deathworld-第11节

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　 This　was　an　unfulfilled　hope。　The　few　beasts　that　came　their　way　were　always　seen　first　by　the　boy。　After　an　hour　of　this；　Jason　was　so　irritated　that　he　blasted　an　evil…looking　thorn　plant　out　of　existence。　He　hoped　that　Grif　wouldn't　look　too　closely　at　it。　Of　course　the　boy　did。
　 〃That　plant　wasn't　close。　It　is　stupid　to　waste　good　ammunition　on　a　plant；〃　Grif　said。
　 There　was　no　real　trouble　during　the　day。　Jason　ended　by　being　bored；　though　soaked　by　the　frequent　rainstorms。　If　Grif　was　capable　of　carrying　on　a　conversation；　he　didn't　show　it。　All　Jason's　gambits
　 failed。　The　following　day　went　the　same　way。　On　the　third　day；　Brucco　appeared　and　looked　Jason　carefully　up　and　down。
　 〃I　don't　like　to　say　it；　but　I　suppose　you　are　as　ready　to　leave　now　as　you　ever　will　be。　Change　the　virus　filter　noseplugs　every　day。　Always　check　boots　for　tears　and　metal…cloth　suiting　for　rips。　Me&kit　supplies　renewed　once　a　week。〃
　 〃And　wipe　my　nose　and　wear　my　galoshes。　Anything　else？〃　Jason　asked。
　 Brucco　started　to　say　something；　then　changed　his　mind。　〃Nothing　that　you　shouldn't　know　well　by　now。　Keep　alert。　And。　。　。　good　luck。〃
　He　followed　up　the　words　with　a　crushing　handshake　that　was　totally　unexpected。　As　soon　as　the　numbness　left　Jason's　hand；　he　and　Grif　went　out　through　the　large　entrance　lock。
　9
　 Real　as　they　had　been；　the　training　chambers　had　not　prepared　him　for　the　surface　of　Pyrrus。　There　was　the　basic　similarity；　of　course。　The　feel　of　the　poison　grass　underfoot　and　the　erratic　flight　of　a　stingwing　in　the　last　instant　before　Grif　blasted　it。　But　these　were　scarcely　noticeable　in　the　crash　of　the　elements　around　him。
　 A　heavy　rain　was　falling；　more　like　a　sheet　of　water　than　individual　drops。　Gusts　of　wind　tore　at　it；　hurling　the　deluge　into　his　face。　He　wiped　his　eyes　clear　and　could　barely　make　out　the　conical　forms　of　two　volcanoes　on　the　horizon；　vomiting　out　clouds　of　smoke　and　flame。　The　reflection　of　this　inferno　was　a　sullen　redness　on　the　clouds　that　raced　by　in　banks　above　them~
　 There　was　a　rattle　on　his　hard　hat　and　something　bounced　off　to　splash　to　the　ground。　He　bent　over　and　picked　up　a　hailstone　as　thick　as　his　thumb。　A　sudden　flurry　of　hail　hammered　painfully　at　his　back　and　neck；　he　straightened　hurriedly。
　 As　quickly　as　it　started；　the　storm　was　over。　The　sun　burned　down；　melting　the　hailstones　and　sending　curls　of　steam　up　from　the　wet　street。　Jason　sweated　inside　his　armored　clothing。　Yet　before　they　had　gone　a　block；　it　was　raining　again　and　he　shook　with　chill。
　 Grif　trudged　steadily　along；　indifferent　either　to　the　weather　or　the　volcanoes　that　rumbled　on　the　horizon　and　shook　the　ground　beneath　their　feet。　Jason　tried　to　ignore　his　disfort　and　match　the　boy's　pace。　The　walk　was　a　depressing　one。　The　heavy；　squat　buildings　loomed　greyly　through　the　rain；　more　than　half　of　them　in　ruins。　They　walked　on　a　pedestrian　way　in　the　middle　of　the　street。　The　occasional　armored　trucks　went　by　on　both　sides　of　them。　The　midstreet　sidewalk　puzzled　Jason　until　Grif　blasted　something　that　hurtled　out　of　a　ruined　building　toward　them。　The　central　location　gave　them　some　chance　to　see　what　was　ing。　Suddenly　Jason　was　very　tired。
