bill_the_galactic_hero_v1.1-第6部分

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lly　pure　water　in　which　are　dissolved　eighteen　amino　acids；　sixteen　vitamins；　eleven　mineral　salts；　a　fatty　acid　ester；　and　glucose。　What　else　did　you　expect？〃
　　〃Dinner　。　。　。　？〃　Bill　said　hopefully；　then　saw　red　as　the　soup　ladle　crashed　down　on　his　head。　〃Could　I　have　it　without　the　fatty　acid　ester？〃　he　asked　hopefully；　but　be　was　pushed　out　into　the　corridor　where　Eager　joined　him。
　　〃Gee；〃　Eager　said。　〃This　has　all　the　food　elements　necessary　to　sustain　life　indefinitely。　Isn't　that　marvelous？〃　　　Bill　sipped　at　his　cup；　then　sighed　tremulously。
　　〃Look　at　that；〃　Tembo　said；　and　when　Bill　turned；　a　projected　image　appeared　on　the　corridor　wall。　It　showed　a　misty　firmament；　in　which　tiny　figures　seemed　to　be　riding　on　clouds。　〃Hell　awaits　you；　my　boy；　unless　you　are　saved。　Turn　your　back　on　your　superstitious　ways；　for　the　First　Reformed　Voodoo　Church　weles　you　with　open　arms；　e　unto　her　bosom；　and　find　your　place　in　heaven　at　Samedi's　right　hand。　Sit　there　with　Mondonguc　and　Bakalou　and　Zandor；　who　will　wele　you。〃
　　The　projected　scene　changed；　the　clouds　grew　closer；　while　from　the　little　speaker　came　the　tiny　sound　of　a　heavenly　choir　with　drum　acpaniment。　Now　the　figures　could　be　seen　clearly；　all　with　very　dark　skins　and　white　robes　from　the　back　of　which　protruded　great　black　wings。　They　smiled　and　waved　gracefully　to　each　other　as　their　clouds　passed；　while　singing　enthusiastically　and　beating　on　the　little　tomtoms　that　each　one　carried。　It　was　a　lovely　scene；　and　Bill's　eyes　misted　a　bit。　
　　〃Attention！〃
　　The　barking　tones　echoed　from　the　walls　and　the　troopers　snapped　their　shoulders　back；　heels　together；　eyes　ahead。　The　heavenly　choir　vanished　as　Tembo　shoved　the　projector　back　into　his　pocket。
　　〃As　you　was；〃　First　Class　Spleen　ordered；　and　they　turned　to　see　him　leading　two　MPs　with　drawn　handguns　who　were　acting　as　bodyguards　for　an　officer。　Bill　knew　it　was　an　officer　because　they　had　had　an　officer…identification　course；　plus　the　fact　that　there　was　a　KNOW　YOUR　OFFICERS　chart　on　the　latrine　wall　that　he　had　had　a　great　deal　of　opportunity　to　study　during　an　anguilluliasis　epidemic。　His　jaw　gaped　open　as　the　officer　went　by；　almost　close　enough　to　touch；　and　stopped　in　front　of　Tembo。
　　〃Fuse　Tender　Sixth　Class　Tembo；　I　have　good　news　for　you。　In　two　weeks　your　seven…year　period　of　enlistment　will　be　up；　and　because　of　your　fine　record　Captain　Zekial　has　authorized　a　doubling　of　the　usual　mustering…out　pay；　an
honorable　discharge　with　band　music；　as　well　as　your　free　transport　back　to　Earth。〃
　　Tembo；　relaxed　and　firm；　looked　down　at　the　runty　lieutenant　with　the　well…chewed　blond　mustache　who　stood　before　him。　〃That　will　be　impossible；　Sir。〃
　　〃Impossible！〃　the　lieutenant　screeched；　and　rocked　back　and　forth　on　his　high　heeled　boots。　〃Who　are　you　to　tell　me　what　is　impossible　。　。　。　I〃
　　〃Not　I；　Sir；〃　Tembo　answered　with　utmost　calm。　〃Regulation　i3…9A；　paragraph　45；　page　8923；　volume　43　of　Rules；　Regulations　and　Articles　of　War。　'No　man　nor　officer　shall　or　will　receive　a　discharge　other　than　dishonorable　with　death　sentence　from　a　vessel；　post；　base；　camp；　ship；　outpost；　or　labor　camp　during　time　of　emergency　。　。　。'　〃
　　〃Are　you　a　ship's　lawyer；　Tembo？〃
　　〃No；　Sir。　I'm　a　loyal　trooper；　Sir。　I　just　want　to　do　my　duty；　Sir。〃
