bill_the_galactic_hero_v1.1-第13节

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　uttering　harsh　cries。　The　nurse　shrieked　and　fled。
　　〃Glad　to　see　that　you　are　feeling　better；〃　the　doctor　said；　whipping　him　straight　in　the　bed　with　a　practiced　gesture　and　numbing　Bill's　still　flailing　right　arm　with　a　neat　judo　blow。　〃I'll　pour　you　some　more　dinner；　and　you　drink　it　right　down；　then　we'll　let　your　buddies　in　for　the　unveiling；　they're　all　waiting　outside。〃
　　The　tingling　was　dying　from　his　arm；　and　he　could　wrap　his　fingers　about　the　cup　now。　He　sipped。　〃What　buddies？　What　unveiling？　What's　going　on　here？〃　he　asked　suspiciously。
　　Then　the　door　was　opened；　and　the　troopers　came　in。　Bill　searched　their　faces；　looking　for　buddies；　but　all　he　saw　were　ex…welders　and　strangers。　Then　he　remembered。　〃Bowb　Brown　cooked！〃　he　screamed。　〃Tembo　broiled！　First　Class　Spleen　guttedl　They're　all　dead！〃　He　hid　under　the　covers　and　moaned　horribly。
　　〃That's　no　way　for　a　hero　to　act；〃　the　doctor　said；　dragging　him　back　onto　the　pillows　and　tucking　the　covers　under　his　arms。　〃You're　a　hero；　trooper；　the　man　whose　guts；　ingenuity；　integrity；　stick…to…itiveness；　fighting　spirit；　and　deadly　aim　saved　the　ship。　All　the　screens　were　down；　the　power　room　destroyed；　the　gunners　dead；　control　lost；　and　the　enemy　dreadnaught　zeroing　in　for　the　kill　when　you　appeared　like　an　avenging　angel；　wounded　and　near　to　death；　and　with　your　last　conscious　effort　fired　the　shot　heard　round　the　fleet；　the　single　blast　that　disemboweled　the　enemy　and　saved　our　ship；　the　grand　old　lady　of　the　fleet；　Christine　Keeler。〃　He　handed　a　sheet　of　paper　to　Bill。　〃I　am　of　course　quoting　from　the　official　report；　me　myself；　I　think　it　was　just　a　lucky　accident　。
　　You're　just　jealous；〃　Bill　sneered；　already　falling　in　love　with　his　new　image。
　　〃Don't　get　Freudian　with　me！〃　the　doctor　screamed；　then　snuffled　pitifully。　〃I　always　wanted　to　be　a　hero；　but　all　I　do　is　wait　hand　and　foot　on　heroes。　I'm　taking　that　bandage　off　now。〃
　　He　unclipped　the　wires　that　held　up　Bill's　arm　and　began　to　unwind　the　bandages　while　the　troopers　crowded　around　to　watch。
　　〃How　is　my　arm；　Doc？〃　Bill　was　suddenly　worried。
　　〃Grilled　like　a　chop。　I　had　to　cut　it　off。〃
　　〃Then　what　is　this？〃　Bill　shrieked；　horrified。
　　〃Another　arm　that　I　sewed　on。　There　were　lots　of　them　left　over　after　the　battle。　The　ship　had　over　42　per　cent　casualties；　and　I　was　really　cutting　and　chopping　and　sewing；　I　tell　you。〃
　　The　last　bandage　fell　away　and　the　troopers　ahhhed　with　delight。
　　〃Say；　that's　a　mighty　fine　arm！〃
　　〃Make　it　do　something。〃
　　〃And　a　damn　nice　seam　there　at　the　shoulder…look　how　neat　the　stitches　are！〃
　　〃Plenty　of　muscles；　too；　and　good　and　long；　not　like　the　crummy　little　short　one　he　has　on　the　other　side。〃
　　〃Longer　and　darker…that's　a　great　skin　color！〃
　　〃It's　Tembo's　arm！〃　Bill　howled。　〃Take　it　away！〃　He　squirmed　across　the　bed　but　the　arm　came　after　him。　They　propped　him　up　again　on　the　pillows。
　　〃You're　a　lucky　bowb；　Bill；　having　a　good　arm　like　that。　And　your　buddy's　arm　too。〃
　　〃We　know　that　he　wanted　you　to　have　it。〃
