deathworld-第8章

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checked　the　growing　tendency　to　feel　sorry　for　himself。　By　Pyrran　standards；　he　was　soft　and　helpless。　If　he　wanted　them　to　think　any　better　of　him；　he　would　have　to　change　a　good　deal。
　 He　sank　into　a　fatigue…drugged　sleep　then；　that　was　broken　only　by　the　screaming　fear　of　his　dreams。
　7
　 In　the　morning；　Jason　awoke　with　a　bad　headache　and　the　feeling　he　had　never　been　to　sleep。　As　he　took　some　of　the　carefully　portioned　stimulants　that　Brucco　had　given　him；　he　wondered　again　about　the　bination　of　factors　that　filled　his　sleep　with　such　horror。
　 〃Eat　quickly；〃　Brucco　told　him　when　they　met　in　the　dining　room。　〃I　can　no　longer　spare　you　time　for　individual　instruction。　You　will　join　the　regular　classes　and　take　the　prescribed　courses。　Only　e　to　me　if　there　is　some　special　problem　that　the　instructors　or　trainers　can't　handle。〃
　 The　classes；　as　Jason　should　have　expected；　were　posed　of　sternfaced　little　children。　With　their　pact　bodies　and　no…nonsense　mannerisms；　they　were　recognizably　Pyrran。　But　they　were　still　children　enough　to　consider　it　very　funny　to　have　an　adult　in　their　classes。　Jammed　behind　one　of　the　tiny　desks；　the　redfaced　Jason　did　not　think　it　was　much　of　a　joke。
　 All　resemblance　to　a　normal　school　ended　with　the　physical　form　of　the　classroom。　For　one　thing；　every　child…no　matter　how　small…packed　a　gun。　And　the　courses　were　all　involved　with　survival。　The　only　possible　grade　in　a　curriculum　like　this　was　roe　per　cent　and　students　stayed　with　a　lesson　until　they　had　mastered　it　perfectly。　No　courses　were　offered　in　the　normal　scholastic　subjects。　Presumably　these　were　studied　after　the　child　graduated　survival　school　and　could　face　the　world　alone。　Which　was　a　logical　and　coldblooded　way　of　looking　at　things。　In　fact；　logical　and　coldblooded　could　describe　any　Pyrran　activity。
　 Most　of　the　morning　was　spent　on　the　operation　of　one　of　the　medikits　that　strapped　around　the　waist。　This　was　an　infection　and　poison　analyzer　that　was　pressed　over　a　puncture　wound。　If　any　toxins　were　present；　the　antidote　was　automatically　injected　on　the　site。　Simple　in　operation　but　incredibly　plex　in　construction。　Since　all　Pyrrans　serviced　their　own　equipment…you　could　then　only　blame　yourself　if　it　failed…they　had　to　learn　the　construction　and　repair　of　all　the　devices。
　Jason　did　much　better　than　the　child　students；　though　the　effort　exhausted　him。
　 In　the　afternoon；　he　had　his　first　experience　with　a　training　machine。　His　instructor　was　a　twelve…year…old　boy；　wHose　cold　voice　didn'tconceal　his　contempt　for　the　soft　off　…worlder。
　 〃All　the　training　machines　are　physical　duplicates　of　the　real　surface　of　the　planet；　corrected　constantly　as　the　life　forms　change。　The　only　difference　between　them　is　the　varying　degree　of　deadliness。　This　first　machine　you　will　use　is　of　course　the　one　infants　are　put　into…〃
　 〃You're　too　kind；〃　Jason　murmured。　〃Your　flattery　overwhelms　me。〃　The　instructor　continued；　taking　no　notice　of　the　interruption。
　 〃…infants　are　put　into　it　as　soon　as　they　can　crawl。　It　is　real　in　substance；　though　pletely　deactivated。〃
　 Training　machine　was　the　wrong　word；　Jason　realized　as　they　entered　through　the　thick　door。　This　was　a　chunk　of　the　outside　world　duplicated　in　an　immense　chamber。　It　took　very　little　suspension　of　reality　for　him　to　forget　the　painted　ceiling　and　artificial　sun　high　above　and　imagine　himself　outdoors　at　last。　The　scene　seemed　peaceful　enough。　Though　clouds　banking　on　the　horizon　threatened　a　violent　Pyrran　storm。
　 〃You　must　wander　around　and　examine　things；〃　the　instructor　told　Jason。　〃Whenever　you　touch　something　with　your　hand；　you　will　be　told　about　it。　Like　this。　。　。〃
