deathworld-第6节

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　 Kerk　tested　the　barrel　with　a　wet　thumb；　then　let　the　gun　slide　back　into　its　holster。　'We　are　law…abiding　citizens　of　a　different　system　who
　have　mitted　no　criminal　acts。　The　savages　of　Cassylia　are　too　barbarous　for　civilized　pany。　Therefore　we　are　going　to　Darkban…　here　are　our　tickets…in　whose　sovereign　territory　1　believe　we　are　at　this　moment〃　This　last　was　added　for　the　benefit　of　the　Cassylian　officer　who　had　just　stumbled　to　the　top　of　the　gangway　and　was　raising　his　gun。
　The　soldier　couldn't　be　blamed。　He　saw　these　badly　wanted　criminals　getting　away。　Aboard　a　Darkban　ship　as　well。　Anger　got　the　best　of　him　and　he　brought　his　gun　up。
　〃e　out　of　there；　you　scum！　You're　not　escaping　that　easily。　e　out　slow　with　your　hands　up　or　I'll　blast　you。。。〃
　It　was　a　frozen　moment　of　time　that　stretched　and　stretched　without　breaking。　The　pistol　covered　Kerk　and　Jason。　Neither　of　them　attempted　to　reach　for　their　own　guns。
　The　gun　twitched　a　bit　as　the　ship~s　officer　moved；　then　steadied　back　on　the　two　men。　The　Darkhan　spaceman　hadn't　gone　far；　just　a　pace　across　the　lock。　This　was　enough　to　bring　him　next　to　a　red　box　set　flush　with　the　wall。　With　a　single；　swift　gesture；　he　flipped　up　the　cover　and　poised　his　thumb　over　the　button　inside。　When　he　smiled；　his　11ps　peeled　back　to　show　all　of　his　teeth。　He　had　made　up　his　mind；　and　it　was　the　arrogance　of　the　Cassylian　officer　that　had　been　the　deciding　factor。
　〃Fire　a　single　shot　into　Darkhan　territory　and　I　press　this　button；〃　he　shouted。　〃And　you　know　what　this　button　does…every　one　of　your　ships　has　them　as　well。　mit　a　hostile　act　against　this　ship　and　someone　will　press　a　button。　Every　control　rod　will　be　blown　out　of　the　ship~s　pile　at　that　instant　and　half　your　filthy　city　will　go　up　in　the　explosion。〃　His　smile　was　chiseled　on　his　face　and　there　was　no　doubt　he　would　do　what　he　said。　〃Go　ahead；　fire。　I　think　I　would　enjoy　pressing　this。〃
　The　takeoff　siren　was　hooting　now；　the　close　lock　light　blinking　an　angry　message　from　the　bridge。　Like　four　actors　in　a　grim　drama；　they　faced　each　other　an　instant　more。
　Then　the　Cassylian　officer；　growling　with　unvoicable；　frustrated　anger；　turned　and　leaped　back　to　the　steps。
　〃All　passengers　board　ship。　Forty…five　seconds　to　takeoff。　Clear　the　port。〃。　The　ship's　officer　slammed　shut　the　cover　of　the　box　and　locked　it　as　he　talked。　There　was　barely　time　to　make　the　acceleration　couches　before　the　Pride　of　Darkkan　cleared　ground。
　5
　 Once　the　ship　was　in　orbit；　the　captain　sent　for　Jason　and　Kerk。　Kerk　took　the　floor　and　was　pletely　frank　about　the　previous　night's　activities。　The　only　fact　of　importance　he　left　out　was　Jason's　background　as　a　professional　gambler。　He　drew　a　beautiful　picture　of　two　lucky　strangers　whom　the　evil　forces　of　Cassylia　wanted　to　deprive　of　their　gambling　profits。　All　this　fitted　perfectly　the　captain's　preconceptions　of　Cassylia。　In　the　end；　he　congratulated　his　officer　on　the　correctness　of　his　actions　and　began　the　preparation　of　a　long　report　to　his　government　He　gave　the　two　men　his　best　wishes　as　well　as　the　liberty　of　the　ship。
