tz.cobra strike-第54节

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　〃He　still　at　the　main　display　looking　for　a　bololin　herd　for　outrider…three？〃
　〃Yeah。〃　Christopher　visibly　shivered。　〃Those　guys　must　be　nuts。　You　sure　wouldn't　catch　me　chasing　bololins　around。〃
　〃You　wouldn't　catch　me　down　there　at　all；〃　York　murmured。
　Christopher　sent　him　a　quick　look。　〃Yeah。　I；　uh　。。。　I　understand　you　were　asked　to　be　on　the　Menssana　with　Lizabet；　Yuri；　Marck；　and　the　others。〃
　〃That's　right；〃　York　told　him　evenly。　〃I　refused。〃
　〃Oh。〃　Christopher's　eyes　strayed　to　York's　new　right　arm…his　new　mechanical　right　arm…then　slipped　guiltily　away。
　〃You　think　it's　because　of　this；　don't　you？〃　York　asked；　raising　his　arm　and　opening　his　hand。　The　fingers　twitched　once　as　he　did　so；　mute　reminder　of　the　fact　that　his　brain　hadn't　totally　adapted　to　the　neural/electronic　interfaces　yet。　〃You　think　I'm　afraid　to　go　down　there　again？〃
　〃Of　course　not…〃
　〃Then　you're　wrong；〃　York　told　him　flatly。　〃I'm　afraid；　all　right；　and　for　damn　good　reasons。〃
　Christopher's　face　was　taking　on　an　increasingly　unfortable　expression；　and　it　occurred　to　York　that　the　other　had　probably　never　heard　anyone　speak　quite　this　way　before。　〃You　want　to　know　why　Yuri　and　Marck　and　the　others　are　down　there　and　I'm　up　here？〃　he　asked。
　〃Well　。。。　all　right；　why？〃
　〃Because　they're　trying　to　prove　they're　brave；〃　York　said。　〃Partly　to　others；　but　mainly　to　themselves。　They're　demonstrating　that　they　can　stick　their　heads　in　the　spine　leopard's　mouth　a　second　time　if　they　have　to；　without　flinching。〃
　〃Whereas　you　feel　no　such　need？〃
　〃Exactly；〃　York　nodded。　〃I've　had　my　courage　tested　many　times。　Both　before　I　came　to　Aventine　and　since　then。　I　know　I'm　brave；　and　I'm　damn　well　not　going　to　take　unnecessary　chances　to　prove　it　to　the　universe　at　large。〃　He　waved　at　his　display。　〃If　and　when　the　Qasamans　make　their　move　I　can　assess　their　military　level　just　as　well　from　up　here　as　I　could　on　the　surface。　Ergo；　here's　where　I　stay。〃
　〃I　see；〃　Christopher　nodded。　But　his　eyes　still　looked　troubled。　〃Makes　sense；　certainly。　I'm…well；　I'm　glad　that's　cleared　up。〃
　He　turned　back　to　his　display；　and　York　suppressed　a　sigh。　Christopher　hadn't　understood；　any　more　than　the　rest　of　them　had。　They　still　thought　it　was　all　just　a　plicated　way　of　not　saying　he　was　a　coward。
　The　hell　with　all　of　them。
　Turning　back　to　his　own　screen；　he　resumed　his　watch　for　military　activity。　In　his　lap　his　mechanical　hand　curled　into　a　fist。
　It　was　shortly　after　noon　when　the　Dewdrop　finally　located　a　bololin　herd　within　the　specified　distance　of　the　village；　and　it　was　another　hour　before　outrider…three's　aircar　reached　it。　The　herd　had　paused　among　the　trees　to　graze；　and　as　the　aircar　drifted　by　overhead　Rem　Parker　whistled　under　his　breath。　〃Nasty…looking　things；〃　he　mented。
　One　of　the　other　three　Cobras　muttered　an　agreement。　〃I　think　I　can　see　the　tarbines…those　tan　spots　behind　the　heads；　inside　the　quills。〃
　〃Yeah。　Great　place　for　a　summer　home。〃　Parker　glanced　at　the　tech　huddled　over　his　instruments　in　the　next　seat。　〃Well；　Dan？　Possible？〃
