tz.theicarushunt-第53节

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is　beak　snapped　hard。　〃Seven…tenths；〃　he　said。　A　seventy　percent　tax　bracket。　Indentured　servitude；　with　the　twist　that　the　servitude　was　to　their　own　government　and　people。　〃I've　never　heard　anything　about　this　before；〃　I　said。　〃Why　have　you　kept　it　such　a　secret？〃
　His　feathers　fluffed　briefly。　〃Why　would　we　tell　it？〃　he　countered。　〃It　is　not　something　we　are　proud　of。　To　sell　ourselves　into　service　to　aliens　is　not　a　pleasant　thing。〃
　〃Though　it's　really　no　different　from　what　the　rest　of　us　do；〃　I　pointed　out。　〃None　of　us　are　selling　ourselves；　exactly；　just　hiring　our　services　and　our　expertise　out　to　others。　It's　what's　called　a　job。〃
　〃It　was　never　the　Craean　way；〃　he　said　firmly。　〃But　it　is　our　way　now。〃
　He　cocked　his　head　to　one　side；　a　quick　gesture　that　was　very　bird…like。　〃But　even　now　that　way　may　be　changing。　The　Patth　merchants　have　given　us　the　chance　to　sell　our　foodstuffs　in　more　markets　than　ever　before。　In　only　a　few　short　decades；　perhaps　we　will　have　the　resources　necessary　for　the　habitats　we　yet　wish　to　build。　When　that　happens；　we　will　once　again　be　able　to　withdraw　back　to　our　homes；　and　our　families；　and　our　kind。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃We'll　miss　you；〃　I　said。　I　meant　it；　too；　even　as　I　winced　at　how　utterly　banal　the　words　sounded。　〃Why　are　you　telling　me　this？〃
　He　laid　his　delicate　hands　on　the　table；　rubbing　the　fingertips　gently　together。　〃Once；　it　was　thought　that　only　our　future　freedom　depended　on　the　Patth　and　their　stardrive；〃　he　said；　dropping　his　gaze　to　his　hands。　〃But　now；　many　fear　that　our　very　lives　are　solidly　in　their　hands。　In　the　cycles　since　Talariac　began　service；　more　and　more　of　our　resources　have　been　devoted　to　the　growing　of　foodstuffs　for　export。　If　the　Patth　should　suddenly　refuse　to　carry　them；　our　economy　could　collapse　in　a　single　sunrise。〃
　I　felt　a　hard　knot　form　in　the　center　of　my　stomach。　I　had　warned　Ixil　that　the　Crooea　might　be　susceptible　to　Patth　pressure；　but　I　hadn't　realized　just　how　big　the　economic　stick　the　Patth　were　threatening　them　with　was。　〃I　think　I　understand　the　situation；〃　I　said。　〃What　is　it　you　want　from　me？〃
　He　seemed　to　draw　himself　up。　〃I　want　you　to　not　aggravate　the　Patth。〃
　I　suppressed　a　grimace。　Lord　knew　the　last　thing　I　wanted　to　do　was　upset　the　Patth；　the　Patth　or　their　lumpy　friends　with　the　handheld　crematoria。　Unfortunately；　as　far　as　that　crowd　was　concerned；　even　my　continued　breathing　probably　constituted　aggravation　at　this　point。　〃What　makes　you　think　I　would　want　to　do　something　like　that？〃　I　hedged。
　〃You　dislike　the　Patth；〃　he　said　again。　〃And　it　is　the　Patth　who　are　seeking　you　and　this　ship。〃
　The　hard　knot　in　the　center　of　my　stomach　tightened　a　couple　more　turns。　〃Who　told　you　that？〃
　His　feathers　fluttered。　〃No　one　told　me。　The　beings　whom　the　young　human　female　pointed　out　to　us　at　the　Baker's　Dozen　taverno　were　members　of　a　Patth　client　race。〃
　〃How　do　you　know？〃
