the.stainless.steel.rats.revenge-第31部分

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ed。
　　　　Right　at　the　warpdrive　generator　where　it　exploded　in　a　puff　of　black　smoke。
　　　　〃A　harmless　smoke　charge；〃　I　said。　〃To　be　replaced　in　field　operation　by　high　explosive；　more　than　enough　to　destroy　the　warpdrive　generator；　yet　small　enough　not　to　cause　any　other　damage。　A　humane　weapon　indeed。〃　
　　　　〃You're　mad。〃
　　　　〃Only　at　the　Cliaand　and　the　gray　men　for　pursuing　this　futile　war。　If　we　can　go　back　for　that　drink　now　I'll　tell　you　how　it　is　going　to　be　stopped。〃　
　　　　fortably　seated；　throat　cooled；　I　explained。
　　　　〃I　personally　polished　off　the　warpdrive　generators　in　nine　of　the　Cliaand　ships；　just　to　see　if　it　could　be　done　and　if　there　would　be　any　unusual　problems　in　ship　design　or　construction。　There　were　none。　Cliaandian　ships　are　just　like　other　ships；　only　more　so　since　they　like　a　good　deal　of　uniformity　which　makes　our　job　that　much　easier。　The　Thing　has　been　designed　to　do　that　job。　The　Thing　operator　can　sit　at　his　ease　outside　of　a　spaceport；　watching　the　Cliaand　ships　through　high　powered　glasses。　When　the　observed　ship　opens　its　port　the　Thing　strikes。　The　operator　must　merely　aim　it；　feed　in　the　type　of　ship；　and　start　it　on　its　way。　The　Thing　has　a　molecular　level　memory　bank　and　puter　circuitry。　It　zeroes　in　on　the　ship　at　high　speed；　finds　the　port　and　enters　and　then；　using　its　programmed　knowledge　of　the　vessel's　interior；　it　makes　its　way　to　the　engine　room；　stopping　for　nothing。　Where　it　blows　up　the　warpdrive　generator。　End　of　the　Cliaand　invasion。〃　
　　　　〃End　of　one　warpdrive　generator；〃　Inskipp　said；　a　sneer　in　his　voice。　〃They　order　up　another　one　and　that　is　that。〃　
　　　　〃That　is　not　that。　Generators　are　plex　and　not　easy　to　build。　There　are　very　few　factories　that　turn　them　out　because　most　people　are　satisfied　to　buy　them　from　someone　else。　I　am　sure　the　Cliaand　have　at　least　one　factory；　but　that　can　be　found　and　knocked　out　from　space。〃　
　　　　〃So　they　get　one　from　the　warehouse。〃
　　　　〃There　is　a　limit　to　the　number　they　can　have；　and　quite　soon　the　warehouse　will　be　empty。　Because　we　are　going　to　have　agents　on　every　planet　now　ruled　by　the　Cliaand　and　they　are　going　to　blow　up　every　warpdrive　generator　on　every　ship　on　those　planets。　We　won't　have　to　go　anywhere　near　the　home　planet。　The　warpdrive　will　be　knocked　out　of　cargo　ships；　war　ships；　any　and　all　within　the　Cliaand　area　of　control。　Nor　will　they　be　able　to　get　any　from　the　outside　since　this　is　one　embargo　that　it　will　be　easy　for　the　Corps　and　the　cooperating　planets　to　enforce。　End　of　an　empire。〃　
　　　　〃How？〃
　　　　〃Think；　Inskipp；　age　couldn't　have　withered　your　brain　as　much　as　your　leathery　hide。　Angelina　gave　me　the　clue。　The　Cliaandians　must　keep　expanding　or　perish。　They　don't　have　enough　food　or　raw　materials　on　their　single　planet　to　carry　on　this　kind　of　continual　expansion。　So　they　conquer　a　planet；　put　it　to　work　on　their　behalf；　then　restored　and　re…supplied　go　on　to　bigger　and　better　things。　Only　not　any　more。　They　still　have　the　planets　and　the　materialsbut　what　good　are　they　if　they　can't　be　transported　to　where　they　are　needed？　The　expansion　will　have　to　stop；　and　as　the　ships　grow　scarce　they　will　have　to　pull　back。　Further　and　further　back　until　they　are　on　their　home　planet　again　and　that　will　be　the　end　of　that。　Any　single　planet　can　support　itself　with　raw　materials　and　food；　at　least　enough　to　survive。　But　an　empire　cannot　survive　with　its　trade　arteries　cut。　I　give　them　a　year；　no　more；　before　Cliaand　is　just　another　backwater　planet　with　a　lot　of　guys　in　uniforms　and　out　of　jobs。　When　it　is　all　over　normal　trade　can　be　started　again。　A　year　at　the　outside。　What　do　you　think。〃　
