tz.cobra strike-第7部分

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he　Council　and；　believe　it　or　not；　your　own　brother。〃
　Justin　listened　in　silence　as　Pyre　explained　the　Council's　expeditionary　plan　and　Corwin's　suggestion；　his　emotions　turmoiling　between　shock　and　excitement　with　very　little　room　left　amid　it　all　for　rational　thought。　〃The　Council's　voted　to　put　you　two　aboard　if　you're　both　willing　to　go/〃　Pyre　concluded。　〃Any　immediate　reactions？〃
　Justin　took　a　moment　to　find　his　tongue。　〃It　sounds　。。　。　interesting。　Very　interesting。　What's　Joshua　had　to　say　about　it；　and　where　do　you　fit　in？〃
　〃Joshua　you　can　ask　yourself…I'll　send　him　in　when　I'm　done。　As　for　me…〃　Pyre's　lip　twitched　in　something　between　a　smile　and　a　grimace。　〃I'm　going　to　be　head　of　the　shipboard　Cobra　contingent…four　of　us　in　all。　And　if　you　choose　one　of　those　slots；　I'll　be　handling　all　your　Cobra　training　for　the　next　few　weeks。〃
　Justin　was　suddenly　aware　of　the　neckwrap　puter　nestling　around　his　throat…the　programmable　training　puter　that　would　be　replaced　by　the　implanted　Cobra　nanoputer　if　and　when　he　graduated。　〃Specialized　training；　I　gather？　Stuff　you　don't　need　to　fight　spine　leopards？〃
　〃And　special…function　programmed　reflexes　that　are　built　into　the　standard　nanoputer　but　never　needed　in　forest　work；〃　Pyre　nodded。　〃Ceiling　flips；　backspins；　that　sort　of　thing。〃
　〃Won't　your　other　Cobras　need　that；　too？〃
　〃They'll　be　joining　us　once　your　basics　are　out　of　the　way；　three　to　four　weeks　from　now。〃　Pyre　leaned　his　elbows　on　the　desk；　steepling　his　fingertips　in　front　of　him。　〃Look；　Justin；　I've　got　to　be　honest　with　you。　I　can　tell　you're　seeing　this　as　a　big　fat　adventure；　but　you　have　to　realize　the　chances　are　fair　we'll　all　wind　up　dying　on　Qasama。〃
　〃Aw；　e　on；　Almo；〃　Justin　grinned。　〃You'll　be　there；　too；　and　you're　too　lucky　to　be　killed。〃
　〃Stop　that！〃　Pyre　snapped。　〃Luck　is　statistical　chance；　with　a　weak　coupling　to　skill　and　experience。　Nothing　more。　I've　got　a　little　of　both…you'll　have　practically　none　of　either。　If　anyone　dies；　it's　likely　to　be　you。〃
　Justin　shrank　into　his　chair；　taken　aback　by　Pyre's　outburst。　The　older　man　had　been　one　of　Justin's　most　admired　role　models　when　he　was　younger；　the　one　who…as　much　as　his　father…had　catalyzed　his　decision　to　bee　a　Cobra　himself。　To　be　chewed　out　by　that　role　model　was　more　of　a　shock　than　he'd　ever　dreamed　such　a　thing　could　be。
　His　expression　must　have　mirrored　his　feelings；　but　Pyre　nevertheless　continued　to　glare　for　several　more　seconds　before　finally　letting　his　eyes　soften。　〃I　know　that　hurt；〃　he　said　softly；　〃but　it　didn't　hurt　nearly　as　much　as　a　laser　would。　Get　it　into　your　head　right　now　that　this　is　a　probe　into　enemy　territory。　Your　father　will　tell　you　that　fighting　spine　leopards　is　a　picnic　in　parison。〃
　Justin　licked　his　lips。　〃You　don't　want　me　along；　do　you？〃
　For　the　First　time　Pyre's　gaze　slipped　away　from　Justin's　face。　〃What　I　want　personally　is　irrelevant。　The　Council　made　a　decision；　all　the　old　war　veterans　concurred　that　it　made　good　tactical　sense；　and　Governor　Telek　persuaded　them　I　was　the　man　to　lead　the　Cobra　contingent。　My　job's　been　defined　for　me；　and　it's　now　up　to　me　to　carry　it　out。　Period。〃
　〃And　you're　afraid　I　won't　be　able　to　handle　it？〃　Justin　asked；　the　first　stirrings　of　anger　starting　to　seep　through　the　numbness。
