bill_the_galactic_hero_v1.1-第29节

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　　　〃Looks　like　a　hunk　of　plastic。〃
　　〃See　what　I　mean？　So　I　don't　tell　the　old　stories　any　more。　just　keep　re…　enlisting　and　drifting　with　the　tide。　。　。〃
　　Bill　sat　up　and　gaped。　〃Re…enlist！　Why；　that's　suicide　。　。　。〃
　　　〃Safe　as　houses。　Safest　place　during　the　war　is　in　the　army。　The　jerks　in　the　front　lines　get　their　heads　shot　off；　the　civilians　at　home　get　their　heads　blown　off。　Guys　in　between　safe　as　houses。　It　takes　thirty；　fifty；　maybe　seventy　guys　in　the　middle　to　supply　every　guy　in　the　line。　Once　you　learn　to　be　a　file　clerk　you're　safe。　Who　ever　heard　of　them　shooting　at　a　file　clerk？　I'm　a　great　file　clerk。　But　that's　just　in　wartime。　Peacetime；　whenever　they　make　a　mistake　and　there　is　peace　for　awhile；　it's　better　to　be　in　the　bat　troops。　Better　food；　longer　leaves；　nothing　much　to　do。　Travel　a　lot。〃
　　〃So　what　happens　when　the　war　starts？〃
　　　〃I　know　735　different　ways　to　get　into　the　hospitals。〃
　　〃Will　you　teach　me　a　couple？〃
　　　〃Anything　for　a　buddy；　Bill。　I'll　show　you　tonight；　after　they　bring　the　chow　around。　And　the　guard　what　brings　the　chow　is　being　difficult　about　a　little　favor　I　asked　him。　Boy；　I　wish　he　had　a　broken　arm！〃
　　　〃Which　arm？〃　Bill　cracked　his　knuckles　with　a　loud　crunch。
　　〃Dealer's　choice。〃
　　　The　Plastichouse　Stockade　was　a　transient　center　where　prisoners　were　kept　on　the　way　from　somewhere　to　elsewhere。　It　was　an　easy；　relaxed　life　enjoyed　by　both　guards　and　inmates　with　nothing　to　disturb　the　even　tenor　of　the　days。　There　had　been　one　new　guard；　a　real　eager　type　fresh　in　from　the　National　Territorial　Guard；　but　he　had　had　an　accident　while　serving　the　meals　and　had　broken　his　arm。　Even　the　other　guards　were　glad　to　see　him　go。　About　once　a　week　Blackey　would　betaken　away　under　armed　guard　to　the　Base　Records　Section　where　he　was　forging　new　records　for　a　light　colonel　who　was　very　active　in　the　black　market　and　wanted　to　make　millionaire　before　he　retired。　While　working　on　the　records　Mackey　saw　to　it　that　the　stockade　guards　received　undeserved　promotions；　extra　leave　time；　and　cash　bonuses　for　nonexistent　medals。　As　a　result　Bill　and　Blackey　ate　and　drank　very　well　and　grew　fat。　It　was　as　peaceful　as　could　possibly　be　until　the　morning　after　a　session　in　the　records　section　when　Blackey　returned　and　woke　Bill　up。
　　〃Good　news；〃　he　said。　〃We're　shipping　out。〃　
　　〃What's　good　about　that？〃　Bill　asked；　surly　at　being　disturbed　and　still　half…　stoned　from　the　previous　evening's　drinking　bout。　〃I　like　it　here。〃
　　〃It's　going　to　get　too　hot　for　us　soon。　The　colonel　is　giving　me　the　eye　and　a　very　funny　look；　and　I　think　he　is　going　to　have　us　shipped　to　the　other　end　of　the　galaxy；　where　there　is　heavy　fighting。　But　he's　not　going　to　do　anything　until　next　week　after　I　finish　the　books　for　him；　so　I　had　secret　orders　cut　for　us　this　week　sending　us　to　Tabes　Dorsalis　where　the　cement　mines　are。〃
　　　〃The　Dust　World！〃　Bill　shouted　hoarsely；　and　picked　Blackey　up　by　the　throat　and　shook　him。　〃A　world…wide　cement　mine　where　men　die　of　silicosis　in　hours。　Hellhole　of　the　universe　。　。　。〃
