops at various points for relaxing strolls through forests and grasslands； or maybe a swim through warm waters。 panionship with others when we want it； privacy when we want that； and all the forts of home。 How's it sound？〃
Chrys smiled。 〃Like the coastline cruises they used to advertise when I was a child。 Don't tell me some enterprising soul's bought a deep…sea liner from the Trofts？〃
〃Ah…not exactly。 Would it help if I told you the cruise itinerary includes five planets？〃
〃Five pi… Jonny！〃 Chrys's eyes widened with shock。 〃You don't mean…the survey mission？〃
〃Sure…and why not？〃
〃What do you mean； why not？ That's a scientific expedition； not a vacation service for the middle…aged。〃
〃Ah； but I'm a governor emeritus； remember？ If Liz Telek… can talk her way aboard the Qasama trip on the grounds someone with authority should be present； I can certainly borrow her argument。〃
A muscle in Chrys's jaw twitched。 〃You've already arranged this； haven't you？〃 she asked suspiciously。
〃Yes…but I'm going only if you do。 I didn't misrepresent any of this； Chrys…I'll be there strictly to observe； make a policy decision should one e up； and otherwise just stay out of everyone else's way。 It really will be just like an out…of…the…way vacation for the two of us。〃
Chrys dropped her eyes to the table。 〃It'd be dangerous； though； wouldn't it？〃
Jonny shrugged。 〃So was life in Ariel when we were first married。 You didn't seem to mind it so much。〃
〃I was a lot younger then。〃
〃So？ Why should Justin and Joshua have all the fun？〃
He'd hoped to spark a reaction of some kind； but was pletely unprepared for the burst of laughter that escaped Chrys's lips。 Genuine laughter； with genuine amusement behind it。 〃You're impossible；〃 she accused； swiveling in her seat to give him a mock glare。 〃Didn't I just tell you I planned to be worried about them？ What're we going to do…make this a Christmas exchange of worries？〃
〃Or we can deputize Corwin to do the worrying for all of us；〃 Jonny suggested with a straight face。 〃Brothers in the morning； parents in the afternoon； and he can worry about the Council for me in the evenings。 e on； Chrys…it'll probably be our only chance to see the place our great…great…grandchildren may someday live。〃 At least our only chance together； he added to himself； in the three or four years I have left。
Her face showed no hint of having followed that train of thought： but a minute later she sighed and nodded。 〃All right。 Yes…let's do it。〃
〃Thanks； Hon；〃 he said quietly。 It wouldn't； he
knew； quite make up for losing her sons to the universe at large 。。。 but perhaps having a husband back for a while would be at least partial pensation。
He hoped so。 Despite his assurances； it was quite possible two of those sons would soon be swallowed up by that same universe； never to return。
Chapter 6
The Council…along with an ever…expanding ring of agents/confidants…kept the secret of the Troft proposal remarkably well for nearly four weeks longer； but at that point Stiggur decided to release the news to the general population。 From Corwin's point of view the timing couldn't have been worse。 Still in the midst of detailed financial negotiations with the Trofts； he was abruptly thrust into the position of being answer man for what seemed sometimes to be all three hundred eighty thousand of Aventine's people。 Theron Yutu and the rest of the staff were able to handle a lot of it on their own； but there were a fair number of policy…type questions that only he and Jonny could answer； and
