tz.theicarushunt-第36节

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　〃Actually；　yes；〃　I　said。　〃We　also　seem　to　have　a　new　group　of　players　in　the　game。〃　I　described　the　incident　with　the　Lumpy　Brothers　on　Xathru；　and　the　coronal…discharge　weapons　they'd　been　carrying。　〃Have　you　heard　of　either　this　species　or　the　weapons？〃　I　asked　when　I　finished。
　〃A　qualified　yes　to　both；〃　he　said；　his　eyes　still　busy　off　camera。　〃You　may　recall　hearing　rumors　about　a　failed　covert　operation　a　few　years　ago　in　which　an　elite　EarthGuard　task　force　tried　to　steal　data　on　the　Talariac　Drive。　Weapons　very　similar　to　those　you　describe　were　used　against　them；　by　guards　who　also　match　your　description。〃
　I　sighed。　〃Which　makes　the　Lumpy　Clan　some　kind　of　Patth　client　race。〃
　〃Very　likely；〃　he　agreed。　〃Don't　sound　so　surprised。　Certainly　their　first　efforts　to　find　the　Icarus　would　be　made　quietly；　through　their　own　people　and　agents。　It　was　only　after　that　failed　that　they　began　to　approach　first　the　Spiral's　criminals　and　now　legitimate　governments。〃
　I　thought　about　the　three　Patth　Cameron　and　I　had　seen　in　that　Meima　taverno。　So　that　was　why　they'd　ventured　out　of　their　usual　restricted　hideouts。　〃Still；　it　strikes　me　that　they　gave　up　on　the　quiet　approach　rather　quickly；〃　I　pointed　out。　〃Could　my　smoking　the　Lumpy　Brothers　really　have　rattled　them　that　badly？〃
　〃I　doubt　it；〃　he　said　soberly。　〃More　likely　it　was　a　matter　of　new　information　as　to　what　exactly　the　prize　was　they　were　chasing。〃
　And　that　knowledge　had　instantly　pushed　them　into　an　open　and　increasingly　public　hunt。　Terrific。　〃This　place　you're　finding　for　us　better　be　real　anonymous；〃　I　told　him。
　〃I　believe　I　can　make　it　so；〃　he　said。　〃Can　you　make　Morsh　Pon　from　there　in　one　jump？〃
　I　felt　my　eyes　narrow。　〃Assuming　we　can　get　off　Potosi；　yes；〃　I　said　cautiously；　wondering　if　he　was　really　going　where　I　thought　he　was　on　this。
　He　was。　〃Good；〃　he　said　briskly。　〃The　Blue　District　on　Morsh　Pon；　then；　at　the　Baker's　Dozen　taverno。　I'll　have　the　information　delivered　to　you　there。〃
　〃Ah。。。　yes；　sir；〃　I　said。　Morsh　Pon　was　an　Ulko　colony　world；　and　the　Ulkomaals；　like　the　Najik；　had　a　reputation　for　great　talent　at　creating　wealth。　Unlike　the　Najik；　however；　the　Ulkomaals　relied　heavily　on　the　hospitality　industry　to　make　their　money；　specifically　hospitality　toward　the　less　virtuous　members　of　civilized　society　at　large。　Morsh　Pon　was　a　quiet　refuge　for　smugglers　and　other　criminal　types；　far　worse　than　even　Dorscind's　World；　with　the　Blue　District　the　worst　area　on　the　planet。
　Which　under　normal　circumstances；　given　my　connection　with　Brother　John　and　the　Antoniewicz　organization；　would　have　made　it　an　ideal　place　to　go　to　ground。　Unfortunately；　the　current　circumstances　were　far　from　normal。　〃I　trust　you　remember；　sir；〃　I　said　diplomatically；　〃that　the　Patth　have　invited　the　entire　Spiral　underworld　out　for　a　drink？〃
　〃I　remember　quite　well；〃　he　said　calmly。　〃It　will　be　taken　care　of。　Now；　I　suspect　time　is　growing　short。　You'd　best　get　moving。〃
