tz.cobra strike-第22章

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　Christopher　straightened　up　from　his　terminal。　〃I　don't　find　any　reference　to　this　kind　of　boron　refinement　method；〃　he　said。　〃Again；　these　records　are　by　no　means　plete…〃
　〃Sure；　sure。　So　have　they　got　a　new　technique　or　were　they　lying　about　what　that　plant　was　doing？〃
　The　inter　beeped　and　Pyre　leaned　toward　it；　tuning　out　the　conversation　beside　him。　〃Yes？〃
　It　was　Captain　F'ahl。　〃Just　e　up　with　a　correlation　that　you　people　might　like　to　know　about；〃　he　said。　〃Those　extra…wide　streets　in　Sollas　and　the　other　cities？　Well；　it　turns　out　that　in　each　instance　they　run　exactly　parallel　to　Qasama's　geomagnetic　field。〃
　The　intricacies　of　boron　refinement　were　abruptly　forgotten。　〃Say　again？〃　Christopher　asked；　turning　toward　the　inter。
　F'ahl　repeated　his　statement。　〃Any　reason　you　can　think　of　for　that；　Captain？〃　Telek　asked。
　〃Nothing　that　makes　sense；〃　F'ahl　replied。　〃You　don't　have　to　skew　your　whole　city　to　use　the　field　for　navigation；　and　the　field　strength　is　far　too　weak　to　produce　any　effect　on　power　lines　or　the　like。〃
　〃Unless　it　periodically　surges；〃　Christopher　mused。　〃No；　even　then　the　design　doesn't　make　any　sense。〃
　〃Maybe　it　has　to　do　with　their　long…range　mu…
　nication　system；〃　Telek　suggested。　〃Sending　modulations　along　the　lines　of　force　or　something。〃
　From　a　corner　of　the　lounge　Nnamdi　looked　up　in　irritation。　〃I　wish　you'd　all　get　off　this　idea　that　the　Qasamans　have　to　have　broadcast　munications；〃　he　growled。　〃We've　already　seen　that　Sollas　is　wired　for　both　power　and　data　transmission…that's　really　all　they　need。〃
　〃With　nothing　between　the　cities？…not　to　mention　all　those　little　villages　out　there？〃　Telek　retorted。　〃e　on；　Hersh…the　isolated　city…state　concept　may　appeal　to　your　sense　of　the　exotic；　but　as　a　practicing　politician　I　tell　you　it　isn't　stable。　These　people　have　calculators　or　even　puters；　as　well　as　cars；　machined　weapons；　and　presumably　something　to　use　the　runway　we're　sitting　on。　They　cannot　simply　have　forgotten　the　basics　of　electromagnetic　waves　or　unified　government。〃
　〃Oh？　Then　how　do　you　explain　the　village　walls？〃
　〃How　do　you　explain　the　cities〃　lack　of　them？〃　Telek　shook　her　head　irritably。　〃We　can't　assume　the　villages　are　primitive　and　fight　among　themselves　and　at　the　same　time　say　the　cities　are　advanced　and　don't。〃
　〃We　can　if　there's　no　munication　between　city　and　village；〃　Nnamdi　said　doggedly。　〃Or　if　the　villagers　are　a　different　species　altogether。　I　notice　neither　Moff　nor　Kimmeron　has　mentioned　the　villages　at　all。〃
　Pyre　caught　Telek's　eye。　〃It　might　be　good　to　clear　up　that　point。〃
　She　sighed。　〃Oh；　all　right。〃　Picking　up　the　translator…link　mike；　she　dictated　a　short　message　to　the　contact　team。　Pyre　switched　his　attention　back　to　the　displays　and　waited　for　Cerenkov　to　raise　the　subject　with　Moff。
　The　wait　wasn't　long。　The　car　was　approaching　one　of　the　narrower　cross　streets；　and　as　they　reached　the　corner　Joshua's　implanted　cameras　showed　the
　　street　was　lined　on　both　sides　by　permanent…looking　booths；　each　displaying　the　seller's　goods　on　a　waist…high　ledge　beneath　an　open　window。　Dozens　of　people　were　already　milling　about；　inspecting　the　met…。　chandise　or　engaged　in　animated　conversation　with　the　sellers。　〃This　is　the　main　marketplace　for　this　part　of　Sollas；〃　Moff　said　as　the　car　pulled　up　behind　others　parked　along　the　wide　avenue。　〃There　are　eight　others　like　it　elsewhere　in　the　city。〃
　〃Seems　an　inefficient　way　of　marketing；〃　Rynstadt　mented　as　they　left　the　car　and　walked　toward　the　bazaar。　〃Not　to　mention　unfortable　in　the　winter　or　on　rainy　days。〃
　〃The　street　can　be　sealed　in　bad　weather；〃　Moff　said；　pointing　upwards。　Joshua　looked；　and　Pyre　saw　that　at　the　third…floor　level　on　the　flanking　buildings　were　two　long　roof　sections；　folded　drawbridge…fashion　against　the　walls。　〃As　to　inefficiency；　we　prefer　to　think　of　it　as　an　expression　of　individual　liberty　and　freedom。　Lack　of　those　qualities　was　the　reason　our　ancestors　came　here　originally。　You've　not　said　why　your　ancestors　left　the　rule　of　the　dynasties。〃
