tz.theicarushunt-第66节

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　I　nodded。　〃Especially　the　right　one。〃
　A　ghost　of　something　flicked　across　his　face。　〃You'll　let　my　daughter　know　I'm　all　right；　won't　you？　We've　hardly　spoken　since　the　trip　began…there　just　haven't　been　any　safe　opportunities…but　I　know　she's　worried　about　me。〃
　〃And　vice　versa？〃　I　suggested。
　His　lips　pressed。　〃Very　much　vice　versa；〃　he　agreed　quietly。　〃I'd　appreciate　it　if　you'd　watch　over　her　for　me。〃
　〃I　will；〃　I　promised。　〃You　can　count　on　it。〃
　For　a　moment　he　studied　my　face；　as　if　trying　one　last　time　to　see　if　I　was　indeed　someone　in　whom　he　could　place　this　kind　of　trust。　I　met　his　eyes　stolidly；　not　flinching　away　from　the　probe；　exuding　all　the　sincerity　I　could　muster。　And　after　a　couple　of　heartbeats　he　nodded。　〃All　right；〃　he　said　with　a　sigh。　〃You'd　best　be　on　your　way；　then。〃
　I　nodded　and　gave　a　whistle。　Pax　emerged　from　a　mass　of　wiring　he'd　been　nosing　through　and　bounded　enthusiastically　over　to　me。　I　managed　to　catch　him　before　he　could　start　with　equal　enthusiasm　up　my　leg　and　settled　him　into　a　cradling　carry　in　the　crook　of　my　elbow。　〃I'll　let　you　know　when　you　can　e　out；〃　I　told　him；　crossing　the　sphere　to　where　the　arm　was　anchored。　〃I'll　either　e　myself　or　send　in　one　of　the　ferrets。〃
　〃Understood；〃　he　said。　〃Good　luck。〃
　〃You；　too；〃　I　said。　Reaching　up　with　my　free　hand；　I　wrapped　my　legs　around　it　and　started　awkwardly　to　climb。
　The　awkwardness　didn't　last　long。　I'd　barely　started　my　climb　when　I　felt　myself　rapidly　going　weightless。　For　about　five　seconds　I　hung　there　in　zero　gee；　and　then　the　gravity　began　again；　only　this　time　pointed　the　opposite　direction；　toward　the　center　of　the　sphere。　I　quickly　turned　myself　around；　noticing　that　Cameron　was　still　glued；　albeit　openmouthed；　to　the　inner　surface。　I　don't　know　why　finding　a　two…tier　artificial　gravity　in　our　unknown　aliens'　bag　of　tricks　should　have　surprised　me；　but　it　did。　The　level　of　the　pull　stayed　about　where　it　had　been　aboard　the　Icarus；　keeping　me　moving　inward　without　giving　me　the　feeling　of　uncontrolled　falling。　I　looked　over…up；　rather…at　Cameron　once　as　Pax　and　I　slid　down　toward　the　center；　wondering　if　he'd　noticed　that　I'd　somehow　never　gotten　around　to　agreeing　to　his　request　that　I　tell　Tera　he　was　here。
　Because　there　was　no　way　I　was　going　to　let　her　in　on　what　the　Icarus　really　was。　No　way　in　hell；　for　the　simple　reason　that　that　would　require　me　letting　her　know　that　I　knew　what　it　really　was。　As　a　possibly　advanced　stardrive　that　might　or　might　not　still　function；　the　Icarus　had　a　value　that　was　potentially　high　but　still　nebulous。　As　a　stargate　with　proven　capabilities；　that　value　had　suddenly　solidified　to　an　astronomical　level。
　And　I　had　no　intention　of　letting　Tera　e　to　the　realization　that　the　Icarus's　asking　price　was　now　light…years　beyond　the　paltry　half…million　debt　that　held　me　enslaved　to　Brother　John　and　the　Antoniewicz　organization。　Enough　to　buy　me　out　of　that　contract；　guarantee　me　immunity　from　prosecution　for　every　illegal　act　I'd　ever　mitted；　and　set　me　up　for　a　lifetime　of　luxury　on　top　of　it。