　　Blackey　wriggled　free　and…scuttled　to　the　other　end　of　the　cell。　
　〃Hold　it！〃　he　gasped。　〃Don't　go　off　half　cocked。　Close　the　cover　on　your　priming　pan　and　keep　your　powder　dryl　Do　you　think　I　would　ship　us　to　a　place　like　that？　That's　just　the　way　it　is　on　the　TV　shows；　but　I　got　the　inside　dope。　If　you　work　in　the　cement　mines；　roger；　it　ain't　so　good。　But　they　got　one　tremendous　base　section　there　with　a　lot　of　clerical　help；　and　they　use　trustees　in　the　motor　pool；　since　there　aren't　enough　troops　there。　While　I　was　working　on　the　records　I　changed　your　MS　from　fuse　tender；　which　is　a　suicide　job；　to　driver；　and　here　is　your　driver's　license　with　qualifications　on　everything　from　monocycle　to　atomic　89…ton　tank。　So　we　get　us　some　soft　jobs；　and　besides　the　whole　base　is　air…conditioned。〃
　　〃It　was　kind　of　nice　here；〃　Bill　said；　scowling　at　the　plastic　card　that　certified　to　his　aptitude　in　chauffeuring　a　number　…of　strange　vehicles；　most　of　which　he　had　never　seen。
　　〃They　e；　they　go；　they're　all　the　same；〃　Blackey　said；　packing　a　small　toilet　kit。
　　They　began　to　realize　that　something　was　wrong　when　the　column　of　prisoners　was　shackled　then　chained　together　with　neckcuffs　and　leg　irons　and　prodded　into　the　transport　spacer　by　a　platoon　of　bat　MPs。　〃Move　along！〃　they　shouted。　〃You'll　have　plenty　of　time　to　relax　when　we　got　to　Tabes　Dorsalgia。〃
　　〃Where　are　we　going？〃　Bill　gasped。　
　　〃You　heard　me；　snap　it　bowb。〃
　　〃You　told　me　Tabes　Dorsalis；〃　Bill　snarled　at　Blackey　who　was　ahead　of　him　in　the　chain。　〃Tabes　Dorsalgia　is　the　base　on　Veneria　where　all　the　fighting　is　going　on…we're　heading　for　bat！〃
　　〃A　little　slip　of　the　pen；〃　Blackey　sighed。　〃You　can't　win　them　all。〃
　　　He　dodged　the　kick　Bill　swung　at　him；　then　waited　patiently　while　the　MPs　beat　Bill　senseless　with　their　clubs　and　dragged　him　aboard　the　ship。

III

　　　Veneria　。　。　。　a　fog…shrouded　world…of　untold　horrors；　creeping　in　its　orbit　around　the　ghoulish　green　star　Hernia　like　some　repellent　heavenly　trespasser　newly　rose　from　the　nethermost　pit。　What　secrets　lie　beneath　the　eternal　mists？　What　nameless　monsters　undulate　and　gibber　in　its　dank　tarns　and　bottomless　black　lagoons？　Faced　by　the　unspeakable　terrors　of　this　planet　men　go　mad　rather　than　face　up　to　the　faceless。　Veneria　。　。　。　swamp　world；　the　lair　of　the　hideous　and　unimaginable　Venians　。　。
　　It　was　hot　and　it　was　damp　and　it　stank。　The　wood　of　the　newly　constructed　barracks　was　already　soft　and　rotting　away。　You　took　your　shoes　off；　and　before　they　hit　the　floor　fungus　was　growing　out　of　them。　Once　inside　the　pound　their　chains　were　removed；　since　there　was　no　place　for　laborcamp　prisoners　to　escape　to；　and　Bill　wheeled　around　looking　for　Blackey；　the　fingers　of　Tembo's　arm　snapping　like　hungry　jaws。　Then　he　remembered　that　Blackey　had　spoken　to　one　of　the　guards　as　they　were　leaving　the　ship；　had　slipped　him　something；　and　a　little　while　later　had　been　unlocked　from　the　line　and　led　away。　By　now　he　would　be　running　the　file　section　and　by　tomorrow　he　would　be　living　in　the　nurses's　quarters。　Bill　sighed；　let　the　whole　thing　slip　out　of　his　mind　and　vanish；　since　it　was　just　one　more　antagonistic　factor　that　he　had　no　control　over；　and　dropped　down　onto　the　nearest　bunk。　Instantly　a　vine　flashed　up　from　a　crack　in　the　floor；　whipped　four　times　around　the　bunk　lashing　him　securely　to　it；　then　plunged　tendrils　into　his　leg　and　began　to　drink　his　blood。
