amc.killashandra- 第59节

　〃Trag。　The　yearly　dose　for　Optherians　occurs　shortly　before　the　Festival　season　begins；　and　the　tourists　arrive。　All　Optherians　are　given　the　'opportunity　and　privilege；'　〃　and　Lars's　voice　was　mildly　scornful；　〃of　attending　the　preliminary　concerts　for　the　current　year's　Festival　selections。　The　Mainlanders　get　their　dose　then；　to　keep　them　contented　while　the　tourists　are　here。　Then；　the　tourists　get　theirs；　which　includes　sufficient　Optherianisms　to　prevent　them　from　accepting　messages　from　strangers　for　posting　once　they　return　to　their　homes。　Some　don't；　you　know；　having　fallen　for　the　vastly　superior　and　secure　Optherian　natural　way　of　life。〃
　Trag　dropped　his　gaze　from　the　fascinating　cable。　〃How　many　escape　these　conditioning　sessions？〃
　〃Not　many　Mainlanders；　though　there　are　a　few　who　independently　discovered　the　subliminal　images。〃　Lars　turned　to　Killashandra。　〃Nahia；　Hauness；　Brassner；　and　Theach。　Over　the　last　ten　years；　they've　been　able　to　warn　those　they　felt　could　be　trusted。〃
　〃Do　the　Elders　know　that　some　escape？〃　Killashandra　asked。
　〃There　is　a　head　check　at　the　concerts　which　simultaneously　registers　with　the　Central　puters。〃
　〃But　islanders　don't　go　to　concerts；　do　they？〃　Killashandra　said　with　a　chuckle。　It　was　a　relief　to　know　that　she　had　occasion　to　be　amused。　It　had　looked　very　grim　for　a　bit　there；　with　Trag　ing　on　strong　as　Guildmember。
　〃I　think　it　is　time　to　end　such　pernicious　subjugation；〃　Trag　said。　He　took　from　his　biceps　pocket　a　hand…unit　of　the　sort　used　to　check　programming　systems；　and　placed　it　on　the　nearest　cabinet。　〃It　should　be　a　simple　matter　of　reprogramming　the　master　sensory　mixer　to　bypass　the　subliminal　generator。　That　would　inhibit　the　subliminal　processor；　yet　leave　no　physical　trace　of　alteration。〃　Taking　from　the　same　pocket　a　heavy　pound　knife　of　the　kind　favored　by　crystal　singers　for　field　use；　he　opened　the　heaviest　cutting　blade。　He　sliced　carefully　at　the　plastic　cable　cover；　peeling　it　back　to　expose　the　multicolor　flex　package。
　Killashandra　watched　as　Trag　set　the　system　checker　against　the　flex；　taking　a　preliminary　reading。　As　he　pondered　the　results；　she　could　not　restrain　a　glance　at　the　subliminal　room。　The　devices　were　so　repugnant　to　her；　abusing　every　precept　of　the　individual　privacy　which　had　been　her　birthright　on　Fuerte；　that　she　felt　besmirched　just　looking　at　them。
　〃If　there's　no　power。。。〃　Lars　began；　his　hand　half…raised　in　caution。
　〃　I　have　had　sufficient　experience　with　this　sort　of　equipment；　Lars　Dahl。〃　Trag　entered　instructions　on　the　hand　unit；　noted　the　display　on　the　rectangular　vdr；　and　a　muscle　twitched　in　his　cheek。　〃The　subroutine　of　the　subliminal　will　function　on　any　dummy　test；　and　indicate　the　programming　modes　selected　under　their　program　listing；　but　I　am　placing　a　security　lock；〃　and　with　those　words　he　put　the　device　firmly　against　the　thick　red…coded　cable　and　depressed　the　main　key；　〃on　it　now。　I　don't　have　the　equipment　necessary　to　generate　a　program　for　propaganda　detoxification。〃
　〃That's　too　bad；〃　Killashandra　said　with　heartfelt　dismay
　〃There！〃　Trag　said。　〃And　unless　they　know　exactly　what　I've　done　to　inhibit　the　subliminal　processor；　the　alterations　can't　be　reversed。　Let　the　Optherians　program　that　puter　for　whatever　images　they　wish。　None　will　reach　the　minds　of　the　people　they　intend　to　pervert！〃　Trag　pulled　hard　on　the　plastic　coating　and　then　pressed　it　firmly　back　around　the　cables。　Killashandra　could　not　see　where　the　cable　had　been　entered。
　〃And　you'll　bear　witness　to　the　Federated　Council？〃　Lars　was　taut　as　he　eagerly　awaited　Trag's　reply。
　〃We　shall　all　bear　witness　to　the　Council；　young　man；〃　Trag　replied。
　Lars　nodded　but　his　smile　was　wry。　〃It　will　be　the　crystal　singer's　word　that　will　be　credited；　Guildmember　Trag；　not　that　of　an　islander　whose　motivations　are　suspect。〃
　〃Even　if　he　could　leave　the　planet；　Trag；〃　Killashandra　said。　〃Remember　the　arc　at　the　shuttle　port？　Didn't　it　glow　blue　and　erupt　guards　with　weapons？〃
　Trag　nodded。　〃Except　when　I　passed　under　it。〃
