tz.theicarushunt-第27节

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　faint　dull　metallic　thud。　The　same　unexplained　sound；　as　near　as　I　could　tell；　that　I'd　heard　in　the　wraparound　just　after　we'd　left　Xathru。
　〃What？〃　Shawn　demanded；　making　no　attempt　to　keep　his　voice　down。　〃What's　the　problem？〃
　〃I　thought　I　heard　something；〃　I　told　him；　suppressing　the　exceptionally　impolite　word　I　wanted　to　say。　There　might　have　been　a　follow…up　sound；　or　even　a　lingering　echo　that　could　have　given　me　a　chance　of　figuring　out　its　approximate　direction。　But　both　those　chances　were　gone　now；　buried　under　Shawn's　inopportune　and　overly　loudmouthed　question。
　〃What；　you　mean　that　thunking　sound？〃　he　scoffed。　〃It's　nothing。　You　hear　it　every　once　in　a　while。〃
　I　frowned；　my　annoyance　with　his　bad　timing　vanishing　into　sudden　new　interest。　〃You've　heard　it　before？〃
　〃Sure；〃　he　said；　some　of　that　old　Shawn　arrogance　creeping　into　his　tone。　〃Couple　of　times　just　while　I've　been　lying　here　today。　You　want　my　opinion；　it's　probably　something　in　the　flush　equipment　in　the　head。〃
　〃Could　be；〃　I　said　nonmittally。　He　could　have　whatever　opinion　he　wanted；　but　I'd　been　flying　for　half　my　life　and　there　was　absolutely　nothing　in　a　ship's　plumbing　that　could　make　that　kind　of　noise。　〃You　said　Tera　went　back　to　her　cabin？〃
　〃All　I　said　was　that　Everett　relieved　her；〃　he　corrected　me；　his　tone　suddenly　testy。　〃She　could　have　gone　outside　for　a　walk　for　all　I　know。〃　He　waved　a　hand　impatiently　around　the　strap。　〃Look；　what　does　any　of　this　have　to　do　with　my　medicine？　Nothing；　that's　what。　You　are　going　to　be　able　to　get　it；　right？〃
　〃I'll　do　what　I　can；〃　I　said；　reaching　down　and　swinging　the　swivel　stool　back　into　storage　again。　Clearly；　the　obnoxious　stage　of　Shawn's　withdrawal　was　starting；　and　I'd　already　had　as　much　of　that　as　I　needed　for　one　trip。　〃I'll　see　you　later。　Try　to　get　some　rest。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　he　muttered　as　I　made　my　way　to　the　door。　〃Sure…easy　for　you　to　say。　What　a　bunch　of…〃
　The　sliding　door　cut　off　the　noun。　Just　as　well。　I　started　to　turn　toward　the　bridge；　but　as　I　did　so　I　caught　the　soft　sound　and　faint　vibration　of　a　heavy　footstep　from　behind　me。　I　turned　to　see　Ixil　e　into　the　corridor　from　the　wraparound；　a　toolbox　in　his　hand。　〃Trouble？〃　he　murmured。
　〃No　more　than　usual　around　here；〃　I　told　him；　not　wanting　to　get　into　Shawn's　problems　just　now。　〃I　thought　I　might　as　well　go　and　relieve　Everett　on　the　bridge。〃
　Pix　and　Pax　twitched　at　that；　Ixil　no　doubt　wondering　what　our　medic　was　doing　on　bridge　watch　when　Tera　was　supposed　to　be　holding　the　fort　there。　But　he　clearly　wasn't　any　more　interested　in　holding　serious　conversations　in　open　corridors　than　I　was；　and　merely　nodded。　〃We　found　the　problem　with　the　modulator　relay；〃　he　said；　continuing　on　down　the　corridor　toward　me。　〃All　fixed。〃
　〃Good；〃　I　said；　lifting　my　eyebrows　and　nodding　fractionally　behind　me　and　to　my　right；　toward　the　door　to　the　mechanics　shop。　He　nodded　back；　just　as　fractionally。　Now；　when　everyone　seemed　to　have　taken　themselves　elsewhere；　would　be　an　excellent　time　for　him　to　see　what　kind　of　cutting　equipment　Cameron　had　left　us。
