tz.cobra strike-第52节

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fire；　one　into　the　pistol；　the　other　tracing　a　line　directly　in　front　of　Hemner's　eyes。　The　old　man　jerked　back　with　a　cry　as　the　heat　and　light　reached　his　hand　and　face；　the　pistol　swinging　away　from　the　others。　Gripping　the　table　edge　with　both　hands；　Jonny　kicked　back　and　up　with　his　feet；　sending　his　chair　spinning　across　the　room　and　flipping　his　body　to　slam　onto　his　back　on　the　table。　His　legs　caught　Hemner's　arm　full　force；　eliciting　a　second　yelp　from　the　other　and　sending　the　gun　sailing　into　the　far　wall。
　〃Get　the　gun！〃　Jonny　snapped　through　the　agony　the　sudden　violence　had　ignited　in　his　arthritic　joints。　He　swung　up　to　a　sitting　position；　grabbed　both　of　Hemner's　wrists。　〃Jor；　what　the　hell　was　that　supposed　to　acplish？〃
　〃Just　proving　a　point；〃　Hemner　said　calmly；　the　harshness　of　a　minute　earlier　gone　without　a　trace。　〃My　wrists　…　easy　…　〃
　〃You　were　what？〃
　〃I'll　be　damned。〃　The　voice　was　Roi's　and　Jonny　turned　to　look。
　Roi　was　standing　by　the　far　wall；　holding　Hemner's
　Which　was　nothing　more　than　a　pen　and　an　intricately　folded　magcard。
　Jonny　looked　down　at　Hemner。　〃Jor　。　。　。　what's　going　on？〃
　〃As　I　said；　I　was　proving　a　point；〃　the　other　said。　〃Uh　…　if　you　wouldn't　mind　。　。　。　？〃
　Releasing　his　grip；　Jonny　climbed　carefully　off　the　table　and　walked　around　back　to　his　seat。　Roi　sat　down；　too；　and　Stiggur　cleared　his　throat。　〃This　had　better　be　good/〃　he　warned　Hemner。
　The　other　nodded。　〃Olor；　were　you　armed　just　now　when　I　pretended　to　pull　a　weapon　on　you？〃　he　asked。
　〃Of　course　not；〃　Roi　snorted。
　〃Yet　even　with　a　real　gun　I　wouldn't　have　been　able　to　shoot　you。　True？　Why　not？〃
　〃Because　Jonny　was　here　and　he's　faster　than　you　are。〃
　Hemner　nodded　and　turned　to　Stiggur。　〃Security；　Brom。　You　don't　need　everyone　carrying　mojos　for　your　citizens　to　be　protected。　The　mojos　attack　anyone　drawing　a　gun；　whether　their　own　masters　are　specifically　threatened　or　not。〃　He　waved　at　his　display。　〃The　records　of　the　bus　attack　on　York　clearly　show　that…I've　just　checked。　Even　if　everyone　wants　to　carry　a　gun；　you　still　don't　need　that　many　mojos。　Twenty　percent；　or　even　less；　bined　with　the　cultural　bias　against　fighting　would　be　more　than　adequate。〃
　〃Assuming　they're　that　peaceful　without　that　tal…oned　reminder　on　their　shoulders；〃　Fairleigh　growled。　〃Maybe　they're　more　violent　without　mojos　nearby。〃
　Vartanson　laughed　abruptly。　〃Dylan；　did　you　hear　what　you　just　said？　Almost　exactly　what　Jonny's　been　suggesting。〃　He　nodded　at　Jonny。　〃All　right；　I'm　convinced　the　mojos　need　more　study。　But　we　need　to　learn　about　the　Qasaman　technological　base；　too；　and　I'm　not　sure　which　is　more　important。〃
　〃Then　let's　do　both；〃　Telek　spoke　up。　Reaching　to　the　stack　of　magdisks　in　front　of　her；　she　selected　one　and　slid　it　into　her　reader。　〃This　is　a　plete　tactical　plan　that　was　submitted　to　my　office　yesterday　via　Almo　Pyre。　I'd　like　us　all　to　read　it　through　and　seriously　consider　it　as　a　basis　for　the　next　mission　to　Qasama；　Brom？〃
