tz.theicarushunt-第6节
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bt…and again paused。 〃After that was a four…year stint with the Earth Customs Service。 Another potential career ended with another sudden dismissal。 This one for taking bribes。〃
〃I was framed；〃 I insisted。 Even to my own ears the protest sounded flat。
〃Protests of that sort begin to sound weaker after the first one；〃 Aymi…Mastr said。 〃I see you managed to avoid jail rime。 The note here suggests the Customs Service decided you were too embarrassing for a proper trial。〃
〃That was their excuse；〃 I said。 〃It also conveniently robbed me of any chance to clear my name。〃
〃Then there were six months with the small firm of Rolvaag Brothers Shipping；〃 she continued； flipping more pages。 〃This time you actually struck someone。 The younger Mr。 Rolvaag； I see…〃
〃Look； I don't need a plete quarterly review of my life；〃 I cut her off brusquely。 〃I was there； remember？ If there's a point to this； get to it。〃
The Ihmisit who'd been quietly searching my bag sealed it and straightened up。 He exchanged a couple of words with Aymi…Mastr； then walked away； leaving the bag behind。 I wasn't surprised； there was nothing in there that could possibly be construed as improper。 I hoped Aymi…Mastr wasn't too disappointed。 〃The point is that you hardly qualify as an upstanding； law…abiding citizen；〃 Aymi…Mastr said； returning her attention to me。 〃Not to file too sharp a point onto it； but you are the sort of person who might indeed give aid and assistance to a murderer。〃
The word was so pletely unexpected that it took a couple of turns around my brain before finally ing to a stop。 Murderer？ 〃Murderer？〃 I asked carefully。 〃This guy killed someone？〃
〃So says the report；〃 Aymi…Mastr said； watching me closely。 〃Do you find that so difficult to believe？〃
〃Well； frankly； yes；〃 I said； feigning confusion。 I didn't have to feign too hard。 〃He looks like such a solid citizen in that picture。 What happened？ Who did he kill？〃
〃The director of an archaeological dig out in the Great Wasteland；〃 Aymi…Mastr said； setting my file aside and steepling her fingers again。 〃There was a massive explosion out there early yesterday morning…you didn't hear about that？〃
I shook my head。 〃We didn't make landfall until a little after local noon。 I did ask what the slowdown was； but no one would give me a straight answer。〃
〃The blast sent large gales of mineral dust into the atmosphere；〃 Aymi…Mastr explained。 〃Our sensors and guide beacons were disrupted for over an hour； which is what caused the backup in traffic。 At any rate； when investigators went to look； they located the severely burned body of a Dr。 Ramond Chou hidden in one of the underground grottoes the group had been exploring。 The order was immediately given to round up all those associated with the dig for questioning。〃
She picked up Cameron's photo from the desk and handed it to me again。 〃This man is the only one still at large。 Others of the group have identified him as the murderer。〃
Which explained the big search out in the wasteland last night。 〃Well； best of luck in finding him；〃 I said； eyeing the photo again。 〃But if you ask me； he's long gone by now。 Probably took off under cover of that sensor scramble you mentioned。〃
〃That may indeed be the case；〃 Aymi…Mastr conceded。 〃There was an unconfirmed report that something may have lifted out through the cloud of debris。〃 She waved a pair of antennae at the photo。 〃But on the other palm is the statement that you were seen with him last night。 Look closely； Captain。 Are you certain you didn't exchange even a few words？〃
She was making it so easy for me。 All I had to do was say； yes； he'd hired me for a job； but that that was before I knew he was a murderer。 Aymi…Mastr would ask what I knew； I would hand over the tag Cameron had given me； they would pick him up at the Icarus's landing ramp； and I could walk away free and clear。
And best of all； I wouldn't have to face Brother John about this disruption in his precious schedule。
With a sigh； I shook my head。 〃I'm sorry； Director Aymi…Mastr；〃 I said； laying the photo back on the desk。 〃I wish I could help。 I really do…I don't much care for murderers myself。 But I didn't talk to him； and I don't even remember seeing him go by on the street。 Whoever your anonymous witness thinks he saw； it wasn't me。〃
For a four…pack of heartbeats she just gazed at me。 Then； with a shrug as human and as ridiculous…looking on her as the finger…steepling thing； she nodded。 〃Very well； Captain； if that's your final word。〃
〃It is；〃 I said； deciding to ignore the sarcasm of that last ment as I stood up。 〃May I go now？ I do have a schedule to keep。〃
