tz.cobra strike-第22节

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　　　sample　taking　and　general　study；　and　getting　him　interested　in　the　results　was　just　one　of　the　more　subtle　approaches。　It　wouldn't　work；　of　course；　the　Council　had　made　it　very　clear　that　this　was　to　be　a　whirlwind　tour；　and　Shepherd　took　his　orders　very　seriously。
　〃Interesting；〃　the　captain　nodded；　straightening　up　from　his　brief　examination。　〃Better　get　them　to　the　freeze　chamber；　though；　if　you　want　time　to　gather　any　more。　We're　lifting　in　about　two　hours。〃
　A　hint　of　chagrin　crossed　the　biologist's　face　before　it　could　be　suppressed。　〃Yes；　sir；〃　he　said；　and　headed　toward　the　Menssana。
　〃You're　a　cold…blooded　taskmaster　without　a　drop　of　scientific　curiosity；　did　you　know　that？〃　Jonny　asked　blandly。
　Shepherd's　lip　quirked。　〃So　I've　been　told。　But　the　Council　said　a　fast　prelim　study；　and　that's　exactly　what　they're　going　to　get。　Besides；　I　want　to　be　back　when　the　Dewdrop　arrives；　just　in　case…〃
　〃Hi；　Chrys；〃　Jonny　interrupted；　turning　as　his　wife　came　up　to　join　them。　His　enhanced　hearing　had　picked　up　the　sound　of　her　footsteps；　and　the　last　thing　he　wanted　to　remind　her　of　was　the　Dewdrop　sitting　on　alien　soil　with　two　of　her　sons　aboard。　〃What　do　you　think？〃　he　added；　waving　a　hand　at　the　landscape。
　〃Too　empty　for　my　tastes；〃　she　said；　shaking　her　head。　〃Seems　spooky；　somehow。　And　I'm　not　crazy　about　pan…frying　my　brain　out　here。〃　She　gave　Jonny　a　careful　look。　〃How　are　you　feeling？〃
　〃Fine；〃　he　told　her；　and　meant　it。　〃The　heat's　not　only　helping　my　arthritis；　but　also　seems　to　be　pushing　my　heart　rate　and　circulation　up　enough　to　pensate　a　bit　for　my　anemia。〃
　〃Which　means　you're　going　to　trade　anemia　for　a　heart　attack？〃　Shepherd　grunted。　〃Great。　Maybe　you'd　better　get　back　inside　until　we're　ready　to　lift；　Governor。〃
　〃My　heart's　in　no　danger；〃　Jonny　protested。　〃It'll　probably　live　two　years　longer　than　I　do。〃
　〃Sure　it　will。〃　Shepherd　hooked　a　thumb　in　the　Menssana's　direction。　〃Go　on；　Governor。　Call　it　an
　order。〃
　For　a　moment　Jonny　was　tempted　to　unilaterally　take　himself　out　of　the　chain　of　mand。　He　found　it　refreshing　to　be　out　in　the　open　air…especially　where　there　was　no　danger　of　anything　sticking　teeth；　claws；　mandibles；　or　stings　into　him…and　very　much　wanted　to　enjoy　the　last　hours　he'd　have　here。　But　there　was　that　promise　to　Chrys。。。。　〃Oh；　all　right；〃　he　grumbled。　〃But　under　protest。〃
　Together；　he　and　Chrys　trotted　down　the　knoll。　〃The　Council　sure　named　this　one　right；〃　Chrys　remarked　as　they　reached　level　ground　and　slowed　to　a　more　sedate　walk。　〃Named　what　right？　Kubha？〃
　〃Uh…huh。　You　know…the　five　stars　of　the　Southern　Cross　constellation　of　Asgard…〃
　〃I　know　how　the　planets　were　code…named；　yes；〃　Jonny　interrupted　her。
　〃Well；　it　happens　that　Kubha's　the　hottest　of　those　stars；　and　this　Kubha's　the　hottest　of　these　planets；　at　least　so　far。　Must　be　an　omen。〃
　Jonny　snorted。　〃Let's　not　give　either　the　Council　or　the　universe　that　much　credit。〃
　Chrys　smiled。　〃Hey；　cheer　up；〃　she　said；　taking　his　arm；　〃Everything's　really　going　pretty　well。　The　Jonny　Moreau　luck　seems　to　hold　up　even　when　you're　only　along　for　the　ride。〃
