deathworld-第2章

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　walking　mint。　This　was　the　first　time　in　his　entire　life　that　carrying　a　large　sum　of　money　made　him　unfortable。　Waving　to　a　passing　helicab；　he　went　directly　to　the　Casino　where　he　knew　he　would　be　safe。　For　awhile。
　 Cassylia　Casino　was　the　playspot　of　the　nearby　cluster　of　star　systems。　It　was　the　first　rime　Jason　had　seen　it；　though　he　knew　its　type　well。　He　had　spent　most　of　his　adult　life　in　casinos　like　this　on　other　worlds。　The　decor　differed　but　they　were　always　the　same。　Gambling　and　socialities　in　public…and　behind　the　scenes　all　the　private　vice　you　could　afford。　Theoretically　no…limit　games；　but　that　was　true　only　up　to　a　certain　point。　When　the　house　was　really　hurt；　the　honest　games　stopped　being　square　and　the　big　winner　had　to　watch　his　step　very　carefully。　These　were　the　odds　Jason　clinAlt　had　played　against　countless　times　before。　He　was　wary　but　not　very　concerned。
　 The　dining　room　was　almost　empty　and　the　majordomo　quickly　rushed　to　the　side　of　the　stranger　in　the　richly　cut　clothes。　Jason　was　lean　and　dark　and　moved　with　a　positive；　self…assured　manner。　More　like　the　owner　of　inherited　wealth　than　a　professional　gambler。　This　appearance　was　important　and　he　cultivated　it。　The　cuisine　looked　good　and　the　cellar　turned　out　to　be　wonderful。　He　had　a　professional　and　enthusiastic　talk　with　the　wine　steward　while　waiting　for　the　soup；　then　settled　down　to　enjoy　his　meal。
　 He　ate　leisurely　and　the　large　dining　room　was　filled　before　he　was　through。　Watching　the　entertainment　over　a　long　cigar　killed　some　more　time。　When　he　finally　went　to　the　gaming　roonls；　they　were　filled　and　active。
　 Moving　slowly　around　the　room；　he　dropped　a　few　thousand　credits。　He　scarcely　noticed　how　he　played；　giving　more　attention　to　the　feel　of　the　games。　The　play　all　seemed　honest　and　none　of　the　equipment　was　rigged。　That　could　be　changed　very　quickly；　he　realized。　Usually　it　wasn't　necessary；　house　percentage　was　enough　to　assure　a　profit。
　 Once　he　saw　Kerk　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　but　he　paid　him　no　attention。　The　ambassador　was　losing　small　sums　steadily　at　seven…andsilver　and　seemed　to　be　impatient。　Probably　waiting　for　Jason　to　begin　playing　seriously。　He　smiled　and　strolled　on　slowly。
　 Jason　settled　on　the　dice　table　as　he　usually　did。　It　was　the　surest　way　to　make　small　winnings。　And　if　I　feelit　tonight；　I　can　clean　this　casino　out！　That　was　his　secret；　the　power　that　won　for　him　steadily…and　every　once　in　awhile　enabled　him　to　make　a　killing　and　move　on　quickly　before　the　hired　thugs　came　to　get　the　money　back。
　 The　dice　reached　him　and　he　threw　an　eight　the　hard　way。　Betting　was　light　and　he　didn't　push　himself；　just　kept　away　from　the　sevens。　He　made　the　point　and　passed　a　natural。　Then　he　crapped　out　and　the　dice　moved　on。
　 Sitting　there；　making　small　automatic　bets　while　the　dice　went　around　the　table；　he　thought　about　the　power。　Funny；　after　all　the　years　of　work；　we　still　don't　know　much　about　psi。　They　can　train　people　a　bit；　and　improve　skills　a　bit…but　that's　all。
　 He　was　feeling　strong　tonight；　he　knew　that　the　money　in　his　pocket　gave　him　the　extra　lift　that　sometimes　helped　him　break　through。　With　his　eyes　half　closed　he　picked　up　the　dice…and　let　his　mind　gently　caress　the　pattern　of　sunken　dots。　Then　they　shot　out　of　his　hand　and　he　stared　at　a　seven。
　 It　was　there。
　 Stronger　than　he　had　felt　it　in　years。　The　stiff　weight　of　the　million　credits　had　done　it。　The　world　all　around　was　sharp…cut　and　clear　and　the　dice　were　pletely　in　his　control。　He　knew　to　the　tenth　credit　how　much　the　other　players　had　in　their　wallets　and　was　aware　of　the　cards　in　the　hands　of　the　players　behind　him。
　 Slowly；　carefully；　he　built　up　the　stakes。
