He had only a ten-minute wait before a crowded car screamed to a stop at the port station. Hunter went aboard, along with four passengers from recent inbound flights—laboring class tourists returning from vacations on one of the planetoid resorts. Since a majority of the people who passed through the spaceport were executives or professionals, they used the autojets.
Hunter's uniform set him apart. A spaceman was expected to live high, to throw away credits like the glamor2 heroes on the Tri-D space dramas.
The monorail car was crowded, primarily with afternoon-shift workers on their way to the industrial area. They all wore on their tunics3 the discs of the union of Free Workers. The four tourists who went aboard at the spaceport with Hunter pulled out their U.F.W. badges and pinned them on. They belonged. Hunter didn't.
He found an empty chair at the rear of the car, beside a gaudily4 attired5 woman, whose union disc proclaimed her a member of Local 47, the Recreational Companion union. What miracles we perform, Hunter thought, with a judicial6 selection of innocuous words!
He glanced at the woman. She was past the first bloom of youth and her face, under her makeup7, was heavily lined, her eyes shrewd and observing. Had he known that she had been shadowing him almost from the instant of his arrival in Los Angeles, and had been awaiting his return to Earth in obedience8 to carefully formulated9 instructions he would not have regarded her so complacently10.
The monorail shot up toward the Palms-Pine pass of the San Jacinto Mountains. From the crest11 of the grade Hunter could look back at the flat, cemented field of the spaceport and the ragged12 teeth of the launching tubes rearing high on the Mojave. Ahead of him, misted by the blue haze13 of industrial smog, was Los Angeles, the capital city of Sector14 West—and indirectly15 the capital of the entire planet.
Almost indistinct against the horizon were the soaring, Babel towers, the tangled16 network of walk-levels, jet-ways and private landing flats, which was the center-city. The lower, bulky factory buildings squatted17 under the towers and spreading outward from them, like concentric rings made by a stone hurled18 into a quiet pool, was the monotonous19 clutter20 of the minimum-housing.
The city sprawled21 from San Diego to Santa Barbara, and it lapped against the arid22 Mojave to the east. Beyond were the suburban23 homes of laborers24 and low-echelon executives who had carved brass-knuckled niches25 for themselves in the medium-income bracket.
Hunter saw the panoramic26 view of Sector West for only a split-second before the monorail car screamed down through the layer of gray haze. For thirty minutes the car shot across the minimum-housing area, stopping from time to time at high-platformed stations.
In the industrial district the car emptied rapidly. Only Hunter and his faded seat companion got out at the turnaround terminal and took the slideway to center-city. In the metro-entry at the top of the stairs they went through a security check station manned by six blaster-armed police guards.
Half of the guards wore the insignia of Consolidated27 Solar Industries and half of United Research, the two titan cartels which were locked in deadly battle for the empire beyond the stars.
The government played it safe, Hunter thought with bitterness, using an equal number of police from each organization. On Earth the pacific balance of commercial power was never disturbed—not, at least, on the surface. The two imperial giants lived side by side in a tactful display of peace.
On the frontier the real conflict raged, fought with all the weapons of treachery and an arsenal28 of highly refined atomic weapons—the blaster which could tear a man into component29 elements, and the L-bombs that were capable of turning a young sun into a nova.
The woman passed through the security check with no trouble. The men knew her and made only a perfunctory examination of her cards. But Hunter again had difficulty because of the blaster in his bag. His registered permit carried no weight with the guards. It was not their duty to execute existing law, but to protect their private employers.
However, the Consolidated insignia on Hunter's jacket made the three Consolidated guards ready to honor his permit. Eventually they persuaded the opposition30 to pass Hunter into the city, on the ground that the captain's zero-zero adjustment index indicated that it was safe for him to carry arms.
When Hunter went through the probe, he found the woman waiting for him. During the half-hour ride from the spaceport, he had tried twice to start a conversation with her, and failed. Now, abruptly31, her face was animated32 with interest. She put her arm through his and walked with him to the lift shaft33.
"So you got away with it, Captain." Since it was long-standing fashion, she had trained her voice to sound low-pitched and husky. "I mean, bringing a blaster into center-city."
"Why all this fuss about a gun?" Hunter asked.
"It's a new government regulation," she told him.
"The government doesn't make the law," he reminded her. "The cartels do."
"The last fiscal34 mental health report showed the percentage of maladjusted—" She laughed throatily. "I wish we'd use words honestly! The survey showed the lunatic percentage is still increasing. The cartels are using that report as an excuse to keep the people unarmed."
Hunter was regarding her steadily35. "Why?" he asked.
"We're not as content with our world as we're supposed to be," she said. "Eric Young can't keep all of us in line forever. Captain, we could use your blaster. It's next to impossible to get one these days. I could make it worth your while—"
"It's registered to me," Hunter pointed36 out.
"I'll change the serial," was her instant reply. "Your name wouldn't be involved."
"No, I want to keep it."
"To use yourself?"
"Don't talk nonsense," he said. "This isn't the frontier."
He made the denial vehemently37, but deep in his mind he had an uncertain feeling that her guess was right. Earth was not the battle-ground, but it had spawned38 the conflict. The appearance of peace was a sham39. Here the battle was fought with more subtlety40, but the objective remained the same.
