tz.cobra strike-第7部分

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　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　be　engrossed　in　the　collection　of　electronics　parts　she'd　spread　out　there；　but　he　knew　she　was　listening　to　the　conversation。　〃Maybe　I'd　better　e　back　down　there；　then；〃　he　told　Corwin。　〃See　if　I　can　help。〃
　〃Not　worth　it；〃　the　other　shook　his　head。　〃Governor　Telek's　bargaining　at　least　as　hard　as　you　could；　and　everyone's　keeping　out　of　each　other's　way　for　a　change。　Besides；　the　temp's　dropped　ten　degrees　since　sundown。〃
　Jonny　grimaced；　but　it　was　just　one　more　environmental　factor　he'd　had　to　learn　to　live　with。　Capitalia　was　in　the　middle　of　the　first　cold　snap　of　autumn；　and　moving　in　and　out　of　heated　buildings　was　more　than　his　arthritic　joints　could　stand。　The　only　alternatives　to　hiding　indoors　were　heated　suits　or　extra　pain　medication；　neither　of　which　expecially　appealed　to　him。　〃All　right；〃　he　told　his　son。　〃But　if　you　guys　don't　break　for　the　evening　soon；　call　me　back　and　I'll　relieve　you。　You　look　beat。〃
　〃I'll　be　all　right。　The　main　reason　I　called　was　to　check　a　couple　of　things　on　this　parallel　survey　mission　request　you　put　in。　How　much　of　that　are　you　willing　for　the　Worlds　to　finance？〃
　〃Not　a　single　quarter；〃　Jonny　told　him　flatly。　〃At　the　bottom　line　this　is　a　trade　deal；　Corwin；　and　no　one　trades　for　merchandise　he　hasn't　even　seen；　let　alone　inspected。　Of　course；　since　it's　the　Pua　demesne　that's　actually　offering　the　five　planets；　you　can　probably　insist　the　Speaker　charge　them　the　survey　costs。　All　that'll　ultimately　do　is　throw　the　issue　back　to　Pua　and　Baliu　to　work　out　between　themselves；　but　at　least　it　should　get　it　out　of　our　hair。〃
　〃Yeah。〃　Corwin　shook　his　head　in　bemusement；　〃Hard　to　believe　this　collection　of　business　cutthroats　actually　got　together　long　enough　to　fight　a　war。〃
　〃They　did。　Believe　me；　they　did。　And　there's　nothing　that　says　they　couldn't　do　it　again。〃
　〃Point　taken。　Well　。　。　。　are　you　willing　for　us　to　use
　the　Menssana　for　the　survey　mission　if　the　Trofts…　whichever　Trofts…pay　alt　the　other　expenses？〃
　Jonny　bit　at　his　lip。　〃I'd　rather　they　provide　the　ship；　too。　But　okay…if　you　have　to　fall　back　to　that　position；　go　ahead　and　do　so。　They　pay　for　the　fuel；　though。〃
　〃Okay。　Actually；　I'll　probably　wind　up　holding　that　option　against　something　the　Qasama　mission　needs。　Talk　to　you　later。〃
　They　signed　off；　and　for　a　moment　Jonny　gazed　at　the　screen　as　he　tried　to　visualize　all　the　various　lines　the　negotiations　could　move　along。　But　it　was　too　much　like　an　oversized　game　of　trisec　chess；　with　just　too　many　possibilities　to　hang　onto　simultaneously。　Getting　to　his　feet…an　easy　enough　operation　in　the　overheated　room…he　went　over　to　the　table　and　sat　down　next　to　Chrys。　〃How's　it　ing？〃　he　asked；　eyeing　the　mass　of　wires；　micro…ponents；　and　centipeds　set　into　her　circuit　board。
　〃Slow；〃　she　said；　fiddling　with　the　controls　on　her　diagnostic　display。　〃I'm　beginning　to　see　why　everyone　prefers　buying　finished　Troft　electronics　to　just　getting　the　ponents　and　building　things　themselves。　These　centipeds　in　particular　have　a　lot　of　odd　and　not　entirely　obvious　response　characteristics　outside　their　quote　normal　unquote　usage　range。〃
　〃You'll　figure　it　all　out；〃　Jonny　assured　her。　〃You　were　once　the　best　electronics　tech　in…〃
　〃In　Ariel？〃　She　snorted。　〃Thanks　a　spangle。　There　were　only　two　of　us　there…I　had　to　be　best　or　runner…up。〃
　〃Best；　definitely；〃　Jonny　said　firmly。　A　touch　of　the　old　Chrys；　the　sense　of　humor　that　had　been　so　muted　lately　。。。　perhaps　she　was　finally　getting　a　grip　on　the　turmoil　of　the　past　few　weeks。