　 There　was　no　effort　to　the　dice；　they　rolled　and　sat　up　like　trained　dogs。　Jason　took　his　time　and　concentrated　on　the　psychology　of　the　players　and　the　stickman。　It　took　almost　two　hours　to　build　his　money　on　the　table　to　seven　hundred　thousand　credits。　Then　he　caught　the
　stickman　signaling　they　had　a　heavy　winner。　He　waited　until　the　hardeyed　man　strolled　over　to　watch　the　game；　then　he　breathed　on　the　dice；　bet　all　his　table　stakes…and　blew　it　all　with　a　single　roll。　The　houseman　smiled　happily；　the　stickman　relaxed…and；　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　Jason　saw　Kerk　turning　a　dark　purple。
　 Sweating；　pale；　his　hand　trembling　ever　so　slightly；　Jason　opened　the　front　of　his　jacket　and　pulled　out　one　of　the　envelopes　of　new　bills。　Breaking　the　seal　with　his　finger；　he　dropped　two　of　them　on　the　table。
　 〃Could　we　have　a　no…limit　game；〃　he　asked。　〃I'd　like　to…win　back　some　of　my　money。〃
　 The　stickman　had　trouble　controlling　his　smile　now；　he　glanced　across　at　the　houseman　who　nodded　a　quick　yes。　They　had　a　sucker　and　they　meant　to　clean　him。　He　had　been　playing　from　his　wallet　all　evening；　now　he　was　cracking　into　a　sealed　envelope　to　try　for　what　he　had　lost。　A　thick　envelope；　too；　and　probably　not　his　money。　Not　that　the　house　cared　in　the　least。　To　them　money　had　no　loyalties。　The　play　went　on　with　the　Casino　in　a　very　relaxed　mood。
　 Which　was　just　the　way　Jason　wanted　it。　He　needed　to　get　as　deep　into　them　as　he　could　before　someone　realized　they　might　be　on　the　losing　end。　The　rough　stuff　would　start　and　he　wanted　to　put　it　off　as　long　as　possible。　It　would　be　hard　to　win　smoothly　then…and　his　psi　power　might　go　as　quickly　as　it　had　e。　That　had　happened　before。
　 He　was　playing　against　the　house　now；　the　two　other　players　were　obvious　shills；　and　a　crowd　had　januned　solidly　around　to　watch。　After　losing　and　winning　a　bit；　he　hit　a　streak　of　naturals　and　his　pile　of　gold　chips　tottered　higher　and　higher。　There　was　nearly　a　billion　there；　he　estimated　roughly。　The　dice　were　still　falling　true；　though　he　was　soaked　with　sweat　from　the　effort。　Betting　the　entire　stack　of　chips；　he　reached　for　the　dice。　The　stickman　reached　faster　and　hooked　them　away。
　 〃House　calls　for　new　dice；〃　he　said　flatly。
　 Jason　straightened　up　and　wiped　his　hands；　glad　of　the　instant's　relief。　This　was　the　third　time　the　house　had　changed　dice　to　try　and　break　his　winning　streak。　It　was　their　privilege。　The　hard…eyed　Casino　man　opened　his　wallet　as　he　had　done　before　and　drew　out　a　pair　at　random。　Stripping　off　their　plastic　cover；　he　threw　them　the　length　of　the　table　to　Jason。　They　came　up　a　natural　seven　and　Jason　smiled。
　 When　he　scooped　them　up；　the　smile　slowly　faded。　The　dice　were　transparent；　finely　made；　evenly　weighted　on　all　sides…and　crooked。
　 The　pigment　on　the　dots　of　five　sides　of　each　die　was　some　heavy　metal　pound；　probably　lead。　The　sixth　side　was　a　ferric　pound。　They　would　roll　true　unless　they　hit　a　magnetic　field…which　meant
　the　entire　surface　of　the　table　could　be　magnetized。　He　could　never　have　spotted　the　difference　if　he　hadn't　looked　at　the　dice　with　his　mind。　But　what　could　he　do　about　it？
　Shaking　them　slowly；　he　glanced　quickly　around　the　table。　There　was　what　he　needed。　An　ashtray　with　a　magnet　in　its　base　to　hold　it　to　the　metal　edge　of　the　table。　Jason　stopped　shaking　the　dice　and　looked　at　them　quizzically；　then　reached　over　and　grabbed　the　ashtray。　He　dropped　the　base　against　his　hand。
　As　he　lifted　the　ashtray；　there　was　a　concerted　gasp　from　all　sides。　The　dice　were　sticking　there；　upside　down；　boxcars　showing。
　 〃Are　these　what　you　call　honest　dice？〃　he　asked。
