lrh.fortuneoffear-第31节

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　　　Down　came　ten　tons　of　rock！
　　　Smoke　and　dust　spiralled　in　the　gloom。
　　　Faht　Bey　hit　the　clanging　general　emergency　alarm　button。
　　　DEAFENING！
　　　From　all　over　the　base　people　came　streaming　in　to　man　the　guns。
　　　Faht　Bey　quickly　redirected　them　into　an　emergency　damage　and　rescue　operation。
　　　They　began　to　dig　the　hangar　crew　out。
　　　Crobe　they　found　in　the　bottom　of　the　net　where　he　had　landed　safely；　only　to　be　at　once　bombarded　by　rock　following　him　down。
　　　Apparently　the　beam　box　had　shorted　and　the　beams　had　ceased　to　support　the　walls　they　proofed　against　the　numerous　earthquakes　of　the　area；　and　slabs　of　rock　had　sheered　away　from　old　faults。
　　　These　people　were　making　a　lot　of　to…do　about　nothing。　The　hangar　walls　were　intact　except　for　a　few　pockmark　holes　a　yard　or　less　in　diameter。　No　equipment　had　been　damaged　unless　you　counted　one　safety　net。　There　wasn't　even　anybody　dead…only　a　fractured　skull　or　two；　and　Prahd　could　patch　those　up。
　　　But　everybody　passing　me　was　giving　me　a　most　undeserved　glare。
　　　I　had　found　what　was　wrong。　The　power　pack　in　the　needle　stun　rifle　had　not　been　recharged　for　two　years　and；　low…powered；　had　missed　his　hand　and　shot　low。　My　marksmanship　was　not　in　question。　But　nobody　would　stop　long　enough　to　hear　the　explanation。
　　　They　were　very　unappreciative。　After　all；　I　had　gotten　Crobe　down。　Not　even　Bugs　Bunny　could　have　done　it　any　better。

Chapter　3

　　　I　had　retired　to　my　room　after　it　became　plain；　by　certain　remarks；　that　I　was　in　the　way。　They　had　to　get　the　wounded　to　the　hospital　and　the　beam　box　repaired　quick　in　case　there　was　an　earthquake；　and　the　floor　was　pretty　messy。　After　all；　they　were　professionals　and　I　was　above　all　such　menial　work。
　　　Thus　it　was　that　just　while　I　was　enjoying　a　delicious　dinner　of　cerkez　tavugu…which　is　boiled　chicken；　Circassian　style；　with　a　sauce　of　crushed　walnuts　and　red　pepper…served　by　a　somewhat　beat…up　but　very　obsequious　staff；　Faht　Bey　had　the　effrontery　to　buzz　me　again。
　　　〃They're　ready　for　your　conference；〃　he　said。
　　　〃Some　other　time；〃　I　said。
　　　〃Then　my　vote　is　that　we　feed　your　Doctor　Crobe　to　a　disintegrator　bin。〃
　　　〃Wait；　wait；〃　I　said。　I　thought　very　rapidly。　I　was　well　aware　of　the　havoc　Crobe　could　wreak：　he　was　a　very　valuable　asset　in　any　Apparatus　operation。　Heller　was　very　sneaky　and　he　might　recover　or　get　lucky　and　then　my　neck　would　be　out。　Reluctantly；　I　said；　〃I　will　be　right　down。〃
　　　The　conference　in　the　crew's　quarters　was　attended　by　very　grim　faces。　I　walked　in；　blastick　in　my　palm；　taking　no　chances。　I　didn't　sit　down。　It　was　not　that　I　was　invited　to。　It　was　simply　very　plain　that　the　best　place　for　a　back　was　against　a　wall。
　　　They　had　Doctor　Crobe。　Somewhat　bandaged…most　likely　by　himself…he　was　crouched　on　the　floor；　and　there　were　three　guards　with　three　guns　pointing　at　his　head。
　　　〃I　vote　death；〃　said　the　first　assassin　pilot　who　had　been　cut。
　　　〃Seconded；〃　said　the　second　assassin　pilot。
