tz.theicarushunt-第57节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃Why　not？〃　Nicabar　said。　〃They　want　to　get　the　data　to　Earth；　too。　Why　not　take　all　of　it　together？〃
　Shawn　snorted。　〃Ever　heard　of　putting　all　your　eggs　in　one　basket？〃
　〃Actually；　I　suspect　it's　more　a　case　of　having　had　all　the　eggs　together　in　the　first　place；〃　I　told　him。　〃I　think　the　reason　our　puter　is　so　badly　suited　for　starship　operation　is　that　it　was　never　intended　or　programmed　for　that　purpose　in　the　first　place。　It　was　probably　the　expedition's　regular　working　puter；　which　was　already　hooked　up　to　the　alien　electronics　in　the　smaller　sphere。　They　just　left　it　where　it　was　when　they　constructed　the　Icarus　around　it。〃
　〃Maybe；〃　Shawn　said。　〃Assuming　all　of　this　isn't　just　some　hallucinatory　wishful　thinking；　how　exactly　do　you　suggest　we　proceed？　If　Chort　is　right；　where　we're　sitting　right　now　is　supposed　to　be　a　resonance　chamber。〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　agreed。　〃And　obviously；　if　it's　going　to　resonate；　it's　going　to　have　to　be　empty。　Mostly　empty；　anyway。〃
　〃Resonance　means　pletely　empty；　McKell；〃　Shawn　growled。　〃Any　first…level　physics　student　can　tell　you　that。　Were　you　thinking　we　could　cram　the　whole　ship　into　the　wraparound？〃
　〃It　does　not　have　to　be　pletely　empty；〃　Chort　said；　his　feathers　fluffing。　〃In　this　application；　the　resonance　effect　only　requires　the　central　area。〃
　〃He's　right；〃　Nicabar　seconded。
　〃For　that　matter；　the　presence　of　the　interior　gravitational　field　argues　that　the　designers　weren't　expecting　the　whole　thing　to　be　empty；〃　I　added。　〃The　field's　clearly　there　to　clear　out　the　center　and　move　everything　to　the　edge；　where　it'll　be　out　of　the　way。〃
　〃Unless　the　gravity　is　part　of　the　resonance　mechanism；〃　Tera　said。
　〃There's　nothing　like　that　in　the　theory；〃　Nicabar　said。　〃At　least；　not　that　I　remember。〃
　〃Nor　I；〃　Chort　said。
　Shawn　waved　a　hand。　〃Fine。　I　stand　corrected。〃
　〃So　what's　the　plan？〃　Nicabar　asked。　〃Disassemble　the　interior　corridors　and　bulkheads　and　stack　everything　along　the　inner　edge？〃
　〃Basically；〃　I　said。　〃Except　that　I　don't　think　we　have　either　the　space　or　the　need　to　keep　everything。　The　interior　wall　and　hull　material　should　e　apart　into　a　collection　of　mostly　one…meter…square　plates；　which　we　can　dump　outside　through　the　main　hatch。　Ditto　for　some　of　the　other　unnecessary　stuff。〃
　〃And　what　if　it　isn't　a　stardrive？〃　Shawn　asked。　〃How　do　we　get　everything　back　in　again？〃
　〃We　don't；〃　I　said。　〃That's　why　we　only　toss　stuff　we　know　we　can　do　without。〃
　〃And　what　if　it　doesn't　work？〃　he　persisted。　〃We'll　have　lost　a　lot　of　time　and　won't　be　any　better　off　than　when　we　started。〃
　〃But　we　won't　be　any　worse　off；　either；〃　Nicabar　reminded　him。
　〃And　if　we　can　get　it　working；　think　of　what　it'll　mean　for　all　of　us；〃　Everett　added　thoughtfully。
　Shawn　sniffed。　〃Borodin　will　do　great。　Us；　we'll　be　lucky　to　get　the　lousy　two　grand　he　promised　us。〃
　〃We'll　get　it；〃　I　promised。　〃That；　plus　the　bonus　he　mentioned　in　his　note。〃
　Shawn　snorted。　〃Yeah。　Right。〃
