美铁之战系列 第一卷 云武士 第29部分

discerned.Rozwashospitalisedandkeptunderobservationfor

twenty-fourhoursandaConfidentialreportontheincidentwas

transmittedtotheWhiteHouse.TheAmtrakExecutiveresponded

immediatelybydespatchingtwospecialinvestigators,onemale,one

female.DespiteskilfulandoutwardlysympatheticinterrogationRoz

didnotrevealtheterrifyingvisionsthathadassailedher,especially

thelastoneinwhichshefeltherselffallingoutofthesky.

Afterafinalexaminationofhernow-healedarmandhead,thetwo

investigatorsreturnedtotheWhiteHouse.

Onthefollowingday,Rozlearnedthattheincidentfilehadbeen

closed.Shewasformallydischargedfromtheintensivecareunitand

toldtoresumehercoursestudies.

Whensherejoinedherclass,shefoundthat-apartfromaskinghowshe

felt-herfellowstudentswereunwillingtodiscusstheincident.Roz

didn'tmind.Shedidn'twanttotalkaboutiteither.Itwastoo

dangerous.Whowouldbelievethatsheknew,withuttercertainty,that

herkin-brotherhadbeenhitbyacrossbowbolt?Hadcrashed.Been

injured,andwasnowinthehandsofthePlainfolk...

THIRTEEN

WhenSteverecoveredconsciousness,hefoundhimselflyingin

semi-darkness,wearingonlyhisunderpants,onalayeroffurryanimal

skins.Hisair-conditionedsenseofsmellwasimmediatelyoverwhelmed

bythestrangeodours.

Hetriedtoclosehisnostrilstofilteroutthefoulnessthathungon

theairbutcouldnotpreventitenteringhislungs.

Hegaggedsilently;feltnauseated.

Asmall,lean-bodiedMutewithlong,braidedwhitehairkneltoverhim,

tendingthewoundinhisscalp.Stillwoozy,Steveraisedhisheadfar

enoughtoglancedownathisbody.

Hischest,bothshouldersandhisupperarmswerebandaged;hisleft

legwasheld,fromthightoheel,inarudimentarysplint.Beyondit,

sittingcrossleggedonabuffaloskin,wasthestraight-limbedMutewho

hadpulledtheboltoutthroughhisarm.HemetSteve'seyeswiththe

sameimpassiveexpressionhehadwornwhenrescuinghimfromthe

burningcropfield.

Stevelaidhisheadbackonthefurs.Heletoutalongsighand

coughed,tryingtocleartherisingbilefromhisthroat.

Theenvironmentalstinkhungsothickontheairitseemedtohave

coatedhistongue;filledeverypore.

'Welcomeback,'saidtheoldMute.

TheshockofhearingtheMutespeakthesamelanguageinaclear,

comprehensiblevoicebroughtSteve'ssensesbackinarush.Stungby

thesuddenrealisationofwhatwashappeningtohim,hejerkedhishead

awayfromtheoldMute'sministeringhands.Itwasanautomatic

reflex.AllTrackersknewthatMuteshaddiseasedskinwhich,if

touchedevenbriefly,causedyourownbodytorot.

TheoldMutesatbackonhisheelswithapatientsigh.

'Don'tyouwantmetofixyourhead?"

'There'snopoint,'mutteredSteve.'Ifyoutouchme,I'lldie

anyway."

TheoldMute'sweatheredfacecreasedintoasmile.Hechuckledinto

hisbeardthenjerkedhisheadatthestraight-limbedMute.'Holdthis

nit-witdown,willyou?"

CadillacuncrossedhislegsandkneltontheoppositesideofMrSnow's

patient.Heplacedonehandfirmlyonthecloudwarrior'schin,and

theotheronthecrownofhishead.

Thewarrior'slackofself-controlhadbeenagreatsurprise.

Heseemedterrified,hiseyesrolledwildly,buthewasunabletoput

upmuchofastrugglebecauseofhisinjuries.

Wereallsand-burrowerslikethis?Maybe,thoughtCadillac,their

couragehasbeenswallowedupbytheirpowerfulsharpiron.Ifso,the

Plainfolkhadnothingtofear.

'I'llgivehimfivethreadsofDreamCap,'mutteredMrSnow.'That

shouldquietenhimdownabit."Headdressedthecloudwarrior.

'You'reaverymixed-upyoungman."

Outofthecornerofhiseye,Stevesawthewhite-hairedMuterummage

amongstvariousbagsandbaskets,finallyproducingasmallskinpouch

fromwhichheextractedafewshortstrandsofagreyish-brown

substancebetweenthumbandforefinger.HeheldthemouttoSteve.

