tz.cobra strike-第2节

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　And　it　would　be　the　last　time　until　Justin's　Cobra　training　was　over　that　they'd　all　have　a　chance　to　be　together。　〃Sure；〃　Corwin　said；　walking　her　toward　the　door。　〃I'll　be　talking　to　Dad　after　the　meeting；　so　I'll　just　e　with　him　when　we're　finished。〃
　〃All　right。　Around　six？〃
　〃Fine。　See　you　then。〃
　He　walked　her　to　her　car　and　watched　as　she　drove　off。　Then；　with　a　sigh；　he　went　to　his　own　car　and　headed　for　the　Dominion　Building。　Why；　he　wondered；　did　the　internal　problems　of　his　own　family　always　seem　more　insurmountable　than　those　facing　three　entire　worlds？　Probably；　he　thought　flippantly；　because　there　isn't　anything　the　Council　can　do　anymore　to　surprise　me。
　He　would　afterward　recall　that　thought　and　its　unfortunate　timing　。。。　and　wince。
　
　
　Chapter　2
　
　The　Council　of　Syndics…its　official　title…had　in　the　early　days　of　the　colony　been　just　that：　a　grouping　somewhat　low…key　of　the　planet's　syndics　and　governor…general　which　met　at　irregular　intervals　to　discuss　any　problems　and　map　out　the　general　direction　they　hoped　the　colony　would　grow　in。　As　the　population　increased　and　beachheads　were　established　on　two　other　worlds；　the　Council　grew　in　both　size　and　political　weight；　following　the　basic　pattern　of　the　distant　Dominion　of　Man。　But　unlike　the　Dominion；　this　outpost　of　humanity　numbered　nearly　three　thousand　Cobras　among　its　half…million　people。　The　resulting　inevitable　diffusion　of　political　power　had　had　a　definite　impact　on　the　Council's　makeup。　The　rank　of　governor　had　been　added　between　the　syndic　and　governor…general　levels；　blunting　the　pinnacle　of　power　just　a　bit；　and　at　all　levels　of　government　the　Cobras　with　their　double　vote　were　welt　represented。
　Corwin　didn't　really　question　the　political　philosophy　which　had　produced　this　modification　of　Dominion　structure；　but　from　a　purely　utilitarian　point　of　view　he　often　found　the　sheer　size　of　the　75…member　Council　unwieldy。
　Today；　though；　at　least　for　the　first　hour；　things　went　smoothly。　Most　of　the　discussion…including　thepoints　Corwin　raised…focused　on　older　issues　which　had　already　had　the　initial　polemics　thoroughly　wrung　out　of　them。　A　handful　were　officially　given　resolution；　the　rest　returned　to　the　members　for　more　analysis；　consideration；　or　simple　foot…dragging；　and　as　the　agenda　wound　down　it　began　to　look　as　if　the　meeting　might　actually　let　out　early　And　then　Governor…General　Brom　Stiggur　dropped　a　pocket　planet…wrecker　into　the　room。
　It　began　with　an　old　issue。　〃You'll　remember　the　report　of　two　years　ago；〃　he　said；　looking　around　the　room；　〃in　which　the　Farsearch　team　concluded　that；　aside　from　our　three　present　worlds；　no　planets　exist　within　at　least　a　20…light…year　radius　of　Aventine　that　we　could　expand　to　in　the　future。　It　was　agreed　at　the　time　that　our　current　state　of　population　and　development　hardly　required　an　immediate　resolution　of　this　long…term　problem。〃
　Corwin　sat　a　bit　straighter　in　his　seat；　sensing　similar　reactions　around　him。　Stiggur's　words　were　neutral　enough；　but　something　explosive　seemed　to　be　hiding　beneath　the　carefully　controlled　inflections　of　his　voice。
