hh.thessrat.sings.the.blues-第15部分

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hey　came　to　the　city　to　trade。　So　they　must　have　e　this　way；　possibly　made　this　track　that　we　are　following。〃
　Madonette　nodded　agreement…and　didn't　like　it。　〃And　they　were　all　men；　I　remember　that　all　too　clearly。　Unclean　indeed！　No　women　allowed。　Or　if　the　women　did　e　this　way　they　would　have　to　have　walked　over　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall。　What　do　you　want　us　to　do；　Jim？〃
　〃What　do　we　want　to　do？　As　I　said…it's　time　for　a　decision。　Do　we　all　stick　together　and　ignore　the　obvious　instructions？　That's　the　first　question　that　we　have　to　answer。〃
　〃Do　that　and　I'll　bet　that　eventually　we　get　into　some　kind　of　trouble；〃　she　said。　〃A　lot　of　serious　work　went　into　this　wall。　So　if　we　don't　read　the　message　something　not　too　nice　is　guaranteed　to　happen。　It　always　does　on　this　world。　The　choice　is　mine。　I'll　cross　over　and　trot　down　the　other　side…〃
　〃No；〃　I　broke　in。　〃As　we　go　along　the　wall　gets　higher　and　we'll　be　separated；　out　of　contact。　That　won't　do。〃
　〃Well　I'm　not　staying　here…and　I　can't　go　back。　So　we　need　contact；　what　you　just　said。　Kindly　clack　your　jaw…a…phone　and　get　onto　Tremearne。　Tell　him　to　get　some　radios　down　here　that　we　can　use　to　keep　in　touch。　If　we　are　going　to　plete　this　assignment　the　right　way；　we　will　have　to　know　what　is　going　on　on　both　sides　of　the　wall。　And　I'm　the　only　one　who　can　find　out　what　happens…here。〃
　She　picked　up　her　pack　and　planted　her　bottom　on　the　wall；　swung　her　legs　up　and　over　and　smiled　at　us　from　the　other　side。　I　didn't　like　it。
　〃It's　not　a　matter　of　liking　or　not　liking　it；〃　she　said　reading　my　doubts　from　my　expression。　〃It　is　just　the　only　way　that　we　can　get　the　job　done。　Get　the　radios。　Don't　forget　that　Tremearne　will　always　be　listening　in　and　can　send　the　marines　if　any　of　us　gets　into　trouble。　Call　him。〃
　〃I　will。　But　let　us　make　sure　they　are　the　right　kind　of　radios　before　we　put　in　the　order。　Line　of　sight　is　going　to　be　out　with　the　wall　standing　in　the　way　and　blocking　the　signal。　Plus…who　knows　hour　thick　the　thing　is　going　to　be？　It　could　soak　up　all　the　radio　frequencies　and　that　would　be　the　end　of　that。　Anyone　know　of　a　kind　of　radio　that　shoots　a　signal　through　rocks？〃
　I　was　speaking　my　thoughts　aloud；　half　in　jest。　So　was　more　than　a　little　surprised　when　a　voice　behind　me　said；　〃Yes。〃
　I　spun　about　and　glared　at　Steengo　who　was　buffing　his　fingernails　on　his　shirt；　then　admiring　his　image　in　their　shining　surfaces。
　〃You　said　that？〃　I　accused。　He　nodded　sagely。　〃Why？〃
　〃Why　is　a　good　question。　The　answer　is　that　although　I　stand　before　you；　an　aging　amateur　musician　drawn　from　retirement　to　risk　his　life　for　the　public　good；　it　should　not　be　forgotten　that　I　worked　for　many　a　decade　in　the　cause　of　that　same　public　good。　League　munications。　Where　I　helped　develop　a　neat　little　device　referred　to　as　MIPSC。〃
　〃Mipsic？〃　I　echoed　inanely。
　〃Close　enough；　my　good　friend　Jim。　MIPSC　is　the　acronym　of　Miniaturized　Personal　Satellite　municator。　I　suggest　that　you　clamp　your　jaw　and　order　up　a　brace　of　them。　Although　four　would　be　better…that　way　we　could　all　keep　in　touch　at　all　times。　And　remind　Tremearne　to　put　a　msatellite　into　orbit　as　well。　Geostationary　over　the　city　of　Paradise。〃
　〃MIPSCs　are　not　only　highly　secret　but　incredibly　expensive；〃
　Tremearne　said　when　I　contacted　him。
