bill_the_galactic_hero_v1.1-第25章

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ilder　tone。
　　〃Look；　you　must　understand　what　has　happened。　You　just　can't　feed　all　those　carbon　and　hydrogen　atoms　into　a　sun　and　get　away　with　it。　The　thing　has　gone　nova；　and　I　hear　that　they　didn't　manage　to　evacuate　some　bases　on　the　inner
planets　pletely　。　。　。〃　　　〃Refuse　removal　is　not　without　its　occupational　hazards。　At　least　they　died　in　the　service　of　mankind。〃　
　　〃Well；　yes；　that's　easy　for　you　to　say。　What's　done　is　done。　But　you　have　to　stop　your　Flying　Saucer　operationat　once！〃　　
　〃Why？〃　Inspector　Jeyes　asked。　〃I'll　admit　this　little　matter　of　a　nova　was　unexpected；　but　it's　over　now　and　there　is　not　much　we　can　do　about　it。　And　you　heard　Basurero　say　that　he　has　doubled　the　output　rate　here；　we'll　be　into　our　backlog　soon　。　。　。〃
　　〃Why　do　you　think　your　rate　doubled？〃　the　astronomer　snarled。　〃You've　got　that　star　so　unstable　that　it　is　consuming　everything　and　is　ready　to　turn　into　a　supernova　that　will　not　only　wipe　out　all　the　planets　there　but　may　reach　as　far　as　Helior　and…this　sun。　Stop　your　infernal　machine　at　once！〃　
　　The　inspector　sighed；　then　waved　his　hand　in　a　tired　yet　final　fashion。　〃Turn　it　off；　Basurero　。　。　。　I　should　have　known　it　was　too　good　to　last　。　。　。　〃
　　〃But；　sir；〃　the　big　engineer　was　wringing　his　hands　in　despair。　〃We'll　be　back　where　we　started；　it'll　begin　to　pile　up　again…〃
　　　〃Do　as　you　are　ordered！〃
　　With　a　resigned　sigh　Basurero　dragged　over　to　the　control　board　and　threw　a　master　switch。　The　clanging　and　rattling　of　the　conveyors　died　away；　and　whining　generators　moaned　down　into　silence。　All　about　the　room　the　sanitation　men　stood　in　huddled；　depressed　groups　while　the　astronomers　crawled　back　to　consciousness　and　helped　one　another　from　the　room。　As　the　last　one　left　he　turned　and；　baring　his　teeth；　spat　out　the　words　〃Garbage　men！〃　A　hurled　wrench　clanged　against　the　closed　door　and　defeat　was　plete。　
　　〃Well；　you　can't　win　them　all；〃　Inspector　Jeyes　said　energetically；　though　his　words　had　a…　hollow　ring。　〃Anyway；　I've　brought　you　some　fresh　blood；　Basurero。　This　is　Bill；　a　young　fellow　with　bright　ideas　for　your　research　staff。〃
　　〃A　pleasure；〃　Basurero　said；　and　swamped　Bill's　hands　in　one　of　his　large　paws。　He　was　a　big　man；　wide　and　fat　and　tall　with　olive　skin　and　jet　black　hair　that　he　wore　almost　…to　his　shoulders。　〃C'mon；　we're　going　to　knock　off　for　chow　now；　you　e　with　me；　and　I'll　sorta　put　you　in　the　picture　here　and　you　tell　me　about　yourself。〃
　　They　walked　the　pristine　halls　of　the　D　of　S　while　Bill　filled　his　new　boss　in　on　his　background。　Basurero　was　so　interested　that　he　took　a　wrong　turning　and　opened　a　door　without　looking。　A　torrent　of　plastic　trays　and　beakers　rushed　out　and　reached　up　to　his　knees　before　he　and　Bill　could　force　it　shut　again。
　　〃Do　you　see？〃　he　asked　with　barely　restrained　rage。　〃We're　swamped。　All　the　available　storage　space　used　and　still　the　stuff　piles　up。　I　swear　to　Krishna　I　don't　know　what's　going　to　happen；　we　just　don't　have　any　more　place　to　put　it。〃　　　He　pulled　a　silver　whistle　from　his　pocket　and　blew　fiercely　on　it。　It　made　no　sound　at　all。　Bill　slid　over　a　bit；　looking　at　him　suspiciously；　and　Basurero　scowled　in　return。
　　〃Don't　look　so　damned　frightened…I　haven't　stripped　my　gears。　This　is　a　Supersonic　Robot　Whistle；　too　high…pitched　for　the　human　ear；　though　the　robots　can　hear　it　well　enoughsee？〃　With　a　humming　of　wheels　a　rubbish　robot…a　rubbot…rolled　up　and　with　quick　motions　of　its　pick…up　arms　began　loading　the　plastic　rubbish　into　its　container。
　　〃That's　a　great　idea；　the　whistle　I　mean；〃　Bill　said。　〃Call　a　robot　just　like　that　whenever　you　want　one。　Do　you　think　I　could　get　one；　now　that　I'm　a　G…man　like　you　and　all　the　rest？〃
　　〃They're　kind　of　special；〃　Basurero　told　him；　pushing　through　the　correct　door　into　the　canteen。　〃Hard　to　get；　if　you　know　what　I　mean。〃　　　
〃No　I　don't　know　what　you　mean。　Do　I　get　one　or　don't　I？〃
　　Basurero　ignored　him；　peering　closely　at　the　menu；　then　dialing　a　number。　The　quick…frozen　redi…meal　slid　out；　and　he　pushed　it　into　the　radar　heater。　　
　〃Well？〃　Bill　said。
