deathworld-第29节

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　 A　choking　growl　echoed　behind　him。　He　turned；　dropped　and　fired　in　the　same　motion。　It　was　all　over　before　his　conscious　mind　was　aware　it　had　happened。　Pyrran　training　had　conditioned　his　reflexes　on　the　precortical　level。　Jason　gaped　at　the　ugly　beast　dying　not　a　meter　from　him　and　realized　he　had　been　trained　well。
　 His　first　reaction　was　unhappiness　that　he　had　killed　one　of　the　grubber　dogs。　When　he　looked　closer　he　realized　this　animal　was　slightly　different　in　markings；　size　and　temper。　Though　most　of　its　forequarters　were　blown　away；　blood　pumping　out　in　dying　spurts；　it　kept　trying　to　reach　Jason。　Before　the　eyes　glazed　with　death；　it　had　struggled　its　way　almost　to　his　feet。
　 It　wasn't　quite　a　grubber　dog；　though　chances　were　it　was　a　wild　relative。　Bearing　the　same　relation　as　dog　to　wolf。　He　wondered　if　there　were　any　other　resemblances　between　wolves　and　this　dead　beast。　Did　they　hunt　in　packs　too？
　 As　soon　as　the　thought　hit　him　he　looked　up…not　a　moment　too　soon。　The　great　forms　were　drifting　through　the　trees；　closing　in　on　him。　When　he　shot　two；　the　others　snarled　with　rage　and　sank　back　into　the　forest。　They　didn't　leave。　Instead　of　being　frightened　by　the　deaths；　they　grew　even　more　er~raged。
　 Jason　sat　with　his　ba~k　to　the　tree　and　waited　until　they　came　close　before　he　picked　them　off。　With　each　shot　and　dying　scream；　the　outraged　survivors　howled　the　louder。　Some　of　them　fought　when　they　met；　venting　their　rage。　One　stood　on　his　hind　legs　and　raked　great　strips　of　bark　from　a　tree。　Jason　aimed　a　shot　at　it；　but　he　was　too　far　away　to　hit。
　 There　were　advantages　to　having　a　fever；　he　realized。　Logically　he　knew　he　would　live　only　to　sunset；　or　until　his　gun　was　empty。　Yet　the　fact　didn't　bother　him　greatly。　Nothing　really　mattered。　He　slumped；　relaxed　pletely；　only　raising　his　arm　to　fire；　then　letting　it　drop　again。　Every　few　minutes　he　had　to　move　to　look　in　back　of　the　tree；　and　kill　any　of　them　that　were　stalking　him　in　the　blind　spot。　He　wished　dimly　that　he　were　leaning　against　a　smaller　tree；　but　it　wasn't　worth　the　effort　to　go　to　one。
　 Sometime　in　the　afternoon；　he　fired　his　last　shot。　It　killed　an　animal　he　had　allowed　to　get　close。　He　had　noticed　he　was　missing　the　longer　shots。　The　beast　snarled　and　dropped；　the　others　that　were　close　pulled　back　and　howled　in　sympathy。　One　of　them　exposed　himself　and　Jason　pulled　the　trigger。
　 There　was　only　a　slight　click。　He　tried　again；　in　case　it　was　just　a　misfire；　but　there　was　still　only　the　click　The　gun　was　empty；　as　was　the　spare　clip　pouch　at　his　belt。　There　were　vague　memories　of　reloading；　though　he　couldn't　remember　how　many　times　he　had　done　it。
　 This；　then；　was　the　end。　They　had　all　been　right；　Pyrrus　was　a　match　for　him。　Though　they　shouldn't　talk。　It　would　kill　them　all　in　the　end　too。　Pyrrans　never　died　in　bed。　Old　Pyrrans　never　died；　they　just　got　et。