　Or　perhaps　she　was　simply　retreating　into　her　own　past。　It　had　been　years　since　she'd　done　anything　serious　with　her　electronics　training。
　〃You　realize；　of　course；〃　she　cut　quietly　into　his　thoughts；　〃that　if　you　let　the　Menssana　go　on　this　survey　mission；　there'll　be　no　backup　ship　available　if　the　Dewdrop　gets　in　trouble　on　Qasama。〃
　Jonny　shook　his　head。　〃We　weren't　going　to　use　the　Menssana　for　that　anyway。　There'll　be　one　or　more　Troft　warships　hanging　back　from　Qasama　in　case　some　extra　muscle　is　needed。〃
　〃I　thought　the　Trofts　didn't　want　to　fight　the　Qasamans。〃
　〃If　the　mission　has　any　trouble；　they'll　damn　well　have　to；〃　Jonny　said　grimly。　〃But　they　shouldn't　have　any　real　qualms…a　local　mando…type　strike　is　hardly　the　same　as　mitting　to　a　full…scale　war。〃
　〃Besides　which；　they'll　want　to　protect　their　investment？〃
　〃Now　you're　thinking　like　a　Troft。〃　Reaching　over；　he　put　an　arm　around　her　shoulders。　〃Just　remember；　Chrys；〃　he　added　more　seriously；　〃that　the　Baliuies　had　to　have　gotten　at　least　one　diplomatic　team　into　and　out　of　Qasama　safely　to　have　anything　like　the　data　we　know　they　have。　The　third…level　translator　program　they'll　be　giving　us　shows　that　much。　Joshua　and　Justin　will　be　all　right。　Really。〃
　〃I'd　like　to　believe　that；〃　Chrys　sighed。　〃But　you　know　it's　a　mother's　prerogative　to　worry。〃
　〃I　seem　to　remember　that　being　a　wife's　prerogative　thirty　years　ago。〃
　〃Things　change。〃　Chrys　toyed　with　a　hex…shaped　centiped。　〃Always　do。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Jonny　agreed。　〃And　not　always　for　the　better。　I　seem　to　also　remember　a　time　when　the　two　of　us　went　on　trips　together…just　the　two　of　us；　with　no　kids　along。　What　would　you　say　to　seeing　if　we　can　bring　back　those　days？〃
　Chrys　snorted　faintly。　〃You　think　the　Council　could　function　without　you　that　long？〃
　He　winced　at　the　implied　criticism。　〃Sure　they　can；〃　he　said；　choosing　to　take　the　question　at　face　value。　〃Corwin　knows　the　ropes　well　enough；　and
　nothing　important's　likely　to　happen　while　the　Qasama　mission's　gone；　anyway。　Perfect　time　for　a　vacation。〃
　〃Wait　a　second。〃　She　turned　a　frown　his　direction。　〃Are　you　talking　about　a　vacation　while　your　sons　are　out　there　in　who　knows　what　kind　of　danger？〃
　〃Why　not？〃　he　asked。　〃Seriously。　There's　not　a　single　thing　we　can　do　for　them　from　here；　even　if　we　knew　something　had　gone　wrong；　which　we　won't…　sending　shuttles　back　and　forth　has　already　been　rejected　as　too　possibly　provocative。　Giving　your　mind　something　besides　worry　to　occupy　it　would　be　good　for　you。〃
　She　gestured　minutely　at　the　electronics　in　front　of　her。　〃If　this　can't　keep　my　mind　busy；　I　doubt　a　vacation　will。〃
　〃That's　only　because　you　don't　know　the　kind　of　vacation　I　have　in　mind；〃　he　told　her；　mentally　crossing　his　fingers。　If　he　presented　this　right　she　might　just　go　for　it　。。。　and　he　knew　with　a　solid　conviction　that　it　was　something　they　both　needed。　〃I　was　thinking　of　a　leisurely　cruise　sort　of　thing；　with　stops　at　various　points　for　relaxing　strolls　through　forests　and　grasslands；　or　maybe　a　swim　through　warm　waters。　panionship　with　others　when　we　want　it；　privacy　when　we　want　that；　and　all　the　forts　of　home。　How's　it　sound？〃
　Chrys　smiled。　〃Like　the　coastline　cruises　they　used　to　advertise　when　I　was　a　child。　Don't　tell　me　some　enterprising　soul's　bought　a　deep…sea　liner　from　the　Trofts？〃
　〃Ah…not　exactly。　Would　it　help　if　I　told　you　the　cruise　itinerary　includes　five　planets？〃
　〃Five　pi…　Jonny！〃　Chrys's　eyes　widened　with　shock。　〃You　don't　mean…the　survey　mission？〃
　〃Sure…and　why　not？〃
　〃What　do　you　m