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Deathworld by Harry Harrison, Chapter - XXIII

Chapter - XXIII

XXIII. Tree branches had broken the lifeboat's fall, the bow rockets had burned out in emergency blast, and the swamp had cushioned the landing a bit.

It was still a crash. The battered cylinder sank slowly into the stagnant water and thin mud of the swamp. The bow was well under before Jason managed to kick open the emergency hatch in the waist. There was no way of knowing how long it would take for the boat to go under, and Jason was in no condition to ponder the situation.

Concussed and bloody, he had just enough drive left to get himself out. Wading and falling he made his way to firmer land, sitting down heavily as soon as he found something that would support him. Behind him the lifeboat burbled and sank under the water.

Bubbles of trapped air kept rising for a while, then stopped. The water stilled and, except for the broken branches and trees, there was no sign that a ship had ever come this way. Insects whined across the swamp, and the only sound that broke the quiet of the woods beyond was the cruel scream of an animal pulling down its dinner.

When that had echoed away in tiny waves of sound everything was silent. Jason pulled himself out of the half trance with an effort.

His body felt like it had been through a meat grinder, and it was almost impossible to think with the fog in his head. After minutes of deliberation he figured out that the medikit was what he needed. The easy-off snap was very difficult and the button release didn't work. He finally twisted his arm around until it was under the orifice and pressed the entire unit down. It buzzed industriously, though he couldn't feel the needles, he guessed it had worked. His sight spun dizzily for a while then cleared. Pain-killers went to work and he slowly came out of the dark cloud that had enveloped his brain since the crash. Reason returned and loneliness rode along with it.

He was without food, friendless, surrounded by the hostile forces of an alien planet. There was a rising panic that started deep inside of him, that took concentrated effort to hold down. "Think, Jason, don't emote," he said it aloud to reassure himself, but was instantly sorry, because his voice sounded weak in the emptiness, with a ragged edge of hysteria to it.

Something caught in his throat and he coughed to clear it, spitting out blood. Looking at the red stain he was suddenly angry. Hating this deadly planet and the incredible stupidity of the people who lived on it. Cursing out loud was better and his voice didn't sound as weak now. He ended up shouting and shaking his fist at nothing in particular, but it helped. The anger washed away the fear and brought him back to reality. Sitting on the ground felt good now.

The sun was warm and when he leaned back he could almost forget the unending burden of doubled gravity. Anger had carried away fear, rest erased fatigue. From somewhere in the back of his mind there popped up the old platitude. Where there's life, there's hope. He grimaced at the triteness of the words, at the same time realizing that a basic truth lurked there. Count his assets.

Well battered, but still alive. None of the bruises seemed very important, and no bones were broken. His gun was still working, it dipped in and out of the power holster as he thought about it. Pyrrans made rugged equipment. The medikit was operating as well. If he kept his senses, managed to walk in a fairly straight line and could live off the land, there was a fair chance he might make it back to the city. What kind of a reception would be waiting for him there was a different matter altogether. He would find that out after he arrived. Getting there had first priority. On the debit side there stood the planet Pyrrus.

Strength-sapping gravity, murderous weather, and violent animals. Could he survive? As if to add emphasis to his thoughts, the sky darkened over and rain hissed into the forest, marching towards him. Jason scrambled to his feet and took a bearing before the rain closed down visibility. A jagged chain of mountains stood dimly on the horizon, he remembered crossing them on the flight out. They would do as a first goal. After he had reached them, he would worry about the next leg of the journey. Leaves and dirt flew before the wind in quick gusts, then the rain washed over him.

Soaked, chilled, already bone-tired, he pitted the tottering strength of his legs against the planet of death. When nightfall came it was still raining.

There was no way of being sure of the direction, and no point in going on. If that wasn't enough, Jason was on the ragged edge of exhaustion. It was going to be a wet night. All the trees were thick-boled and slippery, he couldn't have climbed them on a one-G world. The sheltered spots that he investigated, under fallen trees and beneath thick bushes, were just as wet as the rest of the forest. In the end he curled up on the leeward side of a tree, and fell asleep, shivering, with the water dripping off him. The rain stopped around midnight and the temperature fell sharply.