　　　　〃I　think　you　did　it　again；　my　boy；　as　I　knew　you　would。〃
　　　　He　beamed　at　me　and　I　winked　at　Angelina　and　we　drank　to　that。
Chapter　22

　　　　We　were　standing　at　the　inner　lock；　ready　to　disembark　from　the　spaceship；　when　one　at　the　pursers　hurried　over　and　handed　me　a　psigram。　Angelina　blasted　it　with　a　withering　look。
　　　　〃Tear　it　up。〃　she　said。　〃If　that　is　from　foul　Inskipp　canceling　the　one　little　vacation　we　have　ever　had　。　。　。〃
　　　　〃Relax；〃　I　said；　glancing　through　it　quickly。　〃Our　holiday　is　still　safe。　〃This　is　from　Taze　。　。　。〃　
　　　　〃If　that　topheavy　hussy　is　still　chasing　you　she　is　in　for　trouble。〃　
　　　　〃Have　no　fear；　my　love。　The　munication　is　of　a　political　nature。　The　results　of　the　first　election　to　be　held　since　the　Cliaandian　withdrawal　are　in。　The　men's　Konsolosluk　party　has　been　swept　from　office　and　the　girls　are　back　at　the　helm。　Taze　has　been　appointed　Minister　of　War；　so　I　don't　think　future　invasion　will　be　as　easy　as　the　last。　The　psigram　further　states　that　we　have　both　been　awarded　the　Order　of　the　Blue　Mountains；　First　Class；　and　there　will　be　much　ceremony　and　medal　pinning　when　next　we　get　to　Burada。〃　
　　　　〃Just　see　you　don't　try　going　there　on　your　own。　Slippery　Jim。〃
　　　　I　sighed　as　the　massive　outer　lock　of　the　spaceship　ground　open　and　the　militant　oompah　of　band　music　was　carried　in　by　the　outside　air。　The　sky　was　clear　and　empty　of　anything　other　than　the　puffy　white　clouds　and　a　copter　towing　a　banner　that　read　WELE　WELE。
　　　　〃Very　nice；〃　I　said。
　　　　〃Urgh　urgh；〃　Bolivar　said；　or　something　like　that；　or　was　it　James　who　had　spoken？　They　were　hard　to　tell　apart　and　Angelina　took　a　very　antipathetic　view　towards　my　suggestion　that　we　paint　a　B　on　one　little　forehead　and　J　on　the　other。　Just　for　a　while。　She　bent　over　their　tiny　forms　in　the　robopram；　tucking　in　blankets　and　doing　other　unessential　maternal　things。　Only　I　knew　that　she　had　a　gun　in　her　girdle　and　a　knife　in　the　nappies。　My　Angelina　is　just　as　motherly　as　any　female　tiger：　she　takes　care　of　her　cubs　but　also　keeps　her　claws　sharp　just　in　case。　Pity　the　poor　kidnapper　who　tried　to　swipe　the　diGriz　babies！
　　　　〃That's　an　improvement　over　the　usual　rattling　escalator；〃　I　said；　pointing　to　the　platform　outside。
　　　　A　shipyard　repair　stage　had　been　polished　and　decorated　with　flags　and　turned　into　a　passenger　elevator。　It　not　only　held　all　the　people　disembarking　but　there　was　plenty　of　room　left　over　for　the　military　band。　Who　were　now　thumping　and　trumpeting　and　generally　having　a　good　time。　We　strolled　out　onto　the　platform　and　the　robopram　rolled　after　us。　Jamesor　was　it　Bolivar？tried　to　hurl　himself　out　of　it　but　a　padded　tentacle　pushed　him　back　to　the　pillows。
　　　　〃It　doesn't　look　so　bad；〃　Angelina　said；　looking　out　across　the　spaceport　to　the　city　while　the　stage　slowly　descended。　〃I　can't　understand　what　you　were　plaining　about。〃
　　　　〃Let's　say　the　reception　was　a　bit　different　last　time　I　was　here。　Isn't　that　a　pleasant　sight？〃
　　　　I　pointed　to　the　row　upon　row　of　abandoned　spaceships；　the　streaks　of　rust　on　their　sides　visible　even　from　here。
