time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第12章

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　　〃Look　for　a　loophole。　Print　that　out　as　fast　as　you　can　research　it　and　put　it　together。　Now　stand　by　for　a　memorandum　of　my　assets。　Begin。〃　Lazarus　started　to　read　the　list；　found　that　his　eyes　were　blurring　and　would　not　focus。　〃Damnation！　Those　dummies　slipped　me　a　Mickey　and　it's　taking　hold。　Blood！　I　mUst　have　a　drop　of　my　own　blood　to　thumbprint　it！　Tell　those　dummies　to　help　me　and　tell　them　why…and　warn　them　that　I　will　bite　my　tongue…　to　get　it　if　they　won't　help　me。　Now　print　out　my　will　with　any　feasible　alternative…but　hurry！〃
　　
　　〃Printout　starting；〃　the　puter　answered　quietly；　then　shifted　to　Galacta。
　　
　　The　〃dummies〃　did　not　argue　with　the　puter；　they　moved　fast；　one　snatching　the　new　sheet　out　of　the　auxiliary　printout　the　instant　it　stopped　whirring；　the　other　producing　a　sterile　point　out　of　nowhere　and　stabbing　the　ball　of　Lazarus'　left　little　finger　after　giving　Lazarus　a　split　second　to　see　what　was　being　done。
　　
　　Lazarus　did　not　wait　for　blood　to　be　taken　by　pipette。　He　squeezed　the　stabbed　finger　for　a　drop；　rubbed　his　right　thumb　in　it；　then　print…signed　his　will　while　the　shorter　technician　held　it　for　him。
　　
　　Then　he　sank　back。　〃It's　done；〃　he　whispered。　〃Tell　Ira。〃　He　was　heavily　asleep　at　once。
　　
　　…COUNTERPOINT　I
　　
　　The　chair　gently　transferred　Lazarus　to　his　bed　while　the　technicians　silently　supervised。　Then　the　shorter　watched　the　readouts　on　respiration；　heart　action；　brain　rhythms；　and　other　physicals　while　the　taller　placed　the　documents；　old　'will　and　new；　in　an　impervolope；　sealed　it；　chopped　and　thumbprinted　the　seal；　marked　it　〃Surrender　only　to　the　Senior　and/or　Mr。　Chairman　Pro　Tem；〃　then　retained　it　until　their　reliefs　arrived。　…
　　
　　The　relief　chief　technician　listened　to　the　record　of　the　watch；　glanced　over　the　physicals；　studied　the　sleeping　client。
　　
　　〃Timed；〃　he　stated。
　　
　　〃Neolethe。　Thirty…four　hours。〃
　　
　　He　whistled。　〃Another　crisis？〃
　　
　　〃Less　severe　than　the　last。　Pseudopain　with　irrational　irascibility。　Physicals　within　limits　for　this　stage。〃
　　
　　〃What's　in　the　sealer？〃
　　
　　〃Just　sign　for　it　and　include　delivery　instructions　in　your　receipt。〃
　　
　　〃Pardon　me　for　using　up　oxygen！〃
　　
　　〃Your　receipt；　please。〃
　　
　　The　relief　wrote　out　a　receipt；　chopped　and　thumbed　it；　swapped　it　for　the　impervolope。　〃I　relieve　you；〃　he　said　brusquely。
　　
　　〃Thank　you。〃
　　
　　The　shorter　technician　was　waiting　at　the　door。　The　Master　Chief　Technician　paused　to　say；　〃You　needn't　have　waited。　It　sometimes…　takes　me　three　times　this　long　to　turn　ovef　the　watch。　You　are　free　to　leave　as　soon　as　the　relief　junior　watch　officer　arrives。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　Master　Chief　Technician。　But　this　is　a　very　special　client…and　I　thought　you　might　need　me　with　Mr。　Snoopy　Nose。〃
　　
　　〃I　can　cope　with　him。　Yes；a　very　special　client　indeed　。
　　
　　and　it　speaks　well　for　you　that　the　Skills　Board　assigned　you　to'　me　when　~Tour　predecessor　opted　out。〃