　　〃You'll　always　have　something　to　remember　him　by。〃
　　It　really　wasn't　a　bad　arm。　Bill　bent　it　and　flexed　the　fingers；　still　looking　at　it　suspiciously。　It　felt　all　right。　He　reached　out　with　it　and　grabbed　a　trooper's　arm　and　squeezed。　He　could　feel　the　man's　bones　grating　together　while　he　screamed　and　writhed。　Then　Bill　looked　closer　at　the　hand　and　began　to　shout　curses　at　the　doctor。
　　〃You　stupid　sawbones！　You　thoat　doctorl　Some　big　jobthis　is　a　right　arms〃
　　〃So　it's　a　right　arm…so　what？〃
　　〃But　you　cut　off　my　left　arml　Now　I　have　two　right　arms　。　。　。〃
　　〃Listen；　there　was　a　shortage　of　left　arms。　I'm　no　miracle　worker。　I　do　my　best　and　all　I　get　are　plaints。　Be　happy　I　didn't　sew　on　a　leg。〃　He　leered　evilly。　〃Or　even　better　I　didn't　sew　on　a　。　。　。〃
　　〃It's　a　good　arm；　Bill；〃　said　the　trooper　who　was　rubbing　his　recently　crushed　forearm。　〃And　you're　really　lucky　too。　Now　you　can　salute　with　either　arm；　no　one　else　can　do　that。〃
　　〃You're　right；〃　Bill　said　humbly。　〃I　never　thought　of　that。　I'm　really　very　lucky。〃　He　tried　a　salute　with　his　left…right　arm；　and　the　elbow　whipped　up　nicely　and　the　fingertips　quivered　at　his　eyebrow。　All　the　troopers　snapped　to　attention　and　returned　the　salute。　The　door　crashed　open；　and　an　officer　poked　his　head　in。
　　〃Stand　easy；　men…this　is　just　an　informal　visit　by　the　Old　Man。〃
　　〃Captain　Zekial　ing　herel〃
　　〃I've　never　seen　the　Old　Man　。　。　。〃　The　troopers　chippered　like　birds　and　were　as　nervous　as　virgins　at　a　defloration　ceremony。　Three　more　officers　came　through　the　door　and　finally　a　male　nurse　leading　a　ten…year…old　moron　wearing
a　bib　and　a　captain's　uniform。
　　〃Uhh　。　。　。　hi　ya　fellows　。　。　。　〃　the　captain　said。
　　〃The　captain　wishes　to　pay　his　respects　to　you　all；〃　the　first　lieutenant　said　crisply。
　　〃Is　dat　da　guy　in　da　bed　。　。　。　？〃
　　〃And　particularly　wishes　to　pay　his　personal　respects　to　the　hero　of　the　hour。〃
　　〃。　。　。　Dere　was　sometin'　else　but　I　forgot　。　。　。〃
　　〃And　he　furthermore　wishes　to　inform　the　valiant　fighter　who　saved　our　ship　that　he　is　being　raised　in　grade　to　Fuse　Tender　First　Class；　which　increase　in　rank　includes　an　automatic　re…enlistment　for　seven　years　to　be　added　to　his　original　enlistment；　and　that　upon　dismissal　from　the　hospital　he　is　to　go　by　first　available　transportation　to　the　Imperial　Planet　of　Helior；　there　to　receive　the　hero's　award　of　the　Purple　Dart　with　Coalsack　Nebula　Cluster　from　the　Emperor's　own　hand。〃
　　〃。　。　。　I　think　I　gotta　go　to　da　bathroom　。　。　。〃
　　〃But　now　the　exigencies　of　mand　recall　him　to　the　bridge；　and　he　wishes　you　all　an　affectionate　farewell。〃
　　Bill　saluted　with　both　arms；　and　the　troopers　stood　at　attention　until　the　captain　and　his　officers　had　gone；　then　the　doctor　dismissed　the　troopers　as　well。
　　〃Isn't　the　Old　Man　a　little　young　for　his　post？〃　Bill　asked。　〃Not　as　young　as　some；〃　the　doctor　scratched　through　his　hypodermic　needles　looking　for　a　particularly　dull　one　for　an　injection。　〃You　have　to　remember　that　all　captains　have　to　be　of　the　nobility　and　even　a　large　nobility　gets　stretched　damn　thin　over　a　galactic　empire。　We　take　what　we　can　get。〃　He　found　a　crooked　needle　and　clipped　it　to　the　cylinder。
