“The refrigs, Boone! They are on the blink. Overstrained themselves and burned themselves out. Inside of half an hour this ship’s going to be an oven hot enough to kill us all!”
“Half an hour, men!” Ackerman Boone cried. “Now, do we take over the ship and man those lifeboats or don’t we!”
The roar which followed his words was a decidedly affirmative one.
“These are the figures,” Admiral Stapleton said. “You can see, Mr. President, that we have absolutely no chance whatever if we man the lifeboats. We would perish as assuredly as we would if we remained with the Glory of the Galaxy1 in normal space.”
“Admiral, I have to hand it to you. I don’t know how you can think—in all this heat.”
“Have to, sir. Otherwise we all die.”
“The air temperature—”
“Is a hundred and thirty degrees and rising. We’ve passed salt tablets out to everyone, sir, but even then it’s only a matter of time before we’re all prostrated2. If you’re sure you give your permission, sir—”
“Admiral Stapleton, you are running this ship, not I.”
“Very well, sir. I’ve sent our subspace officer, Lieutenant3 Ormundy, to throw in the subspace drive. We should know in a few moments—”
“No crash hammocks or anything?”
“I’m sorry, sir.”
“It isn’t your fault, Admiral. I was merely pointing out a fact.”
The squawk box blared: “Now hear this! Now hear this! T/3 Ackerman Boone to Admiral Stapleton. Are you listening, Admiral?”
Admiral Stapleton’s haggard, heat-worn face bore a look of astonishment4 as he listened. Ackerman said, “We have Lieutenant Ormundy, Admiral. He’s not killing5 us all by putting us into subspace in minutes when it ought to take hours, you understand. We have Ormundy and we
have the subspace room. A contingent6 of our men is getting the lifeboats ready. We’re going to abandon ship, Admiral, all of us, including you and the politicians even if we have to drag you aboard the lifeboats at N—gunpoint.”
Admiral Stapleton’s face went ashen7. “Let me at a radio!” he roared. “I want to answer that man and see if he understands exactly what mutiny is!”
While Ackerman Boone was talking over the squawk box, the temperature within the Glory of the Galaxy rose to 145° Fahrenheit8.
“Fifteen minutes,” Larry Grange said. “In fifteen minutes the heat will have us all unconscious.” Only it wasn’t Larry alone who was talking. It was Larry and Johnny Mayhem. In a surprisingly short time the young Secret Serviceman had come to accept the dual9 occupation of his own mind. It was there: it was either dual occupation or insanity10 and if the voice which spoke11 inside his head said it was Johnny Mayhem, then it was Johnny Mayhem. Besides, Larry felt clear-headed in a way he had never felt before, despite the terrible, sapping heat. It was as if he had matured suddenly—the word matured came to him instinctively—in the space of minutes. Or, as if a maturing influence were at work on his mind.
“What can we do?” Sheila said. “The crew has complete control of the ship.”
“Secret Service chief says we’re on our own. There’s no time for co-ordinated planning, but somehow, within a very few minutes, we’ve got to get inside the subspace room and throw the ship out of normal space or we’ll all be roasted.”
“Some of your men are there now, aren’t they?”
“In the companionway outside the subspace room, yeah. But they’ll never force their way in time. Not with blasters and not with N-guns, either. Not in ten minutes, they won’t.”
“Larry, all of a sudden I—I’m scared. We’re all going to die, Larry. I don’t want—Larry, what are you going to do?”
They had been walking in a deserted12 companionway which brought them to one of the aft escape hatches of the Glory of the Galaxy. Their clothing was plastered to their bodies with sweat and every breath was agonizing13, furnace hot.
“I’m going outside,” Larry said quietly.
“Outside? What do you mean?”
“Spacesuit, outside. There’s a hatch in the subspace room. If their attention is diverted to the companionway door, I may be able to get in. It’s our only chance—ours, and everyone’s.”
“But the spacesuit—”
“I know,” Larry said even as he was climbing into the inflatable vacuum garment. It was Larry—and it wasn’t Larry. He felt a certain confidence, a certain sense of doing the right thing—a feeling which Larry Grange had never experienced before in his life. It was as if the boy had become a man in the final moments of his life—or, he thought all at once, it was as if Johnny Mayhem who shared his mind and his body with him was somehow transmitting some of his own skills and confidence even as he—Mayhem—had reached the decision to go outside.
“I know,” he said. “The spacesuit isn’t insulated sufficiently14. I’ll have about three minutes out there. Three minutes to get inside. Otherwise, I’m finished.”
“But Larry—”
“Don’t you see, Sheila? What does it matter? Who wants the five or ten extra minutes if we’re all going to die anyway? This way, there’s a chance.”
He buckled15 the spacesuit and lifted the heavy fishbowl helmet, preparing to set it on his shoulders.
“Wait,” Sheila said, and stood on tiptoes to take his face in her hands and kiss him on the lips. “You—you’re different,” Sheila said. “You’re the same guy, a lot of fun, but you’re a—man, too. This is for what might have been, Larry,” she said, and kissed him again. “This is because I love you.”
