bill_the_galactic_hero_v1.1-第27部分

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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　whistle。
　　　〃All　right　you　new　men；　now　hear　this。　You　have　all　been　assigned　to　B　squad；　which　is　now　assembling　in　the　pound；　which　squad　will　now　march　out　into　the　swamp　and　finish　the　job　these　shagged　creeps　from　A　squad　began　this　morning。　You　will　do　a　good　day's　work　out　there。　I　am　not　going　to　appeal　to　your　sense　of　loyalty；　your　honor　or　your　sense　of　duty　。　。　。〃　Ferkel　whipped　out　his　atomic　pistol　and　blew　a　hole　in　the　ceiling　through　which　rain　began　to　drip。　〃I　am　only　going　to　appeal　to　your　urge　to　survive；　because　any　man　shirking；　goofing　off；　or　not　pulling　his　own　weight　will　personally　be　shot　dead　by　me。　Now　get　out。〃　With　his　bared　teeth　and　shaking　hands　he　looked　sick　enough　and　mean　enough　and　mad　enough　to　do　it。　Bill　and　the　rest　of　B　squad　rushed　out　into　the　rain　and　formed　ranks。
　　〃Pick　up　da　axes；　pick　up　da　picks；　get　the　uranium　out；〃　the　corporal　of　the　armed　guard　snarled　as　they　squelched　through　the　mud　toward　the　gate。　The　labor　squad；　carrying　their　tools；　stayed　in　the　center；　while　the　armed　guard　walked　on　the　outside。　The　guard　wasn't　there　to　stop　the　prisoners　from　escaping　but　to　give　some　measure　of　protection　from　the　enemy。　They　dragged　slowly　down　the　road　of　felled　trees　that　wound　through　the　swamp。　There　was　a　sudden　whistling　overhead；　and　heavy　transports　flashed　by。
　　〃We're　in　luck　today；〃　one　of　the　older　prisoners　said；　〃they're　sending　in　the　heavy　infantry　again。　I　didn't　know　they　had　any　left。〃　
　　〃You　mean　they'll　capture　more　territory？〃　Bill　asked。
　　〃Naw；　all　they'll　get　is　dead。　But　while　they're　getting　butchered　some　of　the　pressure　will　be　off　of　us；　and　we　can　maybe　work　without　losing　too　many　men。〃
　　　Without　orders　they　all　stopped　to　watch　as　the　heavy　infantry　fell　like　rain　into　the　swamps　ahead…and　vanished　just　as　easily　as　raindrops。　Every　once　in
awhile　there　would　be　a　boom　and　flash　as　a　teensie　A…bomb　went　off；　which　probably　atomized　a　few　Venians；　but　there　were　billions　more　of　the　enemy　just　waiting　to　rush　in。　Small　arms。　crackled　in　the　distance；　and　grenades　boomed。　Then　over　the　trees　they　saw　a　bobbing；　bouncing　figure　approach。　It　was　a　heavy　infantryman　in　his　armored　suit　and　gasproof　helmet；　A…bombs　and　grenades　strapped　to　him；　a　regular　walking　armory。　Or　rather　hopping　armory；　since　he　would　have　had　trouble　walking　on　a　paved　street　with　the　weight　of　junk　hung　about　him；　so　he　therefore　moved　by　jumping；　using　two　reaction　rockets；　one　bolted　to　each　hip。　His　hops　were　getting　lower　and　lower　as　he　came　near。　He　landed　fifty　yards　away　and　slowly　sank　to　his　waist　in　the　swamp；　his　rockets　hissing　as　they　touched　the　water。　Then　he　hopped　again；　much　shorter　this　time；　the　rockets　fizzling　and　popping；　and　he　threw　his　helmet　open　in　the　air。
　　　〃Hey；　guys；〃　he　called。　〃The　dirty　Chingers　got　my　fuel　tank。　My　rockets　are　almost　out；　I　can't　hop　much　more。　Give　a　buddy　a　hand　will　you　。　。　。　〃　He　hit　the　water　with　a　splash。　
