tz.cobra strike-第8节

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em　I　was　the　man　to　lead　the　Cobra　contingent。　My　job's　been　defined　for　me；　and　it's　now　up　to　me　to　carry　it　out。　Period。〃
　〃And　you're　afraid　I　won't　be　able　to　handle　it？〃　Justin　asked；　the　first　stirrings　of　anger　starting　to　seep　through　the　numbness。
　〃I'm　afraid　none　of　us　will　be　able　to；〃　Pyre　replied　tartly。　〃And　if　the　whole　thing　goes　up；　I　don't　like　the　fact　that　my　attention　will　be　split　between　the　mission's　safety　and　yours。〃
　〃Why　should　it　be？〃　Justin　retorted。　〃Because　you've　known　me　since　I　was　in　diapers？　Because　you've　been　Dad's　friend　even　longer？　I'm　22；　Almo；　old　enough　to　take　care　of　myself　now…and　if　you　want　logic；　how　about　the　fact　that　I　won't　have　to　unlearn　all　the　little　tricks　of　fighting　spine　leopards　that　the　rest　of　you　will？　You　have　any　plaints　about　my　youth；　save　them　for　after　the　training；　all　right？　Then　maybe　we'll　have　some　actual　specifics　to　discuss。〃
　Pyre's　eyes　were　again　locked　with　his　and　unconsciously　Justin　braced　for　a　second　outburst。　But　it　didn't　e。　〃Okay；〃　Pyre　said　softly。　〃I　just　wanted　to　make　sure　you　knew　what　you　were　getting　into。　Believe　it　or　not；　I　do　understand　how　you　feel　。　。。　though　you'll　find　that　others　may　not。〃　He　stood　up；　and　a　hint　of　the　old　Almo　Pyre　peeked　through　for　an　instant。　〃I'll　let　Joshua　e　and　talk　to　you　now。　I'll　be　in　the　office　across　the　hall；　just　e　on　over　when　you're　finished。　Take　your　time；　but　try　not　to　make　this　one　of　those　wide…ranging　starvation　sessions　you　two　are　famous　for。〃　With　a　glimmer　of　a　smile　he　left　the　room。
　Justin　let　out　a　shuddering　sigh　of　relief。　His　heartbeat　was　heading　back　toward　normal　when　his　twin　arrived　a　minute　later。　〃Almo　told　me　to　keep　this　talk　under　six　months；〃　Joshua　said；　seating　himself　in　the　recently　vacated　desk　chair。　〃Do　we　really　talk　that　much？〃
　〃Only　together；〃　Justin　said。
　〃Probably　true；〃　the　other　conceded；　running　a　critical　eye　over　his　brother。　〃So。　How　do　you　feel？〃
　〃From　the　surgery；　fine。　From　Almo's　little　talk；　like　someone　just　threw　an　oversized　gantua　at　me。　Accurately。〃
　Joshua　nodded　his　miseration。　〃I　know　how　you　feel。　So　。。。　what　do　you　think？〃
　〃Sounds　like　something　I'd　really　like　to　do…　or　it　did　before　Almo　went　into　an　amazingly　deep　discourage　mode。　I　gather　you　also　have　reservations？〃
　Joshua　frowned。　〃Not　especially；　aside　from　the　obvious　aversions　to　getting　myself　killed。　Who　said　I　did？〃
　〃Almo　implied　someone　was　having　problems　with　the　plan。〃
　Joshua's　frown　became　a　pained　grimace。　〃Probably　referring　to　Mom。〃
　〃Mom。〃　Justin　ground　his　left　fist　hard　into　his　right　palm　with　chagrin　at　having　forgotten　all　about　her　in　the　excitement…and　an　instant　later　the　stab　of　pain　from　both　knuckles　and　palm　reminded　him　that；　even　with　the　limitations　imposed　on　it　by　the　neckwrap　puter；　his　new　strength…enhancing　servo　network　wasn't　something　he　could　afford　to　ignore。　Fortunately；　the　skeletal　laminae　had　made　his　bones　virtually　unbreakable；　which　meant　that　this　time　he'd　get　away　with　only　bruises。　On　his　pride；　as　well　as　on　his　skin。　〃Grumfick　it；　I　didn't　even　think　of　what　this　would　do　to　her；〃　he　admitted　to　Joshua。　〃She　been　told　yet？〃