　　〃Grrrrk　。　。　。　！〃　Bill　croaked　against　the　pressure　of　a　green　loop　that　tightened　around　his　throat。
　　〃Never　lie　down　without　you　got　a　knife　in　your　hand；〃　a　thin；　yellowish　sergeant　said　as　he　passed　by；　and　severed　the　vine；　with　his　own　knife；　where　it　emerged　from　the　floorboards。
　　〃Thanks；　Sarge；〃　Bill　said；　stripping　off　the　coils　and　throwing　them　out　the　window。
　　The　sergeant　suddenly　began　vibrating　like　a　plucked　string　and　dropped　onto　the　foot　of　Bill's　bunk。　〃P…pocket　。　。　。　shirt　。　。　。　p…p…pills　。　。　。〃　he　stuttered　through　chattering　teeth。　Bill　pulled　a　plastic　box　of　pills　out　of　the　sergeant's　pocket　and　forced　some　of　them　into　his　mouth。　The　vibrations　stopped；　and　the　man　sagged　back　against　the　wall；　gaunter　and　yellower　and　streaming　with　sweat。
　　〃Jaundice　and　swamp　fever　and　galloping　filariasis；　never　know　when　an　attack　will　hit　me；　that's　why　they　can't　send　me　back　to　bat；　I　can't　hold　a　gun。　Me；　Master　Sergeant　Ferkel；　the　best　damned　flamethrower　in　Kirjassoff's　Kutthroats；　and　they　have　me　playing　nursemaid　in　a　prison　labor　camp。　So　you　think　that　bugs　me？　It　does　not　bug　me；　it　makes　me　happy；　and　the　only　thing　that　would　make　me　happier　would　be　shipping　off　this　cesspool…planet　at　once。〃
　　〃Do　you　think　alcohol　will　hurt　your　condition？〃　Bill　asked；　passing　over　a　bottle　of　cough　syrup。　〃It's　kind　of　rough　here？〃　　　〃Not　only　won't　hurt　it；　but　it　will　。　。　。〃　There　was　a　deep　gurgling；　and
when　the　sergeant　spoke　again　he　was　hoarser　but　stronger。　〃Rough　is　not　the　word　for　it。　Fighting　the　Chingers　is　bad　enough；　but　on　this　planet　they　have　the　natives；　the　Venians；　on　their　side。　These　Venians　look　like　moldy　newts；
and　they　got　just　maybe　enough　I。Q。　to　hold　a　gun　and　pull　the　trigger；　but　it　is　their　planet　and　they　are　but　murder　out　there　in　the　swamps。　They　hide　under　the　mud　and　they　swim　under　the　water　and　they　swing　from　the　trees　and　the
whole　planet　is　thick　with　them。　They　got　no　sources　of　supply；　no　army　divisions；　no　organizations；　they　just　fight。　If　one　dies　the　others　eat　him。　If　one　is　wounded　in　the　leg　the　others　eat　the　leg　and　he　grows　a　new　one。　If　one　of　them　runs　out　of　ammunition　or　poison　darts　or　whatever　he　just　swims　back　a　hundred　miles　to　base；　loads　up；　and　back　to　battle。　We　have　been　fighting　here　for　three　years；　and　we　now　control　one　hundred　square　miles　of　territory。〃
　　〃A　hundred；　that　sounds　like　a　lot。〃　　　〃Just　to　a　stupid　bowb　like　you。　That　is　ten　miles　by　ten　miles；　and　maybe　about　two　square　miles　more　than　we　captured　in　the　first　landings。〃
　　　There　was　the　squish…thud　of　tired　feet；　and　weary；　mudsoaked　men　began　to　drag　into　the　barracks。　Sergeant　Ferkel　hauled　himself　to　his　feet　and　blew　a　long　blast　on　his　wh