tz.cobra strike-第28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！
a good idea to get everything packed up early；〃 he said to the others。 〃Be ready to leave at a moment's notice if 。。。 it bees necessary。〃
Hanford looked as if he would object； seemed to think better of it； and turned to Banyon instead。 〃Would it be possible to get a couple of Cobras to e on a hunting run with me？ I want one of those birds…alive if possible； but I'm no longer that fussy。〃
〃I'll see what I can do；〃 Banyon said grimly。 〃I think finding out more about them would be an excellent idea。〃
In the end； Captain Shepherd accepted all the remendations put before him。 The quick…lift preparations were made； the perimeter Cobra guard was doubled； and the scientists shifted into an almost frantic high speed。 Two separate hunting parties failed to make so much as visual contact with any of the mysterious birds。 The facts； the speculations； and the rumors circulated widely 。。。 and the Menssana lifted a full twelve hours ahead of schedule。 For once； there were no plaints。
Chapter 15
They spent a great deal of time wandering around the Huriseem marketplace…more time； York thought； than they'd spent at any other single place during their entire Qasaman tour…and he breathed a private sigh of relief when the end was finally in sight。 The presence of so many mojos virtually eye to eye with him was something he found particularly unnerving； and Moffs continued absence wasn't helping a bit。 He wondered how Mayor Ingliss would explain the latter； something he would have no choice but to do as soon as they left the marketplace mob。 Alone with their escort； the team would have to 〃notice〃 that Moff was missing； and Ingliss would then have to spin some story。
York didn't want to hear it。 It would be a packet of lies； worse yet； a packet of obvious lies。 Moff's exit had been too smooth； the timing of it too well chosen； to have been accidental。 Clearly； the team hadn't been intended to miss him at all。 York's gut instincts told him that having to admit Moff had been away would be almost as bad in the Qasaman's minds as actually telling where and why he'd gone。 The more York saw of the Qasamans…the more he listened to Moff's evasive answers to their questions； the more he saw of what they were and were not being shown through all of that the descriptions overcautious and suspicious were gradually giving way to the word paranoid。 Whether their history had given them a right to be that way was irrelevant； what mattered at the moment was that York had seen paranoid minds at work before； and he knew how they worked。 The simple fact of Moff's absence gave him not a single byte of useful information； but the Qasamans might not recognize that。 They were just as likely to assume that their entire plot…or plan； or scheme； or damn surprise party； for all he knew…had been totally promised； and that they would have to spring things prematurely。
York didn't want that。 If Moff were planning something…anything…it would be safer for all involved if it went off smoothly and on schedule。 Damn it； Moff； get back here； he thought furiously into the air。 Get back here and keep your illusion that you're in control。
So engrossed was he in watching surreptitiously for Moff that he pletely missed whatever it was that started the fight。
His first rude notice； in fact； was a sudden grip on his shoulder by one of Moff's assistants； hauling him up short at the very edge of a ring of people that had formed just past the marketplace boundary。 The open area so encircled was perhaps twenty meters wide； inside； barely five meters apart； two men without mojos faced each other。 Their expressions were just short of murderous。
〃What's going on？〃 York asked the Qasaman still holding his arm。
It was Ingliss； two people down the circle； who answered。 〃A duel；〃 he said。 〃Insult has been made； challenge offered and accepted。〃
York's mouth went dry as his eyes found first the opponents〃 belted pistols and then the two hundred or more people gathered to watch。 Surely they wouldn't start shooting here… A man with a blue…and…silver headband appeared halfway around the circle and stepped to the two men。 From a large shoulder pouch he took a thirty…centimeter rattan…like stick and a set of two small balls connected together by fifty centimeters of milky…white cord。 Handing the stick and balls to one of the batants； he went to the other man and gave him a second set from the bag。 He stepped back to the edge of the circle； raised his right hand； and then brought it down in a chopping motion…
