Chapter - XXV |XXV(1) Kapitel - XXV Capítulo - XXV 第二十五章 Capítulo - XXV Глава - XXV Bölüm - XXV

XXV. There were few coherent memories of the ride. |||послідовних||||

Some things stood out sharply like the spaceship-sized lump of burning scoria that had plunged into a lake near them, showering the line with hot drops of water. ||||||||||||шлака|||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||lava rock|||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||шлак вулканічний|||||||||||||||| But mostly it was just a seemingly endless ride, with Jason still too weak to care much about it. By dawn the danger area was behind them and the march had slowed to a walk. |світанок|||||||||||||| The animals had vanished as the quake was left behind, going their own ways, still in silent armistice. Животные исчезли, когда землетрясение осталось позади, и они пошли своей дорогой, все еще пребывая в молчаливом перемирии. The peace of mutually shared danger was over, Jason found that out when they stopped to rest and eat. |||взаємно||||||||||||||| Мир взаимной опасности закончился, Джейсон понял это, когда они остановились, чтобы отдохнуть и поесть.

He and Rhes went to sit on the soft grass, near a fallen tree. Они с Ресом сели на мягкую траву возле упавшего дерева. A wild dog had arrived there first. Первой туда пришла дикая собака. It lay under the log, muscles tensed, the ruddy morning light striking a red glint from its eyes. ||||||напрягались||румяный||||||||| ||||||напружені||руда||||||блиск||| Он лежал под бревном, мускулы его были напряжены, румяный утренний свет бросал красный блеск в его глаза. Rhes faced it, not three meters away, without moving a muscle. Рес посмотрел на него, не двигаясь в трех метрах от него. He made no attempt to reach one of his weapons or to call for help. Jason stood still as well, hoping the Pyrran knew what he was doing. With no warning at all the dog sprang straight at them. ||попередження|||||||| Без всякого предупреждения собака бросилась прямо на них.

Jason fell backwards as Rhes pushed him aside. Джейсон упал навзничь, когда Рес оттолкнул его в сторону. The Pyrran dropped at the same time—only now his hand held the long knife, yanked from the sheath strapped to his thigh. ||||||||||||||||||ножны||||бедру ||||||||||||||||||піхви||||стегно The Pyrran dropped at the same time—only now his hand held the long knife, yanked from the sheath strapped to his thigh. Пирранец упал в то же время — только теперь его рука держала длинный нож, выдернутый из ножен, привязанных к бедру. With unseen speed the knife came up, the dog twisted in midair, trying to bite it. С невиданной скоростью подлетел нож, собака извернулась в воздухе, пытаясь его укусить. Instead it sank in behind the dog’s forelegs, the beast’s own weight tearing a deadly gaping wound the length of its body. |||||||передних лап|||||||||||||| |||||||передні лапи|||||||||||||| Instead it sank in behind the dog's forelegs, the beast's own weight tearing a deadly gaping wound the length of its body. Вместо этого он погрузился позади передних лап собаки, собственный вес зверя разорвал смертельную зияющую рану по всей длине его тела. It was still alive when it hit the ground, but Rhes was astraddle it, pulling back the bony-plated head to cut the soft throat underneath. ||||||||||||верхом||||||||||||| ||||||||||||верхи на|||||кістлявий|||||||| It was still alive when it hit the ground, but Rhes was astraddle it, pulling back the bony-plated head to cut the soft throat underneath. Он был еще жив, когда упал на землю, но Рес оседлал его, оттягивая голову с костяными пластинами, чтобы перерезать мягкое горло под ней. The Pyrran carefully cleaned his knife on the dead animal’s fur, then returned it to the sheath. ||||||||||||||||піхви

"They’re usually no trouble," he said quietly, "but it was excited. «Обычно они не доставляют хлопот, — сказал он тихо, — но это было волнительно. Probably lost the rest of the pack in the quake." His actions were the direct opposite of the city Pyrrans. Его действия были прямой противоположностью города пиррян. He had not looked for trouble nor started the fight. Он не искал неприятностей и не начинал драку. Instead he had avoided it as long as he could. But when the beast charged it had been neatly and efficiently dispatched. But when the beast charged it had been neatly and efficiently dispatched. Но когда зверь атаковал, он был уничтожен аккуратно и эффективно. Now, instead of gloating over his victory, he seemed troubled over an unnecessary death. |||ликовать|||||||||| |||радіти зловтішно|||перемозі||||||| Now, instead of gloating over his victory, he seemed troubled over an unnecessary death. Теперь, вместо того чтобы злорадствовать по поводу своей победы, он казался обеспокоенным ненужной смертью. It made sense.