　　　〃That　settles　it；〃　said　Captain　Stabb。　〃The　verdict　is　hanged　by　the　teeth　until　he　falls　in　a　pot　of　boiling　electronic　fire。〃
　　　〃Hold　it；〃　I　said。　〃I　haven't　heard　the　evidence　or　voted。〃
　　　〃Do　you　wish　to　enter　a　plea　for　responsibility？〃　said　Faht　Bey。
　　　These　fellows　were　going　a　bit　too　fast　for　me。　The　green　glowplate　didn't　lend　any　cheer　to　the　scene。　I　thought　fast。　Faht　Bey　had　brought　up　an　out　for　me　but　it　was　a　tricky　one。　By　Voltarian　law；　anyone　who　is　knuckleheaded　enough　to　take　full　responsibility　for　a　prisoner；　even　when　condemned；　could　have　him。　That　was　how　the　Apparatus　could　collect　〃executed〃　criminals。　There　was　only　one　little　hooker。　If　the　person　then；　thereafter；　mitted　any　crime；　the　one　who　had　taken　responsibility…the　claimant…could　also　be　charged　with　that　crime　and　if　execution　occurred　could　be　executed　with　the　criminal。
　　　〃It　is　quite　certain；〃　said　the　assassin　pilot　who　had　been　cut　and　who　seemed　to　be　acting　as　the　master　of　the　conference；　〃that　said　Doctor　Crobe　will　mit　some　other　crime　against　base　personnel；　no　matter　how　slight。　In　that　event；　the　claimant　can　legally　be　executed。　Therefore　the　conference　entertains　the　plea。　All　those　voting　for　it；　raise　your　right　index　finger。　The　fingers　have　it。　You　are　the　claimant；　Officer　Gris。　Conference　adjourned。〃
　　　〃Wait！〃　I　said。
　　　They　had　all　walked　out；　including　the　guards。
　　　It　was　a　frame…up！
　　　Oh；　what　cunning　（bleepards）　they　were！　The　probability　of　Doctor　Crobe　doing　something　else　was　an　absolute　certainty。　I　knew　the　man！　What　a　murderous　revenge　that　assassin　pilot　had　taken。　This　could　get　me　killed　very　dead　in　the　most　legal　possible　way。　And　right　when　I　was　in　triumph　everywhere。　Low　blow。
　　　Crobe　crouched　there　eyeing　me　with　his　glittery　black　eyes；　probably　wondering　what　to　turn　me　into。　I　hoped　it　wasn't　a　spider。　I　dislike　spiders。
　　　I　thought。　Crobe　crouched。
　　　I　remembered　the　expression　on　the　assassin　pilot's　face　when　he　glanced　at　me　in　leaving。
　　　I　saw　a　safety　line　in　a　coil；　hanging　above　a　bunk。
　　　INSPIRATION！
　　　I　got　the　safety　line。　I　wrapped　it　round　and　round　Crobe's　ankles。　I　wrapped　it　round　and　round　his　legs。　I　wrapped　it　round　and　round　his　body；　pinning　his　arms　to　his　sides。　I　wrapped　it　round　and　round　his　neck　and　head。　I　tied　it　with　a　triple　knot　and　fused　the　ends。　Not　even　a　ghost　could　get　out　of　that。
　　　Speedily；　I　raced　to　my　room。
　　　From　my　safe　I　took　fifty　thousand　Turkish　lira；　amounting　to　about　five　hundred　U。　S。　dollars。
　　　I　raced　back。　I　found　the　construction　superintendent。
　　　〃I　want　to　make　a　deal；〃　I　said。　I　showed　him　the　money。
　　　His　eyes　bugged；　as　I　knew　they　would。
　　　〃You　are　going　to　build　me　a　cell　the　like　of　which　nobody　ever　heard　of；　and　when　you　do；　you　get　this。〃
　　　He　made　a　grab。　I　was　too　quick　for　him。　〃When　done　and　when　tested；〃　I　said。
　　　〃A　few　thousand　on　account；〃　he　said。
　　　I　peeled　off　ten　thousand　lira。　I　gave　them　to　him。　〃The　rest　when　you　execute　the　plan。〃