〃I understand；〃 she said； standing up to face me。 〃Unfortunately； before you leave Meima we will have to perform a plete search of your ship。〃 She held out a hand。 〃Your guidance tag； please。〃
I frowned； suddenly acutely conscious of the Icarus tag sitting there in plain sight in my collar slot。 〃Excuse me？〃
〃Your guidance tag； please；〃 Aymi…Mastr said； and though all the genial trappings were still in place； I could sense the sudden hardening of her tone。 〃Please don't require me to use force。 I know you humans consider Ihmisits to be laughable creatures； but I assure you we are stronger than we look。〃
For a long second I continued the face…off。 Then； muttering under my breath； I reached up and slid both tags from the slot。 〃Fine；〃 I growled； palming Cameron's tag and slapping the Stormy Banks's onto the desk。 Brother John's cargo； I knew； would be well enough disguised to weather even a serious Ihmisit customs search。 〃Help yourselves。 Just don't leave a mess。〃
〃We shall be quick and neat；〃 she promised。 〃In the meantime； if you'd like； you can wait in the guest room behind the striped door。〃
〃I'd rather wait in the hospitality center；〃 I said stiffly； snagging the handle of my bag and pulling it over to me。 〃If you're going to waste my time this way； you can at least let me get some breakfast。〃
〃As you wish；〃 Aymi…Mastr said； giving me the Ihmis gesture of farewell。 Her phone warbled； and she reached over to pick it up。 〃We should be finished within the hour；〃 she added as she held the handset to her neck slits。
I spun on my heel and stalked across the room toward the door； trying to put as much righteous indignation into my posture as I could。 They were letting me go； and they hadn't taken my phone。 Either they didn't seriously suspect me； Aymi…Mastr's accusations to the contrary； or they did seriously suspect me and were hoping to follow me to wherever I was hiding Cameron。
〃Captain McKell？〃 Aymi…Mastr called from behind me。
For a flickering half second； I considered making a run for it。 But the door was too far away； and there were too many Ihmisits between me and it。 Bracing myself； I turned back around。 〃What？〃 I demanded。
Aymi…Mastr was still on the phone； beckoning me back。 I thought again about running； decided it made no more sense now than it had five seconds ago； and headed back。
By the time I reached the desk she had finished the conversation。 〃My apologies； Captain；〃 she said； putting down the phone and holding out the tag she'd taken from me。 〃You may go。〃
I frowned suspiciously at the tag like it was some sort of kid's practical joke that would snap a spring against my finger if I took it。 〃Just like that？〃
〃Just like that；〃 Aymi…Mastr said； sounding midway between embarrassed and disgusted。 〃My superiors just informed me they've heard from our mysterious informant again。 It seems the charge has now changed： that you were seen instead in the pany of the notorious armed robber Belgai Romss。 He attacked a storage depot over in Tropstick three days ago。〃
I frowned。 What the hell sort of game were they playing？ 〃And； what； you want me to take a look at his photo now？〃
〃That won't be necessary；〃 Aymi…Mastr said； her disgust deepening。 〃Apparently； our friend missed the follow…up story of Romss's capture early yesterday morning； before your ship arrived。〃
She pushed the tag toward me。 〃Obviously merely a troublemaker； as you suggested。 Again； my apologies。〃
〃That's all right；〃 I said； cautiously taking the tag。 No spring snapped out to sting my fingers。 〃Maybe next time you won't be so quick to jump on something like this without proof。〃
〃With a murder investigation； we must always investigate every lead；〃 she said； drumming her fingers thoughtfully on the top of my file。 〃A safe journey to you； Captain。〃
I turned again and headed for the door； sliding the Stormy Banks tag back into my collar slot but continuing to palm the Icarus one。 No one tried to stop me； no one called me back； and two minutes later I was once again out in the open air。 It was all over； and I was free to go。
I didn't believe it for a minute。 It was all too pat； too convenient。 The Ihmisits were still looking for Cameron； and they still thought I was the one who was going to lead them to him。 And they'd turned me loose hoping I'd do exactly that。
And unless they planned to tail me all the way to the Icarus…which was； I supposed； an option…that meant they'd planted a tracker on me。
The question was how。 Molecular…chain echo transponders were useless in the radio cacophony inside a major port； so it had to