　 The　boy　bent　over　and　pushed　his　finger　against　a　blade　of　the　soft　grass　that　covered　the　ground。　Immediately　a　voice　barked　from　hidden　speakers。
　 〃Poison　grass。　Boots　to　be　worn　at　all　times。〃
　 Jason　kneeled　and　examined　the　grass。　The　blade　was　tipped　with　a　hard；　shiny　hook。　He　realized　with　a　start　that　every　single　blade　of　grass　was　the　same。　The　soft　green　lawn　was　a　carpet　of　death。　As　he　straightened　up；　he　glimpsed　something　under　a　broad…leafed　plant。　A　crouching；　scale…covered　animal；　whose　tapered　head　terminated　in　a　long　spike。
　 〃What's　that　in　the　bottom　of　my　garden？〃　he　asked。　〃You　certainly　give　the　babies　pleasant　playmates。〃　Jason　turnod　and　realized　he　was　talking　to　the　air；　the　instructor　was　gone。　He　shrugged　and　petted　the　scaly　monstrosity。
　 〃Homdevil；〃　the　impersonal　voice　said　from　midair。　〃Clothing　and　shoes　no　protection。　Kill　it。〃
　 A　sharp　crack　shattered　the　silence　as　Jason's　gun　went　off。　The　horndevil　fell　over　on　its　side；　keyed　to　react　to　the　blank　charge。
　 〃Well…I　am　learning；〃　Jason　said；　and　the　thought　pleased　him。　The
　words　kill　it　had　been　used　by　Brucco　while　teaching　him　to　use　the　gun。　Their　stimulus　had　reached　an　unconscious　level。　He　was　aware　of　wanting　to　shoot　only　after　he　had　heard　the　shot。　His　respect　for　Pyrran　training　techniques　went　up。
　Jason　spent　a　thoroughly　unpleasant　afternoon　wandering　in　the　child's　garden　of　horror。　Death　was　everywhere。　While　all　the　time　the　disembodied　voice　gave　him　stern　advice　in　simple　language。　So　he　could　do　unto；　rather　than　being　done　in。　He　had　never　realized　that　violent　death　could　e　in　so　many　repulsive　forms。　Everything　here　was　deadly　to　man…from　the　smallest　insect　to　the　largest　plant。
　 Such　singleness　of　purpose　seemed　pletely　unnatural。　Why　was　this　planet　so　alien　to　human　life？　He　made　a　mental　note　to　ask　Brucco。　Meanwhile　he　tried　to　find　one　life　form　that　wasn't　out　for　his　blood。　He　didn't　succeed。　After　a　long　search；　he　found　the　only　thing　that　when　touched　didn't　elicit　deadly　advice。　This　was　a　chunk　of　rock　that　projected　from　a　meadow　of　poison　grass。　Jason　sat　on　it　with　a　friendly　feeling　and　pulled　his　feet　up。　An　oasis　of　peace。　Some　minutes　passed　while　he　rested　his　gravity…weary　body。
　 〃ROTFUNGUS！　DO　NOT　TOUCH！〃
　 The　voice　blasted　at　twice　its　normal　volume　and　Jason　leaped　as　if　he　had　been　shot。　The　gun　was　in　his　hand；　nosing　about　for　a　target。　Only　when　he　bent　over　and　looked　closely　at　the　rock　where　he　had　been　sitting；　did　he　understand。　There　were　flaky　grey　patches　that　hadn't　been　there　when　he　sat　down。
　 〃Oh；　you　tricky　devils！〃　he　shouted　at　the　machine。　〃How　many　kids　have　you　frightened　off　that　rock　after　they　thought　they　had　found　a　little　peace！〃　He　resented　the　snide　bit　of　conditioning；　but　respected　it　at　the　same　time。　Pyrrans　learned　very　early　in　life　that　there　was　no　safety　on　this　planet…except　that　which　they　provided　for　themselves。
　 While　he　was　learning　about　Pyrrus；　he　was　gaining　new　insight　into　the　Pyrrans　as　well。
　8
　 Days　turned　into　weeks　in　the　school；　cut　off　from　the　world　outside。　Jason　almost　became　proud　of　his　ability　to　deal　with　death。　He　recognized　all　the　animals　and　plants　in　the　nursery　room　and　had　been　promoted　to　a　trainer　where　the　beasts　made　sluggish　charges　at　him。　His　gun　picked　off　the　attackers　with　dull　regularity。　The　constant；　daily　classes　were　beginning　to　bore　him　as　well。
　 Though　the　gravity　still　dragged　at　him；　his　muscles　were　making　great　efforts　to　adjust。　After　the　daily　classes；　he　no　longer　collapsed　immediately　into　bed。　Only　the　nightmares　became　worse。　He　had　Iinally　mentioned　them　to　Brucco；　who　mixed　up　a　sleeping　potion　that　took　away　most　of　their　effect。　The　dreams　were　still　there；　but　Jason　was　only　vaguely　aware　of　them　upon　awakening。
