bill_the_galactic_hero_v1.1-第2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！


　up。
　　〃Oh；　how　the　girls　love　a　uniform；〃　the　sergeant　said；　〃and　I　can't　blame　them。〃
　　A　memory　of　the　vision　of　Inga…Maria　Calyphigia's　matched　white　moons　obscured　Bill's　sight　for　a　moment；　and　when　it　had　cleared　he　found　he　was　grasping　a　stylo　and　was　about　to　sign　the　form　that　the　recruiting　sergeant　held　before　him。
　　〃No；〃　Bill　said；　a　little　amazed　at　his　own　firmness　of　mind。　〃I　don't　really　want　to。　Technical　Fertilizer　Operator　。　。　。〃
　　〃And　not　only　will　you　receive　this　lovely　uniform；　an　enlistment　bonus；　and　a　free　medical　examination；　but　you　will　be　awarded　these　handsome　medals。〃　The　sergeant　took　a　flat　box；　offered　to　him　on　cue　by　a　robot；　and　opened　it　to　display　a　glittering　array　of　ribbons　and　bangles。　〃This　is　the　Honorable　Enlistment　Award；〃　he　intoned　gravely；　pinning　a　jewel…encrusted　nebula；　pendant　on　chartreuse；　to　Bill's　wide　chest。　〃And　the　Emperor's　Congratulatory　Gilded　Horn；　the　Forward　to　Victory　Starburst；　the　Praise　Be　Given　Salutation　of　the　Mothers　of　the　Victorious　Fallen；　and　the　Everflowing　Cornucopia　which　does　not　mean　anything　but　looks　nice　and　can　be　used　to　carry　contraceptives。〃He　stepped　back　and　admired　Bill's　chest；　which　was　now　adangle　with　ribbons；　shining　metal；　and　gleaming　paste　gems。
　　〃I　just　couldn't；〃　Bill　said。　〃Thank　you　anyway　for　the　offer；　but　。　。　。　〃
　　The　sergeant　smiled；　prepared　even　for　this　eleventh…hour　resistance；　and　pressed　the　button　on　his　belt　that　actuated　the　programed　hypno…coil　in　the　heel　of　Bill's　new　boot。　The　powerful　neural　current　surged　through　the　contacts　and　Bill's　hand　twitched　and　jumped；　and　when　the　momentary　fog　had　lifted　from　his　eyes　he　saw　that　he　had　signed　his　name。
　　〃But。。。'
　　〃Wele　to　the　Space　Troopers；〃　the　sergeant　boomed；　smacking　him　on　the　back　（trapezius　like　rock）　and　relieving　him　of　the　stylo。　〃FALL　IN！〃　he　called　in　a　larger　voice；　and　the　recruits　stumbled　from　the　tavern。
　　〃What　have　they　done　to　my　sonl〃　Bill's　mother　screeched；　ing　into　the　market　square；　clutching　at　her　bosom　with　one　hand　and　towing　his　baby　brother　Charlie　with　the　other。　Charlie　began　to　cry　and　wet　his　pants。
　　〃Your　son　is　now　a　trooper　for　the　greater　glory　of　the　Emperor；〃　the　sergeant　said；　pushing　his　slack…jawed　and　round…shouldered　recruit　squad　into　line。
　　〃No！　it　can't　be　。　。　。〃　Bill's　mother　sobbed；　tearing　at　her　graying　hair。　〃I'm　a　poor　widow；　he's　my　sole　support　。　。　。　you　cannot　。　。　。　I〃
　　〃Mother。　。　。〃　Bill　said；　but　the　sergeant　shoved　him　back　into　the　ranks。'
　　〃Be　brave；　madam；〃　he　said。　〃There　can　be　no　greater　glory　for　a　mother。〃He　dropped　a　large　and　newly　minted　coin　into　her　hand。　〃Here　is　the　enlistment　bonus；　the　Emperor's　shilling。　I　know　he　wants　you　to　have　it。　ATTENTION！〃　　　With　a　clash　of　heels　the　graceless　recruits　braced　their　shoulders　and　lifted　their　chins。　Much　to　his　surprise；　so　did　Bill。
　　〃RIGHT　TURN！〃
　　In　a　single；　graceful　motion　they　turned；　as　the　mand　robot　relayed　the　order　to　the　hypno…coil　in　every　boot。　〃FORWARD　MARCH！〃　And　they　did；　in　perfect　rhythm；　so　well　under　control　that；　try　as　hard　as　he　could；　Bill　could
neither　turn　his　head　nor　wave　a　last　good…by　to　his　mother。　She　vanished　behind　him；　and　one　last；　anguished　wail　cut　through　the　thud　of　marching　feet。
　　〃Step　up　the　count　to　130；〃　the　sergeant　ordered；　glancing　at　the　watch　set　under　the　nail　of　his　little　finger。　〃Just　ten　miles　to　the　station；　and　we'll　be　in　camp　tonight；　my　lads。〃
　　The　mand　robot　moved　its　metronome　up　one　notch　and　the　tramping　boots　conformed　to　the　smarter　pace　and　the　men。。　began　to　sweat。　By　the　time　they　had　reached　the　copter　station　it　was　nearly　dark；　their　red　paper　uniforms
hung　in　shreds；　the　gilt　had　been　rubbed　from　their　pot…metal　buttons；　and　the　surface　charge　that　repelled　the　dust　from　their　thin　plastic　boots　had　leaked　away。　They　looked　as　ragged；　weary；　dusty；　and　miserable　as　they　felt。

