tz.theicarushunt-第39节
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he hatch unlocked first and get us in out of the rain。 Especially Geoff here…he's not well。〃
Someone in the group gave a deep…bass rumble； the Najiki equivalent of a guffaw； as I took Shawn's right upper arm。 Not an unreasonable response； given that Shawn looked more drunk than he did sick； and I took it as a good sign。 Customs HQ might be taking this seriously； but apparently not all the officers themselves were。 Together Tera and I led Shawn through the Najiki cordon to the near end of the ramp。 I keyed in the bination on the pad and； behind Chort； the hatch swung open。 Without waiting for permission from the Najik； I moved us forward onto the ramp。
〃Keep going；〃 I murmured to Tera； letting go my grip on Shawn's arm and sliding my left arm through his； freeing up that hand while still giving the appearance that I was holding on to him。 Extending my reach as much as I could； I dipped into my side jacket pocket for the folded city map I'd stuffed in there earlier。 My other hand had already slipped inside my jacket for my pen； and as we passed out of the rain into the shelter of the wraparound I scribbled briefly on the front of the map。
〃An interesting ship design；〃 the gokra mented from right behind me。 He might be courteous enough to let me precede him into my own ship； but that didn't mean he was going to let me get too much of a lead on him。 〃Ylpea…built； I presume？〃
〃I really don't know；〃 I said。 Now that he mentioned it； I could see an echo of the Ylpean love of French curves in the Icarus's double…sphere shape。 Had that been what Cameron had been going for？ Regardless； something worth remembering。 〃I'm just the pilot； not the owner。 I don't know anything about its history。〃
〃Ah。〃
We had moved along the wraparound； and were now ing up on the main sphere。 Behind the gokra the rest of the Najik had filed in； with a silent Chort bringing up the rear。 〃But you're not here for a history lesson anyway；〃 I added； pulling my ID folder from inside my jacket and surreptitiously sliding the map inside it。 〃Here's my ID。〃
I handed it to him； mentally crossing my fingers。 If I'd guessed wrong； it wasn't even going to take until the Najik started calling in console numbers for me to be in big trouble。
He took the folder and opened it。 The multiple eyes twitched in unison as he saw the map nestled inside； twitched again as he spotted the note I'd written on it。 For a long minute he just stared at it。 Once again I was suddenly conscious of the weight of my plasmic against my ribs； knowing full well that opening fire in such a confined space against ten armed opponents would be a quick way of mitting suicide。 Beside me； Shawn seemed to have stopped breathing； and I could sense a similar tension in Tera on his other side。
Then； almost delicately； the gokra closed the folder without even looking behind the map at my actual ID and handed it back to me。 〃Thank you；〃 he said； almost primly。 〃We won't be long。〃
And they weren't。 They wandered up and down the various corridors； glanced around the engine room and bridge； casually examined the curving metal of the cargo partment and confirmed there was no entry hatch； and made a copy of Cameron's fake Gamm sealed…cargo license to take for their files。 Nicabar returned while they were poking around； I told him to get dried off and then get the thrusters ready to go。 At one point； almost as an afterthought； the gokra also presented me with the bill for our fueling； explaining that he'd taken it from the ground crew when he arrived and found them waiting for my return。 He didn't seem surprised that I paid the bill in cash； or that there were five extra hundred…mark bills in the stack I gave him。 And that was it。 Ten minutes after they'd e in out of the rain； they were out in it again； striding briskly toward the slideways and headed home。
〃All right； I give up；〃 Tera murmured from my side as she and I stood in the wraparound and watched them go。 〃Who is Mr。 Antoniewicz； and why won't he be happy if they find anything？〃
I grimaced。 I hadn't thought she would be able to read the note from her angle as I'd scribbled it on the map。 〃He's just someone I know；〃 I said evasively。 〃He has a certain amount of influence around the Spiral。〃
〃I'd say he has a great deal of influence；〃 she said； eyeing me in a way I didn't much care for。 〃You know him personally or professionally？〃