　　　He　took　the　bills。　〃Where's　the　plan？〃
　　　A　small　detail　I　had　overlooked。　So　we　sat　down　near　the　cocooned　Crobe　and　I　drew　the　plan。
　　　You　can　get　carried　away　with　these　things。　Once　I　began　to　draw　I　didn't　really　know　when　to　stop。　I　kept　thinking　of　other　ways　he　could　get　out。
　　　But　finally　we　had　it　and；　if　I　say　so　myself；　it　was　a　masterpiece。
　　　At　the　very　end　of　the　detention　corridor　there　was　a　big　cell　which　had　never　been　used。　It　was　all　the　way　back。　Across　the　corridor；　before　you　got　to　it；　I　would　place　a　sheet　of　blastproof　steel；　heavily　embedded　in　the　stone　of　the　walls。　It　would　have　a　bulletproof　viewport　in　it。　The　door　through　it　would　be　openable　only　by　bination　lock。
　　　Beyond　that　would　be　the　normal　cell　bars　and　their　door。
　　　Between　these　two　impenetrable　barricades　I　would　place　a　beam　alarm　system；　so　that　if　anybody　got　in　it　would　ring　and　clang　all　over　the　place。
　　　Now；　there　was　a　chance　that　Crobe　might　get　persuasive　to　a　guard；　as　he　had　already　done。　So　I　would　leave　no　way　whatever　to　municate　through　these　barriers。　This　required　a　new　ventilation　hole　be　drilled　straight　up　to　the　air　to　e　out；　masked　behind　a　rock；　on　the　mountainside。
　　　The　possibility　existed　that　Crobe　might　try　to　climb　up　it；　so　it　would　have　spikes　to　gouge　anyone　who　made　such　an　attempt。　And　furthermore；　it　would　have　explosive　charges　in　it；　with　crisscrossing　trip　wires；　that　would　blow　anyone　to　bits　if　they　attempted　to　crawl　up　it。　I　would　also　put　saw　rays　across　the　outside　and　inside　entrances。　In　that　way；　Crobe　could　municate　to　nobody　in　the　cell　block；　would　have　air　but　couldn't　get　out。
　　　Now　for　food。　I　designed　a　device　which　went　through　a　maze　with　fifteen　turnings。　When　you　put　something　on　a　tray；　it　would　float　way　up　on　antigravity　pulses　and　then　slide　on　antigravity　rollers　through　all　those　turnings。　More…it　would　have　fifteen　sealed　doors　that　any　tray　would　have　to　go　through。　Each　door　would　have　a　living…presence　detector　on　it　and　if　anything　live　tried　to　squeeze　through；　the　door　would　remain　shut。
　　　So　far　so　good。
　　　The　light　in　the　place　would　not　hook　up　to　any　part　of　the　base。　Independent　units；　powered　by　the　sun　at　the　air…shaft　entrance；　would　be　the　only　power。
　　　Now　for　the　cell　itself。　It　was　pretty　large；　as　it　was　designed　to　hold　about　fifteen　prisoners。　So　these　stone　ledges　would　have　to　go。　Crobe　would　have　to　be　forced　to　study；　so　in　their　place　I　would　put　tables　and　shelves　for　books。
　　　Crobe's　sanitation　was　awful　so　I　designed　sprayers　and　a　drain　so　the　whole　area　could　be　washed　down　simply　by　tripping　a　remote　button；　only　the　bookshelves　shutting　automatically。
　　　As　long　as　I　was　designing；　I　also　put　in　a　toilet　and　running　water；　though　I　suspected　Crobe　would　never　touch　it。　However；　he　could　not　plain　to　the　Voltar　sanitation　department　that　he　had　been　left　without　facilities。
　　　I　then　put　in　a　bed。　And　that　was　the　masterpiece。　If　Crobe　got　too　active　and　went　raging　around；　the　next　time