the.stainless.steel.rats.revenge-第15部分

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of　a　stem　schoolmaster；　all　of　the　veteran　officers　present　remained　dead　silent。
　　　　〃You　officers；　the　few　among　you　who　were　sober　enough　that　is；　may　have　heard　an　explosion　and　seen　a　cloud　of　smoke　while　you　were　on　the　way　here。　This　explosion　was　caused　by　an　individual　who　entered　this　base　and　is　still　undetected　in　our　midst。　We　know　nothing　about　him；　but　suspect　that　he　is　an　offworld　spy。。。〃
　　　　This　drew　a　gasp　and　a　murmur　as　might　be　expected　and　the　gray　man　waited　a　moment　until　he　continued。
　　　　〃We　are　making　an　intensive　search　for　this　individual。　Since　you　gentlemen　were　in　the　immediate　vicinity　I　am　going　to　talk　to　you　one　at　a　time　to　find　out　what　you　might　know。　I　also　may　discover　。　。　。　which　one　of　you　is　the　missing　spy。〃　
　　　　This　last　shaft　exacted　only　a　shocked　silence。　Now　that　he　had　everyone　in　the　right　mental　condition　for　cross…examining　the　gray　man　began　calling　officers　forward　one　at　a　time。　I　was　doubly　grateful　for　the　foresight　that　had　dropped　me　off　the　truck　onto　the　side　of　my　head。
　　　　It　was　no　accident　that　I　was　the　third　man　called　forward。　On　what　grounds？　General　resemblance　in　build　to　the　offworld　spy　Pas　Ratunkowy？　My　delayed　arrival　at　Glupost？　The　bandage？　Some　basis　of　suspicion　must　have　existed。　I　dragged　forward　with　slow　speed　just　as　the　others　had　done。　I　saluted　and　he　pointed　to　the　chair　next　to　the　desk。
　　　　〃Why　don't　you　hold　this　while　we　talk；〃　he　said　in　a　reasonable　voice；　passing　over　the　silver　egg　of　a　polygraph　transmitter。
　　　　The　real　Vaska　would　not　have　recognized　it；　so　I　didn't。　I　just　looked　at　it　with　slight　interestas　though　I　did　not　know　it　was　transmitting　vital　information　to　the　lie　detector　before　himand　clutched　it　in　my　hand。　My　thoughts　were　not　as　calm。
　　　　I'm　caught！　He　has　me！　He　knows　who　I　am　and　is　just　toying　with　me！
　　　　He　looked　deep　into　my　bloodshot　eyes　and　I　detected　a　slight　curl　of　distaste　to　his　mouth。
　　　　〃You　have　had　quite　a　night　of　it。　Lieutenant　Hulja；〃　he　said　quietly；　his　eyes　on　the　sheaf　of　papersand　on　the　lie　detector　readout　as　well。
　　　　〃Yes　sir；　you　know　。　。　。　having　a　few　last　drinks　with　the　boys。〃　That　was　what　I　said　aloud。　What　I　thought　was　'They　will　shoot　me；　dead；　right　through　the　heart！'　and　I　could　visualize　that　vital　organ　spouting　my　life's　blood　into　the　dirt。
　　　　〃I　see　you　recently　had　your　rank　reducedand　where　are　your　fuses。　Pas　Ratunkowy？〃　Am　I　tired　。　。　。　wish　I　was　in　the　sack　I　thought。
　　　　〃Fuses；　sir？〃　I　blinked　my　red　orbs　and　reached　to　scratch　my　head　and　touched　the　bandage　and　thought　better　of　it。　His　eyes　glared　into　mine；　gray　eyes　almost　the　color　of　his　uniform；　and　for　a　moment　I　caught　the　strength　and　anger　behind　his　quiet　manners。
　　　　〃And　your　head　woundwhere　did　you　get　that？　Our　offworld　spy　was　struck　on　the　side　of　the　head。〃
　　　　〃I　fell；　sir；　someone　must　have　pushed　me。　Out　of　the　truck。　The　soldiers　bandaged　it；　ask　them　。　。　。〃
　　　　〃I　already　have。　Drunk　and　falling　down　and　a　disgrace　to　the　officer　corps。　Get　away　and　clean　yourself　up；　you　disgust　me。　Next　man。〃
　　　　I　climbed　unsteadily　to　my　feet；　not　looking　into　the　steady　glare　of　those　cold　eyes；　and　stared　off　as　though　I　had　forgotten　the　device　in　my　hand；　then　turned　back　and　dropped　it　on　his　desk；　but　he　was　bent　over　the　papers　and　ignoring　me。　I　could　see　a　faint　scar　under　the　thin　hair　of　his　balding　crown。　I　left。