　 By　the　time　Jason　had　mastered　all　the　gadgetry　that　kept　the　Pyrrans　alive；　he　had　graduated　to　a　most　realistic　trainer　that　was　only　a　hairsbreadth　away　from　the　real　thing。　The　difference　was　just　in　quality。　The　insect　poisons　caused　swelling　and　pain　instead　of　instant　death。　Animals　could　cause　bruises　and　tear　flesh；　but　stopped　short　of　ripping　off　limbs。　You　couldn't　get　killed　in　this　trainer；　but　could　certainly　e　very　dose　to　it。
　 Jason　wandered　through　this　large　and　rambling　jungle　with　the　rest　of　the　five…year…olds。　There　was　something　a　bit　humorous；　yet　sad；　about　their　unchildlike　grimness。　Though　they　still　might　laugh　in　their　quarters；　they　realized　there　was　no　laughing　outside。　To　them　survival　was　linked　up　with　social　acceptance　and　desirability。　In　this　way　Pyrrus　was　a　simple　black…and…white　society。　To　prove　your　value　to　yourself　and　your　world；　you　only　had　to　stay　alive。　This　had　great　importance　in　racial　survival；　but　had　very　stultifying　effects　on　individual　personality。　Children　were　turned　into　like…faced　killers；　always　on　the　alert　to　deal　out　death。
　 Some　of　the　children　graduated　into　the　outside　world　and　others　took　their　places。　Jason　watched　this　process　for　awhile　before　he　real…
　ized　that　all　of　those　from　the　original　group　he　had　entered　with　were　gone。　That　same　day　he　looked　up　the　chief　of　the　adaptation　center。
　 〃Brucco；〃　Jason　asked；　〃how　long　do　you　plan　to　keep　me　in　this　kindergarten　shooting　gallery？〃
　 〃You're　not　being　'kept'　here；〃　Brucco　told　him　in　his　usual　irritated　tone。　〃You　will　be　here　until　you　qualify　for　the　outside。〃
　 〃Which　I　have　a　funny　feeling　will　be　never。　I　can　now　field　strip　and　reassemble　every　one　of　your　blasted　gadgets　in　the　dark。　I　am　a　dead　shot　with　this　cannon。　At　this　present　moment；　if　I　bad　to；　I　could　write　a　book　on　the　plete　Flora　and　Fauna　of　Pyrrus；　and　How　to　Kill　It。　Perhaps　I　don't　do　as　well　as　my　six…year…old　panions。　But　I　have　a　hunch　I　do　about　as　good　a　job　now　as　I　ever　will。　Is　that　true？〃
　 Brucco　squirmed　with　the　effort　to　be　evasive；　yet　didn't　succeed。　〃I　think；　that　is；　you　know　you　weren't　born　here；　and。　。　。〃
　 〃e；　e；〃　Jason　said　with　glee。　〃A　straight…faced　old　Pyrran　like　you　shouldn't　try　to　lie　to　one　of　the　weaker　races　that　specialize　in　that　sort　of　thing。　It　goes　without　saying　that　I'll　always　be　sluggish　with　this　gravity；　as　well　as　having　other　inborn　handicaps。　I　admit　that。　We're　not　talking　about　that　now。　The　question　is；　Will　I　improve　with　more　training；　or　have　I　reached　a　peak　of　my　own　developinent　now？〃
　 Brucco　sweated。　'With　the　passage　of　time　there　will　be　improvement；　of　course。　。　。　。〃
　 〃Sly　devil！〃　Jason　waggled　a　finger　at　him。　〃Yes　or　no；　now。　Will　I　improve　now　by　more　training　now？〃
　 〃No；〃　Brucco　said　and　still　looked　troubled。　Jason　sized　him　up　like　a　poker　hand。　…
　 〃Now　let's　think　about　that。　I　won't　improve；　yet　I'm　still　stuck　here。　That's　no　accident。　So　you　must　have　been　ordered　to　keep　me　here。　And　from　what　I　have　seen　of　this　planet；　admittedly　very　little；　I　would　say　that　Kerk　ordered　you　to　keep　me　here。　Is　that　right？〃
　 〃He　was　only　doing　it　for　your　own　sake；〃　Brucco　explained。　〃Trying　to　keep　you　alive。〃　…
　 〃The　truth　is　out；〃　Jason　said。　〃So　let　us　now　forget　about　it。　I　didn't　e　here　to　shoot　robots　with　your　offspring。　So　please　show　me　the　street　door。　Or　is　there　a　graduating　ceremony　first？　Speeches；　handing　out　school　pins；　sabers　overhead。　。　。　。〃
　 〃Nothing　like　that；〃　Brucco　snapped。　〃I　don't　see　how　a　grown　man　like　you　can　talk　such　nonsense　all　the　time。　There　is　none　of　that；　of　course。　Only　some　final　work　in　the　partial　survival　chamber。　That　is　a　pound　that　connects　with　the　outsid