　〃Oh；　hell；〃　Telek　growled；　grabbing　for　the　microphone。　〃Keep　it　non…political；　Yuri；〃　she　instructed　him。　〃Sense　of　adventure　or　something。〃
　〃We　went　to　Aventine　for　various　reasons；〃　Cerenkov　told　the　Qasaman。　〃The　desire　for　adventure　or　to　see　a　new　world；　dissatisfaction　with　our　lives…that　sort　of　thing。〃
　〃Not　political　pressure？〃
　〃Perhaps　some　came　for　that　reason；　but　if　so　I'm　not　aware　of　it；〃　Cerenkov　answered　cautiously。
　〃Tell　that　to　the　First　Cobras；〃　Pyre　murmured。
　〃Quiet；〃　Telek　shushed　him。
　The　contact　team　and　its　Qasaman　escort　was　walking　among　the　other　shoppers　now。　A　mojo　on　one　of　the　buyers　squawked；　causing　Rynstadt　to　jerk　to　the　side。　Pyre　jumped　in　sympathetic　response；　he'd　almost　stopped　noticing　the　ubiquitous　damn　birds。
　〃Are　all　your　goods　from　Sollas　and　the　immediate　area？〃　Cerenkov　asked　Moff　as　they　passed　a　stand　featuring　neatly　packaged　loaves　of　bread。
　〃No；　our　merce　extends　to　the　other　cities　and　villages　as　well；〃　the　other　told　him。　〃Most　of　the　fresh　fruit　and　meat　es　from　the　villages　east　of　here。〃
　〃Ah；〃　Cerenkov　nodded；　and　continued　walking。
　〃Satisfied？〃　Christopher　asked　Nnamdi。
　The　other　glowered　back。　〃Still　doesn't　prove　the　villagers　are　human；〃　he　pointed　out　stiffly。　〃Or　are　on　an　equal　plane　with　the　cities…〃
　〃Almo？〃
　Pyre　turned　to　the　couch　where　Justin　was　lying。　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃I　。。。　hear　something　。。。　low　rumble　。。。　from　Joshua。〃　The　boy　stopped；　strain　evident　on　his　face　as　he　fought　to　split　enough　of　his　attention　from　Joshua's　sensors　to　speak。　〃Getting　closer　。。。　I　think。〃
　Christopher　was　already　at　the　controls；　trying　to　find　the　sound　Justin's　Cobra　enhancers　had　already　gleaned　form　Joshua's　signal。　〃Captain；　we　may　have　aircraft　approaching；〃　Pyre　snapped　toward　the　inter。
　〃I'm　on　it；〃　F'ahl　replied　calmly。　〃No　sign　of　anything　yet。〃
　An　instant　later　Pyre　nearly　went　through　the　lounge's　ceiling　as　a　bellow　erupted　from　the　display　speakers。　〃Yolp！〃　Christopher　exclaimed；　grabbing　the　volume　control　he'd　just　turned　up。　The　roar　subsided　to　a　hooting　sound　。。。　and　as　he　looked　at　the　screen；　Pyre　saw　the　Qasamans　had　abandoned　their　shopping　and　were　beginning　to　move　toward　the　wide　avenues　at　each　end　of　the　bazaar。　〃What's　going　on？〃　Cerenkov　asked　Moff　as　the　escort；　too；　joined　the　general　flow。　A　second　set　of　rumbles　added　to　the　first；　and　Pyre　got　a　glimpse　of　cars　being　hurriedly　moved　off　the　avenue；　presumably　to　the　narrower　cross　streets。
　A　bololin　herd　has　entered　Sollas；〃　Moff　told　Cerenkov　briefly。　〃Stay　back…you're　not　armed。〃
　Telek　grabbed　the　mike。　〃Never　mind　that。　Joshua…　move　up　at　least　close　enough　to　see　what's　going　on。　Decker；　better　go　with　him。〃
　The　two　men　began　to　move　in　Moff's　wake。　None　of　the　Qasamans　seemed　particularly　disturbed　by　whatever　was　about　to　happen　。。。　but　as　Pyre　looked　closer；　he　realized　the　same　wasn't　true　of　the　mojos。　Every　bird　in　sight　was　fluffing　its　feathers；　half　opening　its　wings；　and　generally　showing　signs　of　agitation。
　The　rumble　was　clearly　audible　now　as　Joshua　and　York　squeezed　their　way　to　the　third　rank　of　watchers。　〃Clear；〃　a　voice　came　faintly　over　Joshua's　sensors；　and　someone　off　to　the　right　in　the　front　row　drew　his　pistol；　holding　it　muzzle　upward　in　a　ready　position。　A　dozen　more　calls　and　the　entire　front　row　had　followed　suit。　Across　the　avenue。　Pyre　could　just　see　that　another　group　of　people　waited　in　the　street　there；　weapons　similarly　drawn。　〃Crossfire　situation；　Decker；〃　he　called　toward　the　mike　Telek　was　still　holding；　drowning　out　whatever　instructions　she　was　giving　the　team。　〃Watch　for　trouble　with　that。〃
　The　rumble　became　a　roar　。。。　and　the　animals　appeared。
　To　Pyre　it　was　instantly　obvious　why　the　Qasamans　considered　it　worthwhile　to　walk　around　armed。　The　fact　that　there　was　an　entire　herd　of　beasts　stampeding　through　their　city　was　bad　enough；　but　even　one　of　these　would　have　been　cause　for　serious　alarm。　Each　a　good　two　meters　long；　the　bololins　were　heavily　muscled；　with　sets　of　hooves　that　looked　as　if　they　could　break　rock　by　running　impact　alone。　A　pair　of　wicked…loo