　〃Any　ments　or　objections？〃　Stiggur　asked；　his　eyes　sweeping　the　table。　〃All　right；　then。　Let's　take　a　look。〃
　Telek　sent　the　report　to　the　other　displays　and　they　all　settled　down　to　read。　Jonny　felt　memories　of　his　own　tactical　training　rising　to　the　surface　as　he　studied　the　plan　。。。　memories；　and　a　growing　respect　for　Pyre's　work。　Granted　that　there　were　some　military　manuals　and　histories　in　the　puter　library；　it　still　took　a　great　deal　of　raw　talent　to　put　together　a　scheme　this　prehensive；　especially　with　only　the　limited　training　the　First　Cobras　had　been　able　to　give　Pyre　and　his　team。
　It　wasn't　until　he　reached　the　end　that　he　found　the　author's　name　。。。　and　he　stared　at　it　for　nearly　a　minute　before　he　finally　could　believe　it。
　Justin　Moreau。
　The　wait　in　Telek's　office　had　stretched　into　nearly　two　hours；　but　Pyre　had　been　almost　too　busy　to　notice。　Justin's　plan　was　highly　detailed；　but　the　boy　naturally　had　not　done　any　actual　personnel　assignments；　a　task　that　would　fall　to　Coordinator　Sun　and　the　Cobra　upper　echelon　if　the　plan　was　accepted。　Nothing　said　Pyre　couldn't　submit　his　own　roster　for　their　approval；　though。　He'd　finished　the　main　group　and　was　working　on　the　first　of　the　three　outrider　teams　when　Telek　returned。
　〃Well？〃　he　asked　as　she　closed　the　door　and　sank　into　her　desk　chair。
　〃They　bought　it；〃　she　said　with　tired　satisfaction。　〃Brom　wants　to　submit　it　to　a　review　board　of　First　Cobras；　but　I　doubt　they'll　change　it　too　much。　You　still　hold　with　two　weeks　to　equip　and　train　the　task　force？〃
　Pyre　nodded。　〃All　they'll　need　is　the　multiple…targeting　enhancers　and　some　tactical　training。　For　a　change；　all　the　experience　we've　logged　hunting　down　spine　leopards　is　going　to　do　some　of　us　some　good。〃
　〃Um。　You　。。。　ah　。。。　plan　to　be　out　in　the　forest；　then？〃
　〃I　had；　yes。　Unless　you　wanted　me　on　the　village　force。〃
　Telek　pursed　her　lips。　〃Might　be　better　for　you　to　stay　aboard　the　ship；　actually。　To　coordinate　things。〃
　〃Oh？〃　Pyre　eyed　her。　〃You'd　rather　I　not　be　down　on　Qasama？〃
　〃I'd　rather　you　not　risk　your　life；　if　you　must　know；〃　she　said　grudgingly。　〃You've　done　your　bit。〃
　〃Ah。　You　feel　the　same　way　about　Justin；　Michael；　and　Dorjay？　Or　is　it　different　because　you　specifically　asked　that　/　be　aboard　the　Dewdrop　the　last　time　around？〃
　Her　Up　curled。　〃So　you　did　know。　I'd　hoped　I'd　hid　my　tracks　a　bit　better　than　that。〃
　〃I　have　friends　among　the　elite；　too。　Which　is　why　I　was　surprised　you'd　requested　me。〃
　Telek　exhaled　loudly。　〃Well；　it　wasn't　because　you　were　a　good　friend　of　the　Moreaus；〃　she　said。　〃Though　that　was　why　I　asked　you　and　Halloran　for　the　initial　cost　study。　But　for　the　trip　itself。。。。〃　She　paused；　eyes　drifting　to　the　window　and　the　Capitalia　city…scape　beyond。　〃It　bothered　me　all　the　way　from　the　beginning　why　the　Baliu　demesne　should　think　Cobras　would　have　a　better　shot　at　the　Qasamans　then　they　did。〃
　〃They　already　knew　the　mojos　attack　drawn　weapons；〃　Pyre　suggested。
　〃True。　And　there　was　the　whole　question　of　whether　this　was　a　test。　But　it　occurred　to　me　that　there　was　one　other　possibility。〃
　Pyre　frowned　in　thought　。。。　and　suddenly　it　hit　him。　〃You　think　they　knew　we　were　the　same　species　as　the　Qasamans？〃
