tz.theicarushunt-第73节

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　〃Most　Expediters　don't　have　to　live　aboard　a　ship　the　size　of　the　Icarus　with　people　like　McKell　poking　their　noses　into　everything；〃　Nicabar　reminded　him。　〃He'd　have　fingered　me　long　ago　if　I'd　brought　a　gun　aboard。〃
　〃You　had　us　fooled；　all　right；〃　I　growled；　trying　not　to　sound　too　bitter。　〃Especially　that　little　speech　you　made　back　in　the　engine　room。　That　was　a　nice　touch。〃
　He　lifted　his　eyebrows　mockingly。　〃I　don't　know　why；〃　he　said。　〃I　thought　I　made　it　pretty　clear　that　I　thought　the　Patthaaunutth　were　being　unfairly　picked　on　just　because　they　happened　to　be　more　technically　innovative　than　the　rest　of　us。　You　must　not　have　been　listening　very　well。〃
　〃I　guess　not；〃　I　murmured；　a　sudden　surge　of　adrenaline　jolting　through　my　system。　I　had　been　listening　to　that　conversation；　had　been　listening　with　everything　I　had。　And　that　was　not　in　any　way　what　Nicabar　had　said　or　implied。
　Which　either　meant　he　was　playing　a　pletely　pointless　game　with　me。。。　or　else　there　was　something　else　entirely　going　on　here。
　And　then；　even　as　Nicabar　turned　contemptuously　away　from　me　and　back　to　Nask；　I　heard　the　most　beautiful　sound　I'd　ever　heard　in　my　life。　A　soft　sound；　hardly　audible；　certainly　not　at　all　melodic。　But　a　sound　nevertheless　that　three　minutes　ago　I　would　have　sworn　I　would　never　hear　again。
　The　soft　sneeze　of　a　Kalixiri　ferret。
　I　would　have　been　surprised　if　any　of　the　others　noticed　it。　Certainly　they　gave　no　sign　that　they　had。　Nicabar　was　conversing　in　a　low　but　intense　tone　with　Nask；　probably　discussing　plans　for　the　uping　raid　on　the　Icarus；　and　all　the　Iykams　in　my　field　of　view　were　still　glowering　at　me　with　the　same　unfriendly　expressions　that　their　panions　had　worn　in　the　back　room　just　before　I'd　dropped　a　chair　on　them。　Slowly；　making　it　look　like　I　was　checking　them　out　in　turn；　I　moved　my　head　just　enough　to　see　the　lower　of　the　room's　air　vents。
　And　there　he　was；　barely　visible　in　the　shadows　behind　the　vent's　crosshatched　grating：　Pix　or　Pax；　I　couldn't　tell　which；　his　head　turned　to　the　side　as　if　he　was　grooming　himself　or　gnawing　at　an　itch。　Just　as　slowly；　I　turned　back　to　the　desk　again；　not　wanting　my　interest　in　that　part　of　the　room　to　spark　any　unwele　curiosity。
　Nicabar　was　looking　sideways　at　me；　still　talking　to　Nask。　I　dropped　one　eyelid　a　millimeter　and　got　an　equally　microscopic　nod　in　return　from　him　before　he　seemed　to　notice　his　ID　still　lying　on　the　desk　and　returned　it　to　his　pocket。　Not　his　ID；　rather；　but　the　one　I'd　taken　off　the　Patth　agent　on　Dorscind's　World　after　my　old　buddy　James　Fulbright's　attempt　to　cash　in　on　the　reward。　Clearly；　my　original　estimation　of　Thompson　as　little　more　than　a　glorified　Patth　accountant　had　been　seriously　off　target。
　〃I　suppose　you're　wondering　what　we've　got　planned；〃　Nicabar　spoke　up　into　my　thoughts。
　〃Oh；　no；　don't　tell　me；〃　I　said；　remembering　to　put　the　same　bitterness　into　my　voice　that　I'd　been　feeling　two　minutes　earlier。　〃I　just　love　surprises。〃
