deathworld-第26章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


nt　you　shall　have。　Power；　money…anything。
　 〃This　is　a　rich　planet。　The　junkmen　mine　and　sell　the　metal；　but　we　could　do　it　much　better。　Bring　a　spaceship　back　here　and　land　any…
　where　on　this　continent。　We　have　no　cities；　but　our　people　have　farn　everywhere；　they　will　find　you。　We　will　then　have　merce；　trade　on　our　own。　This　is　what　we　all　want　and　we　will　work　hard　for　i　And　you　will　have　done　it。　Whatever　you　want；　we　will　give。　That　a　promise　and　we　do　not　break　our　promises。〃
　 The　intensity　and　magnitude　of　what　he　described　rocked　Jaso~　He　knew　that　Rhes　spoke　the　truth　and　the　entire　resources　of　ti　planet　would　be　his；　if　he　did　as　asked。　For　one　second　he　was　tempte　savoring　the　thought　of　what　it　would　be　like。　Then　came　realizatic　that　it　would　be　a　half　answer；　and　a　poor　one　at　that。　If　these　peop　had　the　strength　they　wanted；　their　first　act　would　be　the　attempt　destruction　of　the　city　men。　The　result　would　be　bloody　civil　war　th　would　probably　destroy　them　both。　Rhes's　answer　was　a　good　one…hi　only　half　an　answer。
　 Jason　had　to　find　a　better　solution。　One　that　would　stop　all　the　figi　ing　on　this　planet　and　allow　the　two　groups　of　humans　to　live　in　peac
　 〃I　will　do　nothing　to　injure　your　people；　Rhes…and　everything　my　power　to　aid　them；〃　Jason　said。
　 This　half　answer　satisfied　Rhes；　who　could　see　only　one　interpret　tion　of　it。　He　spent　the　rest　of　the　morning　on　the　municator；　ranging　for　the　food　supplies　that　were　being　brought　to　the　tradir　site。
　 〃The　supplies　are　ready　and　we　have　sent　the　signal；〃　he　said。　〃TI　truck　will　be　here　tomorrow　and　you　will　be　waiting　for　it。　Everything　arranged　as　I　told　you。　You'll　leave　now　with　Naxa。　You　must　rca'　the　meeting　spot　before　the　trucks。〃
　19
　 〃Trucks　almost　here。　Y'know　what　to　do？〃　Naxa　asked。
　 Jason　nodded；　and　looked　again　at　the　dead　man。　Some　beast　had　torn　his　arm　off　and　he　had　bled　to　death。　The　severed　arm　had　been　tied　into　the　shirt　sleeve；　so　from　a　distance　it　looked　normal。　Seen　close　up；　this　limp　arm；　plus　the　white　skin　and　shocked　expression　on　the　face；　gave　Jason　an　unhappy　sensation。　He　liked　to　see　his　corpses　safely　buried。　However　he　could　understand　its　impbrtance　today。
　 〃Here　they're。　Wait　until　his　back's　turned；〃　Naxa　whispered。
　 The　armored　truck　had　three　powered　trailers　in　tow　this　time。　The　train　ground　up　the　rock　slope　and　whined　to　a　stop。　Krannon　climbed　out　of　the　cab　and　looked　carefully　around　before　opening　up　the　trailers。　He　had　a　lift　robot　along　to　help　him　with　the　loading。
　 〃Now！〃　Naxa　hissed。
　 Jason　burst　into　the　clearing；　running；　shouting　Krannon's　name。　There　was　a　crackling　behind　him　as　two　of　the　hidden　men　hurled　the　corpse　through　the　foliage　after　him。　He　turned　and　fired　without　stopping；　setting　the　thing　afire　in　midair。
　 There　was　the　crack　of　another　gun　as　Krannon　fired；　his　shot　jarred　the　twice…dead　corpse　before　it　hit　the　ground。　Then　he　was　lying　prone；　firing　into　the　trees　behind　the　running　Jason。
　 Just　as　Jason　reached　the　truck；　there　was　a　whirring　in　the　air　and　hot　pain　ripped　into　his　back；　throwing　him　to　the　ground。　He　looked　around　as　Krannon　dragged　him　through　the　door；　and　saw　the　metal　shaft　of　a　crossbow　bolt　sticking　out　of　his　shoulder。
　 〃Lucky；〃　the　Pyrran　said。　〃An　inch　lower　would　have　got　your　heart。　I　warned　you　about　those　grubbers。　You're　lucky　to　get　off　with　only　this。〃　He　lay　next　to　the　door　and　snapped　shots　into　the　now　quiet　wood。
　 Taking　out　the　bolt　hurt　much　more　than　it　had　going　in。　Jason　cursed　the　pain　as　Krannon　put　on　a　dressing；　and　admired　the　singleness　of　purpose　of　the　people　who　had　shot　him。　They　had　risked　his　life　to　make　his　escape　look　real。　And　also　risked　the　chance　that　he　might
　turn　against　them　after　being　shot。　They　did　a　job　pletely　and　thc　oughly　and　he　cursed　them　for　their　efficiency。
　 Krannon　climbed　warily　out　of　the　truck；　after　Jason　was　bandage　Finishing　the　loading　quickly；　he　started　the　train　of　trailers　back　t　ward　the　city。　Jason　had　an　anti…pain　shot　and　dozed　off　as　soon　as　th~　started。
