bill_the_galactic_hero_v1.1-第7章

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e　same　time　to　grab　the　end　of　his　necktie。　He　pulled；　and　his　collar　whirred　about；　and　as　it　did　the　blissful　expression　was　wiped　from　his　face　to　be　replaced　by　a　surly　snarl。　〃Just　where　do　you　think　you're　going；　bowb！　Put　your　ass　back　in　that　chair。〃
　　〃B…but；〃　Bill　stammered；　〃you　said　I　was　dismissed。〃
　　〃That's　what　the　chaplain　said；　and　as　laundry　officer　I　have　no　truck　with　him。　Now…fast…what's　the　name　of　this　Chinger　spy　you　are　hiding？〃
　　〃I　told　you　about　that　under　oath…〃
　　〃You　told　the　chaplain　about　it；　and　he　keeps　his　word　and　he　didn't　tell　me；　but　I　just　happened　to　hear。〃　He　pressed　a　red　button　on　the　control　panel。　〃The　MPs　are　on　the　way。　You　talk　before　they　get　here；　bowb；　or　I'll　have　you　keelhauled　without　a　space　suit　and　deprived　of　canteen　privileges　for　a　year。　The　name？〃
　　〃Eager　Beager；〃　Bill　sobbed；　as　heavy　feet　trampled　outside　and　two　redhats　forced　their　way　into　the　tiny　room。
　　〃I　have　a　spy　for　you　boys；〃　the　laundry　officer　announced　triumphantly；　and　the　MPs　grated　their　teeth；　howled　deep　in　their　throats；　and　launched　themselves　through　the　air　at　Bill。　He　dropped　under　the　assault　of　fists　and　clubs　and　was　running　with　blood　before　the　laundry　officer　could　pull　the　overmuscled　morons　with　their　eyes　not　an　inch　apart　off　him。　
　　〃Not　him　。　。　：'　the　officer　gasped；　and　threw　Bill　a　towel　to　wipe　off　some　of　the　blood。　〃This　is　our　informant；　the　loyal；　patriotic　hero　who　ratted　on　his　buddy　by　the　name　of　Eager　Beager；　who　we　will　now　grab　and　chain　so　he　car。　be　questioned。　Let's　go。〃
　　The　MPs　held　Bill　up　between　them；　and　by　the　time　they　had　e　to　the　fuse　tenders'　quarters　the　breeze　from　their　swift　passage　had　restored　him　a　bit。　The　laundry　officer　opened　the　door　just　enough　to　poke　in　his　head。　〃Hi；　gang！〃　he　called　cheerily。　〃Is　Eager　Beager　here？〃
　　Eager　looked　up　from　the　boot　he　was　polishing；　waving　and　grinning。　〃That's　me…gee。〃
　　〃Get　him！〃　the　laundry　officer　expostulated；　jumping　aside　and　pointing　accusingly。　Bill　dropped　to　the　floor　as　the　MPs　let　go　of　him　and　thundered　into　the　partment。　By　the　time　he　had　staggered　back　to　his　feet　Eager　was　pinioned；　handcuffed　and　chained；　hand　and　foot；　but　still　grinning。
　　〃Gee…you　guys　want　some　boots　polished　too？〃
　　〃No　backtalk；　you　dirty　spy；〃　the　laundry　officer　grated；　and　slapped　him　hard　in　the　offensive　grin。　At　least　he　tried　to　slap　him　in　the　offensive　grin；　but　Beager　opened　his　mouth　and　bit　the　hand　that　hit　him；　clamping　down　hard　so　that　the　officer　could　not　get　away。　〃He　bit　me！〃　the　man　howled；　and　tried　desperately　to　pull　free。　Both　MPs；　each　handcuffed　to　an　arm　of　the　prisoner；　raised　their　clubs　to　give　him　a　sound　battering。
　　At　this　moment　the　top　of　Eager　Beager's　head　flew　open。
　　Happening　at　any　other　time；　this　would　have　been　considered　unusual；　but　happening　at　this　moment　it　was　spectacularly　unusual；　and　they　all；　including　Bill；　gaped；　as　a　seven…inch…high　lizard　climbed　out　of　the　open　skull　and
jumped　to　the　floor　in　which　it　made　a　sizable　dent　upon　landing。　It　had　four　tiny　arms；　along　tail；　a　head　like　a　baby　alligator；　and　was　bright　green。　It　looked　exactly　like　a　Chinger　except　that　it　was　seven　inches　tall　instead　of　seven　feet。
　　〃All　bowby　humans　have　B。O。；〃　it　said；　in　a　thin　imitation　of　Eager　Beager's　voice。　〃Chingers　can't　sweat。　Chingers　forever！〃　It　charged　across　the　partment　toward　Beager's　bunk。
