tz.theicarushunt-第44节

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trict　that　was　our　destination。　We　were　the　only　ship　ining；　though　I　spotted　a　couple　of　other　freighters　on　their　way　out；　all　of　them　running　IDs　that　were　probably　as　phony　as　ours。　I　gave　the　control　center　our　destination　port；　got　a　rectangle　assignment；　and　eased　the　Icarus　down　into　the　darkness。
　The　others　were　all　waiting　in　the　wraparound　by　the　time　I'd　secured　the　ship；　called　for　a　fueling　team；　and　made　my　way　aft。　The　entryway　hatch　was　unopened；　by　mon　consent；　apparently；　they'd　all　decided　I　should　get　the　honor　of　being　first　in　line　for　any　stray　shots　that　might　be　flying　around　out　there。　Leaving　my　plasmic　in　its　holster…Nicabar　aside；　none　of　the　others　knew　about　the　weapon；　and　I　didn't　feel　the　need　to　enlighten　them…I　keyed　the　hatch　and　waited　tautly　as　it　swung　ponderously　open。　This　particular　spaceport　didn't　have　any　of　the　nice　concave　landing　cradles　we'd　had　at　our　last　couple　of　stops；　with　the　result　that　I　was　looking　out　over　the　landscape　from　a　vantage　point　ten　meters　up。
　I'd　never　actually　been　on　Morsh　Pon　before；　but　I　couldn't　imagine　the　view　was　any　better　up　here　than　it　would　be　at　ground　level。　Even　in　the　admittedly　bad　street　light；　the　tavernos；　flophouse　brothels；　and　other　assorted　dives　that　crowded　into　the　spaces　between　the　various　landing…pad　clusters　looked　dingy　and　unfriendly。　Most　of　the　buildings　had　darkened　windows　and　doorways；　adding　their　individual　bits　to　the　overall　gloom。　Across　the　strip　of　buildings　facing　us　was　an　empty　pad　cluster；　looking　rather　like　a　bald　spot　amid　the　uneven　rows　of　buildings　encircling　it。　A　few　stars　were　visible　in　the　darkening　sky；　but　even　they　seemed　subdued；　as　if　they　didn't　really　want　to　look　down　at　the　Blue　District；　either。
　〃Interesting；〃　Ixil　murmured　from　beside　me。　〃Where　is　everyone？〃
　I　frowned；　looking　at　the　scene　with　new　eyes。　He　was　right。　I'd　already　noted　the　dark　buildings　and　empty　landing…pad　cluster　directly　in　front　of　me；　now；　leaning　partially　out　of　the　entryway；　I　could　see　that　none　of　the　nearest　landing　clusters　was　occupied。　In　the　distance　I　could　see　what　might　have　been　the　curved　hulls　of　a　pair　of　ships；　and　a　couple　hundred　meters　off　to　my　right　I　could　see　a　single　taverno　with　its　doorway　lights　on。　But　that　was　it。　Virtually　no　ships；　virtually　no　open　businesses；　no　vehicles　except　for　the　fueler　I　could　see　heading　our　way　along　an　access　road；　and　no　pedestrians　at　all。　It　was　as　if　we'd　landed　in　a　ghost　town。
　〃Hey；　Everett；　I　thought　you　said　this　place　was　crawling　with　murderers　and　pirates；〃　Shawn　said　accusingly。　〃So　where　are　they？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Everett　muttered　behind　me。　〃Something's　wrong。　Something's　very　wrong。〃
　〃Did　Landing　Control　say　anything　when　you　checked　in？〃　Nicabar　asked。　〃Disease；　plague；　quarantine…anything？〃
　〃Not　a　word；〃　I　said；　studying　the　single　lit　taverno　I　could　see。　We　were　too　far　away　for　me　to　read　the　nameplate；　but　knowing　Uncle　Arthur　I　was　willing　to　bet　it　was　the　Baker's　Dozen；　the　place　he'd　named　in　our　last　conversation。　〃Maybe　they　can　tell　us　something　in　there；〃　I　suggested；　pointing　to　it。　〃Anyone　want　to　join　me　for　a　little　stroll？〃
