tz.cobra strike-第3节

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t　low…profile　position　when　they　came　to　Aventine；　Corwin　had　noticed；　but　the　point；　he　felt；　ought　to　be　made。　Subtly；　if　possible。。。。　〃I'd　like　to　point　out；〃　he　spoke　up；　〃that　one　or　more　new　planets　would　enable　us　to　solve　the　problem　of　Caelian　without　depriving　the　19；000　people　there　of　the　right　to　their　〃own〃　world。〃
　〃Only　if　they'd　be　willing　to　leave；〃　Stiggur　said；
　but　the　mention　of　Caelian；　as　Cowrin　had　planned；　seemed　to　bring　the　members〃　thoughts　to　the　current　stalemate　between　the　Cobras　and　that　strange　world's　hostile　ecology。　〃Fluid　genetic　adaptation；〃　the　official　reports　elegantly　called；　it。　The　Caelians〃　own　term　was　considerably　cruder：　Hell's　Blender。　Every　species　on　the　planet；　from　the　simplest　lichen　to　the　largest　predator；　seemed　mindlessly　determined　to　hold　onto　his　ecological　and　territorial　niche　against　all　efforts　to　dislodge　it。　Clear　some　land　and　soak　it　with　vegebarrier；　and　within　days　there　would　be　a　dozen　new　plant　variants　attempting　to　reclaim　it。　Build　a　house　where　a　thicket　had　been；　and　before　long　the　local　fungi　would　be　growing　on　the　walls。　Create　a　city；　or　even　a　small　town；　and　the　displaced　animals　would　find　their　way　in　somehow　。。。　and　not　only　the　small　ones。　A　world　under　perpetual　siege；　Corwin　had　once　heard　Jonny　call　it。　Only　the　Caelians　themselves　knew　how…or　why…they　put　up　with　it。
　For　another　long　moment　the　room　was　again　silent。　Stiggur　looked　around；　nodded　at　what　he　saw。　〃Well。　I　think　we　can　safely　agree　with　Governor　Telek　that　considerably　more　information　is　needed　before　we　can　even　consider　acting。　For　the　moment；　then；　you're　to　keep　this　proposal　a　secret　from　the　general　populace　while　you　work　out　the　various　pros　and　cons　for　yourselves。　Now；　then…one　final　item　and　we'll　be　adjourned。　I　have　a　list　of　Cobra　applicants　awaiting　final　Council　approval。〃　The　twelve　names…an　unusually　high　number…appeared　on　Corwin's　screen；　along　with　their　home　towns　and　districts。　All　the　names　were　familiar　ones；　the　Cobra　Academy　screeners　had　sent　in　their　test　results　nearly　a　month　ago。　Justin　Moreau　was　the　seventh　one　listed。
　〃Do　I　hear　any　votes　against　these　citizens　being　Cobras；　either　individually　or　as　a　group？〃　Stiggur　asked　the　standard　question。　A　couple　of　nearby　heads　turned　in　Corwin's　direction；　clamping　his　jaw　tightly；　he　kept　his　eyes　on　the　governor…general　and　his　hands　in　his　lap。　〃No？　Then　this　Council　affirms　the　decision　of　the　Cobra　Academy　officials；　and　hereby　directs　them　to　begin　the　irreversible　stages　of　the　Cobra　process。〃　Stiggur　pushed　a　button　and　the　room's　screens　blanked。　〃This　Council　session　is　adjourned。〃
　Irreversible　stages。　Corwin　had　heard　those　words　at　least　twenty　times　before　at　these　meetings；　but　somehow　they'd　never　sounded　so　final。　But　then；　he'd　never　heard　them　applied　to　his　own　younger　brother　before；　either。