　〃I　think　it　highly　probable；〃　Telek　nodded。　〃Cobras　would　have　an　advantage　in　a　war　against　other　humans。　And　being　the　connivers　they　are；　of　course；　they　wouldn't　want　us　to　know　who　we　were　facing　until　we'd　mitted　to　some　course　of　action。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　Pyre　said　slowly。　〃We　nearly　got　killed　on　Qasama　and　we're　still　barely　holding　our　own　with　public　opinion。　Imagine　the　furor　if　we'd　known　in　advance　we　were　being　asked　to　exterminate　another　human　society。〃　He　cocked　an　eyebrow　at　her。　〃That　doesn't　explain　my　presence　aboard；　though。〃
　She　took　a　deep　breath。　〃I　didn't　like　the　fact　that　I　might　be　called　upon　to　betray　another　human　colony　out　there。　You　were　there　to　make　sure　I　kept　my　priorities　straight。　Did　you　know；　Almo；　that　I　was　married　once？〃
　He　shook　his　head；　taking　the　abrupt　subject　change　in　stride。　〃Divorced？〃
　〃Widowed。　Since　before　I　became　a　governor。　He　was　a　Cobra　。。。　and　he　died　on　Caelian。〃
　She　paused；　memories　flicking　visibly　across　her　face。　Pyre　waited；　sensing　what　would　e　next。　〃You　remind　me　a　great　deal　of　him；〃　she　continued　at　last。　〃In　appearance；　even　more　in　spirit。　I　wanted　you　there　as　a　constant　reminder　that　we　need　a　new　world　for　the　Caelians　to　move　to。〃
　〃Even　if　that　world　is　bought　with　the　Qasamans〃　lives？〃　he　snarled。
　The　words　came　out　harsher　than　he'd　intended　them　to；　but　Telek　never　flinched。　〃Yes；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃Even　then。　My　duty　is　to　the　Cobra　Worlds；　first　and　foremost　。。。　and　it's　going　to　stay　that　way。〃
　Pyre　looked　at　her；　a　sudden　chill　sending　a　shiver　up　his　back。　All　the　time　together　on　the　Dewdrop　。。。　and　he　hadn't　really　known　her　at　all。
　〃I'm　sorry　if　that　makes　you　hate　me；〃　she　said　after　a　moment。　〃But　in　my　opinion　I　had　no　choice。〃
　He　nodded；　though　to　which　part　of　her　statement　he　wasn't　sure。　〃If　you'll　excuse　me；〃　he　said；　hearing　the　stiffness　in　his　voice；　〃I　need　to　get　back　to　work。　I　have　a　roster　to　plete　for　the　team　I'll　be　taking　to　Qasama。〃
　She　nodded。　〃All　right。　I'll　talk　to　you　later。〃
　He　turned　and　left　。。。　and　wondered　that　he　didn't　hate　her　for　her　ruthlessness。　The　Cobra　board　took　Justin's　plan　apart；　examined　it；　debated　it；　and…in　places…changed　it；　and　then　they　put　it　together　again　and　pronounced　it　sound。　The　forty…eight　Cobras　and　fourteen　scientists　who　would　be　landing　on　Qasama　were　chosen　and　trained。　The　Baliu　demesne　expressed　their　displeasure　at　funding　a　second　mission　on　what　still　amounted　to　speculation；　but　well　before　the　training　period　was　over　Jonny　and　Stiggur　were　able　to　change　the　aliens〃　minds。
　And　less　than　a　month　after　the　Dewdrop　had　returned　from　Qasama；　both　it　and　the　Menssana　lifted　quietly　from　the　Capitalia　starport　and　headed　back。
　
　
　Chapter　27
　
　Night　on　Qasama。
　The　villages　along　the　eastern　arm　of　what　was　now　referred　to　as　the　Fertile　Crescent　were　dark　as　the　Menssana　drifted　down　on　its　gravity　lifts。　Dark；　but　visible　enough　in　infrared　scanners。　The　roads　connecti