　 It　was　a　short　trip。　Jason　barely　had　time　to　catch　up　on　his　sleep　before　they　grounded　on　Darkhan。　Being　without　luggage；　they　were　the　first　ones　through　customs。　They　left　the　shed　just　in　time　to　see　another　ship　landing　in　a　distant　pit。　Kerk　stopped　to　watch　it　and　Jason　followed　his　gaze。　It　was　a　grey；　scarred　ship。　With　the　stubby　lines　of　a　freighter…but　sporting　as　many　large　guns　as　a　cruiser。
　 〃Yours；　of　course；〃　Jason　said。
　 Kerk　nodded　and　started　toward　the　ship。　One　of　the　locks　opened　as　they　came　up　but　no　one　appeared。　Instead　a　remote…release　folding　ladder　rattled　down　to　the　ground。　Kerk　swarmed　up　it　and　Jason　followed　glumly。　Somehow；　he　felt；　this　was　overdoing　the　no…frills…andnonsense　attitude。
　 Jason　was　catching　on　to　Pyrran　ways；　though。　The　reception　aboard　ship　for　the　ambassador　was　just　what　he　expected。　Nothing。　Kerk　closed　the　lock　himself　and　they　found　couches　as　the　takeoff　horn　sounded。　The　main　jets　roared　and　acceleration　smashed　down　on　Jason。
　 It　didn't　stop。　Instead　it　grew　stronger；　squeezing　the　air　out　of　his　lungs　and　the　sight　from　his　eyes。　He　screamed　but　couldn't　hear　his　own　voice　through　the　roaring　in　his　ears。　Mercifully　he　blacked　out。
　 When　consciousness　returned　the　ship　was　at　zero…G。　Jason　kept　his
　eyes　closed　and　let　the　pain　seep　out　of　his　body。　Kerk　spoke　suddenly；　he　was　standing　next　to　the　couch。
　 〃My　fault；　Meta；　I　should　have　told　you　we　had　a　one…C　passenger　aboard。　You　might　have　eased　up　a　bit　on　your　usual　bone…breaking　takeoff。〃
　 〃It　doesn't　seem　to　have　harmed　him　much…but　what's　he　doing　here？〃
　 Jason　felt　mild　surprise　that　the　second　voice　was　a　girl's。　But　he　wasn't　interested　enough　to　go　to　the　trouble　of　opening　his　sore　eyes。
　 〃Going　to　Pyrrus。　I　tried　to　talk　him　out　of　it；　of　course；　but　I　couldn't　change　his　mind。　It's　a　shame；　too；　I　would　like　to　have　done　more　for　him。　He's　the　one　who　got　the　money　for　us。〃
　 〃Oh；　that's　awful；〃　the　girl　said。　Jason　wondered　why　it　was　awful。　It　didn't　make　sense　to　his　groggy　mind。　〃It　would　have　been　much　better　if　he　stayed　on　Darkhan；〃　the　girl　continued。　〃He's　very　nice　looking。　I　think　it's　a　shame　he　has　to　die。〃
　 That　was　too　much　for　Jason。　He　pried　one　eye　open；　then　the　other。　The　voice　belonged　to　a　girl　of　about　twenty…one　who　was　standing　next　to　the　bed；　gazing　down　at　Jason。　She　was　beautiful。
　 Jason's　eyes　opened　wider　as　he　realized　she　was　very　beautiful…　with　the　kind　of　beauty　he　had　never　found　on　the　planets　in　the　center　of　the　galaxy。　The　women　he　had　known　all　ran　to　pale　skin；　hollow　shoulders；　grey　faces　covered　with　tints　and　dyes。　They　were　the　product　of　centuries　of　breeding　weaknesses　back　into　the　race；　as　the　advance　of　medicine　kept　alive　more　and　more　non…survival　types。
