tz.theicarushunt-第79节

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　〃No；　that's　all　right；〃　he　said。　〃Let　me　just　rest　it　a　while　longer；　and　I'll　e　up　later。〃
　〃You're　going　to　join　us　for　dinner；　Everett；〃　I　said　firmly。　〃This　is　the　first　decent　meal　we'll　have　had　since　I　don't　know　when；　and　you　and　your　leg　aren't　going　to　miss　out　on　it。〃
　〃Look；　I　appreciate　the　thought。　But…〃
　〃Besides；　we　have　to　have　a　serious　talk　about　what　we're　going　to　do　after　we　leave　here；〃　I　said。　〃And　that's　going　to　concern　all　of　us。　So；　bottom　line：　Either　you　let　me　help　you　up　to　the　lodge；　or　I'm　going　to　send　Nicabar　and　Ixil　to　carry　you。　Your　choice。〃
　〃You　win；〃　he　said；　putting　down　the　listing　and　smiling　wryly。　〃They　wound　up　mostly　carrying　me　back　to　the　Icarus　on　Palmary；　and　I'm　not　in　any　hurry　to　repeat　the　experience。〃
　We　made　our　way　around　the　curve　of　the　hull　and　into　the　wraparound。　Everett's　leg　didn't　seem　to　be　giving　him　all　that　much　trouble　that　I　could　see；　but　I　nevertheless　kept　a　hand　ready　to　assist　if　it　should　suddenly　go　weak　on　him。　I　turned　on　the　entryway　floodlights　for　better　lighting　and　preceded　him　down　the　ladder。　He　reached　the　ground　safely；　and　we　headed　toward　the　lodge。
　A　gentle　breeze　had　started　up　since　I'd　entered　the　Icarus；　stirring　up　the　cold　mountain　air　and　making　it　feel　that　much　colder；　and　Everett's　leg　reacted　by　stiffening　up　even　more。　It　took　us　over　ten　minutes　to　cross　the　four　hundred　meters　to　the　lodge；　and　by　the　time　we　made　it　up　the　steps　to　the　portico　he　had　given　his　pride　a　vacation　and　was　leaning　heavily　on　my　arm。　〃Sorry　about　this；〃　he　puffed　as　I　steered　us　to　the　main　door。　〃I　guess　I　should　have　let　Ixil　carry　me　after　all。〃
　〃Not　a　problem；〃　I　assured　him。　〃You'll　be　better　once　we　get　you　out　of　all　this　cold　night。。。　damn。〃
　〃What？〃　he　asked。
　〃The　lights；〃　I　said；　turning　around　to　look　behind　us。　Sure　enough；　the　Icarus　was　beautifully　bathed　in　the　backwash　from　the　floodlights。　〃I　wasn't　even　thinking。　Too　used　to　always　leaving　them　on　in　port；　I　guess。〃
　〃You　going　to　go　back　and　turn　them　off？〃　Everett　asked。
　〃Unless　we　want　to　advertise　our　presence　to　anyone　who　happens　to　pass　by；〃　I　said；　getting　the　door　open　and　helping　him　limp　over　the　threshold。　The　delicate　aromas　ing　from　the　kitchen　area　made　my　stomach　growl。　〃Go　on　in…the　dining　area's　off　to　the　left；　around　that　corner　and　through　a　sort　of　rectangular　archway。　I'll　be　back　in　a　minute。〃
　〃Better　grab　a　flashlight　for　the　way　back；〃　he　warned　as　I　headed　back　across　the　portico。　〃That　ground's　pretty　uneven　in　places。〃
　〃I　will；〃　I　called　back　over　my　shoulder。　〃Assuming　I　can　remember　where　we　stashed　them。　Make　sure　Chort　saves　me　some　of　whatever　that　is；　all　right？〃
　〃Sure；〃　he　called。　〃Well；　probably。〃
　Between　the　portico　lights　behind　me　and　the　floodlights　in　front　of　me　I　had　no　problem　traversing　the　terrain　this　time　around。　I　climbed　up　the　ladder　and　shut　off　the　floodlights；　then　headed　forward　into　the　main　sphere。
