the stainless steel rat-第11部分

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　　　　　The　suit　was　on；　and　I　kept　the　running　chatter　up　through　the　mike　in　the　helmet；　relaying　to　the　ship's　transmitter。　The　scene　in　the　monitor　receiver　changed。
　　　　　〃You　are　now　looking　at　a　hydrogen　bomb　that　is　primed　and　aware　of　the　magnetic　field　holding　our　ships　together。　It　will；　of　course；　go　off　if　you　try　to　pull　away。〃　I　grabbed　up　the　monitor　receiver　and　ran　toward　the　air　lock。
　　　　　〃This　is　a　different　bomb　now；〃　I　said；　keeping　one　eye　on　the　screen　and　the　other　on　the　slowly　opening　outer　door。　〃This　one　has　receptors　on　the　hull。　If　you　attempt　to　destroy　any　part　of　this　ship；　or　even　gain　entry　to　it；　this　one　will　detonate。〃　
　　　　　I　was　in　space　now；　leaping　across　to　the　gigantic　wall　of　the　other　ship。
　　　　　〃What　do　you　want？〃　These　were　the　first　words　Pepe　had　spoken　since　his　first　threats。
　　　　　〃I　want　to　talk　to　you；　arrange　a　deal。　Something　that　would　be　profitable　for　both　of　us。　But　let　me　first　show　you　the　rest　of　the　bombs；　so　you　won't　get　any　strange　ideas　about　co…operating。〃
　　　　　Of　course　I　had　to　show　him　the　rest　of　the　bombs；　there　was　no　getting　out　of　it。　The　scanners　in　the　ship　were　following　a　planned　program。　I　made　light　talk　about　all　my　massive　armament　that　would　carry　us　both　to　perdition；　while　I　climbed　through　the　hole　in　the　battleship's　hull。　There　was　no　armor　or　warning　devices　at　this　spot；　it　had　been　chosen　carefully　from　the　blueprints。
　　　　　〃Yeah；　yeah　。　。　。　I　take　your　word　for　it；　you're　a　flying　bomb。　So　stop　with　this　roving　reporter　bit　and　tell　me　what　you　have　in　mind。〃
　　　　　This　time　I　didn't　answer　him；　because　I　was　running　and　panting　like　a　dog；　and　had　the　mike　turned　off。　Just　ahead；　if　the　blueprints　were　right；　was　the　door　to　the　control　room。　Pepe　should　be　there。
　　　　　I　stepped　through；　gun　out；　and　pointed　it　at　the　back　of　his　head。　Angelina　stood　next　to　him；　looking　at　the　screen。
　　　　　〃The　game's　over；〃　I　said。　〃Stand　up　slowly　and　keep　your　hands　in　sight。〃
　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean；〃　he　said　angrily；　looking　at　the　screen　in　front　of　him。　The　girl　caught　wise　first。　She　spun　around　and　pointed。
　　　　　〃He's　here！〃
　　　　　They　both　stared；　gaped　at　me；　caught　off　guard　and　pletely　unprepared。
　　　　　〃You're　under　arrest；　crime…king；〃　I　told　him。　〃And　your　girl　friend。〃
　　　　　Angelina　rolled　her　eyes　up　and　slid　slowly　to　the　floor。　Real　or　faked；　I　didn't　care。　I　kept　the　gun　on　Pepe's　pudgy　form　while　he　picked　her　up　and　carried　her　to　an　acceleration　couch　against　the　wall。
　　　　　〃What　。　。　。　what　will　happen　now？〃　He　quavered　the　question。　His　pouchy　jaws　shook　and　I　swear　there　were　tears　in　his　eyes。　I　was　not　impressed　by　his　acting　since　I　could　clearly　remember　the　dead　men　floating　in　space。　He　stumbled　over　to　a　chair；　half…dropping　into　it。
　　　　　〃Will　they　do　anything　to　me？〃　Angelina　asked。　Her　eyes　were　open　now。
　　　　　〃I　have　no　idea　of　what　will　happen　to　you；〃　I　told　her　truthfully。　〃That　is　up　to　the　courts　to　decide。〃
　　　　　〃But　he　made　me　do　all　those　things；〃　she　wailed。　She　was　young；　dark　and　beautiful；　the　tears　did　nothing　to　spoil　this。
　　　　　Pepe　dropped　his　face　into　his　hands　and　his　shoulders　shook。　I　flicked　the　gun　his　way　and　snapped　at　him。
　　　　　〃Sit　up；　Pepe。　I　find　it　very　hard　to　believe　that　you　are　crying。　There　are　some　Naval　ships　on　the　way　now；　the　automatic　alarm　was　triggered　about　a　minute　ago。　I'm　sure　they'll　be　glad　to　see　the　man　who　。　。　。〃