Before he dropped the helmet in place, Larry said. “It isn’t for what might have been, Sheila. It’s for what will be.”
The helmet snapped shut over the shoulder ridges16 of the spacesuit. Moments later, he had slipped into the airlock.
“I say you’re a fool, Ackerman Boone!” one of the enlisted17 men rasped at the leader of the mutiny. “I say now we’ve lost our last chance. Now it’s too late to get into the lifeboats even if we wanted to. Now all we can do is—die!”
There were still ten conscious men in the subspace room. The others had fallen before heat prostration18 and lay strewn about the floor,
wringing19 wet and oddly flaccid as if all the moisture had been wrung20 from their bodies except for the sweat which covered their skins.
“All right,” Ackerman Boone admitted. “All right, so none of us knows how to work the subspace mechanism21. You think that would have helped? It would have killed us all, I tell you.”
“It was a chance, Boone. Our last chance and you—”
“Just shut up!” Boone snarled22. “I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking we ought to let them officers and Secret Servicemen to ram23 home the subspace drive. But use your head, man. Probably they’ll kill us all, but if they don’t—”
“Then you admit there’s a chance!”
“Yeah. All right, a chance. But if they don’t kill us all, if they save us by ramming24 home the subspacer, what happens? We’re all taken in on a mutiny charge. It’s a capital offense25, you fool!”
“Well, it’s better than sure death,” the man said, and moved toward the door.
“Allister, wait!” Boone cried. “Wait, I’m warning you. Any man who tries to open that door—”
Outside, a steady booming of blaster fire could be heard, but the assault-proof door stood fast.
“—is going to get himself killed!” Boone finished.
Grimly, Allister reached the door and got his already blistered26 fingers on the lock mechanism.
Ackerman Boone shot him in the back with an N-gun.
Larry’s whole body felt like one raw mass of broken blisters27 as, flat on his belly28, he inched his way along the outside hull29 of the Glory of the Galaxy. He had no idea what the heat was out here, but it radiated off the hot hull of the Glory in scalding, suffocating30 waves which swept right through the insulining of the spacesuit. If he didn’t find the proper hatch, and in a matter of seconds….
“Anyone else?” Ackerman Boone screamed. “Anyone else like Allister?”
But one by one the remaining men were dropping from the heat. Finally—alone—Ackerman Boone faced the door and stared defiantly31 at the hot metal as if he could see his adversaries32 through it. On the other side, the firing became more sporadic33 as the officers and Secret Servicemen collapsed34. His mind crazed with the heat and with fear,
Ackerman Boone suddenly wished he could see the men through the door, wished he could see them die….
It was this hatch or nothing. He thought it was the right one, but couldn’t be sure. He could no longer see. His vision had gone completely. The pain was a numb35 thing now, far away, hardly a part of himself. Maybe Mayhem was absorbing the pain-sensation for him, he thought. Maybe Mayhem took the pain and suffered with it in the shared body so he, Larry, could still think. Maybe—
His blistered fingers were barely able to move within the insulined gloves, Larry fumbled36 with the hatch.
Ackerman Boone whirled suddenly. He had been intent upon the companionway door and the sounds behind him—which he had heard but not registered as dangerous for several seconds—now made him turn.
The man was peeling off a space suit. Literally37 peeling it off in strips from his lobster-red flesh. He blinked at Boone without seeing him. Dazzle-blinded, Boone thought, then realized his own vision was going.
“I’ll kill you if you go near that subspace drive!” Boone screamed.
“It’s the only chance for all of us and you know it, Boone,” the man said quietly. “Don’t try to stop me.”
Ackerman Boone lifted his N-gun and squinted38 through the haze39 of heat and blinding light. He couldn’t see! He couldn’t see….
Wildly, he fired the N-gun. Wildly, in all directions, spraying the room with it—
Larry dropped blindly forward. Twice he tripped over unconscious men, but climbed to his feet and went on. He could not see Boone, but he could see—vaguely40—the muzzle41 flash of Boone’s N-gun. He staggered across the room toward that muzzle-flash and finally embraced it—
And found himself fighting for his life. Boone was crazed now—with the heat and with his own failure. He bit and tore at Larry with strong claw-like fingers and lashed42 out with his feet. He balled his fists and hammered air like a windmill, arms flailing43, striking flesh often enough to batter44 Larry toward the floor.
Grimly Larry clung to him, pulled himself upright, ducked his head against his chest and struck out with his own fists, feeling nothing, not knowing when they landed and when
they did not, hearing nothing but a far off roaring in his ears, a roaring which told him he was losing consciousness and had to act—soon—if he was going to save anyone….
He stood and pounded with his fists.
Pounded—air.
He did not know that Boone had collapsed until his feet trod on the man’s inert45 body and then, quickly, he rushed toward the control board, rushed blindly in its direction, or in the direction he thought it would be, tripped over something, sprawled46 on the hot, blistering47 floor, got himself up somehow, crawled forward, pulled himself upright….
