rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第6节
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uernsey … or the rad…resistant twenty…first century equivalent anyway。 They give lots of milk。 We supply all the city's milk and much of Century City's meat from right here … and that's not all。 In Z Sector； we're now doing important back…breeding of many rad…altered species too。 Schecter had done some unique gene…splicing research that enabled the staff to begin restoring much of the vanished species of the Rockies to their original look … without altering their inherited resistance to the radiation levels hereabouts。〃
〃It's forting to see；〃 Rock noted as they passed the fox cages； 〃that these red fox no longer have multiple razor…horns with venom inside them。 Almost got killed by one of their wild relatives once。〃
〃Someday these back…bred species will be put on the surface to breed and multiply in the wild； but right now there are precious few of them。 And we have to toughen this species up。 Or make them craftier。 Otherwise their relatives … the horned variety … will make mincemeat out of them。〃
Kathleen McCullough was an affable type； and Rockson wanted to linger and admire the handiwork of her section； but they had to rush onward to the kennels。 〃I'll demand a longer tour some other time。 Kathleen；〃
〃e any time。〃
They entered the K…9 area。 The barking was intense and immediate when the door was opened。 And not only barking…some sort of God…awful high…pitched howls； several of them。
〃Is that the …〃
〃Yes； the snow…wolf pups have bee noisy in their old age。〃
〃Jeez；〃 Rock said。 〃I don't know if I could take a lot of those horrible howls。〃
Rona laughed。 〃They are really not so bad once they stop howling。〃
They went to a grillwork window； and as Rockson leaned close to the glass； slavering snarling triple…row…of…teeth mouths slammed against the metal grating。
Rock leaped back。 〃God； I didn't expect that。〃
〃You have to be introduced to these wolf…dogs by someone they like … or else。 This one；〃 said Kathleen； opening the next door as Rockson flattened himself against the wall and put his hand on the butt of his shotpistol； 〃is the biggest one … one hundred and ten pounds of fury。 We call her Class Act； because she has such a beautiful silvery coat of fur。 e on in； and meet her。〃
Kathleen approached the giant furry wolf…dog and petted its head。 〃Hi； it's me … we're going to e in now … we have some dog yummies for you and some visitors … please be nice now … no biting？〃
A snarl in response。 Kathleen said； 〃Now； be a nice girl。〃
〃Scaredy cat … you can hide behind me；〃 Rona said。
〃I'm not afraid； just cautious；〃 Rockson retorted； and petted the head of the brute。 The wolf…dog's fur was cool and fluffy。 She went to lick his hand。 〃She's a bit bigger than I expected；〃 Rock said； 〃but she's nice。〃
The triple row of teeth could be seen easily； as the dog yawned and sat down on its huge haunches。 It seemed to be smiling。
〃Good dog；〃 Kathleen said； petting it once or twice more。
〃Rock； I think she likes you。〃
〃Yeah；〃 Rockson said ambivalently。 〃Are the males bigger？〃 He petted the thing's head again。 The dog responded by rubbing up against his leg； a move that almost tumbled him over。 〃Man； this dog has some strength。〃
〃And so do her brothers and sisters。 Yes； the males are a bit bigger but less intelligent。〃 Kathleen winked at Rona； and Rona laughed。
Rona； recovering； said。 〃They're certainly strong enough to pull a few of our itty…bitty sleds to Mexico。〃
CHAPTER 5
Rockson reconvened the attack team； and told them it might be possible after all to use sleds and these strange dogs。
Danik was eager to go right away； but Rockson told him that several days at a minimum would be needed to prepare。 〃Get some sleep； take a whole lot of vitamins； build yourself up； Danik。 We can't go slow。 It will be an arduous trip … assuming we find the notebook and it helps us find our way to Eden。〃
While Danik was recuperating； the dogs were rounded up； and training them on a crash basis was begun。 The extensive experience the Rock Team had gotten handling sled dogs in the Alaska mission proved invaluable。
To speed things up； Rockson assigned teams to handle specific tasks。 Detroit and McCaughlin were in charge of production of the super…lightweight plastic sleds； handicrafting the nylon lead ropes； and selecting some skis。
Rockson and Chen rounded up maps of every area between the city and mid…Mexico。 Rockson also piled a set of history tapes and slides of a thousand sites south of Colorado。 This was for Danik's viewing。 He sent them to his room。 But Danik sent back word that he couldn't remember the route he'd taken north except by the strange ruined twentieth…century tourist attractions he had already told them about。
