[科幻]宿主-第42章

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eyes；　and　her　memories　told　me　the　lines　were　from　smiling　and　squinting　into　sunlight。

　I　knew　nothing　of　what　passed　for　beauty　among　these　strangers；　and　yet　I　knew　that　this　face　was　
beautiful。　I　wanted　to　keep　looking　at　it。　As　soon　as　I　realized　this；　it　disappeared。

　Mine；spoke　the　alien　thought　that　should　not　have　existed。

　Again；　I　was　frozen；　stunned。　There　should　have　been　no　one　here　but　me。　And　yet　this　thought　was　so　
strong　and　so　aware！

　Impossible。　How　was　she　still　here？　This　was　me　now。

　Mine；I　rebuked　her；　the　power　and　authority　that　belonged　to　me　alone　flowing　through　the　word。　
Everything　is　mine。

　So　why　am　I　talking　back　to　her？I　wondered　as　the　voices　interrupted　my　thoughts。

　CHAPTER　2

　Overheard

　The　voices　were　soft　and　close　and；　though　I　was　only　now　aware　of　them；　apparently　in　the　middle　of　a　

murmured　conversation。

　“I’m　afraid　it’s　too　much　for　her；”　one　said。　The　voice　was　soft　but　deep；　male。　“Too　much　for　anyone。　
Such　violence！”　The　tone　spoke　of　revulsion。

　“She　screamed　only　once；”　said　a　higher；　reedy；　female　voice；　pointing　this　out　with　a　hint　of　glee；　as　if　

she　were　winning　an　argument。

　“I　know；”　the　man　admitted。　“She　is　very　strong。　Others　have　had　much　more　trauma；　with　much　less　
cause。”

　“I’m　sure　she’ll　be　fine；　just　as　I　told　you。”

　“Maybe　you　missed　your　Calling。”　There　was　an　edge　to　the　man’s　voice。　Sarcasm；　my　memory　named　
it。　“Perhaps　you　were　meant　to　be　a　Healer；　like　me。”

　The　woman　made　a　sound　of　amusement。　Laughter。　“I　doubt　that。　We　Seekers　prefer　a　different　sort　of　
diagnosis。”

　My　body　knew　this　word；　this　title：Seeker。　It　sent　a　shudder　of　fear　down　my　spine。　A　leftover　reaction。　

　

　“I　sometimes　wonder　if　the　infection　of　humanity　touches　those　in　your　profession；”　the　man　mused；　his　
voice　still　sour　with　annoyance。　“Violence　is　part　of　your　life　choice。　Does　enough　of　your　body’s　native　
temperament　linger　to　give　you　enjoyment　of　the　horror？”

　I　was　surprised　at　his　accusation；　at　his　tone。　This　discussion　was　almost　like…　an　argument。　Something　
my　host　was　familiar　with　but　that　I’d　never　experienced。

　The　woman　was　defensive。　“We　do　not　choose　violence。　We　face　it　when　we　must。　And　it’s　a　good　
thing　for　the　rest　of　you　that　some　of　us　are　strong　enough　for　the　unpleasantness。　Your　peace　would　be　
shattered　without　our　work。”

　“Once　upon　a　time。　Your　vocation　will　soon　be　obsolete；　I　think。”

　“The　error　of　that　statement　lies　on　the　bed　there。”

　“One　human　girl；　alone　and　unarmed！　Yes；　quite　a　threat　to　our　peace。”

　The　woman　breathed　out　heavily。　A　sigh。　“But　where　did　she　e　from？　How　did　she　appear　in　the　
middle　of　Chicago；　a　city　long　since　civilized；　hundreds　of　miles　from　any　trace　of　rebel　activity？　Did　she　
manage　it　alone？”

　She　listed　the　questions　without　seeming　to　seek　an　answer；　as　if　she　had　already　voiced　them　many　
times。

　“That’s　your　problem；　not　mine；”　the　man　said。　“My　job　is　to　help　this　soul　adapt　herself　to　her　new　host　
without　unnecessary　pain　or　trauma。　And　you　are　here　to　interfere　with　my　job。”

　Still　slowly　surfacing；　acclimating　myself　to　this　new　world　of　senses；　I　understood　only　now　that　I　was　
the　subject　of　the　conversation。　I　was　the　soul　they　spoke　of。　It　was　a　new　connotation　to　the　word；　a　
word　that　had　meant　many　other　things　to　my　host。　On　every　planet　we　took　a　different　name。Soul。　I　
suppose　it　was　an　apt　description。　The　unseen　force　that　guides　the　body。