　　〃Get　outta　the　monkey　suit　and　we'll　pull　you　in；〃　the　guard　corporal　called。
　　〃Are　you　nuts！〃　the　soldier　shouted。　〃It　takes　an　hour　to　get　into　and　outta　this　thing。〃　He　triggered　his　rockets；　but　they　just　went　pfffft；　and　he　rose　about　a　foot　in　the　water；　then　dropped　back。　〃The　fuel's　gone！　Help　me　you　bastards！　What's　this；　bowb…your…buddy　week　。　。　。〃　he　shouted　as　he　sank。　Then　his　head　went　under；　and　there　were　a　few　bubbles　and　nothing　else。　　　〃It's　always　bowb…your…buddy　week；〃　the　corporal　said。　〃Get　the　column　moving！〃　he　ordered；　and　they　shuffled　forward。　〃Them　suits　weigh　three　thousand　pounds。　Go　down　like　a　rock。〃
　　If　this　was　a　quiet　day；　Bill　didn't　want　to　see　a　busy　one。　Since　the　entire　planet　of　Veneria　was　a　swamp　no　advances　could　be　made　until　a　road　was　built。　Individual　soldiers　might　penetrate　a　bit　ahead　of　the　road；　but　for　equipment
or　supplies　or　even　heavily　armed　men　a　road　was　necessary。　Therefore　the　labor　corps　was　building　a　road　of　felled　trees。　At　the　front。　
　　Bursts　from　atomrifles　steamed　in　the　water　around　them；　and　the　poison　darts　were　as　thick　as　falling　leaves。　The　firing　and　sniping　on　both　sides　was　constant　while　the　prisoners　cut　down　trees　and　trimmed　and　lashed　them　together　to　push　the　road　forward　another　few　inches。　Bill　trimmed　and　chopped　and　tried　to　ignore　the　screams　and　falling　bodies　until　it　began　to　grow　dark。　The　squad；　now　a　good　deal　smaller；　made　their　return　march　in　the　dusk。　　　〃We　pushed　it　ahead　at　least　thirty　yards　this　afternoon；〃　Bill　said　to　the　old　prisoner　marching　at　his　side。
　　　〃Don't　mean　nothing；　Venians　swim　up　in　the　night　and　take　the　logs　away。〃　
　　Bill　instantly　made　his　mind　up　to　get　out　of　there。
　　　〃Got　any　more　of　that　joyjuice？〃　Sergeant　Ferkel　asked　when　Bill　dropped　onto　his　bunk　and　began　to　scrape　some　of　the　mud　from　his　boots　with　the　blade　of　his　knife。　Bill　took　a　quick　slash　at　a　plant　ing　up　through　the　floorboards　before　he　answered。
　　〃Do　you　think　you　could　spare　me　a　moment　to　give　me　some　advice；　Sergeant？〃
　　　〃I　am　a　flowing　fountain　of　advice　once　my　throat　is　lubricated。〃
　　　Bill　dug　a　bottle　out　of　his　pocket。　〃How　do　you　get　out　of　this　outfit？〃　he　asked。
　　　〃You　get　killed；〃　the　sergeant　told　him　as　he　raised　the　bottle　to　his　lips。　Bill　snatched　it　out　of　his　hand。
　　　〃That　I　know　without　your　help；〃　he　snarled。
　　〃Well　that's　all　you　gonna　know　without　my　help；〃　the　sergeant　snarled　back。
　　　Their　noses　were　touching　and　they　growled　at　each　other　deep　in　their　throats。　Having　proven　just　where　they　stood　and　just　how　tough　they　both　were　they　relaxed；　and　Sergeant　Ferkel　leaned　back　while　Bill　sighed　and　passed　him　the　bottle。
　　〃How's　about　a　job　in　the　orderly　room？〃　Bill　asked。
　　　〃We　don't　have　an　orderly　room。　We　don't　have　any　records。　Everyone　sent　here　gets　killed　sooner　or　later；　so　who　tares　exactly　when。〃
　　〃What　about　getting　wounded？〃
　　　〃Get　sent　to　the　hospital；　get　well；　get　sent　back　here。〃
　　〃The　only　thing　left　to　do　is　mutiny！〃　Bill　shouted。