Jason woke sluggishly from a dream in which he was being frozen to death, to find it was almost true. Fine snow was sifting through the trees, powdering the ground and drifting against him. The cold bit into his flesh, and when he sneezed it hurt his chest. His aching and numb body only wanted rest, but the spark of reason that remained in him, forced him to his feet. If he lay down now, he would die. Holding one hand against the tree so he wouldn't fall, he began to trudge around it. Step after shuffling step, around and around, until the terrible cold eased a bit and he could stop shivering. Fatigue crawled up him like a muffling, gray blanket. He kept on walking, half the time with his eyes closed. Opening them only when he fell and had to climb painfully to his feet again. The sun burned away the snow clouds at dawn.

Jason leaned against his tree and blinked up at the sky with sore eyes. The ground was white in all directions, except around the tree where his stumbling feet had churned a circle of black mud. His back against the smooth trunk, Jason sank slowly down to the ground, letting the sun soak into him. Exhaustion had him light-headed, and his lips were cracked from thirst.

Almost continuous coughing tore at his chest with fingers of fire. Though the sun was still low it was hot already, burning his skin dry. Dry and hot. It wasn't right.

This thought kept nagging at his brain until he admitted it. Turned it over and over and looked at it from all sides. What wasn't right? The way he felt. Pneumonia.

He had all the symptoms. His dry lips cracked and blood moistened them when he smiled.

He had avoided all the animal perils of Pyrrus, all the big carnivores and poisonous reptiles, only to be laid low by the smallest beast of them all. Well, he had the remedy for this one, too. Rolling up his sleeve with shaking fingers, he pressed the mouth of the medikit to his bare arm. It clicked and began to drone an angry whine. That meant something, he knew, but he just couldn't remember what. Holding it up he saw that one of the hypodermics was projecting halfway from its socket. Of course. It was empty of whatever antibiotic the analyzer had called for. It needed refilling. Jason hurled the thing away with a curse, and it splashed into a pool and was gone.

End of medicine, end of medikit, end of Jason dinAlt. Single-handed battler against the perils of deathworld. Strong-hearted stranger who could do as well as the natives. It had taken him all of one day on his own to get his death warrant signed. A choking growl echoed behind him.

He turned, dropped and fired in the same motion. It was all over before his conscious mind was aware it had happened. Pyrran training had conditioned his reflexes on the pre-cortical level. Jason gaped at the ugly beast dying not a meter from him and realized he had been trained well. His first reaction was unhappiness that he had killed one of the grubber dogs.

When he looked closer he realized this animal was slightly different in markings, size and temper. Though most of its forequarters were blown away, blood pumping out in dying spurts, it kept trying to reach Jason. Before the eyes glazed with death it had struggled its way almost to his feet. It wasn't quite a grubber dog, though chances were it was a wild relative.

Bearing the same relation as dog to wolf. He wondered if there were any other resemblances between wolves and this dead beast. Did they hunt in packs, too? As soon as the thought hit him he looked up—not a moment too soon.

The great forms were drifting through the trees, closing in on him. When he shot two, the others snarled with rage and sank back into the forest. They didn't leave. Instead of being frightened by the deaths they grew even more enraged. Jason sat with his back to the tree and waited until they came close before he picked them off.

With each shot and dying scream the outraged survivors howled the louder. Some of them fought when they met, venting their rage. One stood on his hind legs and raked great strips of bark from a tree. Jason aimed a shot at it, but he was too far away to hit. There were advantages to having a fever, he realized.

Logically he knew he would live only to sunset, or until his gun was empty. Yet the fact didn't bother him greatly. Nothing really mattered. He slumped, relaxed completely, only raising his arm to fire, then letting it drop again. Every few minutes he had to move to look in back of the tree, and kill any of them that were stalking him in the blind spot. He wished dimly that he were leaning against a smaller tree, but it wasn't worth the effort to go to one. Sometime in the afternoon he fired his last shot.

It killed an animal he had allowed to get close. He had noticed he was missing the longer shots. The beast snarled and dropped, the others that were close pulled back and howled in sympathy. One of them exposed himself and Jason pulled the trigger. There was only a slight click.

He tried again, in case it was just a misfire, but there was still only the click. The gun was empty, as was the spare clip pouch at his belt. There were vague memories of reloading, though he couldn't remember how many times he had done it. This, then, was the end.

They had all been right, Pyrrus was a match for him. Though they shouldn't talk. It would kill them all in the end, too. Pyrrans never died in bed. Old Pyrrans never died, they just got et. Now that he didn't have to force himself to stay alert and hold the gun, the fever took hold.