　　〃Affirm；　so　he's　young；　but　isn't　he　also　a　little　stupid　for　the　job？〃
　　〃Watch　that　lese…majesty　stuff；　bowb！　You　get　an　empire　that's　a　couple　of　thousand　years　old；　and　you　get　a：　nobility　that　keeps　inbreeding；　and　you　get　some　of　the　crunched　genes　and　defective　recessives　ing　out　and　you　got　a　group　of　people　that…are　a　little　more　exotic　than　most　nut　houses。　There's　nothing　wrong　with　the　Old　Man　that　a　new　I。Q。　wouldn't　curel　You　should　have　seen　the　captain　of　the　last　ship　I　was　on　。　。　。〃　he　shuddered　and　jabbed　the　needle　viciously　into　Bill's　flesh。　Bill　screamed；　then　gloomily　watched　the　blood　drip　from　the　hole　after　the　hypodermic　had　been　withdrawn。　
　　The　door　closed；　and　Bill　was　alone；　looking　at　the　blank　wall　and　his　future。　He　was　a　Fuse　Tender　First　Class；　and　that　was　nice。　But　the　pulsory　re…enlistment　for　seven　years　was　not　so　nice。　His　spirits　dropped。　He　wished　he　could　talk　to　some　of　his　old　buddies；　then　remembered　that　they　were　all　dead；　and　his　spirits　dropped　even　further。　He　tried　to　cheer　himself　up　but　could　think　of　nothing　to　be　cheery　about　until　he　discovered　that　he　could　shake　hands　with　himself。　This　made　him　feel　a　little　bit　better。
　　He　lay　back　on　the　pillows　and　shook　hands　with　himself　until　he　fell　asleep。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Book　Two
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　DIP　IN　THE
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SWIMMING…POOL　REACTOR

I

Ahead　of　them　the　front　end　of　the　cylindrical　shuttleship　was　a　single；　gigantic　viewport；　a　thick　shield　of　armored　glass　now　filled　by　the　rushing　coils　of　cloud　that　they　were　dropping　down　through。　Bill　leaned　back　fortably　in　the　deceleration　chair；　watching　the　scene　with　keen　anticipation。　There　were　seats　for　twenty　in　the　stubby　shuttleship；　but　only　three　of　them；　including　Bill's；　were　now　occupied。　Sitting　next　to　him；　and　he　tried　hard　not　to　look　too　often；　was　a　gunner　first　class　who　looked　as　though　he　had　been　blown　out　of　one　of　his　own　guns。　His　face　was　mostly　plastic　and　contained　just　a　single；　bloodshot　eye。　He　was　a　mobile　basket　case；　since　his　four　missing　limbs　had　been　replaced　by　glistening　gadgetry；　all　shining　pistons；　electronic　controls；　and　coiling　wires。　His　gunner's　insignia　was
welded　to　the　steel　frame　that　took　the　place　of　his　upper　arm。　The　third　man；　a　thickset　brute　of　an　infantry　sergeant；　had　fallen　asleep　as　soon　as　they　boarded　after　transshipping　from　the　stellar　transport。
　　〃Bowbidy…bowb！　Look　at　that！〃　Bill　felt　elated　as　their　ship　broke　through　the　clouds　and　there；　spread　before　them；　was　the　gleaming　golden　sphere　of　Helior；　the　Imperial　Planet；　the　ruling　world　of　10；000　suns。
　　〃What　an　albedo；〃　the　gunner　grunted　from　somewhere　inside　his　plastic　face。　〃Hurts　the　eye。〃
　　〃I　should　hope　so！　Solid　goldcan　you　imagine…a　planet　plated　with　solid　gold？！〃
　　〃No；　I　can't　imagine。　And　I　don't　believe　it　either。　It　would　cost　too　much。　But　I　can　imagine　one　covered　with　anodized　aluminum。　Like。　that　one。〃
　　Now　that　Bill　looked　closer　he　could　see　t