　We　went　the　rest　of　the　way　forward　together　in　silence；　Ixil　breaking　off　to　the　left　to　the　mechanics…room　door　aft　of　the　bridge；　me　continuing　the　rest　of　the　way　past　the　forward　access　ladder　to　the　bridge　door。　I　tapped　the　release　pad；　and　the　door　slid　open。
　For　a　moment　I　just　stood　there；　staring　in　disbelief　at　the　sight　before　me。　Everett；　his　bulk　nearly　filling　the　small　space　between　the　mand　console　and　nav　table；　was　half…turned　to　face　me；　his　arms　and　right　leg　lifted　in　what　looked　like　a　grotesque　parody　of　some　kind　of　ballet　step。
　For　a　moment　we　stared　at　each　other；　and　behind　those　blue　eyes　I　watched　his　self…conscious　embarrassment　change　almost　reluctantly　to　a　sort　of　stubborn　pride。　Then；　very　deliberately；　he　looked　away　and　lowered　his　right　foot　back　to　the　deck；　his　hands　and　arms　tracing　out　a　plicated　design　in　the　air　as　he　did　so。　Just　as　deliberately；　he　moved　his　left　foot　around　behind　his　right；　his　hands　shifting　again　through　the　air。
　And　suddenly；　belatedly；　I　realized　what　he　was　doing。　Not　ballet；　not　some　odd　playacting　posturing；　but　a　martial…arts　kata。
　I　waited　where　I　was；　not　moving　or　speaking；　until　he'd　finished　the　form。　〃Sorry　about　that；〃　he　said；　breaking　the　silence　at　last　as　he　straightened　up　from　his　final　crouch　and　squeezed　back　into　the　restraint　chair。　〃I　was　feeling　a　little　dozy；　and　a　bit　of　exercise　always　perks　me　up。〃
　〃No　apology　or　explanation　needed；〃　I　assured　him；　stepping　into　the　bridge　but　leaving　the　door　locked　open　behind　me。　Back　when　we'd　first　met；　I　remembered　thinking　his　face　had　that　slightly　battered　look　of　someone　who'd　done　time　with　high…contact　sports。　Apparently；　that　snap　judgment　had　been　correct。　〃What　form　was　that？　I　don't　think　I've　ever　seen　it　before。〃
　〃It's　not　one　usually　put　on　display；〃　he　said；　rubbing　a　sleeve　across　his　forehead。　Not　that　there'd　been　any　sweat　there　that　I　could　see。　Maybe　he　kept　it　all　inside　the　wrinkles。　〃Are　you　a　practitioner　or　connoisseur　of　the　martial　arts？〃
　〃Neither；〃　I　said。　〃I　got　a　smattering　of　self…defense　training　when　I　was　in　EarthGuard；　but　there　was　no　particular　style　involved　and　I　was　never　all　that　good　at　it。　But　my　college　roommate　was　a　certified　nut　on　the　subject；　watching　everything　he　could　find；　and　I　picked　up　some　of　it　by　sheer　osmosis。〃　I　nodded　toward　the　empty　section　of　deck　where　he'd　been　performing。　〃Actually；　what　that　reminded　me　of　most　was　throw…boxing。〃
　Everett　lifted　his　eyebrows。　〃Very　good。　Yes；　that　was　indeed　a　throw…boxing　training　kata。　I　did　a　bit　of　the　professional　circuit　when　I　was　younger。〃　He　snorted　gently。　〃And　in　better　shape；　of　course。〃
　〃Very　impressive；〃　I　said；　and　meant　it。　I'd　dealt　with　professional　throw…boxers　once　or　twice　in　my　life；　and　knew　the　kind　of　tough　breed　those　men　and　women　were。　〃How　long　ago　was　that？〃
　〃Oh；　a　good　twenty　years　now；〃　he　said。　〃And　you　wouldn't　be　nearly　so　impressed　if　you　knew　my　win/loss　record。〃　He　frowned　at　me。　〃What　are　you　doing　here；　by　the　way？　I　thought　you　were　asleep。〃
