deathworld-第35节

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you　make；　whatevei　attempts　you　undertake　to　progress　with　the　new　knowledge　you　have。'
　 'Then　it's　useless；　there's　no　hope　for　our　world？〃　Rhes　asked。
　 〃I　didn't　say　that；〃　Jason　answered。　〃I　merely　mean　that　your　trouble　won't　end　by　throwing　some　kind　of　mental　switch。　I　see　three　course　open　for　the　future；　and　the　chances　are　that　all　three　will　be　going　ox　at　the　same　time。
　 〃First…and　best…will　be　the　rejoining　of　city　and　country　Pyrran　into　the　single　human　group　they　came　from。　Each　is　inplete　now
　and　has　something　the　other　one　needs。　In　the　city　here　you　have　scieno　and　contact　with　the　rest　of　the　galaxy。　You　also　have　a　deadly　war。　Ou　there　in　the　jungle；　your　first　cousins　live　at　peace　with　the　world；　bu　lack　medicine　and　the　other　benefits　of　scientific　knowledge；　as　well　a　any　kind　of　cultural　contact　with　the　rest　of　mankind。　You'll　both　hay　to　join　together　and　benefit　from　the　exchange。　At　the　same　time　you'＇　have　to　forget　the　superstitious　hatred　you　have　of　each　other。　This　wil　only　be　done　outside　of　the　city；　away　from　the　war。　Every　one　of　yoi　who　is　capable　should　go　out　voluntarily；　bringing　some　fraction　of　th　knowledge　that　needs　sharing。　You　won't　be　harmed　if　you　go　in　goo　faith。　And　you　will　learn　how　to　live　with　this　planet；　rather　thai
　against　it。　Eventually　you'll　have　civilized　munities　that　won't　be　either　'grubber'　or　'junkman。'　They'll　be　Pyrran。〃
　 〃But　what　about　our　city　here？〃　Kerk　asked。
　 〃It'll　stay　right　here…and　probably　won't　change　in　the　slightest。　In　the　beginning　yOu'll　need　your　perimeter　and　defenses　to　stay　alive；　while　the　people　are　leaving。　And　after　that　it　will　keep　going　because　there　are　going　to　be　any　number　of　people　here　who　you　won't　convince。　They'll　stay　and　fight　and　eventually　die。　Perhaps　you　will　be　able　to　do　a　better　job　in　educating　their　children。　What　the　eventual　end　of　the　city　will　be；　I　have　no　idea。〃
　 They　were　silent　as　they　thought　about　the　future。　On　the　floor；　Skop　groaned　but　did　not　move。　〃Those　are　two　ways；〃　Meta　said。　〃What　is　the　third？〃
　 〃The　third　possibility　is　my　own　pet　scheme；〃　Jason　smiled。　〃And　I　hope　I　can　find　enough　people　to　go　along　with　me。　I'm　going　to　take　my　money　and　spend　it　all　on　outfitting　the　best　and　most　modern　spacer；　with　every　weapon　and　piece　of　scientific　equipment　I　can　get　my　hands　on。　Then　I'm　going　to　ask　for　Pyrran　volunteers　to　go　with　me。〃
　 〃What　in　the　world　for？〃　Mete　frowned。
　 〃Not　for　charity。　I　expect　to　make　my　investment　back；　and　more。　You　see；　after　these　past　few　months；　I　can't　possibly　return　to　my　old　occupation。　Not　only　do　I　have　enough　money　now　to　make　it　a　waste　of　time；　but　I　think　it　would　be　an　unending　bore。　One　thing　about　Pyrrus…if　you　live…is　that　it　spoils　you　for　the　quieter　places。　So　I'd　like　to　take　this　ship　that　I　mentioned　and　go　into　the　business　of　opening　up　new　worlds。　There　are　thousands　of　planets　where　men　would　like　to　settle；　only　getting　a　foothold　on　them　is　too　rough　or　rugged　for　the　usual　settlers。　Now　can　you　imagine　a　planet　a　Pyrran　couldn't　lick　after　the　training　you've　had　here？　And　wouldn't　you　enjoy　doing　it？
　 〃There　would　be　more　than　pleasure　involved；　though。　In　the　city；　your　lives　have　been　geared　for　continual　deadly　warfare。　Now　you're　faced　with　the　choice　of　a　fairly　peaceful　future；　or　staying　in　the　city　to　fight　an　unnecessary　and　foolish　war。　I　offer　the　third　alternative　of　the　occupation　you　know　best；　that　would　let　you　acplish　something　constructive　at　the　same　time。
　 〃Those　are　the　choices。　Whatever　you　decide　is　up　to　each　of　you　personally。〃
　 Before　anyone　could　answer；　livid　pain　circled　Jason's　throat　Skop　had　regained　consciousness　and　surged　up　from　the　floor。　He　pulled　Jason　from　the　chair　with　a　single　motion；　holding　him　by　the　neck；
