tz.theicarushunt-第67节

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and　this　could　very　well　be　my　last　clear　chance　for　a　while　to　get　them　to　him。
　I'd　just　finished　filling　my　bag　with　food　bars　and　water　bottles　when　Everett　and　Tera　emerged　from　the　wraparound。　Everett　made　a　beeline　for　Chort　and　the　medical　setup；　Tera；　not　surprisingly；　made　an　equally　straight　beeline　for　me。
　I　met　her　halfway。　〃Well？〃　she　asked　in　a　low　and　anxious　voice；　her　expression　that　of　someone　braced　for　the　worst。
　I　shook　my　head。　〃He's　not　in　there；〃　I　said。　〃Not　alive；　not　dead；　not　injured。〃
　The　anxiety　in　her　face　eased；　but　only　fractionally。　〃Then　where　is　he？〃　she　asked。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　told　her；　a　statement　that　was　technically　correct；　though　misleading　as　hell。　〃Maybe　he　got　off　at　Potosi　after　all。〃
　She　turned　her　eyes　away　from　me。　〃He　wouldn't　have　left　the　Icarus；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃Not　voluntarily。〃
　I　thought　about　that　one。　Another　technically　correct　statement；　though　she　didn't　know　it。　〃Perhaps；〃　I　said。　〃I　wouldn't　give　up　hope；　though。　If　anyone　can　find　a　place　to　hide　where　the　Patth　can't　find　him；　it'll　be　your　father。〃
　She　took　a　careful　breath。　〃I　hope　so。〃
　〃I　know　so；〃　I　said；　turning　my　eyes　away　from　her　in　turn。　The　quiet　pain　on　her　face　was　tugging　hard　at　my　conscience；　making　me　want　to　tell　her　that　he　was　all　right。
　But　with　a　heroic　effort　I　resisted　the　temptation。　If　I　even　let　myself　start　dropping　hints　as　to　the　true　situation　here；　I　would　go　from　forter　to　suspect　in　nothing　flat。　Neither　of　us　could　afford　that。　〃Look；　I'd　love　to　chat　some　more；〃　I　said　instead。　〃But　I　have　to　get　this　stuff　to　Ixil　before　Nicabar　needs　to　turn　the　wraparound　into　an　airlock　again。〃
　〃Sure；〃　she　said　automatically；　her　thoughts　clearly　still　with　her　father。
　Which　for　the　immediate　moment　was　all　to　the　good。　If　I　could　get　out　of　her　sight　before　she　thought　to　ask　what　I　had　in　my　bag；　it　would　mean　one　less　thing　I　would　have　to　lie　to　her　about。　Whistling　for　Pax；　who　was　rooting　around　the　food　stores；　I　headed　out　into　the　wraparound。
　Ixil　was　drifting　around　the　cramped　space　of　the　engine　section　like　a　massive　cloud；　checking　and　double…checking　monitors　and　indicators　as　he　eased　the　thrusters　and　stardrive　back　to　life。　〃I'm　glad　to　see　you're　all　right；〃　he　said；　dropping　his　eyes　to　Pax　as　I　gave　the　ferret　a　nudge　that　sent　him　floating　through　the　air　in　Ixil's　direction；　squeaking　happily　as　his　claws　scrabbled　through　the　air　in　search　of　a　pawhold。　〃Both　of　you；〃　he　added　as　Pax　reached　him　and　clawed　his　way　up　the　tunic　to　his　accustomed　place　on　Ixil's　shoulder。　〃Any　problems？〃
　〃Hang　on　to　your　teeth；〃　I　advised；　crossing　toward　the　access　panel　into　the　small　sphere；　which　Tera　had　thoughtfully　left　open　for　me。　〃I'll　make　you　a　small　wager　you're　not　going　to　believe　the　ride　Pax　and　I　had。〃