　It　was；　clearly；　a　dismissal。　I　didn't　particularly　feel　like　being　dismissed　yet…there　were　still　several　aspects　of　this　whole　arrangement　I　felt　like　arguing　some　more。　But　when　Uncle　Arthur　said　good…bye；　he　meant　good…bye。　Besides；　he　was　right；　time　was　indeed　growing　short。　〃Yes；　sir；〃　I　said；　suppressing　a　sigh。　〃I'll　be　in　touch。〃
　〃Do　that；〃　he　said。　The　screen　blanked；　and　he　was　gone。
　I　collected　my　change　and　left　the　booth。　Once　again；　I　half　expected　one　of　Brother　John's　assassins　to　jump　me　in　the　corridor；　once　again；　it　didn't　happen。　I　snagged　a　city　map　from　a　rack　by　the　main　exit　doors；　located　the　street　intersection　called　Gystr'n　Corner；　and　headed　outside。
　The　rain　that　had　been　threatening　earlier　was　starting　to　e　down　now；　a　scattering　of　large　fat　drops　that　almost　seemed　to　bounce　as　they　hit　the　ground。　I　had　already　decided　that　Gystr'n　Corner　was　too　far　to　walk；　and　now　with　the　rain　beginning　I　further　decided　not　to　wait　for　the　public　rail　system。　Brother　John　wouldn't　like　that；　his　standard　orders　were　for　us　to　take　public　transportation　whenever　possible；　the　better　to　avoid　official　backtracks。　But　then；　Brother　John　wasn't　here　getting　wet。　Hailing　a　cab；　I　gave　the　driver　my　destination；　told　him　there　would　be　an　extra　hundred　marks　for　him　if　he　got　me　there　fast；　and　all　but　fell　back　into　the　spring…bare　seat　as　he　took　off　like　an　attack　shuttle　on　wheels。
　With　the　way　I'd　been　spending　money　like　water　lately；　first　with　full…vid　starconnects　and　now　on　cabs；　it　was　just　as　well　I'd　relieved　that　Patth　agent　on　Dorscind's　World　of　all　those　hundred…mark　bills　that　had　been　weighing　him　down。　Now；　watching　the　city；　startled　vehicle　drivers；　and　outraged　pedestrians　blurring　along　past　my　windows；　it　occurred　to　me　that　perhaps　some　extra　travel…health　insurance　might　have　been　a　good　idea；　too。　My　map's　key　estimated　it　to　be　twenty…three　minutes　from　the　Starrm　building　to　Gystr'n　Corner。　My　driver　made　it　in　just　over　fifteen；　probably　a　new　land…speed　record　for　the　city；　possibly　for　the　entire　planet。
　Emendo　Torsk　was　there　as　promised；　standing　in　front　of　a　short　cabanalike　shelter；　his　squat　Drilie　shape　almost　hidden　behind　the　plex　multimusic　box　he　was　playing　with　both　his　hands　and　the　set　of　short　prehensile　eating　tentacles　ringing　the　base　of　his　neck。　A　crowd　of　perhaps　twenty　admirers　were　standing　in　the　rain　in　front　of　him　listening　to　the　music。
　I　let　the　driver　take　the　cab　out　of　sight　along　the　street　and　had　him　pull　to　the　curb。　I　paid　him；　told　him　to　wait；　and　walked　back　through　the　now　pouring　rain　to　join　the　crowd。　I　wouldn't　have　guessed　there　were　that　many　beings　on　the　whole　planet　who　liked　Drilie　di…choral　anthems；　even　when　they　were　properly　performed；　which　this　one　emphatically　was　not。　But　then；　I　doubted　any　of　those　in　attendance　were　there　for　the　music；　anyway。
