tz.theicarushunt-第33节
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were in range； I contacted the controller and asked for a landing bay in the port farthest away from it。 Under some circumstances； I knew； a request that specific might have raised eyebrows； or whatever the Najik used for eyebrows。 But the Patth near monopoly on shipping had hit this area particularly hard； leaving an almost…universal hatred for them in its wake； and I knew that the controllers would take it in stride。
Unfortunately； that same universal hatred also meant that every other ining non…Patth ship was also making the same demand； and most of them were regular visitors here。 In the end； in a result that fit all too well with the depressing pattern of the entire trip so far； not only were we not granted a slot half a continent away as requested； but were instead put down square in the middle of the Patth hub。
Once again； I told the rest of the crew to stay aboard while I went out shopping。 Once again； they weren't at all happy about it。
〃I don't think you understand the situation；〃 Everett rumbled； staring disapprovingly down at me from his raised position on the slanted deck。 〃It seems to me that if we could simply take Shawn to the port med center and show them his symptoms…〃
〃We could then all sit around a quiet room somewhere；〃 I finished for him。 〃Explaining to the nice Najik from the Drug Enforcement Division just how it was he got a borandis addiction in the first place。 Remember the hijacking threat…this would not be a good place to make ourselves conspicuous。〃
He snorted。 〃No one would try a hijacking here in the middle of a major spaceport。〃
〃You must be kidding；〃 I growled。 〃With strangers wandering around all over the place； and no one knowing anyone else； either spacers or ground personnel？ It's a perfect spot for it。〃
His lips pressed briefly。 〃What about you？〃 Tera spoke up； gesturing at my newly recolored hair and eyes and the set of false scars I'd applied to my cheek。 〃You think that disguise is going to get you past the people looking for you？〃
〃Someone has to go hunt up a drug dealer；〃 I reminded her patiently。 〃Would you rather do it yourself？〃
〃I just don't want you to get caught；〃 she shot back angrily。 〃If you do； that ends it for all of us。〃
〃I won't get caught；〃 I assured her。 〃I won't even be noticed。 The picture they've got of me is old； and I know the sort of people the Patth are recruiting。 They won't be able to get past the hair and eyes； believe me。〃
〃Interesting；〃 Nicabar murmured。 〃I wonder how one gets to be an expert on how people like that think。〃
〃Don't ask questions you don't want the answers to；〃 I warned him acidly。 Maybe a little too acidly； but time was getting tight。 And besides； I really didn't want to go out there； either。
There were apparently no more questions that anyone wanted answers to。 〃That's settled； then；〃 I said into the chilly silence。 〃Revs； call and get someone out here to fuel up the ship…hopefully； we can get the tanks properly topped off this time。 Don't forget that we're the Sleeping Beauty now。 Everett； keep an eye on Shawn。 Keep him quiet until I get back。〃
Everett's lips pressed again。 〃I'll do what I can。〃
〃What about Mechanic Ixil？〃 Chort asked。 〃Is he all right？〃
〃He's resting in his cabin；〃 I told them； deliberately bending the truth a bit。 If our saboteur didn't already know about Kalixiri healing as； I had no intention of enlightening him。 〃Don't worry； he'll e out when he's ready。 I'll be back in two hours。〃
They were still standing together in the wraparound as I headed down the ramp； looking for all the world like hapless waifs watching the last bus leaving for the orphanage。 I hoped they wouldn't still be standing there like that when the fuelers came by to start filling the tanks。 It would look a little odd。
The slideways here were similar to the ones on Dorscind's World； only better maintained； as well as being equipped with transparent half…cylinder shields overhead to ward off the elements。 At the moment the protection wasn't necessary； but judging by the dark clouds beginning to gather on the horizon it likely would be soon。
The port itself was neat； efficient； and as clean as a port could be； not a great surprise with the Patth directly running three…quarters of it and having a strong say in the operation of the rest。 The civilian area just outside the port； though； wasn't under even their nominal control and was likely to be just as dark； sinister； and vice…ridden as any other spaceport environs in the Spiral。 There I would find the dealers in happyjam and other forms of misery； at least one of whom…I hoped…would have borandis in stock。