　　
　　〃Thank　you…！〃
　　
　　〃Don't　thank　me；　Associate　Technician。〃　The　voice；　although　distorted　by　helmet　and　relay　and　filter；　sounded　gentle　even　though　the　words　were　not。　〃That　was　not　a　pliment　but　a　statement　of　fact。　If　you　had　not　done　well　on　your　first　watch；　there　would　be　no　second　watch…as　you　say；　'a　very　special　client。'　You　did　well。　。　aside　from　nervousness　a　client　can　feel　even　though　he　can't　see　your　face。　But　you'll　get　over　that。〃
　　
　　〃Uh　。　。　I　hope　so。。　I　was　very　nervous！〃
　　
　　〃I　would　rather　have　an　assistant　keyed　up　tight　than　one　who　knows　it　all　and　is　sloppy。　But　you　should　be　home　now　and　resting。　e　along；　I'll　drop　you　off。　Where　do　you　robe？　The　intermediate　lounge？　I　go　past　it。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　don't　bother　about　me！　But　I'll　ride　with　you　if　I　may
　　
　　…then　take　the　car　back。〃　…
　　
　　…　〃Relax！　Once　off　duty；　there　are　no　ranks　among　us　who　follow　the　Vocation。　Didn't　they　teach　you　that？〃　They　moved　past　the　queue'　at　the　public　transports；　on　past　the　Director's　own；　stopped　at　the　smaller　bank　for　e~ecutives。
　　
　　〃Yes；　but…I've　never　been　assigned　to　anyone　of　your　rank　before。〃　…　…
　　
　　That　got　a　chuckle。　〃All　the　more　reason　to　follow　that　rule　with　me…because　the　higher　one　is；　the　more　one　needs　to　forget　it　…　off　duty。　Here's　an　empty　car。　In　you　go　and　sit　down。〃
　　
　　The　shorter　one　went　in　but　did　not　sit　down　until　the　Master　Chief　Technician　was　seated。　The　boss　rejuvenator　ignored　it；　set　the　controls；　sprawled　out；　and　sighed；　as　the　car　started　to　move。　〃I　feel　the　strain　myself。　ing　off　watch；　I　feel　as　old　as　he　is。〃　…　…
　　
　　〃I　know。　I'm　wondering　if　I　can　take　it。　Chief？　Why　won't　they　let　him　terminate？　He　seems　so　tired。〃
　　
　　The　answer　was　slow　and　not　responsive。　〃Don't　call　inc　'Chief。'　We're　off　duty。〃　…
　　
　　〃But　I　don't　know　your　name。〃
　　
　　〃Nor　…do　you　need　to　know　it。　Hmm…　The　situation　is　not　quite　as　it　appears　to　be；　he　has　suicided　four　times　already。〃
　　
　　〃What？〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　he　doesn't　remember　it。　If　you　think　his　memory　is　bad　now；　you　should　have　seen　him　three　months　ago。　Actually；　it　speeds　up　our　work　every　time　he　does　it。　His　switch…when
　　
　　he　had？it…。…w醩　gimmicked；　it　simply　made　him　unconscious；　then　we　would　go　ahead　with　whatever　stage　was　next　while　hypnoing　more　of　his　memory　tapes　into　him。　But　we　had　to　stop　that…and　remove　the　switch…a　few　days　ago；　he　remembered　who　he　is。〃
　　
　　〃But…　That's　not　by　the　Canons！　'Death　is　every　man's　privilege。'〃
　　
　　The　Master　Chief　Technician　touched　the　emergency　control；　the　car　continued　on；　found　a　parking　pocket；　and　~stopped。　〃I　did　not　say　that　it　was　covered　by　the　Canons。　But　~ch　o1~cers　do　not　set　policy。〃　…
　　
　　'？〃When　I　was　accepted；　'I　took　the　oath　。　…　and　part　of　it　was　to　'give　life　freely　to　those　who　wish　it　…　…　and　never　refuse　death　to　those　who　yearn　for　it。'〃
　　
