tz.theicarushunt-第29节
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t has put himself in danger and made trouble for everyone else。 Glancing over at the med…room doorway； where Nicabar； Tera； and Chort were silently watching the procedure； I could see traces of sympathetic embarrassment in their faces； the normal reaction of polite people having to witness another person's private shame。
I didn't feel any such embarrassment myself。 But then； I knew full well that this humility bit was pletely out of character for Ixil； that it was all merely for show in the hopes of allaying any suspicions anyone might have about the sort of person he really was。
Vaguely； I wondered if one of the observers standing in the doorway was putting on a similar performance。
〃Next time I suggest checking all the equipment before you start it up；〃 Everett went on sternly； running the scanner slowly along Ixil's burned leg as he frowned at the readings。 Not surprisingly； Cameron's people had failed to include a Kalixiri module with their med puter； and I could almost guarantee the readings were like nothing Everett had ever seen before。 Fortunately； Ixil had another； uninjured leg to use for parison。
〃I'll second that；〃 I put in； throwing a glance at the other end of the room。 Still strapped to the examination table； Shawn's face…for that matter； his entire body…was practically dripping with impatience and a near…total contempt for Ixil and his injuries； a marked contrast to the solicitude everyone else was showing。 Still； aside from a single sour question about what the hell was going on as we'd hustled Ixil inside； he'd kept his mouth shut。 Maybe his borandis…withdrawal sarcasm was under better control than he'd implied； or maybe he was in the calm side of one of the mood swings he'd mentioned。 Or maybe he'd seen Ixil's expression and was possessed of a finer…tuned survival instinct than I'd thought。 〃The shape this whole ship is in；〃 I added diplomatically； turning back to Ixil； 〃it's a wonder more of the equipment hasn't fallen apart。〃
〃I know；〃 Ixil said again。 〃I heartily promise to be more careful next time。〃
〃We can all consider ourselves lucky the lesson wasn't learned more painfully；〃 Everett said； shifting the scanner from Ixil's leg to the impressively swelling bruise on his forehead where the torch head had slammed into him when it sheared apart； the impact throwing him back against the lockers and knocking him out cold。
He didn't remember that last part himself； of course； having been unconscious at the time。 But the ferrets hadn't been injured in the accident； and once I'd coaxed them out from behind the row of lockers where they'd gone to ground Ixil had been able to sample their memories and confirm the entire sequence of events。
〃At any rate； that's all I can do for now；〃 Everett concluded； putting the scanner aside and smoothing the burn pads one last time。 〃Except for a painkiller or sedative； of course。 Either would help you sleep。〃
〃Don't worry； I'll sleep just fine；〃 Ixil assured him。 〃There really isn't all that much pain。〃
Everett looked doubtful； but he nodded and headed for the sonic scrubber。 〃As you wish；〃 he said as he started cleaning his hands。 〃If you change your mind just let me know。 I'm sure there's something aboard that will work on a Kalix。〃
〃I'll keep that in mind；〃 Ixil promised； easing off the stool where Everett had been working on him and standing up。
Or more accurately； trying to stand up。 His leg wobbled beneath him； and he grabbed at the wall for balance。
As cues went； it was one of the more obvious ones I'd ever been tossed。 〃Hang on； I'll give you a hand；〃 I said quickly； stepping to his side as I juggled Pix and Pax around to free up one of my hands。 The furry little beasts were less than cooperative…they'd gone back to Ixil's shoulders long enough for him to get their version of the accident； but he was still in pain and they weren't at all interested in sharing in it。 But with a little creative shuffling I got them settled in on shoulder and forearm and was able to assist a limping Ixil out past the group at the doorway。 〃Excitement's over for the night；〃 I told them as we made our slow way down the corridor。 〃Tera； I'd appreciate it if you'd take over on the bridge。〃
〃Consider it done；〃 she said。
Ixil had a lot of qualities that I admired； but a sylphlike body frame wasn't one of them。 Fortunately； the wounded…warrior act lasted only as long as it took us to get down the ladder and out of sight of any of the gallery that might have lingered behind after the show。 Once on the lower deck； he made it the rest of the way to his cabin under his own steam。