　〃That　arc　deposits　a　mineral　deposit　in　Optherian　bones；〃　Lars　said；　〃and　in　those　of　anyone　here　for　more　than　six　months。　Which　is　what　caught　my　father　originally。〃
　Trag　dismissed　that　difficulty　with　a　flick　of　his　hand。　〃I　have　a　warrant　in　my　possession　to　arrest　the　party　or　parties　responsible　for　the　Guildmember's　abduction；　which　would　take　you　past　their　reprisals。〃
　〃You　came　well　prepared；　Trag；〃　Killashandra　said　with　a　rueful　smile。　〃But　you'd　have　to　bring　the　entire　population　of　the　Archipelago　if　you　named　Lars　Dahl　abductor。〃
　When　Trag　turned　to　Lars　for　affirmation。　he　nodded。　〃I　hadn't　planned　on　leaving　Optheria；〃　Lars　said；　with　a　slightly　embarrassed　grin；　〃and　I'm　sure　my　father　is　more　than　willing　to；　but　you'd　need　an　entire　liner　to　remove　those　who'd　be　vulnerable。　The　Optherian　Elders　have　been　waiting　for　years　for　an　excuse　to　search　and　seize　the　adult　population　of　the　islands。　They'd　all　end　up　in　rehab。　Unless；　of　course；　you　also　have　the　authority　to　suspend　every　government　official　on　this　charge。〃
　Trag　was　silent　for　a　long　moment；　regarding　Lars　steadily。　Then　he　exhaled　slowly。　〃I　was　given　broad　powers　by　the　Federated　Council　but　not　that　broad。〃　His　lower　jaw　jutted　out　slightly。　〃Had　there　been　any　suspicion　of　this。。。。〃　He　paused；　his　contempt　for　once　visible　in　his　expression。　〃Let　us　not　reveal　this　knowledge　prematurely。'
　Carefully　they　removed　every　trace　of　their　entry。　Neither　man　had　touched　the　cabinets　or　files；　so　covering　their　tracks　took　little　time。　Meanwhile；　Killashandra　repositioned　herself　at　the　door　panel；　listening　for　sounds　of　approach。
　Trag　reexamined　the　cables　he　had　clipped；　checking　from　all　angles　to　be　sure　the　incision　would　escape　all　but　the　most　critical　inspection。　He　gave　the　room　a　thorough　survey　and　then；　apparently　satisfied；　looked　expectantly　at　Killashandra　and　Lars。
　〃Well；　close　it！'
　Killashandra　gave　a　burst　of　puzzled　laughter；　more　shrill　than　amused。
　〃How？〃
　Lars　chuckled　as　he　took　the　hammer　from　her　nerveless　hand。　〃Find　something　he　likes。。。〃　He　tapped　out　the　Beethoven　sequence　again。　The　wall　immediately　responded　by　closing；　giving　the　barest　thunk　as　the　panel　met　the　ceiling。　Trag　gave　the　cable　housing　a　final　glance　and　dismissed　it　with　a　shrug。
　〃I　suggest　you　eat　something；　Killashandra。　You're　too　pale。　Probably　the　effect　of　bining　both　assignments　for　your　Guild。　Lars　Dahl；　set　the　next　bracket。〃
　Chapter　21
　It　was　well　that　they　had　pleted　their　investigations；　for　Elder　Ampris　returned　twice；　the　first　time　issuing　an　unrefusable　invitation　to　a　quiet　dinner　with　several　of　the　Elders　who　were　most　anxious　to　meet　the　Guildmember。
　〃Which　means　you'd　better　eat　before　you　go；〃　Killashandra　told　Trag　when　Ampris　had　left　them。　〃Especially　if　Elder　Pentrom；　a　medical　man　with　interesting　views　on　nutrition；　is　attending。〃　She　made　a　very　small　circle　…　thumb　and　forefinger　overlapping　…　to　indicate　the　size　of　the　portion。　〃Trag；　do　you　drink？〃
　Trag　peered　up　at　her。　〃Why？〃
　〃The　worthy　Elders；　Pentrom　in　particular；　are　currently　under　the　impression　that　members　of　our　profession　must　daily　consume　alcohol　in　substantial　quantities　to　assist　their　unusual　metabolism。〃
　Trag　slowly　straightened　from　the　manual。　His　expression　bordered　on　the　incredulous。　〃Oh？〃
　〃They　are　so　frail；　these　Elders　of　Optheria〃　…　Lars　made　a　derogatory　ment　…　〃that　I　should　dislike　causing　any　of　them　distress。　Prematurely；　that　is。〃
　〃Or　exposing　yourself　as　a　calculating　fraud！〃　Lars　suggested。
　〃Occasionally　it　is　useful　to　spawn　a　helpful　myth　about　our　profession。　Otherwise　we'll　be　stuck　with　water　which；　despite　its　high　mineral　content；　is　not　purified　because　of　the　Optherian　lust　for　nature　untampered。　It　tastes　as　if　it　was　decanted　from　the　tank　of　the　first　long…range　starship。　The　beer　here　is　not　bad。〃
　A　flicker　crossed　Trag's　usually　inscrutable　face。
　〃Yarran　beer？〃
　〃Unfortunately　no。〃　Trag's　preference　raised　him　further　in　her　estimation。　〃The　Bascum　brew　is　potable　while　the　better　beer　is　illegal。〃　She　shot　a　knowing　glance　at　Lars　who　g