tz.theicarushunt-第16节

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　〃Ah。　And？〃
　〃If　he's　there；　he's　very　good　at　his　job；〃　Ixil　concluded。　〃By　the　way；　is　one　of　your　crewers　about　one…point…nine　meters　tall　and　bulking　out　at　a　good　hundred　ten　kilograms；　with　short　black　hair　and　a　face　like　a　throw…boxer　with　a　bad　win/loss　record？〃
　〃Sounds　like　our　medic；　Everett；〃　I　said；　scooting　across　the　floor　to　his　side。　Sure　enough；　there　he　was；　heading　toward　us　with　an　air　of　brisk　determination　about　him。　〃Yes；　that's　him；〃　I　confirmed；　getting　to　my　feet。　〃Be　nice；　now…he's　probably　never　seen　a　Kalix　before。〃
　Apparently　lost　in　his　own　thoughts；　Everett　didn't　even　notice　us　standing　in　the　shadow　of　the　wraparound　until　he　was　halfway　up　the　ramp。　Judging　from　how　high　he　jumped；　he　had　indeed　never　seen　a　Kalix　before。　〃It's　all　right…don't　worry；〃　I　said　quickly；　before　he　could　turn　tail　and　run　for　the　hills。　〃This　is　Ixil。　He's　with　us。〃
　〃Ah；〃　Everett　said；　regaining　his　balance　and　most　of　his　posure　and　peering　oddly　at　Ixil。　〃So　this　is　your　partner。　Ixil；　was　it？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Ixil　said。　〃How　did　you　know　I　was　Jordan's　partner？〃
　Everett　blinked。　〃He　said　he　would　be　bringing　his　partner　in　to　take　Jones's　place；〃　he　said；　looking　at　me　uncertainly。　〃Just　before　we　set　down。　Didn't　you　say　that？〃
　〃Yes；　I　did；〃　I　confirmed。　〃Any　problems　with　the　drop…off？〃
　〃Not　really；〃　he　said。　〃It　was　your　basic　fifteen…minute　inquest。　They　did　want　to　keep　the　suit　and　rebreather；　though。〃
　〃I　figured　they　would；〃　I　said。　〃Where's　Nicabar？〃
　〃He　headed　off　somewhere　after　the　inquest；〃　Everett　said。　〃Why；　is　that　a　problem？〃
　〃It　could　bee　one；〃　I　said。　〃Did　you　happen　to　see　any　of　the　others　on　your　way　back？〃
　〃I　passed　Shawn　at　one　of　the　vendor　stalls　a　few　minutes　ago；〃　he　said。　〃I　haven't　seen　anyone　else。〃
　〃Perhaps　it's　time　we　called　them；〃　Ixil　suggested。　〃I　presume　you　have　their　phone　numbers；　Jordan？〃
　〃Yes；　they're　programmed　into　list　two；〃　I　said；　handing　him　my　phone。　〃Give　them　a　call；　will　you；　and　tell　them　to　get　back　as　soon　as　they　can。　I'll　make　sure　the　refueling's　been　finished　and　get　the　rest　of　the　paperwork　out　of　the　way。〃
　〃What　can　I　do？〃　Everett　asked。
　You　can　tell　me　who　out　there　has　it　in　for　this　ship　and　its　crew；　the　suggestion　ran　through　my　mind。　But　there　was　no　point　springing　something　like　that　on　him。　Odds　were　he　hadn't　the　faintest　idea　anyway。　〃Go　make　sure　your　gear's　ready　for　liftoff；〃　I　told　him　instead。　〃As　soon　as　the　rest　get　back；　we're　out　of　here。〃
　　
　CHAPTER　5
　
　THEY　STRAGGLED　IN　over　the　next　hour；　Shawn　and　Nicabar　clearly　glad　we　were　getting　under　way；　Tera　just　as　clearly　annoyed　that　we'd　cut　short　what　had　apparently　been　a　successful　shopping　spree；　at　least　judging　from　the　number　of　bags　she　hauled　aboard。　Chort　didn't　show　any　particular　preference　one　way　or　the　other。