And the batant to York's right； who'd been swinging the balls lazily over his head by their cord； abruptly hurled them at his opponent。
Hurled them well； too； with power and accuracy。 But the other was ready。 Holding his stick vertically in front of him； he deftly caught the spinning projectile on it； letting the balls wrap themselves up。 An instant later his own set of balls were whirling back toward the first man； who similarly caught them on his stick。 A momentary pause for each to disentangle his opponent's captured weapon and they were ready to begin again。
〃What's going on？〃 York whispered again。
〃A duel； as I said；〃 Ingliss murmured back。 〃Each man takes turns casting his curse ball bola at the other until both weapons have been lost to the crowd or one opponent has conceded。 The curse balls will leave impressive bruises； but seldom do more physical damage。〃
〃Lost to the crowd？〃
〃If a throw goes wide or is otherwise not caught； the observers will not return it。 Two such misses； clearly； and the duel must end。〃
〃What keeps one of them from charging his opponent between throws and beating his brains out？〃
〃The same thing that keeps them from using their guns；〃 Ingliss replied calmly。 〃Their mojos…there and there。〃 He pointed to two of the spectators； each of whom had an extra bird on his shoulder。
York frowned。 〃You mean they guard against all attacks； even unarmed ones？ I thought they only reacted to the drawing of guns。〃
〃Oh； of course they can't defend against alt attacks；〃 the mayor shrugged。 〃You could hit me now； suddenly； before my mojo could stop you。 Though it would keep you from continuing the attack。〃 He nodded to the duelists； now beginning to show sweat sheens from their efforts。 〃But they are so obviously fighting that their mojos will keep them apart。〃
〃I see。〃 York thought about the implications of that for the Cobras； should they eventually need to go into action。 Would the mojos recognize them as the source of the lethal laser flashes in a battle？ There was no way to know。 〃At least；〃 he mented out loud； 〃that explains why no one's tried to e up with a gun or weapon the mojos wouldn't recognize as such。 You'd get one free shot at your target； but that's about all。〃
〃You Aventinians seem to think a great deal in terms of interpersonal conflict；〃 Ingliss said in a voice that seemed oddly tight。 〃Your planet must be a frightening one to live on。 Perhaps if you had mojos of your own。。。。 At any rate； you're correct about alternative weapons。 In the early days of mojo domestication many people tried making them； with the result you've already deduced。〃
〃Uh…huh；〃 York nodded and settled down to watch。 It seemed to take a long time； but in actual fact the duel was over in just a few minutes； York couldn't tell offhand what it solved； but as the crowd closed in on the fighters； separating them as secondary masses of seemingly happy well…wishers and friends formed around each； he decided that they all considered it to have been worthwhile。 Maybe Nnamdi could sort out the sociology and psychology of it aboard ship； for York； it was a low…priority worry indeed。 Glancing around through the dispersing crowd； he located the islands of stability that were the rest of the contact team； Mayor Ingliss and the escorts…
And Moff。
York blinked； trying hard to keep any hint of surprise or chagrin out of his face。 Despite his best efforts； the Qasaman had slipped back into the group unnoticed； just as he'd left it。 It suddenly made the duel's timing suspicious 。。。 and if the duel was a ？fake it automatically raised the importance of Moff's secret errand； raised it unfortably high。 Throwing together such a diversion required either a lot of people ready on a moment's notice； or else a smaller group capable of fooling the locals as well as the Aventinian visitors。 Either one implied a great deal of effort and…perhaps…a fair amount of advance planning。
Were the Qasamans on to them？ And if so； for how long？
〃I'm sorry you had to see that；〃 Moff said as the team and escort drew back together。 〃It's a form of aggression we've been unable to eliminate pletely。〃
〃It seems pretty mild pared to some I've seen；〃 Cerenkov assured him。 Neither he nor the others showed any reaction to Moff's reappearance； and York quietly let out the breath he'd been holding。
〃It's still more than a truly civilized society should have；〃 Moff said stiffly。 〃Our strength of will should be turned outward； toward the conquering of this world。〃
〃And beyond？〃 Rynstadt murmured。
Moff looked at him； an intense look on his face。 〃The stars are mankind's future；〃 he said。 〃We won't always be confined to this one world。〃
〃Mankind will never be co