Everything on Pyrrus made sense. Now he knew how the deadly planetary battle had started—and he knew how it could be ended. All the deaths had not been in vain. Each one had helped him along the road a little more towards the final destination. There was just one final thing to be done. Rhes was watching him now, and he knew they shared the same thoughts.

"Explain yourself," Rhes said. "What did you mean when you said we could wipe out the junkmen and get our freedom? "What did you mean when you said we could wipe out the junkmen and get our freedom? Jason didn’t bother to correct the misquote, it was best they consider him a hundred per cent on their side. ||||||цитату||||||||||||| ||||||неправильна цитата|||||||||||||

"Get the others together and I’ll tell you.

I particularly want to see Naxa and any other talkers who are here. They gathered quickly when the word was passed.

All of them knew that the junkman had been killed to save this off-worlder, that their hope of salvation lay with him. |||||||||||||||||||спасіння|||ним All of them knew that the junkman had been killed to save this off-worlder, that their hope of salvation lay with him. Jason looked at the crowd of faces turned towards him and reached for the right words to tell them what had to be done. Jason looked at the crowd of faces turned towards him and reached for the right words to tell them what had to be done. It didn’t help to know that many of them would be killed doing it. "The small star ship can’t be used," he said.

"You all saw that it was ruined beyond repair. But that was the easy way out. But that was the easy way out. The hard way is still left. Though some of you may die, in the long run it will be the best solution. "We are going to invade the city, break through the perimeter. ||||вторгнутися||||||

I know how it can be done ..." A mutter of sound spread across the crowd.

Some of them looked excited, happy with the thought of killing their hereditary enemies. ||||||||||||inherited| ||||||||||||спадковий| Some of them looked excited, happy with the thought of killing their hereditary enemies. Others stared at Jason as if he were mad. A few were dazed at the magnitude of the thought, this carrying of the battle to the stronghold of the heavily armed enemy. |||ошеломлены||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||||||||фортеця||||| A few were dazed at the magnitude of the thought, this carrying of the battle to the stronghold of the heavily armed enemy. They quieted when Jason raised his hand. "I know it sounds impossible," he said.

"But let me explain. Something must be done—and now is the time to do it. The situation can only get worse from now on. The city Pyrr ... the junkmen can get along without your food, their concentrates taste awful but they sustain life. ||Пирр|||||||||||||||| ||Пірр||||||||||концентрати їжі||||вони|| The city Pyrr ... the junkmen can get along without your food, their concentrates taste awful but they sustain life. But they are going to turn against you in every way they can. But they are going to turn against you in every way they can. No more metals for your tools or replacements for your electronic equipment. Their hatred will probably make them seek out your farms and destroy them from the ship. Their hatred will probably make them seek out your farms and destroy them from the ship. All of this won’t be comfortable—and there will be worse to come. In the city they are losing their war against this planet. Each year there are less of them, and some day they will all be dead. Knowing how they feel I am sure they will destroy their ship first, and the entire planet as well, if that is possible. ||||||||||||||the|||||||| "How can we stop them?

someone called out. "By hitting now ," Jason answered. |ударив||| "I know all the details of the city and I know how the defenses are set up. Their perimeter is designed to protect them from animal life, but we could break through it if we were really determined. Their perimeter is designed to protect them from animal life, but we could break through it if we were really determined. "What good would that do? "What good would that do?

Rhes snapped. "We crack the perimeter and they draw back—then counter-attack in force. "We crack the perimeter and they draw back—then counter-attack in force. How can we stand against their weapons? How can we stand against their weapons? "We won’t have to.

