deathworld-第7部分

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　 She　smiled　at　him。　〃The　stars　are　so　wonderful。　e　see。〃　Jason　stood　close　to　her；　looking　up。　The　oddly　geometric　patterns　of　the　jump　sky　were　familiar　to　him；　yet　they　still　had　the　power　to　draw　him　forward。　Even　more　so　now。　Meta's　presence　made　a　disturbing　difference　in　the　dark　silence　of　the　dome。　Her　tilted　head　almost　rested　on　his　shoulder；　the　crown　of　her　hair　eclipsing　part　of　the　sky；　the　smell　of　it　soft　in　his　nostrils。
　 Almost　without　thought　his　arms　went　around　her；　aware　of　the　warm　firmness　of　her　flesh　beneath　the　thin　robe。　She　did　not　resent　it；　for　she　covered　his　hands　with　hers。
　 〃You're　smiling；〃　she　said。　〃You　like　the　stars　too。〃
　 〃Very　much；〃　he　answered。　〃But　more　than　that。　I　remembered　the　story　you　told　me。　Do　you　want　to　break　my　arm；　Mete？〃
　 〃Of　course　not；〃　she　said　very　seriously；　then　smiled　back。　〃I　like　you；　Jason。　Even　though　you're　not　a　Pyrran；　I　like　you　very　much。　And　I've　been　so　lonely。〃
　 When　she　looked　up　at　him；　he　kissed　her。　She　returned　the　kiss　with　a　passion　that　had　no　shame　or　false　modesty。
　 〃My　cabin　is　just　down　this　corridor；〃　she　said。
　6
　 After　that　they　were　together　constantly。　When　Mete　was　on　duty　he　brought　her　meals　to　the　bridge　and　they　talked。　Jason　learned　little　more　about　her　world　since；　by　unspoken　agreement；　they　didn't　discuss　it。　He　talked　of　the　many　planets　he　had　visited　and　the　people　be　had　known。　She　was　an　appreciative　listener　and　the　time　went　quickly　by。　They　enjoyed　each　other's　pany　and　it　was　a　wonderful　trip。　…
　 Then　it　ended。
　 There　were　fourteen　people　aboard　the　ship；　yet　Jason　had　never　seen　more　than　two　or　three　at　a　time。　There　was　a　fixed　rotation　of　duties　that　they　followed　in　the　ship's　operation。　When　not　on　duty；　the　Pyrrans　minded　their　own　business　in　an　intense　and　self…sufficient　manner。　Only　when　the　ship　came　out　of　jump　and　the　PA　barked　assembly　did　they　all　get　together。　…
　 Kerk　was　giving　orders　for　the　landing　and　questions　were　snapped　back　and　forth。　It　was　all　technical　and　Jason　didn't　bother　following　it。　It　was　the　attitude　of　the　Pyrrans　that　drew　his　attention。　Their　talk　tended　to　be　faster　now　as　were　their　motions。　They　were　like　soldiers　preparing　for　battle。
　 Their　sameness　struck　Jason　for　the　first　time。　Not　that　they　looked　alike　or　did　the　same　things。　It　was　the　way　they　moved　and　reacted　that　caused　the　striking　similarity。　They　were　like　great；　stalking　cats。　Walking　fast；　tense　and　ready　to　spring　at　all　times；　their　eyes　never　still　for　an　instant。
　 Jason　tried　to　talk　to　Meta　after　the　meeting；　but　she　was　almost　a　stranger。　She　answered　in　monosyllables　and　her　eyes　never　met　his；　just　brushed　over　them　and　went　on。　There　was　nothing　he　could　really　say；　so　she　moved　to　leave。　He　started　to　put　his　hand　out　to　stop　her…　then　thought　better　of　it。　There　would　be　other　times　to　talk。
　 Kerk　was　the　only　one　who　took　any　notice　of　him…and　then　only　to　order　him　to　an　acceleration　couch。
　 Meta's　landings　were　infinitely　worse　than　her　takeoffs。　At　least　when
　she　landed　on　Pyrrus。　There　were　sudden　acceleration　surges　in　every　direction。　At　one　point　there　was　a　free　fall　that　seemed　endless。　There　were　loud　thuds　against　the　hull　that　shook　the　framework　of　the　ship。　It　was　more　like　a　battle　than　a　landing　and　Jason　wondered　how　much　truth　there　was　in　that。