Of course weapons were a must； Rockson and Chen went through C。C's extensive armory； selecting the lightest； deadliest of the lot。 Rock picked up two pound bows with two…hundred…pound pulls； and Chen loaded up on exploding star…knives。 They would take along the usual standard Freefighter equipment too … a set of Liberator 9mm rifles and x…pattern shot… pistols。
They needed a plete roster of foodstuffs and sundry supplies from the quartermaster。 These supplies included inertial navigation passes with illuminated faces； sextants； pemmican … the highly condensed high…calorie food for trekking in cold weather … McCaughlin's special biscuits （just add snow and cook）； salt； tea and coffee； egg powder； and bacon。 Plus some jam； a few loafs of pumpernickel bread； assorted pots and pans。 They would also bring sleeping bags。 Coleman lamps； a Primus stove and fuel for it … though it could burn animal fat。 They intended to hunt on the way south。 They'd need warm blankets； an emergency first…aid kit； and a dozen other items。 Century City was a storehouse of such items and there was no problem assembling the roster。
Rona and Archer … sort of beauty and the beast … were in charge of actually getting the dogs trained and attached to the sleds in time for a test run through the town square in three days。 Everyone moved efficiently。
Rockson； four days after they had a destination； proudly announced to Security Chief Rath that they were ready to go。 Danik was up and around； and he came into Path's office just as Rockson was reporting。
〃If all goes well；〃 Rock said to the strange visitor； 〃we will get you to Eden … despite the harsh winter conditions。〃
〃Rockson；〃 Danik said； 〃I understand you are going to use sleds pulled by ferocious mutated wolves。 Isn't that … rather unusual？ Why not use snowmobiles？ I understand there are several here in …〃
〃Equipment breaks down；〃 Rockson explained； 〃One cog busts and you have a useless hunk of metal。 Believe me； nothing has yet replaced the reliability of dogs for long hauls over snow。 These particular wolf…dogs are strong。 If they can be controlled； and I think they can be； they will be more than satisfactory for the job。 They can eat what we kill for them on the way also。 We would need a few filling stations for a bunch of snowmobiles。〃
〃I see；〃 said Danik。 〃Yes； of course。〃
Rath had been working too。 He had contacted a small Indian settlement in Arizona by subspace munication。 The settlement； Yumak City； would have some horses； he said； for the final leg of the journey to Eden； if they couldn't divert to that place。 〃I don't suppose you hope to use sleds in Mexico。 The snow is very light down there； though ifs six feet deep around these parts。〃
〃I was counting on you to arrange such a thing；〃 Rockson said。 〃Schecter told me you were working on it。 Who do I see down there in Yumak？〃
〃Ask for Chief Smokestone。〃
CHAPTER 6
At the first light of dawn； the eighth day after Danik had wandered into Century City's domain； they were ready。 The Rock Team was in the main exit tunnel on the south face of Carson Mountain about to set out。 Under the greenish lights of the wide concrete waiting area； Rockson inspected the team of six ferocious wolf…dogs squirming in front of his sled。 He hoped they wouldn't all of a sudden decide they wanted human meat rather than some of the dried bear meat they were bringing along for them。 He turned to see the two other sleds lined up behind him。 The howling of the damned half…wild animals they were depending on for lootion was abominable。 He hoped the giant steel door would track open soon。 The echo of the howling was unbearable。
If the dogs worked out； he was confident they could go a thousand miles。 They had all the weapons and equipment he had wanted … and more。
There was always certain standard equipment on any trek … the shotpistols； the power batons； the Liberator rifles。 But each Freefighter had his own set of special weapons of his own choice。
Rockson carried a versatile Balisong knife in his belt； plus an exploding baton。 He also had； on his sled； an aluminum power…bow and a good…sized quiver of killing arrows。 It was a bow similar to Rona's but with even more pull。 For silencing guards； should they reach Eden and take on such opponents as would be there； he brought along a set of Greek garroting chains。
Archer was of course well armed … he even slept with his special homemade steel crossbow cradled in his arms。 Rock knew he carried a grab bag of
