tz.theicarushunt-第17节

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　I　had　to　hand　it　to　him；　the　man　was　sharp。　〃Very　good；〃　I　said　approvingly。　〃I　hereby　withdraw　all　the　unkind　thoughts　I've　had　toward　EarthGuard　Marines　over　the　years。　Most　of　them；　anyway。〃
　〃Thanks；〃　Nicabar　said　dryly。　〃The　answer's　a　qualified　yes。　I've　dealt　with　my　share　of　pirates　and　hijackers；　and　I　don't　like　them　much。　You　can　count　on　me　to　help　fight　them　off。　But。〃
　He　leveled　a　finger　at　my　chest。　〃My　support　and　my　presence　are　conditional　on　the　cargo　being　totally　legit。　If　I　find　out　we're　running　drugs　or　guns　or　that　we're　mask…shilling　for　the　Patth；　I'm　out　at　the　next　port。　Clear？〃
　〃Clear；〃　I　said　firmly；　hoping　I　sounded　heartily　on　his　side　on　this　one。　If　he　ever　found　out　about　my　connection　with　Brother　John；　I　was　going　to　have　some　fancy　verbal　dancing　to　do。　〃But　I　don't　think　you　have　anything　to　worry　about　on　any　of　those　scores。　Borodin　told　me　the　cargo　had　been　cleared　through　customs　on　Gamm；　and　one　would　assume　they　were　reasonably　thorough。〃
　〃Borodin　told　me　that；　too；〃　Nicabar　said　darkly。　〃But　then；　Borodin's　not　here；　is　he？〃
　〃No；　he's　not；〃　I　conceded。　〃And　before　you　ask；　I　don't　know　why。〃
　〃I　didn't　think　you　did。〃　He　peered　at　me　thoughtfully。　〃If　you　ever　find　out；　I　presume　you'll　tell　me。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　I　said；　as　if　it　went　without　saying；　as　I　stood　up。　〃I've　got　to　get　back　to　the　bridge。　See　you　later。〃
　I　made　my　way　back　through　the　wiring　undergrowth；　wishing　irreverently　for　a　machete；　and　ducked　through　the　aft　airlock　hatch　into　the　wraparound。　Nicabar　was　sharp；　all　right。　Maybe　a　little　too　sharp。　Perhaps　his　lack　of　reaction　to　my　story　about　being　jumped　was　because　he　already　knew　all　about　it。
　In　which　case；　unfortunately；　I　ran　immediately　and　solidly　into　the　question　of　why　he　hadn't　then　done　something　to　keep　the　Icarus　from　leaving　Xathru。　Unless　the　Lumpy　Brothers　were　just　hunting　cargoes　at　random；　maybe　working　strictly　on　their　own。
　But　that　one　didn't　wash　at　all。　They'd　known　me　by　sight　and　name；　and　they'd　known　I'd　e　in　from　Meima。　And　they　sure　as　hell　hadn't　bought　those　corona　weapons　off　a　gun…shop　rack。
　I　was　halfway　through　the　wraparound；　still　turning　all　the　questions　over　in　my　mind；　when　I　heard　a　dull；　metallic　thud。
　I　stopped　dead　in　my　tracks；　listening　hard。　My　first　thought　was　that　we　had　another　pressure　ridge　or　crack；　but　that　wasn't　at　all　what　the　noise　had　sounded　like。　It　had　been　more　like　two　pieces　of　metal　clanking　hollowly　against　each　other。
　And　near　as　I　could　tell；　it　had　e　from　someplace　immediately　ahead　of　me。
　I　unglued　myself　from　the　deck　and　hurried　ahead；　ducking　through　the　forward　airlock　and　into　the　main　sphere；　all　my　senses　alert　for　trouble。　No　one　was　visible　in　the　corridor；　and　aside　from　the　galley/dayroom　three　rooms　ahead　on　my　right　all　the　doors　were　closed。　I　paused　again；　listening　hard；　but　there　was　nothing　but　the　normal　hum　of　shipboard　activity。