　When　the　ship　finally　landed；　Jason　didn't　even　know　it。　The　constant　two…C's　felt　like　deceleration。　Only　the　descending　moan　of　the　ship's　engines　convinced　him　they　were　down。　Unbuciding　the　straps　and　sitting　up　was　an　effort。
　Two…C's　don't　seem　that　bad。　At　first。　Walking　required　the　same　exertion　as　would　carrying　a　man　of　his　own　weight　on　his　shoulders。　When　Jason　lifted　his　arm　to　unlatch　the　door　it　was　as　heavy　as　two　arms。　He　shuffled　slowly　toward　the　main　lock。
　They　were　all　there　ahead　of　him；　two　of　the　men　rolling　transparent　cylinders　from　a　nearby　room。　From　their　obvious　weight　and　the　way　they　clanged　when　they　bumped；　Jason　knew　they　were　made　of　transparent　metal。　He　couldn't　conceive　any　possible　use　for　them。　Empty　cylinders　a　meter　in　diameter；　longer　than　a　man。　One　end　solid；　the　other　hinged　and　sealed。　It　wasn't　until　Kerk　spun　the　sealing　wheel　and　opened　one　of　them　that　their　use　became　apparent。
　 〃Cet　in；〃　Kerk　said。　〃When　you're　locked　inside；　you'll　be　carried　out　of　the　ship。〃
　 〃Thank　you；　no；〃　Jason　told　him。　〃I　have　no　particular　desire　to　make　a　spectacular　landing　on　your　planet　sealed　up　like　a　packaged　sausage。〃
　 〃Don't　be　a　fool；〃　was　Kerk's　snapped　answer。　〃We're　all　going　out　in　these　tubes。　We've　been　away　too　long　to　risk　the　surface　without　reorientation。〃。
　 Jason　did　feel　a　little　foolish　as　he　saw　the　others　getting　into　tubes。　He　picked　the　nearest　one；　slid　into　it　feet　first；　and　pulled　the　lid　dosed。　When　he　tightened　the　wheel　in　the　center；　it　squeezed　down　against　a　flexible　seal。　Within　a　minute　the　CO2　content　in　the　closed　cylinder　went　up　and　an　air　regenerator　at　the　bottom　hummed　into　life。
　 Kerk　was　the　last　one　in。　He　checked　the　seals　on　all　the　other　tubes　first；　then　jabbed　the　airlock　override　release。　As　it　started　cycling；　he　quickly　sealed　himself　in　the　remaining　cylinder。　Both　inner　and　outer　locks　ground　slowly　open　and　dim　light　filtered　in　through　sheets　of　falling　rain。
　 For　Jason；　the　whole　thing　seemed　an　anticlimax。　All　this　preparation　for　absolutely　nothing。　Long；　impatient　minutes　passed　before　a
　lift　truck　appeared　driven　by　a　Pyrran。　He　loaded　the　cylinders　onto　…
　his　truck　like　so　much　dead　cargo。　Jason　had　the　misfortune　to　be　buried　at　the　bottom　of　the　pile　so　could　see　absolutely　nothing　when　they　drove　outside。
　It　wasn't　until　the　man…carrying　cylinders　had　been　dumped　in　a　metal…walled　room；　that　Jason　saw　his　first　native　Pyrran　life。
　The　lift　truck　driver　was　swinging　a　thick　outer　door　shut　when　something　flew　in　through　the　entrance　and　struck　against　the　far　wall。　Jason's　eye　was　caught　by　the　motion；　he　looked　to　see　what　it　was　when　it　dropped　straight　down　toward　his　face。
　 Forgetful　of　the　metal　cylinder　wall；　he　flinched　away。　The　creature　struck　the　transparent　metal　and　clung　to　it。　Jason　had　the　perfect　opportunityto　examine　it　in　every　detail。
　 It　was　almost　too　horrible　to　be　believable。　As　though　it　were　a　bearer　of　death　stripped　to　the　very　essentials。　A　mouth　that　split　the　head　in　two；　rows　of　teeth；　serrated　and　pointed。　Leathery；　claw…tipped　wings；　longer　claws　on　the　limbs　that　tore　at　the　metal　wall。
　 Terror　rose　up　in　Jason　as　he　saw　that　the　claws　were　tearing　gouges　in　the　transparent　metal。　Wherever　the　creature's　saliva　touched；　the　metal　clouded　and　chipped　under　the　assault　of　the　teeth。
