bill_the_galactic_hero_v1.1-第12部分
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round 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 that it didn't really shine like gold； and he started to feel depressed again。 No！ He forced himself to perk up。 You could take away the gold but you couldn't take away the gloryl Helior was still the imperial world； the never sleeping； all…seeing eye in the heart of the galaxy。 Everything that happened on every planet or on every ship in space was reported here； sorted； coded； filed； annotated； judged； lost； found； acted on。 From Helior came the orders that ruled the worlds of man； that held back the night of alien domination。 Helior； a man…changed world with its seas； mountains； and continents covered by a shielding of metal； miles thick； layer upon layer of levels with a global population dedicated to but one ideal。 Rule。 The gleaming upper level was dotted with space ships of all sizes； while the dark sky twinkled with others arriving and departing。 Closer and closer swam the scene； then there was a sudden burst of light and the window went dark。
〃We crashed！〃 Bill gasped。 〃Good as dead 。 。 。'
〃Shut your wug。 That was just the film what broke； Since there's no brass on this run they won't bother fixing it。〃
〃Film？〃
〃What else？ Are you so ratty in the head you think they're going to build shuttleships with great big windows in the nose just where the maximum friction on re…entry will burn holes in them？ A film。 Back projection。 For all we know
it's nighttime here。〃
The pilot mashed them with 15G when they landed （he also knew he had no brass on this run）； and while they were popping their dislocated vertebrae back into position and squeezing their eyeballs back into shape so that they could see； the hatch swung open。 Not only was it night； but it was raining too。 A Second…class Passenger Handler's Mate poked his head in and swept them with a professionally friendly grin。
〃Wele to Helior； Imperial Planet of a thousand delights…〃 his face fell into a habitual snarl。 〃Ain't there no officers with you bowbs？ C'mon； shag outta there； get the uranium out； we gotta schedule to keep。〃
They ignored him as he brushed by and went to wake the infantry sergeant； still snoring like a broken impeller； untroubled in his sleep by a little thing like 15Gs。 The snore changed to a throaty grunt that was cut into by the Passenger Handler's Mate's shrill scream as he was kneed in the groin。 Still muttering； the sergeant joined them as they left the ship and he helped steady the gunner's clattering metal legs on the still wet surface of the landing ramp。 They watched with stony resignation as their duffel bags were ejected from the luggage partment into a deep pool of water。 As a last feeble flick of petty revenge the Passenger Handler's Mate turned off the repeller field that had been keeping the rain off them； and they were soaking wet in an instant and chilled by the icy wind。 They shouldered their bags…except for the gunner； who dragged his on little wheels…and started for the nearest lights； at least a mile away and barely visible through the lashing rain。 Halfway there the gunner froze up as his relays shorted
