the.stainless.steel.rats.revenge-第17节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　he　had　plenty　more　to　do。
　　　　Otrov　was　sitting　up；　cold　sober；　eyes　as　big　as　plates　when　I　came　back　and　dropped　onto　the　bench　next　to　him。　
　　　　〃What　did　he　want？〃　He　spoke　in　a　hollow　whisper。
　　　　〃I　don't　know。　He　asked　me　something　or　other　that　I　didn't　know　about　and　then　it　was　over。〃　
　　　　〃I　hope　he　doesn't　want　to　talk　to　me。〃　
　　　　〃Who　is　he？〃
　　　　〃Don't　you　know！〃　With　shocked　incredulity。　I　tread　warily；　covering　my　plete　lack　of　information。　
　　　　〃Well　you　know　I　just　came　here　。　。　。〃　
　　　　〃But　everyone　knows　Kraj。〃
　　　　〃Is　that　him　。　。　。？〃　I　gasped　it　out　and　tried　to　look　as　frightened　as　he　did　and　it　seemed　to　work；　because　he　nodded　and　looked　over　his　shoulder　and　quickly　back　again。　I　rose　and　went　to　the　latrine　again　to　terminate　the　conversation　at　this　spot。　Everyone　knew　about　Kraj。
　　　　Who　was　Kraj？

Chapter　11

　　　　Embarking　for　the　invasion　came　as　a　relief　to　everyone；　better　a　nice　quiet　war　than　the　suspicions　and　fears　that　swept　the　Glupost　base　during　the　following　days。　There　were　sudden　inspections；　midnight　searches；　constant　alarms　and　the　sound　of　marching　boots　at　all　hours。　I　would　have　been　proud　of　my　efforts　at　sowing　the　seeds　of　disorder　if　I　had　not　been　a　victim　of　that　disorder　at　the　same　time。　The　invasion　plans　must　have　gone　ahead　too　far　to　alter　because；　in　the　midst　of　all　the　excitement；　we　still　adhered　to　schedule。　On　B　Day　minus　two　all　the　bars　closed　so　that　the　sobering　up　process　of　the　troops　could　begin。　A　few　reluctant　ones；　myself　and　Otrov　included；　had　concealed　bottles　which　carried　us　a　bit　further；　but　even　this　ended　when　our　lockers　and　bags　were　put　into　storage　and　we　were　issued　pre…packed　invasion　kits。　I　had　a　small　can　of　powdered　alcohol　disguised　as　tooth　powder　that　I　was　saving　for　an　emergency　and　the　emergency　instantly　presented　itself　as　the　thought　of　the　ing　weeks　without　drink；　so　Otrov　and　I　finished　the　tooth　powder　on　B　Day　minus　one　and　that　was　that。　After　one　last　midnight　spot　check　and　search　we　were　assembled　and　marched　to　the　departure　area。　The　fleet；　row　after　row　of　dark　projectiles；　stood　waiting　beyond　the　gates。　We　were　called　out；　one　at　a　time；　and　sent　to　our　assigned　places。
　　　　In　the　beginning　I　had　thought　that　this　was　a　rather　stupid　way　to　run　an　invasion。　No　plans；　no　diagrams；　no　peptalk；　no　training；　no　maneuversno　nothing。　It　finally　dawned　on　me　that　this　was　the　ideal　way　to　mount　an　invasion　that　you　wished　to　keep　secret。　The　pilots　had　plenty　of　piloting　experience；　and　would　get　more　on　the　outward　voyage。　The　troops　were　ready　to　fight；　the　sources　of　supply　supplied。　And　somewhere　at　the　top　there　were　locked　boxes　of　plans；　course　tapes　and　such。　None　of　which　would　be　opened　until　we　were　safe　in　warpdrive　and　outside　munication　would　be　impossible。　All　of　which　made　life　easier　for　me　since　there　were　few　opportunities　to　trip　me　up　in　my　knowledge　of　things　Cliaandian。
