（外文电子版资料）Joan D. Vinge - To Bell the Cat.pdf

To Bell the Cat by Joan D. Vinge Another squeal of animal pain reached them from the bubble tent twenty meters away. Juah-u Corouda jerked involuntarily as he tossed the carved gaming pieces from the cup, spoiling his throw. Hell, a triad Damn that noise; its like fingernails on metal. Orr doesnt know the meaning of surrender. Albe Hyacin-Soong caught up the cup. It must be driving him crazy that he cant figure out how those scaly little rats survive all that radioactivity. How they ever evolved in the first place - He doesnt know the meaning of the word mercy. Xena Soong - Hyacin frowned at her husband, her hands clasping her elbows. Why doesnt he anesthetize them? Come on, Xena, Corouda said. Theyre just animals. They dont feel pain like we do. And what are any of us, Juah-u, but animals trying to play God? I just want to play squamish, Albe muttered. Corouda smiled faintly, looking away from Xena toward the edge of the camp. A few complaints, hers among them, had forced Orr to move his lab tent away from the rest. Corouda was just as glad. The noises annoyed him, but he didnt take them personally. Research was necessary; Xena - any scientist - should be able to accept that. But the bleeding hearts are always with us. No matter how comfortable a society became, no matter how fair, no matter how nearly perfect, there was always someone who wanted flas to pick at. Some people were never satisfied; he was glad he wasnt one of them. And glad he wasnt married to one of them. But then, Albe always liked a good argument. Next youll be telling me that he doesnt feel anything either! Xena pointed. Keep your voice down, Xena. Hell hear you. Hes right over there. And dont pull down straw men; hes got nothing to do with this. Hes Piper Alvarian Jary; hes supposed to suffer. Hes been brainwiped. Thats like punishing an amnesiac; hes not the same man - I dont want to get into that again, Albe said, unconvincingly. C