tz.theicarushunt-第48节

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〃Where's　Tera　now？〃　I　asked；　looking　up　at　Ixil。
　〃Probably　in　her　cabin；〃　he　said。　〃She's　off…duty；　and　she　hasn't　shown　much　tendency　to　sit　around　the　dayroom。〃
　〃Let's　go　find　her；〃　I　said；　making　sure　my　plasmic　was　riding　snugly　in　its　holster。
　I　got　up　and　headed　for　the　door。　Ixil　was　faster；　hopping　up　from　his　place　on　the　floor　and　blocking　my　way。　〃Are　you　sure　this　is　a　good　idea？〃　he　asked。
　〃Not　really；〃　I　said。　〃But　I　want　to　find　out　for　sure；　and　I　want　to　find　out　now。　Confronting　her　straight…out　seems　to　me　the　best　way　to　do　it。〃
　〃Yes；　but　she'll　want　to　know　how　we　found　out；〃　he　warned。　〃That　could　be　awkward。〃
　〃It　won't；〃　I　said；　shaking　my　head。　〃She　already　knows　we　run　cargoes　for　Antoniewicz；　and　she　knows　he's　got　his　slimy　fingers　into　everything。　We　can　lay　this　at　his　feet；　no　problem。〃
　He　still　didn't　look　convinced；　but　he　nevertheless　stepped　aside。　I　tapped　the　release　pad；　confirmed　there　was　no　one　loitering　outside　in　the　corridor；　and　headed　for　the　aft　ladder。　Ixil　stayed　behind　long　enough　to　collect　his　ferrets　from　the　floor；　then　followed。
　We　reached　the　top　deck　without　seeing　anyone；　clearly；　the　Icarus's　antisocial　atmosphere　was　still　unsullied　by　anything　resembling　genuine　camaraderie。　Tera's　door　was　closed。　Bracing　myself；　I　tapped　the　release　pad；　and　as　the　door　slid　open　I　dodged　inside。
　From　my　previous　clandestine　visit　to　Tera's　room　I　knew　she　used　the　lower　of　the　three　bunks；　and　that　supposed　knowledge　nearly　got　me　killed。　Even　as　I　aimed　my　charge　toward　the　lower　bunk；　I　belatedly　saw　in　the　light　filtering　in　from　the　corridor　that　that　particular　bunk　was　in　fact　empty。　My　eyes　tracked　upward；　caught　sight　of　the　body　and　sudden　movement　on　the　top　bunk…clearly；　she　alternated　bunks；　probably　for　exactly　this　purpose。
　I　altered　course　in　mid…charge；　nearly　wrenching　my　back　in　the　process；　reaching　for　her　mouth　to　keep　her　from　screaming。　There　was　a　faint　glint　of　something　metallic　in　her　hand；　and　I　shifted　the　direction　of　my　hands　toward　the　object　as　she　tried　to　bring　it　around　to　bear　on　me。　I　won　by　a　thin…sliced　fraction　of　a　second；　and　with　a　twist　of　my　wrist　wrenched　it　out　of　her　hand。　With　my　other　hand　I　reached　again　for　her　mouth；　but　even　as　I　could　see　her　taking　a　deep　breath　Ixil's　left　hand　closed　almost　delicately　across　it；　his　right　taking　up　a　supporting　position　behind　her　head。
　〃It's　all　right；　Tera；〃　I　assured　her　quickly。　〃We　just　want　to　talk。〃
　She　ignored　me；　grabbing　Ixil's　hand　and　trying　to　pry　it　away…considering　Kalixiri　musculature；　a　plete　waste　of　effort。　From　the　movements　of　her　head　I　guessed　she　was　also　trying　to　bite　him；　another　waste　of　effort。　Behind　us；　the　door　slid　shut；　plunging　the　silent　struggle　into　darkness。　〃Really；　that's　all　we　want；〃　I　said；　stepping　across　the　darkened　room　and　switching　on　the　light。　〃We　thought　it　would　be　better　if　what　we　had　to　say　was　kept　quiet　from　the　others　for　the　moment。〃