　 While　he　slept；　Krannon　must　have　radioed　ahead；　because　Kerk　w　waiting　when　they　arrived。　As　soon　as　the　truck　entered　the　penimett　he　threw　open　the　door　and　dragged　Jason　out。　The　bandage　pulli　and　Jason　felt　the　wound　tear　open。　He　ground　his　teeth　together；　Kei　would　not　have　the　satisfaction　of　hearing　him　cry　out。
　 〃I　told　you　to　stay　in　the　buildings　until　the　ship　left。　Why　did　y　leave？　Why　did　you　go　outside？　You　talked　to　the　grubbers…didn't　you　With　each　question　he　shook　Jason　again。
　 〃I　didn't　talk　to…anyone。〃　Jason　managed　to　get　the　words　out。　〃Th　tried　to　take　me；　I　shot　two…hid　out　until　the　trucks　came　back。〃
　 〃Got　another　one　then；〃　Krannon　said。　〃I　saw　it。　Good　shootin　Think　I　got　some　too。　Let　him　go；　Kerk；　they　shot　him　in　the　back　F　fore　he　could　reach　the　truck。〃
　 That's　enough　explanations；　Jason　thought　to　himself。　Don't　overt　it。　Let　him　make　up　his　mind　later。　Now's　the　time　to　change　the　sir　ject。　There's　one　thing　that　will　get　his　mind　off　the　grubbers。
　 〃I've　been　fighting　your　war　for　you；　Kerk；　while　you　stayed　safe　inside　the　perimeter。〃　Jason　leaned　back　against　the　side　of　the　truck　the　other　loosened　his　grip。　〃I've　found　out　what　your　battle　with　di　planet　is　really　about…and　how　you　can　win　it。　Now　let　me　sit　dow　and　I'll　tell　you。〃
　 More　Pyrrans　had　e　up　while　they　talked。　None　of　them　mov　now。　Like　Kerk；　they　stood　frozen；　looking　at　Jason。　When　Kerk　mike　he　spoke　for　all　of　them。
　 'What　do　you　mean？&
　 〃Just　what　I　said。　Pyrrus　is　fighting　you…actively　and　conscious＇　Get　far　enough　out　from　this　city　and　you　can　feel　the　waves　of　hato　that　are　directed　at　it。　No；　that's　wrong…you　can't　because　you〃　grown　up　with　it。　But　I　can；　and　so　could　anyone　else　with　any　sort　psi　sensitivity。　There　is　a　message　of　war　being　beamed　against　y　constantly。　The　life　forms　of　this　planet　are　psi…sensitive；　and　respoi　to　that　order。　They　attack　and　change　and　mutate　for　your　destructio　And　they'll　keep　on　doing　so　until　you　are　all　dead。　Unless　you　e　stop　the　war。〃
　 〃How？〃　Kerk　snapped　the　word　and　every　face　echoed　the　questio
　 〃By　finding　whoever　or　whatever　is　sending　that　message。　The　Ii
　forms　that　attack　you　have　no　reasoning　intelligence。　They　are　being　ordered　to　do　so。　I　think　I　know　how　to　find　the　source　of　these　orders。　After　that；　it　will　be　a　matter　of　getting　across　a　message；　asking　for　a　truce　and　an　eventual　end　to　all　hostilities。〃
　 A　dead　silence　followed　his　words　as　the　Pyrrans　tried　to　prehend　the　ideas。　Kerk　moved　first；　waving　them　all　away。
　 〃Go　back　to　your　work。　This　is　my　responsibility　and　I'll　take　care　of　it。　As　soon　as　I　find　out　what　truth　there　is　here…if　any…I'll　make　a　plete　report。〃　The　people　drifted　away　silently；　looking　back　as　they　went。
　20
　 〃From　the　beginning　now；〃　Kerk　said。　〃And　leave　out　nothin~　〃There　is　very　little　more　that　I　can　add　to　the　physical　facts。　I　s~　the　animals；　understood　the　message。　I　even　experimented　with　some　them　and　they　reacted　to　my　mental　mands。　What　I　must　do　now　track　down　the　source　of　the　orders　that　keep　this　war　going。
　 〃I'll　tell　you　something　that　I　have　never　told　anyone　else。　I'm　r　only　lucky　at　gambling。　I　have　enough　psi　ability　to　alter　probability　my　favor。　It's　an　erratic　ability　that　I　have　tried　to　improve　for　obvic　reasons。　During　the　past　ten　years　I　managed　to　study　at　all　of　the　c　ters　that　do　psi　research。　pared　to　other　fields　of　knowledge　it　amazing　how　little　they　know。　Basic　psi　talents　can　be　improved　practice；　and　some　machines　have　been　devised　that　act　as　psioi　amplifiers。　One　of　these；　used　correctly；　is　a　very　good　directional　dicator。〃
　 〃You　want　to　build　this　machine？〃　Kerk　asked。
　 〃Exactly。　Build　it　and　take　it　outside　the　city　in　the　ship。　Any　sigi　strong　enough　to　keep　this　centuries…old　battle　going　should　be　stro　enough　to　track　down。　I'll　follow　it；　contact　the　creatures　who　are　set　ing　it；　and　try　to　find　out　why　they　are　doing　it。　I　assume　you'll　go　alo　with　any　reasonab~~e　plan　that　will　end　this　war？〃
　 〃Anything　reasonable；〃　Kerk　said　coldly。　〃How　long　will　it　take　y　to　build　this　machine？〃