　〃It　is　mon　knowledge　among　the　Crooea；〃　he　said；　sounding　surprised　that　I　even　needed　to　ask。　〃All　Patth　merchant　starships　carry　Craean　spacewalkers。　The　Iykams　also　always　travel　with　them　as　guardians　and　protectors。　Unlike　the　Patth；　they　are　crude　and　not　very　polite。〃
　〃As　well　as　sometimes　violent；〃　I　added；　nodding。　At　least　the　Lumpy　Clan　had　a　name　now。　Uncle　Arthur　would　be　pleased　about　that。　〃Still；　just　because　the　Iykams　are　mad　at　me　doesn't　mean　the　Patth　themselves　are　involved。〃
　The　feathers　fluttered　again；　this　time　fluffing　out　from　his　body。　〃Do　not　lie　to　me；　Captain；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃The　Iykams　do　not　act　without　Patth　permission。　They　do　not　move　through　these　areas　of　space　without　Patth　presence　and　guidance。〃
　〃I'm　not　lying　to　you；　Chort；〃　I　assured　him　quickly；　a　creepy　feeling　running　through　me。　If　he　was　right；　that　meant　the　two　Iykams　I'd　killed　on　Xathru　must　have　had　a　Patth　overseer　somewhere　in　the　vicinity。　A　Patth　who　had　just　missed　capturing　the　Icarus　right　off　the　blocks。
　And　running　the　logic　in　reverse；　it　also　implied　that　the　three　Patth　Cameron　and　I　had　seen　in　that　Meima　taverno　had　probably　had　a　couple　of　Iykams　lurking　in　the　shadows　somewhere。　Something　to　remember　if　I　ever　spotted　another　Patth　out　in　the　open。
　〃Perhaps　it　was　not　a　direct　lie；〃　Chort　said。　〃But　you　are　nonetheless　attempting　to　distract　me；　to　lure　me　away　from　the　truth。〃　He　cocked　his　head　again。　〃What　is　the　truth；　Captain？〃
　〃You're　right；　Chort；〃　I　said　with　a　sigh；　gazing　hard　at　his　face　and　wishing　like　hell　I　knew　how　to　decipher　that　alien　expression。　〃The　Patth　do　indeed　want　this　ship。　They　think　something　aboard　could　be　a　threat　to　the　economic　empire　they've　carved　out　over　the　past　fifteen　years。〃
　〃Is　that　true？〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃I　don't　know。　It's　possible。〃
　For　a　long　minute　he　sat　rigidly；　his　head　bowed　toward　the　table；　his　fingertips　pressed　tightly　together。　That　one　I　knew：　a　Craean　posture　of　deep　thought。　I　stayed　as　motionless　as　he　was；　afraid　that　any　movement　on　my　part　might　break　the　spell；　letting　the　silence　stretch　out　and　wishing　even　harder　I　could　read　Craean　expressions。　Nicabar　had　threatened　to　jump　ship　if　he　learned　we　were　carrying　contraband。　Would　Chort　make　the　same　threat…or　worse；　actually　carry　it　out…now　that　he　knew　we　were　in　serious　danger　of　bringing　Patth　anger　down　on　the　Crooea？
　With　a　suddenness　that　startled　me；　Chort　looked　back　up　at　me。　〃This　threat　to　the　Patth；〃　he　said。　〃Could　it　be　of　benefit　to　the　Crooea？〃
　〃If　it　actually　is　the　threat　the　Patth　think　it　is…and　that's　the　part　I'm　not　sure　of…then　the　answer　is　yes。〃
　〃Would　it　be　of　benefit　to　the　Crooea？〃
　I　hesitated。　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　had　to　admit。　〃If　it　were　up　to　me；　you　would　certainly　be　one　of　those　to　benefit；　given　your　help　on　this　trip。　But　I　can't　even　begin　to　make　a　promise　like　that。〃
　〃Ship　Master　Borodin　implied　that　would　be　the　case；〃　he　reminded　me。　〃Is　he　not　trustworthy？〃
　〃Oh；　he's　trustworthy　enough；〃　I　assured　him。　〃But　we　don't　know　where　he　is　right　now；　and　the　decision　may　be　taken　out　of　his　hands。　Especially　if　someone　else　gets　hold　of　the　Icarus　before　we　can　deliver　it　to　Earth。〃