　〃Actually；　we　may　be　able　to　do　even　better　than　that；〃　Everett　said。　〃It　all　depends　on　who　ends　up　shoveling　out　the　money。〃
　〃I　thought　we'd　already　decided　the　Icarus　belongs　to　Borodin；〃　Tera　said。　The　menace　in　her　voice　was　subtle；　probably　too　subtle　for　the　others　to　notice。　But　I　heard　it；　and　I　was　sure　Ixil　did；　too。
　〃We　did；〃　Everett　assured　her；　throwing　a　look　at　Nicabar。　〃Mostly。　I'm　just　suggesting　that　we've　already　earned　a　lot　more　than　the　two　thousand　he　promised　us　on　Meima。〃
　〃Fair　pensation　for　services　rendered；〃　Shawn　put　in。　〃See？　I　can　talk　legalese；　too。　Here's　another　great　legal　term　for　you：　extortion。〃
　〃And　what's　the　'or　else'？〃　she　countered。　〃Every　demand　has　to　have　the　threat　of　an　'or　else'　along　with　it。　Who　are　you　planning　to　offer　the　Icarus　to　if　Borodin　doesn't　feel　especially　extortable　that　day？　The　Patth？〃
　〃Let　me　just　mention　that　anyone　who　wants　to　deal　with　those　slime　is　going　to　have　to　go　through　me　to　do　it；〃　Nicabar　put　in。
　〃The　Patth　are　hardly　the　only　players　in　this　game；〃　Everett　reminded　him。　〃Potential　players；　anyway。　If　Borodin　won't　play　ball　there　are　a　lot　of　other　people　we　could　sell　it　to。〃
　〃Maybe　even　the　Crooea；〃　Shawn　said；　throwing　a　sly　grin　at　Chort。　〃You'd　like　that；　wouldn't　you；　Chort？〃
　Chort's　feathers　ruffled；　and　he　delivered　some　no　doubt　innocuous…sounding　reply。　But　I　wasn't　listening。　Suddenly；　Everett's　ment　had　sent　the　pieces　falling　into　place　with　such　loud　clicks　it　was　a　wonder　the　rest　of　them　couldn't　hear　them。　Suddenly；　the　inconsistencies　and　random　illogic　of　the　Icarus's　entire　voyage　were　making　sense。　Suddenly；　small　bits　of　data　and　casually　odd　ments　were　connecting　together　with　the　ease　of　children's　playing　blocks。
　Suddenly；　I　knew　why　Jones　had　been　murdered。　Not　who　had　done　it；　not　yet。　But　I　knew　why。
　〃McKell？〃
　I　blinked；　dragging　myself　out　of　the　depths　of　my　introspection。　Nicabar　was　gazing　at　me；　a　speculative　look　on　his　face。　〃Sorry；〃　I　apologized。　〃Mind　wandered　for　a　minute。　What　did　you　say？〃
　〃I　asked　if　that　was　it　for　the　meeting；〃　he　repeated。　〃We've　got　a　lot　of　work　ahead　of　us。〃
　〃That's　it　from　me；〃　I　said。　That　was　it　for　right　now；　anyway；　I　amended　privately。　The　next　time　I　held　court　like　this　it　would　be　to　expose　a　murderer。　〃Unless　anyone　else　has　something　to　add？〃
　Chort　half　lifted　a　hand。　〃I　have　a　thought；〃　he　said；　almost　apologetically。　〃Though　I　hesitate　to　mention　it；　as　it　will　mean　even　more　work　for　us　all。〃
　〃We're　facing　a　ton　of　work　as　it　is；〃　Ixil　said。　〃Another　half　ton　on　top　of　it　will　hardly　be　noticed。　Please；　speak。〃
　〃As　Electronics　Specialist　Shawn　pointed　out　earlier；　the　Icarus　has　a　most　distinctive　configuration；〃　Chort　said；　still　sounding　a　little　uncertain。　〃And　our　experience　at　Utheno　has　shown　that　that　configuration　is　now　known。　My　suggestion　is　that　we　attempt　to　alter　it。〃
　〃Straightforward　enough；〃　I　said。　〃How　do　you　suggest　we　do　that？〃