　Dan　Rostin　shrugged。　〃Marginal。　We're　pretty　far　south　of　the　direct　route　here…it'll　take　a　large　deviation　to　get　them　on　track。　But　if　they　cooperate　as　well　as　the　flatfbots　on　Chata　it　ought　to　work　okay。　Hang　on　a　second　and　I'll　have　the　details　for　you。〃
　It　turned　out　not　to　be　quite　as　bad　as　Parker　had　feared。　Nowhere　would　the　magnetic　field　they　would　be　superimposing　change　the　overall　field　line　direction　by　more　than　twenty　degrees；　and　the　amplitudes　necessary　were　well　within　their　equipment's　capabilities。
　Of　course；　they　would　occasionally　need　to　get　within　a　hundred　meters　of　the　herd's　center；　with　the　risk　to　the　aircar　from　the　flanks　that　such　a　close　approach　would　entail。　But　then；　that　was　why　the　Cobras　were　along　in　the　first　place。
　〃Well；　let's　get　started；〃　Parker　told　the　others。　〃And　let's　hope　they're　as　much　like　their　flatfoot　cousins　as　the　bio　people　say　they　are。〃　Otherwise…he　didn't　add…the　Cobras　might　just　wind　up　herding　them；　rancher　style；　all　the　way　to　the　village。
　And　that　was　a　trick　he　wasn't　anxious　to　try。
　It　was　almost　sundown　when　Winward　returned　from　a　tour　of　his　Cobras〃　positions　to　the　mayoral　office　building；　where　Dr。　McKinley　and　the　rest　of　the　psych　people　had　set　up　shop。　One　of　the　Qasamans　was　being　escorted　out　of　McKinley's　room　as　Win…ward　arrived；　and　he　took　the　opportunity　to　take　a　quick　look　inside。　〃Hello；〃　he　nodded　to　the　two　men　as　he　poked　his　head　around　the　door。　〃How's　it　going？〃
　McKinley　looked　about　as　tired　as　Winward　had　ever　seen　a　man；　but　his　voice　was　brisk　enough。　〃Pretty　good；　overall。　Even　without　the　puter　analysis　I　can　see　the　stress　levels　changing　pretty　much　as　predicted。〃
　〃Good。　You　about　to　close　down　this　phase　for　the　evening？〃
　〃Got　one　more　to　do。　If　you'd　like；　you　could　stay　and　watch。〃
　Winward　eyed　the　Cobra　guard　standing　silently　against　the　wall。　He；　too；　looked　tired；　though　just　as　far　from　admitting　it　as　McKinley　was。　〃Alek；　why　don't　you　go　ahead　and　get　some　dinner；〃　he　told　the　other。　〃I'll　stay　here　while　Dr。　McKinley　finishes　up。〃
　〃I'd　appreciate　that；〃　Alek　nodded；　heading　for　the　door。　〃Thanks。〃
　McKinley　waited　until　he　was　gone；　then　touched　a　button　on　his　translator　pendant。　〃Okay；　send　in　number　forty…two。〃
　A　moment　later　Winward's　enhanced　hearing　picked　up　two　sets　of　footsteps　approaching；　and　the　door　opened　to　admit　another　Cobra　and　a　tense…looking　Qasaman　male。　The　Cobra　left；　and　McKinley　gestured　to　the　low　chair　facing　his　appropriated　desk。　〃Sit　down；　please。〃
　The　Qasaman　plied；　throwing　a　suspicious　glance　at　Winward。　His　mojo；　Winward　noted；　was　almost　calm　by　parison；　although　it　seemed　to　be　rippling　its　feathers　rather　frequently。　〃Let's　begin　with　your　name　and　occupation；〃　McKinley　said。　〃Just　speak　clearly　toward　the　recorder　here；〃　he　added；　waving　at　the　rectangular　box　perched　on　a　corner　of　the　desk。
