rr.thebrentfordtriangle-第21章

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　solar　system；　fifth　from　the　sun。　Ceres　was　the　home　world　to　a　most　advanced　race　of　beings　who　muted　between　the　planets　much　in　the　way　that　you　or　I　might　take　a　sixty…five　up　to　Baling　Broadway。　Their　world　was　small　and　their　population　large。　They　needed　another　planet　similar　to　theirs　for　colonization。　Naturally　enough　their　eyes　turned　towards　Earth；　a　world　at　that　time　only　sporting　a　primitive　society　which　offered　little　opposition　to　such　an　advanced　race。　They　sent　out　scout　parties；　who　were　pleased　to　discover　that　the　simple　Earthers　hailed　them　as　gods。　No　doubt　the　Cereans　would　be　running　the　place　even　now　had　not　their　warlike　natures　got　the　best　of　them。　A　great　war　developed　upon　Ceres　and　whilst　a　considerable　number　of　the　lads　were　here　arranging　matters　to　their　satisfaction　their　entire　planet　was　totally　destroyed；　leaving　them　marooned。
　'The　cataclysm　was；　if　you　will　pardon　the　expression；　somewhat　earth…shattering；　and　the　shocks　were　felt　here。　A　travelling　asteroid；　the　Moon　as　we　now　know　it；　was　blown　into　orbit　around　the　Earth　causing　absolute　devastation。　Half　of　the　world　was　flooded。　Those　Cereans　who　survived　the　holocaust　did　so　by　withdrawing　here　and　sealing　themselves　in。　Little　remained　to　ever　prove　their　existence　but　for　legend。
　'The　Cerean　survivors　never　lost　hope；　although　they　were　few　in　number　and　the　centuries　which　passed　saw　mankind's　development　slowly　approaching　that　of　their　own。　Still　they　remained；　waiting　and　plotting。　For　they　had　one　thing　to　wait　and　plot　for。
　'Shortly　before　the　planet's　destruction　the　men　of　Ceres　had　sent　a　great　strike　force　out　of　this　solar　system　to　seek　other　stars　and　other　worlds。　The　Cereans　knew　that　they　would　some　day　return　and；　finding　no　Ceres；　would　put　two　and　two　together　and　revisit　the　Earth。　Thus　they　have　remained；　waiting　and　waiting；　preparing　for　this　return。　They　are　doing　so　still　and　their　time　has　almost　e。　Even　as　I　speak　the　Cerean　strike　force　is　streaking　across　the　Cosmos　bound　for　Earth。　And　they　have　only　one　thing　upon　their　minds。'
　Soap　ceased　his　fantastic　monologue；　and　Pooley　and　Omally　stared　at　him　dumb　and　slack…jawed。　'If　you　don't　mind　me　saying　so；'　said　John　at　length；　'and　please　do　not　construe　this　as　any　criticism　of　yourself　or　your　character；　that　is　the　most　absurd　piece　of　nonsense　I　have　ever　had　the　misfortune　of　listening　to。*
　'I　have　seen　the　film　of　it；'　said　Pooley；　'dubbed　from　the　original　Japanese　it　was。'
　'And　the　lights　upon　the　allotment；'　said　Soap；　'what　would　you　take　those　to　be？'
　'The　work　of　the　council；'　said　Omally　firmly；　'another　plot　to　confound　honest　golfers。'
　Soap　burst　into　a　paroxysm　of　laughter。　Tears　rolled　down　his　pale　cheeks　and　he　clutched　at　his　stomach。
　'e　now；'　said　Pooley；　'it　is　no　laughing　matter；　those　lads　have　it　in　for　us。'
　'Have　it　in　for　you？'　gasped　Soap　between　convulsions。　'You　witness　a　test　run　of　laser…operated　gravitational　landing　beams；　the　product　of　a　technology　beyond　prehension；　and　you　put　it　down　to　the　work　of　Brentford　Council？'
　'If　you　will　pardon　me；'　said　Pooley；　somewhat　offended；　'if　it　is　the　product　of　a　technology　beyond　prehension　I　hardly　feel　that　we　can　be　blamed　for　finding　it　so。'
　'Quite；'　said　Omally。
　'And　your　journey　here　through　the　solid　concrete　floor　of　an　empty　allotment　shed？'
　'I　have　been　meaning　to　ask　somebody　about　that；'　said　John。
　'It　was　a　hologram；'　said　Pooley；　matter…of…factly。
　'Oh；　of　course；　one　of　those　lads。'
　'I　must　apologize　for　your　rapid　descent；'　Soap　explained。　'I　had　a　great　deal　of　trouble　in　keeping　the　door　open　long　enough　for　you　both　to　enter。　I　was　unable；　however；　to　stop　the　Cereans　bringing　down　the　lift。'
　'e　now；'　said　Pooley；　who　had　always　been　fond　of　the　phrase；　'be　fair　Soap；　all　this　is　a　little　hard　to　swallow。'
　'Nevertheless；　it　is　true。　As　true　as　the　fact　that　you　are　sitting　here；　a　mile　and　a　half　beneath　Penge；　drinking　one…hundred…and…fifty…year…old　Rhine　wine。'