　Fortunately；　the　piece　Torsk　had　chosen　was　a　short　one；　and　I　silently　thanked　the　downpour　for　whatever　part　it　had　played　in　that　decision。　Amid　the　smattering　of　totally　fraudulent　applause　he　passed　a　large　hat　around　for　contributions。　I'd　made　the　necessary　preparations　while　careening　about　in　the　cab；　and　as　he　waved　the　hat　in　front　of　me　I　dropped　in　a　small　package　consisting　of　three　tightly　folded　hundred…mark　bills　wrapped　around　a　piece　of　paper　with　the　word　〃borandis〃　written　on　it。　Most　of　the　rest　of　the　audience；　I　saw；　had　similar　donations　for　him。　He　finished　taking　up　his　collection　and　gave　out　with　a　set　of　guttural　barks　that　were　probably　a　traditional　Drilie　thank…you　or　farewell；　then　disappeared　through　the　flap　into　his　cabana。　At　that；　the　audience　faded　away；　splashing　away　in　all　directions　to　disappear　down　the　streets　and　alleyways　or　into　the　dark　and　anonymous　doorways　fronting　on　the　streets。
　All　of　them；　that　is；　except　me。　Instead　of　moving　back；　I　moved　forward　until　I　was　standing　directly　in　front　of　the　long…suffering　multimusic　box。　There　I　planted　myself；　facing　the　flap　Torsk　had　disappeared　through；　and　waited；　doing　my　best　to　ignore　the　cold　drips　finding　their　way　beneath　my　collar　and　dribbling　down　my　back。　I　had　no　doubt　he　could　see　me　perfectly　well　through　his　cabana；　there　were　several　different　one…way　opaque　materials　to　choose　from；　and　a　person　in　Torsk's　profession　couldn't　afford　not　to　know　what　was　going　on　around　him　at　all　times。　I　just　hoped　he'd　be　curious　enough　or　irritated　enough　to　find　out　what　I　wanted　before　I　was　soaked　pletely　through。
　He　was　either　more　curious　or　irritable　than　I'd　expected。　I'd　been　standing　there　less　than　a　minute　when　the　flap　twitched　aside　and　I　found　myself　looking　down　into　a　pair　of　big　black　Drilie　eyes。　〃What　want？〃　he　demanded　in　passable　English。
　〃Want　borandis；〃　I　told　him。　〃Have　paid。〃
　〃Wait　turn；〃　he　snapped；　waggling　a　finger　horizontally　to　indicate　the　now　vanished　audience。
　〃Not　wait；〃　I　told　him　calmly。　Pushing　him　this　way　was　risky；　but　I　didn't　have　much　choice。　The　standard　pattern　seemed　to　be　that　you　placed　your　order　and　came　back　for　it　later；　probably　at　Torsk's　next　performance；　and　there　was　no　way　I　could　afford　to　hang　around　that　long。　Particularly　not　if　it　required　sitting　through　a　second　concert。　〃Want　borandis。　Have　paid。〃
　〃Wait　turn；〃　he　repeated；　even　more　snappishly　this　time。　〃Or　get　mad。〃
　〃I　get　mad；　too；〃　I　said。
　Apparently　I'd　been　wrong　about　the　whole　crowd　having　vanished。　I　was　just　about　to　repeat　my　request　when　a　large　hand　snaked　over　my　shoulder；　grabbed　a　fistful　of　my　coat；　and　turned　me　around。　I　blinked　the　rainwater　out　of　my　eyes；　and　found　myself　looking　fifteen　centimeters　up　into　one　of　the　ugliest　human　faces　it　had　ever　been　my　misfortune　to　see。　〃Hey…trog…you　deaf？〃　he　growled。　His　breath　was　a　perfect　match　for　his　face。　〃He　said　to　wait　your　turn。〃
　There　was　undoubtedly　more　to　the　usual　speech；　probably　something　along　the　lines　of　what　would　happen　to　me　if　I　didn't　go　away　immediately。　But　as　I'd　long　since　learned　for　myself；　it　was　hard　to　speak　when　all　your　wind　has　been　suddenly　knocked　out　of　you　by　a　short　punch　to　the　solar　plexus。　I　ducked　slightly　to　the　side　to　avoid　his　forehead　as　he　doubled　over　without