II

It　wasn't　the　recorded　bugle　playing　reveille　that　woke　Bill　but　the　supersonics　that　streamed　through　the　metal　frame　of　　is　bunk　that　shook　him　until　the　fillings　vibrated　from　his　teeth。　He　sprang　to　his　feet　and　stood　there　shivering　in　the　gray　of　dawn。　Because　it　was　summer　the　floor　was　refrigerated：　no　mollycoddling　of　the　men　in　Camp　Leon　Trotsky。
The　pallid；　chilled　figures　of　the　other　recruits　loomed　up　on　every　side；　and　when　the　soul…shaking　vibrations　had　died　away　they　dragged　their　thick　sackcloth　and　sandpaper　fatigue　uniforms　from　their　bunks；　pulled　them　hastily　on；　jammed　their　feet　into　the　great；　purple　recruit　boots；　and　staggered　out　into　the　dawn。
　　〃I　am　here　to　break　your　spirit；〃　a　voice　rich　with　menace　told　them；　and　they　looked　up　and　shivered　even　more　as　they　faced　the　chief　demon　in　this　particular　hell。
　　Petty　Chief　Officer　Deathwish　Drang　was　a　specialist　from　the　tips　of　the　angry　spikes　of　his　hair　to　the　corrugated　stamping…soles　of　his　mirrorlike　boots。　He　was　wide…shouldered　and　lean…kipped；　while　his　long　arms　hung；　curved　like　those　of　some　horrible　anthropoid；　the　knuckles　of　his　immense　fists　scarred　from　the　breaking　of　thousands　of　teeth。　It　was　impossible　to　look　at　this　detestable　form　and　imagine　that　it　issued　from　the　tender　womb　of　a　woman。　He　could　never　have　been　born；　he　must　have　been　built　to　order　by　the　government。　Most　terrible　of　all　was　the　head。　The　face！　The　hairline　was　scarcely　a　finger's…width　above　the　black　tangle　of　the　brows　that　were　set　like　a　rank　growth　of　foliage　at　the　rim　of　the　black　pits　that　concealed　the　eyes…visible　only　as　baleful　red　gleams　in　the　Stygian　darkness。　A　nose；　broken　and　crushed；　squatted　above　the　mouth　that　was　like　a　knife　slash　in　the　taut　belly　of　a　corpse；　while　from　between　the　lips　issued　the　great；　white　fangs　of　the　canine　teeth；　at　least　two　inches　long；　that　rested　in　grooves　on　the　lower　lip。
　　〃I　am　Petty　Chief　Officer　Deathwish　Drang；　and　you　will　call　me　'sir'　or　'm'lord。'〃　He　began　to　pace　grimly　before　the　row　of　terrified　recruits。　〃I　am　your　father　and　your　mother　and　your　whole　universe　and　your　dedicated　enemy；　and　very　soon　I　will　have　you　regretting　the　day　you　were　born。　I　will　crush　your　will。　When　I　say　frog；　you　will　jump。　My　job　is　to　turn　you　into　troopers；　and　troopers　have　discipline。　Discipline　means　simply　unthinking　subservience；。　loss　of　free　will；　absolute　obedience。　That　is　all　I　ask　。　。　。〃　
　　He　stopped　before　Bill；　who　was　not　shaking　quite　as　much　as　the　others；　and　scowled。
　　〃I　don't　like　your　face。　One　month　of　Sunday　KP。〃
　　〃Sir。。。〃
　　〃And　a　second　month　…　for　talking　back。〃
　　He　waited；　but　Bill　was　silent。　He　had　already　learned　his　first　lesson　on　how　to　be　a　good　trooper。　Keep　your　mouth　shut。　Deathwish　paced　on。
　　〃Right　now　you　are　nothing　but　horrible；　sordid；　flabby　pieces　of　debased　civilian　flesh。　I　shall　turn　that　flesh　to　muscle；　your　wills　to　jelly；　your　minds　to　machines。　You　will　bee　good　troopers；　or　I　will　kill　you。　Very　soon　you　will　be　hearing　stories　about　me；　vicious　stories；　about　how　I　lulled　and　ate　a　recruit　who　disobeyed　me。〃
　　He　hatred　and　stared　at　them；　and　slowly　the　coffin…lid　lips　parted　in　an　evil　travesty　of　a　grin；　while　a　drop　of　saliva　formed　at　the　tip　of　each　whitened　tusk。
　　〃That　story　is　true。〃
　　A　moan　broke　from　the　row　of　recruits；　and　they　shook　as　though　a　chill　wind　had　passed　over　them。　The　smile　vanished。
　　〃We　will　run　to　breakfast　now　as　soon　as　I　have　some　volunteers　for　an　easy　assignment。　Can　any　of　you　drive　a　helicar？〃
　　Two　recruits　hopefully　raised　their　hands；　and　he　beckoned　them　forward。
〃All　right；　both　of　you；　mops　and　buckets　behind　that　door。　Clean　out　the　latrine　while　the　rest　are　eating。　You'll　have　a　better　appetite　for　lunch。〃
　　That　was　Bill's　second　lesson　on　how　to　be　a　good　trooper：　never　volunteer。
　　The　days　of　recruit　training　passed　with　a　horribly　lethargic　speed。　With　each　day　conditions　became　worse　and　Bill's　exhaustion　greater。　This　seemed　impossible；　but　it　was　nevertheless　true。　A　large　number　of　gifted　and　sadistic　minds　had　designed　it　to　be　that　way。　The　recruits'　heads　were　shaved　for　uniformity。　The　food　was　theoretically　nourishing　but　incredibly　vile　and　when；　by　mistake；　one　batch　of　meat　was　served　in　an