　〃Not　me；〃　Everett　said　firmly。　〃If　there's　some　disease　out　there；　I　don't　want　to　catch　it。〃
　〃Landing　Control's　legally　required　to　alert　ining　ships　about　medical　dangers；〃　I　reminded　him。
　〃And　this　is　Morsh　Pon；　where　they　use　laws　for　place　mats；〃　Everett　countered　firmly。　〃Thanks；　but　I'll　stay　here。〃
　〃Me；　too；〃　Shawn　seconded。
　〃I'll　go　with　you；〃　Tera　said。　〃I　need　to　get　out　of　this　ship　for　a　while。〃
　〃Count　me　in；　too；〃　Nicabar　added。
　〃Sure；〃　I　said；　pletely　unsurprised　by　this　one。　Neither　Tera　nor　Nicabar　would　be　nearly　as　concerned　about　possible　germs　as　they　would　be　that　I　might　sneak　off　and　do　something　they　wouldn't　approve　of。　〃Chort？　Ixil？〃
　〃I　will　e；〃　Chort　said。　〃Perhaps　the　taverno　will　have　a　bottle　of　kompri　for　sale。〃
　〃They　might；〃　I　said；　wondering　what　kompri　was。　Some　Craean　drink；　probably。　〃What　about　you；　Ixil？〃
　〃I　want　to　get　the　fuelers　started　first；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　try　to　join　you　later。〃
　〃Okay；〃　I　said；　pretending　to　believe　him　as　I　swung　around　and　started　down　the　ladder。　He　most　certainly　would　not　be　joining　us；　he　would　be　staying　here　and　watching　Everett　and　Shawn　like　an　iguana…faced　hawk。　〃We　won't　be　long。〃
　It　was　an　eerie　walk　down　the　deserted　access　walkway；　our　footsteps　sounding　unnaturally　loud　in　the　silence。　I　looked　into　each　doorway　and　alley　as　we　passed　it；　half　expecting　to　see　dark　men　or　aliens　waiting　in　the　darkness　to　ambush　us。　But　the　doorways　were　just　as　deserted　as　the　rest　of　the　place。
　We　reached　the　taverno　without　incident；　to　find　it　was　indeed　the　Baker's　Dozen。　The　others　close　behind　me；　I　pulled　open　the　door　and　looked　inside。
　The　place　was　quite　large；　a　bit　on　the　dark　side；　but　otherwise　surprisingly　homey；　with　heavy　wooden　tables　and　chairs；　a　traditional　Earth…style　wooden　bar　running　the　length　of　the　left…hand　wall；　and　even　a　sunken　fireplace；　currently　unlit；　in　the　center　of　the　room。　It　was　also　severely　underpopulated。　There　was　a　group　of　a　dozen　scruffy…looking　aliens　gathered　around　three　of　the　tables　near　the　bar；　a　pirate　gang　if　ever　I'd　seen　one；　a　pair　of　young　human　females　sitting　together　at　a　table　near　the　right…hand　wall；　and　three　robed　and　hooded　figures　with　faces　hidden　hunched　over　a　table　in　the　far　back　corner。　And　that　was　it。　Behind　the　bar；　a　furry…faced　Ulkomaal　was　leaning　on　the　countertop　gazing　morosely　at　the　dead　fireplace。　He　looked　up　as　I　walked　into　the　room；　his　bony　eyebrow　crest　turning　a　faint　purple　with　surprise。　〃So　that　was　another　ship　I　heard；〃　he　said；　straightening　up。　〃Wele；　patronae；　wele。〃
　〃Thanks；〃　I　said；　glancing　around　at　the　other　customers。　The　pirates　had　looked　up　as　we　entered；　but　after　a　quick　assessment　had　turned　back　to　their　drinks。　The　two　women　were　still　eyeing　us；　the　robed　threesome　in　the　back　hadn't　even　bothered　to　turn　around。　Maybe　they　were　already　too　drunk　to　care；　though　the　collection　of　empty　glasses　traditionally　associated　with　sleeping　drunks　wasn't　in　evidence。　On　the　other　hand；　I　could　see　that　none　of　the　tables　had　menu　selectors；　which　meant　the　barkeep　also　doubled　as　a　waiter；　and　from　the　looks　of　things　he　certainly　wasn't　too　busy　to　keep　the　place　tidy。　〃You　still　serving？〃
