the stainless steel rat-第10节

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　in　any　direction。　With　each　passing　minute　the　sphere　of　probable　locations　grew　larger　by　the　power　of　the　squared　cube。　I　kept　the　on…watch　crew　of　the　cruiser　at　duty　stations　and　confined　the　rest　within　a　one　hundred…yard　radius　of　the　ship。
　　　　　There　was　little　more　information　on　Pepe　and　Angelina；　they　had　covered　their　tracks　well。　Their　backgrounds　were　unknown；　though　the　fact　they　both　talked　with　a　slight　accent　suggested　an　off…world　origin。　There　was　one　dim　picture　of　Pepe；　chubby　but　looking　too　grim　to　be　a　happy　fat　boy。　There　was　no　picture　of　the　girl。　I　shuffled　the　meager　findings；　controlled　my　impatience；　and　kept　the　ship's　psiman　busy　pulling　in　all　the　reports　of　any　kind　of　trouble　in　space。　The　navigator　and　I　plotted　their　locations　in　his　tank；　paring　the　positions　in　relation　to　the　growing　sphere　that　enclosed　all　the　possible　locations　of　the　stolen　ship。　Some　of　the　disasters　and　apparent　accidents　hit　inside　this　area；　but　further　investigation　proved　them　all　to　have　natural　causes。
　　　　　I　had　left　standing　orders　that　all　reports　falling　inside　the　danger　area　were　to　be　brought　to　me　at　any　time。　The　messenger　woke　me　from　a　deep　sleep；　turning　on　the　light　and　handing　me　the　slip　of　paper。　I　blinked　myself　awake；　read　the　first　two　lines；　and　pressed　the　action　station　alarm　over　my　bunk。　I'll　say　this；　the　Navy　boys　know　their　business。　When　the　sirens　screamed；　the　crew　secured　ship　and　blasted　off　before　I　had　finished　reading　the　report。　As　soon　as　my　eyeballs　un…squashed　back　into　focus　I　read　it　through；　then　once　more　carefully　from　the　beginning。
　　　　　It　looked　like　the　one　we　had　been　waiting　for。　There　were　no　witnesses　to　the　tragedy；　but　a　number　of　monitor　stations　had　picked　up　the　discharge　static　of　a　large　energy　weapon　being　fired。　Triangulation　had　led　investigators　to　the　spot　where　they　found　a　freighter；　Ogget's　Dream；　with　a　hole　punched　through　it　as　big　as　a　railroad　tunnel。　The　freighter's　cargo　of　plutonium　was　gone。
　　　　　I　read　Pepe　in　every　line　of　the　message。　Since　he　was　flying　an　undermanned　battleship；　he　had　used　it　in　the　most　efficient　way　possible。　If　he　attempted　to　negotiate　or　threaten　another　ship；　the　element　of　chance　would　be　introduced。　So　he　had　simply　roared　up　to　the　unsuspecting　freighter　and　blasted　her　with　the　monster　guns　his　battleship　packed。　All　eighteen　men　aboard　had　been　killed　instantly。　The　thieves　were　also　murderers。
　　　　　I　was　under　pressure　now　to　act。　And　under　a　greater　pressure　not　to　make　any　mistakes。　Roly…poly　Pepe　had　shown　himself　to　be　a　ruthless　killer。　He　knew　what　he　wanted…then　reached　out　and　took　it。　Destroying　anyone　who　stood　in　his　way。　More　people　would　die　before　this　was　over；　it　was　up　to　me　to　keep　that　number　as　small　as　possible。
　
　　　　　Ideally　I　should　have　rushed　out　the　fleet　with　guns　blazing　and　dragged　him　to　justice。　Very　nice；　and　I　wished　it　could　be　done　that　way。　Except　where　was　he？　A　battleship　may　be　gigantic　on　some　terms　of　reference；　but　in　the　immensity　of　the　galaxy　it　is　microscopically　infinitesimal。　As　long　as　it　stayed　out　of　the　regular　lanes　of　merce；　and　clear　of　detector　stations　and　planets；　it　would　never　be　found。
