tz.theicarushunt-第41节

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　But　why　smash　the　pad　at　that　point？　What　did　it　gain　him？
　Unless　he'd　already　gotten　into　the　cabin　and　wanted　to　make　sure　no　one　was　able　to　get　in　to　interrupt　him。　With　the　inside　release　pad　intact；　he　would　have　had　no　trouble　leaving　whenever　he　wanted　to。
　So　what　had　he　done　in　there？
　There　was　a　clumping　of　heavy　footsteps；　and　Ixil　reappeared；　carrying　a　large　object　wrapped　in　a　folded　cloth　in　his　hand。　〃Have　you　checked　with　Pix　and　Pax　since　you　woke　up？〃　I　asked。　〃I'm　wondering　if　they　might　have　seen　someone　else　in　there　with　you。〃
　〃Yes；　I　have；　and　no；　they　didn't；〃　he　said；　sitting　down　again。　He　set　the　object　in　his　lap　and　started　to　unwrap　it。　〃Except　for　seeing　you　e　in　for　the　ship's　schematics；　of　course。　On　the　other　hand；　they　were　both　asleep　much　of　the　time；　so　I　can't　absolutely　state　that　no　one　else　got　in。〃
　Dead　end。　〃You　need　to　train　them　to　sleep　one　at　a　time。〃
　〃If　I'd　been　more　alert　before　I　went　under　I　would　have　tried；〃　he　said。　〃Though　it　might　not　have　worked。　Instructions　like　that　often　get　lost　when　I　don't　have　any　neural　contact　with　them　for　a　few　hours　and　can't　reinforce　the　orders。〃
　I　gestured　toward　the　object　in　his　hand。　〃What's　that？〃
　〃Exhibit　A。〃　He　pulled　back　the　last　fold　of　cloth；　and　I　found　myself　looking　at　what　had　to　be　the　biggest　universal　wrench　on　the　ship；　the　kind　used　for　unbolting　thruster　casings。
　〃Ah；〃　I　said。　〃And　the　significance　of　it　is。。。？〃
　〃Look　closely；　right　here；〃　he　said；　pointing　at　a　spot　about　midway　along　the　rectangular　cross…sectioned　handle。　〃See　the　black　streak？〃
　I　leaned　forward。　It　was　there；　all　right：　a　faint　black　vertical　mark；　with　a　wider　and　fainter　echo　beside　it　as　if　a　charcoal　line　had　been　smeared。　〃Let　me　guess；〃　I　said；　leaning　back　again。　〃A　mark　from　the　rubber　edge　of　your　cabin　door？〃
　〃Very　good；〃　he　said；　lifting　the　wrench　up　by　the　cloth　for　a　closer　look　of　his　own。　〃Those　doors　hit　pretty　hard　when　the　buffer　doesn't　engage。　My　assumption　is　he　hit　the　release　pad；　then　shoved　this　into　the　gap　when　it　opened。〃
　And　it　was　still　moving　as　the　door　hit　it；　hence；　the　smeared　streak。　〃That　would　have　left　enough　of　an　opening　for　the　bottles；　but　not　enough　to　get　his　arm　through；〃　I　pointed　out。　〃Probably　why　they　weren't　farther　from　the　door。　Unless　he　was　hoping　someone　would　kick　them　on　the　way　in　or　out。〃
　〃That　wouldn't　have　done　him　any　good；〃　Ixil　reminded　me。　〃You　have　to　ignite　the　mixture；　remember？〃
　〃None　of　this　does　him　any　good；〃　I　growled；　mentally　giving　the　whole　thing　up　as　hopeless。　There　was　some　vital　information　we　didn't　yet　have…I　was　sure　of　it。　And　until　we　found　out　what　it　was　all　we　were　going　to　acplish　by　chasing　our　meager　data　around　was　to　make　ourselves　dizzy。
　Apparently；　Ixil　had　figured　that　out；　too。　〃As　you　suggested　in　an　earlier　conversation；　it　all　makes　perfect　sense；〃　he　said；　starting　to　wrap　up　the　wrench　again。　〃We　just　don't　yet　know　what　that　sense　is。〃
　I　nodded　to　the　wrench。　〃You　planning　to　check　it　for　fingerprints？〃
