tz.cobra strike-第48节
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from a military standpoint as it possibly could have been。 〃Let's see if I've got all this straight；〃 he said at the end； trying to go as easy as he could on the heavy sarcasm。 〃We have a society whose members all regularly carry firearms； whose population is largely spread out in small villages； whose light industry is also solidly decentralized and whose heavy industry is buried deep underground； and whose exact technological level is still unknown。 Does that pretty well cover it？〃
〃Don't forget their willingness to use brain…boosting drugs and to hell with the personal consequences；〃 Roi growled。 〃And all of them hellbent paranoids on top of it。 You know； Brom； the more we get into this； the less I like the idea of them sitting out there ready to explode across space as soon as they reinvent the stardrive。〃
〃You sound as if they'll be orbiting us the next morning；〃 Hemner said。 He coughed； twice； the spasms shaking his thin shoulders； but when he continued his voice was firm enough。 〃Qasama is forty…five light…years away； remember…it'll take them years to find us； even if they're specifically looking。 Long before that they'll run into the Trofts； and whether they begin trade or warfare they'll be tied up with them for generations。 By then they'll have forgotten this little fiasco and we'll be able to start fresh with our brother humans as if this had never happened。〃
〃A nice speech； Jor；〃 Telek said tartly； 〃but you're missing a few rather vital points。 One： What if they hit Chata and the other worlds out there before they find the Trofts？〃
〃What of it？〃 Hemner replied。 〃If we quit the job now our people won't be out there； anyway。〃
Telek's lip might have twitched； but her voice was even enough as she continued。 〃Second is your assumption the Qasamans will forget us。 Wrong。 They'll remember； all right； and whether it's a year or a century they'll brace for war the minute they run into us again。 You may not believe that；〃 she added； glancing around the table； 〃but it's true。 / was there； / saw and heard the way they talk。 You wait until Hersh Nnamdi's final report is in； see if he doesn't agree with me on that。 And third： We let them get off Qasama and we're in for a long and very bloody war indeed。 Our current technological edge is meaningless with brain…boosters in the picture…a few months or years of warfare and they'll be at our level； whatever it is at the time。 And if you think they're decentralized now wait'll they're dug in on Kubha and Tacta and God knows where else。〃
〃Your points are certainly valid；〃 Stiggur said as Telek paused。 〃But all your tactical arguments miss the one big emotional stumbling block we're going to face here。 Namely； are the Cobra Worlds really going to fight as Troft mercenaries against other human beings？〃
〃That's a rather inflammatory way of putting it；〃 Vartanson accused。
〃Of course it is。 But it's the way that side of the issue is going to present their case。 And in all honesty； I have to admit it's a valid point。 We started this whole affair worrying about looking weak in the Trofts〃 eyes； if you'll recall； and a world's ethics are certainly part of its total strength。 Besides； wouldn't we actually be adding to our position to have other human allies on the Troft border？〃
〃You're ignoring history； Brom；〃 Jonny put in quietly。 〃Having two human groups on their borders is precisely what got the Troft demesnes worried enough to jointly prepare for war fourteen years ago。〃
Fairleigh snorted。 〃There's a good…sized difference between the Dominion of Man and Qasama as far as border threats go。〃
〃Only in magnitude。 And remember that Trofts don't go in for mass destruction from starships。 They make war by going in and physically occupying territory 。。。 and Qasama would not be a fun place to go in and occupy。〃
〃Agreed；〃 Telek murmured with a slight shudder。
〃Or in other words/〃 Hemner said； 〃the Trofts can't bring themselves to slaughter； so they're hiring us to do it for them。〃
Several voices tried to answer； Vartanson's was the one that got through； 〃forget the Trofts for a minute…just forget them。 We're talking about a threat to MS； damn it。 Lizabet is right…we've got to deal with them； and we've got to deal with them now。〃
For a long moment the small room was quiet。 Jonny glanced at Hemner； but the old man was staring down at his hands； clenched together on the table。 Stiggur eventually broke the silence。 〃I think we've done about as much as we can with the data at hand；〃 he said； looking at each of the others in slow； measured turn。 〃The final geological； biological； and sociological studies are due in ten days； we'll meet then…prior to a hill Council meeting…and try to e to a decision。〃 Reaching to the side of his display； he shut off the sealed recorder。 〃This meeting is adjourned。〃