He wanted to sleep and he knew it would be a long sleep. His eyes were almost closed as he watched the wary carnivores slip closer to him. The first one crept close enough to spring, he could see the muscles tensing in its leg. It leaped.

Whirling in midair and falling before it reached him. Blood ran from its gaping mouth and the short shaft of metal projected from the side of his head. The two men walked out of the brush and looked down at him.

Their mere presence seemed to have been enough for the carnivores, because they all vanished. Grubbers.

He had been in such a hurry to reach the city that he had forgotten about the grubbers. It was good that they were here and Jason was very glad they had come. He couldn't talk very well, so he smiled to thank them. But this hurt his lips too much so he went to sleep.

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Chapter - XXIII |XXIII(1) Capítulo - XXIII 챕터 - XXIII Rozdział - XXIII Capítulo - XXIII Bölüm - XXIII 第二十三章

XXIII. Tree branches had broken the lifeboat’s fall, the bow rockets had burned out in emergency blast, and the swamp had cushioned the landing a bit. ||||||||bow|||||||||||||||| |||||рятувальної шлюпки|||носовій частині||||||||||||пом'якшили|||| Ветки деревьев смягчили падение спасательной шлюпки, носовые ракеты сгорели от аварийного взрыва, а болото немного смягчило приземление.

It was still a crash. it|||| Это все равно была авария. The battered cylinder sank slowly into the stagnant water and thin mud of the swamp. |||||||стояча||||||| The battered cylinder sank slowly into the stagnant water and thin mud of the swamp. Потрепанный цилиндр медленно погружался в стоячую воду и жидкую грязь болота. The bow was well under before Jason managed to kick open the emergency hatch in the waist. |hull|||||||||||||||midsection Нос был уже далеко, прежде чем Джейсону удалось открыть аварийный люк в поясе. There was no way of knowing how long it would take for the boat to go under, and Jason was in no condition to ponder the situation. ||||||||||||||||||Jason|||||to||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||обмірковувати|| There was no way of knowing how long it would take for the boat to go under, and Jason was in no condition to ponder the situation. Не было никакого способа узнать, сколько времени потребуется, чтобы лодка ушла под воду, а Джейсон был не в том состоянии, чтобы обдумывать ситуацию.

Concussed and bloody, he had just enough drive left to get himself out. |||||||motivation||||| Приголомшений|||||||||||| Concussed and bloody, he had just enough drive left to get himself out. Сотрясенный и окровавленный, у него оставалось достаточно сил, чтобы выбраться. Wading and falling he made his way to firmer land, sitting down heavily as soon as he found something that would support him. пройдя|||||||||||||||||||||| Wading and falling he made his way to firmer land, sitting down heavily as soon as he found something that would support him. Пробираясь вброд и падая, он пробирался к более твердой земле, тяжело садясь, как только находил что-то, что могло бы его поддержать. Behind him the lifeboat burbled and sank under the water. ||||булькала||||| ||||burbled||||| ||||бурлила і тонула||||| Behind him the lifeboat burbled and sank under the water. Спасательная шлюпка позади него заурчала и ушла под воду.

Bubbles of trapped air kept rising for a while, then stopped. Пузырьки захваченного воздуха некоторое время продолжали подниматься, затем прекратились. The water stilled and, except for the broken branches and trees, there was no sign that a ship had ever come this way. Вода успокоилась, и, кроме сломанных ветвей и деревьев, не было никаких признаков того, что здесь когда-либо проходил корабль. Insects whined across the swamp, and the only sound that broke the quiet of the woods beyond was the cruel scream of an animal pulling down its dinner. |жужжали|||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||across||||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||||||||||жорстокий|крик||||||| Insects whined across the swamp, and the only sound that broke the quiet of the woods beyond was the cruel scream of an animal pulling down its dinner. На болоте скулили насекомые, и единственным звуком, нарушавшим тишину леса, был жестокий крик животного, поедающего свой обед.

When that had echoed away in tiny waves of sound everything was silent. |||відлунуло||||||||| Когда это эхом разнеслось крошечными звуковыми волнами, все стихло. Jason pulled himself out of the half trance with an effort. |||||||trance||| |||||||трансу||| Jason pulled himself out of the half trance with an effort. Джейсон с усилием вырвался из полутранса.