　　〃Don't　you　think　I　took　the　same　oath？　The　Director　is　so　angry　that　she　has　gone　on　leave…she　may　resign~　I　wouldn't　venture　to　guess。　But　the　Chairman　Pro　Tem　is　nOt　of　our　Vocation；　he　is　not　bound　by　our　oath；　and　the　motto　up　over　the　entrance　means　nothing　to　him。　His　motto　is…or　seems　to　be…'Every　rule　has　exceptions。'　Look；　1　knew　I　would　have　to　have　this　talk　with　you　and　I'm　pleased　that　you've　given　me　an　opportunity　before　our　next　watch。　Now　I　must　ask　you…do　you　wish　to　opt　out？　It　won't　affect　your　record；　I'll　see　to　that。　Don't　worry　about　a　relief；　the　Senior　will　still　be　asleep　…when　I　next　…　go　on　watch　and　any　assistant　will　do　for　that　watch…which　leaves　time　for　the　Skills　Board　to　select　…your　replacement。〃
　　
　　〃Uh……。　I　want　to　attend　him。　It's　a　great　privilege；　one　I　never　dreamed　would　e　my　way。　But　I'm　torn。　I　don't　think　he's　being　treated　fairly；　And　who　is　more　entitled　to　fair　treatment　in　this　than　the　Senior？〃
　　
　　〃I'm　torn　by　it；　too。　：1　was　shocked　silly　the　first　time　I　realized　that　I　was　being　ordered　to　keep　alive　a　man　who　had　…　terminated　voluntai~ily。　Or　who　had　been'　allowed　to　think　that　he　w~s　terminating；　rather。　But；　my　dear　colleague；　the　choice　is　not　up　to　us。　This　job　will　be　done　no　matter　what　we　think。　Once　I　…　realized　that…well；　I　am　not　lacking　iir'pi~otnisi髇al　confidence…call　it'。　conceit。　I　think　I　am　the　bult…qualified　senior　watch　officer　on'　the　list。　I　decided　that；　if　the　F~'mili雜'　Senior　was　going　to　have　this　done　to　him；　I　would　~not　opt　out　and　let　it　be　done　by　colleagues　less　skilled　th~　'~I　*m。　Bonuses　had　nothing　to…do　with　it；　I've　assigned　my　bonuses　to
　　
　　……　the　Sanctuary　for　D鄁ectives。〃…　…
　　
　　〃I　could　do　that；　couldn't　I？〃。；'　…
　　
　　〃Yes；　but　you　would　be　a　fool　to　…do　so；　I　draw　far　more　than　you　do。　But　I　must　add　this：　I　hope　your　body　tolerates　stimulants　easily　because　I　supervise　every　major　procedure　and　expect　my　assistant　to　help；　whether　it　falls　during　our　regular　watch　or　not。〃
　　
　　〃I　don't　need　stimulants；　I　use　autohypnosis。　When　needed。　Seldom。　He'll　be　asleep　our　next　watch。　Mmm…〃
　　
　　〃Colleague；　I　want　your　answer　now。　So　that　I　can　notify　the　Skills　Board　if　necessary。〃
　　
　　〃Uh…　I'll　stick！　I'll　stick　as　long　as　you　do。〃
　　
　　〃Good。　I　thought　you　would。〃　The　Master　Chief　Technician　again　reached　for　the　controls。　〃Intermediate　lounge　now？〃
　　
　　〃Just　a　moment。　I　would　like　to　know　you　better。〃
　　
　　〃Colleague；　if　you　stick；　you'll　know　me　far　too　well。　I　have　a　sharp　tongue。〃
　　
　　〃I　meant　socially；　not　professionally。〃
　　
　　〃You　are　offended？　I've　e　to　admire　you　without　ever　having　seen　you。　Now　I　would　like　to　see　you。　I'm　not　trying　to　curry　favor。〃　…
　　
　　〃I　believe　you。　Grant　me　the　respect　pf　believing　that　I　studied　your　psych　scorea　before　I　accepted　the　Board's　choice。　No；　Pm　not　offended；　I'm　flattered。　Dinner　together　sometime；perhaps？〃
　　
　　〃Certainly。　But　I　had　more　in　mind。　What　would　you　say　to　'Seven　Hours　of　Ecstasy'？〃
　　
　　There　was　a　short　pause　which　felt　long。　The　Master　Chief　Technician　said；　〃Colleague；　what　sex　are　you？〃
　　
　　〃Does　it　matter？〃
　　
　　〃I　suppose　not。　I　a