Chapter 25
Stiggur's prediction of the opposition's tactical methods took only a few days to be borne out； and as he had when the Qasaman story first broke weeks earlier； Corwin abruptly found himself in the middle of the whole public debate。
But with a difference。 Before； Qasama had been seen as little more than a mathematical equation： an abstract challenge on one hand； with the very concrete hope of more than doubling the Cobra Worlds〃 land holdings on the other。 Now the fortable fog was gone。 As details of Qasama's people and dangers were released； a growing emotional fire began to simmer within even the most logical and rational arguments； both pro and anti。 Most of the antis Corwin talked to were only marginally mollified by the assurance that Jonny was also against a massive war with other humans； their attitude usually being that he should be doing more to bring the Council over to that point of view。 The pros tended simply to ignore such sticky ethical questions while claiming that the Cobra Worlds〃 own safety should be Jenny's first priority。 It made for a verbal no…win situation； and within three days Corwin was heartily sick of it。
But it wasn't until he got a call from Joshua that he realized just how much the phone and public information net had again taken over his life。
〃Have you had a chance to see Justin lately？〃 Joshua asked after the amenities were out of the way。
〃Not since the evening after your debriefing。〃 Corwin winced at that sudden revelation。 Four days； it had been now； without talking to anyone in his family except his father。 He wasn't used to getting so far out of touch。 〃I haven't had much time lately。〃
〃Well； I think you'd better find the time for this。 Soon。〃
Corwin frowned。 〃Why？ Something wrong？〃
Joshua's phone screen image hesitated； shook its head minutely。 〃I don't know。 It's nothing I can put my finger on； but 。 。 。 well； he hasn't e back from the Academy yet； you know。〃
Corwin didn't。 〃Medical observation？〃
〃No； but he's spending almost all his time alone in the room they've given him out there。 And he's doing a lot of puter library searches。〃
Corwin thought back to Justin's report； which he'd hurriedly skimmed and filed away two days ago。 His brother had gone through hell's own porch out there 。。。 〃Maybe he's just killing time while the emotional wounds heal over a bit；〃 he suggested。 But even as he said them the words rang false in his ears。 Justin simply wasn't the type to lick his wounds in private。
Joshua might have been reading his mind。 〃Then those wounds must be a lot deeper than he's letting on； because he's never holed up like this before。 And the library search stuff bothers me； too。 Any way for you to get a list of what he's been researching？〃
〃Possibly。〃 Corwin scratched his cheek。 〃Well 。。。 did you remind him we're having a Moreau Family war council this evening？〃
〃Yes；〃 the other nodded。 〃He said he'd try to make it。〃
〃Okay；〃 Corwin said slowly。 〃Okay。 I haven't talked to you； so of course I don't know he's been reminded。 I'll call him up like a good big brother should； and while I'm at it I'll see what else I can get out of him。 All right？〃
〃Fine。 Thanks； Corwin…this has been driving me just barely south of frantic。〃
〃No problem。 See you tonight。〃
Joshua disappeared from the screen。 Scowling； Corwin punched up the Cobra Academy and asked for Justin。 A moment later his brother's face came on。 〃Hello？…oh； hi； Corwin。 What can I do for you？〃
It took Corwin a second to find his tongue。 Seldom if ever had he known Justin to be so coolly polite； so…the term businesslike leapt to mind。 〃Uh； I was just calling to see if you'd be ing to the family round table tonight；〃 he said at last。 〃I presume Dad told you about it？〃
〃Yes； a couple…days ago； and Joshua again today。 I understand Aunt Gwen's going to be there too。〃
Nuts； Corwin thought with a mental grimace。 He'd been planning to drop that tidbit on Justin himself as a surprise bonus incentive to attend。 Aunt Gwen… Jonny's younger sister…had been Justin's favorite relative since childhood； but her visits had been few and far between since her move to Palatine six years earlier。 〃That's right；〃 he told Justin。 〃She's one of the geologists working on the Qasama data。〃
Justin's lip might have twitched at the name Qasama； Corwin wasn't sure。 〃Yes； Dad mentioned that。 Well； as I told Joshua； I'll try to mak
