cyclops-第66章
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〃You're outclassed； Eli；〃 the President said miserably。 〃Can't you realize that？〃
〃No； sir。 I refuse to quit on a technicality。〃
〃What technicality？〃
〃The Russians are the visitors。〃
〃So what？〃
〃That makes us the home team；〃 said Steinmetz slyly。 〃And the home team always has the advantage。〃
〃They've landed！〃 exclaimed Sergei Kornilov； smashing a fist into one hand。 〃Selenos 8 is on the moon！〃
Below the VIP observation room； on the floor of the Soviet Mission Control Center； the engineers and space scientists burst into wild cheering and applause。
President Antonov held up a glass of champagne。 〃To the glory of the Soviet Union and the party。〃
The toast was repeated by the Kremlin officials and high…ranking military officers crowded in the room。
〃To our first stepping…stone on our quest of Mars；〃 toasted General Yasenin。
〃Here； here！〃 replied a chorus of deep voices。 〃To Mars。〃
Antonov set his empty glass on a tray and turned to Yasenin； his face abruptly serious。 〃How soon before Major Leuchenko makes contact with the moon base？〃 he asked。
〃Allowing for time to secure the spacecraft systems； make a reconnaissance of the terrain； and position his men for the assault； I would say four hours。〃
〃How far away is the landing site？〃
〃Selenos 8 was programmed to touch down behind a low range of hills less than three kilometers from where Selenos 4 detected the astronauts；〃 answered the general。
〃That seems quite close；〃 said Antonov。 〃If the Americans tracked our descent； Leuchenko has lost all opportunity for surprise。〃
〃There is little doubt they have realized what we're up to。〃
〃You're not concerned？〃
〃Our advantage lies in Leuchenko's experience and superior firepower； rade President。〃 Yasenin's face wore the expression of a boxing manager who had just sent his fighter into the ring against a one…armed man。 〃The Americans are faced with a no…win situation。〃
Major Grigory Leuchenko lay stretched in the fine； gray dust of the moon's surface and stared at the desolate wasteland spread beneath the pitch…black sky。 He found the silent and ghostly landscape similar to the arid desert of Afghanistan's Seistan Basin。 The gravel plains and rolling mound…shaped hills gave little definition。 It reminded him of a great sea of plaster of paris； yet it seemed strangely familiar to him。
He fought off an urge to vomit。 He and his men were all suffering from nausea。 There had been no time to train for the weightless environment during the journey from earth； no weeks or months to adjust as had the cosmonauts of the Soyuz missions。 They were given only a few hours' instruction on how to operate the life…support systems of their lunar suits； a brief lecture on conditions they could expect to find on the moon； and a briefing on the location of the American colony。
He felt a hand squeeze his shoulder through his lunar suit。 He spoke into his helmet's internal transmitter without turning。
〃What have you got？〃
Lieutenant Dmitri Petrov pointed toward a flat valley running between the sloping walls of two craters about a thousand meters to the left。 〃Vehicle tracks and footprints； converging into that shadow below the left crater's rim。 I make out three； maybe four small buildings。〃
〃Pressurized greenhouses；〃 said Leuchenko。 He set a pair of boxlike binoculars on a small tripod and settled the wide viewing piece around the faceplate of his helmet。 〃Looks like vapor issuing out of the crater's sloping side。〃 He paused to adjust the focus。 〃Yes； I can see it clearly now。 There's an entrance into the rock； probably an airlock with access to their interior facility。 No sign of life。 The outer perimeter appears deserted。〃
〃They could be hiding in ambush；〃 said Petrov。
〃Hide where？〃 asked Leuchenko； sweeping the open panorama。 〃The scattered rocks are too small to shield a man。 There are no breaks in the terrain； no indication of defense works。 An astronaut in a bulky white lunar suit would stand out like a snowman in a field of cinders。 No； they must be barricaded inside the cave。〃
〃Not a wise defensive position。 All to our advantage。〃
〃They still have a rocket launcher。〃
〃That has little effect against men spread in a loose formation。〃
〃True； but we'll have no cover and we can't be sure they don't have other weapons。〃
〃A heavy concentration of fire inside the cave entrance might force their hand；〃 suggested Petrov。
〃Our orders are not to cause any unnecessary destruction to the facility；〃 said Leuchenko。 〃We'll have to move in=
〃Something is moving out there！〃 Petrov cried。
Leuchenko stared through the binoculars。 An odd…looking open vehicle had appeared from behind one of the greenhouses and was traveling in their direction。 A white flag； attached to an antenna； hung limply in the airless atmosphere。 He watched until it stopped fifty meters away and a figure stepped out onto the lunar soil。
〃Interesting；〃 said Leuchenko thoughtfully。 〃The Americans want to parley。〃
〃Might be a trick。 A ruse to study our force。〃
〃I don't think so。 They wouldn't make contact under a flag of truce if they were acting from a position of strength。 Their intelligence people and tracking systems on earth warned them of our arrival； and they must realize they're outgunned。 Americans are capitalists。 They look at everything from a business viewpoint。 If they can't make a fight for it； they'll try to strike a deal。〃
〃You going out？〃 asked Petrov。
〃No harm in talking。 He doesn't appear armed。 Perhaps they can be persuaded to bargain their lives for an intact colony。〃
〃Our orders were to take no prisoners。〃
〃I haven't forgotten；〃 said Leuchenko tensely。 〃We'll cross that bridge when we've achieved our objective。 Tell the men to keep the American in their sights。 If I raise my left hand； give the order to fire。〃
He handed his automatic weapon to Petrov and rose lightly to his feet。 His lunar suit； rifle； and life…support backpack； containing an oxygen recharger and water recharger for cooling； added 194 pounds to Leuchenko's body weight for a total of almost 360 earth pounds。 But his lunar weight was only 60 pounds。
He moved toward the lunar vehicle in the half…walking； half…hopping gait typical when moving under the light gravitational pull of the moon。 He quickly approached the lunar vehicle and halted about five meters away。
The American moon colonist was leaning unconcernedly against a front wheel。 He straightened； knelt on one knee； and wrote a number in the lead…colored dust。
Leuchenko understood and turned his radio receiver to the frequency indicated。 Then he nodded。
〃Are you receiving me？〃 the American asked in badly mispronounced Russian。
〃I speak English；〃 replied Leuchenko。
〃Good。 That will save any misunderstanding。 My name is Eli Steinmetz。〃
〃You are the United States moon base leader？〃
〃I head up the project； yes。〃
〃Major Grigory Leuchenko； Soviet Union。〃
Steinmetz moved closer and they stiffly shook hands。 〃It seems we have a problem； Major。〃
〃One neither of us can avoid。〃
〃You could turn around and hike back to your lunar lander；〃 said Steinmetz。
〃I have my orders；〃 Leuchenko stated in a firm tone。
〃You're to attack and capture my colony。〃
〃Yes。
〃Is there no way we can prevent bloodshed？〃
〃You could surrender。〃
〃Funny；〃 said Steinmetz。 〃I was about to ask the same of you。〃
Leuchenko was certain Steinmetz was bluffing； but the face behind the gold…tinted visor remained unreadable。 All Leuchenko could see was his own reflection。
〃You must realize that your people are no match for mine。〃
〃In a knock…down； drag…out firelight you'd win；〃 agreed Steinmetz。 〃But you can remain outside your landing craft only for a few hours before you must go back and replenish your breathing systems。 I reckon you've already used up two。〃
〃We have enough left to acplish the job；〃 Leuchenko said confidently。
〃I must warn you； Major。 We have a secret weapon。 You and your men will surely die。〃
〃A crude bluff； Mr。 Ste
