tz.theicarushunt-第84节
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and Pax giving a little twitch as well。 One simply didn't talk that way to Mr。 Antoniewicz。 〃My father is fully aware of what this ship is worth to humanity；〃 Tera continued。 〃And he has never yet let personal considerations get in the way of what needs to be done。 Whatever information he has about the Icarus； the last thing he'll do is give it away to someone like you。 Certainly not under duress。〃
〃Not even with his daughter's life at stake？〃 Antoniewicz asked； his voice politely incredulous。
〃No；〃 Tera said flatly； straightening to an almost…haughty posture as pride momentarily eclipsed every evidence of fear and uncertainty。 I could imagine the true royalty of old facing the peasant mobs with the same courage and disdain。
And with the same results。 〃Pity；〃 Antoniewicz said； sounding almost regretful。 〃In that case； you're worth nothing to me at all。〃 He looked at the man standing behind me to my right and lifted a languid hand。
And abruptly； the pressure of the gun muzzle on my back vanished as； out of the corner of my eye； I saw him bring the weapon around to point straight at Tera's face I don't know why I did it Antoniewicz was bluffing； and I knew he was bluffing。 He would never kill a potential hostage whose usefulness hadn't yet been tested； not even one who'd verbally spit in his eye the way she had。 I knew it was an act； and if I'd had another fraction of a second to think about it I'd have realized that I was playing directly into his hands。
But I'd promised Cameron that I would watch over his daughter； and the reflexes just kicked in on their own。 With my right hand I slapped the thug's gun off target； then spun around on my right heel to drive my right elbow into his solar plexus as I grabbed for the weapon with my left hand。
It was about as close to a plete failure as anything I'd ever tried in my life My elbow struck an unyielding slab of body armor； my snatch for the gun missed pletely as he twitched it aside out of my reach； and before I could regain my balance to try something else he'd taken a long pace backward and was looking at me with the sort of expression you might use for a particularly interesting new species of insect。 About the only thing that kept it from being a plete failure was that I didn't fall flat on my face in the process。
I braced myself； waiting for the inevitable flurry of shots and the searing pain that would acpany them。 But once again； my reflexive thought was out of step with reality。 〃Interesting；〃 Antoniewicz said； his voice cutting calmly across the sudden tension。 〃You were right； Ryland。 He is something of the heroic type； isn't he？〃
〃And seems to have soft feelings for Ms。 Cameron； besides；〃 Brother John agreed。 He was openly gloating now； I saw； though whether that was at my failure or his own cleverness I couldn't tell。
〃The only feelings I have for her are ones you couldn't understand；〃 I growled back with the ill temper of a man who's just pletely humiliated himself。 〃Loyalty； for one。 Or any of the other sympathetic emotions human beings have for each other。 Of course； in your case； I use the term 'human being' in its loosest possible sense。 You're a lot less human than most of the aliens I know。〃
The gloating vanished from Brother John's face； the handsome face turning suddenly ugly。 〃Listen； McKell…〃
〃Enough；〃 Antoniewicz cut him off； giving me the same interesting…insect look his bodyguard had。 〃Whatever the details of his character flaws； it's clear now that McKell would not wish harm to e to the lady。〃 He lifted his eyebrows slightly。 〃That is clear； is it not？〃
I looked at Tera。 Some of that earlier defiance was still simmering in her eyes； but the face behind them had gone noticeably pale。 The aura of death and evil surrounding Antoniewicz was starting to get to her。 〃What's that supposed to mean？〃 I asked； giving bluff and bluster one last try。
I might as well have saved myself the trouble。 〃Don't play stupid； McKell；〃 Antoniewicz reproved me。 〃It doesn't suit you。 Will you release the locks you put on the Icarus's systems？ Or do my men take Ms。 Cameron back to the engine room？〃
The ship； I noticed dimly； suddenly felt very cold。 〃Let me offer an alternative deal；〃 I said； my tongue feeling sluggish in my mouth。 Antoniewicz was starting to get to me； too。 〃If you'll let Tera； Ixil； and me leave here unharmed； I'll ungimmick the ship and give you something that'll be far more valuable to you than all three of us put together。〃
〃He's stalling；〃 Brother John said contemptuously。 〃He hasn't got anything left to bargain with。〃