　〃I　was　thinking　of　it；〃　he　agreed。　〃Knowing　the　Icarus；　though；　I　suspect　we'll　need　to　use　it　before　we　ever　get　within　hailing　distance　of　a　proper　fingerprinting　expert。〃
　〃Knowing　the　Icarus；　I'd　say　you　were　right；〃　I　agreed。　〃So　what　now？〃
　〃I　thought　I'd　see　about　fixing　my　door；〃　he　said；　tucking　the　wrench　under　one　arm　and　snapping　his　fingers　as　he　reached　for　the　remains　of　his　sandwich。　The　two　ferrets　came　at　his　call；　scampering　up　his　body　to　his　shoulders。　〃Your　door；　rather；　since　your　outer　pad's　on　my　cabin　now。　I　can　take　the　pad　off　the　empty　Number　Two　cabin　on　the　top　deck　and　replace　the　whole　thing。〃
　〃What　if　we　want　to　get　in　there？〃　I　asked。
　〃What　for？〃　he　asked　reasonably。　〃Anyway；　we　can　always　move　a　pad　from　one　of　the　other　cabins　temporarily　if　we　need　to。〃
　〃Point；〃　I　conceded。　〃Okay；　go　ahead。〃
　〃Right。　I'll　see　you　later。〃　Stuffing　another　large　corner　of　his　sandwich　into　his　mouth；　he　headed　out。
　For　a　couple　of　minutes；　ignoring　my　own　resolve　not　to　waste　time　and　effort　doing　so；　I　chased　our　meager　data　around　in　a　couple　more　circles。　It　didn't　get　me　anywhere。
　And　then；　behind　me　out　in　the　corridor；　I　heard　the　steady　tread　of　approaching　footsteps。　Two　pairs；　from　the　sound　of　it；　neither　of　them　Ixil's。
　It　was　probably　something　totally　innocent；　of　course。　But　I'd　had　enough　unpleasant　surprises　for　one　day；　and　I　wasn't　interested　in　having　any　more　of　them。　Folding　my　arms　across　my　chest；　I　slid　my　right　hand　out　of　sight　beneath　my　jacket　and　got　a　grip　on　my　plasmic；　then　swiveled　my　seat　around　to　face　the　open　doorway。
　The　first　in　line　was　Tera；　stalking　onto　the　bridge　like　she　owned　it。　〃McKell；〃　she　said　in　terse　greeting。　There　was　nothing　the　slightest　bit　friendly　about　her　expression。　〃We　need　to　talk　to　you。〃
　Before　I　could　reply；　the　other　half　of　the　〃we〃　stepped　into　sight　behind　her：　Nicabar；　looking　even　less　friendly　than　she　did。　Not　a　good　sign。　〃e　in；〃　I　said　mildly；　ignoring　the　fact　that　they　were　already　in。　〃Revs；　aren't　you　supposed　to　be　on　duty　in　the　engine　room？〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　his　eyes　flicking　once　to　my　folded　arms。　If　he　suspected　I　was　holding　my　gun；　he　didn't　ment　on　it。　〃I　asked　Chort　to　watch　things　for　a　few　minutes。〃
　Strictly　speaking；　that　was　a　violation　of　the　Mercantile　Code；　me　being　the　captain　and　not　being　informed　and　all。　But　so　far　this　trip　I'd　been　fairly　casual　about　the　duty　roster；　and　there　didn't　seem　much　point　in　plaining　about　it　now。　〃Fine。　What　can　I　do　for　you？〃
　Tera　glanced　at　Nicabar；　who　glanced　in　turn　out　into　the　corridor　and　then　unlocked　the　release；　letting　the　door　slide　shut　beside　him。　〃You　can　start　with　some　honesty；〃　Tera　said　as　they　both　looked　back　at　me。　〃This　Mr。　Antoniewicz　whose　name　scares　off　customs　inspectors。　Who　exactly　is　he？〃
　It　was　a　trap；　of　course。　And　with　someone　else；　it　might　have　worked。　But　Tera　didn't　have　the　facial　control　or　sheer　chutzpah　to　pull　it　off。　〃You　already　know　the　answer；〃　I　said。　I　shifted　my　gaze　to　Nicabar。　〃Or　rather；　you　know　it。　I　see　you've　already　given　Tera　your　version；　how　about　doing　the　same　for　me？〃