　〃Um。　Aside　from　little　things　like　snakele　venom　in　the　nucleic　acid　analyzer…〃
　〃Fixed；〃　she　said。　〃We　got　it　working　again　about　ten　minutes　ago。　Which　was　why　I'd　been　released　from　my　desk　and　could　e　out　to　drag　you　kicking　and　screaming　back　inside。〃　He　shook　his　head　in　mock　exasperation。　〃I　swear；　Chrys；　you　do　a　poorer　imitation　of　a　loafing　passenger　than　/　do。〃
　〃And　you're　delighted。　Go　on；　admit　it。〃
　〃Why？　You're　going　to　send　me　to　my　room　anyway；　aren't　you？〃　he　said；　putting　a　well…remembered　five…year…old's　whine　into　his　voice。　〃You　always　want　me　to　play　outside　on　nice　days。〃
　She　poked　him　in　the　ribs。　〃Stop　that…I　had　my　fill　of　tantrums　years　ago。〃
　He　captured　her　attacking　hand　and　wrapped　the　arm　around　his　waist；　and　for　a　moment　they　walked　like　that　in　silence。　〃It　would　be　an　ideal　planet　for　colonization；　wouldn't　it；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃And　that's　going　to　make　it　all　the　harder　to　say　no。〃
　〃No　to　the　Trofts？〃
　She　nodded。　〃The　Council's　going　to　want　this　world；　and　probably　the　others　as　well。　And　to　get　them　they'll　take　on　the　Qasamans　。。。　whether　that's　the　smart　thing　to　do　or　not。〃
　Jonny　grimaced。　The　same　thought　had　been　lurking　in　the　back　of　his　own　mind　for　at　least　two　planets　now。　〃We'll　just　have　to　hope　the　Dewdrop's　report　is　solid　enough　that　it　relegates　ours　to　footnote　status　as　far　as　that　decision　is　concerned。〃
　〃With　Lizabet　Telek　in　charge　of　writing　it？〃　Chrys　snorted。　〃She　wants　these　worlds　so　badly　she　can　taste　it。　She'll　make　sure　the　Qasamans　sound　like　crippled　porongs　as　far　as　fighting　ability　is　concerned。〃
　〃I　don't　know　if　she's　that　underhanded；〃　Jonny　demurred　cautiously。　〃And　with　Almo；　Justin；　and　Joshua　aboard　she'd　have　a　hard　time　slanting　things　too　far。〃
　Still；　he　thought　as　they　passed　the　Cobra　guard　at　the　Menssana's　airlock　and　stepped　through　to　the　cool　shock　of　the　ship's　climate　control；　it　might　not　hurt　to　tone　down　our　report　a　shade　or　two。　Emphasize　Chata's　flatfoot　herds；　perhaps；　and　Fuson's　spit…
　ting　snakeles。　Every　world's　got　its　drawbacks…all　we　have　to　do　is　find　them　and　make　them　visible。
　And　hope　the　Council　doesn't　take　them　too　seriously。　Already　the　ship's　cooler　air　was　affecting　his　arthritic　joints；　reminding　him　with　each　twinge　that　he'd　been　a　bit　lax　with　his　medication　schedule。　He　would　hate　to　see　a　world　like　Kubha　slip　through　mankind's　fingers　for　no　real　reason。
　Whether　it　was　worth　a　war　。。。　well；　that　decision　didn't　yet　need　to　be　made。
　
　
　Chapter　12
　
　The　plete　tour　of　Sollas　and　its　environs　took　six　days；　and　for　Cerenkov　the　most　amazing　part　was　how　the　Qasamans　could　keep　them　so　busy　while　showing　them　so　little。
　So　little　of　real　importance；　anyway。　They　spent　a　great　many　hours　touring　art　galleries；　cultural　museums；　and　parks；　while　evenings　were　usually　filled　with　dance　and　musical　performances　at　their　guest　house　and　long　discussions　with　Mayor　Kimmeron　or　other　high…ranking　officials。　At　no　time；　despite　Cerenkov's　carefully　phrased　requests；　was　the　contact　team　taken　to　anything　resembling　a　munications　or　puting　center；　nor　were　they　shown　any　of　the　city's　industrial　or　manufacturing　capability。