　　　　Fooling　a　polygraph　takes　skill；　practice　and　training。　All　of　which　I　had。　It　can　only　be　done　in　certain　circumstances　and　this　one　had　been　ideal。　A　sudden　interview　without　normalizing　tests　being　run　on　the　subject。　Therefore　I　began　the　interview　in　a　near　panicbefore　any　questions　had　been　asked。　All　of　this　must　have　peaked　nicely　on　his　graph。　I　was　afraid。　Of　him；　of　something；　anything。　But　when　he　had　asked　the　loaded　question　meant　to　uncover　a　spythe　question　I　knew　was　ingI　had　relaxed　and　the　readout　had　shown　this。　The　question　was　a　meaningless　one　to　anyone　but　the　offworlder。　Once　he　saw　this　the　interview　was　over；　he　had　plenty　more　to　do。
　　　　Otrov　was　sitting　up；　cold　sober；　eyes　as　big　as　plates　when　I　came　back　and　dropped　onto　the　bench　next　to　him。　
　　　　〃What　did　he　want？〃　He　spoke　in　a　hollow　whisper。
　　　　〃I　don't　know。　He　asked　me　something　or　other　that　I　didn't　know　about　and　then　it　was　over。〃　
　　　　〃I　hope　he　doesn't　want　to　talk　to　me。〃　
　　　　〃Who　is　he？〃
　　　　〃Don't　you　know！〃　With　shocked　incredulity。　I　tread　warily；　covering　my　plete　lack　of　information。　
　　　　〃Well　you　know　I　just　came　here　。　。　。〃　
　　　　〃But　everyone　knows　Kraj。〃
　　　　〃Is　that　him　。　。　。？〃　I　gasped　it　out　and　tried　to　look　as　frightened　as　he　did　and　it　seemed　to　work；　because　he　nodded　and　looked　over　his　shoulder　and　quickly　back　again。　I　rose　and　went　to　the　latrine　again　to　terminate　the　conversation　at　this　spot。　Everyone　knew　about　Kraj。
　　　　Who　was　Kraj？

Chapter　11

　　　　Embarking　for　the　invasion　came　as　a　relief　to　everyone；　better　a　nice　quiet　war　than　the　suspicions　and　fears　that　swept　the　Glupost　base　during　the　following　days。　There　were　sudden　inspections；　midnight　searches；　constant　alarms　and　the　sound　of　marching　boots　at　all　hours。　I　would　have　been　proud　of　my　efforts　at　sowing　the　seeds　of　disorder　if　I　had　not　been　a　victim　of　that　disorder　at　the　same　time。　The　invasion　plans　must　have　gone　ahead　too　far　to　alter　because；　in　the　midst　of　all　the　excitement；　we　still　adhered　to　schedule。　On　B　Day　minus　two　all　the　bars　closed　so　that　the　sobering　up　process　of　the　troops　could　begin。　A　few　reluctant　ones；　myself　and　Otrov　included；　had　concealed　bottles　which　carried　us　a　bit　further；　but　even　this　ended　when　our　lockers　and　bags　were　put　into　storage　and　we　were　issued　pre…packed　invasion　kits。　I　had　a　small　can　of　powdered　alcohol　disguised　as　tooth　powder　that　I　was　saving　for　an　emergency　and　the　emergency　instantly　presented　itself　as　the　thought　of　the　ing　weeks　without　drink；　so　Otrov　and　I　finished　the　tooth　powder　on　B　Day　minus　one　and　that　was　that。　After　one　last　midnight　spot　check　and　search　we　were　assembled　and　marched　to　the　departure　area。　The　fleet；　row　after　row　of　dark　projectiles；　stood　waiting　beyond　the　gates。　We　were　called　out；　one　at　a　time；　and　sent　to　our　assigned　places。
　　　　In　the　beginning　I　had　thought　that　this　was　a　rather　stupid　way　to　run　an　invasion。　No　plans；　no　diagrams；　no　peptalk；　no　training；　no　maneuversno　nothing。　It　finally　dawned　on　me　that　this　was　the　ideal　way　to　mount　an　invasion　that　you　wished　to　keep　secret。　The　pilots　had　plenty　of　piloting　experience；　and　would　get　more　on　the　outward　voyage。　The　troops　were　ready　to　fight；　the　sources　of　supply　supplied。　And　somewhere　at　the　top　there　were　locked　boxes　of　plans；　course　tapes　and　such。　None　of　which　would　be　opened　until　we　were　safe　in　warpdrive　and　outside　munication　would　be　impossible。　All　of　which　made　life　easier　for　me　since　there　were　few　opportunities　to　trip　me　up　in　my　knowledge　of　things　Cliaandian。