　〃The　main　body　of　the　Icarus　consists　of　two　spheres；〃　he　said；　drawing　the　shape　in　the　air　with　his　fingers。　〃My　thought　is　that　we　could　use　the　cast…off　interior　plates　to　build　a　cylindrical　sheath　running　between　them　at　their　widest　points。　From　the　outside；　the　main　body　will　then　appear　to　be　a　tapered　cylinder　with　rounded　ends　instead　of　two　joined　spheres。〃
　〃With　just　the　nose　cone　and　engine　sections　sticking　out　on　either　side；〃　I　said；　a　tingle　of　cautious　excitement　running　through　me　as　I　looked　over　at　Ixil。　〃Possible？〃
　〃I　don't　see　why　not；〃　he　said。　His　voice　was　its　usual　calm；　but　the　ferrets　were　twitching　again。　〃At　least　in　theory。　We've　got　the　equipment　to　spot…weld　the　plates　to　the　spheres；　and　the　plates　themselves　can　be　connected　together　with　the　same　fasteners　that　are　holding　them　together　now。〃
　〃I　thought　the　cutting　torch　was　dead；〃　Shawn　reminded　him。
　〃We　also　have　an　arc…welding　torch；〃　Ixil　told　him。　〃It's　still　functional。〃
　〃What　about　supports？〃　Nicabar　asked。　〃You're　not　going　to　have　any　structural　strength　to　speak　of　here。〃
　〃We　could　add　some　braces　in　from　beneath；〃　Ixil　said。　〃Assuming　the　welding　rods　hold　out；　we　ought　to　have　enough　material。〃
　〃And　assuming　we　don't　run　out　of　power　to　run　the　welder；〃　Tera　said。　〃How　are　we　on　fuel；　McKell？〃
　〃We've　got　more　than　enough　to　drive　the　generators　as　long　as　we'll　need；〃　I　assured　her。　〃My　question　is　how　long　Shawn's　medicine　is　going　to　last。〃
　There　was　a　moment　of　unfortable　silence。　Apparently；　that　aspect　hadn't　yet　occurred　to　them。　〃Yes；　that　is　rather　a　limiting　factor；〃　Everett　conceded。　〃I'd　say　we　have　no　more　than　eight　or　nine　days　left　on　this　supply。　And　that's　if　we　stretch　it　out。〃
　〃Doesn't　give　us　much　time；〃　Tera　said。　〃Especially　since　we　also　have　to　get　to　a　port　once　all　this　conversion　work　is　finished。〃
　〃True。〃　I　looked　at　Shawn。　〃What　do　you　think？　Can　you　handle　a　week　on　low　doses？〃
　He　snorted。　〃I'll　handle　a　week　on　no　doses　if　I　have　to；〃　he　said　bitterly。　〃You　probably　don't　know　it；　but　the　Patth　had　some　major　harvesting　operations　on　Ephis；　and　were　furious　when　the　monwealth　closed　them　down　by　interdicting　the　place。　I　don't　think　I'd　get　any　sympathy　from　them　if　they　grabbed　us。　And　no　borandis；　either。〃
　〃Though　they　would　probably　consider　that　you　had　done　them　a　small　service；〃　Chort　said　quietly。　〃You；　at　least；　they　could　allow　to　die　naturally。〃
　Tera　shivered。　〃And　on　that　note；　I　vote　we　get　going　on　this。〃
　〃Seconded；〃　I　agreed；　standing　up。　〃Ixil；　let's　go　break　out　the　tools。〃
　　
　CHAPTER　15
　
　IT　WAS　ONE　thing；　I　discovered；　to　suggest　disassembling　an　entire　starship　from　the　inside　out。　It　was　another　thing　entirely　to　actually　set　about　doing　it。
　Still；　it　was　quickly　apparent　that　the　very　nature　of　the　Icarus's　odd　design　was　going　to　work　in　our　favor。　On　a　normal　starship　all　the　bulkheads　and　decks　were　solidly　riveted　or　welded　together；　with　most　of　the　various　sections　cast　or　molded　to　the　specific　fit　required。　Our　bulkheads　and　decks；　in　contrast；　were　fastened　together　with　the　same　connectors　Cameron's　people　had　used　on　the　inner…hull　plates；　which　made　disassembly　a　fast　and　simple　process。　Furthermore；　all　the　interior　fram