〃An interesting experiment；〃 he mented as he maneuvered his way onto the center bunk。 〃Not that it's one I would have chosen on my own。 Thank you for your help； by the way。 I owe you one。〃
〃We'll add it to your side of the ledger；〃 I said briefly； resisting the urge to bring up all the times he'd hauled me bodily out of similar predicaments。 The Kalixiri way of handling injuries was to go into a deep； alike sleep while healing； and from the looks of Ixil's drooping eyelids he was three…quarters of the way there already。 The fact that he hadn't dropped off the second he hit the bunk implied there was something he wanted or needed to say to me before he went under； and it certainly wasn't to go over our personal win/loss score sheet。
〃I believe we can safely cross Jones off our suspect list；〃 he murmured； his eyelids closing pletely and then opening partway again； like sliding doors with a bad feedback loop。 〃I didn't just turn that torch on tonight without doing a plete equipment check； Jordan。 I looked it over two days ago； just after I came aboard at Xathru。 The sabotage has to have been done since then。〃
I stared at him； something large and invisible taking me by the throat and gently squeezing。 A cutting torch was a totally innocuous tool to have aboard a starship； and there was no reason whatsoever for anyone to sabotage it that way。 Unless； of course； someone really； really didn't want us cutting our way into the sealed cargo hold。
The only catch was that no one else should have known we were even considering such an action。 That conversation had taken place less than an hour ago； with only Ixil and me present； in the privacy of my cabin。
Apparently； someone had taken it upon himself to listen in。
I opened my mouth to ask Ixil how this bit of auditory legerdemain might have been acplished； closed it again with the question unvoiced。 Ixil's eyes were squeezed shut； his breathing slow and even。 He'd delivered his message； was down for the count； and barring an extremely urgent and probably extremely loud catastrophe he was going to stay that way for however many hours it took to heal his leg and head。
And for that same number of hours； I was going to be on my own。
Ixil had made up the lower bunk for Pix and Pax； bunching the blanket up for them to snuggle into and putting their food and water containers where they could easily get to them。 I spent a few minutes getting them settled there； then pulled the blanket off the top bunk and tucked it under Ixil's mattress； wedging its center under the lower bunk beside the ferrets' nest and letting the rest drape down from there onto the floor。 Assured that they could get to the floor if they wanted exercise or to Ixil if they wanted pany； I turned off the light and left the cabin。
There were no locks on any of the Icarus's interior doors。 Up till now I hadn't really worried much about that； but up till now my partner hadn't been lying atose and reasonably helpless after what might or might not have been an effort to kill him。 Pulling out my multitool； checking both ways down the corridor to make sure I was unobserved； I removed the cover of the release pad from the center of the door and pulled out the control chip。 On the underside； snugged inconspicuously between two of the connector feet； was what I was looking for： the timing dial； which told the door how many seconds it was to stay open unless you overrode it by locking the door in place。 Using the narrowest screwdriver from the multitool； I eased the dial from its preset position all the way to zero； then returned the chip to its socket。
Experimentally； I touched the release pad。 Not only did the door open barely ten centimeters before slamming shut again； it did so with a startlingly loud clunk as the buffer mechanism that normally provided for a smoother closing failed to engage。 For a moment I flashed back to the metal…on…metal sound I'd heard at least twice now aboard the Icarus； wondering if there could simply be a bad buffer in one of the doors。 But even allowing for the sound to be filtered by distance； I knew this wasn't it。
I put the cover back on the pad and went down the corridor to my own cabin。 It was far from a perfect solution…anyone bent on unscrupulous deeds； after all； could presumably open the release pad himself and ungimmick it as easily as I had； assuming he knew about the adjustment dial； which most people didn't。 But for the moment it was the best I could do。 At least this way any attempt to get to Ixil would generate a noise and vibration that I ought to be able to hear from my own cabin。 Ixil himself； of course； with a pletely
