按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
kae to live the sort of life they prefer to live。 Without endangering the peaceful cultures of the union…〃
〃A galactic garbage dump！〃 I cried aloud。 〃Where you holier…than…thou bigots sweep your failures under the carpet！ No wonder you keep this a top…secret secret。〃
〃Just knock off the superior attitude cagal； diGriz。 I know your record…and in my book it stinks。 But we have you by the short and curlies since you drank the seven…hundred…and…twenty…hour poison； so you will do just as I say。 So now I'm going to fill you in with all the loathsome details re Liokukae； let you see what information we have。 Then you will e up with a plan for getting that thing back。 You have no choice。〃
〃Thanks。 What resources do I have？〃
〃Limitless resources； unrestricted funds； boundless support。 Every planet in the galaxy contributes to Galaksia Universitato。 They have so many credits that they make the super…rich look super…poor。 I want you to take them to the cleaners。〃
〃Now you are talking my language！ For the first time I have some interest in this poisonous project。 Bring on the records…and some food…and I will see what I can do。〃
Not very much I thought to myself after hours of reading and rereading the thin file； while eating a number of stale and tasteless sandwiches。 The Admiral was slumped asleep in the armchair and snoring like a rocket exhaust。 There were no answers here； so some questions were very much in order。 Which gave me the sweet pleasure of waking him up。 A few good shakes did it and those nasty little red eyes glared into mine。
〃You better have a good reason for that。〃
〃I do。 How much do you personally know about Liokukae？〃
〃Everything； you dimwit。 That is why I am here。〃
〃It seems to be pretty tightly sealed up。〃
〃Pretty tightly is not the way I would describe it。 Hermetically sealed； guarded； patrolled； watched； locked tight； quarantined … take your pick。 Food and medicines are shipped in。 Nothing es out。〃
〃Do they have their own doctors？〃
〃No。 Medical teams are stationed there in the hospital inside the landing station…which is built like a fortress。 And before you even ask…the answer is no。 What little trust there is between the Navy and the Liokukaers involves the medical services。 They e to us and we treat them。 Let them suspect for an instant that the medicos are involved in hanky…panky and the trust is gone。 Disease and death would be certain。 We're not taking a chance on that。〃
〃If the rest of the civilized galaxy doesn't know about them … what do they know about us？〃
〃Everything I suppose。 We do not practice censorship。 We transmit all the usual TV entertainment channels as well as educational and news services。 They are well supplied with television receivers and can watch reruns of all the most loathsome programs and series。 The theory being if we can stun their minds with televised crap they won't get up to more trouble。〃
〃Does it work？〃
〃Possibly。 But we do know that they are rated on top of the galactic viewing scale for uninterrupted hours in front of the gogglebox。〃
〃You go there and take surveys？〃
〃Don't be stupid。 Recorders are sealed into the chassis of each set。 These can be tapped by satellite。〃
〃So what we have here is a planet of murderous； belligerent； nutsy TV fans？〃
〃That's about the size of it。〃
I jumped to my feet； spilling dry crumbs of dead sandwiches onto the carpet。 Raised my fists； and my voice； on high。
〃That's it！〃
Benbow blinked at me rapidly and scowled。
〃What's it？〃
〃The answer。 It is just the glimmering of an idea now…but I know that it will grow and expand into something incredible。 I'm going to sleep on it and when I awake I will polish it and perfect it and describe it to you in detail。〃
〃What is it？〃
〃Don't be greedy。 All in good time。〃
CHAPTER 4
The automated kitchen produced another stale sandwich； the machine was half…knackered and out of adjustment； along with a lukewarm cup of watery cocoa。 I crunched and sipped gloomily； then found the bedroom down the hall。 Air…conditioned of course…but the window wasn't sealed。 I opened it and sniffed the cool night air。 The moon was rising； to join the other three already up。 Made for some interesting shadows。 A leg over the windowsill； a drop into the garden…and I would be long gone before any alarm might go off。
And I would be dead in twenty…nine days。 That little drink I had drunk in prison really concentrated my attention and guaranteed my loyalty。 But could I pull this plicated operation off in that space of time？
Considering the consequences I had no choice。 I sighed tremulously； closed the window and went to bed。 It had been a very； very long day。
In the morning I had picked the lock on the control panel in the kitchen and was busy rewiring it when Admiral Benbow came in。
〃May I inquire politely just what the hell you are doing？〃
〃Obviously trying to get this crook device to produce something other than stale cheese sandwiches。 There！〃
I slammed the panel shut and punched in a mand。 A cup of steaming coffee instantly appeared。 Followed by a porcuswinewich； steaming and juicy。 The Admiral nodded。
〃I'll take this one…get another for yourself。 Now tell me your plan。〃
I did。 Mumbling through mouthfuls of breakfast。
〃We are going to spend some credits out of the mountains of money that we have access to。 First we plant some news items。 I want interviews； reviews； gossip and more…all about the new pop group that is the hit of the galaxy。〃
He scowled and growled。 〃What pop group？ What in hades are you talking about？〃
〃The planet…busting hit group called 。 。 。〃
〃Called what？〃
〃I don't know。 I haven't thought about it yet。 Something way out and memorable。 Or kinky。〃 I smiled and raised an inspired finger。 〃I have it！ Ready？ The group is called 。 。 。 The Stainless Steel Rats！〃
〃Why？〃
〃Why not？〃
The Admiral was not happy。 His scowl turned to a snarl and he jabbed a judgmental finger at me。 〃More coffee。 Then tell me what you are。 talking about or I will kill you。〃
〃Temper； temper； Admiral。 Remember the old blood pressure。 What I am talking about is getting to Liokukae with all the equipment I need； along with some strong…armed help。 We are going to form a group of musicians called The Stainless Steel Rats…〃
〃What musicians？〃
〃Me for one…and you are going to supply me with the rest。 You did tell me that you were head of League Navy Security？〃
〃I did。 I am。〃
〃Then summon your troops。 Get one of your techs to research all your field operators； all your rankings who have ever served in what passes for action in this civilized universe。 The search will be a simple one because we want to know just one single fact about all of them。 Are they musically inclined？ Can they play a musical instrument； sing； dance； whistle or even hum in tune？ Get the list and we will have our band。〃
He nodded over his coffee。 〃You're beginning to make sense。 A pop group posed only of security agents。 But it will take time to put together； to organize； to rehearse。〃
〃Why？〃
〃So it will sound good； you moron。〃
〃Who could tell the difference？ Have you ever listened to country…and…coal…mining music？ Or Aqua Regia a