tz.cobra strike-第14部分

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　Odd；　he　thought；　to　be　able　to　hear　the　wind　but　not　to　feel　it。
　Somehow；　on　a　gut　level；　that　seemed　stranger　even　than　the　fact　that　he　was　possibly　the　first　man　in　history　to　be　almost　literally　walking　in　his　brother's　shoes。
　From　somewhere　behind　him　a　new　voice　spoke　up。　〃Is　that　just　an　excuse？〃　Pyre　asked。
　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　Telek's　voice　replied。　〃The　nearest　mojos　do　look　a　bit　more　nervous　than　those　further　away。　I'd　guess　it　has　to　do　with　the　fact　that　we　smell　slightly　different　than　the　Qasamans。〃
　Pyre　grunted。　〃Genetic　drift？〃
　〃More　likely　dietary　differences。　Something；　Hersh？〃
　〃I　think　I've　got　their　departure　time　bracketed；〃　Nnamdi　said。　〃The　Agra　Dynasty　was　the　government　that　ruled　Reginine　from　central　Asia　on　Earth。　It　began　in　2097　and　ended　when　the　Dominion　of　Man　formally　took　over　in　2180。〃
　〃What　about　the；　uh；　the　Lords　of　Rajan　Putra？〃　Telek　asked。
　〃We'll　have　to　check　the　full　history　records　back　on　Aventine　for　that。　But　I　know　there　was　a　major　migration　from　Reginine　when　it　was　opened　to　general　colonization；　and　I　think　the　emigres　founded　the　world　Rajput。〃
　〃Hmmm。　Ethnic　separatists；　basically？〃
　〃No　idea。　My　guess；　though；　is　that　die　Qasamans　were　either　one　ship　of　that　group　or　a　separate　emigration；　in　either　case　overshooting　their　target　rather　badly。〃
　〃Badly　and　a　half；〃　Telek　snorted。　〃Where　were　the　Trofts　while　they　were　wandering　through　Assemblage　territory？〃
　〃Probably　never　saw　them　ing；〃　Christopher　spoke　up。　〃Really。　The　Dominion's　early　stardrives　were　nasty　unstable　things；　and　when　they　went　supercritical　they　hit　about　ten　times　the　speed　we　can　get　nowadays。〃
　〃Sounds　rather　handy；　actually；〃　Pyre　said。
　〃Only　if　you　didn't　need　to　stop；〃　Christopher　said　dryly。　〃ing　out　of　hyperspace　in　that　condition　would　fry　the　drive　and　most　other　electronics　on　the　ship。　There　are　literally　dozens　of　colony　ships…　colony　ships；　mind　you；　not　just　probes　or　scouts…　that　are　listed　as　simply　having　disappeared。　I　guess　Qasama　was　one　of　the　lucky　ones。〃
　〃Or　else　they　were　the　imlucky　ones　who　were　kidnapped　and　brought　here；〃　Nnamdi　put　in。　〃You'll　recall　we　haven't　scrapped　that　possibility　yet。〃
　〃We'll　keep　it　in　mind　if　we　see　any　sign　of　another　race；〃　Telek　assured　him。　〃But　it's　hard　to　imagine　slaves　being　allowed　to　carry　guns。〃
　Via　the　direct　feed　from　Joshua's　implanted　optical　sensors　to　his　own；　Justin　saw　that　the　car　carrying　the　contact　team　had　turned　onto　one　of　the　broad　streets　they'd　noted　from　orbit；　and　he　waited　for　Cerenkov　to　ask　about　it。　But　the　contact　leader　had　apparently　decided　to　hold　off　pumping　the　Qasamans　for　more　information；　at　least　for　the　moment。　Probably　just　as　well；　Justin　thought；　since　the　lull　enabled　him　to　continue　splitting　his　attention　between　the　cityscape　and　the　conversation　in　the　lounge　around　him。
　〃Any　indication　in　the　translator　program　as　to　what　bololins　or　krisjaws　are？〃　Pyre　asked。
　Justin　could　almost　see　Telek's　shrug。　〃Local　fauna；　I　gather；〃　she　said。　〃Obviously　pretty　nasty…those　guns　of　theirs　don't　look　like　target　pistols。〃
　〃Agreed。　So　why　didn't　they　put　up　a　wall　around　the　city；　like　they　did　around　the　villages？〃
　There　was　a　short　pause。　〃No　idea。　Hersh？〃
　〃Maybe　the　village　walls　aren't　there　to　keep　the　animals　out；〃　he　suggested；　not　sounding　particular^