There was no sensation in his fingers. He did not know if he had actually reached the control board but abruptly48 he realized that he had not felt Mayhem’s presence in his mind for several minutes. Was Mayhem conserving49 his energy for a final try, letting Larry absorb the punishment now so he—
Yes, Larry remembered thinking vaguely. It had to be that. For Mayhem knew how to work the controls, and he did not. Now his mind receded50 into a fog of semi-consciousness, but he was aware that his blistered fingers were fairly flying across the control board, aware then of an inward sigh—whether of relief or triumph, he was never to know—then aware, abruptly and terribly, of a wrenching51 pain which seemed to strip his skin from his flesh, his flesh from his bones, the marrow52 from….
“Can you see?” the doctor asked.
“Yes,” Larry said as the bandages were removed from his eyes. Three people were in the room with the doctor—Admiral Stapleton, the President—and Sheila. Somehow, Sheila was most important.
“We are now in subspace, thanks to you,” the Admiral said. “We all have minor53 injuries as a result of the transfer, but there were only two fatalities54, I’m happy to say. And naturally, the ship is now out of danger.”
“What gets me, Grange,” the President said, “is how you managed to work those controls. What the devil do you know about sub-space, my boy?”
“The two fatalities,” the Admiral said, “were Ackerman Boone and the man he had killed.” Then the Admiral grinned. “Can’t you see, Mr. President, that he’s not paying any attention to us? I think,
at the moment, the hero of the hour only has eyes for Miss Kelly here.”
“Begging your pardons, sirs, yes,” Larry said happily.
Nodding and smiling, the President of the Galactic Federation55 and Admiral Stapleton left the dispensary room—with the doctor.
“Well, hero,” Sheila said, and smiled.
Larry realized—quite suddenly—that, inside himself, he was alone. Mayhem had done his job—and vanished utterly56.
“You know,” Sheila said, “it’s as if you—well, I hope this doesn’t get you sore at me—as if you grew up overnight.”
Before he kissed her Larry said: “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I’ll tell you about it someday. But you’d never believe me.”
THE END
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收听单词发音
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1
galaxy
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| n.星系；银河系；一群(杰出或著名的人物) | |
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prostrated
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| v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的过去式和过去分词 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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contingent
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| adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队 | |
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7
ashen
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| adj.灰的 | |
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8
Fahrenheit
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| n./adj.华氏温度；华氏温度计(的) | |
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dual
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| adj.双的；二重的，二元的 | |
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insanity
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| n.疯狂，精神错乱；极端的愚蠢，荒唐 | |
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11
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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12
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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13
agonizing
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| adj.痛苦难忍的；使人苦恼的v.使极度痛苦；折磨(agonize的ing形式) | |
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14
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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15
buckled
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| a. 有带扣的 | |
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ridges
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| n.脊( ridge的名词复数 )；山脊；脊状突起；大气层的)高压脊 | |
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17
enlisted
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| adj.应募入伍的v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 )；获得（帮助或支持） | |
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prostration
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| n. 平伏, 跪倒, 疲劳 | |
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wringing
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| 淋湿的，湿透的 | |
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wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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mechanism
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| n.机械装置；机构，结构 | |
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22
snarled
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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23
ram
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| (random access memory)随机存取存储器 | |
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24
ramming
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| n.打结炉底v.夯实（土等）( ram的现在分词 )；猛撞；猛压；反复灌输 | |
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25
offense
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| n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪 | |
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26
blistered
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| adj.水疮状的，泡状的v.（使）起水泡( blister的过去式和过去分词 )；（使表皮等）涨破，爆裂 | |
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27
blisters
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| n.水疱( blister的名词复数 )；水肿；气泡 | |
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belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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29
hull
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| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
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suffocating
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| a.使人窒息的 | |
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defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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adversaries
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| n.对手，敌手( adversary的名词复数 ) | |
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sporadic
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| adj.偶尔发生的 [反]regular；分散的 | |
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collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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numb
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| adj.麻木的，失去感觉的；v.使麻木 | |
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36
fumbled
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| （笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下 | |
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37
literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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38
squinted
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| 斜视( squint的过去式和过去分词 )； 眯着眼睛； 瞟； 从小孔或缝隙里看 | |
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39
haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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40
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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41
muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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42
lashed
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| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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43
flailing
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| v.鞭打( flail的现在分词 )；用连枷脱粒；（臂或腿）无法控制地乱动；扫雷坦克 | |
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44
batter
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| v.接连重击；磨损；n.牛奶面糊；击球员 | |
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45
inert
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| adj.无活动能力的，惰性的；迟钝的 | |
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46
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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47
blistering
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| adj.酷热的；猛烈的；使起疱的；可恶的v.起水疱；起气泡；使受暴晒n.[涂料] 起泡 | |
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48
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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49
conserving
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| v.保护，保藏，保存( conserve的现在分词 ) | |
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50
receded
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的过去式和过去分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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51
wrenching
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| n.修截苗根，苗木铲根（铲根时苗木不起土或部分起土）v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的现在分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
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52
marrow
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| n.骨髓；精华；活力 | |
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53
minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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54
fatalities
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| n.恶性事故( fatality的名词复数 )；死亡；致命性；命运 | |
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federation
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| n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会 | |
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56
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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