　Contrary　to　what　I'd　implied　to　Everett；　I　knew　exactly　where　the　flashlights　were；　and　it　was　the　work　of　ten　seconds　to　unearth　one　from　the　pile　of　machine…shop　equipment。　But　now　that　I　was　finally　alone　in　the　ship　there　were　other　more　urgent　matters　that　needed　to　be　attended　to；　and　the　excuse　of　hunting　for　a　flashlight　should　give　me　the　time　I　needed。
　I　tackled　the　helm　and　nav　systems　first；　my　familiarity　with　them　permitting　me　to　finish　the　job　in　probably　two　minutes。　Tera's　puter　was　next　on　my　list；　another　relatively　quick　and　easy　job　given　how　much　time　I'd　spent　around　it　lately。　After　that；　making　sure　to　stay　well　back　in　the　wraparound　as　I　slipped　past　the　open　hatchway；　I　headed　back　into　the　engine　section。
　Even　with　full　lighting　the　maze　of　cables　and　conduits　back　there　was　a　pain　to　get　through。　With　only　a　flashlight；　and　one　that　had　been　adjusted　to　its　lowest　setting　yet；　such　a　safari　was　downright　dangerous。　But　I　made　it　through　to　the　control　station　without　garroting　myself；　and　five　minutes　later　I　was　done。
　The　hidden　access　to　the　inner　sphere　was　sitting　wide…open；　just　as　I'd　instructed　Ixil　to　leave　it。　I　shined　my　light　briefly　inside；　but　there　was　nothing　to　be　seen　except　the　usual　tangle　of　wiring。　I　looped　a　few　turns　of　conduit　over　the　hinged　breaker　panel；　just　to　make　sure　no　one　thoughtlessly　closed　it；　then　left　the　engine　section；　making　sure　that　the　door　to　the　wraparound　was　also　locked　open。
　I　left　my　flashlight　off　as　I　slipped　out　of　the　hatchway　and　climbed　down　the　ladder。　Everett　or　someone　else　might　be　looking　in　this　direction；　and　I　still　had　one　last　task　to　perform　before　I　could　head　back　up　for　dinner。　Careful　of　my　footing；　I　circled　the　aft　end　of　the　ship　and　made　my　way　around　to　the　ship's　starboard　side。
　With　the　tree　branches　towering　over　me　blocking　out　the　starlight；　this　side　of　the　ship　was　even　darker　than　the　port　side　had　been。　Even　so；　it　wasn't　difficult　to　locate　the　set　of　latch　grooves　I'd　spotted　on　my　first　inspection　of　the　ship　back　at　Meima；　the　grooves　I'd　later　learned　Cameron　had　anchored　a　collapsible　ladder　into　for　his　backdoor　entrance　into　the　ship　that　morning。　Probing　carefully　with　my　little　finger；　I　felt　in　one　of　the　two　bottom　grooves　for　the　piece　of　guidance　tag　I'd　wadded　up　and　put　inside。
　The　folded　piece　of　plastic　was　no　longer　wedged　halfway　down　the　opening　as　I'd　left　it。　Instead；　it　had　been　jammed　all　the　way　to　the　bottom　of　the　groove。　A　quick　check　of　the　other　groove　showed　the　other　half　of　the　tag　had　likewise　been　crammed　into　the　bottom。
　Feeling　my　way　along　the　side　of　the　ship；　I　circled　around　the　drive　thrusters　and　worked　my　way　back　to　the　base　of　the　ladder。　Then；　and　only　then；　did　I　turn　on　my　flashlight　and　head　up　to　the　lodge。