　With　the　ever…looming　threat　of　hue　and　cry　from　the　Port　Authority　over　the　deaths　of　my　two　assailants…and　the　associated　threat　that　the　port　might　be　summarily　shut　down　at　any　minute…I　spent　the　entire　time　sweating　as　I　fought　upstream　against　bureaucratic　inertia；　trying　to　finish　Jones's　death　report　and　all　the　procedural　preflight　paperwork　before　the　bodies　were　discovered。
　To　my　surprise；　we　got　cleared　and　headed　out　into　space　without　any　sign　of　official　outrage　or　panic　over　the　charred　remains　I'd　left　at　the　loading　dock。　Perhaps　the　spot　the　Lumpy　Brothers　had　picked　for　my　interrogation　had　been　more　private　than　it　had　looked。　Either　that；　or　someone　had　done　a　very　efficient　job　of　sweeping　the　whole　incident　under　the　rug。
　I'd　had　short　conversations　with　each　of　the　crewers　on　the　trip　from　Meima；　but　most　of　them　had　either　concerned　basic　ship's　business　or　were　just　casual　chat。　But　now；　with　everything　that　had　happened　since　then；　I　decided　it　was　time　to　skip　past　the　surface　and　find　out　what　exactly　these　people　were　made　of。　If　someone　was　out　to　get　us　I　needed　to　know　which　ones　I　could　trust　not　to　buckle　under　pressure。
　And　so；　as　soon　as　we'd　made　our　slice　into　hyperspace　and　were　on　our　way；　I　left　Ixil　watching　the　bridge　and　headed　aft。
　The　Icarus's　engine　room　was　just　like　the　rest　of　the　ship；　only　more　so。　The　same　odd　arrangement　of　equipment　and　control　systems　was　repeated　back　there；　as　if　Salvador　Dali　had　been　in　charge　of　the　layout。　In　addition；　though；　the　general　attempt　elsewhere　to　keep　the　various　cables　and　fluid　conduits　tucked　out　of　the　way　in　the　gap　between　the　inner　and　outer　hulls　had　seemingly　been　abandoned　here。　They　were　everywhere：　a　bewildering；　multicolored　spaghetti　tangle　that　brushed　against　sleeves　and　shins　and　occasionally　threatened　to　clothesline　the　unwary　traveler。
　And　buried　away　at　his　control　console　near　the　middle　of　the　sculpted　chaos　was　Revs　Nicabar。
　〃Ah…McKell；〃　he　greeted　me　as　I　successfully　negotiated　past　a　final　pair　of　thick　conduits　leading　to　the　large；　shimmery　Mobius　strip　that　was　the　heart　of　the　Icarus's　stardrive。　〃Wele　to　Medusa's　Lair。　Watch　your　head。〃
　〃And　arms；　legs；　and　throat；〃　I　added；　pulling　out　a　swivel　stool　from　the　side　of　his　console　and　sitting　down。　〃How's　it　flying？〃
　〃Amazingly　well；　actually；〃　he　said。　〃Rather　surprising；　I　know；　considering　that　it　looks　like　a　refugee　from　a　Doolian　scrap　heap。　But　whoever　the　designer　was；　at　least　the　builder　had　the　sense　to　install　some　decent　equipment。〃
　〃It's　like　that　on　the　bridge；　too；〃　I　said。　〃Good　equipment；　odd　placement。　I'll　make　you　a　small　wager　that　it　was　a　working　spacer　who　designed　it；　not　some　so…called　expert。　Tell　me；　did　you　have　any　problems　out　in　the　port　back　there？〃
　His　eyes　narrowed；　just　a　bit；　and　I　saw　his　gaze　flick　to　the　side　of　my　head　where　the　plasmic　near　miss　had　slightly　singed　my　hair。　I　didn't　think　the　marks　showed；　possibly　I　was　wrong。　〃None　at　all；〃　he　said。　〃Of　course；　I　was　only　outside　a　half　hour　or　so…up　till　then　I　was　sitting　on　the　fuelers　making　sure　they　did　their　job　properly。　I　take　it　there　was　some　trouble　I　missed　out　on？〃
　〃You　might　say　that；〃　I　allowed。　〃Tell　me　about　yourself；　Revs。〃
