hh.thessrat.sings.the.blues-第34部分

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g　my　hands　together　with　indecision。　Then　stopped　and　looked　at　them　as　though　I　might　see　some　answer　printed　on　my　fingers。　All　I　saw　was　dirt　under　the　nails。
　〃You　have　got　to　do　it　sooner　or　later…so　do　it　sooner　before　your　nerve　fails　pletely；〃　I　told　myself。　Reached　out　a　finger…drew　it　away。　It　looked　like　my　nerve　had　indeed　failed　me　pletely。
　〃Take　yourself　in　hand；　Jim！〃　I　ordered。　Reached　back　and　took　a　handful　of　collar　and　shook　myself　as　violently　as　I　could。
　It　was　no　help　at　all。　Random　choice　then？　Why　not；　just　as　good　as　guessing。　I　put　the　finger　out　again　and　promised　myself　that　I　would　push　down　on　whatever　color　was　under　the　finger　when　the　jingle　ended。
　〃Eeeny；　meeny；　miney；　shmoe；　catch　a　。　。　。〃
　I　never　found　out　what　I　was　going　to　catch　because　at　that　moment　I　heard　the　dragging　footsteps　ing　from　the　hall。
　Sound？
　Out　there　where　nothing　moved！
　I　jumped　about；　hands　raised　in　defense。　Lowered　them　and　waited　as　the　footsteps　grew　louder；　came　closer　and　closer　to　the　doorway　。　。　。
　Slipped　past　Floyd's　immobile　body。
　〃Aliens！　Monsters！〃　I　gasped；　pulling　back。　Trying　to　run　although　I　knew　there　was　no　place　to　go。
　Two　hideous　metal　creatures。　Bifurcated　limbs；　many…angled　skulls；　glowing　eyes；　claw…fingered　hands。　ing　towards　me。　Stopping。　Reaching　out
　No！　Reaching　up　to　twist　their　own　heads　off。　I　could　hear　a　gurgling　scream；　was　only　dimly　aware　that　it　was　my　own　voice。
　Twisted　and　turned　and　lifted…
　Lifted　off　the　helmets。　Two　very　human　faces　looked　at　me　with　a　good　deal　of　interest。　I　stared　back　with　the　same　emotion。　Realized　that；　despite　the　close…cropped　hair；　the　one　on　the　left　was　female。　She　smiled　at　me　and　spoke。
　〃Wes　hal；　eltheodige；　ac　hwca　bith　thes　thin　freond？〃
　I　blinked；　didn't　understand　a　word。　Shrugged　and　smiled　in　what　I　hoped　was　a　winning　way。　The　second　visitor　shook　his　head。
　〃Unrihte　tide；　unrihte　elde；　to　earlz'ch　eart　thu　re！〃
　〃Look；〃　I　said；　having　enough　of　this　and　very　much　needing　a　few　questions　answered。　〃Could　you　please　try　Esperanto？　That　good；　old；　simple　intergalactic　second　language　Esperanto。〃
　〃Certainly；〃　the　girl　said；　smiling　a　winning　and　white…toothed　smile。　〃My　name　is　Vesta　Timetinker。　My　panion　is　Othred　Timetinker。〃
　〃Married？〃　I　asked　for　some　inprehensible　reason。
　〃No；　stepsiblings。　And　you…you　have　a　name？〃
　〃Yes；　of　course。　James　diGriz。　But　everyone　calls　me　Jim。〃
　〃A　pleasure　to　meet　you；　Jim。　Our　thanks　for　activating　the　temporooter。　We'll　take　it　off　your　hands　now。〃
　She　started　towards　the　artifact…which　I　now　knew　was　a　temporooter。　Though　I　still　knew　little　else。　I　stepped　in　front　of　it　and　said：
　〃No。〃
　〃No？〃　Her　rather　attractive　forehead　furrowed　while　Othred's　face　suddenly　looked　grim。　I　turned　a　bit　so　I　could　keep　an　active　eye　on　him。
　〃If　no　is　too　abrupt；〃　I　said；　〃then　I　will　ameliorate　it　and　say　hold　on　just　a　moment　if　you　please。　Didn't　you　just　thank　me　for　finding　this　thing？〃
　〃I　did。〃
　〃Finding　means　that　it　has　been　lost。　And　has　now　been　recovered　because　of　my　intervention。　In　return　for　this　favor　I　believe　you　owe　me　at　least　an　explanation。〃
　〃We're　dreadfully　sorry。　But　it　is　strictly　forbidden　to　pass　on　information　to　temporal　aborigines。〃