If Ann Saymer had somehow been caught in the no-man's-land between the two cartels—It was the first time that thought had occurred to Hunter, and it filled him with a dread41 foreboding.
The woman sensed his feeling. He saw a smile on her curving lips. She said softly, "So even a spaceman sometimes has his doubts."
"I left the service this morning," he said. Suddenly he was telling her all about himself and Ann. It was unwise, perhaps even dangerous. But he had to unburden himself to someone or run the risk of losing his emotional control.
"So now you've lost this—this ambitious woman of yours," she said when he had finished.
"No," he protested. "I won't let myself believe that. Once I did—"
"As well as her interesting invention—the Exorciser," she went on relentlessly42. "Have you ever wondered, Captain Hunter, what might happen if the platinum43 grid44 was not removed from a patient's brain?"
"No, but I suppose—I suppose he'd remain in control of the operator of the transmitter."
She nodded. "He'd become a perfectly45 adjusted specimen46 with a zero-zero index, but—he'd also become a human robot with no will of his own."
"But Ann wouldn't—"
"Not Ann, Captain. Not the girl you've waited so long to marry. All she wants is a clinic of her own so that she can help the maladjusted. But don't forget—she holds a priceless patent. Keep your blaster, my friend. I've an idea you may need it."
He gripped her wrist. "You know something about this?"
"I know the world we live in—nothing more."
"But you're guessing—"
"Later, Captain, after you start putting some facts together on your own." She pulled away from him. "If you want to find me again—and I think you will—look for me in Number thirty-four on the amusement level. Ask for Dawn."
Suddenly, for no reason that he could explain, he had for her a great sympathy. She was no ordinary woman. Her discernment was extraordinary, and she possessed47, in addition, a strangely elusive48 charm.
They rode the lift as it moved up through the city level in its transparent49, fairy-world shaft. Dawn got out first, at the mid-city walk-way where the cheapest shops and the gaudiest50 entertainment houses were crammed51 together. Dazzling in the glare of colored lights, the mid-city never slept. It was always thronged52. It was the only area of the heartland—except for the top level casinos—open to every citizen without restriction53.
On the levels immediately above it were the specialty54 shops, dealing55 in luxuries for the suburbanites who had fought, schemed and bribed56 their way out of the minimum housing. Higher still was the sector given over to the less expensive commercial hotels.
The upper levels were occupied by cartel executive offices and at the top, high enough to escape the smog and feel the warmth of the sun, were the fabulous57 casino resorts, the mansions58 built by the family dynasts who controlled the cartels, and the modest, limestone59 building housing the mockery which passed as government.
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1
transit
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| n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过 | |
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glamor
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| n.魅力，吸引力 | |
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tunics
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| n.（动植物的）膜皮( tunic的名词复数 )；束腰宽松外衣；一套制服的短上衣；（天主教主教等穿的）短祭袍 | |
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gaudily
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| adv.俗丽地 | |
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attired
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| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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judicial
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| adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的 | |
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makeup
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| n.组织；性格；化装品 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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formulated
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| v.构想出( formulate的过去式和过去分词 )；规划；确切地阐述；用公式表示 | |
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complacently
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| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
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crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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sector
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| n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形 | |
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indirectly
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| adv.间接地，不直接了当地 | |
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tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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17
squatted
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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clutter
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| n.零乱，杂乱；vt.弄乱，把…弄得杂乱 | |
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sprawled
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| v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的过去式和过去分词)；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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arid
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| adj.干旱的；(土地)贫瘠的 | |
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suburban
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| adj.城郊的，在郊区的 | |
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laborers
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| n.体力劳动者，工人( laborer的名词复数 )；（熟练工人的）辅助工 | |
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25
niches
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| 壁龛( niche的名词复数 )； 合适的位置[工作等]； （产品的）商机； 生态位（一个生物所占据的生境的最小单位） | |
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panoramic
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| adj. 全景的 | |
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consolidated
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| a.联合的 | |
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arsenal
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| n.兵工厂，军械库 | |
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component
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| n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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fiscal
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| adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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vehemently
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| adv. 热烈地 | |
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38
spawned
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| （鱼、蛙等）大量产（卵）( spawn的过去式和过去分词 )； 大量生产 | |
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sham
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| n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的) | |
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40
subtlety
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| n.微妙，敏锐，精巧；微妙之处，细微的区别 | |
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41
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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42
relentlessly
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| adv.不屈不挠地；残酷地；不间断 | |
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43
platinum
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| n.白金 | |
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44
grid
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| n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅 | |
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45
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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48
elusive
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| adj.难以表达(捉摸)的；令人困惑的；逃避的 | |
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49
transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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50
gaudiest
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| adj.花哨的，俗气的( gaudy的最高级 ) | |
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51
crammed
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| adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式) | |
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52
thronged
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| v.成群，挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
restriction
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| n.限制，约束 | |
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54
specialty
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| n.(speciality)特性，特质；专业，专长 | |
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55
dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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56
bribed
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| v.贿赂( bribe的过去式和过去分词 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂 | |
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57
fabulous
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| adj.极好的；极为巨大的；寓言中的，传说中的 | |
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58
mansions
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| n.宅第，公馆，大厦( mansion的名词复数 ) | |
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limestone
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| n.石灰石 | |
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