〃On the contrary；〃 I said。 〃I have Arno Cameron。〃
〃You can tell us where he is？〃 Antoniewicz asked。
〃I can do better than that；〃 I said； trying hard to ignore the suddenly stricken look on Tera's face。 〃I can deliver him to you。 Right now。〃
The atmosphere was suddenly electric。 〃What are you talking about？〃 Brother John demanded； looking around as if expecting Cameron to pop out of the alien hull。 〃Where is he？〃
〃He's hiding in the smaller sphere；〃 I said； settling for the simplest explanation。 Giving them the plete story would only confuse the issue。 〃I can go in there and get him。〃
〃Really；〃 Antoniewicz said； his voice suddenly cold。 〃Do you think us fools； McKell？ My people checked every cubic centimeter of this ship before I came aboard。〃
〃Maybe everything out here and in the engine section； but not the small sphere；〃 I said； shaking my head。 〃Not visually； anyway。 That place is a mess of cables and wires…they'd have been hours at it。 What did they use； body…heat sensors and motion detectors？〃
〃And a few other specialized devices；〃 Antoniewicz said； eyeing me speculatively。 〃You realize； I trust； that Cameron dead is not a bargaining chip。〃
〃He's not dead；〃 I assured him。 〃There's an area in there that sensors can't reach。 All that alien machinery； I suppose。〃
Antoniewicz glanced at Brother John； turned back to me。 〃All right；〃 he said。 〃Tell me where he is。 I'll send one of my men in after him。〃
〃It's very hard to find the place；〃 I said。 〃Besides； if it's anyone but me； he'll probably put up a fight。 That could damage something。〃
〃Possibly even Cameron himself；〃 Brother John murmured。
〃I'm not letting you out of my sight；〃 Antoniewicz said in a tone that said there would be no further discussion on the matter。 〃Tell us where he is。〃
I sighed。 〃That's not necessary；〃 I said reluctantly。 〃I told him that when it was safe to e out I'd either e personally or else send in one of Ixil's ferrets。 There's an entrance in the engine room that should be open。〃
〃Good；〃 Antoniewicz said。 He was all calm again now that he'd gotten his way。 〃Send him。〃
I looked at Ixil and nodded。 He nodded back； and Pix scampered down his leg and headed up toward the wraparound。 〃You'd better tell whoever you have in the wraparound and engine room not to stop him；〃 I warned。
〃There's no one back there；〃 Antoniewicz said。 〃I presume Cameron will be ing out the same way？〃
〃No； he'll e out here；〃 I said； pointing to the covered access hole beside Tera's puter。 〃There's a better access panel over there。〃
〃Open it；〃 Antoniewicz said； flicking his eyes to one of the bodyguards。 〃While we wait； McKell； you can start fixing my ship。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 I said。 Furtively； with the feeling of someone about to rub salt into his own raw flesh； I looked over at Tera。 Knowing that； however painful it was going to be； I had to see how she was taking this。
I was prepared for rage； for fear； for even borderline hysteria。 But there was none of that in her face。 Not anymore。 Her face was instead totally drained of emotion； as dead as Antoniewicz's eyes； the face of someone facing the end of all things with the certain knowledge that there was nothing left to be redeemed from the ashes。 The strong industrialist's daughter； the proud and defiant royal personage…all of that was gone。 There was nothing left but fatigue； and a young woman facing the inevitability of her own death。
〃I trusted you；〃 she said quietly。
I turned my eyes away。 It hurt just exactly as bad as I'd expected it to。 〃I'm sorry；〃 I said。 〃I did what I had to。〃
I estimated it would take about ten minutes for Pix to make it to the center of the sphere and trip the stargate mechanism。 I took my time unlocking the seals I'd put on the Icarus's helm and nav systems； with the result that nine of those minutes were gone by the time I walked back down to where Antoniewicz and the others were still waiting。 〃They can get started now；〃 I told Antoniewicz； nodding up at the techs。 〃I locked down the puter and engine controls； too； but I can't undo that until the helm and nav have been fired up and done their self…checks。〃
〃Then you should go up there so as to be ready for that occurrence；〃 Antoniewicz said； gesturing up toward the puter and the two bodyguards standing watch over the now open access panel。 〃You've cost me far too much time as it is。〃
〃It'll take another few minutes before I can get started；〃 I told him。 〃In the meantime； I wanted to give you a warning。〃
His eyebrows lifted in obvious amusement。 〃Indeed？ Something to do with you and the others； no doubt？〃
〃Not at all；〃 I said。 〃I wanted to tell you that I've h