　convinced。　〃Maybe　both　species　fly　or　jump　too　high　for　walls　to　be　effective。〃
　〃So　why　do　the　villages　have　them？〃　Pyre　persisted。
　〃/　don't　know；〃　Nnamdi　snapped。
　〃All　right；　take　it　easy；〃　Telek　put　in。　〃Finding　out　all　of　these　things　is　Yuri's　job。　Let's　just　relax　and　leave　it　to　him；　okay？〃
　There　was　another　pause。　Back　in　Sollas　Joshua　turned　his　head　to　follow　the　passage　of　a　particularly　attractive　woman。　Justin　admired　the　view　himself；　wondering　whether　it　was　her　appearance　or　the　feet　that　her　mojo　rode　her　right　shoulder　which　had　caught　his　brother's　attention。　He　tried　to　see　if　her　pistol　was　also　strapped　to　the　opposite　side；　but　Joshua　turned　back　to　face　forward　before　he　could　do　so。　Left…handed？　he　speculated；　making　a　mental　note　to　watch　for　others。
　From　the　other　reality　Christopher　spoke　up。　〃Hersh；　have　you　got　anything　like　a　population　estimate　for　Qasama　yet？　Given　that　they're　human；　I　mean；　and　that　human　personal　space　requirements　are　pretty　well　known。〃
　〃Oh；　I'd　guess　somewhere　between　fifty　and　three　hundred　million；〃　Nnamdi　said。　〃That　requires　them　to　have　bred　like　hamsters　over　the　past　three　centuries；　but　you　can　get　rates　that　high　on　new　worlds。　Why？〃
　〃Would　it　be　likely　that　you　could　keep　track　of　that　many　people　on　a　single…name　basis？〃
　〃Like　Moff；　for　instance？　Not　hardly。　Especially　since　they　originally　came　from　a　multi…name　background。〃
　〃Which　means　Moff　wasn't　giving　his　full　name；〃　Christopher　said。　〃Which　means　in　turn　that　the　mojos　aren't　the　only　ones　that　are　nervous　about　us。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　Nnamdi　said　heavily。　〃Well　。。。　suspicion　toward　strangers　is　part　of　the　heritage　of　lots　of　human　cultures。〃
　〃Or　else　the　Trofts　who　came　here　earlier　started　anew　tradition；〃　Telek　growled。　〃I　wish　to　hell　we　had　a　record　of　their　visit。　Either　way；　I　suppose　we　ought　to　remind　the　team　that　they　need　to　walk　on
　eggs…〃
　There　was　a　faint　click　and　Telek　delivered　a　short
　message　to　the　contact　team　along　the　translator　carrier…a　message　that；　for　Justin；　had　a　built…it　echo　as　bone　conduction　carried　part　of　the　sound　from　Joshua's　earphone　to　his　implanted　auditory　pickups。　The　car　seemed　to　be　slowing　now；　and　Justin　scanned　the　buildings　within　view；　wondering　which　one　housed　the　mayor's　office。　Fortunately；　the　rest　of　the　conversation　in　the　lounge　had　ceased　as　the　scientists　returned　to　watching　the　same　view　on　their　more　prosaic　displays；　so　there　was　no　risk　of　his　missing　anything　while　his　primary　attention　was　locked　into　Joshua's　implants。　There　was　a　lot　about　this　setup　that　annoyed　him；　but　he　had　to　admit　it　was　doing　its　job　well。　Whenever　he　wound　up　replacing　Joshua　out　there；　he　would　have　the　same　memories　of　Qasama　that　his　brother　did　。。。　and　those　memories　could　easily　spell　the　difference　between　success　and　failure　for　such　an　impersonation。　The　car　had　e　to　a　halt　by　the　curb。　Resisting　the　urge　to　run　his　own　muscles　through　the　proper　motions；　Justin　lay　quietly　on　his　couch　as　Joshua　followed　Cerenkov　and　the　others　up　the　three　outside　steps　and　into　the　building。
　Decker　York　had　been　a　Marine　for　twenty　years　before　leaving　the　Dominion　for　Aventine　eighteen　years　ago。　During　his　hitch　he'd　served　on　eight　different　worlds　and　had　seen　literally　dozens　of　officials；　ranging　in　pomp　and　power　from　village　councilor　to　full　Dominion　mitte。　From　all　of　it　he'd　developed　a　mental　image　of　what　human　leaders　and　their　surroundings　should　be　like。