　throttling　him。　The　bowmen　tried　to　shoot；　but　held　their　fire　becaus　Jason　was　in　the　way。
　 〃Kerk！　Meta！〃　Skop　shouted　hoarsely。　〃Grab　guns！　Open　the　lod
　…our　people'll　be　here；　kill　the　damn　grubbers　and　their　lies！〃
　 Jason　tore　at　the　fingers　that　were　choking　the　life　out　of　him；　but　was　like　pulling　at　bent　steel　bars。　He　couldn't　talk　and　the　blood　han　mered　in　his　ears　and　drowned　his　thoughts。　It　was　over　now　and　h　had　lost。　They'd　butcher　each　other　in　the　spaceship　and　Pyrrus　woul　keep　on　being　a　deathworld　until　every　one　of　them　was　dead。
　 Mete　hurtled　forward　like　an　uncoiled　spring　and　the　crossbovi　twanged。　One　bolt　caught　her　in　the　leg；　the　other　transfixed　her　upp　ann。　But　she　had　been　shot　as　she　jumped　and　her　inertia　carried　hi　across　the　room；　to　her　fellow　Pyrran　and　the　dying　off…worlder。
　 She　raised　her　good　arm　and　chopped　down　with　the　edge　of　hi　hand。
　 It　caught　Skop　a　hard　blow　on　the　biceps　and　his　arm　jumped　spa　medically；　his　hand　leaping　from　Jason's　throat。
　 〃What　are　you　doing！〃　he　shouted　in　strange　terror　to　the　wounde　girl　who　fell　against　him。　He　pushed　her　away；　still　clutching　Jaso　with　his　other　hand。　She　didn't　answer。　Instead　she　chopped　agaii　hard　and　true；　the　edge　of　her　hand　catching　Skop　across　the　windpip　crushing　it。　He　dropped　Jason　and　fell　to　the　floor；　retching　an　gasping。
　 Jason　watched　the　end　through　a　haze；　barely　conscious。
　 Skop　struggled　to　his　feet；　turned　pain…filled　eyes　to　his　friend　〃You're　wrong；〃　Kerk　said。　〃Don't　do　itt〃
　 The　sound　the　wounded　man　made　was　more　animal　than　humai　When　he　dived　toward　the　guns　on　the　far　side　of　the　room；　the　cros　bows　twanged　like　harps　of　death。　He　skidded　into　the　guns；　his　han　knocking　them　aside；　but　he　was　already　dead。
　 When　Brucco　went　over　to　help　Meta；　no　one　interfered。　Jase　gasped　air　back　into　his　lungs；　breathing　in　life。　The　watching　gla　eye　of　the　viewer　carried　the　scene　to　everyone　in　the　city。
　
　 〃Thanks；　Mete。　。　。　for　understanding。　。　。　as　well　as　helping。〃　J　son　had　to　force　the　words　out。
　 〃Skop　was　wrong　and　you　were　right；　Jason；〃　she　said。　Her　voice　brol　for　a　second　as　Brucco　snapped　off　the　feathered　end　of　the　steel　be　with　his　fingers；　and　pulled　the　shaft　out　of　her　arm。　〃I　can't　stay　i　the　city；　only　people　who　feel　as　Skop　did　will　be　able　to　do　thi　And　I'm　afraid　I　can't　go　into　the　forest…you　saw　what　luck　I　had　wil　the　stingwing。　If　it~s　all　right；　I'd　like　to　e　with　you。　I'd　like　to　ve~　much。〃
　 It　hurt　when　he　talked　so　Jason　could　only　smile；　but　she　knew　what　he　meant。
　 Kerk　looked　down　in　unhappiness　at　the　body　of　the　dead　man。　〃He　was　wrong…bui~　I　know　how　he　felt。　I　can't　leave　the　city；　not　yet。　Someone　will　have　to　keep　things　in　hand　while　the　changes　are　taking　place。　Your　ship　is　a　good　idea；　Jason；　you'll　have　no　shortage　of　volunteers。　Though　I　doubt　if　you'll　get　Brucco　to　go　with　you。〃
　 〃Of　course　not；〃　Brucco　snapped；　not　looking　up　from　the　pression　bandage　he　was　tying。　〃There's　enough　to　do　right　here　on　Pyrrus。　The　animal　life；　quite　a　study　to　be　made；　probably　have　every　ecologist　in　the　galaxy　visiting　here　before　long。　But　I'll　be　first。〃
　 Kerk　walked　slowly　to　the　screen　overlooking　the　city。　No　one　attempted　to　stop　him。　He　looked　out　at　the　buildings；　the　smoke　still　curling　up　from　the　perimeter；　and　the　limitless　sweep　of　green　jungle　beyond。
　 〃You've　changed　it　all；　Jason；〃　he　said。　〃We　can't　see　it　now；　but　Pyrrus　will　never　be　the　way　it　was　before　you　came。　For　better　or　worse。〃
　 〃Better；　danm　it；　better；〃　Jason　croaked；　and　rubbed　his　aching　throat。　〃Now　get　together　and　end　this　war　so　people　will　really　believe　it。〃
　 Rhes　turned　and；　after　an　instant's　hesitation；　extended　his　hand　to　Kerk。　The　grey…haired　Pyrran　felt　the　same　repugnance　himself　about　touching　a　grubber；　the　memory　of　a　lifetime　of　disgust。
　 But　they　shook　hands　then　because　they　were　both　strong　men。