'Chewthis."

Cadillacforcedthecloudwarrior'smouthwideopen.MrSnowinserted

theshreddeddoseofDreamCap,thenCadillacclampedthewarrior'sjaw

shut.

'Okay,don'tchewit,'grumpedMrSnow.'Itmakesnodifference.

You'llhavetoswallowiteventually."

Steveheldoutforaboutaminutethenrelented.Hechewedthestrands

brieflythensteeledhimselftoswallowthem.Thetastewasstrange,

butnotunpleasant.Ahhgh,whatdoesitmatter?hethought

bitterly.

Hewasgoingtodieanyway.Theideathathemightsomehowescape

death,hisconfusedappealforhelpinthecornfield,hadbeenpartof

apain-filledfantasy.Someone,probablytheoldMute,hadtendedhis

injurieswithunsuspectedmedicalskillsbutitdidn'tmakesense.

unlesstheyweresavinghimforthebigevent.TheAnnualTorture

Stakes-whichhewasnodoubtdestinedtowinbyahead.

Terrific...

InspiteofsuchdireprospectsStevebegantofindthathisanxiety

wasfading.Thepainfromthebrokenpartsofhisbodywasalso

graduallyeasing.Hefeltagreeablylightheaded;weightless;couldno

longerfeelthegroundbeneathhim.Hedidn'tfeellikestrugglingany

more.Hejustlaybackandlethimselffloat.

Cadillacletgoofthecloud-warrior'shead.Hesatbackonhisheels

andwatchedMrSnowcarefullyunwrapthebandageonhispatient'sright

arm.Hepeeledoffamashofredleavesandexaminedtheraw,gaping

wound.'Hmmphh...he'sluckyitwasoneofyourbolts.Ifithadn't

beenclean..."

'Isitbad?"askedSteve,inafarawayvoice.

'It'lltakeawhiletoheal,butit'sclean.Whetherornotyou'll

recoverthefulluseofyourarmisuptoyoubutatleastyou'llhave

somethingtohangyourrighthandon.Okay...

holdstill."MrSnowusedasliverofwoodtopokeafreshmashmade

frompulpedherbsintobothendsoftheholeandboundupthewound.

Steveeyedthestraight-limbedMute.Hisattentionwasfixedonwhat

theoldguywasdoing.Stevelookedbackoverhisheadandsaw,tohis

right,ayellowflameflickeringinasmallhollowed-outstone.He

tookcloserstockofhissurroundings.Thethreeofthemwereinalow

eight-sidedhutmadeoutofwoodandwhathepresumedwereanimal

skins.Thelightpolesthatedgedeachpanelcurvedoversomefive

feetoffthegroundandslopedinwardstomeetitsneighboursinthe

centreoftheshallowpitchedroof.Thepolesfittedintoawooden

ringwhichwasopeninthecentreandwasevidentlysometypeofflue;

nodoubttoprovidebadly-neededventilation.Therewereanumberof

untidybundlesandbasketspiledroundtheinsideedgebutnothingthat

Stevecouldrecogniseasfurniture.Comparedwiththeordered,

antisepticlayoutofhisshackonthequarterdeckoftheAcademythe

hutwas,frankly,amess.

Stevecouldhearvoicesandsoundsofactivitycomingfromoutsidethe

hut.Andmusicofakindhehadneverheardbeforebutwhichrecalled

thewindwhipsusedintheattackonTheLady.Ithadastrange,

hauntingqualitythatreacheddeepintohispsyche,evokingatroubling

response.

HeturnedhisattentionbackontotheyoungMutekneelingbyhisleft

sideandnoticedthatheonlyhadfourfingersandonethumboneach

hand.Steve'smoodwastoodetachedtoponderdeeplyonthe

significanceofthisdiscoverybutitoccurredtohimthat,apartfrom

hislonghair,theonlyphysicalfeaturethatdistinguishedtheMute

fromhimself-oranyotherTracker-wastherandompatternofblack,

brown,dark-creamandolive-pinkthatcoveredhisskin.

Theold,white-haired,beardedMutewasatruesix-fingeredlumphead

withanunevenrowoftumour-likebonegrowthsacrosshisforehead.His

vari-colouredskinwasfurtherdisfiguredbystrangeknottedpatcheson

hisarmsandcheekbonesbut,contrarytowhatStevehadbeenledto

expect,theoldMute'seyessparkledwithintelligence-asdidthose

ofhisyoungcompanion.

'What'swrongwiththerestofme?askedSteve,astheoldMute

completedhisskilledinspectionofSteve'sinjuries.

