deathworld-第31节

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　 〃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　them　from　animal　life；　but　we　could　break　through　it　if　we　were　really　determ？ned。〃
　 'What　good　would　that　do？〃　Plies　snapped。　〃We　crack　the　perimeter　and　they　draw　back…then　counterattack　in　force。　How　can　we　stand　against　their　weapons？〃
　 〃We　won't　have　to。　Their　spaceport　touches　the　perimeter；　and　I　know　the　exact　spot　where　the　ship　stands。　That　is　the　place　where　we　will　break　through。　There　is　no　formal　guard　on　the　ship　and　only　a　few　people　in　the　area。　We　will　capture　the　ship。　Whether　we　can　fly　it　or　not　is　unimportant。　Who　controls　the　ship　controls　Pyrrus。　Once　there　we　threaten　to　destroy　it　if　they　don't　meet　our　terms。　They　have　the　choice　of　mass　suicide　or　cooperation。　I　hope　they　have　the　brains　to　cooperate。〃
　 His　words　shocked　them　into　silence　for　an　instant；　then　they　surged　into　a　wave　of　sound。　There　was　no　agreement；　just　excitement；　and　Plies　finally　brought　them　to　order。
　 〃Quiet！〃　he　shouted。　'Wait　until　Jason　finishes　before　you　decide。　We　still　haven't　heard　how　this　proposed　invasion　is　to　be　acplished。〃
　 〃The　plan　I　have　depends　on　the　talkers；〃　Jason　said。　〃Is　Naxa　there？〃　He　waited　until　the　fur…wrapped　man　had　pushed　to　the　front。　〃I　want　to　know　more　about　the　talkers；　Naxa。　I　know　you　can　speak　to　doryms　and　the　dogs　here…but　what　about　the　wild　animals？　Can　you　make　them　do　what　you　want？〃
　 〃They're　animals…course　we　can　talk　t'　them。　Th'　more　talkers；　th'　more　power。　Make　'em　do　just　what　we　want。〃
　 〃Then　the　attack　will　work；〃　Jason　said　excitedly。　〃Could　you　get　your　talkers　all　on　one　side　of　the　city…the　opposite　side　from　the　spaceport…and　stir　the　animals　up？　Make　them　attack　the　perimeter？〃
　 〃Could　we！〃　Naxa　shouted；　carried　away　by　the　idea。　〃We'd　bring　in　animals　from　all　over；　start　th'　biggest　attack　they　ev'r　saw！〃
　 〃Then　that's　it。　Your　talkers　will　launch　the　attack　on　the　far　side　of　the　perimeter。　If　you　keep　out　of　sight；　the　guards　will　have　no　idea　that　it　is　anything　more　than　an　animal　attack。　I've　seen　how　they　work。　As　an　attack　mounts；　they　call　for　reserves　inside　the　city　and　drain　men　away　from　the　other　parts　of　the　perimeter。　At　the　height　of　the　battle；　when　they　have　all　their　forces　mitted　across　the　city；　I'll　lead　the　attack　that　will　break　through　and　capture　the　ship。　That's　the　plan　and　it's　going　to　work。〃
　 Jason　sat　down　then；　half　fell　down；　drained　of　strength。　He　lay　and
　listened　as　the　debate　went　back　and　forth；　Plies　ordering　it　and　kee1　ing　it　going。　Difficulties　were　raised　and　eliminated。　No　one　could　fin　a　basic　fault　with　the　plan。　There　were　plenty　of　flaws　in　it；　things　th~　might　go　wrong；　but　Jason　didn't　mention　them。　These　people　wante　his　idea　to　work　and　they　were　going　to　make　it　work。
　 It　finally　broke　up　and　they　moved　away。　Rhes　came　over　to　Jason。