His body felt like it had been through a meat grinder, and it was almost impossible to think with the fog in his head. ||||||||||meat grinder||||||||||||| ||||||||||м'ясоруб||||||||||||| Его тело словно пропустили через мясорубку, и было почти невозможно думать из-за тумана в голове. After minutes of deliberation he figured out that the medikit was what he needed. |||размышлений|||||||||| |||deliberation|||||||||| |||обговорення|||||||||| The easy-off snap was very difficult and the button release didn’t work. Легкое защелкивание было очень трудным, и кнопка не работала. He finally twisted his arm around until it was under the orifice and pressed the entire unit down. Наконец он повернул руку, пока она не оказалась под отверстием, и прижал весь блок вниз. It buzzed industriously, though he couldn’t feel the needles, he guessed it had worked. ||diligently||||||||||| |гудів|працьовито||||||||||| Он усердно жужжал, хотя он не чувствовал иголок, он догадался, что это сработало. His sight spun dizzily for a while then cleared. |||dizzily||||| Его взгляд некоторое время кружился, а затем прояснился. Pain-killers went to work and he slowly came out of the dark cloud that had enveloped his brain since the crash. ||||||||||||||||enclosed||||| ||||||||||||||||огорнула||||| Обезболивающие подействовали, и он медленно вышел из темного облака, окутавшего его мозг после аварии. Reason returned and loneliness rode along with it. Разум вернулся, и одиночество поехало вместе с ним.

He was without food, friendless, surrounded by the hostile forces of an alien planet. |||||||||||an|| Он был без еды, без друзей, окруженный враждебными силами чужой планеты. There was a rising panic that started deep inside of him, that took concentrated effort to hold down. Глубоко внутри него началась нарастающая паника, которую требовалось сосредоточенное усилие, чтобы сдержать. "Think, Jason, don’t emote," he said it aloud to reassure himself, but was instantly sorry, because his voice sounded weak in the emptiness, with a ragged edge of hysteria to it. |||show emotion||||||||||||||||||||||ragged||||| |||проявляти емоції||||||||||||||||||||||рваним|||істерики|| «Думай, Джейсон, не проявляй эмоций», — сказал он вслух, чтобы успокоить себя, но тут же пожалел, потому что его голос звучал в пустоте слабо, с рваным оттенком истерии.

Something caught in his throat and he coughed to clear it, spitting out blood. |||||||||||плюючи кров|| Что-то застряло у него в горле, и он закашлялся, чтобы откашляться, сплюнув кровь. Looking at the red stain he was suddenly angry. Hating this deadly planet and the incredible stupidity of the people who lived on it. Cursing out loud was better and his voice didn’t sound as weak now. Cursing out loud was better and his voice didn't sound as weak now. Ругаться вслух было лучше, и теперь его голос не звучал так слабо. He ended up shouting and shaking his fist at nothing in particular, but it helped. Кончилось тем, что он кричал и тряс кулаком по пустякам, но это помогло. The anger washed away the fear and brought him back to reality. Гнев смыл страх и вернул его к реальности. Sitting on the ground felt good now. Сидеть на земле теперь было хорошо.

The sun was warm and when he leaned back he could almost forget the unending burden of doubled gravity. Солнце было теплым, и, откинувшись назад, он мог почти забыть о нескончаемом бремени удвоенной гравитации. Anger had carried away fear, rest erased fatigue. Anger had carried away fear, rest erased fatigue. Гнев унес страх, покой стер усталость. From somewhere in the back of his mind there popped up the old platitude. |||||||||||||истина |||||||||||||cliché |||||||||||||банальна фраза From somewhere in the back of his mind there popped up the old platitude. Откуда-то из глубины его сознания всплыла старая банальность. Where there’s life, there’s hope. He grimaced at the triteness of the words, at the same time realizing that a basic truth lurked there. ||||банальности|||||||||||||| |winced|||banality||||||||||||truth|| ||||банальність слів|||||||||||||| He grimaced at the triteness of the words, at the same time realizing that a basic truth lurked there. Он поморщился от банальности слов, в то же время понимая, что в них таится элементарная истина. Count his assets. ||assets ||активи Подсчитайте его активы.