　　　　It　was　with　a　great　deal　of　pleasure　that　I　found　myself　assigned　as　pilot　of　a　troop　transport。　This　was　a　role　I　could　fill　with　honor。　My　earlier　assignment　of　a　roommate　had　not　been　accidental　either；　because　Otrov　climbed　into　the　navroom　a　few　minutes　later　and　announced　that　he　was　going　to　be　my　copilot。
　　　　〃Wonderful；〃　I　told　him。　〃How　many　hours　do　you　have　on　one　of　these　Pavijan　class　transports？〃
　　　　He　admitted　to　an　unhappily　low　figure　and　I　patted　him　on　the　shoulder。
　　　　〃You　are　in　luck。　Unlike　most　First　Pilots　your　old　Uncle　Vaska　is　without　ego。　For　an　old　drinking　buddy　no　sacrifice　is　too　great。　I　am　going　to　let　you　fire　the　takeoff　and　if　you　do　the　kind　of　job　I　think　you　will　do；　then　I　might　let　you　shoot　the　landing　as　well。　Now　hand　me　the　check　list。〃
His　gratitude　was　overwhelming；　so　much　so　that　he　admitted　that　he　had　been　saving　his　fountain　pen　for　a　real　emergency　since　it　was　filled　with　200　proof　alcohol　and　we　both　had　a　squirt。　It　was　with　a　feeling　of　contentmentand　scarred　throatsthat　we　watched　the　troops　marching　up　and　filing　into　the　loading　ports　far　below。　A　few　minutes　later　a　grizzled　fullbearded　colonel　in　bat　uniform　stamped　into　the　navroom。　
　　　　〃No　passengers　allowed　here；〃　I　said。
　　　　〃Shut　your　mouth；　lieutenant。　I　have　your　course　tapes。〃　
　　　　〃Well　let　me　have　them？〃
　　　　〃What？　You　must　be　either　mad　or　jokingand　both　are　shooting　offenses　in　bat。〃　
　　　　〃I　must　be　on　edge；　colonel；　not　much　sleep；　you　know　。　。　。〃　
　　　　〃Yes。〃　He　relented　slightly。　〃Allowances　must　be　made；　I　suppose。　It　hasn't　been　easy　for　anyone。　But　that's　behind　us　now。　Victory　for　Cliaand！〃
　　　　〃Victory　for　Cliaand！〃　we　entolled　ritually。　There　had　been　a　lot　of　this　the　last　couple　of　days。　The　Colonel　looked　at　his　watch。　
　　　　〃Almost　time。　Get　the　mand　circuit；〃　he　ordered。
　　　　I　pointed　to　Otrov；　who　pressed　the　right　button　instantly。　A　message　appeared　on　the　screen。　STANDBY。　We　stood。　Then　it　began　blinking　quickly　and　changed　to　the　harsh　letters；　SET　COURSE。　The　colonel　took　the　tape　container　from　his　pouch　and　we　had　to　sign　as　witnesses　on　a　form　slating　that　the　tape　was　sealed　when　we　received　it。　Otrov　inserted　the　tape　into　the　puter　and　the　colonel　grunted　in　satisfaction；　his　work　done；　and　turned　to　leave。　He　fired　a　parting　shot　over　his　shoulder　on　the　way　out。
　　　　〃And　none　of　those　10　G　landings　that　you　moronic　pilots　seem　to　enjoy。　I'll　courtmartial　you　both　if　that　happens。〃
　　　　〃Your　mother　knits　sweaters　out　of　garbage；〃　I　shouted　after　him；　waiting；　of　course；　until　the　door　was　closed。　But　even　this　feeble　effort　stirred　enthusiasm　in　Otrov　who　was　beginning　to　respect　me　more　and　more。
　　　　Hurry　up　and　wait　is　mon　to　all　military　forces　and　that　is　what　we　did　next。　The　check　lists　were　plete　and　we　saw　ship　after　ship　take　off　until　most　were　gone。　The　transports　were　last。　The　green　BLASTOFF　signal　came　as　a　relief。　We　were　on　our　way。　To　a　nameless　planet　circling　an　unknown　star　as　far　as　any　of　us　were　concerned。　The　tape　told　the　puter　where　we　were　going　but　did　not　condescend；　nor　had　it　been　programmed；　to　inform　us。
　　　　This　security　blanket　lasted　right　up　to　the　invasion　itself。　We　were　seven　boring　days　en　route