　 The　man　who　had　thrown　out　the　dice　reached　quickly　for　his　hip　pocket。　Jason　was　the　only　one　who　saw　what　happened　next。　He　was　watching　that　hand　closely；　his　own　fingers　near　his　gun　butt。　As　the　man　dived　into　his　pocket；　a　hand　reached　out　of　the　crowd　behind　him。　From　its　square…cut　size；　it　could　have　belonged　to　only　one　person。　The　thick　thumb　and　index　finger　clamped　swiftly　around　the　houseman's　wrist；　then　they　were　gone。　The　man　screamed　shrilly　and　held　up　his　arm；　his　hand　dangling　limp　as　a　glove　from　the　broken　wrist　bones。
　 With　his　flank　well　protected；　Jason　could　go　on　with　the　game。　〃The　old　dice；　if　you　don't　mind；〃　he　said　quietly。
　 Dazedly　the　stickman　pushed　them　over。　Jason　shook　quickly　and　rolled。　Before　they　hit　the　table；　he　realized　he　couldn't　control　them…　the　transient　psi　power　had　gone。
　 End　over　end　they　turned。　And　faced　up　seven。
　 Counting　the　chips　as　they　were　pushed　over　to　him；　he　added　up　a　bit　under　two　billion　credits。　They　would　be　winning　that　much　if　he　left　the　game　now…but　it　wasn't　the　three　billion　that　Kerk　needed。　Well；　it　would　have　to　be　enough。　As　he　reached　for　the　chips　he　caught　Kerk's　eye　across　the　table　and　the　other　man　shook　his　head　in　a　steady　no。
　 〃Let　it　ride；〃　Jason　said　wearily；　〃one　more　roll。〃
　 He　breathed　on　the　dice；　polished　them　on　his　cuff；　and　wondered　how　he　had　ever　gotten　into　this　spot。　Billions　riding　on　a　pair　of　dice。　That　was　as　much　as　the　annual　ine　of　some　planets。　The　only　thing　that　made　it　possible　to　have　stakes　like　that　was　the　fact　that　the　planetary　government　had　a　controlling　interest　in　the　Casino。　He　shook　as　long　as　he　could；　reaching　for　the　control　that　wasn't　there…then　let　fly。
　 Everything　else　had　stopped　in　the　Casino　and　people　were　standing　on　tables　and　chairs　to　watch。　There　wasn't　a　sound　from　that　large
　crowd。　The　dice　bounced　back　from　the　board　with　a　clatter　loud　in　the　silence　and　tumbled　over　the　cloth。
　 A　five　and　a　one。　Six。　He　still　had　to　make　his　point。　Scooping　up　the　dice；　Jason　talked　to　them；　mumbled　the　ancient　oaths　that　brought　luck　and　threw　again。
　 It　took　five　throws　before　he　made　the　six。
　 The　crowd　echoed　his　sigh　and　their　voices　rose　quickly。　He　wanted　to　stop；　take　a　deep　breath；　but　he　knew　he　couldn't。　Winning　the　money　was　only　part　of　the　job…they　now　had　to　get　away　with　it。　It　had　to　look　casual。　A　waiter　was　passing　with　a　tray　of　drinks。　Jason　stopped　him　and　tucked　a　one　hundred　credit　note　in　his　pocket。
　 〃Drinks　are　on　me；〃　he　shouted　while　he　pried　the　tray　out　of　the　waiter's　hands。　Well…wishers　cleared　the　filled　glasses　away　quickly　and　Jason　piled　the　chips　onto　the　tray。　They　more　than　loaded　it；　but　Kerk　appeared　that　moment　with　a　second　tray。
　 〃I'll　be　glad　to　help　you　sir；　if　you　will　permit　me；〃　he　said。
　 Jason　looked　at　him　and　laughed　permission。　It　was　the　first　time　he　had　a　clear　look　at　Kerk　in　the　Casino。　He　was　wearing　loose；　purple　evening　pajamas　over　what　must　have　been　a　false　stomach。　The　sleeves　were　long　and　baggy　so　he　looked　fat　rather　than　muscular。　It　was　a　simple　but　effective　disguise。
　 Carefully　carrying　the　loaded　trays；　surrounded　by　a　crowd　of　excited　patrons；　they　made　their　way　to　the　cashier's　window。　The　manager　himself　was　there；　wearing　a　forced　grin。　Even　the　grin　faded　when　he　counted　the　chips。
　 〃Could　you　e　back　in　the　morning；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　afraid　we　don't　have　that　kind　of　money　on　hand。〃
　 'What's　the　matter；〃　Kerk　shouted；　〃trying　to　get　out　of　paying　him？　You　took　my　money　easy　enough　when　I　lost…it　works　both　ways！〃
　 The　onlookers；　always　happy　to　see　the　house　lose；　growled　their　disagreement。　Jason　finished　the　matter　in　a　loud　voice。
　 〃I'll　be　reasonable。　Give　me　what　cash　you　have　and　I'll　take　a　check　for　the　balance。〃
　 There　was　no　way　out。　Under　the　watchful　eye　of　the　gleeful　crowd；　the　ma