Well battered, but still alive. |побитый||| Изрядно потрепанный, но живой. None of the bruises seemed very important, and no bones were broken. His gun was still working, it dipped in and out of the power holster as he thought about it. Его пистолет все еще работал, он то нырял в кобуру, то вынимал ее, пока он думал об этом. Pyrrans made rugged equipment. ||прочное| ||міцне| Пирранцы производили прочное снаряжение. The medikit was operating as well. Аптечка тоже работала. If he kept his senses, managed to walk in a fairly straight line and could live off the land, there was a fair chance he might make it back to the city. |||||||||||||||live|||||||||||||||| Если он сохранит рассудок, сумеет идти по довольно прямой линии и сможет жить за счет земли, то есть шанс, что он сможет вернуться в город. What kind of a reception would be waiting for him there was a different matter altogether. Какой прием его там ждет, это совсем другое дело. He would find that out after he arrived. Getting there had first priority. On the debit side there stood the planet Pyrrus. На дебетовой стороне стояла планета Пиррус.

Strength-sapping gravity, murderous weather, and violent animals. |истощающая|||||| strength|sapping|||||| |виснажливий|||||| Лишающая сил гравитация, убийственная погода и жестокие животные. Could he survive? As if to add emphasis to his thoughts, the sky darkened over and rain hissed into the forest, marching towards him. ||||наголосити|||||||||||||||| Словно для того, чтобы усилить его мысли, небо потемнело, и дождь с шипением зашумел в лесу, маршируя к нему. Jason scrambled to his feet and took a bearing before the rain closed down visibility. Jason scrambled to his feet and took a bearing before the rain closed down visibility. Джейсон вскочил на ноги и взял пеленг до того, как дождь закрыл видимость. A jagged chain of mountains stood dimly on the horizon, he remembered crossing them on the flight out. На горизонте смутно виднелась зубчатая цепь гор, он помнил, как пересекал их на обратном пути. They would do as a first goal. Они будут делать в качестве первой цели. After he had reached them, he would worry about the next leg of the journey. Достигнув их, он будет беспокоиться о следующем отрезке пути. Leaves and dirt flew before the wind in quick gusts, then the rain washed over him. ||||||||||then||||| |||||||||пориви|||||| Листья и грязь летели перед ветром быстрыми порывами, затем дождь омывал его.

Soaked, chilled, already bone-tired, he pitted the tottering strength of his legs against the planet of death. ||||||противопоставил||шаткой||||||||| |||||he|pitted||||||||||| ||||||||тремтячий||||||||| Soaked, chilled, already bone-tired, he pitted the tottering strength of his legs against the planet of death. Промокший, продрогший, уже до костей уставший, он наткнулся на шатающуюся силу своих ног на планету смерти. When nightfall came it was still raining. Когда наступила ночь, дождь все еще шел.

There was no way of being sure of the direction, and no point in going on. Не было никакого способа быть уверенным в направлении, и не было никакого смысла продолжать. If that wasn’t enough, Jason was on the ragged edge of exhaustion. |||||||the|||| Если этого было недостаточно, Джейсон был на грани истощения. It was going to be a wet night. Это собиралась быть влажной ночью. All the trees were thick-boled and slippery, he couldn’t have climbed them on a one-G world. |||||стволистыми|||||||||||| |||||thick-trunked|||||||||||| |||||товстостовбурні|||||||||||| Все деревья были толстоствольными и скользкими, он не смог бы взобраться на них в мире с перегрузкой. The sheltered spots that he investigated, under fallen trees and beneath thick bushes, were just as wet as the rest of the forest. Укромные места, которые он исследовал, под поваленными деревьями и под густыми кустами, были такими же влажными, как и весь остальной лес. In the end he curled up on the leeward side of a tree, and fell asleep, shivering, with the water dripping off him. ||||||||защитной стороне|||||||||||||| ||||||||західний|||||||||||||| В конце концов он свернулся калачиком на подветренной стороне дерева и заснул, дрожа, а с него капала вода. The rain stopped around midnight and the temperature fell sharply. Дождь прекратился около полуночи, и температура резко упала.