　〃He's　a　dealer　in　death　and　misery；〃　Nicabar　said；　his　voice　as　dark　as　his　expression。　〃He　buys　and　sells　drugs；　guns；　customs　officials；　governments；　and　people's　lives。〃
　His　eyes　bored　into　mine。　〃And　we　want　to　know　what　exactly　your　relationship　is　to　his　organization。〃
　〃Nice　speech；〃　I　plimented　him；　stalling　for　time。　I'd　known　from　the　start　that　the　relative　ease　with　which　I'd　obtained　Shawn's　borandis　would　inevitably　generate　speculation　among　the　others　as　to　how　I'd　pulled　it　off。　But　I　hadn't　expected　that　speculation　to　turn　into　full…blown　suspicion　so　quickly　or　so　bluntly。　This　could　be　very　awkward　indeed。　〃Did　you　work　it　up　specially　for　this　occasion？　Or　is　it　left　over　from　the　last　ship　you　worked　that　had　ties　to　Antoniewicz？　Or　the　one　before　that；　or　the　one　before　that？〃
　〃What　exactly　are　you　implying？〃　Nicabar　asked；　his　tone　the　unpleasant　stillness　of　the　air　when　there's　a　thunderstorm　brewing　in　the　distance。
　〃I'm　saying　that　you　and　everyone　else　aboard　the　Icarus　has　worked　for　Antoniewicz　at　one　time　or　another；〃　I　told　him。　〃You　had　no　choice。　Antoniewicz's　fingers　stretch　into　so　many　nooks　and　crannies　across　the　Spiral　it's　practically　impossible　to　engage　in　any　business　that　doesn't　touch　something　he's　involved　with。〃
　〃That's　not　the　same；〃　Tera　protested。
　〃What；　if　you　don't　know　what　you're　doing　it　doesn't　count？〃　I　scoffed。　〃There's　a　very　slippery　slope　beneath　that　kind　of　moral　position。〃
　〃Speaking　of　slippery；　you　still　haven't　answered　our　question；〃　Nicabar　put　in。
　〃I'm　getting　to　it；〃　I　said。　〃I　just　wanted　to　make　sure　the　answer　was　in　the　proper　context。　One　of　the　ways　Antoniewicz　got　a　slice　of　so　many　pies　was　by　buying　up　legitimate　businesses；　especially　those　in　serious　financial　trouble。　I　was　a　legitimate　business。　Thanks　to　the　Patth　shipping　monopoly；　I　got　into　serious　financial　trouble。　Antoniewicz　bought　me　up。　End　of　story。〃
　〃Not　end　of　story；〃　Nicabar　said。　〃He　didn't　just　buy　your　business。　He　bought　you。〃
　〃Of　course　he　did；〃　I　said；　putting　an　edge　of　bitterness　into　my　tone。　〃Ixil　and　I　are　the　business。〃
　〃So　you　sold　your　soul；〃　Nicabar　said　contemptuously。　〃For　money。〃
　〃I　prefer　to　think　of　it　as　having　traded　my　pride　for　a　little　bottom…line　integrity；〃　I　shot　back。　〃Or　do　you　think　it　would　have　been　more　honorable　to　have　declared　bankruptcy　and　left　my　creditors　holding　an　empty　bag。　Well？〃
　〃How　much　debt　are　we　talking　about　here？〃　Tera　asked。
　〃Five　hundred　thousand　marks；〃　I　told　her。　〃And　let　me　also　say　that　I　tried　every　single　legitimate　way　to　get　the　money　before　I　finally　gave　up　and　let　Antoniewicz's　people　bail　us　out。〃　Which　wasn't　strictly　true；　of　course。　But　there　was　no　need　to　muddy　the　water　here。
　〃What　about　now？〃　she　asked。
　〃What　about　now？〃　I　countered。　〃You　think　I　wouldn't　love　to　pay　off　the　debt　and　be　out　from　under　his　thumb？　Antoniewicz　has　done　this　before；　you　know；　and　he's　quite　good　at　it。　The　way　he's　got　things