　〃I　came　up　to　check　on　things　and　happened　on　your　patient　still　strapped　to　the　examination　table；〃　I　told　him。　〃You　know　what's　wrong　with　him？〃
　〃He　told　me　it　was　a　borandis…dependency　problem；〃　he　said。　〃Coupled　with　a　chronic　case　of　Cole's　disease。〃
　〃You　believe　him？〃
　He　shrugged。　〃The　diagnostic　confirmed　the　withdrawal　aspects；〃　he　said。　〃The　medical　database　isn't　plete　enough　to　either　confirm　or　refute　the　Cole's　disease。〃
　〃Close　enough；〃　I　told　him；　my　last　lingering　suspicion　that　Shawn　might　have　been　faking　the　whole　thing　fading　away。　Muscle　tremors　and　obnoxiousness　were　one　thing；　but　a　med　diagnostic　puter　wasn't　nearly　so　easily　fooled。
　〃Unfortunately；　that　leaves　us　with　a　problem；〃　Everett　went　on。　〃According　to　the　database；　borandis　is　a　controlled　drug。　It's　going　to　take　more　than　just　a　ship's　medic's　certificate　to　get　some　for　him　on　Mintarius。〃
　〃I　know；〃　I　said。　〃Don't　worry；　we'll　figure　something　out。〃
　〃I　hope　so；〃　he　said。　〃The　prognosis　for　untreated　Cole's　disease　is　apparently　not　a　very　positive　one。〃
　〃So　he　told　me；〃　I　nodded。　〃Small　wonder；　I　suppose；　that　he　was　at　loose　ends　on　Meima。〃　I　lifted　my　eyebrows　slightly。　〃Speaking　of　which；　I've　been　meaning　to　ask　how　you　wound　up　in　that　same　position。　At　loose　ends；　I　mean。〃
　He　made　a　wry　face。　〃Caught　in　the　middle　of　a　jurisdictional　dispute；　I'm　afraid。　One　of　the　crewers　on　my　previous　ship　pushed　the　captain　one　time　too　many　and　wound　up　rather　badly　injured。　A　troublemaker…I'm　sure　you　know　the　sort。　At　any　rate；　I　helped　him　get　to　the　med　facility　at　the　Meima　spaceport　for　treatment；　and　while　we　were　out；　the　captain　apparently　decided　he　could　do　without　both　of　us　and　took　off。〃
　〃Yet　another　Samaritan　winds　up　with　the　splintered　end　of　the　stick；〃　I　murmured。
　He　shrugged。　〃Perhaps。　Frankly；　I　was　just　as　happy　to　see　their　thrusters　fading　into　the　sunset。　When　Borodin　came　into　the　restaurant　where　I　was　eating　looking　for　someone　with　a　med　certificate；　I　jumped　at　the　chance。〃
　〃Well；　we're　certainly　glad　to　have　you　here；〃　I　said；　glancing　around　the　bridge。　〃Look；　we're　not　more　than　a　few　hours　from　landing；　and　I　can't　sleep　anyway。　Why　don't　I　take　over　and　let　you　go　hit　the　sack。〃
　〃Oh；〃　he　said；　sounding　and　looking　surprised。　〃Well。。。　if　you're　sure。〃
　〃I'm　sure；〃　I　told　him。　〃There's　nothing　you　can　do　for　Shawn　at　the　moment；　and　you　might　as　well　be　rested　when　we　hit　ground。〃
　〃I　suppose；〃　Everett　conceded；　heaving　himself　out　of　the　chair。　I　stepped　forward　out　of　his　way　as　he　moved　to　the　doorway。　〃Do　call　me　if　you　change　your　mind　and　want　to　at　least　catch　a　catnap。〃
　〃I　will；〃　I　promised。
　He　left　the　bridge；　turning　right　at　the　ladder　and　plodding　his　way　up　to　the　top　deck。　I　waited　until　his　feet　were　out　of　sight；　gave　him　another　ten　count；　then　closed　the　bridge　door　behind　me　and　stepped　over　to　the　nav　table。
　Given　the　set　of　parameters　I　was　stuck　with　on　this；　I　wasn't　expecting　the　task　ahead　to　be　an　easy　one。　I　needed　a　world　that　was　large　enough