　〃However；〃　the　other　continued；　〃in　the　past　few　days　something　new　has　e　to　light；　something　which　I　felt　should　be　presented　immediately　to　this　body；　before　even　any　follow…up　studies　were　initiated。〃　Glancing　at　the　Cobra　guard　standing　by　the　door；　Stiggur　nodded。　The　man　nodded　in　turn　and　opened　the　panel　。。。　and　a　single　Troft　walked　in。
　A　faint　murmur　of　surprise　rippled　its　way　around　the　room；　and　Corwin　felt　himself　tense　involuntarily　as　the　alien　made　its　way　to　Stiggur's　side。　The　Trofts　had　been　the　Worlds〃　trading　partner　for　nearly　14　years　now；　but　Corwin　still　remembered　vividly　the　undercurrent　of　fear　that　he'd　grown　up　with。　Most　of　the　Council　had　even　stronger　memories　than　that：　the　Troft　occupation　of　the　Dominion　worlds　Silvern　and　Adirondack　had　occurred　only　43　years　ago；　ulti…mately　being　the　impetus　for　the　original　Cobra　project。　It　was　no　accident　that　most　of　the　people　who　now　dealt　physically　with　the　Troft　traders　were　in　their　early　twenties。　Only　the　younger　Aventinians　could　face　the　aliens　without　wincing。
　The　Troft　paused　at　the　edge　of　the　table；　waiting　as　the　Council　members　dug　out　translator…link　earphones　and　inserted　them。　One　or　two　of　the　younger　syndics　didn't　bother；　and　Corwin　felt　a　flicker　of　jealousy　as　he　adjusted　his　own　earphone　to　low　volume。　He'd　taken　the　same　number　of　courses　in　catertalk　as　they　had；　but　it　was　obvious　that　foreign　language　prehension　wasn't　even　close　to　being　his　forte。
　〃Men　and　women　of　the　Cobra　Worlds　Council；〃　the　earphone　murmured　to　him。　〃I　am　Speaker　One　of　the　Tlos'khin'fahi　demesne　of　the　TroFte　Assemblage。〃　The　alien's　high…pitched　catertalk　continued　for　a　second　beyond　the　translation；　both　races　had　early　on　decided　that　the　first　three　parasyllables　of　Troft　demesne　titles　were　more　than　adequate　for　human　use；　and　that　a　literal　transcription　of　the　aliens〃　proper　names　was　a　waste　of　effort。　〃The　Tlos'khin'fahi　demesne…lord　has　sent　your　own　demesne…lord's　request　for　data　to　the　other　parts　of　the　Assemblage　and　the　result　has　been　a　triad　offer　from　the　Pualanek'zia　and　Baliu'ckha'spmi　demesnes。〃
　Corwin　grimaced。　He'd　never　liked　deals　involving　two　or　more　Troft　demesnes；　both　because　of　the　delicate　political　balance　the　Worlds　often　had　to　strike　and　because　the　humans　never　heard　much　about　the　Troft…Troft　arm　of　such　bargains。　That　arm　had　to　exist…the　individual　demesnes　seldom　if　ever　gave　anything　away　to　each　other。
　The　same　line　of　thought　appeared　to　have　tracked　its　way　elsewhere　through　the　room。　〃You　speak　of　a　triad；　instead　of　a　quad　offer；〃　Governor　Dylan　Fairleigh　spoke　up。　〃What　part　does　the　Tlos'khin'fahi　demesne　expect　to　play？〃