　　　　It　was　with　a　great　deal　of　pleasure　that　I　found　myself　assigned　as　pilot　of　a　troop　transport。　This　was　a　role　I　could　fill　with　honor。　My　earlier　assignment　of　a　roommate　had　not　been　accidental　either；　because　Otrov　climbed　into　the　navroom　a　few　minutes　later　and　announced　that　he　was　going　to　be　my　copilot。
　　　　〃Wonderful；〃　I　told　him。　〃How　many　hours　do　you　have　on　one　of　these　Pavijan　class　transports？〃
　　　　He　admitted　to　an　unhappily　low　figure　and　I　patted　him　on　the　shoulder。
　　　　〃You　are　in　luck。　Unlike　most　First　Pilots　your　old　Uncle　Vaska　is　without　ego。　For　an　old　drinking　buddy　no　sacrifice　is　too　great。　I　am　going　to　let　you　fire　the　takeoff　and　if　you　do　the　kind　of　job　I　think　you　will　do；　then　I　might　let　you　shoot　the　landing　as　well。　Now　hand　me　the　check　list。〃
His　gratitude　was　overwhelming；　so　much　so　that　he　admitted　that　he　had　been　saving　his　fountain　pen　for　a　real　emergency　since　it　was　filled　with　200　proof　alcohol　and　we　both　had　a　squirt。　It　was　with　a　feeling　of　contentmentand　scarred　throatsthat　we　watched　the　troops　marching　up　and　filing　into　the　loading　ports　far　below。　A　few　minutes　later　a　grizzled　fullbearded　colonel　in　bat　uniform　stamped　into　the　navroom。　
　　　　〃No　passengers　allowed　here；〃　I　said。
　　　　〃Shut　your　mouth；　lieutenant。　I　have　your　course　tapes。〃　
　　　　〃Well　let　me　have　them？〃
　　　　〃What？　You　must　be　either　mad　or　jokingand　both　are　shooting　offenses　in　bat。〃　
　　　　〃I　must　be　on　edge；　colonel；　not　much　sleep；　you　know　。　。　。〃　
　　　　〃Yes。〃　He　relented　slightly。　〃Allowances　must　be　made；　I　suppose。　It　hasn't　been　easy　for　anyone。　But　that's　behind　us　now。　Victory　for　Cliaand！〃
　　　　〃Victory　for　Cliaand！〃　we　entolled　ritually。　There　had　been　a　lot　of　this　the　last　couple　of　days。　The　Colonel　looked　at　his　watch。　
　　　　〃Almost　time。　Get　the　mand　circuit；〃　he　ordered。
　　　　I　pointed　to　Otrov；　who　pressed　the　right　button　instantly。　A　message　appeared　on　the　screen。　STANDBY。　We　stood。　Then　it　began　blinking　quickly　and　changed　to　the　harsh　letters；　SET　COURSE。　The　colonel　took　the　tape　container　from　his　pouch　and　we　had　to　sign　as　witnesses　on　a　form　slating　that　the　tape　was　sealed　when　we　received　it。　Otrov　inserted　the　tape　into　the　puter　and　the　colonel　grunted　in　satisfaction；　his　work　done；　and　turned　to　leave。　He　fired　a　parting　shot　over　his　shoulder　on　the　way　out。
　　　　〃And　none　of　those　10　G　landings　that　you　moronic　pilots　seem　to　enjoy。　I'll　courtmartial　you　both　if　that　happens。〃
　　　　〃Your　mother　knits　sweaters　out　of　garbage；〃　I　shouted　after　him；　waiting；　of　course；　until　the　door　was　closed。　But　even　this　feeble　effort　stirred　enthusiasm　in　Otrov　who　was　beginning　to　respect　me　more　and　more。
　　　　Hurry　up　and　wait　is　mon　to　all　military　forces　and　that　is　what　we　did　next。　The　check　lists　were　plete　and　we　saw　ship　after　ship　take　off　until　most　were　gone。　The　transports　were　last。　The　green　BLASTOFF　signal　came　as　a　relief。　We　were　on　our　way。　To　a　nameless　planet　circling　an　unknown　star　as　far　as　any　of　us　were　concerned。　The　tape　told　the　puter　where　we　were　going　but　did　not　condescend；　nor　had　it　been　programmed；　to　inform　us。