　〃I'm　afraid　none　of　us　will　be　able　to；〃　Pyre　replied　tartly。　〃And　if　the　whole　thing　goes　up；　I　don't　like　the　fact　that　my　attention　will　be　split　between　the　mission's　safety　and　yours。〃
　〃Why　should　it　be？〃　Justin　retorted。　〃Because　you've　known　me　since　I　was　in　diapers？　Because　you've　been　Dad's　friend　even　longer？　I'm　22；　Almo；　old　enough　to　take　care　of　myself　now…and　if　you　want　logic；　how　about　the　fact　that　I　won't　have　to　unlearn　all　the　little　tricks　of　fighting　spine　leopards　that　the　rest　of　you　will？　You　have　any　plaints　about　my　youth；　save　them　for　after　the　training；　all　right？　Then　maybe　we'll　have　some　actual　specifics　to　discuss。〃
　Pyre's　eyes　were　again　locked　with　his　and　unconsciously　Justin　braced　for　a　second　outburst。　But　it　didn't　e。　〃Okay；〃　Pyre　said　softly。　〃I　just　wanted　to　make　sure　you　knew　what　you　were　getting　into。　Believe　it　or　not；　I　do　understand　how　you　feel　。　。。　though　you'll　find　that　others　may　not。〃　He　stood　up；　and　a　hint　of　the　old　Almo　Pyre　peeked　through　for　an　instant。　〃I'll　let　Joshua　e　and　talk　to　you　now。　I'll　be　in　the　office　across　the　hall；　just　e　on　over　when　you're　finished。　Take　your　time；　but　try　not　to　make　this　one　of　those　wide…ranging　starvation　sessions　you　two　are　famous　for。〃　With　a　glimmer　of　a　smile　he　left　the　room。
　Justin　let　out　a　shuddering　sigh　of　relief。　His　heartbeat　was　heading　back　toward　normal　when　his　twin　arrived　a　minute　later。　〃Almo　told　me　to　keep　this　talk　under　six　months；〃　Joshua　said；　seating　himself　in　the　recently　vacated　desk　chair。　〃Do　we　really　talk　that　much？〃
　〃Only　together；〃　Justin　said。
　〃Probably　true；〃　the　other　conceded；　running　a　critical　eye　over　his　brother。　〃So。　How　do　you　feel？〃
　〃From　the　surgery；　fine。　From　Almo's　little　talk；　like　someone　just　threw　an　oversized　gantua　at　me。　Accurately。〃
　Joshua　nodded　his　miseration。　〃I　know　how　you　feel。　So　。。。　what　do　you　think？〃
　〃Sounds　like　something　I'd　really　like　to　do…　or　it　did　before　Almo　went　into　an　amazingly　deep　discourage　mode。　I　gather　you　also　have　reservations？〃
　Joshua　frowned。　〃Not　especially；　aside　from　the　obvious　aversions　to　getting　myself　killed。　Who　said　I　did？〃
　〃Almo　implied　someone　was　having　problems　with　the　plan。〃
　Joshua's　frown　became　a　pained　grimace。　〃Probably　referring　to　Mom。〃
　〃Mom。〃　Justin　ground　his　left　fist　hard　into　his　right　palm　with　chagrin　at　having　forgotten　all　about　her　in　the　excitement…and　an　instant　later　the　stab　of　pain　from　both　knuckles　and　palm　reminded　him　that；　even　with　the　limitations　imposed　on　it　by　the　neckwrap　puter；　his　new　strength…enhancing　servo　network　wasn't　something　he　could　afford　to　ignore。　Fortunately；　the　skeletal　laminae　had　made　his　bones　virtually　unbreakable；　which　meant　that　this　time　he'd　get　away　with　only　bruises。　On　his　pride；　as　well　as　on　his　skin。　〃Grumfick　it；　I　didn't　even　think　of　what　this　would　do　to　her；〃　he　admitted　to　Joshua。　〃She　been　told　yet？〃
　〃Oh；　yeah…and　believe　me；　you　were　having　lots　more　fun　in　surgery。〃　Joshua　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　know。　Maybe　we　ought　to　pass　this　up。〃
　〃What　did　she　say？〃
　〃About　what　you'd　expect；〃　the　other　sighed。　〃Dead　set　against　it　emotionally；　only　marginally　more　for　it　intellectually；　and　feeling　generally　betrayed　that　Corwin　would　even　suggest　such　a　thing。　We　tried　to　convince　her　that　you　were　getting　off　easier　than　if
　you'd　been　assigned　to　Caelian；　or　even　to　the　spine　leopard　extermination　squads；　but　I　don't　think　she　believed　us。〃