　Justin　Moreau　let　the　car　roll　to　a　stop　in　front　of　the　house；　feeling　the　tension　in　his　shoulders　translate　along　his　arms　to　a　brief　white…knuckled　squeeze　on　the　wheel。　The　word　had　e　by　phone　only　an　hour　ago　that　the　Council　had　given　final　approval　to　his　application。　Tomorrow　the　surgery　would　begin　that　would　finally　and　firmly　set　him　down　in　his　father's　footsteps　。。。　but　tonight　he　would　have　to　face　his　mother's　pain。
　〃You　ready？〃　Joshua　asked　from　the　seat　next　to　him。
　〃As　ready　as　I'll　ever　be。〃　Opening　the　door；　Justin　got　out　and　headed　toward　the　house；　his　brother　falling　into　step　beside　him。
　Corwin　answered　Joshua's　knock；　and　despite　his　tension　Justin　found　himself　enjoying　the　inevitable　half…second　it　took　their　older　brother　to　figure　out　which　was　which。　Even　among　identical　twins　Joshua　and　Justin　were　unusually　hard　to　tell　apart；　a　fact　that　had　caused　untold　confusion　throughout　their　lives。　Family　and　close　friends　were　generally　able　to　manage　the　trick；　but　even　with　them　a　secret　swap　of　tunics　could　sometimes　go　undetected　for　hours。　They'd　pulled　such　stunts　innumerable　times　when　they　were　younger；　a　game　they'd　given　up　only　after　their　father　threatened　to　color…code　them　with　liberal　applications　of　paint。
　〃Joshua；　Justin；〃　Corwin　nodded；　looking　at　each　in　turn　as　if　to　prove　he'd　gotten　them　straight。　〃Abandon　all　hope　of　light　conversation；　you　who　enter　here。　The　Moreau　War　Council　is　in　session　tonight。〃
　Oh；　great；　Justin　groaned　inwardly。　But　Corwin　had　stepped　aside；　and　Joshua　was　already　heading　in；　and　it　was　too　late　to　back　out　now。　Squaring　his　shoulders；　Justin　followed。
　His　parents　were　already　seated　together　on　the　living　room　couch；　and　from　long　habit　Justin　gave　his　father　a　quick　once…over。　A　little　weaker…looking；　perhaps；　than　the　last　time　he'd　seen　him；　but　not　much。　Of　more　significance　was　the　slight　flicker　of　pain　that　crossed　Jonny's　eyes　as　he　gave　the　twins　an　abbreviated　wave　in　greeting。　The　pain　pills　for　his　arthritis　really　didn't　affect　his　mental　facilities　all　that　much；　if　he'd　opted　to　do　without　them　there　was　some　high…powered　thought　going　on　in　here　indeed。　A　glance　at　his　mother's　grim　face　confirmed　it；　and　for　a　long　minute　Justin　wondered　if　he'd　drastically　underestimated　the　level　of　family　opposition　to　his　Cobra　ambitions。
　But　that　assumption　didn't　last　long。　〃Dinner'll　be　ready　in　about　half　an　hour；〃　Jonny　told　the　twins　as　they　chose　chairs　and　sat　down。　〃Until　then；　I　want　to　feel　you　out　on　a　proposal　Stiggur　dropped　on　the　Council　session　today。　Corwin？〃
　Corwin　took　a　seat　where　he　could　see　all　the　others〃　faces。　〃This　is　all　to　be　kept　secret；　of　course；〃　he　said　。。。　and　then　launched　into　the　damnedest　story　Justin　had　ever　heard。
　Jonny　let　a　few　seconds　pass　after　his　eldest　had　finished　and　then　cocked　an　eyebrow　at　the　twins。　〃Well？　Reactions？〃
　〃I　don't　trust　them；〃　Joshua　said　promptly。　〃Especially　the　Tlos　demesne。　Why　shoud　they　offer　their　set…up　services　for　nothing？〃
　〃That　much　is　obvious；〃　Jonny　told　him。　〃　i　？　。is　what's　known　as　a　free　sample…and　running　both　ways。　If　we　take　the　job　and　the　Baliu　demesne　likes　our　work；　the　Tlossies　will　undoubtedly　offer　themselves　as　our　agents　to　any　other　interested　demesnes。〃