　〃I'd　be　a　little　less　flippant　if　I　were　you；〃　Nicabar　said　reprovingly。　〃Whether　the　rest　of　the　Icarus　crew　lives　or　needlessly　dies　is　going　to　depend　entirely　on　you。　In　fact；　I'd　go　so　far　as　to　say　that…what　the　hell？〃　He　jumped　away　from　the　desk　toward　the　wall；　just　as　Nask　let　out　a　yelp　of　his　own。
　And　for　good　reason。　The　air　vents；　upper　and　lower　both；　were　suddenly　spewing　a　dense；　pale　yellow　smoke。　〃We're　on　fire！〃　Enig　gasped。
　〃You　three　get　out　of　here！〃　Nicabar　snapped。　He'd　reached　the　area　of　the　lower　vent　now；　his　head　and　torso　disappearing　as　he　bent　down　into　the　smoke。　〃You…defenders…get　that　top　vent　sealed！〃
　Two　of　the　five　Iykams　were　already　scrambling　against　the　wall；　straining　to　reach　the　upper　vent's　sealing　lever。　From　Nicabar　and　the　lower　vent　came　a　teeth…grinding　screech　of　torn　metal；　and　then　abruptly　he　was　standing　upright　again　out　of　the　cloud　of　smoke；　a　cloud　that　seemed　already　to　be　starting　to　dissipate。
　And　in　his　hand　was　Fulbright's　Kochran…Uzi　three…millimeter　semiautomatic。
　His　first　two　shots　took　out　two　of　the　Iykams　still　standing　guard　over　me。　The　third　guard　nearly　got　his　own　weapon　up　and　aimed　in　time；　but　lost　the　last　chance　he　would　ever　have　as　I　leaned　sideways　and　kicked　his　gun　arm　out　of　line。　I　swiveled　back　around　as　Nicabar　systematically　took　out　the　rest　of　the　guards；　heaving　myself　up　with　the　chair　on　my　back　again；　and　hurled　myself　across　the　desk　at　Nask。
　The　Patth　threw　his　own　chair　backward　as　he　saw　me　ing；　making　one　last　futile　grab　for　something　in　the　drawer　he'd　opened　as　he　got　out　of　my　way。　But　the　desk　was　higher　than　the　table　in　the　back　room　had　been；　and　with　the　additional　barrier　of　the　monitors　along　its　edge　I　only　made　it　about　halfway　across　before　I　ran　out　of　momentum。　Nask；　belatedly　seeing　that　his　reflexive　dodge　had　been　unnecessary；　killed　his　own　backward　momentum　and　dived　out　of　his　chair　toward　the　open　drawer。
　〃Don't；〃　a　familiar　voice　warned　from　the　doorway。
　Nask　froze；　his　head　twisting　to　look　in　that　direction；　his　hand　still　outstretched　toward　the　drawer。　I　looked；　too；　trying　to　ignore　the　fresh　red　haze　my　sudden　bit　of　exercise　had　sent　swimming　across　my　vision。　Ixil　stood　in　the　doorway；　the　plasmic　in　his　hand　pointed　squarely　at　Nask；　his　wide　shoulders　and　settled…looking　stance　blocking　any　hope　of　escape　for　the　two　Patth　pilots　standing　rigidly　in　shock　in　front　of　him。
　〃I　see；〃　Nask　said。　I　looked　back　to　find　he　had　straightened　up　again；　his　hand　fallen　empty　at　his　side。
　〃It's　like　a　class　reunion　in　here；〃　I　said；　my　voice　sounding　distant　in　my　ears　through　the　trip…hammer　that　had　apparently　finished　its　lunch　break　and　started　up　work　again　on　the　back　of　my　head。　〃I　hope　someone　thought　to　bring　some　painkillers　along。〃
　〃We　did　better　than　that；〃　Ixil　assured　me；　motioning　Brosh　and　Enig　back　toward　Nask　and　closing　the　door　behind　him。　〃We've　got　Everett　waiting　outside。〃
　〃Everett？〃　I　echoed。　〃I　told　him　to　stay　with　Shawn。〃