　The　tangle　of　wiring　on　this　side　of　the　sphere　was　as　bad　as　the　matching　set　on　the　other　side　had　been。　Now；　though；　after　Cameron's　assurances　that　the　stuff　was　stronger　than　it　looked；　I　was　far　less　concerned　that　an　accidental　bump　might　irrevocably　damage　something。　Accordingly；　I　plowed　my　way　inside；　pushing　the　wires　and　conduits　aside　with　relatively　reckless　abandon；　and　as　a　result　took　only　five　minutes　to　reach　the　mesh　instead　of　the　hour　it　had　taken　me　going　in　from　the　opposite　side。
　Hovering　just　inside　the　mesh；　I　pulled　out　a　pad　and　scribbled　a　quick　note　to　Cameron；　warning　him　again　not　to　budge　from　his　private　hermitage　until　one　of　the　ferrets　or　I　came　for　him。　I　stuffed　the　note　into　the　pack；　and　with　careful　aim　sent　the　whole　bundle　dropping　gently　toward　the　end　of　the　control　arm。　At　the　last　minute　it　occurred　to　me　that　perhaps　having　the　pack　bump　into　the　end　wouldn't　be　enough；　that　it　might　require　an　actual　grip　of　some　sort　to　trigger　the　mechanism。　If　so；　I　would　have　to　figure　out　a　way　to　retrieve　the　bag　and　send　it　back　down　with　Pix　strapped　somehow　to　it。　At　that　point　I　would　also　have　to　figure　out　how　to　explain　the　ferret's　disappearance　to　the　rest　of　the　crew；　because　the　last　thing　I　could　afford　would　be　for　Pix　to　suddenly　appear　in　the　center　of　the　large　sphere　with　the　whole　bunch　of　us　in　there　with　him。
　But　evidently　a　grip　was　not　required。　The　bag　slid　down　the　arm　to　the　end；　and　without　any　fuss　whatsoever　it　vanished。　There　was　a　faint；　brief　breeze　as　air　rushed　into　the　hole　where　it　had　been；　and　that　was　that。
　I　worked　my　way　out　back　to　the　rim…another　five…minute　trip…and　climbed　out　into　the　engine　section。　Ixil　was　strapped　into　the　control　chair　now；　both　ferrets　on　his　shoulders；　a　look　on　his　face　that　I'd　never　seen　before。　〃So；〃　I　said　conversationally　as　I　swung　the　hinged　breaker　panel　closed　again　over　the　access　hole。　〃What　do　you　think？〃
　With　an　obvious　effort　he　focused　on　me。　〃It's　unbelievable；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃Absolutely　unbelievable。〃
　〃Isn't　it　though；〃　I　agreed。　〃But　it's　real。〃
　Absently；　Ixil　reached　up　to　rub　Pax's　head。　〃We　can't　let　the　others　know　about　this；〃　he　said。　〃The　Patth　would　be　willing　to　topple　whole　governments　if　they　really　knew　what　it　was　they　were　chasing。〃
　〃Yes；　I've　already　worked　through　the　logic；〃　I　assured　him。　〃Including　the　fact　that　we　can't　tell　Tera；　either。〃
　The　ferrets　did　one　of　their　unison　twitches。　〃Because　we　work　for　Brother　John？〃
　〃And　because　turning　the　Icarus　over　to　him　would　more　than　buy　our　way　clear　of　the　whole　organization；〃　I　said。　〃She　doesn't　trust　us　as　it　is…she'd　spot…weld　our　butts　to　the　hull　if　she　knew　the　bargaining　chip　we　held　here。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Ixil　was　silent　a　moment。　〃Which　unfortunately　loops　us　back　to　the　question　of　our　immediate　future。〃
　I　grimaced。　〃I　don't　think　we　have　any　choice；〃　I　said。　〃Unless　we　want　to　sit　out　here　and　watch　Shawn　die；　we　have　to　go　get　him　some　more　borandis。〃
　〃I　wonder；〃　Ixil　said　thoughtfully。　〃We　have　only　his　word　that　he　even　has　the　disease；　you　know。　As　I　recall；　Everett　was　unable　to　either　confirm　or　deny　it。　What　if　he's　faking　all　this；　with　these　seizures　his　way　of　pulling　us　out　of　hiding　before　we're　ready？〃
