tz.cobra strike-第28章

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　_
　　odd　to　them。　Was　there　some　kind　of　ritual　dance　or　pattern　that　I　missed？〃
　〃You　seem　excessively　interested　in　the　mojos；〃　Moff　said；　his　dark　eyes　boring　into　Cerenkov's。
　Cerenkov　shrugged。　〃Why　not？　You　must　admit　your　relationship　with　them　is　unique　in　human　history。　I　know　of　no　other　culture　where　people　have　had　such　universal　protection…defensive　protection；　I　mean；　not　just　a　widespread　carrying　of　weapons。　It's　bound　to　have　reduced　every　form　of　aggression；　from　simple　assault　all　the　way　to　general　warfare。〃　Joshua　frowned　as　that　fact　suddenly　hit　him。　So　busy　had　he　been　observing　the　details　and　minutiae　of　Qasaman　life　that　he'd　missed　the　larger　patterns。　But　Cerenkov　obviously　hadn't　。。。　and　if　he　was　right；　perhaps　the　Trofts　had　cause　to　worry　after　all。　A　human　culture　that　had　had　the　will　power　to　break　the　pattern　of　strong　preying　on　weak　would　be　long　on　cooperation　and　short　on　petition　。。。　and　a　potential　threat　to　its　neighbors　no　matter　what　its　technological　level。
　Moff　was　speaking　again。　〃And　you　think　our　little　mojos　deserve　the　credit？〃　he　asked；　stroking　his　bird's　throat。　〃You　give　no　credit　to　our　peole　and　philosophy？〃
　〃Of　course　we　do；〃　Rynstadt　said。　〃But　there've　been　countless　cultures　throughout　history　who've　paid　great　lip　service　to　the　concepts　of　justice　and　freedom　from　fear　without　doing　anything　concrete　for　their　citizens。　You…and　in　particular　the　generation　which　first　began　taming　the　mojos…have　proved　humanity　is　capable　of　truly　practical　idealism。　That　achievement　alone　would　make　contact　between　our　worlds　worthwhile；　certainly　from　our　point　of　view。〃
　〃Your　world　has　difficulties　with　war；　then？〃　Moff's　gaze　shifted　to　Rynstadt　〃So　far　we've　avoided　that　particular　problem　Rynstadt　answered　cautiously。　〃But　we　have　our　share
　of　normal　human　aggressions；　and　that　occasionally　causes　trouble。〃
　〃I　see。〃　For　a　moment　they　rode　in　silence；　and　then　Moff　shrugged。　〃Well；　you'll　see　that　we　aren't　pletely　without　aggression。　The　difference　is　that　we've　learned　to　direct　our　attention　outward；　toward　the　dangers　of　the　wild；　instead　of　inward　toward　each　other。〃
　Dangerous　indeed；　Joshua　thought；　and　even　Ceren…kov's　eyes　seemed　troubled　as　conversation　in　the　bus　drifted　into　silence。
　A　few　minutes　later；　they　reached　the　village　of　Huriseem。
　Joshua　could　remember　arguments　aboard　ship　as　to　whether　the　rings　around　the　villages　were　actually　walls；　but　at　ground　level　there　was　no　doubt　whatsoever。　Made　of　huge　stone　or　concrete　blocks；　painted　a　dead　black；　Huriseem's　wall　was　a　stark　throwback　to　ancient　Earth　history　and　the　contin…：　ua！　regional　warfare　of　those　days。　It　seemed　gratingly　：　out　of　place　here；　especially　after　the　discussion　of　｜　only　a　few　minutes　earlier。
　j…　Beside　him；　York　cleared　his　throat。　〃Only　about　Vihree　meters　high；〃　he　muttered；　〃and　no　crenels　or　？fire　ports。〃
　Moff　apparently　heard　him。　〃As　I　said；　there　is　no　war　here；〃　he　said…a　bit　tartly；　Joshua　thought。　〃The　is　to　keep　out　bololins　and　the　more　deadly　》redators　of　the　forests。〃
　〃Why　not　build　along　the　same　open　lines　as　i^Sollas？〃　Cerenkov　asked。　〃That　works　well　enough　jfor　the　bololins；　and　I　didn't　see　any　predators　getting　in　there。〃
　〃Predators　are　rare　in　Sollas　because　there　are　｜many　people　and　there　is　a　wide　gap　between　city　and　》rest。　Here　such　an　approach　would　clearly　not　work。〃　So　clear　back　the　forest；　Joshua　thought。　But　per…ips　that　was　more　trouble　than　a　single　village　was　rorth。
　　The　bus　followed　the　encircling　road　to　the　southwest　side　of　the　village；　where　they　found　a　black　gate　set　into　the　wall。　Clearly　they　were　both　expected　and　observed；　the　gate　was　already　opening　as　they　came　within　sight　of　it。　The　bus　turned　in；　and　Joshua　glanced　back　to　see　it　close　behind　them。　The　wall　and　the　forest　setting　had　somehow　led　Joshua's　subconscious　to　expect　a　relatively　primitive；　thatched…hut　scene；　and　he　was　vaguely　disappointed　as　he　left　the　bus　to　find　the　buildings；　streets；　and　people　as　modern　as　those　they'd　seen　in　Sollas。　Three　men　waited　off　to　the　side；　and　as　the　last　of　the　Qasaman　escorts　left　the　bus　they　stepped　forward。　〃Mayor　Ingliss；〃　Moff　nodded　in　greeting；　〃may　I　present　to　you　the　visitors　from　Aventine：　Cerenkov；　Rynstadt；　York；　and　Moreau。〃