　〃Just　like　this　little　task　force。　Can　you　do　it？〃
　〃Of　course。　They're　on　the　way。〃
　A　half　an　hour　later　a　small　package　drifted　down　from　the　sky　hanging　from　a　gray…lifter…which　zipped　up　and　vanished　as　soon　as　the　package　had　been　removed。　I　popped　the　end　open　and　shook　out　a　handful　of　false　fingernails。　I　popped　my　eyes　at　these…then　remembered　how　Steengo　had　been　buffing　his　own　fingernails　when　he　told　me　about　MIPSC。
　〃Tricky；〃　I　said。
　〃High　tech　and　perfect　concealment；〃　he　said。　〃There　should　be　glue　in　the　package。　They　e　in　pairs。　The　one　marked　E　goes　onto　the　index　finger；　left　hand。　M　glued　to　the　pinkie　of　the　same　hand。　Inside　the　nails　are　holographed　circuitry　so　they　can　be　trimmed　as　small　as　needed　to　fit。　Without　damaging　the　circuits　in　any　way。〃
　〃E？　M？〃　Floyd　asked。
　〃Earplugs　and　microphone。〃
　〃Then　what？〃　I　asked；　almost　humbly；　dazed　by　the　sudden　appearance　of　a　munications　wizard　in　our　midst。
　〃They　are　powered　by　the　destruction　of　the　phagocytes　that　e　to　eat　them　where　they　touch　the　cuticle。　Which　means　that　the　power　is　always　on。　Anytime　you　are　outside　or　in　a　building　with　thin　floors…your　signal　zips　up　to　the　satellite　and　back　down　to　the　other　receiver。　Simple。　Just　put　your　index　finger　into　your　ear　and　talk　into　the　microphone　on　your　pinkie。〃
　I　measured　a　pair；　trimmed　and　glued　with；　I　must　admit；　a　certain　amount　of　trepidation。　Stuck　my　finger　into　my　ear　and　said；　〃I　hope　it　works。〃
　〃Of　course　it　does；〃　Tremearne　said；　speaking　through　my　fingernail　instead　of　my　jaw　for　a　change。
　While　we　had　been　installing　the　MIPSCs　we　had　been　going　over　and　over　all　of　the　possibilities；　had　returned　always　to　the　only　viable　plan。
　〃Let's　do　it；〃　Madonette　said；　admiring　her　new　municating　fingernails。　She　put　on　her　pack；　shrugged　it　into　fortable　position；　then　turned　and　walked　off　on　her　side　of　the　barrier。　With　each　step　the　wall　grew　higher；　until；　very　quickly；　it　was　as　high　as　her　head；　then　higher。　After　a　last　wave　of　her　hand　she　vanished　from　sight。
　〃Keep　in　touch；〃　I　said　into　my　pinkie。　〃Regular　reports　and　sing　out　if　you　see　anything…anything　at　all。〃
　〃Just　as　you　say；　boss。〃
　We　slipped　on　our　packs　and　started　walking。　By　the　time　an　hour　had　passed　the　wall　was　high　and　unscalable。　Though　I　stayed　in　radio　contact　with　her；　Madonette　was　now　pletely　alone。　I　kept　telling　myself　that　armed　help　could　zip　down　from　the　orbiting　spacer　if　needed。　This　did　not　make　me　feel　much　better。
　〃First　tilled　fields　ing　up；〃　Floyd　said。　〃And　more　than　that；　That　dust　cloud　next　to　the　wall…it's　ing　our　way。〃
　〃Weapons　ready…and　I　have　some　concussion　grenades　handy　if　things　get　hairy。〃
　We　stopped　and　waited　and　watched。　In　the　distance　it　looked　like　a　horse　that　was　trotting　towards　us。
　〃Horse…but　no　rider；〃　I　said。
　Steengo　had　the　keener　vision。　〃Looks　like　no　horse　I　ever　saw　before。　Not　one　with　six　legs。〃
　It　slowed　to　a　stop　and　looked　at　us。　We　returned　the　favor。　A　robot；　metal。　Jointed　legs　and　in　the　front　a　pair　of　tentacle…like　arms　to　boot。　No　head　to　speak　of；　just　a　couple　of　eyes　that　rose　up　on　a　stalk。　A　loudspeaker　between　its　arms　rustled　and　squawked　metallically。
　〃Bonan　tagon…kaj　bonvenu　al　Paradizo。〃
　〃And　a　good　day　to　you　as　well；〃　I　said。　〃My　name　is　Jim。〃
　〃A　masculine　surname；　most　agreeable。　I　am　called　Hingst　and　it　is　my　pleasure　to　greet　you…〃