　 Now　that　he　didn't　have　to　force　himself　to　stay　alert　and　hold　the　gun；　the　fever　took　hold。　He　wanted　to　sleep　and　he　knew　it　would　be　a　long　sleep。　His　eyes　were　almost　closed　as　he　watched　the　wary　carnivores　slip　closer　to　him。　The　first　one　crept　close　enough　to　spring；　he　could　see　the　muscles　tensing　in　its　leg。
　 It　leaped。　Whirling　in　midair　and　falling　before　it　reached　him。　Blood　ran　from　its　gaping　mouth　and　the　short　shaft　of　metal　projected　from　the　side　of　his　head。
　 The　two　men　walked　out　of　the　brush　and　looked　down　at　him。　Their　mere　presence　seemed　to　have　been　enough　for　the　carnivores；　because　they　had　all　vanished。
　 Grubbers。　He　had　been　in　such　a　hurry　to　reach　the　city　that　he　had　forgotten　about　the　grubbers。　It　was　good　that　they　were　here　and　Jason　was　very　glad　they　had　e。　He　couldn't　talk　very　well；　so　he　smiled　to　thank　them。　But　this　hurt　his　lips　too　much　so　he　went　to　sleep。
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　 For　a　strange　length　of　time　after　that；　there　were　only　hazy　patches　of　memory　that　impressed　themselves　on　Jason。　A　sense　of　movement　and　large　beasts　around　him。　Walls；　woodsmoke；　the　murmur　of　voices。　None　of　it　meant　very　much　and　he　was　too　tired　to　care。　It　was　easiet　and　much　better　just　to　let　go。
　
　 〃About　time；〃　Rhes　said。　〃A　couple　more　days　lying　there　like　that　and　we　would　have　buried　you；　even　if　you　were　still　breathing。〃
　 Jason　blinked　at　him；　trying　to　focus　the　face　that　swam　above　him。　He　finally　recognized　Rbes；　and　wanted　to　answer　him。　But　talking　only　brought　on　a　spell　of　body…wracking　coughing。　Someone　held　a　cup　to　his　lips　and　sweet　fluid　trickled　down　his　throat。　He　rested；　then　tried　again。
　 〃How　long　have　I　been　here？〃　The　voice　was　thin　and　sounded　far　away。　Jason　had　trouble　recognizing　it　for　his　own。
　 〃Eight　days。　And　why　didn't　you　listen　when　I　talked　to　you？〃　Plies　said。
　 〃You　should　have　stayed　near　the　ship　when　you　crashed。　Didn't　you　remember　what　I　said　about　ing　down　anywhere　on　this　continent？　No　matter；　too　late　to　worry　about　that。　Next　time　listen　to　what　I　say。　Our　people　moved　fast　and　reached　the　site　of　the　wreck　before　dark。　They　found　the　broken　trees　and　the　spot　where　the　ship　had　sunk；　and　at　first　thought　whoever　had　been　in　it　had　drowned。　Then　one　of　the　dogs　found　your　trail；　but　lost　it　again　in　the　swamps　during　the　night。　They　had　a　fine　time　with　the　mud　and　the　snow　and　didn't　have　any　luck　at　all　in　finding　the　spoor　again。　By　the　next　afternoon　they　were　ready　to　send　for　more　help　when　they　heard　your　firing。　Just　made　it；　from　what　I　hear。　Lucky　one　of　them　was　a　talker　and　could　tell　the　wild　dogs　to　clear　out。　Would　have　had　to　kill　them　all　otherwise；　and　that's　not　healthy。〃
　 〃Thanks　for　saving　my　neck；〃　Jason　said。　〃That　was　closer　than　I
　like　to　e。　What　happened　after？　I　was　sure　I　was　done　for；　I　remember　that　much。　Diagnosed　all　the　symptoms　of　pneumonia。　Guaranteed　fatal　in　my　condition　without　treatment。　Locks　like　you　were　wrong　when　you　said　most　of　your　remedies　were　useless…they　seemed　to　work　well　on　me。〃
　 His　voice　died　off　as　Plies　shook　his　head　in　a　slow　no；　lines　of　worry　sharp…cut　into　his　face。　Jason　looked　around　and　saw　Naxa　and　another　man。　They　had　the　same　deeply　unhappy　expressions　as　Plies。