　　　　　Then　how　could　I　find　it…and　having　found　it；　catch　it？　When　the　infernal　thing　was　more　than　a　match　for　any　ship　it　might　meet。　That　was　my　problem。　It　had　kept　me　awake　nights　and　talking　to　myself　days；　since　there　was　no　easy　answer。
　　　　　I　had　to　construct　a　solution；　slowly　and　carefully。　Since　I　couldn't　be　sure　where　Pepe　was　going　to　be　next；　I　had　to　make　him　go　where　I　wanted　him　to。
　　　　　There　were　some　things　in　my　favor。　The　most　important　was　the　fact　I　had　forced　him　to　make　his　play　before　he　was　absolutely　ready。　It　wasn't　chance　that　he　had　left　the　same　day　I　arrived　on　Cittanuvo。　Any　plan　as　elaborate　as　his　certainly　included　warning　of　approaching　danger。　The　drive　on　the　battleship；　as　well　as　controls　and　primary　armament　had　been　installed　weeks　before　I　showed　up。　Much　of　the　subsidiary　work　remained　to　be　done　when　the　ship　had　left。　One　witness　of　the　theft　had　graphically　described　the　power　lines　and　cables　dangling　from　the　ship's　locks　when　she　lifted。
　　　　　My　arrival　had　forced　Pepe　off　balance。　Now　I　had　to　keep　pushing　until　he　fell。　This　meant　I　had　to　think　as　he　did；　fall　into　his　plan；　think　ahead…then　trap　him。　Set　a　thief　to　catch　a　thief。　A　great　theory；　only　I　felt　unfortably　on　the　spot　when　I　tried　to　put　it　into　practice。
　　　　　A　drink　helped；　as　did　a　cigar。　Puffing　on　it；　staring　at　the　smooth　bulkhead；　relaxed　me　a　bit。　After　all…there　aren't　that　many　things　you　can　do　with　a　battleship。　You　can't　run　a　big　con；　blow　safes　or　make　burmedex　with　it。　It　is　hell…on…jets　for　space　piracy；　but　that's　about　all。
　　　　　〃Great；　great…but　why　a　battleship？〃
　　　　　I　was　talking　to　myself；　normally　a　bad　sign；　but　right　now　I　didn't　care。　The　mood　of　space　piracy　had　seized　me　and　I　had　been　going　along　fine。　Until　this　glaring　inconsistency　jumped　out　and　hit　me　square　in　the　eye。
　　　　　Why　a　battleship？　Why　all　the　trouble　and　years　of　work　to　get　a　ship　that　two　people　could　just　barely　manage？　With　a　tenth　of　the　effort　Pepe　could　have　had　a　cruiser　that　would　have　suited　his　purposes　just　as　well。
　　　　　Just　as　good　for　space　piracy；　that　is…but　not　for　his　purposes。　He　had　wanted　a　battleship；　and　he　had　gotten　himself　a　battleship。　Which　meant　he　had　more　in　mind　than　simple　piracy。　What？　It　was　obvious　that　Pepe　was　a　monomaniac；　an　egomaniac；　and　as　psychotic　as　a　shorted　puter。　Some　day　the　mystery　of　how　he　had　slipped　through　the　screen　of　official　testing　would　have　to　be　investigated。　That　wasn't　my　concern　now。　He　still　had　to　be　caught。
　
　　　　　A　plan　was　beginning　to　take　shape　in　my　head；　but　I　didn't　rush　it。　First　I　had　to　be　sure　that　I　knew　him　well。　Any　man　that　can　con　an　entire　world　into　building　a　battleship　for　him…then　steal　it　from　them…is　not　going　to　stop　there。　The　ship　would　need　a　crew；　a　base　for　refueling　and　a　mission。