　The　creature's　words　were　drowned　out　by　a　throbbing　roar　and　a　cloud　of　black　smoke　emerged　from　its　rear。　We　stepped　back；　weapons　ready。　Hingst's　flexible　arms　lifted　straight　up。
　〃I　wish　you　only　peace；　oh　strangers。　You　would　not　know　it；　since　you　are　untutored　in　science；　but　the　sound　and　fumes　are　merely　the　exhaust　of　my　alcohol　engine。　Which　is　rapidly　turning　a　generator　which　in　turn　。　。　。〃
　〃Charges　up　your　batteries。　We　know　a　thing　or　two　as　well；　Hingst；　greeter　of　strangers　to　Paradise；　and　we　are　not　your　usual　goaty　nomads。〃
　〃Now　that　is　a　pleasure　to　hear；　visiting　gentlemen。　Before　my　operating　system　was　bolted　into　this　rather　crude　construction　I　was　a　class　A42　headwaiterbot　and　worked　at　only　the　most　excellent　restaurants　。　。　。〃
　〃Another　time；〃　I　said。　〃I　would　enjoy　your　reminiscences。　We　have　a　few　questions…〃
　〃And　I　am　sure　I　have　a　few　answers；〃　it　said　with　surly　overtones。　〃But　there　are　preliminaries　to　go　through。〃　It　had　strolled　a　few　paces　forward　as　it　talked　and　now；　like　a　striking　snake；　one　of　its　tentacles　lashed　at　me。　I　jumped　back；　lifted　my　sword…but　not　before　the　cool　metal　tip　had　touched　my　lips　and　just　as　swiftly　been　withdrawn。
　〃Try　that　again　and　you'll　be　a　tentacle　short；〃　I　growled。
　〃Temper；　temper。　After　all　you　are　armed　strangers　and　I　am　simply　doing　my　duty。　Which　is　to　sample　your　saliva。　And　test　it；　which　I　have　done。　You　may　proceed；　Gentleman　Jim；　because　you　indeed　are　of　the　male　sex。　I　would　appreciate　samples　from　your　associates。〃
　〃As　long　as　it　is　just　spit　you　are　after；〃　Floyd　growled；　hands　joined　and　cupped　over　his　nether　regions。
　〃Oh；　I　do　appreciate　a　sense　of　humor；　stranger。〃　The　tentacle　took　its　sample　from　his　mouth。　〃Gentleman　stranger　I　can　now　say。　Final　traveler　if　you　please。　Lovely；　thank　you。　You　may　now　proceed。〃
　It　turned　away　and　I　jumped　in　front　of　it。
　〃A　moment　first；　Hingst　the　Official　Greeter。　A　few　questions　。　。　。〃
　〃Sorry。　I　am　not　programmed　for　that。　Kindly　step　aside；　Gentleman　Jim。〃
　〃Only　after　I　get　a　few　answers。〃
　When　I　didn't　move　the　other　tentacle　touched　my　arm　and　lightning　struck！
　I　was　lying　dizzily　on　the　ground　watching　it　trot　away。　〃Shocking；　isn't　it！〃　Hingst　called　back　smugly。　〃Big　batteries。
　Floyd　helped　me　to　my　feet　and　dusted　me　off。　〃So　good　so　far。〃
　〃Thanks。　But　you　aren't　the　one　who　was　short…circuited。〃
　I　reported　to　Madonette　as　we　went　on；　with　Tremearne　listening　in。　〃Applied　technology；〃　he　said。　〃Perhaps　this　lot　isn't　as　bad　as　the　rest　of　the　crumb…bums　on　this　planet。〃　Since　I　was　still　tingling；　and　had　a　burnt　taste　in　my　mouth；　I　sneered　in　silence　and　did　not　bother　to　answer。　Very　soon　after　that　Madonette　called　in　that　a　creature　like　the　one　we　had　described　was　ing　towards　her。　I　clutched　my　sword　in　helpless　anger；　relaxed　only　when　she　called　back。
　〃Just　like　you…only　with　a　different　name。　Hoppe。　As　soon　as　it　made　the　test　it　trotted　off。　What　now？〃
　〃We　go　on…and　you　take　a　break。　If　things　are　going　to　be　the　same；　or　similar；　on　both　sides　of　the　wall　we'll　find　out　first。〃
　〃Male　chauv　superiority？〃
　〃mon　sense。　We're　three　to　your　one。〃
　〃A　solid　argument…and　I　could　use　the　rest。　Keep　an　contact。　〃
　〃You've　got　it。　Here　we　go。〃
　The　path　had　widened　and　was　more　of　a　dirt　road　now。　We　passed　some　tilled　fields　and　came　to　a　large　grove　of　polpettone　trees。　Obviously　cultivated　since　they　were　planted　in　neat　rows。　Beyond　them　was　a　low　huddle　of　b