　　Paralysis　prevailed。　All　of　the　fuse　tenders　who　had　witnessed　the　impossible　events　stood　or　sat　as　they　had　been；　frozen　with　shock；　eyes　bulging　like　hard…boiled　eggs。　The　laundry　officer　was　pinioned　by　the　teeth　locked　into　his　hand；　while　the　two　MPs　struggled　with　the　handcuffs　that　held　them　to　the　immobile　body。　Only　Bill　was　free　to　move　and；　still　dizzy　from　the　beating；　he　bent　over　to　grab　the　tiny　creature。　Small　and　powerful　talons　locked　into　his　flesh；　and　he　was　pulled　from　his　feet　and　went　sailing　through　the　air　to　crash　against　a　bulkhead。　〃Gee…that's　for　you；　you　stoolie！〃　the　minuscule　voice　squeaked。
　　Before　anyone　else　could　interfere；　the　lizardoid　ran　to　Beager's　pile　of　barracks　bags　and　tore　the　topmost　one　open　and　dived　inside。　A　high…pitched　humming　grew　in　volume　an　instant　later；　and　from　the　bag　emerged　the　bulletlike　nose　of　a　shining　projectile。　It　pushed　out　until　a　tiny　spaceship　not　two　feet　long　floated　in　the　partment。　Then　it　rotated　about　its　vertical　axis；　stopping　when　it　pointed　at　the　bulkhead。　The　humming　rose　in　pitch；　and　the　ship　suddenly　shot　forward　and　tore　through　the　metal　of　the　partition　as　if　it　had　been　no　stronger　than　wet　cardboard。　There　were　other　distant　tearing…　sounds　as　it　penetrated　bulkhead　after　bulkhead　until；　with　a　rending　clang；　it　crashed　through　the　outer　skin　of　the　ship　and　escaped　into　space。　There　was　the　roar　of　air　rushing　into　the　void　and　the　clamor　of　alarm　bells。
　　〃Well　I'll　be　damned　。　。　。　〃　the　laundry　officer　said；　then　snapped　his　gaping　mouth　closed　and　screamed；　〃Get　this　thing　offa　my　hand…it's　biting　me　to　death！〃
　　The　two　MPs　still　swayed　back　and　forth；　handcuffed　effectively　to　the　immobile　figure　of　the　former　Eager　Beager。　Beager　just　stared；　smiling　around　the　grip　he　had　on　the　officer's　hand；　and　it　wasn't　until　Bill　got　his　atomic　rifle　and　put　the　barrel　into　Eager's　mouth　and　levered　the　jaw　open　that　the　hand　could　be　withdrawn。　While　he　did　this　Bill　saw　that　the　top　of　Eager's　head　had　split　open　just　above　his　ears　and　was　held　at　the　back　by　a　shiny　brass　hinge。　Inside　the　gaping　skull；　instead　of　brains　and　bones　and　things；　was　a　model　control　room　with　a　tiny　chair；　minuscule　controls；
TV　screens；　and　a　water　cooler。　Eager　was　just　a　robot　worked　by　the　little　creature　that　had　escaped　in　the　spaceship。　It　looked　like　a　Chinger…but　it　was　only　seven　inches　tall。
　　〃Hey！〃　Bill　said；　〃Eager　is　just　a　robot　worked　by　the　little　creature　that　escaped　in　the　spaceship！　It　looked　like　a　Chinger…but　it　was　only　seven　inches　tall　。　。　。〃
　　〃Seven　inches；　seven　feet…what　difference　does　it　make！〃　the　laundry　officer　mumbled　petulantly　as　he　wrapped　a　handkerchief　around　his　wounded　hand。　〃You　don't　expect　us　to　tell　the　recruits　how　small　the　enemy　really　are；　or　to
explain　how　they　e　from　a　10G　planet。　We　gotta　keep　the　morale　up。〃　

V

　　Now　that　Eager　Beager　had　turned　out　to　be　a　Chinger　spy；　Bill　felt　very　much　alone。　Bowb　Brown；　who　never　talked　anyway；　now　talked　even　less；　which　meant　never；　so　there　was　no　one　that　Bill　could　bitch　to。　Bowb　was　the　only　other　fuseman　in　the　partment　who　had　been　in　Bill's　squad　at　Camp　Leon　Trotsky；　and　all　of　the　new　men　were　very　clannish　and　given　to　sitting　close　together　and　mumbling　and　throwing　suspicious　looks　over　their　shoulders　if　he　should　e　too　close。　Their　only　recreation　was　welding　and　every　off　watch　they　would　break　out　the　welders　and　weld　things　to　the　floor　and　the　next　watch　cut　them　loose　again；　which　is　about　as　dim　a　way　of　wasting　time　as　there　is；　but　they　seemed　to　enjoy　it。　So　Bill　was　very　much　out　of　things　and　tried　bitching　to　Eager　Beager。
　　〃Look　at　the　trouble　you　got　me　into！〃　he　whined。　　Beager　just　smiled　back；　unmoved　by　the　plaint。
　　〃At　least　close　your　head　when　I'm　talking　to　you；〃　Bill　snarled；　and　reached　over　to　slam　the　top　of　Eager's　head　shut。　But　it　didn't　do　any　good。　Eager　couldn't　do　anything　any　more　except　smile。　He　had　polished　his　last　boot。　He　just　stood　there　now；　he　was　really　very　heavy　and　besides　was　magnetized　to　the　floor；　and　the　fuse　tenders　hung　their　dirty　shirts　and　arc　welders　on　him。　He　stayed　there　for　three　watches　before　someone　figured　out　what　to　do　with　him；　until　finally　a　squad　of　MPs　came　with　crowbars　and　tilted　him　into　a　handcar　and　rolled　him　away。