　〃And　if　we　like　the　deal；　they'll　offer　us　their　services　in　finding　new　jobs；〃　Corwin　nodded。　〃They　pulled　the　same　type　of　inducement　scheme　when　we　were　first　opening　up　trade　with　the　Trofts　generally；　which　is　one　reason　they　now　handle　so　much　of　it。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Joshua　shrugged。　〃Assume　the　offer's　legitimate。　Are　five　planets　of　dubious　value　worth　fighting　a　war　for？　An　unprovoked　war；　yet？〃
　〃Flip　that　over；　though；〃　Corwin　said。　〃Suppose　this　new　alien　is　a　genuine　and　imminent　threat。　Do　we　dare　simply　ignore　it　and　hope　it　won't　find　us？　Maybe　it　would　be　better　to　take　it　out　now　while　it　can　be　done　relatively　easily。〃
　〃And　what　does　〃relatively　easily〃　mean？〃　Joshua　countered。
　Justin　glanced　at　his　mother's　tight…lipped　expression。　The　pattern　was　now　a　familiar　one：　Corwin　usually　took　the　devil's　advocate　position　in　these　round　tables；　which　implied　Jonny　was　leaning　toward　the　nay　side　on　the　issue。　His　reasons　would　be　interesting　to　hear；　but　he　was　unlikely　to　voice　them　until　the　twins　had　had　their　say。　But　Chrys　might　not　be　so　reticent。　〃Mom；　you　haven't　said　anything　yet。　How　do　you　feel？〃
　She　looked　at　him；　a　tired　smile　touching　the　corners　of　her　mouth。　〃With　you　about　to　bee　a　Cobra？　Of　course　I　don't　want　to　risk　your　life　for　worlds　we　won't　even　need　for　another　millennium。　But　aside　from　that　emotional　reaction；　my　logic　center　can't　help　but　wonder　why　the　Trofts　want　MS　to　do　this。　They　have　a　war　machine　the　equal　of　the　Dominion's…if　they　can't　handle　this　alien　threat；　what　do　they　expect　〃s　to　do？〃
　Justin　looked　at　Joshua；　saw　his　own　sudden　thoughtfulness　only　hinted　at　in　his　brother's　face。　Understandable；　Justin　knew　much　more　about　both　Cobra　capabilities　and　limitations　than　Joshua　did。　He　turned　to　his　father；　who　seemed　in　turn　to　be　watching　him。　〃Odd；〃　he　said。
　〃Indeed；〃　Jonny　agreed。　〃The　only　advantage　Cobras　have　over　bat…suited　troops　is　the　fact　that　our　weapons　are　concealed。　It's　hard　to　imagine　a　normal；　non…guerrilla　war　where　that's　a　deciding　factor。〃
　〃Of　course；　the　nearest　known　bat　suits　are　way　over　in　the　Dominion…〃　Corwin　began。
　〃But　if　they　can　hire　us　they　can　just　as　easily　hire　them；〃　Justin　finished　for　him。　〃Right？〃
　Corwin　nodded。　〃Which　leads　me；　at　least；　to　only　one　answer　for　Mom's　question。〃
　There　was　a　brief　pause。　〃A　test；〃　Joshua　said　at　last。　〃They　want　another　crack　at　seeing　just　how　powerful　Cobras　really　are。〃
　Jonny　nodded。　〃I　can't　see　any　other　explanation。　Especially　since　the　demesnes　at　this　end　of　the　Assemblage　probably　didn't　have　any　direct　contact　with　human　forces　during　the　war。　All　they've　got　are　the　farside　demesnes〃　reports；　and　they　may　think　those　are　exaggerated。〃
　〃So　。。。　what　do　we　do？〃　Joshua　asked。　〃Play　it　safe　and　say　we're　above　mercenary　work？〃
　〃That　would　be　my　remendation；〃　his　father　sighed。　〃Unfortunately…well；　you　tell　them；　Corwin。〃
　〃I　took　a　quick　sample　of　Council　opinion　right　after　the　meeting；〃　Corwin　said。　〃The　eight　syndics　and　two　governors　I　tal