　〃My　demense…lord　chooses　the　role　of　catalyst；〃　was　the　prompt　reply。　〃No　fee　will　be　forthing　for　our　role。〃　The　Troft　fingered　something　on　his　abdomen　sash　and　Corwin's　display　lit　up　with　a　map　showing　the　near　half　of　the　Troft　Assemblage。　Off　on　one　edge　three　stars　began　blinking　red。　〃The　Cobra　Worlds；〃　the　alien　unnecessarily　identified　them。　A　quarter　of　the　way　around　the　bulge　a　single　star；　also　outside　Troft　territory；　flashed　green。　〃The　world　named　Qasama　by　its　natives。　They　are　described　by　the　Baliu'ckha'spmi　demesne…lord　as　an　alien　race　of　great　potential　danger　to　the　Assemblage。　Here…〃　a　vague…edged　sphere　appeared　at　the　near　side　of　the　flashing　green　star…　〃somewhere；　is　a　tight　cluster　of　five　worlds　capable　of　supporting　human　life。　The　Pua'lanek'zia　demesne…lord　will　give　you　their　location　and　an　Assemblage　pledge　of　human　possession　if　your　Cobras　will　undertake　to　eliminate　the　threat　of　Qasama。　I　will　await　your　decision。〃
　The　Troft　turned　and　left　。。。　and　only　slowly　did　Corwin　realize　he　was　holding　his　breath。　Five　brand…new　worlds　。。。　for　the　price　of　being　mercenaries。
　He　wondered　if　the　Troft　had　any　idea　of　the　size　snakepit　he'd　just　opened。
　If　the　alien　didn't；　the　Council　certainly　did。　For　the　better　part　of　a　minute　the　room　was　silent　as　an　isolation　tank　as　each　member　apparently　tried　to　track　through　the　tangle　of　implications。　Finally；　Stiggur　cleared　his　throat。　〃While　we　of　course　have　no　intention　of　replying　to　this　offer　today；　or　even　to　fully　discuss　its　relative　merits；　I　would　nevertheless　appreciate　hearing　whatever　initial　reactions　you　might　have。〃
　〃I；　for　one；　would　like　a　little　more　information　before　we　listen　to　any　hard…wired…reflex　ments；〃　Governor　Lizabet　Telek　said。　Her　perennially　gravelly　voice　gave　no　clue　to　her　own　reaction。　〃Something　about　these　new　aliens　would　be　nice　for　starters…bio　specs；　tech　level；　specifics　of　their　alleged　threat；　that　sort　of　thing。〃
　Stiggur　shook　his　head。　〃Speaker　One　either　doesn't　have　any　more　data　or　won't　give　it　away　free…I've　already　pressed　him　on　that。　I　suspect　the　former；　personally；　there's　no　particular　need　for　the　Tlos　demesne　to　buy　what　would　be　little　more　than　abstract　knowledge　to　them。　Same　goes　for　information　on　these　five　alleged　worlds　the　Pua　demesne's　offering；　before　anyone　asks。〃
　〃In　other　words；　we're　being　asked　to　sign　an　essentially　blank　agreement？〃　one　of　the　newer　syndics　asked。
　〃Not　really。〃　Governor　Jor　Hemner　shook　his　head；　the　movement　looking　risky　on　one　so　frail。　〃There　are　lots　of　intermediate　possibilities；　including　buying　the　Baliu's　data　or　sending　our　own　survey　team　out　to　take　a　look。　Standard　Troft　trade　procedure　assumes　we'll　e　up　with　these　suggestions　ourselves。　What　I'm　worried　about　is　whether　setting　a　precedent　of　this　kind　is　a　good　idea。〃
　〃Why　not？〃　someone　else　spoke　up　from　Corwin's　side　of　the　room。　〃It's　the　fear　of　the　Cobras　that　keeps　the　Trofts　friendly；　isn't　it？　How　better　to　show　them　that　kind　of　caution　is　good　policy？〃
　〃And　if　we　lose？〃　Hemner　asked　stiffly。
　〃The　Cobras　haven't　lost　anything　yet。〃
　Corwin　glanced　at　Governor　Howie　Vartanson　of　Caelian；　wondering　if　he'd　ment。　But　the　other　merely　curled　his　lip　slightly　and　kept　silent。　Politicans　from　Caelian　tended　to　adopt　that　low…profile　position　when　they　came　to　Aventine；　Corwin　had　noticed；　but　the　poi