　“The　answers　to　my　questions　matter　as　much　as　your　responsibilities　to　the　soul。”

　“That’s　debatable。”

　There　was　the　sound　of　movement；　and　her　voice　was　suddenly　a　whisper。　“When　will　she　bee　
responsive？　The　sedation　must　be　about　to　wear　off。”

　“When　she’s　ready。　Leave　her　be。　She　deserves　to　handle　the　situation　however　she　finds　most　
fortable。　Imagine　the　shock　of　her　awakening—inside　a　rebel　host　injured　to　the　point　of　death　in　the　
escape　attempt！　No　one　should　have　to　endure　such　trauma　in　times　of　peace！”　His　voice　rose　with　the　
increase　of　emotion。

　“She　is　strong。”　The　woman’s　tone　was　reassuring　now。　“See　how　well　she　did　with　the　first　memory；　
the　worst　memory。　Whatever　she　expected；　she　handled　this。”

　“Why　should　she　have　to？”　the　man　muttered；　but　he　didn’t　seem　to　expect　an　answer。　

　

　“Needbeing　your　word。　I　would　choose　the　termwant。　”

　“Then　someone　must　take　on　the　unpleasantness；”　she　continued　as　if　he　had　not　interrupted。　“And　I　

think；　from　all　I　know　of　this　one；　she　would　accept　the　challenge　if　there　had　been　any　way　to　ask　her。　
What　do　you　call　her？”

　The　man　didn’t　speak　for　a　long　moment。　The　woman　waited。

　“Wanderer；”　he　finally　and　unwillingly　answered。

　“Fitting；”　she　said。　“I　don’t　have　any　official　statistics；　but　she　has　to　be　one　of　the　very　few；　if　not　the　
only　one；　who　has　wandered　so　far。　Yes；Wanderer　will　suit　her　well　until　she　chooses　a　new　name　for　
herself。”

　He　said　nothing。

　“Of　course；　she　may　assume　the　host’s　name。…　We　found　no　matches　on　record　for　the　fingerprints　or　
retinal　scan。　I　can’t　tell　you　what　that　name　was。”

　“She　won’t　take　the　human　name；”　the　man　muttered。

　Her　response　was　conciliatory。　“Everyone　finds　fort　their　own　way。”

　“This　Wanderer　will　need　more　fort　than　most；　thanks　to　your　style　of　Seeking。”

　There　were　sharp　sounds—footsteps；　staccato　against　a　hard　floor。　When　she　spoke　again；　the　

woman’s　voice　was　across　the　room　from　the　man。

　“You　would　have　reacted　poorly　to　the　early　days　of　this　occupation；”　she　said。

　“Perhaps　you　react　poorly　to　peace。”

　The　woman　laughed；　but　the　sound　was　false—there　was　no　real　amusement。　My　mind　seemed　well　

adapted　to　inferring　the　true　meanings　from　tones　and　inflections。

　“You　do　not　have　a　clear　perception　of　what　my　Calling　entails。　Long　hours　hunched　over　files　and　
maps。　Mostly　desk　work。　Not　very　often　the　conflict　or　violence　you　seem　to　think　it　is。”

　“Ten　days　ago　you　were　armed　with　killing　weapons；　running　this　body　down。”

　“The　exception；　I　assure　you；　not　the　rule。　Do　not　forget；　the　weapons　that　disgust　you　are　turned　on　our　

kind　wherever　we　Seekers　have　not　been　vigilant　enough。　The　humans　kill　us　happily　whenever　they　have　
the　ability　to　do　so。　Those　whose　lives　have　been　touched　by　the　hostility　see　us　as　heroes。”

　“You　speak　as　if　a　war　were　raging。”

　“To　the　remains　of　the　human　race；　one　is。”

　These　words　were　strong　in　my　ears。　My　body　reacted　to　them；　I　felt　my　breathing　speed；　heard　the　

　

　“But　one　that　even　they　must　realize　is　long　lost。　They　are　outnumbered　by　what？　A　million　to　one？　I　
imagine　you　would　know。”

　“We　estimate　the　odds　are　quite　a　bit　higher　in　our　favor；”　she　admitted　grudgingly。

　The　Healer　appeared　to　be　content　to　let　his　side　of　the　disagreement　rest　with　that　information。　It　was　
quiet　for　a　moment。

　I　used　the　empty　time　to　evaluate　my　situation。　Much　was　obvious。

　I　was　in　a　Healing　facility；　recovering　from　an　unusually　traumatic　insertion。　I　was　s