　 〃What　is　it？〃　Jason　asked；　feeling　the　trouble。　〃If　your　remedies　didn't　work…what　did？　Not　my　medikit。　That　was　empty。　I　remember　losing　it　or　throwing　it　away。〃
　 〃You　were　dying；〃　Plies　said　slowly。　〃We　couldn't　cure　you。　Only　a　junkman　medicine　machine　could　do　that。　We　got　one　from　the　driver　of　the　food　truck。〃
　 〃But　how？〃　Jason　asked；　dazed。　〃You　told　me　the　city　forbids　you　medicine。　He　wouldn't　give　you　his　own　medikit。　Not　unless　he
　
　 Rhes　nodded　and　finished　the　sentence。　'Dead。　Of　course　he　was　dead。　I　killed　him　myself；　with　a　great　deal　of　pleasure。〃
　 This　hit　Jason　hard。　He　sagged　against　the　pillows　and　thought　of　all　those　who　had　died　since　he　had　e　to　Pyrrus。　The　men　who　had　died　to　save　him；　died　so　he　could　live；　died　because　of　his　ideas。　It　was　a　burden　of　guilt　that　he　couldn't　bear　to　think　about。　Would　it　stop　with　Krannon…。or　would　the　city　people　try　to　avenge　his　death？
　 〃Don't　you　realize　what　that　means！〃　he　gasped　out　the　words。　〃Krannon's　death　will　turn　the　city　against　you。　There'll　be　no　more　supplies。　They'll　attack　you　when　they　can；　kill　your　people。　。　。〃
　 〃Of　course　we　know　that！〃　Rhes　leaned　forward；　his　voice　hoarse　and　intense。　〃It　wasn't　an　easy　decision　to　e　to。　We　have　always　had　a　trading　agreement　with　the　junkmen。　The　trading　trucks　were　inviolate。　This　was　our　last　and　only　link　to　the　galaxy　outside　the　eventual　hope　of　contacting　them。〃
　 〃Yet　you　broke　that　link　to　save　me…why？〃
　 〃Only　you　can　answer　that　question　pletely。　There　was　a　great　attack　on　the　city　and　we　saw　their　walls　broken；　they　had　to　be　moved　back　at　one　place。　At　the　same　time　the　spaceship　was　over　the　ocean；　dropping　bombs　of　some　kind…the　flash　was　reported。　Then　the　ship　returned　and　you　left　it　in　a　smaller　ship。　They　fired　at　you　but　didn't　kill　you。　The　little　ship　wasn't　destroyed　either；　we　are　starting　to　raise　it　now。　What　does　it　all　mean？　We　had　no　way　of　telling。　We　only　knew　it　was　something　vitally　important。　You　were　alive；　but　would　obviously
　die　before　you　could　talk。　The　small　ship　might　be　repaired　to　fly；　perhaps　that　was　your　plan　and　that　is　why　you　stole　it　for　us。　We　couldn't　let　you　die；　not　even　if　it　meant　all…out　war　with　the　city。　The　situation　was　explained　to　all　of　our　people　who　could　be　reached　by　screen　and　they　voted　to　save　you。　I　killed　the　junkman　for　his　medicine；　then　rode　two　doryms　to　death　to　get　here　in　time。
　 〃Now　tell　us…what　does　it　mean？　What　is　your　plan？　How　will　it　help　us？〃
　 Guilt　leaned　on　Jason　and　stifled　his　mouth。　A　fragment　of　an　andent　legend　cut　across　his　mind；　about　the　jona　who　wrecked　the　spacer　so　all　in　it　died；　yet　he　lived。　Was　that　he？　Had　he　wrecked　a　world？　Could　he　dare　admit　to　these　people　that　he　had　taken　the　lifeboat　only　to　save　his　own　life？
　 The　three　Pyrrans　leaned　forward；　waiting　for　his　words。　Jason　closed　his　eyes　so　he　wouldn't　see　their　faces。　What　could　he　tell　them？　If　he　admitted　the　truth；　they　would　undoubtedly　kill　him　on　the　spot；　considering　it　only　justice。　He　wasn't　fearful　for　his　ow