　 This　girl　was　the　direct　opposite　in　every　way。　She　was　the　product　of　survival　on　Pyrrus。　The　heavy　gravity　that　produced　bulging　muscles　in　men；　brought　out　firm　strength　in　strap…like　female　muscles。　She　had　the　taut　figure　of　a　goddess；　tanned　skin　and　perfectly　formed　face。　Her　hair；　which　was　cut　short；　circled　her　head　with　a　golden　crown。　The　only　unfeminine　thing　about　her　was　the　gun　she　wore　in　a　bulky　forearm　holster。　When　she　saw　Jason's　eyes　open　she　smiled　at　him。　Her　teeth　were　as　even　and　as　white　as　he　had　expected。
　 〃I'm　Meta；　pilot　of　this　ship。　And　you　must　be…〃
　 〃Jason　dinAlt。　That　was　a　lousy　takeoff；　Meta。〃
　 〃I'm　really　very　sorry；〃　she　laughed。　〃But　being　born　on　a　two…C　planet　makes　you　a　little　immune　to　acceleration。　I　save　fuel　too；　with　the　synergy　curve…〃
　 Kerk　gave　a　nonmittal　grunt。　〃e　along；　Meta；　we'll　take　a　look　at　the　cargo。　Some　of　the　new　stuff　will　plug　the　gaps　in　the　perimeter。〃
　 〃Oh；　yes；〃　she　said；　almost　clapping　her　hands　with　happiness。　〃I　read　the　specs；　they're　simpiy　wonderful。〃
　 Like　a　schoolgirl　with　a　new　dress。　Or　a　box　of　cqndy。　That's　a　great　attitlAde　to　have　toward　bombs　and　flamethrowers。　Jason　smiled　wryly　at　the　thought　as　he　groaned　off　the　couch。　The　two　Pyrrans　had　gone　and　he　pulled　himself　painfully　through　the　door　after　them。
　 It　took　him　a　long　time　to　find　his　way　to　the　hold。　The　ship　was　big　and　apparently　empty　of　crew。　Jason　finally　found　a　man　sleeping　in　one　of　the　brightly　lit　cabins。　He　recognized　him　as　the　driver　who　had　turned　the　car　over　to　them　on　Cassylia。　The　man；　who　had　been　sleeping　soundly　a　moment　before；　opened　his　eyes　as　soon　as　Jason　drifted　into　the　room。　He　was　wide　awake。
　 〃How　do　I　get　to　the　cargo　hold？〃　Jason　asked。
　 The　other　told　him；　closed　his　eyes　and　went　instantly　back　to　sleep　before　Jason　could　even　say　thanks。
　 In　the　hold；　Kerk　and　Meta　had　opened　some　of　the　crates　and　were　chortling　with　joy　over　their　lethal　contents。　Meta；　a　pressure　cannister　in　her　arms；　turned　to　Jason　as　he　came　through　the　door。
　 〃Just　look　at　this；〃　she　said。　〃This　powder　in　here…why　you　can　eat　it　like　dirt；　with　less　harm。　Yet　it　is　instantly　deadly　to　all　forms　of　vegetable　life。　。　。　。〃　She　stopped　suddenly　as　she　realized　Jason　didn't　share　her　extreme　pleasure。　〃I'm　sorry。　Only　I　forgot　for　a　moment　there　that　you　weren't　a　Pyrran。　So　you　don't　really　understand；　do　you？〃
　 Before　he　could　answer；　the　PA　speaker　called　her　name。
　 〃Jump　time；〃　she　said。　〃e　with　me　to　the　bridge　while　I　do　the　equations。　We　can　talk　there。　I　know　so　little　about　any　place　except　Pyrrus　that　I　have　a　million　questions　to　ask。〃
　 Jason　followed　her　to　the　bridge　where　she　relieved　the　duty　officer　and　began　taking　readings　for　the　jump　setting。　She　looked　out　of　place　among　the　machines；　a　sturdy　but　supple　figure　in　a　simple；　onepiece　shipsuit。　Yet　there　was　no　denying　the　efficiency　with　which　she　went　about　her　job。
　 〃Meta；　aren't　you　a　little　young　to　be　the　pilot　of　an　interstellar　ship？〃
　 〃Am　I？〃　She　thought　for　a　second。　〃I　really　don't　know　how　old　pilots　are　supposed　to　be。　I　have　been　piloting　for　about　three　years　now　and　I'm　almost　twenty。　Is　that　younger　than　usual？〃
　 Jason　opened　his　mouth…then　laughed。　〃I　suppose　that　all　depends　on　what　planet　you'r