Jason woke sluggishly from a dream in which he was being frozen to death, to find it was almost true. ||вяло||||||||||||||||| ||slowly||||||||||||||||| ||повільно||||||||||||||||| Джейсон вяло очнулся от сна, в котором его замораживали до смерти, и обнаружил, что это было почти правдой. Fine snow was sifting through the trees, powdering the ground and drifting against him. |||сыпал|||||||||| |||просіювалася|||||||||| Мелкий снежок просеивался сквозь деревья, припудривая землю и дрейфуя против него. The cold bit into his flesh, and when he sneezed it hurt his chest. Холод пронзил его плоть, и когда он чихнул, у него заболела грудь. His aching and numb body only wanted rest, but the spark of reason that remained in him, forced him to his feet. Его ноющее и онемевшее тело хотело только покоя, но оставшаяся в нем искра разума заставила его встать на ноги. If he lay down now, he would die. Holding one hand against the tree so he wouldn’t fall, he began to trudge around it. |||||||||||||бредти|| |||||||||||||плентатися|| Прижавшись одной рукой к дереву, чтобы не упасть, он начал обходить его. Step after shuffling step, around and around, until the terrible cold eased a bit and he could stop shivering. ||||||||||||||||||trembling from cold ||||||||||||||||||тремтіння Шаг за шаркающим шагом, вокруг и вокруг, пока ужасный холод немного не ослаб, и он не смог перестать дрожать. Fatigue crawled up him like a muffling, gray blanket. ||||||подавляющее|| ||||||smothering|| ||||||приглушуюча|| Усталость наползла на него, как мутное серое одеяло. He kept on walking, half the time with his eyes closed. Opening them only when he fell and had to climb painfully to his feet again. Открывая их только тогда, когда он падал и ему приходилось снова мучительно подниматься на ноги. The sun burned away the snow clouds at dawn. Солнце сожгло снежные тучи на рассвете.

Jason leaned against his tree and blinked up at the sky with sore eyes. Джейсон прислонился к дереву и уставился в небо воспаленными глазами. The ground was white in all directions, except around the tree where his stumbling feet had churned a circle of black mud. ||||||||||||||||взбили||||| |||||||||||||спотикаючись|||перемішали|||||бруд The ground was white in all directions, except around the tree where his stumbling feet had churned a circle of black mud. Земля была белой во всех направлениях, кроме дерева, где его спотыкающиеся ноги втоптали круг черной грязи. His back against the smooth trunk, Jason sank slowly down to the ground, letting the sun soak into him. ||||||||||||||||вбирати в себе|| Прислонившись спиной к гладкому стволу, Джейсон медленно опустился на землю, позволяя солнцу впитаться в него. Exhaustion had him light-headed, and his lips were cracked from thirst. От истощения у него кружилась голова, а губы потрескались от жажды.

Almost continuous coughing tore at his chest with fingers of fire. Almost continuous coughing tore at his chest with fingers of fire. Почти непрерывный кашель огненными пальцами разрывал его грудь. Though the sun was still low it was hot already, burning his skin dry. Хотя солнце было еще низко, оно уже было жарким, обжигая кожу. Dry and hot. Сухой и горячий. It wasn’t right. Это было неправильно.

This thought kept nagging at his brain until he admitted it. |||докучала||||||| This thought kept nagging at his brain until he admitted it. Эта мысль продолжала грызть его мозг, пока он не признался в этом. Turned it over and over and looked at it from all sides. Переворачивал его снова и снова и рассматривал со всех сторон. What wasn’t right? The way he felt. Как он себя чувствовал. Pneumonia. lung infection Пневмония.

He had all the symptoms. His dry lips cracked and blood moistened them when he smiled. ||||||зволожила|||| Его пересохшие губы трескались, и кровь увлажняла их, когда он улыбался.

He had avoided all the animal perils of Pyrrus, all the big carnivores and poisonous reptiles, only to be laid low by the smallest beast of them all. ||||||||||||meat-eaters||||||||||||||| ||||||небезпеки||||||м'ясоїдні тварини||||||||||||||| Он избежал всех животных опасностей Пирра, всех крупных плотоядных и ядовитых рептилий только для того, чтобы быть поверженным самым маленьким зверем из всех. Well, he had the remedy for this one, too. Что ж, у него было лекарство и от этого. Rolling up his sleeve with shaking fingers, he pressed the mouth of the medikit to his bare arm. Засучив рукав трясущимися пальцами, он прижал аптечку к голой руке. It clicked and began to drone an angry whine. |||||made a sound||| It clicked and began to drone an angry whine. Он щелкнул и начал сердито гудеть. That meant something, he knew, but he just couldn’t remember what. Это что-то значило, он знал, но никак не мог вспомнить что. Holding it up he saw that one of the hypodermics was projecting halfway from its socket. |||||||||гіподермічні голки||||||гніздо Подняв его, он увидел, что одна из подкожных инъекций наполовину выступает из гнезда. Of course. It was empty of whatever antibiotic the analyzer had called for. В нем не было антибиотика, который запросил анализатор. It needed refilling. ||потрібно було поповнити Jason hurled the thing away with a curse, and it splashed into a pool and was gone. Джейсон с проклятием отшвырнул эту штуку, она шлепнулась в лужу и исчезла.