　 〃I　suppose　there　wouldn't　be　anything　like　a　taxi　on　this　planet；〃　he　asked。
　 Grif　just　stared　and　frowned。　It　was　obvious　he　had　never　even　heard　the　word　before。　So　they　just　trudged　on；　the　boy　holding　himself　back　to　Jason's　slogging　pace。　Within　half　an　hour；　they　had　seen　all　he　wanted　to　see。　…
　 〃Grif；　this　city　of　yours　is　sure　down　at　the　heels。　I　hope　the　other　ones　are　in　better　shape。〃
　 〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean　talking　about　heels。　But　there　are　no　other　cities。　Some　mining　camps　that　can't　be　located　inside　the　perimeter。　But　no　other　cities。〃
　 This　surprised　Jason。　He　had　always　visualized　the　planet　with　more　than　one　city。　There　were　a　lot　of　things　he　didn't　know　about　Pyrrus；　he　realized　suddenly。　All　of　his　efforts　since　landing　had　been　taken　up　with　the　survival　studies。　There　were　a　number　of　questions　he　wanted　to　ask…but　of　somebody　other　than　his　grouchy　eight…year…old　bodyguard。　There　was　one　person　who　would　be　best　equipped　to　tell　him　what　he　wanted　to　know。
　 〃Do　you　know　Kerk？〃　he　asked　the　boy。　〃Apparently　he's　your　ambassador　to　a　lot　of　places　but　his　last　name…〃
　 〃Sure；　everybody　knows　Kerk。　But　he's　busy；　you　shouldn't　see　him。〃
　 Jason　shook　a　finger　at　him。　〃Minder　of　my　body　you　may　be。　But　minder　of　my　soul　you　are　not。　What　do　you　say　I　call　the　shots　and　you　go　along　to　shoot　the　monsters。　Okay？〃
　 They　took　shelter　from　a　sudden　storm　of　fist…sized　hailstones。　Then；　with　ill　grace；　Grif　led　the　way　to　one　of　the　larger；　central　buildings。　There　were　more　people　here　and　some　of　them　even　glanced　at　Jason　for　a　minute；　before　turning　back　to　their　business。　Jason　dragged　himself　up　two　flights　of　stairs　before　they　reached　a　door　marked　coorwiNATION　AND　SUPPLY。
　
　 〃Kerk　in　here？〃　Jason　asked。
　 〃Sure；〃　the　boy　told　him。　〃He's　in　charge。〃
　 'Pine。　Now　you　get　a　nice　cold　drink　or　your　lunch　or　something；　and　meet　me　back　here　in　a　couple　of　hours。　I　imagine　Kerk　can　do　as　good　a　job　of　looking　after　me　as　you　can。〃
　 The　boy　stood　doubtfully　for　a　few　seconds；　then　turned　away。　Jason　wiped　off　some　more　sweat　and　pushed　through　the　door。
　 There　were　a　handful　of　people　in　the　office　beyond。　None　of　them　looked　up　at　Jason　or　asked　his　business。　Everything　has　a　purpose　on　Pyrrus。　If　he　came　there；　he　must　have　had　a　good　reason。　No　one　would　ever　think　to　ask　him　what　he　wanted。　Jason；　used　to　the　petty　officialdom　of　a　thousand　worlds；　waited　for　a　few　moments　before　he　understood。　There　was　only　one　other　door　to　the　room；　in　the　far　wall。　He　shuffled　over　and　opened　it。
　 Kerk　looked　up　from　a　desk　strewed　with　papers　and　ledgers。　〃I　was　wondering　when　you　would　show　up；〃　he　said。
　 〃A　lot　sooner　if　you　hadn't　prevented　it；〃　Jason　tol&him　as　he　dropped　wearily　into　a　chair。　〃It　finally　dawned　on　me　that　I　could　spend　the
　rest　of　my　life　in　your　bloodthirsty　nursery　school　if　I　didn't　do　something　about　it。　So　here　I　am。〃