　Tera　grunted　something　unintelligible　but　undoubtedly　quite　rude　from　behind　Ixil's　hand；　her　eyes　doing　their　best　to　skewer　me。　〃Nice　to　see　you're　armed；　too；〃　I　added；　looking　at　the　gun　I'd　taken　from　her。　It　was　a　short…barreled　shotgun…style　pepperbox　pistol；　capable　of　making　a　considerable　mess　of　an　assailant　at　the　close　range　inherent　in　shipboard　bat　without　the　danger　of　accidentally　rupturing　the　hull　in　the　process。　My　earlier　search　of　her　room　hadn't　turned　it　up；　clearly；　she　made　a　habit　of　carrying　it　around　with　her。　〃Of　course；　this　thing's　loud　enough　to　have　brought　the　whole　ship　down　on　us。　Good　thing　you　didn't　get　a　chance　to　fire。　If　Ixil　takes　his　hand　away；　will　you　promise　not　to　make　a　fuss　until　you　hear　what　we　have　to　say？〃
　Her　eyes　flicked　to　her　gun　in　my　hand。　Reluctantly；　I　thought；　she　nodded。　〃Good；〃　I　said；　nodding　to　Ixil。
　He　pulled　his　hands　away　slowly；　ready　to　put　them　back　again　if　she　reneged　on　her　promise。　〃What　do　you　want？〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice。　There　was　a　fair　degree　of　tension　in　her　face；　I　saw；　but　whatever　panic　there　might　have　been　had　already　disappeared。
　〃Like　I　said；　to　talk；〃　I　told　her。　〃We　want　to　find　out　what　you　know　about　this　ship；　Tera。〃　I　lifted　my　eyebrows。　〃Or　should　I　call　you　Elaina？〃
　The　corner　of　her　mouth　twitched。　Not　much；　but　enough　to　show　I'd　hit　the　bull's…eye。　Uncle　Arthur　had　indeed　e　through。　〃Elaina？〃　she　asked　cautiously。
　〃Elaina；〃　I　said。　〃Elaina　Tera　Cameron。　Daughter　of　Arno　Cameron。　The　man　who　put　all　of　us　aboard　this　ship。〃
　　
　CHAPTER　12　
　
　FOR　THE　SPACE　of　a　dozen　heartbeats　I　thought　she　was　going　to　try　to　play　out　the　masquerade。　She　lay　there　on　her　bunk；　propped　up　on　one　elbow；　and　stared　at　me；　a　dozen　expressions　flicking　across　her　face。　And　then；　the　one　hand　I　could　see　tightened　into　a　fist；　and　I　knew　she'd　given　up。　〃What　gave　me　away？〃　she　asked　calmly。
　〃It　wasn't　anything　you　said　or　did；〃　I　assured　her。　〃Though　now　in　retrospect　I　can　see　hints　that　you　were　more　than　you　seemed。　That　nicely　fortuitous　timing　when　you　first　came　to　the　bridge；　for　instance；　making　sure　that　I　didn't　just　pocket　the　money　your　father　had　left　for　us　and　stroll　casually　off　the　ship。　No；　we　simply　picked　up　some　additional　information　which　included　the　interesting　note　that　Cameron's　daughter　hadn't　been　seen　for　a　while。　Our　informant　was　kind　enough　to　include　a　photo　that　was　just　barely　adequate。〃
　〃I　see；〃　she　said。　〃Where　exactly　did　this　information　e　from？〃
　〃You　know　how　we're　connected；〃　I　said；　my　voice　heavy　with　significance。　〃Just　leave　it　at　that。〃
　She　seemed　to　measure　me　with　her　eyes。　〃All　right；〃　she　said。　〃So。　Now　what？〃
　〃Now　what　is　that　you　tell　us　what　the　hell　this　is　all　about；〃　I　said。　〃Starting　with　where　your　father　is。〃
　〃He's　back　on　Meima；　of　course；〃　she　said。　〃You　ought　to　know…you　took　off　without　him。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃Sorry；　but　that　won't　wash。　The　whole　planet　was　looking　to　hang　a　murder　charge　on　him；　and　there　aren't　a　hell　of　a　lot　of　places　there　where　a　human　could　hide。〃