　The　man　answered；　and　McKinley　moved　on　to　general　questions　concerning　his　interests　and　life　in　the　village。　Gradually　the　tone　and　direction　of　the　questioning　shifted；　though；　and　within　a　few　minutes　McKinley　was　asking　about　the　man's　relationships　with　friends；　his　frequency　of　intercourse　with　his　wife；　and　other　highly　personal　matters。　Winward　watched　the　Qasaman　closely；　but　to　his　untrained　eye　the　other　seemed　to　be　taking　McKinley's　prying　with　reasonable　grace。　The　stress　indicators　built　into　the　recorder　and　the　man's　chair；　of　course；　would　deliver　a　more　scientific　assessment。
　McKinley　was　halfway　through　a　question　about　the　man's　childhood　when　he　broke　off　and；　as　he'd　done　forty…one　times　already　that　day；　pretended　to　listen　with　annoyance　to　something　ing　through　his　earphone。　〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　told　the　Qasaman；　〃but　apparently　your　mojo's　flapping　noises　are　interfering　with　the　recording。　Uh…〃　He　glanced　around　the　room；　pointed　to　a　large　cushion　in　the　far　corner。　〃Would　you　mind　putting　him　over　there？〃
　The　other　grimaced；　glancing　again　at　Winward。　Then；　body　language　eloquent　with　protest；　he　plied。　〃Good；〃　McKinley　said　briskly　as　the　Qasaman　seated　himself　again。　〃Let's　see；　I　guess　I　should　backtrack　a　bit。〃
　He　launched　into　a　repeat　of　an　earlier　question；　and　Winward　shifted　his　attention　to　the　mojo　sitting　in　its　corner。　Sitting；　but　clearly　not　happy　with　its　banishment。　The　head　movements　and　feather　ruffling　Winward　had　noted　earlier　had　increased　dramatically；　both　in　frequency　and　magnitude。　Nervous　at　being　separated　from　its　protector？　the　Cobra　wondered。　Or　upset　because　it　can't　influence　things　as　well　at　this　distance？　The　whole　idea　of　the　mojos　having　some　subliminal　power　over　the　Qasamans　made　Winward　feel　decidedly　twitchy。　Alone　among　all　he'd　talked　to；　he　still　hoped　Jonny　Moreau's　theory　was　wrong。
　〃Damn。〃
　Winward　turned　his　attention　back　to　the　interrogation　to　find　McKinley　scowling　into　space。　〃I'm　sorry；　but　the　recorder's　still　picking　up　too　much　noise。　I　guess　we're　going　to　have　to　put　your　mojo　out　of　the　room　entirely。　Kreel？…would　you　e　in　here　a　minute。　Bring　something　talon…proof　with　you。〃
　〃Wait；〃　the　Qasaman　said；　half　rising　from　his　seat。　〃You　cannot　take　my　mojo　away　from　here。〃
　〃Why　not？〃　McKinley　asked。　〃We　won't　hurt　it；　and　you'll　have　it　back　in　a　few　minutes。〃　The　door　opened　and　the　Cobra　who'd　earlier　escorted　the　Qasaman　in　stepped　into　the　room；　a　thick　cloth　bunched　in　his　hand。
　〃You　must　not　take　him；〃　the　Qasaman　repeated；　the　first　hint　of　anger　beginning　to　show　through　his　stoicism。　〃I　have　cooperated　fully…you　have　no　right　to　treat　me　this　way。〃
　〃Seven　more　questions…that's　all；〃　McKinley　said　soothingly。　〃Five　minutes　or　less；　and　you'll　have　it　back。　Look；　there's　an　empty　office　across　the　hall；　Kreel　can　just　stand　there　in　the　middle　of　the　room　with　your　mojo　on　his　arm；　and　when　we're　done　you　can　open　the　door　and　get　it　back。　No　harm　will　e　to　it…I　promise。〃
　Provided　it　behaves　itself；　Winward　added　silently。　Kreel　would　have　another　Cobra　in　the　room　with　him；　lasers　targeted　on　the　bird　the　whole　time；　but　Winward　didn't　envy　him　the　job　of　standing　there　with　mojo　talons　l