　The　first　door　ahead　on　my　right　was　the　puter　room。　I　stepped　up　to　it　and　tapped　the　release　pad　with　my　left　hand；　my　right　poised　ready　to　grab　for　my　plasmic　if　necessary。　The　door　slid　open…
　Tera　was　seated　at　the　puter；　holding　a　hand　pressed　against　the　side　of　her　head。　〃What？〃　she　snapped　crossly；　glaring　at　me。
　〃Just　checking　on　you；〃　I　said；　glancing　around　the　room。　No　one　else　was　there；　and　nothing　seemed　out　of　place。　〃I　thought　I　heard　a　noise。〃
　〃That　was　my　head　banging　against　the　bulkhead；〃　she　growled。　〃I　dropped　a　datadisk　and　ran　into　the　wall　when　I　leaned　over　to　get　it。　Is　that　all　right　with　you？〃
　〃No　problem；〃　I　said　hastily；　backing　out　rapidly　and　letting　the　door　close　on　her　scowl。　This　was　twice　now；　counting　my　spectacularly　unnecessary　floor　dive　back　in　that　Meima　hotel　room；　where　I'd　overreacted　and　made　something　of　a　fool　of　myself。
　The　difference　was　that　Ixil　was　already　used　to　that　sort　of　thing　from　me。　Tera　wasn't；　and　my　face　was　hot　as　I　glowered　my　way　forward。
　Ixil　was　seated　in　the　restraint　chair　when　I　reached　the　bridge；　Pix　and　Pax　nosing　curiously　around　the　bases　of　the　various　consoles　in　their　rodent　way。　〃How　was　Nicabar？〃　he　asked。
　〃Smart；　petent；　and　apparently　on　our　side；〃　I　told　him。　〃Tera；　unfortunately；　probably　now　thinks　I'm　an　idiot。　Did　you　hear　a　metallic　clunking　noise　a　couple　of　minutes　ago？〃
　〃Not　from　here；　no；〃　he　said；　snapping　his　fingers　twice。　The　two　ferrets　abandoned　their　exploration　in　response　to　the　signal；　scampering　up　his　legs　and　onto　his　shoulders。　〃They　didn't　hear　anything；　either；〃　he　added。　〃Could　it　have　been　a　pressure　ridge　forming？〃
　〃No；　it　wasn't　anything　like　that；〃　I　said。　〃Tera　told　me　she'd　bumped　her　head　on　the　bulkhead。　But　that's　not　what　it　sounded　like　to　me。〃
　〃Perhaps　it　was　Shawn　across　the　corridor　from　her　in　the　electronics　workshop；〃　Ixil　suggested　as　the　ferrets　headed　down　his　legs　to　the　deck　again。　〃He　said　he　was　going　to　be　tearing　apart　and　cleaning　one　of　the　spare　trim　regulators。〃
　〃He　came　here？　Or　did　he　use　the　inter？〃
　〃He　came　here；〃　Ixil　said。　〃He　wanted　to　ask　you　to　run　a　decision/diagnostic　on　the　regulators　already　on…line；　not　wanting　to　have　one　of　the　spares　torn　apart　if　there　was　any　chance　we　might　need　it。〃
　〃Unfortunately；　this　ship　has　all　the　decision…making　capabilities　of　a　politician　up　for　reelection；〃　I　said。　〃Tera's　puter　back　there　is　just　this　side　of　utterly　useless。〃
　〃Yes；　he　mentioned　that；〃　Ixil　agreed。　〃I　did　what　I　could　in　the　way　of　a　diagnostic；　then　told　him　to　go　ahead。〃
　〃Fine；〃　I　said；　pulling　out　the　console's　swivel　stool。　I　sat　down　facing　Ixil；　keeping　the　door　visible　at　the　corner　of　my　eye。　〃I　presume　you　took　the　opportunity　to　find　out　a　little　about　him？〃
　〃Of　course；〃　he　said；　as　if　there　would　be　any　doubt。　〃An　interesting　young　man；　though　he　strikes　me　as　something　of　the　rebellious　type。　He's　quite　well　traveled…he　went　on　several　survey…match　trips　while　in　tech　school；　including　one　that　followed　Captain　Dak'ario's　famous　journey　across　the　Spiral　three　hundred　years　ago。〃