　〃Almo　doesn't　believe　that；〃　Justin　pointed　out　dryly。　〃Why　should　she？〃
　Joshua　waved　a　hand　in　futility。　〃I　didn't　invent　the　art　of　wishful　thinking；　I　just　market　it　locally。〃
　〃Yeah。〃　Justin　found　a　vacant　corner　to　stare　at　for　a　moment；　then　returned　his　gaze　to　this　brother。　〃So　you　really　think　we　should　pass　this　up？〃
　〃To　be　brutally　honest；　no。〃　Joshua　began　ticking　off　fingers。　〃Corwin's　basic　idea　sounds　good；　and　it's　obvious　we're　the　only　two　in　the　Worlds　who　could　pull　it　off。　We're　likely　to　also　be　the　only　ones　aboard　who　share　Dad's　view　that　hiring　ourselves　out　is　a　dangerous　precedent。　And　finally…〃　He　grinned　suddenly；　shyly。　〃Heck；　Justin；　you　felt　it　in　school；　too。　We're　Moreaus…sons　of　the　Cobra；　Troft　War　veteran；　governor　emeritus；　original　Aventinian　pioneer　Jonny　Moreau　himself。　People　expect　something　great　from　us。〃
　〃That's　a　pretty　blithering　reason　to　do　something。〃
　〃By　itself；　sure。　But　bined　with　reason　number　two；　it　means　our　report　and　remendations　will　carry　a　hefty　bit　of　inertia　when　we　get　back　from　Qasama　。。。　and　given　the　current　Council　leaning；　Dad　may　need　that　extra　bit　of　weight　to　keep　them　from　doing　anything　stupid。〃
　And　on　the　other　hand；　Justin　thought　grimly；　is　what　it'll　do　to　Mom。　Your　basic　no…win　situation。　But　Joshua　was　right　。。。　and　if　there　was　one　thing　they'd　learned　from　both　parents；　it　was　that　personal　fort　and　preference　were　never　to　stand　in　the　way　of　service　to　the　whole。　〃All　right；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃If　you're　game；　so　am　I。　〃Gantuas；　hell：　charge！〃　and　all　that。〃
　〃Okay。〃　Joshua　stood　up。　〃Well；　then；　we'd　better　get　to　it。　Almo's　got　some　serious　sweat　waiting　for
　you；　I　don't　doubt；　and　I've　got　a　couple　of　surgeons　down　the　hall　warming　up　an　operating　table　for
　me。
　〃Surgeons？〃　Justin　frowned；　getting…carefully…to　his　feet。　〃What　do　they　want　you　for？〃
　Joshua　winked　slyly。　〃You'll　find　out。　For　now；　suffice　it　to　say　that　it's　something　that'll　let　you　be　the　best　me　possible　when　we　get　to　Qasama。〃
　〃The　best　what？　e　on；　Joshua…〃
　〃See　you　in　a　couple　of　months；〃　Joshua　grinned　and　slipped　out　the　door。
　You　and　your　stupid　guessing　games；　Justin　thought　after　him；　and　for　a　moment　considered　chasing　him　down　and　badgering　whatever　this　was　out　of　him。　But　Almo　was　waiting　across　the　hall；　and　we're　not　16　years　old　anymore；　he　reminded　himself。　Squaring　his　shoulders；　he　headed　out　to　confront　his　new　tutor。
　Telephone　screens　had　never　in　their　long　history　e　anywhere　near　the　fine…detail　resolution　even　the　simplest　puter　displays　required。　It　was　a　failing　deliberately　built　in；　Jonny　had　once　heard；　not　for　financial　reasons　but　psychosocial　ones。　Wrinkles；　worry　lines；　minor　emotional　perturbations…all　were　edited　out；　to　the　point　that　if　the　picture　on　the　screen　was　happy；　sad；　or　angry；　it　could　be　safely　assumed　the　person　himself　was　deep　into　the　corresponding　state。
　It　was　a　shock；　therefore；　to　see　how　utterly　tired　Corwin　appeared。
　〃As　of　ten　minutes　ago　we　were　back　to　deadlock；　Dad；〃　his　eldest　son　told　him；　shaking　his　head。　〃Of　course；　the　Tlossies　are　really　bargaining　for　the　Baliu　demesne；　and　Speaker　One　has　only　limited　flexibility　to　work　with。　Expecially　on　the　survey　mission　budget。　Every　time　we　try　to　add　something　he　has　to　take　something　else　away。　Or　so　he　claims。〃
　Jonny　glanced　over　the　screen。　Chrys；　seated　at　the　dining　room　table；　was　pretending　to