tz.cobra strike-第51章

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　The　edge　of　the　crowd　withdrew　a　bit　as　the　two　men　passed　on　their　way　to　the　Dewdrop。　〃Watch　for　drawn　weapons；〃　Telek　said　to　the　room　in　general。　〃We　don't　want　them　pulling　a　last…minute　suicide　rush　or　some　such　trick。〃
　〃If　they　were　going　to　pull　something；　wouldn't　they　have　done　it　while　they　still　had　Almo；　Michael；　and　Dorjay　under　the　gun？〃　Nnamdi　suggested。
　〃Maybe；〃　Telek　grunted。　〃But　we　were　hair…trigger　alert　then。　Maybe　they　expect　us　to　be　lulled　now。　Anyway；　I　don't　trust　them…they　accepted　this　deal　too　easily　for　my　taste。〃
　〃Like　they　accepted　my　ultimatum　to　bring　Decker　back；〃　Joshua　muttered。　Justin　looked　at　his　brother；　found　him　staring　at　the　approaching　men　with　a　look　of　intense　concentration　on　his　face。
　Telek　glanced　in　the　twins〃　direction。　〃Something？〃
　〃Tell　her；　Justin；〃　Joshua　said；　eyes　and　frown　still　on　the　display。
　　Justin　explained　again　about　the　spy　collar。　〃Um；〃　Telek　grunted　when　he'd　finished。　〃You　think　they've　planted　a　bomb　or　something　on　one　of　them；　Joshua？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Joshua　said　slowly。　〃But　I　suddenly　don't　like　this。〃
　〃Me；　neither。〃　Telek　hesitated；　then　picked　up　the　mike　and　punched　for　the　outside　speakers。　〃Yuri；　Marck？　Hold　it　there　a　second；　would　you？〃
　The　two　men　came　to　a　hesitant　looking　halt　about　twenty　meters　from　the　hatch。　〃Governor？　What's　wrong？〃　Cerenkov　called。
　〃I　want　you　both　to　strip　to　your　underwear；〃　she　told　them。　〃Safety　precaution。〃
　Rynstadt　glanced　back　over　his　shoulder　at　the　silent　Qasamans。　〃Can't　we　skip　that？〃　he　called；　his　voice　almost　breaking　with　strain。　〃They　didn't　put　anything　in　our　clothes…I'm　sure　of　that。　Please…let　us　get　aboard。〃
　〃Something's　wrong；〃　Christopher　muttered。　Grabbing　the　mike　from　Telek；　he　punched　a　new　button。　〃Dorjay；　signal　them　to　tell　you…quietly…what's　going　on。〃　Without　waiting　for　an　acknowledgment　he　switched　back　to　the　outside　speaker。　〃e　on；　guys…you　heard　the　governor。　Strip。〃
　Flicking　off　the　speaker；　he　handed　the　mike　silently　back　to　Telek；　who　accepted　it　the　same　way。　On　the　screen；　the　two　men　were　pulling　off　their　tunics；　and　because　he　knew　to　watch　for　it；　Justin　could　see　Rynstadt's　lips　moving。　They　were　working　on　their　boots　when　Link's　voice　came　quietly　into　the　circuit。　〃Marck　says　they've　both　been　poisoned…　some　sort　of　toxin　on　a　meal　tray　that　the　server　wore　gloves　to　avoid　touching。〃
　〃No　wonder　they　were　so　willing　to　let　them　go；〃　Nnamdi　growled。　〃We've　got　to　get　them　aboard　right　away　and　into　the　analyzer；　Governor。〃
　But　Telek　was　staring　through　the　screen；　her　face　frozen　into　a　mask　of　horror；　〃They're　not　poisoned；〃
　she　whispered。　〃They're　infected。　They've　dosed　them　with　something　to　kill　all　of　us。〃
　For　a　long　moment　shock　hung　thickly　in　the　air。　Telek　recovered　first。　〃Almo；　get　back　in　here…use　the　cargo　hatch　you　went　out　by。　Dorjay　。。。　e　inside　and　seal　the　outer　door。　Now。〃
　〃What？〃　Christopher　and　Joshua　yelped　in　unison。
　〃No　choice；〃　Telek　snapped　back。　Her　hand　was　white…knuckled　where　she　clutched　the　mike；　and　her　face　looked　very　old。　〃We　haven't　got　isolation　facilities　aboard…you　all　know　that。〃
　〃The　medical　analyzer…〃
　〃Has　an　even　chance　of　not　even　figuring　out　what　they've　been　given；〃　she　cut　Christopher　off；　〃let　alone　knowing　how　to　cure　it。〃
　Beneath　his　feet；　Justin　felt　the　deck　vibrate　slightly　as　Pyre　closed　the　cargo　hatch；　an　instant　later　it　was　echoed　as　Link　sealed　the　main　hatchway。
　And　on　the　outer　display；　Rynstadt　and　Cerenkov　froze　in　horrified　disbelief。　〃Hey！〃　Cerenkov　yelled。
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　Telek　said；　the　words　almost　a　sigh。　She　seemed　to　remember　the　mike；　lifted　it　to　her　lips。　〃I'm　sorry；〃　she　repeated。　〃You've　been　infected。　We　can't　risk　taking　you　aboard。〃
　〃Guns　being　drawn！〃　Nnamdi　said　abruptly。　〃They　know　we've　figured　it　out；〃
　〃Captain…m　laser　on　the　Qasamans；〃　Telek　snapped　toward　the　inter。　〃Dazzle　them。　Then　。。。　then　prepare　to　lift。〃
　〃You　can't　leave　them　here。〃