　〃In　that　case；　we're　back　to　the　question　of　why　he　didn't　betray　us　earlier　and　save　everyone　a　lot　of　trouble；〃　I　reminded　him。
　〃I　suppose。〃　He　eyed　me　closely。　〃You　wouldn't　be　holding　out　on　me；　would　you？〃
　〃Holding　out　how？〃　I　asked。
　〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　he　said　with　a　shrug。　〃Actually　considering　offering　the　Icarus　to　Brother　John　without　consulting　me　first；　for　example。〃
　〃Don't　be　silly；〃　I　said；　putting　some　huff　into　my　voice。　〃Though　you　have　to　admit　that　would　be　one　way　to　keep　it　safe。〃
　〃　'Safe'　being　an　extremely　relative　term。〃
　〃True；〃　I　conceded。　〃Still；　Brother　John　could　probably　give　even　the　Patth　a　pretty　good　run　for　their　money。〃
　〃And　of　course；　turning　such　a　plum　over　to　him　would　give　us　a　giant　step　up　in　the　Antoniewicz　organization；〃　he　continued。　〃Don't　pretend　that　hadn't　already　occurred　to　you；　either。〃
　〃Occurred；　pondered；　and　dismissed；〃　I　assured　him。　〃I　have　plenty　of　faults；　but　ambition　on　that　scale　isn't　one　of　them。〃　I　cocked　an　eyebrow　at　him。　〃Unless　you'd　like　to　take　a　shot　at　it。〃
　〃What；　be　the　first　nonhuman　in　Antoniewicz's　direct　line　of　mand？〃　he　asked　dryly。　〃Thanks；　but　I　think　I'll　pass。〃
　I　waved　a　hand。　〃Up　to　you。　By　the　way；　do　you　happen　to　know　if　Nicabar's　gotten　Shawn　back　inside　the　ship　yet？〃
　〃Yes；　they　came　in　while　you　were　inside　the　small　sphere；〃　he　said。　〃Tera　will　let　us　know　when　the　wraparound's　been　repressurized。〃　He　cocked　his　head　to　the　side。　〃She　seemed　rather　annoyed　you'd　gotten　yourself　trapped　on　this　side　of　the　wraparound　when　you　had　work　to　do　over　there。〃
　〃Actually；　there's　very　little　work　left　to　do；〃　I　said　with　a　shrug。　〃I　already　know　where　we're　heading。〃
　〃And　that　is？〃
　I　cleared　my　throat。　〃I　thought　we'd　try　the　Grand　Feast　of　Plorins　on　Palmary。〃
　The　ferrets　twitched　again；　quite　impressively　this　time。　〃You　are　joking；〃　Ixil　said。　〃The　Grand　Feast　of　Plorins？〃
　〃Can　you　think　of　a　better　place　to　hide　than　square　in　the　middle　of　a　wall…to…wall　crowd　of　people？〃　I　asked　reasonably。
　〃With　half　the　thieves；　lifters；　and　cons　for　two　hundred　light…years　working　that　same　crowd？〃　he　countered。　〃And；　as　a　consequence；　half　the　badgemen　for　the　same　two　hundred　light…years　there　to　keep　an　eye　on　them？　And　both　groups　busy　looking　for　us？〃
　〃Of　course　it's　crazy；〃　I　agreed。　〃That's　why　no　one　will　be　expecting　it。〃
　He　shook　his　head。　But　at　least　the　ferrets　had　settled　down　again。　He　must　be　getting　used　to　the　idea。　〃　'Crazy'　isn't　nearly　strong　enough　a　word；〃　he　said　with　a　sigh。　〃But　under　the　circumstances　I　suppose　it's　as　good　a　plan　as　any。〃
　〃That's　the　spirit；〃　I　said　approvingly。　〃Besides；　they'll　be　watching　every　port　within　a　thousand　light…years　of　Utheno　anyway。　The　bigger　the　clog　of　space　traffic　we　sneak　in　under；　the　better　the　chances　they'll　miss　us　pletely。〃
　He　gave　me　one　of　his　repertoire　of　sour　looks。　〃And　the　more　confusion　and　panic　we　can　stir　up　if　they　don't？〃
　I　shrugged。　〃Something　like　that。〃
　The　inter　clicked。　〃McKell？〃　Tera's　voice　came。　〃Wraparound's　ready　again。　You　feel　like　getting　your　butt