　　　　〃Very　nice；〃　she　said；　not　looking；　tucking　in　an　infant　that　the　robopram　had　already　done　an　excellent　job　on。　Like　all　new　fathers　I　was　more　than　a　little　jealous　of　the　attention　lavished　on　the　kiddies；　and　I　looked　forward　to　the　next　joint　assignment　when　I　might　get　a　little　closer　to　center　stage　in　her　affections。　I　was　being　broken　to　the　marriage　harness　and；　despite　my　basic　loathings　and　thrashings；　was　beginning　to　enjoy　it。
　　　　〃Isn't　that　dangerous？〃　Angelina　asked　as　we　reached　the　ground　and　the　double　row　of　soldiers　of　the　honor　guard　snapped　to　attention　with　a　resounding　crash　and　clatter。　There　must　have　been　at　least　a　thousand　of　them　and　each　one　was　armed　with　a　gaussrifle。
　　　　〃Weapons　have　been　incapacitated；　that　was　part　of　the　agreement。〃　
　　　　〃But　can　we　trust　them？〃　
　　　　〃Absolutely。　One　thing　they　know　how　to　do　is　take　orders。〃　
　　　　We　strolled　on　towards　the　reception　buildings；　between　the　rows　of　gaudy　glittering　soldiers；　erect　as　statues　with　their　rifles　at　present　arms。
　　　　〃I'll　show　you；〃　I　said　and　led　her　over　to　the　nearest　soldier　while　the　pram　turned　to　follow　us。　He　was　tall；　erect；　big…jawed；　steel…eyed；　everything　a　soldier　should　be。
　　　　〃Right　shoulder…HARMS！〃　I　barked　in　my　best　parade　ground　manner。　He　obeyed　instantly　with　a　great　deal　of　snappy　exactitude。　Gray　haired　too；　he　must　have　been　at　the　game　for　a　long　time。
　　　　〃Inspection　。　。　。　wait　for　it　。　。　。　HARMS！〃
　　　　He　snapped　the　weapon　down　across　his　chest　and　with　a　double　clack…clack　opened　the　inspection　port　and　extended　the　rifle。　I　seized　it　and　looked　inside　the　receiver。　Spotless。　I　held　it　up　to　the　sky　and　looked　down　the　barrel　and　saw　only　unrelieved　blackness。　
　　　　〃There's　something　blocking　the　barrel。〃　
　　　　〃Yes；　sir。　Orders；　sir。〃　
　　　　〃What　is　it？〃　
　　　　〃Lead；　sir。　Melted　it　and　poured　it　in　myself。〃　
　　　　〃An　excellent　weapon。　Carry　on　trooper。〃　I　hurled　it　back　at　him　and　be　caught　and　rattled　it　efficiently。　There　was　something　about　him。
　　　　〃Don't　I　know　you；　trooper？〃
　　　　〃Perhaps；　sir；　I've　done　duty　on　many　planets。　I　was　a　colonel　once。
　　　　There　was　a　distant　glint　in　his　eyes　when　he　said　this；　but　it　quickly　faded。　Of　course。　I　hadn't　recognized　him　without　his　beard。　He　was　the　officer　that　Kraj　had　watching　me；　who　tried　to　shoot　me　when　we　first　landed　on　Burada。
　　　　〃I　knew　that　man；　high　ranking　officer；〃　I　told　Angelina　as　we　strolled　on。
　　　　〃Very　little　chance　for　that　kind　of　work　now。　He　should　be　happy　he　has　a　job　that　keeps　him　out　in　the　fresh　air。　It's　amazing　that　they　all　seem　to　be　taking　it　so　well。〃
　　　　〃They　have　little　choice。　When　their　empire　collapsed　they　flocked　back　here　to　Cliaandand　found　out　that　all　their　mineral　and　power　resources　had　been　exhausted　during　the　invasion　years　and　they　had　never　noticed　it。　So　it　was　either　farm　or　go　hungry。　I　understand　that　the　agriculture　is　going　just　fine　right　now。　And　the　gray　men　are　gone；　Inskipp　sent　agents　in　and　found　they　had　all　packed　up　and　left。　To　cause　trouble　elsewhere　I　suppose。　We　are　going　to　have　to　track　them　to　their　home　planet　one　of　these　days。〃　
　　　　〃Nasty　people。　That's　where　a　globe…buster　bomb　would　do　some　good。〃
　　　　〃Not　in　front　of　the　children；〃　I　said；　patting　her　hand。　〃You　don't　want　them　to　get　wrong　thoughts　about　their　mother。〃　
　　　　〃They'll　get　some　right　ones。　And　I'm　still　suspicious　of　these　ex…warrior　types。〃
　　　　〃Don't　be。　We　had　political　agents　in　here　after　the　breakdown。　Issuing　or