　 〃The　basics　are　settled；〃　he　said。　〃All　here　are　in　agreement。　The　are　spreading　the　word　by　messenger　to　all　the　talkers。　The　talkers　ai　the　heart　of　the　attack；　and　the　more　we　have；　the　better　it　will　go　of　We　don't　dare　use　the　screens　to　call　them；　there　is　a　good　chance　th~　the　junkmen　can　intercept　our　messages。　It　will　take　five　days　before　i~　are　ready　to　go　ahead。〃
　 〃I'll　need　all　of　that　time　if　I'm　to　be　any　good；〃　Jason　said。　〃Now　let　get　some　rest。〃
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　26
　 〃It's　a　strange　feeling；〃　Jason　said。　〃I've　never　really　seen　the　perimeter　from　this　side　before。　Ugly　is　about　the　only　word　for　it。〃
　 He　lay　on　his　stomach　next　to　Plies；　looking　through　a　screen　of　leaves；　downhill　toward　the　perimeter。　They　were　both　wrapped　in　heavy　furs；　in　spite　of　the　midday　heat；　with　thick　leggings　and　leather　gauntlets　to　protect　their　hands。　The　gravity　and　the　heat　were　already　making　Jason　dizzy；　but　he　forced　himself　to　ignore　this。
　 Ahead；　on　the　far　side　of　a　burnt　corridor；　stood　the　perimeter。　A　high　wall；　of　varying　height　and　texture；　seemingly　made　of　all　the　odds　and　ends　in　the　world。　It　was　impossible　to　tell　what　it　had　originally　been　constructed　of。　Generations　of　attackers　had　bruised；　broken；　and　underniined　it。　Repairs　had　been　quickly　made；　patches　thrust　roughly　into　place　and　fixed　there。　Crude　masonry　crumbled　and　gave　way　to　a　rat's　nest　of　woven　timbers。　This　overlapped　a　length　of　pitted　metal；　large　plates　riveted　together。　Even　this　metal　had　been　eaten　through　and　bursting　sandbags　spilled　out　of　a　jagged　hole。　Over　the　surface　of　the　wall　detector　wires　and　charged　cables　looped　and　hung。　At　odd　intervals　automatic　flamethrowers　thrust　their　nozzles　over　the　parapet　above　and　swept　the　base　of　the　wall　clear　of　any　life　that　might　have　e　close。
　 〃Those　flame　things　can　cause　us　trouble；〃　Rhes　said。　〃That　one　covers　the　area　where　you　want　to　break　in。〃
　 〃It'll　be　no　problem；〃　Jason　assured　him。　〃It　may　look　like　it　is　firing　a　random　pattern；　but　it's　really　not。　It　varies　a　simple　sweep　just　enough　to　fool　an　animal；　but　was　never　meant　to　keep　men　out。　Look　for　yourself。　It　fires　at　regularly　repeated　two；　four；　three　and　one　minute　intervals。〃
　 They　crawled　back　to　the　hollow　where　Naxa　and　the　others　waited　for　them。　There　were　only　thirty　men　in　the　party。　What　they　had　to　do　could　only　be　done　with　a　fast；　light　force。　Their　strongest　weapon　was　surprise。　Once　that　was　gone　their　other　weapons　wouldn't　hold　out　for　seconds　against　the　city　guns。　Everyone　looked　unfortable　in
　the　fur　and　leather　wrappings；　and　some　of　the　men　had　loosened　them　to　cool　off。
　 'Wrap　up；〃　Jason　ordered。　〃None　of　you　have　been　this　close　to　the　perimeter　before　and　you　don't　understand　how　deadly　it　is　here。　Naxa　is　keeping　the　larger　animals　away　and　you　all　can　handle　the　smaller　ones。　That　isn't　the　danger。　Every　thorn　is　poisoned；　and　even　the　blades　of　grass　carry　a　deadly　sting。　Watch　out　for　insects　of　any　kind　and　once　we　start　moving　breathe　only　through　the　wet　cloths。〃
　 〃He's　right；〃　Naxa　snorted。　〃N'ver　been　closer　'n　this　m'self。　Death；　death　up　by　that　wall。　Do　like　'e　says。〃