　I'd　been　hoping　my　sudden　change　of　topic　would　spark　a　telling　reaction。　What　I　got　was　equally　informative：　no　reaction　at　all。　〃What　do　you　want　to　know？〃　he　countered　calmly。
　〃Let's　start　with　your　background；〃　I　said。　〃Where　you　picked　up　your　drive　certification；　how　long　you've　been　flying；　why　you　were　at　loose　ends　on　Meima；　and　how　you　were　hired　for　this　trip。〃
　〃I　learned　drive…jocking　in　the　service；〃　he　said。　〃EarthGuard　Marines；　stationed　mostly　out　among　the　settlements　in　the　Kappa　Vega　Sector。　I　was　in　for　ten　years；　left　six　years　ago　to　try　my　hand　in　the　private　sector。〃
　〃Odd　timing；〃　I　said。　〃Considering　that　by　then　the　Patth　had　already　swallowed　up　the　lion's　share　of　the　Spiral's　shipping。〃
　〃It　was　a　gamble；　but　I'd　had　enough　of　military　life　by　then　and　thought　I　could　make　a　go　of　it。　Mostly；　I　was　right。〃　He　shrugged。　〃As　to　the　Icarus；　I　got　signed　up　more　or　less　simultaneously　with　my　resignation　from　my　previous　ship。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃Yes。〃　His　face　hardened。　〃I'd　just　found　out　my　freighter　was　actually　mask…shilling　for　the　Patth。〃
　I　frowned。　〃That's　a　new　one　on　me。〃
　〃It's　the　latest　Patth　twist　to　get　around　local　protection　ordinances；〃　he　said。　〃On　some　of　these　worlds　twenty　to　forty　percent　of　cargo　tonnage　has　to　be　carried　by　local　shippers。　So　the　Patth　hire　a　ship　on　the　sly；　load　it　to　the　gills　with　as　much　stuff　as　it　can　carry；　and　send　it　on　in。　It　skews　the　numbers；　the　Patth　pocket　the　profits；　and　it　pulls　business　away　from　the　people　the　ordinances　are　supposed　to　protect。〃　He　shrugged。　〃Typical　Patth　connivery。〃
　〃I　take　it　you　resigned　in　something　of　a　huff？〃
　He　grinned　suddenly。　〃I　don't　know　if　'huff'　quite　covers　it；　but　I　made　damn　sure　I　was　loud　enough　for　everyone　in　the　taverno　to　hear　what　was　happening。　Anyway；　Borodin　was　there　at　the　bar　talking　to　someone　else；　and　when　I　stomped　out　he　followed　and　offered　me　this　job。〃
　He　glanced　around。　〃Though　if　I'd　known　what　I　was　getting　into；　I　might　have　looked　a　little　harder　for　something　else。〃
　He　looked　at　me；　his　eyes　suddenly　cool。　〃My　turn　for　a　question。　Do　you　always　carry　a　gun　on　board　your　own　ship？〃
　I　cocked　an　eyebrow。　〃I'm　impressed。　I　didn't　realize　it　was　so　obvious。〃
　〃Ten　years　in　EarthGuard；〃　he　reminded　me。　〃Do　I　get　an　answer？〃
　〃Sure；〃　I　said。　〃Number　one：　It's　not　exactly　my　ship。　Number　two：　I　was　kidnapped　in　port　by　a　couple　of　alien　lads　who　wanted　our　cargo。〃
　〃Interesting；〃　he　murmured。　〃And　you　suspect　someone　aboard　of　plicity　with　them？〃
　〃I　can't　imagine　why　anyone　would　be；〃　I　said。　It　was　a　perfectly　true　statement；　even　if　it　wasn't　precisely　an　answer　to　his　question。
　〃No；　of　course　not；〃　he　agreed　in　a　tone　that　implied　he'd　heard　both　the　words　I'd　said　and　the　words　I　hadn't　said　and　would　be　mulling　them　over　later　on　his　own。　〃In　which　case；　I　presume　this　visit　is　for　the　purpose　of　judging　whether　or　not　I'll　be　helping　you　circle　the　wagons　if　and　when　the　shooting　starts？〃
　I　had　to　hand　it　to　him；　the　man　was　sharp。　〃Very　good；〃　I　said　approvingly。　〃I　hereby　withdraw　all　the　unkin