　　　〃Didn't　work　last　four　times　we　tried　it。　They　just　pulled　the　supply　ships　out　and　didn't　give　us　any　food　until　we　agreed　to　start　fighting　again。　Wrong　chemistry　here；　all　the　food　on　this　planet　is　pure　poison　for　our　metabolisms。　We　had　a　couple　of　guys　prove　it　the　hard　way。　Any　mutiny　that　is　going　to　succeed　has　to　grab　enough　ships　first　so　we　can　get　off…planet。　If　you　got　any　good　ideas　about　that　I'll　put　you　in　touch　with　the　Permanent　Mutiny　mittee。〃
　　〃Isn't　there　any　way　to　get　out？〃
　　　〃I　anshered　that　firsht；〃　Ferkel　told　him；　and　fell　over　stone　drunk。
　　〃I'll　see　for　myself；〃　Bill　said　as　he　slid。　the　sergeant's　pistol　from　his　holster；　then　slipped　out　the　back　door。
　　Armored　floodlights　lit　up　the　forward　positions　facing　the　enemy；　and　Bill　went　in　the　opposite　direction；　toward　the　distant　white　flares　of　landing　rockets。　Barracks　and　warehouses　were　dotted　about　on　the　boggy　ground；　but　Bill　stayed　clear　of　them　since　they　were　all　guarded；　and　the　guards　had　itchy　trigger　fingers。　They　fired　at　anything　they　saw；　anything　they　heard；　and　if　they　didn't　see　or　hear　anything　they　fired　once　in　a　while　anyway　just　to　keep　their　morale　up。　Lights　were　burning　brightly　ahead；　and　Bill　crawled　forward　on　his　stomach　to　peer　from　behind　a　rank　growth　at　a　tall；　floodlighted　fence　of　barbed　wire　that　stretched　out　of　sight　in　both　directions。
　　A　burst　from　an　atomic　rifle　burned　a　hole　in　the　'Mud　about　a　yard　behind　him；　and　a　searchlight　swung　over；　catching　him　full　in　its　glare。　
　　〃Greetings　from　your　manding　officer；〃　an　amplified　voice　thundered　from　loudspeakers　on　the　fence。　〃This　is　a　recorded　announcement。　You　are　now　attempting　to　leave　the　bat　zone　and　enter　the　restricted　headquarters　zone。　This　is　forbidden。　Your　presence　has　been　detected　by　automatic　machinery；　and　these　same　devices　now　have　a　number　of　guns　trained　upon　you。　They　will　fire　in　sixty　seconds　if　you　do　not　leave。　Be　patriotic；　marl　Do　your　duty。　Death　to　the　Chingers！　Fifty…five　seconds。　Would　you　like　your　mother　to　know　that　her　boy　is　a　coward？　Fifty　seconds。　Your　Emperor　has　invested　a　lot　of　money　in　your　trainingis　this　the　way　that　you　repay　him？　Forty…five　seconds　。　。　。〃
　　　Bill　cursed　and　shot　up　the　nearest　loudspeaker；　but　the　voice　continued　from　others　down　the　length　of　the　fence。　He　turned　and　went　back　the　way　he　had　e。　　　As　he　neared　his　barracks；　skirting　the　front　line　to　avoid　the　fire　from　the
nervous　guards　in　the　buildings；　all　the　lights　went　out。　At　the　same　time　gunfire　and　bomb　explosions　broke　out　on　every　side。　

IV

　　Something　slithered　close　by　in　the　mud　and　Bill's　trigger　finger　spontaneously　contracted　and　he　shot　it。　In　the　brief　atomic　flare　he　saw　the　smoking　remains　of　a　dead　Venian；　as　well　as　an　unusually　large　number　of　live　Venians　squelching　to　the　attack。　Bill　dived　aside　instantly；　so　that　their　return　fire　missed　him；　and　fled　in　the　opposite　direction。　His　only　thought　was　to　save　his　skin；　and　this　he　did　by　getting　as　far　from　the　firing　and　the　attacking　enemy　as　he　could。　That　this　direction　happened　to　be　into　the　trackless　swamp　he　did　not　consider　at　the　time。　Survive；　his　shivering　litt