　 Logic　said　these　were　just　scratches　on　the　thick　tube。　They　couldn't　matter。　But　blind；　unreasoning　fear　sent　Jason　curling　away　as　far　as　he　could。　Shrinking　inside　himself；　seeking　escape。
　 Only　when　the　flying　creature　began　dissolving　did　he　realize　the　nature　of　the　room　outside。　Sprays　of　steaming　liquid　came　from　all　sides；　raining　down　until　the　cylinders　were　covered。　After　one　last　dash　of　its　jaws；　the　Pyrran　animal　was　washed　off　and　carried　away。　The　liquid　drained　away　through　the　floor　and　a　second　and　third　shower　followed。
　 While　the　solutions　were　being　pumped　away；　Jason　fought　to　bring　his　emotions　into　line。　He　was　surprised　at　himself。　No　matter　how　frightful　the　creature　had　been；　he　couldn't　understand　the　fear　it　could　generate　through　the　wall　of　the　sealed　tube。　His　reaction　was　all　out　of　proportion　to　the　cause。　Even　with　the　creature　destroyed　and　washed　out　of　sight；　it　took　all　of　his　will　power　to　steady　his　nerves　and　bring　his　breathing　back　to　normal。
　 Meta　walked　by　outside　and　he　realized　the　sterilization　process　was　finished。　He　opened　his　own　tube　and　climbed　wearily　out。　Mete　and　the　others　had　gone　by　this　time　and　only　a　hawk…faced　stranger　remained；　waiting　for　him。
　 〃I'm　Brucco；　in　charge　of　adaptation　clinic。　Kerk　told　me　who　you　were。　I'm　sorry　you're　here。　Now　e　along；　I　want　some　blood　samples。〃
　LI　J…~　~　~　I　LI　V　V　'。。J　AL　I。~　LI
　
　
　〃Now　I　feel　right　at　home；〃　Jason　said。　〃The　old　Pyrran　hospitality。〃　Brucco　only　grunted　and　stamped　out。　Jason　followed　him　down　a　bare　corridor　into　a　sterile　lab。
　The　double　gravity　was　tiring；　a　constant　drag　on　sore　muscles。　While　Brucco　ran　tests　on　the　blood　sample；　Jason　rested。　He　had　almost　dozed　off　into　a　painful　sleep　when　Brucco　returned　with　a　tray　of　bottles　and　hypodermic　needles。
　 〃Amazing；〃　he　announced。　〃Not　an　antibody　in　your　serum　that　would　be　of　any　use　on　this　planet　I　have　a　batch　of　antigens　here　that　will　make　you　sick　as　a　beast　for　at　least　a　day。　Take　off　your　shirt。〃
　 〃Have　you　done　this　often？〃　Jason　asked。　〃I　mean　juice　up　an　outlander　so　he　can　enjoy　the　pleasures　of　your　world？〃
　 Brucco　jabbed　in　a　needle　that　felt　like　it　grated　on　the　bone。　〃Not　often　at　all。　Last　time　was　years　ago。　A　half…dozen　researchers　from　some　institute；　willing　to　pay　well　for　the　chance　to　study　the　local　life　forms。　We　didn't　say　no。　Always　need　more　galaxy　currency。〃
　 Jason　was　already　beginning　to　feel　lightheaded　from　the　shots。　〃How　many　of　them　lived？〃　he　mumbled　vaguely。
　 〃One。　We　got　him　off　in　time。　Made　them　pay　in　advance；　of　course。〃　At　first　Jason　thought　the　Pyrran　was　joking。　Then　he　remembered　they　had　very　little　interest　in　humor　of　any　kind。　If　one　half　of　what　Meta　and　Kerk　had　told　him　was　true；　six…to…one　odds　weren't　bad　at　all。
　 There　was　a　bed　in　the　next　room　and　Brucco　helped　him　to　it。　Jason　felt　drugged　and　probably　was。　He　fell　into　a　deep　sleep　and　into　the　dream。
　 Fear　and　hatred。　Mixed　in　equal　parts　and　washed　over　him　red　hot　If　this　was　a　dream；　he　never　wanted　to　sleep　again。　If　it　wasn't　a　dream；　he　wanted　to　die。　He　tried　to　fight　up　against　it；　but　only　sank　in　more　deeply。　There　was　no　beginning　and　no　end　to　the　fear　and　no　way　to　escape。
　 When　consciousness　returned；　Jason　could　remember　no　detail　of　the　nightmare。　Just　the　fear　remained。　He　was　soaked　with　sweat　and　ached　in　every　muscle。　It　must　have　been　the　massive　dose　of　shots；　he　finally　decided；　that