　　　　　〃Don't　let　them　take　me；　please！〃　Angelina　was　on　her　feet　now；　her　back　pressed　to　the　wall。　〃They'll　put　me　in　prison；　do　things　to　my　mind！〃　She　shrunk　away　as　she　spoke；　stumbling　along　the　wall。　I　lodged　back　at　Pepe；　not　wanting　to　have　my　eyes　off　him　for　an　instant。
　　　　　〃There's　nothing　I　can　do；〃　I　told　her。　I　glanced　her　way　and　a　small　door　was　swinging　open　and　she　was　gone。　
　　　　　〃Don't　try　to　run；〃　I　shouted　after　her；　〃it　can't　do　any　good！〃　
　　　　　Pepe　made　a　strangling　noise　and　I　looked　back　to　him　quickly。　He　was　sitting　up　now　and　his　face　was　dry　of　tears。　In　fact　he　was　laughing；　not　crying。
　　　　　〃So　she　caught　you　too；　Mr。　Wise…cop；　poor　little　Angelina　with　the　soft　eyes。〃　He　broke　down　again；　shaking　with　laughter。　
　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean；〃　I　growled。
　　　　　〃Don't　you　catch　yet？　The　story　she　told　you　was　true…except　she　twisted　it　around　a　bit。　The　whole　plan；　building　the　battleship；　then　stealing　it；　was　hers。　She　pulled　me　into　it；　played　me　like　an　accordion。　I　fell　in　love　with　her；　hating　myself　and　happy　at　the　same　time。　Well…I'm　glad　now　it's　over。　At　least　I　gave　her　a　chance　to　get　away；　I　owe　her　that　much。　Though　I　thought　I　would　explode　when　she　went　into　that　innocence　act！〃
　　　　　The　cold　feeling　was　now　a　ball　of　ice　that　threatened　to　paralyze　me。　〃You're　lying；〃　I　said　hoarsely；　and　even　I　didn't　believe　it。
　　　　　〃Sorry。　That's　the　way　it　is。　Your　brain…boys　will　pick　my　skull　to　pieces　and　find　out　the　truth　anyway。　There's　no　point　in　lying　now。〃　
　　　　　〃We'll　search　the　ship；　she　can't　hide　for　long。〃　
　　　　　〃She　won't　have　to；〃　Pepe　said。　〃There's　a　fast　scout　we　picked　up；　stowed　in　one　of　the　holds。　That　must　be　it　leaving　now。〃　We　could　feel　the　vibration；　distantly　through　the　floor。
　　　　　〃The　Navy　will　get　her；〃　I　told　him；　with　far　more　conviction　than　I　felt。
　　　　　〃Maybe；〃　he　said；　suddenly　slumped　and　tired；　no　longer　laughing。　〃Maybe　they　will。　But　I　gave　her　her　chance。　It　is　all　over　for　me　now；　but　she　knows　that　I　loved　her　to　the　end。〃　He　bared　his　teeth　in　sudden　pain。　〃Not　that　she　will　care　in　the　slightest。〃　
　　　　　I　kept　the　gun　on　him　and　neither　of　us　moved　while　the　Navy　ships　pulled　up　and　their　boots　stamped　outside。　I　had　captured　my　battleship　and　the　raids　were　over。　And　I　couldn't　be　blamed　if　the　girl　had　slipped　away。　If　she　evaded　the　Navy　ships；　that　was　their　fault；　not　mine。
　　　　　I　had　my　victory　all　right。
　　　　　Bit　I　wasn't　too　happy　about　it。　I　had　a　premonition　that　I　wasn't　finished　with　Angelina　yet。
　Chapter　8
　
　　　　　Life　would　have　been　much　sweeter　if　my　uneasy　hunch　hadn't　proven　to　be　true。　You　can't　blame　the　Navy　for　being　taken　in　by　Angelina…they　were　neither　the　first　nor　the　last　to　underestimate　the　mind　that　lay　behind　those　melting　eyes。　And　I　try　not　to　blame　myself　either。　After　my　first　mistake　in　letting　Angelina　slip　out　I　tried　not　to　make　a　second。　I　wasn't　pletely　convinced　yet　that　Pepe　was　telling　the　truth　about　her。　The　entire　story　might　be　a　plicated　lie　to　confuse　and　throw　me　off　guard。　I　have　a　very　suspicious　mind。　Playing　it　safe；　I　kept　the　muzzle　of　my　gun　aimed　exactly　between　his　eyes　with　my　fingers　resting　lightly　on　the　trigger。　I　kept　it　there　until　a　squad　of　space　marines　thundered　in　and　took　over。　As　soon　as　they　put　the　grab　on　Pepe　I　sent　out　an　all…ships　alarm　about　Angelina；　with　a　special　take…all…precautions　priority。　Even　before　all　the　ships　had　acknowledged　receipt　her　scout　rocket　was　sighted　on　the　detector　screen。