　I　had　reached　the　trigger。　I　took　one　last　look　at　Cameron；　who　didn't　know　any　of　what　his　daughter　had　learned　about　me。　But　as　I　squeezed　the　trigger；　and　the　tingling　and　blackness　closed　in　around　me；　I　wondered　oddly　if　he　might　possibly　have　guessed　the　truth。
　　
　CHAPTER　18
　
　THE　TRIP　BACK　to　the　Icarus　probably　took　no　longer　than　the　trip　out　from　it　had。　I　say　probably　because　it　definitely　seemed　longer。　Partly　that　was　due　to　the　fact　that　I　was　expecting　it；　with　the　acpanying　sense　of　slightly　cringing　anticipation；　and　partly　because　this　time　I　had　a　Kalixiri　ferret　cradled　in　my　arm；　whose　main　reaction　to　the　tingling　sensation　was　to　attempt　to　dig　his　claws　into　whatever　patches　of　skin　were　within　easy　reach。
　Mostly；　though；　it　was　due　to　the　unfortable　awareness　that　a　single　miscalculation　on　Cameron's　part　would　leave　me　in　very　serious　trouble　indeed。　Because　if　Cameron　had　guessed　that　I　was　not　precisely　what　he　thought　he'd　hired　back　at　that　Meima　taverno；　and　if　he'd　decided　he　didn't　want　someone　like　me　aboard　his　ship　anymore；　then　a　small　mistake　on　the　encoding　panel　would　be　the　absolute　simplest　way　of　getting　rid　of　me　for　good。
　But　Pax's　claws　didn't　get　to　anything　that　wouldn't　heal　by　itself；　and　Cameron　hadn't　made　any　mistakes；　deliberate　or　otherwise。　There　below　me　were　the　stacks　of　interior　wall　panels　awaiting　the　attention　of　Chort　and　his　welding　team　outside；　the　other　stacks　of　equipment　and　paraphernalia；　and　the　archaic　puter　humming　beside　the　gaping　access　panel。
　The　relatively　minuscule　part　of　my　mind　that　hadn't　been　worried　about　me　ending　up　in　the　wrong　stargate　at　the　wrong　end　of　the　universe　had　occupied　itself　with　the　question　of　how　I　was　going　to　explain　my　sudden　appearance　to　Tera　without　giving　away　the　true　nature　of　her　father's　discovery。　But　to　my　mild　surprise　Tera　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；　either　at　the　access　panel　or　half…hidden　in　the　shadows　thrown　by　the　sections　of　inner　hull　that　we'd　left　in　place　because　of　the　wiring　conduits　fastened　to　their　undersides。　For　a　moment　I　wondered　uneasily　if　she　might　have　taken　it　upon　herself　to　crawl　into　the　small　sphere　after　me；　but　as　I　began　the　by…now…familiar　downward　drift　toward　the　surface　I　realized　she　had　more　likely　simply　gone　around　to　the　access　panel　in　the　engineering　section　to　see　if　I　was　ing　out　there。
　For　a　change；　Lady　Luck　seemed　to　be　smiling　on　me。　Then　again；　maybe　the　fickle　wench　was　just　lulling　me　into　a　false　sense　of　security　while　she　reached　for　a　rock。
　I　had　made　it　to　the　surface；　ready　this　time　for　the　sudden　surge　in　gravitational　strength　in　that　final　meter；　and　was　picking　my　way　through　the　obstacle　course　toward　the　access　panel　when　the　hatchway　to　the　wraparound　opened。　Tera；　undoubtedly；　e　to　ask　questions　I　had　no　intention　of　answering。
　But　to　my　mild　surprise　it　wasn't　Tera　who　came　crawling　out　of　the　zero　gee　of　the　wraparound　toward　me。　It　was；　instead；　Chort；　still　vacsuited　but　with　his　helmet　hanging　from　the　neck　connector　and　bouncing　gently　against　his　shoulder　blades。　〃Captain　McKell；〃　he　puffed　as　he　caught　sight　of　me。　〃Good…I　had　hoped　to　find　you　here。〃