　〃Oh；　yeah…and　believe　me；　you　were　having　lots　more　fun　in　surgery。〃　Joshua　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　know。　Maybe　we　ought　to　pass　this　up。〃
　〃What　did　she　say？〃
　〃About　what　you'd　expect；〃　the　other　sighed。　〃Dead　set　against　it　emotionally；　only　marginally　more　for　it　intellectually；　and　feeling　generally　betrayed　that　Corwin　would　even　suggest　such　a　thing。　We　tried　to　convince　her　that　you　were　getting　off　easier　than　if
　you'd　been　assigned　to　Caelian；　or　even　to　the　spine　leopard　extermination　squads；　but　I　don't　think　she　believed　us。〃
　〃Almo　doesn't　believe　that；〃　Justin　pointed　out　dryly。　〃Why　should　she？〃
　Joshua　waved　a　hand　in　futility。　〃I　didn't　invent　the　art　of　wishful　thinking；　I　just　market　it　locally。〃
　〃Yeah。〃　Justin　found　a　vacant　corner　to　stare　at　for　a　moment；　then　returned　his　gaze　to　this　brother。　〃So　you　really　think　we　should　pass　this　up？〃
　〃To　be　brutally　honest；　no。〃　Joshua　began　ticking　off　fingers。　〃Corwin's　basic　idea　sounds　good；　and　it's　obvious　we're　the　only　two　in　the　Worlds　who　could　pull　it　off。　We're　likely　to　also　be　the　only　ones　aboard　who　share　Dad's　view　that　hiring　ourselves　out　is　a　dangerous　precedent。　And　finally…〃　He　grinned　suddenly；　shyly。　〃Heck；　Justin；　you　felt　it　in　school；　too。　We're　Moreaus…sons　of　the　Cobra；　Troft　War　veteran；　governor　emeritus；　original　Aventinian　pioneer　Jonny　Moreau　himself。　People　expect　something　great　from　us。〃
　〃That's　a　pretty　blithering　reason　to　do　something。〃
　〃By　itself；　sure。　But　bined　with　reason　number　two；　it　means　our　report　and　remendations　will　carry　a　hefty　bit　of　inertia　when　we　get　back　from　Qasama　。。。　and　given　the　current　Council　leaning；　Dad　may　need　that　extra　bit　of　weight　to　keep　them　from　doing　anything　stupid。〃
　And　on　the　other　hand；　Justin　thought　grimly；　is　what　it'll　do　to　Mom。　Your　basic　no…win　situation。　But　Joshua　was　right　。。。　and　if　there　was　one　thing　they'd　learned　from　both　parents；　it　was　that　personal　fort　and　preference　were　never　to　stand　in　the　way　of　service　to　the　whole。　〃All　right；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃If　you're　game；　so　am　I。　〃Gantuas；　hell：　charge！〃　and　all　that。〃
　〃Okay。〃　Joshua　stood　up。　〃Well；　then；　we'd　better　get　to　it。　Almo's　got　some　serious　sweat　waiting　for
　you；　I　don't　doubt；　and　I've　got　a　couple　of　surgeons　down　the　hall　warming　up　an　operating　table　for
　me。
　〃Surgeons？〃　Justin　frowned；　getting…carefully…to　his　feet。　〃What　do　they　want　you　for？〃
　Joshua　winked　slyly。　〃You'll　find　out。　For　now；　suffice　it　to　say　that　it's　something　that'll　let　you　be　the　best　me　possible　when　we　get　to　Qasama。〃
　〃The　best　what？　e　on；　Joshua…〃
　〃See　you　in　a　couple　of　months；〃　Joshua　grinned　and　slipped　out　the　door。
　You　and　your　stupid　guessing　games；　Justin　thought　after　him；　and　for　a　moment　considered　chasing　him　down　and　badgering　whatever　this　was　out　of　him。　But　Almo　was　waiting　across　the　hall；　and　we're　not　16　years　old　anymore；　he　reminded　himself。　Squaring　his　shoulders；　he　headed　out　to　confront　his　new　tutor。