The problem； of course； was finding the right needle in the correct haystack。 Under normal circumstances that would take a great deal of time； time neither Shawn nor I nor the Icarus had to spare at the moment。 I had to cut through the danger and tedium of the search process and go straight to the source。
Fortunately； or maybe unfortunately； I had the source's phone number。
The screen lit up to show the same broken…nosed thug who had answered Brother John's line the last time I'd called。 〃Yeah？〃
〃It's Jordan McKell；〃 I said。 〃I need some information。〃
The scowl lines around his eyes deepened as he frowned at me。 〃McKell？〃
〃Yes； McKell；〃 I said； striving mightily for patience。 I'd already lost twenty minutes of my promised two hours； ten in getting to the Starrm building and ten more waiting for a free booth； and I wasn't interested in playing Greek chorus to one of Brother John's housethugs。 〃I'm disguised； all right？ I need some information…〃
〃Hang on；〃 he interrupted me。 〃Just hang on。〃
The screen went black。 I glared at my watch； suddenly very tired of Brother John and his vicious yet stupid people。 The next one on the line would probably be that moon…faced thug in the butler's outfit； who by now had probably figured out what badinage was and would waste more of my time trying to e up with some。
The screen cleared； but to my surprise it wasn't the butler。 〃Hello； Jordan；〃 Brother John said。 The voice was as smooth as ever； but the usual cherubic smile was nowhere to be seen。 〃Do you have any idea what kind of stir you've been creating out at that end of the Spiral？〃
〃Have I； sir？〃 I asked。
The chill visibly surrounding him abruptly dropped into the subzero range。 〃Don't play innocent with me； McKell；〃 he snarled； his veneer of civility cracking like a cheap packing crate。 〃A ship from Meima； they're all saying…a rogue freighter the Patth are panting like sick dogs to get their calloused little hands on。 Are you going to sit there and tell me that's not you？〃
〃Yes； sir； it's me；〃 I said hastily。 It was impossible to grovel properly in a Starrm booth； but insofar as vocal groveling was possible I was groveling for all I was worth。 〃I'm sorry； I didn't mean it that way。 I just didn't realize how much of a stir we were actually causing。〃
The temperature stayed where it was。 〃I don't like motions； McKell；〃 he warned。 〃I don't like them at all。 motions draw attention； and I don't like attention。 You don't like attention； either。〃
〃I know； sir；〃 I agreed humbly。 〃Believe me； I'm trying as hard as I can to get out of the spotlight。〃
〃Trying how？〃 he demanded。 〃It's not your ship or your problem…just walk away from it。 Where are you？ I'll have you picked up。〃
He had a point； all right。 Half of one； anyway。 It wasn't my ship； but it was my problem。 〃I can't do that； sir；〃 I said； bracing myself for another burst of his anger。 〃I accepted a contract to fly the ship out。 A poor but honest independent shipper can't just break contracts that way。 Not and continue to look like a poor but honest shipper。〃
〃Who would know？〃 he countered。 His voice was still hard and cold； but at least he hadn't started screaming at me。 Maybe I'd gotten him to start thinking it through。
〃Too many people；〃 I told him。 〃A lot of people…some of them spaceport officials…have seen my ID in connection with it。 People who might start wondering how an independent shipper could afford to break a contract that way。 People who might start wondering if that independent shipper had another source of operating funds。〃 I shrugged； a brief twitching of my shoulders。 〃And if they did； I wouldn't be very effective as an employee anymore。〃
For a long minute he just stared at me； breathing heavily； his face unreadable。 I gazed back； visually groveling now； wondering uneasily if I'd pushed my hand too far with that last one。 Cutting me loose from our agreement would lose him most of the five hundred thousand in debt I still owed him； but the Antoniewicz organization probably blew that much a month just on paper clips。 If； on the other hand； he decided that I had bee too much of a liability to be trusted on my own； I would be summarily snuffed out like an atmosphere…test candle。
And it would be the height of irony if it turned out I was the one who had talked him into doing it。
〃You keep trying to force these decisions on me； Jordan；〃 he said at last。 His voice was still cold； but I thought I could detect a slight thawing of the chill factor。 〃These faits acplis。 There are to be no more of them。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 I said。 〃I'm really not trying to do t