　　　　　Fuel　had　been　taken　care　of　first；　the　gutted　hull　of　Ogget's　Dream　was　silent　witness　to　that。　There　were　countless　planets　that　could　be　used　as　a　base。　Getting　a　crew　would　be　more　difficult　in　these　peaceful　times；　although　I　could　think　of　a　few　answers　to　that　one；　too。　Raid　the　mental　hospitals　and　jails。　Do　that　often　enough　and　you　would　have　a　crew　that　would　make　any　pirate　chief　proud。　Though　piracy　was；　of　course；　too　mean　an　ambition　to　ascribe　to　this　boy。　Did　he　want　to　rule　a　whole　planet…or　maybe　an　entire　system？　Or　more？　I　shuddered　a　bit　as　the　thought　hit　me。　Was　there　really　anything　that　could　stop　a　plan　like　this　once　it　got　rolling？　During　the　Kingly　Wars　any　number　of　types　with　a　couple　of　ships　and　less　brains　than　Pepe　had　set　up　just　this　kind　of　empire。　They　were　all　pulled　down　in　the　end；　since　their　success　depended　on　one…man　rule。　But　the　price　that　had　to　be　paid　first！
　　　　　This　was　the　plan　and　I　felt　in　my　bones　that　I　was　right。　I　might　be　wrong　on　some　of　the　minor　details；　they　weren't　important。　I　knew　the　general　outline　of　the　idea；　just　as　when　I　bumped　into　a　mark　I　knew　how　much　he　could　be　taken　for；　and　just　how　to　do　it。　There　are　natural　laws　in　crime　as　in　every　other　field　of　human　endeavor。　I　knew　this　was　it。
　　　　　〃Get　the　munications　Officer　in　here　at　once；〃　I　shouted　at　the　inter。　〃Also　a　couple　of　clerks　with　transcribers。　And　fast…this　is　a　matter　of　life　or　death！〃　This　last　had　a　hollow　ring；　and　I　realized　my　enthusiasm　had　carried　me　out　of　character。　I　buttoned　my　collar；　straightened　my　ribbons　and　squared　my　shoulders。　By　the　time　they　knocked　on　the　door　I　was　all　admiral　again。
　　　　　Acting　on　my　orders　the　ship　dropped　out　of　warpdrive　so　our　psiman　could　get　through　to　the　other　operators。　Captain　Steng　grumbled　as　we　floated　there　with　the　engines　silent；　wasting　precious　days；　while　half　his　crew　was　involved　in　getting　out　what　appeared　to　be　insane　instructions。　My　plan　was　beyond　his　understanding。　Which　is；　of　course；　why　he　is　a　captain　and　I'm　an　admiral；　even　a　temporary　one。
　　　　　Following　my　orders；　the　navigator　again　constructed　a　sphere　of　speculation　in　his　tank。　The　surface　of　the　sphere　contacted　all　the　star　systems　a　day's　flight　ahead　of　the　maximum　flight　of　the　stolen　battleship。　There　weren't　too　many　of　these　at　first　and　the　psiman　could　handle　them　all；　calling　each　in　turn　and　sending　news　releases　to　the　Naval　Public　Relations　officers　there。　As　the　sphere　kept　growing　he　started　to　drop　behind；　steadily　losing　ground。　By　this　time　I　had　a　general　release　prepared；　along　with　directions　for　use　and　follow…up；　which　he　sent　to　Central　14。　The　battery　of　psimen　there　contacted　the　individual　planets　and　all　we　had　to　do　was　keep　adding　to　the　list　of　planets。
　　　　　The　release　and　follow…ups　all　harped　on　one　theme。　I　expanded　on　it；　waxed　enthusiastic；　condemned　it；　and　worked　it　into　an　interview。　I　wrote　as　many　variations　as　I　could；　so　it　could　be　slipped　into　as　many　different　formats　as　possible。　In　one　form　or　another　I　wanted　the　basic　information　in　every　magazine；　newspaper　and　journal　inside　that　expanding　sphere。