deathworld-第30节

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ustice。　He　wasn't　fearful　for　his　own　life　anymore；　but　if　he　died　the　other　deaths　would　all　have　been　in　vain。　And　there　still　was　a　way　to　end　this　planetary　war。　All　the　facts　were　available　now；　it　was　just　a　matter　of　putting　them　together。　If　only　he　wasn't　so　tired；　he　would　see　the　solution。　It　was　right　there；　lurking　around　a　corner　in　his　brain；　waiting　to　be　dragged　out。
　 There　was　the　sudden　sound　of　heavy　feet　stamping　outside　the　cabin；　and　a　man's　muffled　shouting。　No　one　except　Jason　seemed　to　notice。　They　were　too　intent　on　his　answer。　He　groped　in　his　mind；　but　couldn't　find　words　to　explain。　Whatever　he　did；　he　couldn't　admit　the　truth　now。　If　he　died　all　hope　died。　He　had　to　lie　to　gain　time；　then　find　the　correct　solution　that　seemed　so　tantalizingly　near。　Yet　he　was　too　tired　even　to　phrase　a　plausible　lie。
　 The　sound　of　the　door　bursting　open　crashed　through　the　stillness　of　the　room。　A　gnarled；　stubby　man　stood　there；　his　anger…red　face　set　off　by　a　full　white　beard。
　 〃Everyone　deaf？〃　he　snarled。　〃I　ride　all　night　and　shout　my　lungs　out　and　you　just　squat　here　like　a　bunch　a'　egg…hatching　birds。　Get　out！　Quake！　A　big　quake　on　the　way！〃
　 They　were　all　standing　now；　shouting　questions。　Plies's　voice　cut　through　the　uproar。　〃Hananas！　How　much　time　do　we　have？〃
　 〃Time！　Who　knows　about　time！〃　the　greybeard　cursed。　〃Get　out　or　you're　dead；　s'all　I　know。〃
　 No　one　stopped　to　argue　now。　There　was　a　furious　rush　and　within　a　minute　Jason　was　being　strapped　into　a　litter　on　one　of　the　doryms。
　〃What's　happening？〃　he　asked　the　man　who　was　tying　him　into　place。
　 〃Earthquake　ing；〃　he　answered；　his　fingers　busy　with　the　knots。　〃Hananas　is　the　best　quakeman　we　have。　He　always　knows　before　a　quake　is　going　to　happen。　If　the　word　can　be　passed　quick　enough　we　get　away。　Quakemen　always　know；　say　they　can　feel　them　ing。〃　He　jerked　the　last　knot　tight　and　was　gone。
　 Night　cameas　they　were　starting；　the　red　of　sunset　matched　by　a　surly　scarlet　glow　in　the　northern　sky。　There　was　a　distant　rumbling；　more　felt　than　heard；　and　the　ground　stirred　underfoot。　The　doryms　hurried　into　a　shambling　run　without　being　prodded。　They　splashed　through　a　swamp　and　on　the　other　side　Hananas　changed　their　course　abruptly。　A　little　later；　when　the　southern　sky　exploded；　Jason　knew　why。　Flames　lit　the　scene　brightly；　ashes　sifted　down　and　hot　lumps　of　rock　crashed　into　the　trees。　They　steamed　when　they　hit；　and　if　it　hadn't　been　for　the　earlier　rain　they　would　have　been　faced　with　a　forest　fire　as　well。
　 Something　large　loomed　up　next　to　the　line　of　march；　and　when　they　crossed　an　open　space　Jason　looked　at　it　in　the　reflected　light　from　the　sky。
　 〃Rhes…〃　he　choked；　pointing。　Plies；　riding　next　to　him；　looked　at　the　great　beast；　shaggy　body　and　twisted　horns　as　high　as　their　shoulders；　then　looked　away。　He　wasn't　frightened　or　apparently　even　interested。　Jason　looked　around　then　and　began　to　understand。