　He　sighed。　〃For　what　good　it　does；〃　he　said。　〃Everyone　else　has　already　fled。〃
　〃Fled　from　what？〃　Tera　asked　from　behind　me。　The　barkeep　sighed　again。　〃The　Balthee；〃　he　said　in　a　tone　that　managed　to　be　both　angry　and　resigned　at　the　same　time。　〃We　received　a　report　late　this　afternoon　that　they　were　on　their　way　for　another　spraymarker　raid。〃
　〃A　what？〃　Tera　asked。
　〃It　is　an　example　of　Balthee　guilt…by…association　law；〃　Chort　spoke　up　as　I　led　them　to　a　table　near　the　door　and　away　from　the　other　patrons。　I　took　the　chair　that　put　my　back　to　the　wall；　where　I　could　watch　the　entrance　and　also　keep　the　rest　of　the　customers　at　least　within　peripheral　vision。　Nicabar　chose　the　chair　to　my　left；　which　would　put　the　pirates　in　his　direct　line　of　sight；　while　Tera　took　the　seat　to　my　right；　where　she　couldn't　see　much　of　anything　except　the　door　and　me。　If　the　two　of　them　had　been　deliberately　planning　to　corral　me；　they　couldn't　have　done　a　better　job　of　it。　〃Consorting　with　known　criminals　is　itself　a　crime　under　Balthee　law；〃　Chort　continued；　easing　himself　delicately　into　the　remaining　chair。
　〃You　are　very　knowledgeable；〃　the　barkeep　plimented　him。　〃Knowing　Morsh　Pon's　reputation…which　is　wholly　unjustified；　I　assure　you…they　periodically　e　and　spray　a　molecularly　bonded　dye　over　all　ships　on　our　landing　pads。　Any　such　marked　ship　that　enters　a　Balthee…run　spaceport　is　immediately　impounded　and　searched　and　its　crew　held　for　questioning。〃
　〃I　can　see　why　your　clientele　wouldn't　want　that；〃　I　agreed；　nodding　toward　the　pirate　gang　at　their　tables。　〃They　not　get　the　message？〃
　〃Their　captain　tells　me　they　do　not　fear　the　Balthee；〃　he　said；　lowering　his　voice　as　he　glanced　their　direction。　〃However；　another　crew　member　confided　that　they　plan　to　have　all　their　hull　plates　replaced　soon　anyway。〃
　He　gestured　to　the　other　two　occupied　tables。　〃As　to　the　females；　they　are　employees　of　one　of　the　guesthouses；　Shick　Place。　And；　when　the　word　came；　the　gentlebeings　in　back　were　already　too　inebriated　to　try　to　leave。〃
　He　straightened　up　and　cocked　his　head　at　me。　〃And　what　is　your　story？〃
　I　frowned　up　at　him。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃You　are　here；〃　he　said；　waving　a　hand　at　us。　〃Yet　there　is　word　of　an　impending　raid。〃
　〃Which　we　obviously　didn't　know　about；　did　we？〃　I　said。
　〃Were　no　other　ships　leaving　as　you　arrived？〃　the　barkeep　countered。　〃Some　must　still　have　been　on　their　way　out。　Did　no　one　transmit　a　warning　to　you？〃
　〃Yes；　there　were　other　ships　leaving；〃　I　said；　putting　some　impatience　into　my　voice　even　as　a　quiet　warning　bell　went　off　in　my　ear。　I'd　never　been　on　Morsh　Pon　before；　but　the　criminal　hangouts　I　had　had　occasion　to　visit　had　not　been　known　for　overly　inquisitive　waiters。　This　kind　of　interrogation　was　way　out　of　character；　even　given