　〃Which　means　he　was　already　aboard　when　you　left；〃　Ixil　added。　〃I　presume　he　was　the　one　Jordan　chased　briefly　around　the　'tweenhull　area？〃
　Tera　grimaced。　So　did　I；　feeling　like　a　plete　fool。　All　the　way　up　from　the　lower　deck　knowing　she　was　Cameron's　daughter；　and　that　part　had　never　even　occurred　to　me。　〃So　he's　the　one　who　tapped　into　my　inter；〃　I　said。　〃And　who　tried　to　kill　Ixil　with　the　cutting　torch。〃
　〃Dad　wasn't　trying　to　hurt　him；〃　Tera　snapped；　her　face　flushing。　〃Not　Ixil　or　anyone　else。〃　She　transferred　her　glare　to　Ixil。　〃He　thought　you'd　be　professional　enough　to　check　the　torch　before　you　tried　lighting　it。〃
　〃I'd　already　done　so；〃　he　said　calmly。　〃Under　the　circumstances；　I　should　have　known　to　check　it　again。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　she　growled；　her　expression　one　of　anger　mixed　with　guilt。　〃For　whatever　it's　worth；　he　felt　very　bad　about　you　getting　hurt。〃
　Ixil　inclined　his　head。　〃I　accept　his　apology。〃
　〃Accept　it　in　person；　why　don't　you；〃　I　put　in。　〃Elaina；　we　need　to　talk　to　your　father　right　away。〃
　〃Tera；〃　she　corrected　me。　〃And　Dad's　not　here。　He　got　off　at　Potosi。〃
　I　threw　a　glance　at　Ixil。　The　biggest　Patth　shipping　facility　in　the　entire　region；　and　that　was　where　Cameron　had　chosen　to　jump　ship？　〃Why？〃　I　asked。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said。　〃He　didn't　say　anything　about　it　to　me　beforehand。　All　I　know　is　that　when　we　all　got　back　after　looking　for　Shawn；　he　and　his　things　were　gone。〃
　Ixil　rumbled　in　his　throat。　〃You'll　forgive　me　if　I　say　that　makes　no　sense　whatsoever。〃
　〃You　can　search　the　ship　yourselves　if　you　want；〃　she　countered　tartly。　〃I　tell　you；　he's　not　here。〃
　〃Let's　go　back　to　the　beginning；〃　I　interrupted　them；　not　about　to　let　this　degenerate　into　a　reality…versus…logic　argument　if　I　could　help　it。　〃Let's　start　with　how　you　got　to　Meima　and　why　you're　aboard　the　Icarus　under　this　semiassumed　identity。〃
　Tera　looked　back　and　forth　between　us；　a　wary　look　on　her　face。　〃Why　should　I　tell　either　of　you　anything？〃　she　demanded。　〃You've　already　admitted　your　souls　are　owned　by　a　crime　boss。　Why　should　I　trust　you？〃
　〃Because　you　have　to　trust　someone；〃　I　told　her；　putting　on　my　quietly　earnest　face　and　gunning　it　for　all　it　was　worth。　〃And　as　far　as　this　ship　and　crew　are　concerned；　we're　it。　Did　you　know　the　Patth　are　hunting　for　us？〃
　She　swallowed。　〃Yes。　There　were　hints　even　before　we　left　Meima；　and　Dad　heard　you　talking　about　it　in　your　cabin。〃
　〃All　right；〃　I　said。　〃Then　remember　back　to　Potosi；　where　one　of　our　fellow　crewers　called　in　a　tip　that　nearly　got　us　impounded　by　the　Najiki　Customs　agents。〃
　〃How　do　you　know　it　was　one　of　us？〃　she　asked。
　〃Because　no　one　except　the　seven　of　us　knew　we　were　running　under　the　name　Sleeping　Beauty　at　the　time；〃　I　said。　〃If　I　hadn't　gotten　us　out　of　that　when　I　did；　the　Icarus　would　inevitably　have　wound　up　in　Patth　hands。　That　ought　to　prove　I'm　on　your　side。〃
　〃And　which　is　my　side？〃
　〃The　side　of　getting　the　Icarus　and　its　cargo　to　Earth　intact；〃　I　told　her。　〃I　could　have　turned　you　in　on　Dorscind's　World；　too。　In　fact；　I　risked　getting　shot　in　order　not　to。〃
　I　waved　a　hand　at　Ixil。　〃And　as　f