（外文电子版资料）Robert Sheckley - A Wind is Rising.pdf

A Wind Is Rising Robert Sheckley Outside, a wind was rising. But within the station, the two men had other things on their minds. Clayton turned the handle of the water faucet again and waited. Nothing happened. “Try hitting it,” said Nerishev. Clayton pounded the faucet with his fist. Two drops of water came out. A third drop trembled on the spigots lip, swayed and fell. That was all. “That does it,” Clayton said bitterly. “That damned water pipe is blocked again. How much water we got in storage?” “Four gallons-assuming the tank hasnt sprung another leak,” said Nerishev. He stared at the faucet, tapping it with long, nervous fingers. He was a big, pale man with a sparse beard, fragile-looking in spite of his size. He didnt look like the type to operate an observation station on a remote and alien planet. But the Advance Exploration Corps had discovered, to its regret, that there was no type to operate a station. Nerishev was a competent biologist and botanist. Although chronically nervous, he had surprising reserves of calm. He was the sort of man who needs an occasion to rise to. This, if anything, made him suitable to pioneer a planet like Carella I. “I suppose somebody should go out and unblock the water pipe,” said Nerishev, not looking at Clayton. “I suppose so,” Clayton said, pounding the faucet again. “But its going to be murder out there. Listen to it!” Clayton was a short man, bull-necked, red-faced, powerfully constructed. This was his third tour of duty as a planetary observer. He had tried other jobs in the Advance Exploration Corps, but none suited him. PEP- Primary Extraterrestrial Penetration-faced him with too many unpleasant surprises. It was work for daredevils and madmen. But Base Operations was much too tame and restricting. He like the work of a planetary observer, though. His job was to sit tight on a planet newly opened by the PEP boys and checked out