第15节

as busy with one thing, and one thing

only - and that was figuring out ways to get back here where I belong!'

As Steve spoke, Bart moved behind him and stopped once again, this time

behind his right shoulder. Steve shot a quick glance in that direction

and found the Provost-Marshal's face about an inch from his own, chin

thrust forward, teeth clenched and bared, eyes open so wide there was

white all around the pupils. Steve whipped his head to the front and

stared hard at the fawn-coloured wall. In the past, in their more

private moments, he and his kin-sister Roz had viewed Bart's fanatical

loyalty and his pious mouthings from the Manual with amused

irreverence. But now, as he stood there chained to the floor, Steve

was suddenly struck by the realisation that good old Uncle Bart had

popped his rivets; jumped the buffers; had flipped his trolley.

Christopher Columbus! A crazy State Provost-Marshal... the head of law

enforcement for the whole of New Mexico, with the power to arrest,

imprison, interrogate, pass sentence - even send people to the wall!

Steve found himself trembling at the thought. It was frightening. But

what was even more frightening was the fact that he suddenly felt an

equally crazy desire to burst out laughing.

Bart emerged from behind Steve's shoulder, leant back against the front

edge of the desk with folded arms, and ran his eyes over Steve from the

feet up. Steve's face muscles ached but, somehow, he managed to keep a

straight face.

'You say you feel pretty good. How good do you feel about the

Federation, boy? How good do you feel about the First Family?"

Steve suddenly felt better. This was familiar ground.

'Same way as I did before, sir. Thinking about them was the only thing

that kept me going out there." The words came easily. Steve knew it

was the kind of stuff Bart loved to hear. 'Never once did I forget

what they've done for us. The way they built the Federation from the

bottom up. The way they gave us life, the will to live, the rules to

live by and the promise of a better tomorrow.

What we owe them is a debt that can never be repaid.

But each of us can show our gratitude by living right and thinking

straight, and by being ready and willing to make the ultimate

sacrifice."

Bart thrust out his bottom lip and nodded approvingly.

'Well said, boy."

'That's how it is, sir. Nothing's changed." Steve paused, then added

with appropriate solemnity - 'I still believe that the greatest honour

that can be bestowed on any Tracker worthy of the name is to be called

upon to lay down his life in defence of the First Family and the

Federation. That's why I want to clear myself of any suspicion of

misconduct and get back into action. I know one should never ask for

favours but - can you help me do that?"

Bart replied with a shake of the head. 'Your case is not under my

jurisdiction, Stevie. Best I can do is to give you some advice."

'Well, I'm always grateful for that, sir,' said Steve, with as much

sincerity as he could muster. 'I recognise that it was the guidance

you gave me during those years when Poppa-Jack was away fighting Mutes

that helped keep me on course."

Bart appeared to accept the tribute. 'Maybe so. It's up to each of us

to do what we can for who we can - starting with those nearest to us.

I've never held back from helping you, Stevie. Not because you're

family, but because I really and truly sincerely believe that you have

that something special that can take a man right to the top."

Coming at any other time, such a glowing assessment would have been

music to Steve's ears. Unfortunately, having just reclassified Bart as

a Category One basket case, rendered his opinion on any subject totally

valueless. Steve's awareness of his own treacherous intentions lent a

certain irony to his reply. 'Thank you, sir, I'll try not to

disappoint you."

'You won't,' said Bart. He straightened up off the desk and took a

step towards Steve and fixed him with his mad blue eyes. 'I want to

ask you something, Stevie.

Man to man."

'Go ahead, sir."

'I've heard and read about Mutes but you've got closer to 'em than any

man I know. I've watched videos of what these animals do to our boys,

but you've seen it with your own eyes. Those lumpheads are killers am

I right?"

'Yes, sir."