　　〃There's　something　very　funny　about　you；　Tembo。　I　saw　in　your　record　that　you　enlisted　voluntarily　without　drugs　and　or　hypnotics　being　used。　Now　you　refuse　discharge。　That'sbad；　Tembo；　very　bad。　Gives　you　a　bad　name。　Makes　you　look　suspicious。　Makes　you　look　like　a　spy　or　something。〃
　　〃I'm　a　loyal　trooper；　of　the　Emperor；　sir；　not　a　spy。〃
　　〃You're　not　a　spy；　Tembo；　we　have　looked　into　that　very　carefully。　But　why　are　you　in　the　service；　Tembo？〃
　　〃To　be　a　loyal　trooper　of　the　Emperor；　sir；　and　to　do　my　best　to　spread　the　gospel。　Have　you　been　saved；　sir？〃
　　〃Watch　your　tongue；　trooper　or　I'll　have　you　up　on　charges！　Yes；　we　know　that　story…Reverend…but　we　don't　believe　it。　You're　being　too　tricky；　but　we'll　find　out　。　。　。〃　He　stalked　away；　muttering　to　himself；　and　they　all　snapped　to　attention　until　he　was　gone。　The　other　troopers　looked　at　Tembo　oddly　and　did　not　feel　fortable　until　he　had　gone。　Bill　and　Eager　walked　slowly　back　to　their　quarters。
　　〃Turned　down　a　discharge　。　。　。　！〃　Bill　mumbled　in　awe。
　　〃Gee；〃　Eager　said；　〃maybe　he's。　nuts。　I　can't　think　of　any　other　reason。〃
　　〃Nobody　could　be　that　crazy；〃　Bill　said。　〃I　wonder　what's　in　there？〃　pointing　to　a　door　with　a　large　sign　that　read　ADMITTANCE　TO　AUTHORIZED　PERSONNEL　ONLY。
　　〃Gee…I　don't　know…maybe　food？〃
　　They　slipped　through　instantly　and　closed　the　door　behind　them；　but　there　was　no　food　there。　Instead　they　were　in　a　long　chamber　with　one　curved　wall；　while　attached　to　this　wall　were　cumbersome　devices　each　set　with　meters；　dials；
switches；　controls；　levers；　a　view　screen；　and　a　relief　tube。　Bill　bent　over　and　read　the　label　on　the　nearest　one。
　　〃Mark　IV　Atomic　Blaster…and　look　at　the　size　of　them！　This　must　be　the　ship's　main　battery。〃　He　turned　around　and　saw　that　Eager　was　holding　his　arm　up　so　that　his　wrist　watch　pointed　at　the　guns　and　was　pressing　on　the　crown　with　the　index　finger　of　his　other　hand。
　　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Bill　asked。
　　〃Gee…just　seeing　what　time　it　was。〃
　　〃How　can　you　tell　what　time　it　is　when　you　have　the　inside　of　your　wrist　toward　your　face　and　the　watch　is　on　the　outside？〃
　　Footsteps　echoed　far　down　the　long　gun　deck；　and　they　remembered　the　sign　on　the　outside　of　the　door。　In　an　instant　they　had　slipped　back　through　it；　and　Bill　pressed　it　quietly　shut。　When　he　turned　around　Eager　Beager　had　gone　so　that　he　had　to　make　his　way　back　to　their　quarters　by　himself。　Eager　had　returned　first　and　was　busy　shining　boots　for　his　buddies　and　didn't　look　up　when　Bill　came　in。
　　But　what　had　he　been　doing　with　his　watch？

IV

　　This　question　kept　bugging　Bill　all　the　time　during　the　days　of　their　training　as　they　painfully　learned　the　drill　of　fuse　tending。　It　was　an　exacting；　technical　job　that　demanded　all　their　attention；　but　in　spare　moments　Bill　worried。　He　worried　when　they　stood　in　line　for　chow；　and　he　worried　during　the　few　moments　every　night　between　the　time　the　lights　were　turned　off　and　sleep　descended　heavily　upon　his　fatiguedrugged　body。　He　worried　whenever　he　had　the　time　to　do　it；　and　he　lost　weight。
　　He　lost　weight　not　because　he　was　worrying；　but　for　the　same　reason　everyone　else　lost　weight。　The　shipboard　rations。　They　were　designed　to　sustain　life；　and　that　they　did；　but　no　mention　was　made　of　what　kind　of　life　it　was　to　be。　It　was　a　dreary；　underweight；　hungry　one。　Yet　Bill　took　no　notice　of　this。　He　had　a　bigger　problem；　and　he　needed　help：　After　Sunday　drill　at　the　end　of　their　second　week；　he　stayed　to　talk　to　First　Class　Spleen　instead　of　joining　the　others　in　their　tottering　run　toward　the　mess　hall。