　'Tenge？'　Pooley　shook　his　head　once　more。　'Where　the　hell　is　Penge？'
　'I've　never　been　quite　certain　myself；　but　I'm　told　that　it's　a　very　nice　place。'
　John　and　Jim　finished　their　second　bottles　and　sat　in　silence　wondering　what　in　the　world　they　were　to　do　next。　Omally　sat　glowering　into　the　carpet。　Pooley　took　off　his　jacket；　which　was　starting　to　steam　at　the　shoulders。　'All　right；'　he　said　at　last；　'say　that　we　do　believe　you。'
　'I　don't；'　Omally　interrupted。
　'Yes；　well；　say　that　we　did。　What　do　you　suppose　we　can　do　about　it？　How　can　we　…　'　he　indicated　himself　and　his　bedraggled　panion'　…　how　can　we　battle　it　out　with　an　intergalactic　strike　force？　I　myself　possess　a　barlow　knife　which　is　good　for　whittling　and　Omally　has　an　air　pistol。　Could　you　perhaps　chip　in　with　a　few　Sam　missiles　and　the　odd　thermonuclear　device？'
　'Sadly　no；'　said　Soap。　'But　I　am　open　to　any　suggestions　at　this　time。'
　'I　have　one　to　make；'　said　John　Omally　bitterly。　Pooley　covered　his　ears。
　
　14
　Small　Dave　lay　in　his　hospital　bed　for　some　days　before　the　doctors　released　him。　He　seemed　sound　enough　physically；　a　little　scorched　about　the　extremities；　but　nothing　more。。　It　was　his　mental　state　which　put　the　wind　up　the　hospital　staff。　The　constant　talking　to　himself。　Still；　there　was　no　law　as　yet　against　that　sort　of　thing；　and　he　wasn't　a　private　patient；　was　he？　The　doctors　consequently　turned　the　dwarf　postman　out　on　to　the　street　and　left　him　to　fend　for　himself。
　At　length　he　returned　to　the　boarded…up　shell　which　had　been　his　family　seat　for　countless　generations。　As　he　stood　peering　up　at　the　blackened　brickwork　there　was　little　emotion　to　be　found　upon　his　elfin　face。　With　a　mere　shrug；　a　brief　display　of　hand…flapping；　and　a　word　or　two　to　an　invisible　panion；　he　turned　upon　his　heel　and　shambled　away　towards　the　Haling　Road。
　Neville　watched　him　pass　from　the　Swan's　doorway。　'Vindictive；　grudge…bearing　wee　bastard；'　was　all　the　part…time　barman　had　to　say。
　As　the　dwarf　receded　into　the　distance；　Neville　noted　to　his　dismay　that　a　bouncing；　striding　figure；　sporting　a　lime…green　coiffure　and　a　natty　line　in　bondage　trousers；　was　rapidly　approaching；　his　denim　pockets　bulging　with　coin　of　the　realm　and　his　trigger　finger　already　a…twitch。　It　was；　in　fact；　twitching　at　a　rate　exactly　equivalent　to　that　of　the　nervous　tic　the　part…time　barman　had　recently　developed　in　his　good　eye。
　'Damn；'　said　Neville；　as　Raffles　Rathbone　offered　him　a　cheery　wave。　The　bouncing　boy　squeezed　past　him　into　the　saloon…bar　and　jogged　up　to　the　Captain　Laser　Alien　Attack　Machine。　'Good　morning　to　you；'　he　said；　addressing　the　thing　directly。　'Ready　for　the　off？'
　With　a　single　movement　he　tore　aside　the　'Out　of　Order'　sign　Neville　had　Sellotaped　over　the　video　screen　and　cast　it　across　the　floor。
　'Broken；'　said　the　part…time　barman；　without　turning　from　his　position　in　the　doorway。　'Coin　jammed　in　the　mechanism；　won't　work。'
　Nick　eyed　the　barman's　rear　quarters　with　suspicion。　'I'll　give　it　a　try；　to　make　sure；'　he　said　slowly。
　'Brewery　say　to　leave　it；　might　blow　up　if　anyone　tampers　with　it。'
　'Can't　see　any　coin；'　said　the　lad；　squinting　into　the　slot。
　'I　have　my　orders。　Have　to　wait　for　the　engineer。'
　'Really？'　Nick's　ill…matched　eyes　flickered　between　the　barman's　back　and　the　humming　machine。　A　florin　hovered　in　his　hand　and　a　look　of　indecision　wrinkled　his　brow。
　Neville　turned　suddenly。　'Best　leave　it；　eh？'
　The　coin　was　an　inch　from　the　slot　and　the　youth's　hand　was　beginning　to　tremble。　A　certain　electricity　entered　the　air；　and　with　it　the　distinctive　wail　of　a　harmonica；　as　next　door　in　the　rear　yard　of　the　Star　of　Bombay　Curry　Garden；　Archie　Karachi　performed　an　apt　rendition　of　'Do　Not　Forsake　Me　Oh　My　Darling'。　It　was　not　that　he　had　any　knowledge　of　the　drama　enacting　itself　within　the　saloon…bar　of　the　Swan；　but　rather　that　his　son's　bar…mitzvah　was　ing　up　and　he　wanted　to　put　on　a　decent　show。
　Neville's　nervous　tic　accelerated　slightly；　but　he　fixed　the　boy　with　a　piercing　gaze　of　the　type　favoured　by　cobras　whilst　surveying　their　four…footed　lunch。　Nick　for　his　part　was　not　really　equal　to　such　a　ba