　Not　too　flattering；　I　thought。　But　I　was　thick…skinned　enough　to　take　it。　〃Look；〃　I　carefully　explained。　〃This　is　one　aborigine　who　already　knows　a　good　deal　about　what　is　happening。　I　now　have　in　my　possession　your　temporooter；　a　device　that　has　been　constructed　for　burrowing　through　time。　It　seems　that　you　or　your　associates　not　only　lost　control　of　the　device　but　actually　lost　it　in　time　and　space。　This　is　very　worrying　because　you　are　forbidden　to　reveal　your　operations　to　people　living　along　the　time　tracks　you　explore。〃
　〃How…how　do　you　know　this？〃　she　asked。　Well　done；　Jim。　They　may　be　long　on　linguistics　but　are　certainly　short　on　extrapolation　and　imagination。　Keep　going。
　〃At　first；　when　we　aborigines　discovered　the　device；　we　thought　it　was　an　alien　construction　from　the　far　past；　built　by　longlost；　millennia…dead　aliens。　Of　course　the　real　explanation　is　much　simpler。　It　was　sent　from　the　future　and　through　a　malfunction　got　out　of　control。〃　Now　I　was　just　guessing…but　their　shocked　expressions　meant　I　was　still　doing　well。
　〃Got　so　far　out　of　control　that　it　just　kept　going　back　in　time　until　it　ran　out　of　power。　Without　power　you　could　not　locate　it。　You　thought　it　might　have　been　destroyed。　Which　is　why　there　was　such　consternation　when　it　signaled　its　presence。　And　you　two　were　sent　to　retrieve　it。〃
　〃You…you　read　minds？〃　She　spoke　in　a　hushed　voice。　I　nodded　firmly。
　〃The　science　of　mental　telepathy　is　well　advanced　in　this　era。　Though　it　is　obvious　that　all　knowledge　of　our　abilities　has　been　expunged　from　your　records　in　the　future。　But　I　will　cease　my　mind　reading　now。　I　know　how　embarrassing　it　is　to　have　one's　secret　thoughts　revealed　to　strangers。〃　I　turned　away；　pinched　my　forehead；　turned　back。　〃I　have　stopped　the　function。　We　now　municate　by　words。〃
　They　looked　at　each　other；　still　dazed。
　〃Speak；　please；　for　now　I　do　not　know　what　you　are　thinking。　Only　by　speech　can　we　understand　each　other's　thoughts。〃
　〃Knowledge　of　time　travel　is　forbidden；〃　Othred　said。
　〃That's　not　my　fault…you're　the　ones　who　lost　the　thing。　You　must　understand　that　now　I　know　all　about　it…as　do　all　of　my　brothers　in　telepathekinesis　who　have　been　listening　to　my　thoughts。　But　we　are　sworn　to　silence！　If　you　wish　your　secret　to　remain　a　secret　it　will　be　secret。　But　you　must　aid　us　in　keeping　this　secret　secret。　Look　about　you。　See　this　ugly…looking　type　in　the　horned　helmet？　He　is　just　about　to　kill　me。　And　when　you　entered　you　probably　stepped　over　the　wreckage　of　a　very　armed　and　deadly　machine…you　did？；　nod　yes…good。　That　thing　was　going　to　kill　me　and　my　friend；　but　he　got　it　first。　So　just　turning　off　the　temporooter　and　skedaddling　is　out　of　the　question。　You　will　leave　behind　a　deadly　and　destructive　situation。〃
　〃What　must　we　do？〃　Vesta　asked。　Palm　of　my　hand。
　〃First　you　will　help　me　by　permitting　myself　and　my　associates　to　escape　before　the　time　stasis　has　been　turned　off。〃
　〃That　should　be　possible；〃　Othred　said。
　〃Then　that's　agreed。　Secondly　I　will　need　another　temporooter　to　take　back　with　me　。　。　。〃
　〃Forbidden！　Impossible！〃
　〃Hear　me　out；　will　you　please。　Another　temporooter　to　take　back　that　does　not　function。　A　realistic　fake　that　will　disguise　the　fact　that　you　and　your　machine　have　been　here。　Catch　on？〃
　〃No。〃
　They　sure　bred　them　dumb　in　the　future。　Or　without　imagination　or　whatever。　I　took　a　deep　breath。