Their spaceport touches the perimeter, and I know the exact spot where the ship stands. Their spaceport touches the perimeter, and I know the exact spot where the ship stands. That is the place where we will break through. There is no formal guard on the ship and only a few people in the area. We will capture the ship. Whether we can fly it or not is unimportant. Whether we can fly it or not is unimportant. Who controls the ship controls Pyrrus. Once there we threaten to destroy it if they don’t meet our terms. Once there we threaten to destroy it if they don't meet our terms. They have the choice of mass suicide or co-operation. They have the choice of mass suicide or co-operation. I hope they have the brains to co-operate. His words shocked them into silence for an instant, then they surged into a wave of sound. |||||||||||піднялися||||| His words shocked them into silence for an instant, then they surged into a wave of sound.

There was no agreement, just excitement, and Rhes finally brought them to order. There was no agreement, just excitement, and Rhes finally brought them to order. "Quiet!

he shouted. "Wait until Jason finishes before you decide. "Wait until Jason finishes before you decide. We still haven’t heard how this proposed invasion is to be accomplished. ||||||запропонована|||||здійснити "The plan I have depends on the talkers.

Jason said.

"Is Naxa there?" He waited until the fur-wrapped man had pushed to the front. "I want to know more about the talkers, Naxa. I know you can speak to doryms and the dogs here—but what about the wild animals? Can you make them do what you want? "They’re animals ... course we can talk t’them. ||||||з ними "They're animals ... course we can talk t'them.

Th’more talkers, th’more power. Чим більше||| Th'more talkers, th'more power. Make 'em do just what we want. "Then the attack will work," Jason said excitedly.

"Could you get your talkers all on one side of the city—the opposite side from the spaceport—and stir the animals up? "Could you get your talkers all on one side of the city—the opposite side from the spaceport—and stir the animals up? Make them attack the perimeter? "Could we!

Naxa shouted, carried away by the idea. Naxa shouted, carried away by the idea. "We’d bring in animals from all over, start th’biggest attack they ev’r saw! ||||||||самую большую|||когда-либо| ||||||||найбільший напад|||коли-небудь бачили| "Then that’s it.

Your talkers will launch the attack on the far side of the perimeter. If you keep out of sight, the guards will have no idea that it is anything more than an animal attack. If you keep out of sight, the guards will have no idea that it is anything more than an animal attack. I’ve seen how they work. As an attack mounts they call for reserves inside the city and drain men away from the other parts of the perimeter. As an attack mounts they call for reserves inside the city and drain men away from the other parts of the perimeter. At the height of the battle, when they have all their forces committed across the city, I’ll lead the attack that will break through and capture the ship. |||||||||||війська|||||||||||||||| At the height of the battle, when they have all their forces committed across the city, I'll lead the attack that will break through and capture the ship. That’s the plan and it’s going to work. Jason sat down then, half fell down, drained of strength. |||after that|||||| Jason sat down then, half fell down, drained of strength.

He lay and listened as the debate went back and forth, Rhes ordering it and keeping it going. He lay and listened as the debate went back and forth, Rhes ordering it and keeping it going. Difficulties were raised and eliminated. Возникали и устранялись трудности. No one could find a basic fault with the plan. Никто не мог найти основную ошибку в плане. There were plenty of flaws in it, things that might go wrong, but Jason didn’t mention them. ||||недоліки|||||||||||| В нем было много недостатков, вещей, которые могли пойти не так, но Джейсон не упомянул о них. These people wanted his idea to work and they were going to make it work. Эти люди хотели, чтобы его идея сработала, и они собирались заставить ее работать. It finally broke up and they moved away. It finally broke up and they moved away. В конце концов они расстались, и они ушли.

Rhes came over to Jason. Рес подошел к Джейсону. "The basics are settled," he said. «Основные вопросы улажены», — сказал он.

"All here are in agreement. "All here are in agreement. They are spreading the word by messenger to all the talkers. They are spreading the word by messenger to all the talkers. Они распространяют весть через посланников всем говорящим. The talkers are the heart of the attack, and the more we have, the better it will go off. The talkers are the heart of the attack, and the more we have, the better it will go off. We don’t dare use the screens to call them, there is a good chance that the junkmen can intercept our messages. ||наважуємося|||||||||||||||||| We don't dare use the screens to call them, there is a good chance that the junkmen can intercept our messages. It will take five days before we are ready to go ahead. "I’ll need all of that time if I’m to be any good," Jason said. "I'll need all of that time if I'm to be any good," Jason said. «Мне понадобится все это время, если я хочу чего-то добиться», — сказал Джейсон.

"Now let’s get some rest. "А теперь давайте немного отдохнем.