　　〃So　long；〃　Bill　called　out；　waving　after　him；　then　went　back　to　polishing　his　boots。　〃He　was　a　good　buddy；　even　if　he　was　a　Chinger　spy。〃
　　Bowb　didn't　answer　him；　and　welders　wouldn't　talk　to　him；　and　he　spent　a　lot　of　the　time　avoiding　Reverend　Tembo。　The　grand　old　lady　of　the　fleet；　Christine　Keeler；　was　still　in　orbit　while　her　engines　were　being　installed。　There　was　very　little　to　do；　because；　in　spite　of　what　First　Class　Spleen　had　said；　they　had　mastered　all　the　intricacies　of　fuse　tending　in　a　little　less　than　the　prescribed　year；　in　fact　it　took　them　something　like　maybe　fifteen　minutes。　In　his　free　time　Bill　wandered　around　the　ship；　going　as　far　as　the　MPs　who　guarded　the　hatchways　would　allow　him；　and　even　considered　going　back　to　see　the　chaplain　so　he　could　have　someone　to　bitch　to。　But　if　he　timed　it　wrong　he　might　meet　the　laundry　officer　again；　and　that　was　more　than　he　could　face。　So　he　walked　through　the　ship；　very　much　alone；　and　looked　in　through　the　door　of　a　partment　and　saw　a　boot　on　a　bed。
　　Bill　stopped；　frozen；　immobile；　shocked；　rigid；　horrified；　dismayed；　and　had　to　fight　for　control　of　his　suddenly　contracted　bladder。
　　He　knew　that　boot。　He　would　never　forget　that　boot　until　the　day　he　died；　just　as　he　would　never　forget　his　serial　number　and　could　say　it　frontward　or　backward　or　from　the　inside　out。　Every　detail　of　that　terrible　boot　was　clear　in　his　memory；　from　the　snakelike　laces　in　the　repulsive　leather　of　the　uppers…said　to　be　made　of　human　skin…to　the　corrugated　stamping…soles　tinged　with　red　that　could　only　have　been　human　blood。　That　boot　belonged　to　Deathwish　Drang。
　　The　boot　was　attached　to　a　leg；　and　paralyzed　with　terror；　as　unable　to　control　himself　as　a　bird　before　a　snake；　he　found　himself　leaning　further　and　further　into　the　pact　ment　as　his　eyes　traced　up　the　leg　past　the　belt　to　the　shirt　to　the　neck　upon　which　rested　the　face　that　had　featured　largely　in　his　nightmares　since　he　had　enlisted。　The　lips　moved。
　　〃Is　that　you；　Bill？　C'mon　in　and　rest　it。〃
　　Bill　stumbled　in。
　　〃Have　a　hunk　of　candy；〃　Deathwish　said；　and　smiled。
　　Reflex　drove　Bill's　fingers　into　the　offered　box　and　set　his　jaw　chewing　on　the　first　solid　food　that　had　passed　his　lips　in　weeks。　Saliva　spouted　from　dusty　orifices；　and　his　stomach　gave　a　preliminary　rumble；　while　his　thoughts　drove　maddingly　in　circles　as　he　tried　to　figure　out　what　that　expression　was　on　Deathwish's　face。　Lips　curved　up　at　the　corners　behind　the　tusks；　little　crinkles　on　the　cheeks。　It　was　hopeless。　He　could　not　recognize　it。
　　〃I　hear　Eager　Beager　turned　out　to　be　a　Chinger　spy；〃　Deathwish　said；　closing　the　box　of　candy　and　sliding　it　under　the　pillow。　〃I　should　have　figured　that　one　out　myself。　I　knew　there　was　something　very　wrong　with　him；　doing　his　buddies'　boots　and　that　crap；　but　I　thought　he　was　just　nuts。　Should　have　known　better　。　。　。〃
　　〃Deathwish；〃　Bill　said　hoarsely；　〃it　can't　be；　I　know…but　you　are　acting　like　a　human　being！〃
　　Deathwish　chuckled；　not　his　ripsaw…slicing…human…bone　chuckle；　but　an　almost　normal　one。
　　Bill　stammered。　〃But　you　are　a　sadist；　a　pervert；　a　beast；　a　creature；　a　thing；　a　murderer　。　。　。〃
　　〃Why；　thanks；　Bill。　That's　very　nice　to　hear。　I　try　to　do　my　job　to　the　best　of　my　abilities；　but　I'm　human　enough　to　enjoy　a　word　of　praise　now　and　then。　Being　a　murderer　is　hard　to　project；　but　I'm　glad　it　got　across；　even　to　a　recruit　as　stupid　as　you　were。〃
　　〃B…but　。　。　。　aren't　you　really　a　。　。　。〃
　　〃Easy　now！〃　Deathwish　snapped；