　Where　Mayor　Kimmeron　of　Sollas　had　been　almost　cheerful；　Ingliss　was　gravely　polite。　〃I　wele　you　to　Huriseem；〃　he　said　with　a　nod。　〃I　understand　you　seek　to　learn　about　village　life　on　Qasama。　To　what　end；　may　I　inquire？〃
　So　Qasaman　suspicion　isn't　limited　to　the　big　cities。　Somehow；　Joshua　found　that　more　of　a　disappointment　than　the　lack　of　thatched　huts。
　Cerenkov　went　into　his　by…now　familiar　spiel　about　trade　and　cultural　exchange；　and　Joshua　allowed　his　gaze　to　drift　around　the　area。　Huriseem　seemed　to　have　none　of　the　taller　six…story…plus　buildings　of　Sollas；　and　the　colorful　abstract　wall　paintings　were　also　absent；　but　otherwise　the　village　could　have　been　a　transplanted　chunk　of　the　larger　city。　Even　the　wall's　presence　was　not　intrusive；　and　it　took　him　a　moment　to　realize　the　structure's　inside　surface　was　painted　with　effectively　camouflaging　pictures　of　buildings　and　forest　scenes。　So　why　is　the　outside　painted　black？　he　wondered…and　with　a　flash　of　inspiration　it　hit　him。　Black…the　same　color　as　the　tree　trunks。　A　charging　bololin　must　see　the　village　as　a　giant　tree　and　therefore　goes　around　it。　And　that　meant…
　Reaching　to　his　neck；　he　covered　the　pendant's　translator　mike。　〃I've　got　it；〃　he　murmured。　〃The　Sollas　street　paintings　make　the　place　look　sort　of　like　a　clump　of　forest…same　colors　and　everything。　Keeps　the　bololins　from　shying　away。〃
　There　was　a　long　enough　pause　that　he　began　to　wonder　if　no　one　on　the　Dewdrop　was　monitoring　the　〃　circuit。　Then　Nnamdi's　voice　came　in　over　the　earphone。　〃Interesting。　Weird；　but　entirely　possible。　Depends　partly　on　how　good　the　bololins〃　eyesight　is；　I　suppose。　Governor　Telek's　still　asleep；　but　I'll　suggest　this　to　her　when　she　wakes　up；　see　if　she　got　any　data　on　that　last　night。〃
　〃Fine；〃　Joshua　said；　〃but　in　the　meantime　can　you　find　any　sociological　rationale　for　wanting　those　herds　to　e　trampling　through　Sollas？〃
　〃That　does　put　into　doubt　Moff's　assertion　that　they　simply　can't　keep　the　bololins　out；　doesn't　it？〃　Nnamdi　agreed　thoughtfully。　〃I'll　work　on　it；　but　nothing　es　immediately　to　mind。　Wait　a　second…　face　left　a　bit；　will　you？〃
　Joshua　obediently　turned　his　head　a　few　degrees　in　the　requested　direction。　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃That　red…bordered　sign　near　the　gate…haven't　seen　anything　like　it　anywhere　in　Sollas。　Let　me　get　the　visual　translator　going。。。。〃
　Joshua　held　his　head　steady　for　a　moment　to　give　the　tape　a　good　image；　then　turned　back　to　face　the　others。
　〃Okay；〃　Nnamdi　said　after　a　moment。　〃It　says；　〃Krisjaw　hunts　this　month：　the　8th　and　22nd　atiO。〃　Today's　the　eighth；　I　think；　if　the　numbers　we've　seen　elsewhere　are　accurate。　Wonder　why　they　bother　to　post　a　sign　with　the　other　m　lines　they　have。〃
　〃Maybe　a　village　this　small　doesn't　have　the　same　wiring　as　Sollas　does；〃　Joshua　suggested。　It　looked　at　like　Cerenkov　and　the　Qasamans　had　about　finished　the　preliminaries；　Mayor　Ingliss　was　gesturing　toward　the　an　open　car　of　the　sort　they'd　used　in　Sollas　all　week。
　〃I'll　try　to　find　out；〃　he　added　and　let　his　hand　fall　to　his　side。
　Its　mike　open　again；　the　translator　came　back　online。　〃…will　be　able　to　visit　the　farming　areas　later；〃　Ingliss　was　saying。　〃At　the　moment　many　of　the　workers　are　out　hunting；　so　there　would　be　little　to　see。〃
　〃Is　that　the　krisjaw　hunt？〃　Joshua　spoke　up。　Ingliss　focused　on　him。　〃Yes；　of　course。　Only　krisjaws　and　bololins　are　worthy　of　mass　hunts；　and　you　would　have　heard　a　warning　siren　if　a　bololin　herd　were　approaching。〃
　〃Yes；　Moff　has　mentioned　krisjaws　once　or　twice；〃　Cerenkov　said。　〃I　get　the　impression　they're　dangerous；　but　we　don't　know　anything　more。〃
　〃Dangerous？〃　Ingliss　barked　a　laugh。　〃Immensely　so。　Two　meters　or　more　in　length；　half　that　from　paws　to　shoulder；　with　wavy　teeth　that　can　shred　a　man　in　seconds。　Savage　hunters；　they　threaten　both　our　people　and　our　livestock。〃
　〃Sounds　a　little　like　ou