　 They　could　only　wait　then；　honing　down　already　needlesharp　cross~　bow　bolts；　and　glancing　up　at　the　slowly　moving　sun。　Only　Naxa　didn'i　share　the　unrest。　He　sat；　eyes　unfocused；　feeling　the　movement　ol　animal　life　in　the　jungle　around　them。
　 〃On　the　way；〃　he　said。　〃Biggest　thing　I　'ver　heard。　Not　a　beast　'tween　here　and　the　mountains；　ain't　howlin'　'is　lungs　out；　rwmin'　toward　the　city。；'
　 Jason　was　aware　of　part　of　it。　A　tension　in　the　air　and　a　wave　a！　intensified　anger　and　hatred。　It　would　work；　he　knew；　if　they　couk　only　keep　the　attack　confined　to　a　small　area。　The　talkers　had　seemec　sure　of　it。　They　had　stalked　out　quietly　that　morning；　a　thin　line　a！　ragged　men；　moving　in　a　mental　sweep　that　would　round　up　the　Pyrrar　life　and　send　it　charging　against　the　city。
　 〃They　hit！〃　Naxa　said　suddenly。
　 The　men　were　on　their　feet　now；　staring　in　the　direction　of　the　city　Jason　had　felt　the　twist　in　his　gut　as　the　attack　had　been　driven　home　and　knew　that　this　was　it。　There　was　the　sound　of　shots　and　a　heav3　booming　far　away。　Thin　streamers　of　smoke　began　to　blow　above　thc　treetops。
　 〃Let's　get　into　position；〃　Plies　said。
　 Around　them　the　jungle　howled　with　an　echo　of　hatred。　The　half　sentient　plants　writhed　and　the　air　was　thick　with　small　flying　things　Naxa　sweated　and　mumbled　as　he　turned　back　the　animals　that　crashec　toward　them。　By　the　time　they　reached　the　last　screen　of　foliage　befon　the　burned…out　area；　they　had　lost　four　men。　One　had　been　stung　by　ax　insect；　Jason　got　the　medikit　to　him　in　time　but　he　was　so　sick　he　ha　to　turn　back　The　other　three　were　bitten　or　scratched　and　treatmen　came　too　late。　Their　swollen；　twisted　bodies　were　left　behind　on
　trail。
　 〃Dam'　beasts　hurt　m'　head；〃　Naxa　muttered。　〃When　we　go　in？〃
　 〃Not　yet；〃　Plies　said。　'We　wait　for　the　signal。〃
　 One　of　the　men　carried　the　radio。　He　set　it　down　carefully；　thei
　threw　the　aerial　over　a　branch。　The　set　was　shielded　so　no　radiation　leaked　out　to　give　them　away。　It　was　turned　on；　but　only　a　hiss　of　atmospheric　static　came　from　the　speaker。
　 〃We　could　have　timed　it。　。　。　。〃　Plies　said。
　 〃No；　we　c@uldn't；〃　Jason　told　him。　〃Not　accurately。　We　want　to　hit　that　wall　at　the　height　of　the　attack；　when　our　chances　are　best。　Even　if　they　hear　the　message　it　won't　mean　a　thing　to　them　inside。　And　a　few　minutes　later　it　won't　matter。〃
　 The　sound　from　the　speaker　changed。　A　voice　spoke　a　short　sentence；　then　cut　off。
　 〃Bring　me　three　barrels　of　flour。〃
　 〃Let's　go；〃　Rhes　urged　as　he　started　forward。
　 'Wait；〃　Jason　said；　taking　him　by　the　arm。　〃I'm　timing　the　flamethrower。　It's　due　in。　。　。　there！〃　A　blast　of　fire　sprayed　the　ground；　then　turned　off。　〃We　have　four　minutes　to　the　next　one…we　hit　the　long　period！〃
　 They　ran；　stumbling　in　the　soft　ashes；　tripping　over　charred　bones　and　rusted　metal。　Two　men　grabbed　Jason　under　the　arm　and　half　carried　him　across　the　ground。　It　hadn't　been　planned　that　way；　but　it　saved　precious　seconds。　They　dropped　him　against　the　wall　and　he　fumbled　out　the　bombs　he　had　made。　The　charges　from　Krannon's　gun；　taken　whe