End of medicine, end of medikit, end of Jason dinAlt. Single-handed battler against the perils of deathworld. ||борец||||| single||battler|||perils|| ||борець||||| Одиночный боец против опасностей мира смерти. Strong-hearted stranger who could do as well as the natives. Сильный сердцем незнакомец, который мог поступить так же, как туземцы. It had taken him all of one day on his own to get his death warrant signed. Ему понадобился целый день, чтобы подписать себе смертный приговор. A choking growl echoed behind him. |choking|||| A choking growl echoed behind him. За его спиной раздалось сдавленное рычание.

He turned, dropped and fired in the same motion. Он повернулся, упал и выстрелил одним и тем же движением. It was all over before his conscious mind was aware it had happened. Все было кончено до того, как его сознание осознало, что это произошло. Pyrran training had conditioned his reflexes on the pre-cortical level. |||||||||корковий рівень| Обучение пирранцев обусловило его рефлексы на докортикальном уровне. Jason gaped at the ugly beast dying not a meter from him and realized he had been trained well. Jason gaped at the ugly beast dying not a meter from him and realized he had been trained well. Джейсон уставился на уродливого зверя, умирающего в метре от него, и понял, что его хорошо выдрессировали. His first reaction was unhappiness that he had killed one of the grubber dogs. Его первой реакцией было недовольство тем, что он убил одну из собак-корчевателей.

When he looked closer he realized this animal was slightly different in markings, size and temper. When he looked closer he realized this animal was slightly different in markings, size and temper. Когда он пригляделся, то понял, что это животное немного отличалось отметинами, размером и характером. Though most of its forequarters were blown away, blood pumping out in dying spurts, it kept trying to reach Jason. ||||передняя часть|||||||||порывах|||||| ||||front part||||||||||||||| ||||передня частина тулуба|||||||||пульсуючими викидами|||||| Though most of its forequarters were blown away, blood pumping out in dying spurts, it kept trying to reach Jason. Хотя большая часть его передних конечностей была снесена ветром, а кровь хлестала предсмертными струями, он продолжал пытаться добраться до Джейсона. Before the eyes glazed with death it had struggled its way almost to his feet. Before the eyes glazed with death it had struggled its way almost to his feet. Перед глазами, остекленевшими от смерти, он с трудом пробился почти к его ногам. It wasn’t quite a grubber dog, though chances were it was a wild relative. Это была не совсем корявая собака, хотя, скорее всего, это был ее дикий родственник.

Bearing the same relation as dog to wolf. Имея такое же отношение, как собака к волку. He wondered if there were any other resemblances between wolves and this dead beast. |||||||подібності|||||| Он задавался вопросом, есть ли еще какое-то сходство между волками и этим мертвым зверем. Did they hunt in packs, too? As soon as the thought hit him he looked up—not a moment too soon. ||||||||||not|||too late| As soon as the thought hit him he looked up—not a moment too soon. Как только эта мысль пришла ему в голову, он поднял голову — ни на секунду раньше времени.

The great forms were drifting through the trees, closing in on him. The great forms were drifting through the trees, closing in on him. Огромные фигуры дрейфовали между деревьями, приближаясь к нему. When he shot two, the others snarled with rage and sank back into the forest. ||||||заричали з люттю|||||||| Когда он выстрелил в двоих, остальные зарычали от ярости и снова утонули в лесу. They didn’t leave. Они не ушли. Instead of being frightened by the deaths they grew even more enraged. Вместо того, чтобы испугаться смертей, они еще больше разозлились. Jason sat with his back to the tree and waited until they came close before he picked them off. Jason sat with his back to the tree and waited until they came close before he picked them off. Джейсон сел спиной к дереву и подождал, пока они не подойдут поближе, прежде чем сбить их.