　〃Tera　and　Chort　are　with　Shawn；〃　Nicabar　told　me。　He　was　at　my　side　now；　examining　the　handcuffs。　〃It　occurred　to　us　that　you　might　need　medical　attention　more　urgently　than　he　did。〃
　〃I　don't；　but　I　might　have；〃　I　admitted；　nodding　toward　one　of　the　guards　lying　dead　on　the　floor。　〃That　one。　Keys　in　his　belt　pouch。　How　did　you　find　me；　anyway？〃
　〃We　never　really　lost　you；〃　Nicabar　said；　dropping　to　one　knee　and　digging　into　the　pouch。　〃Tera　wanted　to　know　just　where　you　were　going　to　go　on　your　errand。〃
　I　looked　at　Nask；　who　was　standing　stiffly　glowering　at　us。　〃Don't　worry　about　giving　anything　away；〃　I　told　Nicabar。　〃They　were　staking　out　pharmacists；　after　all。　Like　he　said；　they're　putting　together　the　pieces。〃
　〃And　we　already　have　most　of　them；〃　Nask　said　quietly。　〃Sooner　or　later　we　will　get　you。〃
　He　drew　himself　up。　〃And　when　we　do；　you　will　wish　you　had　bargained　here　and　now。　You　will　wish　it　very　much。〃
　〃I'll　make　you　a　small　wager　that　we　don't；〃　I　offered。　But　the　words　were　automatic；　and　ninety　percent　bluster　besides。　For　at　least　the　foreseeable　future；　the　smart　money　was　definitely　still　on　the　Patth。　〃So　what；　after　I　left　she　called　and　had　you　tail　me？〃　I　asked；　turning　back　to　Nicabar。
　〃Actually；　we'd　already　set　it　up；〃　Nicabar　said。　He　found　the　keys　and　set　to　work　on　my　cuffs。　〃After　the　Iykams　jumped　you；　I　followed　your　party　back　here　and　then　called　Ixil。　He　brought　the　chemicals　I　needed；　and　while　I　mixed　up　the　smoke　bombs　and　time　fuses　he　sent　his　ferrets　in　to　reconnoiter。　They　came　back；　and　we　rigged　them　with　harnesses　to　drag　the　bombs　and　gun　inside。〃
　The　last　cuff　came　loose。　〃You　certainly　had　me　going；〃　I　said；　massaging　my　wrists。　So　that　was　what　the　ferret　in　the　vent　had　been　doing：　chewing　through　his　harness　straps　so　that　he　wouldn't　have　to　be　sitting　on　top　of　the　smoke　bomb　when　it　went　off。　〃How　exactly　does　the　rest　of　the　plan　go？〃
　Nicabar　nodded　at　the　three　Patth。　〃We　cuff　our　friends　together　and　get　out　of　here。〃
　〃Good　plan；〃　I　said。　〃There's　only　one　problem。　This　ship　of　theirs；　the　Considerate。　It　must　be　pretty　good…sized；　or　Nask　wouldn't　have　thought　they'd　be　able　to　handle　the　Icarus。　If　they　get　loose　before　we　make　it　off…planet；　they　might　take　it　into　their　heads　to　try　and　intercept　us。〃
　〃A　good　point；〃　Nicabar　admitted。　〃Well。。。　if　you　want；　I'll　deal　with　it。〃
　〃Be　warned；〃　Nask　said。　Suddenly　every　trace　of　smarminess　was　gone　from　his　voice；　leaving　nothing　but　simmering　threat　in　its　place。　〃The　murder　of　a　Patthaaunutth　citizen　is　punishable　by　the　most　severe　consequences　imaginable。〃
　〃And　how　would　they　know　who'd　done　it？〃　Nicabar　scoffed。
　〃There　are　ways；〃　Nask　said；　still　in　that　same　tone。　〃There　are　always　ways。〃
　〃Doesn't　matter；〃　I　said　before　Nicabar　could　reply。　〃We　can't　shoot　down　unarmed　civilians　in　cold　blood　anyway。〃
　〃Then　what　do　we　do？〃　Nicabar　demanded。　〃Just　leave　them　here　like　this？〃
　〃We　leave　them　here；〃　Ixil　said；　stepping　forward　and　handing　me　his　gun。　〃But　not　precisely　like　this。　Jordan；　if　you'd　be　so　kind　as　to　watch　them；　and　Revs；　I'd　appreciate　it　if　you'd　get　that　upper　vent　open　so　that　Pix　can　get　out。〃