　And　yet　such　capability　obviously　existed。　The　glimpses　they　got　of　intercity　roads　and　the　relatively　sparse　traffic　on　them　showed　Sollas's　goods　weren't　simply　being　shipped　in　from　somewhere　else。
　〃It's　got　to　be　underground；〃　Rynstadt　mented　that　evening　as　the　four　men　relaxed　in　the　lounge　that　connected　their　two　sleeping　rooms。　〃All　of　it：　refining；　manufacturing；　waste　processing…maybe　there's　even　a　tunnel　network　for　product　distribution。〃
　〃Except　for　smaller　operations　like　the　boron　plant
　　　we　saw　the　first　day？〃　Cerenkov　shrugged。　〃Possibly。　Probably；　even。　Sure　seems　to　be　the　hard　way　to　do
　it；　though。〃
　〃Depends　on　what　they　were　after；〃　Joshua　put　in。　〃Aesthetically；　this　is　a　clean；　beautiful　city；　a　good　place　to　spend　your　leisure　time　even　if　you　have　to　work　underground　all　day。〃
　〃Or　else；〃　York　said　quietly；　〃they　were　simply　worried　about　having　everything　out　in　the　open。〃
　Cerenkov　felt　his　jaw　tense　up；　forced　it　to　relax。　The　unspoken　assumption　was　that　the　Qasamans　were　eavesdropping　on　these　conversations；　and　to　go　anywhere　near　military　concepts　made　him　nervous。　But　on　the　other　hand；　ignoring　such　a　normal　aspect　of　human　societies　was　likely　to　look　even　more　suspicious。　As　long　as　York　didn't　let　his　professional　interests　run　away　with　him…　〃What　do　you　mean？　They　built　underground　to　protect　their　manufacturing　base　from　attack？〃
　〃Or　from　detection；〃　York　replied。　〃Remember　our　assumed　starting　point：　emigres…or　exiles…from　perceived　repression；　having　gone　way　farther　than　they　intended　and　now　stuck　on　Qasama　with　a　useless
　stardrive。〃
　〃Do　you　suppose　they　ran　into　some　Troft　ships　on　the　way　here？〃　Joshua　suggested。　〃The　Dominion　probably　hadn't　met　either　them　or　the　Minthisti　when　the　Qasamans　left。　If　I'd　just　seen　a　Troft　for　the　first　time；　I　think　I'd　probably　have　kept　going　until　my　tanks　ran　dry。〃
　Nodding；　York　said；　〃I　suspect　that's　exactly　what　they　did。　The　distance　seems　right　for　a　colony　ship's　full　dry…tank　range。〃　He　looked　back　at　Cerenkov。　〃I'd　guess　they　had　their　whole　city　underground　to　begin　with；　moving　up　only　as　they　started　to　outgrow　the　space　and　no　one　showed　up　to　stomp
　them。〃
　〃And　they　came　up　smack　in　the　middle　of　the　bololin　migration　pattern；〃　Cerenkov　sighed；　shaking
　his　head。　〃Definitely　poor　planning　on　someone's　part。〃
　〃That　doesn't　explain　where　the　villages　came　from　Rynstadt　mused。　〃Though　maybe　we　can　get　some　of　their　history　tomorrow。　Assuming　the　trip　is　still　on。〃
　Cerenkov　shrugged。　〃As　far　as　I　know　Moff　and　pany　are　driving　us　out　there　first　thing　tomorrow　morning。〃　He　broke　off　as　a　familiar　hooting　sounded　faintly　in　the　distance。
　York　grimaced。　〃More　bololins。　I　think　I'd　have　stayed　underground　until　I　found　a　way　to　keep　the　damn　things　out。〃
　At　least；　Cerenkov　thought；　the　streets　ought　to　be　pretty　empty　by