　I　resisted　the　impulse　to　ask　where　else　he　thought　I　might　have　gotten　to。　It　would　have　been　unnecessarily　sarcastic；　and　given　my　experiences　of　the　past　hour；　would　have　been　rather　disingenuous　as　well。　〃Is　there　a　problem？〃　I　asked　instead　as　I　set　Pax　down。
　〃We　have　to　leave　this　place；〃　he　said；　pulling　himself　the　rest　of　the　way　into　the　sphere　and　standing　up。　〃As　soon　as　possible。〃
　I　frowned。　〃Are　you　finished　with　the　cowling　already？〃
　He　twitched　his　head。　〃No；　not　entirely；〃　he　said。　〃But　there　will　be　no　finishing。　Electronics　Specialist　Shawn　is　ill。〃
　I　grimaced。　In　the　excitement　of　my　trip　to　nowhere　and　back　I'd　almost　forgotten　about　this　constraint　on　our　little　operation。　〃How　bad　is　he？〃
　〃You　will　see　for　yourself　soon；〃　Chort　said；　his　voice　noticeably　more　whistly　than　usual。　〃Drive　Specialist　Nicabar　will　be　bringing　him　inside　as　soon　as　his　seizure　is　ended。〃
　I　felt　the　hairs　on　the　back　of　my　neck　tingling　unpleasantly。　Seizures？　That　was　a　new　one　on　me。　〃Does　Revs　need　help？〃
　Another　twitch　of　the　head。　〃He　assured　me　he　can　manage　on　his　own。　But　we　will　need　to　obtain　more　medicine　as　soon　as　possible。〃
　〃Understood；〃　I　said；　stepping　over　to　the　puter　and　tapping　the　inter　to　the　engine　room。　〃Ixil？〃
　〃There　you　are；〃　Tera's　voice　came　back　almost　instantly。　〃Where　have　you　been？〃
　〃Where　do　you　think　I've　been？〃　I　retorted。　〃Inside　that　damn　puzzle　box　disentangling　Ixil's　damn　ferret　from　all　that　damn　wiring。　Why；　wasn't　I　moving　fast　enough　for　you？　Put　Ixil　on。〃
　She　didn't　reply；　and　I　could　imagine　her　floundering　with　surprise　at　my　uncharacteristic　harshness。　I　felt　a　twinge　of　guilt；　but　at　the　moment　hurt　feelings　were　low　on　my　priority　list。　〃Yes；　Jordan？〃　Ixil's　voice　came　calmly。
　〃Shawn's　having　some　kind　of　seizure；〃　I　told　him。　〃Revs　will　be　bringing　him　in　as　soon　as　it's　over。　Start　kicking　the　thrusters　and　stardrive　back　to　life；　and　send　Everett　and　Tera　over　to　this　side　before　we　have　to　seal　down　the　wraparound　again。〃
　〃Understood；〃　he　said。　〃They're　on　their　way。〃
　〃Good；〃　I　said。　〃Oh；　and　I've　got　Pax。　He's　safe　and　sound。〃　A　thought　occurred　to　me…〃I'll　bring　him　back　around　to　you　in　a　minute。〃
　I　keyed　off　before　he　could　ask　why　I　would　waste　time　bringing　a　safe　and　sound　ferret　around　to　him　now　instead　of　concentrating　on　the　navigational　part　of　our　uping　trip。　〃What　shall　I　do？〃　Chort　asked。
　〃Go　get　the　treatment　table　ready　for　him；〃　I　said；　pointing　across　toward　the　pile　of　sick…bay　equipment。　〃Then　stand　by　to　assist　Everett。　I've　got　to　get　Pax　back　to　Ixil　in　case　he　needs　him。〃
　The　excuse；　lame　though　it　was；　was　unnecessary。　Chort　probably　didn't　even　hear　it　as　he　took　off　at　a　quick　jog　across　the　sphere。　I　headed　in　the　opposite　direction；　toward　my　personal　kit　and　the　food　supplies　that　had　been　stored　near　my　cabin　and　were　now　conveniently　piled　nearby。　I'd　promised　Cameron　some　supplies；　and　thi