　〃Ready　to　return　to　the　'civilized'　worlds；　now　that　you've　seen　enough　of　Pyrrus？〃
　 〃I　am　not；〃　Jason　said。　〃And　I'm　getting　very　tired　of　everyone　telling　me　to　leave。　I'm　beginning　to　think　that　you　and　the　rest　of　the　Pyrrans　are　trying　to　hide　something。〃
　 Kerk　smiled　at　the　thought。　〃What　could　we　have　to　hide？　I　doubt　if　any　planet　has　as　simple　and　one…directional　an　existence　as　ours。〃
　 〃If　that's　true；　then　you　certainly　wouldn't　mind　answering　a　few　direct　questions　about　Pyrrus；　would　you？〃
　 Kerk　started　to　protest；　then　laughed。　'Well　done。　I　should　know　better　by　now　than　to　argue　with　you。　What　do　you　want　to　know？〃
　 Jason　tried　to　find　a　fortable　position　on　the　hard　chair；　then　gave　up。　〃What's　the　population　of　your　planet？〃　he　asked。
　 For　a　second　Kerk　hesitated；　then　said；　〃Roughly　thirty　thousand。　That's　not　very　much　for　a　planet　that　has　been　settled　this　long；　but　the　reason　for　that　is　obvious。〃
　 〃All　right；　population　thirty　thousand；〃　Jason　said。　〃Now　how　about　surface　control　of　your　planet？　I　was　surprised　to　find　out　that　this　city　within　its　protective　wall…the　perimeter…is　the　only　one　on　the　planet。　Let's　not　consider　the　mining　camps；　since　they　are　obviously　just　extensions　of　the　city。　Would　you　say　then　that　you　people　control　more　or　less　of　the　planet's　surface　than　you　did　in　the　past？〃
　 Kerk　picked　up　a　length　of　steel　pipe　from　the　desk　that　he　used　as　a　paperweight　and　toyed　with　it　as　he　thought。　The　thick　steel　bent　like　rubber　at　his　touch　as　he　concentrated　on　his　answer。
　 〃That's　hard　to　say　offhand。　There　must　be　records　of　that　sort　of　thing；　though　I　wouldn't　know　where　to　find　them。　It　depends　on　so　many　factors。　。　。　。〃
　 〃Let's　forget　that　for　now　then；〃　Jason　said。　〃I　have　another　question　that's　really　more　relevant。　Wouldn't　you　say　that　the　population　of　Pyrrus　is　declining　steadily；　year　after　year？〃
　 There　was　a　sharp　clang　as　the　pipe　struck　the　wall。　Then　Kerk　was　standing　over　Jason；　his　hands　extended　toward　the　smaller　man；　his　face　flushed　and　angry。
　 〃Don't　ever　say　that！〃　he　roared。　〃Don't　let　me　ever　hear　you　say　that　again！〃
　 Jason　sat　as　quietly　as　he　could；　talking　slowly　and　picking　out　each　word　with　care。　His　life　hung　in　the　balance。
　 〃Don't　get　angry；　Kerk。　I　meant　no　harm。　I'm　on　your　side；　remember？　I　can　talk　to　you；　because　you've　seen　much　more　of　the　universe　than　the　Pyrrans　who　have　never　left　the　planet。　You　are　used　to　discussing　things。　You　know　that　words　are　just　symbols。　We　can　talk　and　know　you　don't　have　to　lose　your　temper　over　mere　words。　。　。　。〃
　 Kerk　slowly　lowered　his　arms　and　stepped　away。　Then　he　turned　and　poured　himself　a　glass　of　water　from　a　bottle　on　the　desk。　He　kept　his　back　turned　to　Jason　while　he　drank。
　 Very　little　of　the　sweat　that　Jason　wiped　from　his　sopping　face　was　caused　by　the　heat　in　the　room。
　 〃I'm…sorry　I　lost　my　temper；〃　Kerk　said；　dropping　heavily　into　his　chair。　〃Doesn't　usually　happen。　Been　working　hard　lately；　must　have　got　my　temper　on　edge。〃　He　made　no　mention　of　what　Jason