With each shot and dying scream the outraged survivors howled the louder. С каждым выстрелом и предсмертным криком возмущенные выжившие выли все громче. Some of them fought when they met, venting their rage. |||||||выпуская|| |||||||expressing anger|| |||||||випускаючи злість|| Some of them fought when they met, venting their rage. Некоторые из них дрались при встрече, вымещая свою ярость. One stood on his hind legs and raked great strips of bark from a tree. One stood on his hind legs and raked great strips of bark from a tree. Один встал на задние лапы и сгреб большие полоски коры с дерева. Jason aimed a shot at it, but he was too far away to hit. There were advantages to having a fever, he realized.

Logically he knew he would live only to sunset, or until his gun was empty. Логически он знал, что доживет только до заката или до тех пор, пока его револьвер не опустеет. Yet the fact didn’t bother him greatly. Однако этот факт его не сильно беспокоил. Nothing really mattered. He slumped, relaxed completely, only raising his arm to fire, then letting it drop again. Он сгорбился, полностью расслабившись, только поднял руку, чтобы выстрелить, и снова опустил ее. Every few minutes he had to move to look in back of the tree, and kill any of them that were stalking him in the blind spot. Каждые несколько минут ему приходилось двигаться, чтобы заглянуть за дерево и убить всех, кто преследовал его в слепой зоне. He wished dimly that he were leaning against a smaller tree, but it wasn’t worth the effort to go to one. Ему смутно хотелось, чтобы он стоял, прислонившись к дереву меньшего размера, но идти к одному из них не стоило усилий. Sometime in the afternoon he fired his last shot. Где-то днем он сделал свой последний выстрел.

It killed an animal he had allowed to get close. Это убило животное, которому он позволил приблизиться. He had noticed he was missing the longer shots. Он заметил, что пропускает более дальние кадры. The beast snarled and dropped, the others that were close pulled back and howled in sympathy. Зверь зарычал и упал, остальные отпрянули и сочувственно взвыли. One of them exposed himself and Jason pulled the trigger. Один из них выдал себя, и Джейсон нажал на курок. There was only a slight click.

He tried again, in case it was just a misfire, but there was still only the click. |||||||||misfire||||||| Он попробовал еще раз, на случай, если это была просто осечка, но по-прежнему был только щелчок. The gun was empty, as was the spare clip pouch at his belt. |||||||||сумка для патронів||| Пистолет был пуст, как и запасная сумка с обоймой на поясе. There were vague memories of reloading, though he couldn’t remember how many times he had done it. Были смутные воспоминания о перезарядке, хотя он не мог вспомнить, сколько раз он это делал. This, then, was the end. Значит, это был конец.

They had all been right, Pyrrus was a match for him. Все они были правы, Пиррус был ему ровней. Though they shouldn’t talk. Хотя они не должны говорить. It would kill them all in the end, too. В конце концов, это также убьет их всех. Pyrrans never died in bed. Пирранцы никогда не умирали в постели. Old Pyrrans never died, they just got et. ||||they|||eaten Старые Пирранцы никогда не умирали, они просто эт. Now that he didn’t have to force himself to stay alert and hold the gun, the fever took hold. Теперь, когда ему не нужно было заставлять себя сохранять бдительность и держать пистолет, лихорадка охватила его.

He wanted to sleep and he knew it would be a long sleep. Он хотел спать и знал, что сон будет долгим. His eyes were almost closed as he watched the wary carnivores slip closer to him. Его глаза были почти закрыты, когда он смотрел, как осторожные хищники приближаются к нему. The first one crept close enough to spring, he could see the muscles tensing in its leg. |||||||||||||tensing||| |||||||||||||напружуватися||| Первый подкрался достаточно близко, чтобы прыгнуть, он мог видеть, как напряглись мышцы его ноги. It leaped. Оно прыгнуло.

Whirling in midair and falling before it reached him. whirling|||||||| Вращаясь в воздухе и падая, не долетев до него. Blood ran from its gaping mouth and the short shaft of metal projected from the side of his head. Кровь текла из его зияющего рта, а из его головы торчал короткий металлический стержень. The two men walked out of the brush and looked down at him. Двое мужчин вышли из кустов и посмотрели на него сверху вниз.

Their mere presence seemed to have been enough for the carnivores, because they all vanished. Одного их присутствия, казалось, было достаточно для хищников, потому что все они исчезли. Grubbers.

He had been in such a hurry to reach the city that he had forgotten about the grubbers. It was good that they were here and Jason was very glad they had come. He couldn’t talk very well, so he smiled to thank them. But this hurt his lips too much so he went to sleep.