〃I've done some business with his people；〃 I said。 A movement outside caught my eye： Everett； our last crewman still unaccounted for； had appeared around the bow of one of the nearby ships and was plodding our way； his big feet kicking up impressive splashes with each step。 He looked tired； he must have worn himself out looking for Shawn。 Not surprising； really； given that he probably considered it his fault the kid had gotten away in the first place。 〃Here es Everett；〃 I added to Tera； hoping to forestall any further questions； as I dug out the fake cassette。 〃Tell him to check Shawn and see if he needs another dose yet…here's the borandis。 As soon as he's aboard； seal the hatch and get to the puter room。〃
I left her there and headed to the bridge； feeling both cautiously relieved and cautiously pleased with myself。 I'd been right： Brother John's grudging admiration for the Najik had indeed been based on the fact that the Antoniewicz organization was able to do business with them。 Clearly； our customs gokra was in on the deal； and dropping Antoniewicz's name had been enough to wave him off us。 I still didn't know why the Icarus had been fingered for a search； but as soon as we were out of Potosi space that wouldn't matter。
Assuming we did get out of Potosi space； of course。 If the gokra had merely taken the extra cash in order to add attempted bribery to the charges against me； he should be rounding the corner any minute with that army battalion I'd been expecting earlier。
But for once； my pessimism proved unfounded。 We got clearance to lift； the port's grav beams lifted us smoothly out and up； and within a few minutes we were once again in space。 I had cut us into hyperspace and was doing a quick check of the systems when the door opened and Everett came in。 〃We safely away？〃 he asked。
〃Unless the hull decides to collapse； we are；〃 I told him。
He made a face。 〃Considering the way things have been going； that's not very funny。〃
〃I suppose not；〃 I conceded。 〃Sorry。 How's Shawn doing？〃
〃Seems to be recovering；〃 he said。 〃Fortunately； the reversible Cole's disease symptoms begin long before the irreversible damage kicks in。 And the borandis dependence itself is more or less reversible at any point。 Rather like scurvy in that respect。〃
〃That's handy；〃 I said。 〃How much of his current trouble is related to the dependence and how much to the disease？〃
He shook his head； peering at the displays。 〃I don't know。 The two problems intermix so tightly it takes a specialist to disentangle them。 We're going to Morsh Pon next？〃
〃Yes；〃 I said。 〃After that little run…in back there； I thought it might be nice to refuel someplace where they don't bother at all with customs formalities。〃
〃If you live to get back out；〃 he said dubiously。 〃I've heard stories about that world…bands of pirates and smugglers roaming the streets looking for trouble。〃
〃We'll be all right；〃 I told him with a confidence I didn't much feel myself。 〃I'll make you a small wager that it won't be as bad as you think。〃
〃Um；〃 Everett said nonmittally； still looking doubtful。 〃Still； you're the captain； power of life and death over your crew； and all that。 Speaking of which…the crew； I mean…I haven't seen Ixil since before we landed on Potosi。〃
〃Neither have I；〃 I said。 〃But I'm sure he's all right。〃
〃Yes；〃 he said hesitantly。 〃The reason I asked； you see； was that I tried checking on him and his cabin door wouldn't open。〃
〃That's okay…I set it that way to make sure he had some privacy；〃 I assured him。 〃I just hope it didn't slam on your fingers。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 Everett asked； looking puzzled。 〃It didn't slam。 It didn't open at all。〃
I stared at him； a sudden chill running through me。 〃It didn't open a few centimeters and then shut again？〃
〃I told you： it didn't even budge；〃 he insisted。 〃I thought maybe it had gotten jammed…〃
I didn't wait to hear any more； jumping out of my seat and dodging past him to the ladder out in the corridor。 I slid down it without touching any of the rungs； my heart pounding suddenly in my throat。 I reached Ixil's door and tried the release pad。
Everett was right。 It didn't budge at all。
I had my multitool out and was unfastening the pad's cover by the time Everett caught up。 〃You think something's wrong？〃 he puffed as he came up beside me。
〃There's something wrong with the door； anyway；〃 I said； fighting hard to speak calmly； to keep my fear and rage out of my voice。 If the saboteur had been here while Ixil was lying helpless。。。 but maybe the control chip had simply burned out。 With my fingers fumbling slightly in their hurry； I got the cover off。
The control chip hadn't simply burned out。 The control chip wasn't there at all。 What was there looked like it had been attacked by a gorilla with a small sledgehammer。
Beside me； Everett gasped。 〃What in h