　　　　　I　sighed　with　a　great　deal　of　relief。　If　she　did　turn　out　to　be　the　brains　of　the　operation　I　didn't　want　her　slipping　away。　She；　Pepe　and　the　battleship　made　a　nice　package　to　turn　over　to　Inskipp。　There　was　no　chance　of　her　escaping　now；　with　ships　closing　in　on　her　from　every　direction。　They　were　experienced　at　this　sort　of　thing　and　it　was　only　a　matter　of　time　before　they　had　her。　Turning　over　the　battleship　to　the　navy；　I　went　back　to　the　luxury　yacht　and　tapped　the　stores　for　a　large　glass　of　Scotch　whisky　（that　had　never　been　within　twenty　light…years　of　Earth）　and　a　long　cigar。　Sitting　fortably　in　front　of　the　screen　I　monitored　the　chase。
　　　　　Angelina　wriggled　painfully　on　the　hook；　making　high…G　turns　to　avoid　capture。　She'd　be　black　and　blue　from　head　to　foot　after　some　of　those　15…G　accelerations。　It　was　all　for　nothing　because　in　the　end　they　still　caught　her　in　a　tractor　web　and　closed　in。　All　the　thrashing　around　had　just　gained　her　a　little　time。　None　of　us　realized　how　important　this　time　really　was　until　the　boarding　party　cracked　into　the　ship。
　　　　　It　was　empty　of　course。
　　　　　Fully　ten　days　went　by　before　we　pieced　together　what　had　really　happened。　It　was　ruthless　and　ugly；　and　even　if　the　psych　docs　hadn't　assured　me　that　Pepe　had　told　the　truth；　I　would　have　recognized　the　manner　in　which　the　escape　was　carried　out。　Angelina　was　one　step　ahead　of　us　all　the　way。　When　she　had　escaped　from　the　battleship　in　the　scout　rocket　she　had　made　no　attempt　to　flee。　Instead　she　must　have　gone　at　full　blast　to　the　nearest　navy　ship；　a　twelve…man　pocket　cruiser。　They　of　course　had　no　idea　what　had　really　happened　aboard　the　battleship；　as　I　hadn't　put　out　the　general　alarm　yet。　I　should　have　done　that　as　soon　as　she　had　escaped。　If　I　had；　twelve　good　men　might　still　be　alive。　We'll　never　know　what　story　she　told　them；　but　it　was　obvious　they　weren't　on　their　guard。　Probably　something　about　being　a　prisoner　and　escaping　during　the　fighting。　In　any　case　she　took　the　ship。　Five　of　the　men　were　dead　of　gas　poisoning　the　others　shot。　We　discovered　this　when　the　cruiser　was　later　found　drifting　and　inert；　parsecs　away。　After　capturing　the　cruiser　she　had　set　the　controls　on　the　scout　ship　for　evasion　tactics　and　launched　it。　While　we　were　all　merrily　chasing　it　she　simply　let　her　ship　drop　behind　the　chase　and　vanished　from　the　fleet。　Her　trail　blurs　there；　though　it　is　obvious　she　must　have　captured　another　ship。　What　this　ship　was；　and　where　she　went　in　it；　was　a　plete　mystery。
　　　　　Back　in　Corps　headquarters　I　found　myself　trying　to　explain　this　all　to　Inskipp。　He　had　a　cold　eye　and　hardened　manner　and　I　found　myself　trying　to　justify　my　actions。
　　　　　〃You　can't　win　them　all；〃　I　said。　〃I　brought　home…your　battleship　and　Pepe…may　his　personality　rest　in　peace　now　that　it　has　been　erased。　Angelina　tricked　me　and　got　away；　I'll　admit　that。　But　she　did　a　much　better　job　of　fooling　the　boys　in　the　navy！〃　
　　　　　〃Why　so　much　venom？〃　Inskipp　asked　in　an　arid　voice。　〃No　one's　accusing　you　of　dereliction　of　duty。　You　sound　like　a　man　with　a　guilty　conscience。　You　did　a　good　job。　A　fine　job。　A　great　job　。　。　。　for　a　first　assignment　。　。　。〃
　　　　　〃You're　doing　it　again！〃　I　howled。　〃Prodding　my　conscience　to　see　how　soft　it　is