　〃Look。　I　want　you　to　remember　that　all　the　scientists　here；　in　this　time；　know　that　there　is　a　device　of　some　kind　that　looks　like　your　temporooter。　Only　they　think　that　it　is　an　alien　artifact　from　the　far　past。　Let　us　convince　them　that　their　assumption　is　true。　If　we　do　that；　why　no　one　will　ever　know　about　you　and　your　lost　equipment。　Just　have　your　technicians　get　some　million…year…old　rock　and　carve　out　something　that　looks　like　this。　We'll　pass　it　off　as　the　original；　the　secret　will　be　kept；　honor　satisfied；　all's　well　that　ends　well。〃
　〃Excellent　idea；〃　Vesta　said；　and　pulled　a　microphone　from　her　armored　suit。　〃I'll　have　one　constructed　now。　It　will　be　here　in　a　second　or　two…〃
　〃Wait。　I　have　another　small　favor　to　ask。　I　will　need　certain　functions　built　into　the　duplicate　to　convince　our　scientists　that　it　is　not　a　dummy。　Just　a　simple　device　that　will　destruct　after　a　single　operation。　This　will　pose　absolutely　no　difficulties　for　your　techs；　I　am　sure。〃
　It　took　me　a　bit　longer　to　convince　them　of　this　necessity；　but　in　the　end　they　reluctantly　agreed。　The　duplicate　was　an　exact　physical　duplicate　of　the　original。　It　blinked　into　existence　floating　in　the　air　before　us。　Othred　reached　up　and　tugged；　there　was　a　popping　sound　as　he　pulled　it　down　and　handed　it　to　me。
　〃Wonderful；〃　I　said；　tucking　it　under　my　arm。　〃Shall　we　go？〃　They　nodded　agreement　and　put　their　helmets　back　on。
　I　had　my　temporal　panions　first　release　the　stasis　field　on　Floyd's　hand　so　I　could　disarm　him。　Like　our　mutual　enemy　his　finger　was　also　tightening　on　the　trigger。　What　a　world　of　nascent　danger　〃=e　do　live　in！　I　tucked　the　gun　into　my　belt　and　nodded　to　the　tempotechs。
　Give　Floyd　that…his　reflexes　were　great。　He　was　twisting　and　chopping　towards　Othred's　neck　the　second　he　moved　…　stopped　when　I　called　a　halt。
　〃Friends；　Floyd；　Down　boy！　Ugly…looking　monster　friends　who　are　getting　us　out　of　here。　If　you　look　around　you；　you　will　see　that　all　our　enemies　are　paralyzed　with　indecision…and　will　stay　that　way　until　we　are　gone。　Don't　trip　over　the　pieces　of　the　Killerbot　on　the　way　out。　And；　Vesta；　if　you　please。　Tap　that　fake　ball　of　fur　with　your　magic　wand　so　it　can　join　us。〃
　〃What　the　hell　is　going　on？〃　Floyd　said；　blinking　in　confusion　as　he　tried　to　understand　what　was　happening。
　〃I　feel　that　some　explanation　is　in　order；〃　Aida　said；　and　Fido　barked　with　exasperation。
　〃Second　the　motion；〃　Floyd　said。
　〃Forthing。　As　soon　as　we　are　out　of　here。　Will　you　be　so　kind　as　to　lead　the　way　back　to　the　surface。〃
　I　turned　to　thank　my　temporal　saviors；　but　they　were　already　gone。　Not　only　short　on　imagination　but　bereft　of　manners　as　well。　And　when　they　had　vanished　they　had　taken　the　time　stasis　with　them；　I　could　hear　our　footsteps　for　the　first　time。　I　looked　back　with　a　sudden　feeling　of　horror　but；　right；　the　stasis　was　still　working　for　the　enemy　as　the　silent　form　of　the　gun…toting　snarling　mander　indicated。
　〃Time　to　leave；〃　I　said。　〃Since　I　have　no　idea　how　long　the　nasties　are　going　to　stand　around　that　way。　Go？〃
　〃Explain！〃　Floyd　shouted。　Not　in　the　best　of　moods。
　〃In　a　moment；〃　I　equivocated…and　stopped　dead。　For　I　had　suddenly　been　possessed　of　an　even　more　horrifying　idea。　All　this　playing　with　time…what　had　it　done　for　my　personal　poisonous　deadline！　I　groped　for　my　pendant　skull…puter　but　of　course　it　was　gone　with　the　rest　of　my　equipment。　How　much　time　had　passed？　Was　the　poison　now　taking　effect？　Was　I　about　to　die　。　。　。　？
　Sweating　and　trembling　I　dropped　the　replacement　artifact　temporooter