　 All　of　the　fleeing　animals　made　no　sound；　that's　why　he　hadn't　noticed　them　before。　But　on　both　sides　dark　forms　ran　between　the　trees。　Some　he　recognized；　most　of　them　he　didn't。　For　a　few　minutes　a　pack　of　wild　dogs　ran　near　them；　even　mingling　with　the　domesticated　dogs。　No　notice　was　taken。　Flying　things　flapped　by　overhead。　Under　the　greater　threat　of　the　volcanoes　all　other　battles　were　forgotten。　Life　respected　life。　A　herd　of　fat；　pig…like　beasts　with　curling　tusks　blundered　through　the　line。　The　doryms　slowed；　picking　their　steps　carefully　so　they　wouldn't　step　on　them。　Smaller　animals　sometimes　clung　to　the　backs　of　the　bigger　ones；　riding　untouched　awhile；　before　they　leaped　off。
　 Pounded　mercilessly　by　the　jarring　litter；　Jason　fell　wearily　into　a　light　sleep。　It　was　shot　through　with　dreams　of　the　rushing　animals；　hurrying　on　forever　in　silence。　With　his　eyes　open　or　shut；　he　saw　the　same　endless　stream　of　beasts。
　 It　all　meant　something　and　he　frowned　as　he　tried　to　think　what。　Animals　running；　Pyrran　animals。
　 He　sat　bolt　upright　suddenly；　twisting　in　his　litter；　wide　awake　and　staring　down　in　prehension。
　 〃What　is　it？〃　Plies　asked；　swinging　his　dorym　in　close。
　 〃Go　on；〃　Jason　said。　〃Get　us　out　of　this；　and　get　us　out　safely。　I　know　how　your　people　can　get　what　they　want；　end　the　war　now。　There　is　a　way；　and　I　know　how　it　can　be　done。〃
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　 There　were　few　coherent　memories　of　the　ride。　Some　things　stood　out　sharply　like　the　spaceship…sized　lump　of　burning　scoria　that　had　plunged　into　a　lake　near　them；　showering　the　line　with　hot　drops　of　water。　But　mostly　it　was　just　a　seemingly　endless　ride；　with　Jason　still　too　weak　to　care　much　about　it。　By　dawn　the　danger　area　was　behind　them　and　the　march　had　slowed　to　a　walk。　The　animals　had　vanished　as　the　quake　was　left　behind；　going　their　own　ways；　still　in　silent　armistice。
　 The　peace　of　mutually　shared　danger　was　over；　Jason　found　that　out　when　they　stopped　to　rest　and　eat。　He　and　Plies　went　to　sit　on　the　soft　grass；　near　a　fallen　tree。　A　wild　dog　had　arrived　there　first。　It　lay　under　the　log；　muscles　tensed；　the　ruddy　morning　light　striking　a　red　glint　from　its　eyes。　Plies　faced　it；　not　three　meters　away；　without　moving　a　muscle。　He　made　no　attempt　to　reach　one　of　his　weapons　or　to　call　for　help。　Jason　stood　still　as　well；　hoping　the　Pyrran　knew　what　he　was　doing。
　 With　no　warning　at　all　the　dog　sprang　straight　at　them。　Jason　fell　backward　as　Plies　pushed　him　aside。　The　Pyrran　dropped　at　the　same　time…only　now　his　hand　held　the　long　knife；　yanked　from　the　sheath　strapped　to　his　thigh。　With　unseen　speed　the　knife　came　up；　the　dog　twisted　in　midair；　trying　to　bite　it。　Instead　it　sank　in　behind　the　dog's　forelegs；　the　beast's　own　weight　tearing　a　deadly　gaping　wound　the　length　of　its　body。　It　was　still　alive　when　it　hit　the　ground；　but　Plies　was　astraddle　it；　pulling　back　the　bony…plated　head　to　cut　the　soft　throat　underneath。