　〃Sounds　like　a　flimsy　excuse　to　get　out　of　real　classes。〃　I　sniffed。　〃Which　school　was　it？〃
　〃Amdrigal　Technical　Institute　on　New　Rome；〃　he　said。　〃Graduated　fifth　in　his　class；　or　so　he　says。〃
　〃Impressive；　if　true；〃　I　admitted　grudgingly。　〃What　was　he　doing　on　Meima？〃
　〃He　was　out　of　work；〃　Ixil　said。　〃Why；　he　wouldn't　say…he　went　rather　evasive　every　time　I　tried　to　move　us　back　to　that　topic。　He　did　say　that　he　was　sitting　in　a　taverno　wearing　his　class　jacket　and　being　picked　on　by　some　kids　from　a　rival　school　when　he　caught　Cameron's　eye。〃
　〃Borodin；　please；　at　least　in　public；〃　I　cautioned　him。　〃That's　the　name　everyone　else　aboard　knows　him　by。〃
　〃Right。　Sorry。〃　He　paused；　an　odd　expression　flitting　across　his　face。　〃There's　one　other　thing　that　may　or　may　not　mean　anything。　Have　you　noticed　Shawn　seems　to　have　a　rather　peculiar　odor　about　him？〃
　I　frowned。　My　first　reaction　was　to　think　that　that　was　possibly　the　strangest　ment　Ixil　had　ever　made；　certainly　in　recent　memory。　But　Ixil　was　a　nonhuman；　with　access　to　a　pair　of　even　more　nonhuman　outriders；　and　all　of　them　had　different　sensory　ranges　from　mine。　〃No；　I　hadn't；〃　I　said。
　〃It's　quite　subtle；〃　he　said。　〃But　it's　definitely　there。　My　initial　thought　was　that　it　might　be　related　to　a　possible　medical　problem；　the　odor　ing　either　from　the　illness　itself　or　induced　by　medication。〃
　I　felt　my　throat　tighten。　〃Or　it　could　be　ing　from　some　other　kind　of　drug。　The　illegal　type；　maybe？〃
　〃Could　be；〃　Ixil　said。　〃Not　standard　happyjam；　I　don't　think；　but　there　are　any　number　of　variations　I'm　not　familiar　with。〃　He　shrugged。　〃Then　again；　it　could　also　be　a　result　of　something　exotic　he　had　for　lunch　in　the　port。〃
　〃Nice　to　have　it　narrowed　down。〃　Still；　in　all　the　years　I'd　known　Ixil　his　instincts　had　never　steered　him　wrong　in　this　sort　of　thing。　And　there　had　been　the　attitude　change　I'd　noticed　myself　in　Shawn　earlier　in　the　trip；　a　change　that　could　well　have　had　something　to　do　with　drugs。　〃All　right；　we'll　keep　an　eye　on　him。　See　if　he　smells　the　same　tomorrow　after　a　day　of　shipboard　food。〃
　〃I　will；〃　he　promised。　〃Speaking　of　tomorrow；　I　notice　you've　scheduled　our　next　fueling　stop　on　Dorscind's　World。　I　thought　I　might　remind　you　that　Dorscind's　World　is　not　exactly　a　highlight　of　the　average　five…star　tourist　cruise。〃
　〃Which　is　precisely　why　I　picked　it；〃　I　told　him。　Pix　and　Pax　had　finished　their　deck…level　tour　of　the　bridge　now　and　had　scampered　out　the　door　into　the　corridor。　I　sent　up　a　silent　prayer　that　they　wouldn't　run　across　Everett；　with　his　bulk；　the　big　medic　might　step　on　them　before　he　even　noticed　they　were　underfoot。　〃Paperwork　accuracy　has　never　been　exactly　a　high　priority　with　the　Port　Authority　there；　particularly　if　you're　a　few　marks　heavy　on　the　docking　fees。　I　figure　that　the　eighty…two　hours　it'll　take　to　get　there　should　be　long　enough　for　us　to　create　a　new　identity　for　the　Icarus　that'll　be　good　enough　to　pass　muster。〃
　〃I'm　sure　we　can　put　something　together；〃　he　rumbled；　eyeing　me　speculatively。　〃Did　your　tangle　with　the　Lumpy　Brothers　bother　you　that　much？〃
　〃More　than　you　know；〃　I　ass