　Telephone　screens　had　never　in　their　long　history　e　anywhere　near　the　fine…detail　resolution　even　the　simplest　puter　displays　required。　It　was　a　failing　deliberately　built　in；　Jonny　had　once　heard；　not　for　financial　reasons　but　psychosocial　ones。　Wrinkles；　worry　lines；　minor　emotional　perturbations…all　were　edited　out；　to　the　point　that　if　the　picture　on　the　screen　was　happy；　sad；　or　angry；　it　could　be　safely　assumed　the　person　himself　was　deep　into　the　corresponding　state。
　It　was　a　shock；　therefore；　to　see　how　utterly　tired　Corwin　appeared。
　〃As　of　ten　minutes　ago　we　were　back　to　deadlock；　Dad；〃　his　eldest　son　told　him；　shaking　his　head。　〃Of　course；　the　Tlossies　are　really　bargaining　for　the　Baliu　demesne；　and　Speaker　One　has　only　limited　flexibility　to　work　with。　Expecially　on　the　survey　mission　budget。　Every　time　we　try　to　add　something　he　has　to　take　something　else　away。　Or　so　he　claims。〃
　Jonny　glanced　over　the　screen。　Chrys；　seated　at　the　dining　room　table；　was　pretending　to　be　engrossed　in　the　collection　of　electronics　parts　she'd　spread　out　there；　but　he　knew　she　was　listening　to　the　conversation。　〃Maybe　I'd　better　e　back　down　there；　then；〃　he　told　Corwin。　〃See　if　I　can　help。〃
　〃Not　worth　it；〃　the　other　shook　his　head。　〃Governor　Telek's　bargaining　at　least　as　hard　as　you　could；　and　everyone's　keeping　out　of　each　other's　way　for　a　change。　Besides；　the　temp's　dropped　ten　degrees　since　sundown。〃
　Jonny　grimaced；　but　it　was　just　one　more　environmental　factor　he'd　had　to　learn　to　live　with。　Capitalia　was　in　the　middle　of　the　first　cold　snap　of　autumn；　and　moving　in　and　out　of　heated　buildings　was　more　than　his　arthritic　joints　could　stand。　The　only　alternatives　to　hiding　indoors　were　heated　suits　or　extra　pain　medication；　neither　of　which　expecially　appealed　to　him。　〃All　right；〃　he　told　his　son。　〃But　if　you　guys　don't　break　for　the　evening　soon；　call　me　back　and　I'll　relieve　you。　You　look　beat。〃
　〃I'll　be　all　right。　The　main　reason　I　called　was　to　check　a　couple　of　things　on　this　parallel　survey　mission　request　you　put　in。　How　much　of　that　are　you　willing　for　the　Worlds　to　finance？〃
　〃Not　a　single　quarter；〃　Jonny　told　him　flatly。　〃At　the　bottom　line　this　is　a　trade　deal；　Corwin；　and　no　one　trades　for　merchandise　he　hasn't　even　seen；　let　alone　inspected。　Of　course；　since　it's　the　Pua　demesne　that's　actually　offering　the　five　planets；　you　can　probably　insist　the　Speaker　charge　them　the　survey　costs。　All　that'll　ultimately　do　is　throw　the　issue　back　to　Pua　and　Baliu　to　work　out　between　themselves；　but　at　least　it　should　get　it　out　of　our　hair。〃
　〃Yeah。〃　Corwin　shook　his　head　in　bemusement；　〃Hard　to　believe　this　collection　of　business　cutthroats　actually　got　together　long　enough　to　fight　a　war。〃
　〃They　did。　Believe　me；　they　did。　And　there's　nothing　that　says　they　couldn't　do　it　again。〃
　〃Point　taken。　Well　。　。　。　are　you　willing　for　us　to　use
　the　Menssana　for　the　survey　mission　if　the　Trofts…　whichever　Trofts…pay　alt　the　other　expenses？〃
　Jonny　bit　at　his　lip。　〃I'd　rather　t