　　　　This　security　blanket　lasted　right　up　to　the　invasion　itself。　We　were　seven　boring　days　en　route　with　nothing　to　drink　and　the　ship　piloted　by　the　puter　and　the　frozen　rations　barely　edible。　On　a　long　term　basis；　without　the　ameliorating　effects　of　alcohol；　Otrov　proved　to　be　less　than　a　sparkling　panion。　No　matter　where　the　conversation　began　it　invariably　ended　up　in　repetitive　anecdotes　from　his　school　days。　I　slept　well；　I'll　say　that；　and　usually　while　he　was　talking　but　he　never　seemed　to　mind。　I　also　checked　him　out　on　the　instruments　with　drills　and　dry　runs；　which　may　have　done　him　some　active　good　and　certainly　acquainted　me　with　the　controls　and　operation　of　the　ship。
　　　　Since　the　ship　was　pletely　automated；　Otrov　and　I　were　the　only　crew　members　aboard。　The　single　doorway　to　the　troop　area　was　sealed　and　my　friend　the　surly　colonel　had　the　only　key。　He　visited　us　once　or　twice　which　was　no　pleasure　at　all。　On　the　seventh　day　he　was　standing　behind　us　glowering　at　the　back　of　my　neck　when　we　broke　out　of　warpdrive　and　back　into　normal　space。
　　　　〃Take　this；　inspect　here；　sign　that；〃　he　snapped　and　we　did　all　those　things　before　he　broke　the　seal　on　the　flat　case。　This　was　labeled　INVASION　in　large　red　letters　which　rather　suggested　that　things　would　be　honing　up　soon。　My　instructions　were　simple　enough　and　I　switched　on　the　circuits　as　ordered　so　the　ship　could　home　on　the　squadron　leader。　A　yellowish　sun　shone　brightly　off　to　one　side　and　the　blue　sphere　of　a　planet　was　on　the　other。　The　colonel　glared　at　this　planet　as　though　he　wanted　to　reach　out　and　grab　it　and　take　a　bite　out　of　it；　so　future　developments　seemed　obvious　enough　without　asking　questions。
　　　　The　invasion　began。　Most　of　the　fleet　was　ahead　of　us；　lost　in　the　night　of　space　and　visible　only　occasionally　as　a　network　of　sparks　when　they　changed　course。　Our　squadron　of　transports　stayed　together；　automatically　following　the　course　set　by　the　lead　ship；　and　the　planet　grew　in　the　screens　ahead。　It　looked　peaceful　enough　from　this　distance；　though　I　knew　the　advance　units　of　the　fleet　must　be　attacking　by　this　time。
　　　　I　was　not　looking　forward　to　this　invasionwho　but　a　madman　can　enjoy　the　prospect　of　approaching　war？but　I　was　hoping　to　find　out　the　answer　to　the　question　that　had　brought　me　here。　I　believed　that　interplanetary　invasions　were　still　impossible；　despite　the　fact　that　I　was　now　involved　in　one　myself。　I　felt　somewhat　like　the　man　who；　upon　seeing　one　of　the　most　exotic　animals　in　the　zoo；　said　'there　ain't　no　such　animal。'　Interplanetary　invasions　just　don't　work。
　　　　The　interplanetary　invading　force　rushed　on；　a　mighty　armada　giving　the　lie　to　my　theories。　As　the　nameless　planet　grew　larger　and　larger；　filling　the　forward　screens；　I　could　see　the　first　signs　of　the　war　that　I　knew　was　already　in　progress；　tiny　sparkles　of　light　in　the　night　hemisphere。　Otrov　saw　them　too　and　waved　his　fist　and　cheered。
　　　　〃Give　it　to　them　boys；〃　he　shouted。
　　　　〃Shut　up　and　watch　your　instruments；〃　I　snarled。　Suddenly　hating　him。　And　instantly　relenting。　He　was　a　product　of　his　environment。　As　the　twig　is　bent　so　grows　the　bou