　　〃I　have　a　problem；　sir　。　。　。〃
　　〃You　ain't　the　only　one；　but　one　shot　cures　it　and　you　ain't　a　man　until　you've　had　it。〃
　　〃It's　not　that　kind　of　a　problem。　I'd　like　to　。　。　。　see　the　。　。　。　chaplain　。　。　。〃
　　Spleen　turned　white　and　sank　back　against　the　bulkhead。　〃Now　I　heard　everything；〃　he　said　weakly。　〃Get　down　to　chow；　and　if　you　don't　tell　anyone　about　this　I　won't　either。〃
　　Bill　blushed。　〃I'm　sorry　about　this；　First　Class　Spleen；　but　I　can't　help　it。　It's　not　my　fault　I　have　to　see；　him；　it　could　have　happened　to　anyone　。　。　。〃　His　voice　trailed　away；　and　he　looked　down　at　his　feet；　rubbing　one　boot　against　another。　The　silence　stretched　out　until　Spleen　finally　spoke；　but　all　the　radeliness　was　gone　from　his　voice。
　　〃All　right；　trooper…if　that's　the　way　you　want　it。　But　I　hope　none　of　the　rest　of　the　boys　hear　about　it。　Skip　chow　and　get　up　there　now…here's　a　pass。〃　He　scrawled　on　a　scrap　of　paper　then　threw　it　contemptuously　to　the　floor；　turning　and　walking　away　as　Bill　bent　humbly　to　pick　it　up。
　　Bill　went　down　dropchutes；　along　corridors；　through　passageways；　and　up　ladders。　In　the　ship's　directory　the　chaplain　was　listed　as　being　in　partment　362…B　on　the　89th　deck；　and　Bill　finally　found　this；　a　plain　metal　door　set　with　rivets。　He　raised　his　hand　to　knock；　while　sweat　stood　out　in　great　beads　from　his　face　and　his　throat　was　dry。　His　knuckles　boomed　hollowly　on　the　panel；　and　after　an　endlcss　period　a　muffled　voice　sounded　from　the　other　side。
　　〃Yeah；　yeah…c'mon　in…it's　open。〃
　　Bill　stepped　through　and　snapped　to　attention　when　he　saw　the　officer　behind　the　single　desk　that　almost　filled　the　tiny　room。　The　officer；　a　fourth　lieutenant；　though　still　young　was　balding　rapidly。　There　were　black　circles　under　his　eyes；　and　he　needed　a　shave。　His　tie　was　knotted　crookedly　and　badly　crumpled。　He　continued　to　scratch　among　the　stacks　of　paper　that　littered　the　desk；　picking　them　up；　changing　piles　with　them；　scrawling　notes　on　some　and　throwing　others　into　an　overflowing　wastebasket。　When　he　moved　one　of　the　stacks　Bill　saw　a　sign　on　the　desk　that　read　LAUNDRY　OFFICER。
　　〃Excuse　me；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　am　in　the　wrong　office。　I　was　looking　for　the　chaplain。〃
　　〃This　is　the　chaplain's　office　but　he's　not　on　duty　until　2300　hours；　which　is；　as　someone　even　as　stupid…looking　as　you　can　tell；　is　in　fifteen　minutes　more。〃
　　〃Thank　you；　sir；　I'll　e　back　。　。　。〃　Bill　slid　toward　the　door。　
　　〃You'll　stay　and　work。〃　The　officer　raised　bloodshot　eyeballs　and　cackled　evilly。　〃I　got　you。　You　can　sort　the　hanky　reports。　I've　lost　six　hundred　jockstraps；　and　they　may　be　in　there。　You　think　it's　easy　to　be　a　laundry　officer？〃　He　sniveled　with　self…pity　and　pushed　a　tottering　stack　of　papers　over　to　Bill；　who　began　to　sort　through　them。　Long　before　he　was　finished　the　buzzer　sounded　that　ended　the　watch。
　　〃I　knew　it！〃　the　officer　sobbed　hopelessly；　〃this　job　will　never　end；　instead　it　gets　worse　and　worse。　And　you　think　you　got　problems！〃　He　reached　out　an　unsteady　finger　and　flipped　the　sign　on　his　desk　over。　It　read　CHAPLAIN　on　the　other　side。　Then　he　grabbed　the　end　of　his　necktie　and　pulled　it　back　hard　over　his　right　shoulder。　The　necktie　was　fastened　to　his　collar　and　the　collar　was　set　into　ball　bearings　that　rolled　smoothly　in　a　track　fixed　to　his　shirt。　There　was　a　slight　whirring　sound　as　the　collar　rotated；　then　the　necktie　was　ha