　Everett　was　not；　as　I'd　expected；　waiting　for　me　in　the　expansive　foyer　where　I'd　left　him。　He　had　instead　found　his　way　to　the　dining　room　and　seated　himself　at　the　far　end　of　one　of　the　rustic　hewn…wood　tables。　Shawn；　Tera；　and　Nicabar　had　reappeared　from　their　rooms　and　were　in　the　process　of　choosing　seats　of　their　own　at　the　table；　with　Chort　and　Ixil　just　lugging　in　a　large　steaming　stewpot　containing　whatever　it　was　I'd　smelled　earlier。　Four　seats　were　still　empty：　one　on　each　side　of　Everett　at　the　far　end；　one　beside　Shawn；　the　fourth　at　the　end　of　the　table　closest　to　me；　the　seat　facing　away　from　the　entrance　archway。　Choosing　that　one；　leaving　Chort　and　Ixil　to　fight　over　the　other　three　chairs；　I　sat　down。
　Dinner　was　a　curious　affair；　full　of　odd　contrasts。　The　couple　of　hours　of　privacy　had　done　small　but　noticeable　wonders　for　the　civility　level　among　the　group；　particularly　for　Tera　and　Shawn；　who　mentioned　that　they'd　spent　their　time　catching　up　on　badly　needed　sleep。　The　fact　that　the　quiet　surroundings　lent　themselves　to　a　sense　of　security　was　also　undoubtedly　a　calming　factor。
　At　the　same　time；　though；　there　was　an　underlying　tension　permeating　the　whole　event；　a　tension　that　showed　up　in　a　hundred　little　ways；　from　the　slightly　stilted　conversation　and　long　unfortable　silences　to　the　way　everyone's　eyes　periodically　and　suddenly　darted　to　the　archway　behind　me　as　if　expecting　the　entire　population　of　the　Patth　homeworld　Aauth　to　suddenly　e　charging　in　on　us。　Tera　seemed　the　worst　in　this　respect；　though　Shawn's　natural　twitchiness　brought　him　in　a　close　second。　By　a　sort　of　unspoken　mutual　consent　we　avoided　the　topic　of　the　rest　of　our　trip；　and　our　chances　of　actually　getting　to　Earth　with　the　whole　Spiral　breathing　down　our　necks。
　I　gave　it　half　an　hour；　until　the　stew　was　gone　and　the　conversation　had　again　lagged　and　they　were　starting　to　make　the　small　but　unmistakable　signs　of　getting　ready　to　take　their　leave。　Then；　clearing　my　throat；　I　lifted　my　left　hand　for　attention。　〃I　know　you're　all　tired　and　anxious　to　start　settling　down　for　the　night；〃　I　said。　〃But　there　are　one　or　two　matters　we　still　need　to　deal　with。〃
　Their　expressions　could　hardly　be　considered　hostile；　but　there　certainly　was　no　particular　enthusiasm　I　could　detect。　〃Can't　it　wait　until　morning？〃　Everett　asked　from　the　far　end　of　the　table。　〃My　leg's　starting　to　hurt　again；　and　I'd　like　to　go　somewhere　where　I　can　prop　it　up。〃
　〃This　will　only　take　a　few　minutes；〃　I　assured　him。　〃And　no；　it　really　can't　wait。〃
　〃Of　course　not；〃　Shawn　muttered　under　his　breath。　〃Not　when　McKell　thinks　it's　important。〃
　〃First　of　all；〃　I　said；　nodding　toward　Chort　and　then　Ixil；　〃we　need　to　thank　Chort　and　Ixil　for　the　excellent　dinner　we've　just　eaten。　Especially　Chort；　who　I　understand　did　most　of　the　preparation。〃
　There　was　a　somewhat　disjointed　chorus　of　nods　and　thank…yous；　acpanied　by　the　gentle　scraping　of　chair　legs　on　the　floor　as　Shawn　and　Nicabar　pushed　their　seats　back　in　preparation　for　getting　up。　〃Anything　else？〃　Everett　asked；　half　standing。
　〃Actually；　yes；〃　I　said；　lifting　my　right　hand　above　the　level　of　the　table　to　reveal　the　plasmic　I　was　holding。　〃If　you'll　all　sit　back　down　again　and　put　your　hands　on　the　table；〃　I　said　into　the　suddenly　shocked　silence；　〃there's　a　murderer　I'd　like　you　to　meet。〃
　　
　CHAPTER　23
　
　FOR　A　HALF…DOZEN　heartbeats　they　stood　or　sat　in　utt