　Justin　hadn't　even　noticed　Pyre's　entry　into　the　lounge；　but　his　voice　made　it　clear　he'd　been　there　long　enough　to　know　what　was　happening。
　And　that　he　wasn't　going　to　accept　it。
　Telek　turned　to　face　him；　but　there　was　no　fight　in　her　eyes。　〃Give　me　an　alternative；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃Put　them　in　spacesuits　for　two　weeks？…and　watch　them　die　there　because　we　can't　get　to　them　to　even　attempt　treatment？〃
　〃The　rest　of　us　could　stay　in　suits；〃　Pyre　said。
　〃Oxygen　wouldn't　last　long　enough；〃　F'ahl　said　from　the　bridge。　〃And　recharging　in　a　contaminated　atmosphere　would　be　damned　risky。〃
　The　display　screens　lit　up　briefly　as　m　laser　fire　swept　the　Qasamans。　Rynstadt　and　Cerenkov　broke　their　paralysis　as　the　sound　of　gunshots　and　mojo　screams　became　audible；　the　two　men　dashing　for　the　Dewdrop's　tail。　Heading　for　what　cover　the　ship　would　provide；　Justin　guessed　。。。　until　it　lifted　into　space　away　from　them。
　And　suddenly　he　had　it。
　〃Almo！〃　he　shouted；　interrupting　Telek　but　not　caring。　〃Two　spacesuits…out　the　cargo　hatch。　Hurry。〃
　〃Justin；　I　just　got　done　saying…〃　Telek　began。
　〃We　can　lift　with　them　in　the　hold；〃　Justin　continued；　the　words　tripping　over　each　other　as　he　tried　to　get　them　out　as　fast　as　possible。　〃The　hold's　got　an　airseal…we　can　evacuate　it　and　set　up　UVs　to　sterilize　the　outsides　of　the　suits。〃
　〃And　watch　them　die　in　there？〃　Telek　snarled。　〃The　hold　hasn't　even　got　a　true　airlock；　and　we　haven't　got　the　facilities…〃
　〃But　the　Troft　ships　out　there　do”　Justin　shouted　back。
　And　the　lounge　was　abruptly　quiet；　save　for　the　deep　hum　of　the　idling　gravity　lifts　and　the　fading　sounds　of　Pyre's　running　footsteps　down　the　hall。
　Three　minutes　later；　in　a　highly　inaccurate　rain　of　bullets　from　the　Qasamans；　the　Dewdrop　lifted　and　made　for　the　starry　sky。　An　hour　after　that；　Cerenkov　and　Rynstadt　were　inside　a　Troft　warship's　isolation　facility；　prognosis　uncertain。
　An　hour　after　that；　the　Dewdrop　was　in　hyperspace；　heading　for　home。
　
　
　Chapter　23
　
　The　Menssana　had　returned　from　its　survey　mission　to　Aventine　to　the　sort　of　wele　explorers　throughout　the　ages　must　have　received。　Its　personnel　were　received　with　an　official　vote　of　congratulations　by　the　Council；　its　magdisks　of　data　copied　and　disseminated　to　hundreds　of　eager　scientists　around　the　planet。
　The　Dewdrop's　reception；　two　days　later；　was　considerably　more　subdued。
　The　last　page　of　Telek's　preliminary　report　vanished　from　the　board　screen；　and　Corwin　put　the　instrument　aside　with　a　sigh。
　〃Reaction？〃
　Corwin　looked　up　to　meet　his　father's　eyes。　〃They　were　lucky；〃　he　said　bluntly。　〃They　should　all　have　been　killed　out　there。〃
　Jonny　nodded。　〃Yes。　The　Qasamans〃　only　error　was　that　they　wanted　as　much　information　as　they　could　get　before　destroying　the　mission。　If　they　hadn't　cared　they　could　have　blown　up　the　Dewdrop　any　of　a　dozen　different　times。〃
　Corwin　grimaced。　York's　arm　gone；　Winward's　eyes　only　slowly　ing　back；　Cerenkov　and　Rynstadt　still　in　critical　condition　aboard　an　orbiting　Troft　ship…　and　with　all　of　that；　he　could　still　consider　the　mission　lucky。　〃What　in　heaven's　name　have　we　gotten　ourselves　into？〃　he　muttered。
　〃A　real　mess。〃　Jonny　sighed。　〃How　long　before　Sun　and　pany　finish　with　their　debriefing？　Any　idea？〃
　〃Uh　。　。　。〃　Corwin　retrieved　his　board；　punched　up　a　request。　〃Not　before　this　evening。　And　they're　not　releasing　anyone　to　the　public　until　morning。〃
　〃That's　okay；　we're　not　public。〃　The　elder　Moreau　stared　into　space　a　moment。　〃I　want　you　to　call　your　mother　and　arrange　with　her　to　go　to　the　Cobra　Academy　tonight…use　my　name　to　get　in；　and　if　they　give　you　any　interference　quote　〃em　some　next…of…kin　perogatives…I'm　sure　you　can　find　something　applicable　on　the　books。　Don't　talk　politics　with　your　brothers；　and　don't　keep　them　up　too　late；　life'll　get　hectic　again　for　them　when　the　Council　gets　its　turn　tomorrow。〃
　Corwin　nodded。　〃Will　you　be　there；　too？〃
　〃Yes；　but　don't　wait　for　me。　I've　got　a　couple　of　errands　to　do　first。〃
　〃Alone？〃
　Jonny　gave　his　eldest　a　lopsided　smile。　〃My　joints　just　had　a　nice　vacation　on　sunny　worlds。　I　can　face　Aventine's　winter　on　my　own　for　a　few　hours；　thank　you。〃
　Corwin　s