　　〃If　you　must　know；〃　Basurero　said；　a　little　embarrassed；　〃we　get　them　out　of　breakfast…cereal　boxes。　They're　really　doggie　whistles　for　the　kiddies。　I'll　show　you　where　the　box　dump　is；　and　you　can　look　for　one　for　yourself。〃
　　〃I'll　do　that；　I　want　to　call　robots　too。〃
　　　They　took　their　heated　meals　to　one　of　the　tables；　and　between　forkfuls　Basurero　scowled　at　the　plastic　tray　he　was　eating　out　of；　then　stabbed　it　spitefully。　〃See　that；〃　he　said。　〃We　contribute　to　our　own　downfall。　Wait　until　you　see　how　these　mount　up　now　with　the　matter　transmitter　turned　off。〃　
　　〃Have　you　tried　dumping　them　in　the　ocean？〃　　
　〃Project　Big　Splash　is　working　on　that。　I　can't　tell　you　much；　since　the　whole　thing　is　classified。　You　gotta　realize　that　the　oceans　　on　this　damned　planet　are　covered　over　like　everything　else；　and　they're　pretty　grim　by　now；　I　tell　you。　We　dumped　into　them　as　long　as　we　could；　until　we　raised　the　water　level　so　high　that　waves　came　out　of　the　inspection　hatches　at　high　tide。　We're　still　dumping；　but　at　a　much　reduced　rate。〃　
　　〃How　could　you　possibly？〃　Bill　gaped。
　　Basurero　looked　around　carefully；　then　leaned　across　the　table；　laid　his　index　finger　beside　his　nose；　winked；　smiled；　and　said　shhhh　in　a　hushed　whisper。
　　〃Is　it　a　secret？〃　Bill　asked。　　
　〃You　guessed　it。　Meteorology　would　be　on　us　in　a　second　if　they　found　out。　What　we　do　is　evaporate　and　collect　the　sea　water　and　dump　the　salt　back　into　the　ocean。　Then　we　have　secretly　converted　certain　waste　pipes　to　run　the　other　way！　As　soon　as　we　hear　it　is　raining　topside　we　pump　our　water　up　and　let　it　spill　out　with　the　rain。　We　got　Meteorology　going　half　nuts。　Every　year　since　we　started　Project　Big　Splash　the　annual　rainfall　in　the　temperate　zones　has　increased　by　three　inches；　and　snowfall　is　so　heavy　at　the　poles　that　some　of　the　top　levels　are　collapsing　under　the　weight。　But　Roll　on　the　Refusel　we　keep　dumping　all　the　time！　You　won't　say　anything　about　this；　classified　you　know。〃　
　　〃Not　a　word。　It　sure　is　a　great　idea。〃
　　Smiling　pridefully；　Basurero　cleaned　his　tray　and　reached　over　and　pushed　it　into　a　disposal　slot　in　the　wall；　but　when　he　did　this　fourteen　other　trays　came　cascading　out　over　the　table。　〃See！〃　He　grated　his　teeth；　depressed　in　an　instant。　〃This　is　where　the　buck　ends。　We're　the　bottom　level　and　everything　dumped　on　every　level　up　above　ends　up　here；　and　we're　being　swamped　with　no　place　to　store　it　and　no　way　to　get　rid　of　it。　I　gotta　run　now。　We'll　have　to　put　Emergency　　　Plan　Big　Flea　into　action　at　once。〃　He　rose；　and　Bill　followed　him　out　the　door。　
　　〃Is　Big　Flea　classified　too？〃
　　〃It　won't　be　once　it　hits　the　fan。　We've　got　a　Health　Department　inspector　bribed　to　find　evidence　of　insect　infestation　in　one　of　the　dormitory　blocks…one　of　the　big　ones；　a　mile　high；　a　mile　wide；　a　mile　thick。　Just　think　of　that；　147；725；952；000　cubic　feet　of　rubbish　dump　going　to　waste。　They　clean　everyone　out　to　fumigate　the　place　and　before　they　can　get　back　in　we　fill　it　up　with　plastic　trays。〃
　　〃Don't　they　plain？〃　
　　〃Of　course　they　plain；　but　what　good　does　it　do　them？　We　just　blame　it　on　departmental　error　and　tell　them　to　send　the　plaint　through　channels；　and　channels　on　this　planet　really　means　something。　You　figure　a　ten…　to　twentyyear　wait　on　most　paper　work。　Here's　your　office。〃　He　pointed　to　an　open　doorway。　〃You　settle　down　and　study　the　records　and　see　if　you　can　e　up　with　any　ideas　by　the　next　shift。〃　He　hurried　away。　
　　It　was　a　small　office；　but　Bill　was　proud　of　it。　He　closed　the　door　and　admired　the　files；　the　desk；　the　swivel　chair；　the　lamp；　all　made　from　a　variety　of　discarded　bottles；　cans；　boxes；　casters；　coasters；　and　such。　But　there　would　be　plenty　of　time　to　appreciate　it；　now　he　had　to　get　to　work：　He　hauled　open　the　top　drawer　in　the　file　cabinet　and　stared　at　the　blackclothed；　mat…bearded；　pasty…faced　corpse　that　was　jammed　in　there。　He　slammed　the　drawer　shut　and　retreated　quickly。　
　　〃Here；　here；〃　he　told　himself　firmly。　〃You've　seen　enough　bodies　before；　trooper；　there's　no　need　to　get　nervous　over　this　one。〃　He　walked　back　and　hauled　the　file　open　again　and　the　corpse　open