'You'vegotasimplefractureoftheleftshin-bone,abadlysprained

ankle,atleastthreecrackedribs,severebruisingoftheleft

shoulderandaslightdentinyourskull.Youmayhavewhatusedtobe

calledahairlinefracture.IntheOldTime,therewerethingsfor

lookingthroughbonesbuttheydon'texistanymore."

'X-raymachines,'saidSteve.

TheoldMutenodded.'Isthatwhattheywerecalled?"

'Theystillare,'repliedSteve.'Allthemedicalcentresofthe

Federationhavethem.We'vegotallkindsofelectronicscanning

equipment."

'Isee,well,you'regoingtohavetogetbywithoutallthat,'saidMr

Snow.'Nottoworry.Yourbrain'sstillinonepiece."

Stevelayonthefurs,hisbodylimp,unresisting.'Feelslikeit's

leakingoutofmyears."

'That'stheDreamCap,'saidMrSnow.'It'sgoodstuff.

Helpsyoutoloosenup."

Stevenodded.'Wehavepainkillerstoo.SmallpillscalledCloud

Nines."

Cadillaclookedsurprised.'Youhavecloudsinyourburrows?"

'No,ofcoursenot.Cloudsarepartoftheblue-skyworld.

Andlet'sgetonethingstraight.Wedon'tliveinburrows.

Thoseareforanimals.Weliveonbases-likebigcities.Inclean

quarterswithplentyofroom,light,freshair."Stevewavedhisleft

handlimply.'Aheckofalotbetterthanthislousydump."

MrSnowhadneverheardthewords'lousydump'beforebutheguessed

theirmeaningfromthetoneofthecloudwarrior'svoice.'Tellme,'

hesaidaffably.'Doyouhaveaname?"

'I'vegotanameandanumber,'answeredSteve.

'29028902Brickman,S.R.or,ifyouprefertobelessformal,Steven

RooseveltBrickman."

Cadillacrepeatedthenumberwithawe.'29028902...

Talisman!Thatisapowerfulnumber!Morethanalltheraindropsin

thesky.MorethanallthestarsinMo-Town'scio.ak."Helookedat

MrSnow.'Didyouknowthereweresomanypeopleundertheearth?"

MrSnowdidnotanswer.HeturnedtoSteve.'Thisnumber,andthe

namesyoubear.Whatdotheymean?"

'Idon'tknowwhatyou'regettingat,'saidSteve.'They'rejust

names."

'Nonameisjustaname,'repliedMrSnowquietly.'Everywordhas

meaning.Theremustbeareasonwhyyouweregiventhisnumberand

thesenames."

'Ahh,Igetit,'saidSteve.Hecontinuedtogazeupattheflickering

lightontheroofofthehut.'29028902ismypersonalidentification

number.ThenumberonmyIDCard-'Hishandwentautomaticallytothe

appropriatechestpocketthenherememberedthathe'dbeenstrippedof

everythingexcepthisunderpants.

'IDCard?"queriedCadillac.

'Myidentitycard,'explainedSteve.'It'stoletpeopleknowwhoI

am."

'Doyounotknowwhoyouare?"

'Yes,ofcourseIdo.ThecardistoproveIamwhoIsayIam."

Cadillac'spuzzlementincreased.'But-whywouldyousayyouwere

someoneelse?Areyounotknowntoyourclan-brothersandsisters?"

I'mtalkingtoanidiot,thoughtSteve.'Look-'hebegan,thengave

up.'Forgetthat.Therealreasonwehaveacardissothatwecan

accesstheservicescontrolledbyColumbus.

It'sabigcomputer''Computer?"

'AwordfromtheOldTime,'observedMrSnow.

'Amachinethatrunsthings,'explainedSteve.'Withthousandsof

accesspointsallovertheFederation.That'swhyyouneedanumber.

Youfeedyourcardintoaslotandthenumberandothermagneticdata

onitispassedtoColumbus.That'showitknowswhoyouare.With

thehelpofthecomputeryoucan-dependingonyourcreditrating

accessallkindsofservices:food,databanks,transitsystems,

video-communications.Yournumberallowsyoutoestablishan

interface.Youcan'texistwithoutit."

Cadillacnoddedthoughtfully.'Somanystrangewords,strangeideas.

Icannotgetmymindroundthem."

'Hisworldisnotours,'saidMrSnow.'Itwilltaketimeto

understandthesethings."HeturnedtoSteve.'Tellusaboutyour

names."

'Steve-StevenismyFamilyname,giventomewhenIwasbornbythe

President-General;RooseveltisthenameofthebasewhereIlive

"RooseveltField".Brickmanismykin-folkname.Thenameofmy

guardians."