　He　seemed　to　consider　that。　〃And　if　we　are　able　to　deliver　it　to　Earth？〃
　〃Again；　I　can't　make　any　promises；〃　I　said；　feeling　sweat　breaking　out　on　my　forehead。　With　the　perceived　future　of　his　entire　race　hanging　in　the　balance；　Chort　was　clearly　figuring　the　odds　and　weighing　his　options。
　Unfortunately；　there　were　only　three　options　I　could　see　for　him　to　choose　from：　jump　ship；　help　us　fly　the　Icarus　to　Earth；　or　betray　us　to　the　Patth　the　first　chance　he　got　in　the　hopes　of　buying　economic　security　for　his　people。　Only　short…term　security；　of　course…in　the　long　run　the　Patth　were　no　more　grateful　than　any　other　species。　But　balanced　against　their　demonstrated　ability　for　long…term　animosity；　even　a　short…term　gain　was　probably　the　most　logical　way　to　go。　In　Chort's　place；　it　was　probably　the　way　I　would　take。
　And　if　he　did。。。
　I　was　suddenly　and　unfortably　aware　of　the　weight　of　my　plasmic　against　my　rib　cage。　We　couldn't　afford　to　have　Chort　jump　ship。　Period。　Whether　he　planned　to　turn　us　in　or　simply　hoped　to　vanish　into　the　sunset　before　the　Patth　found　us；　we　couldn't　have　him　running　loose　with　what　he　knew　about　the　Icarus　and　its　crew。　We　would　have　to　keep　him　aboard；　locked　up　or　tied　up　if　necessary；　until　this　macabre　little　hide…and…seek　game　was　over。
　Abruptly；　Chort　turned　his　head　toward　the　back　of　the　dayroom　and　the　hull　that　lay　beyond　it。　〃There　is　another　hull　ridge　forming；〃　he　said。　〃You　had　best　stop　the　ship。〃
　I　hadn't　heard　or　felt　anything；　but　I　didn't　doubt　his　judgment。　I　was　on　my　feet　even　before　he　finished　talking；　and　was　out　the　dayroom　door　and　halfway　to　the　bridge　before　it　even　occurred　to　me　that　I　hadn't　doubted　his　judgment。　I　was　on　the　bridge　and　reaching　for　the　red　KILL　button　when　the　characteristic　screech　echoed　in　from　the　hull。
　It　was　only　much　later；　after　the　ridge　had　been　repaired　and　we　were　on　our　way　again；　that　I　realized　he　hadn't　e　back　to　finish　our　conversation。
　Or；　rather；　we　had　finished　the　conversation；　and　I　simply　hadn't　known　it。　Just　as　I　didn't　know　now　which　way　he　had　decided　to　jump　on　the　three　choices　set　out　in　front　of　him。
　For　a　while　I　thought　about　calling　him　on　the　inter；　or　even　confronting　him　about　it　in　his　cabin。　But　on　further　reflection　I　decided　against　doing　either。　I　still　couldn't　offer　him　any　of　the　assurances　he　obviously　wanted；　and　without　any　such　promise　there　was　nothing　more　I　could　say　to　induce　him　to　stick　with　the　Icarus。　Pressing　him　further　would　acplish　nothing　except　to　make　both　of　us　feel　unfortable　at　the　effort。
　Anyway；　we　were　less　than　three　days　out　from　Utheno。　Sometime　within　the　first　hour　after　landfall；　it　would　be　easy　enough　to　figure　out　which　way　he'd　jumped。
　　
　CHAPTER　14
　
　I　DIDN'T　FIND　out　within　the　first　hour　after　landfall　on　Utheno。　I　didn't　find　out　for　the　simple　reason　that　we　never　made　landfall　on　Utheno。　Though　I　didn't　know　it　then；　it　was　going　to　be　a　long　time　before　we　made　landfall　anywhere。
　My　first　hint　of　trouble　should　have　been　the　cacophony