　 The　Pyrran　carefully　cleaned　his　knife　on　the　dead　animal's　fur；　then　returned　it　to　the　sheath。　〃They're　usually　no　trouble；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃but　it　was　excited。　Probably　lost　the　rest　of　the　pack　in　the　quake。〃　His　actions　were　the　direct　opposite　of　the　city　Pyrrans。　He　had　not　looked　for　trouble　nor　started　the　fight。　Instead　he　had　avoided　it　as　long　as　he　could。　But　when　the　beast　charged；　it　had　been　neatly　and　efficiently　dispatched。　Now；　instead　of　gloating　over　his　victory；　he　seemed　troubled　over　an　unnecessary　death。
　 It　made　sense。　Everything　on　Pyrrus　made　sense。　Now　he　knew　how　the　deadly　planetary　battle　had　started…and　he　knew　how　it　could　be　ended。　All　the　deaths　had　not　been　in　vain。　Each　one　had　helped　him　along　the　road　a　little　more　toward　the　final　destination。　There　was　just　one　final　thing　to　be　done。
　 Plies　was　watching　him　now　and　he　knew　they　shared　the　same　thoughts。　〃Explain　yourself；〃　Plies　said。　〃What　did　you　mean　when　you　said　we　could　wipe　out　the　junkmen　and　get　our　freedom？〃
　 Jason　didn't　bother　to　correct　the　misquote；　it　was　best　they　consider　him　a　hundred　percent　on　their　side。
　 〃Get　the　others　together　and　I'll　tell　you。　I　particularly　want　to　see　Naxa　and　any　other　talkers　who　are　here。〃
　 They　gathered　quickly　when　the　word　was　passed。　All　of　them　knew　that　the　junkman　had　been　killed　to　save　this　off…wonder；　that　their　hope　of　salvation　lay　with　him。　Jason　looked　at　the　crowd　of　faces　turned　toward　him　and　reached　for　the　right　words　to　tell　them　what　had　to　be　done。　It　didn't　help　to　know　that　many　of　them　would　be　killed　doing
　…~　it。
　
　 〃We　all　want　to　see　an　end　to　the　war　here　on　Pyrrus。　There　is　a　way；　but　it　will　cost　human　lives。　Some　of　you　may　die　doing　it。　I　think　the　price　is　worth　it；　because　success　will　bring　you　everything　you　have　ever　wanted。〃　He　looked　around　at　the　tense；　waiting　circle。
　 'We　are　going　to　invade　the　city；　break　through　the　perimeter。　I　know　how　it　can　be　done。　。　。
　 A　mutter　of　sound　spread　across　the　crowd。　Some　of　them　looked　excited；　happy　with　the　thought　of　Idiling　their　hereditary　enemies。　Others　stared　at　Jason　as　if　he　were　mad。　A　few　were　dazed　at　the　magnitude　of　the　thought；　this　carrying　of　the　battle　to　the　stronghold　of　the　heavily　armed　enemy。　They　quieted　when　Jason　raised　his　hand。
　 〃I　know　it　sounds　impossible；〃　he　said。　〃But　let　me　explain。　Something　must　be　done…and　now　is　the　time　to　do　it。　The　situation　can　only　get　worse　from　now　on。　The　city　Pyrr。　。　。　the　junkmen　can　get　along　without　your　food；　their　concentrates　taste　awful　but　they　sustain　life。　But　they　are　going　to　turn　against　you　in　every　way　they　can。　No　more　metals　for　your　tools　or　replacements　for　your　electronic　equipment。　Their　hatred　will　probably　make　them　seek　out　your　farms　and　destroy　them　from　the　ship。　All　of　this　won't　be　fortable…and　there　will　be　worse　to　e。　In　the　city　they　are　losing　their　war　against　this　planet。　Each　year　there　are　less　of　them；　and　some　day　they　will　all　be　dead。　Knowing　how　they　feel；　I　am　sure　they　will　destroy　their　ship　first；　and　the　entire　planet　as　well；　if　that　is　possible。〃
　 〃How　can　we　stop　them？〃　someone　called　out。
　 〃By　hitting　now；〃　Jason　answered。　〃I　know　all　the　details　of　the　city　and　I　know　how　the　defenses　are　set　up。　Their　perimeter　is　designed　to　protect　the