　By　those　standards；　Mayor　Kimmeron　of　Sollas　was　a　severe　shock。
　The　room　Moff　led　them　to　was　hardly　an　office；　for　starters。　The　sounds　of　music　reached　them　even　before　the　liveried　guards　flanking　the　door　pulled　the　heavy　panels　open；　and　the　tendrils　of　smoke　that　drifted　past　as　the　group　started　in　were　evidence　of　either　incense　or　drug　use　inside。　York's　nose　wrinkled　at　the　thought；　but　fortunately　the　filter　bubble　enclosing　his　head　seemed　to　be　keeping　most　or　all　of　the　smoke　out。　Inside；　the　room's　lighting　was　muted　and　leaned　to　reds　and　oranges。　The　room　itself　seemed　large；　but　free…hanging　curtains　all　around　gave　it　the　feel　of　an　elegant　and　soft…walled　maze。　Moff　led　them　through　two　right　angles　to　the　room's　center…
　And　a　scene　straight　out　of　mankind's　distant　past。　On　a　cushion…like　throne　lounged　a　large　man　who；　while　not　fat；　clearly　hadn't　seen　strenuous　exercise　in　quite　some　time。　Facing　him　was　a　group　of　dancers；　both　male　and　female；　in　exotic　dress；　behind　them　was　the　semicircle　of　musicians…live　musicians…　who　were　providing　the　music。　Seated　on　other　cushions　scattered　around　the　room　were　a　handful　of　other　men　and　women；　all　seemingly　splitting　their　attention　between　the　dancers　and　low　work　tables　set　before　them。　York　sent　a　studiously　casual　glance　at　one　table　as　Moff　led　them　toward　the　central　throne；　noting　especially　what　seemed　to　be　a　portable　puter　or　puter　terminal　among　the　papers　there。　Qasaman　technology；　it　seemed；　extended　at　least　somewhat　beyond　guns　and　cars。
　Everyone　in　the　room；　except　the　dancers；　was　acpanied　by　a　mojo。
　Moff　stopped　them　a　few　meters　to　the　side　of　the　throne…and　if　its　occupant　was　surprised　by　their　appearance　he　didn't　show　it。　He　said　something　cheerful　sounding；　his　voice　clearly　audible　over　the　music；　〃Ah…wele；〃　York's　earphone　translated　it。　The　big　Qasaman　raised　a　hand；　bringing　the　musicians　and　dancers　to　an　orderly　halt　a　few　notes
　later。　〃I　am　Mayor　Kimmeron　of　the　city　of　Sollas；　I　wele　you　to　Qasama。　Please；　sit　down。〃
　Moff　indicated　a　group　of　cushions…four　of　them；　York　noted…placed　in　a　row　in　front　of　the　mayor。　Cerenkov　nodded　and　sat　down；　the　others　following　suit。　Moff　and　the　rest　of　their　escort　remained　standing。
　〃Now；〃　Kimmeron　said；　rubbing　his　hands　together　in　a　curious　gesture。　〃Your　names　are　Cerenkov；　Rynstadt；　York；　and　Moreau；　and　you　e　from　a　world　called　Aventine。　So。　What　exactly…exactly；　mind　you…do　you　wish　from　us？〃
　It　seemed　to　take　Cerenkov　a　moment　to　find　his　tongue。　〃You　seem　to　know　a　great　deal　about　us；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃You　surely　also　know；　then；　that　we're　here　to　reopen　munication　with　brothers　we　didn't　know　we　had；　and　to　explore　ways　of　making　such　contact　mutually　profitable。〃
　Kimmeron　had　a　sly　smile　on　his　face　even　before　the　translator　finished　its　version　of　the　speech。　〃Yes；　that　is　indeed　what　you　have　claimed。　But　why　would　you；　who　retain　space　flight；　believe　we　would　have　anything　worth　your　time？〃
　Careful；　boy；　York　warned　in　Cerenkov's　direction。　Primitive　doesn't　necessarily　imply　naive。　His　eyes　flicked　to　Moff　and　the　rest　of　the　escort；　wishing　he　knew　how　to　read　this　culture's　body　language。
　But　Cerenkov　was　on　balance　again　and　his　answer　was　a　masterpiece　of　pseudo…sincerity。　〃As　anyone　who's　opened　up　a　new　world　must　surely　know；　sir；　each　p