tz.theicarushunt-第86节

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　and　his　assorted　plug…uglies　long　gone　under　heavy　Kalixiri　guard。　The　fact　that　Cameron　had　had　time　for　a　shower　probably　helped　a　lot；　too。
　〃I　hope　you　know　how　close　you　came　to　getting　your　neck　broken　last　time　we　were　in　here；〃　Nicabar　mented；　picking　carefully　at　the　Kalixiri　military　delicacies　the　occupation　troops　had　whipped　up。　It　was　a　far　cry　from　Chort's　gourmet　Craean　stew；　but　the　taste　was　adequate　and　it　was　certainly　filling　enough。　〃When　you　turned　that　plasmic　on　me　I　figured　all　that　talk　about　Everett　was　just　you　stalling　while　you　waited　for　your　pals　to　arrive。〃
　〃You'd　never　have　made　it　even　halfway　to　my　neck；〃　I　told　him。　〃Antoniewicz's　thugs　would　have　cut　you　down　in　a　heartbeat　if　you'd　tried　anything。　Including　going　for　your　gun；　incidentally；　which　is　why　I　drew　on　you　in　the　first　place。〃
　He　snorted　gently。　〃I　thought　I　was　being　reasonably　subtle　about　it。〃
　〃You　were；〃　I　agreed。　〃But　I　haven't　spent　twelve　years　in　Intelligence　work　without　knowing　what　a　surreptitious　grab　for　a　weapon　looks　like。　Give　me　some　credit。〃
　〃Personally；　I　give　you　a　great　deal　of　credit；〃　Cameron　mented　around　a　mouthful　of　food。　Alone　of　the　four　of　us；　he　was　already　on　his　second　helping。　〃You　had　me　fooled　all　the　way　down　the　line；　from　Meima　to　our　little　chat　at　the　other　end　of　the　star…bunny　trail；　right　up　to　the　moment　those　Kalixiri　mandos　popped　in　and　nearly　gave　me　a　heart　attack。〃
　〃Sorry　about　that；〃　I　apologized。　〃Though　I　did　wonder　after　our　talk　at　the　edge　of　forever　whether　you'd　finally　figured　me　out。〃
　〃I　knew　you　weren't　as　simple　as　you　seemed；〃　he　said；　shaking　his　head。　〃But　beyond　that　I　didn't　have　a　clue。〃
　〃You　might　have　told　him；〃　Tera　said；　a　touch　of　reflexive　accusation　in　her　voice。　〃He　certainly　wasn't　going　to　tell　anyone　in　there。〃
　〃But　he　would　be　ing　out　sometime；〃　I　reminded　her。　〃And　I　didn't　yet　know　what　the　circumstances　of　that　homeing　were　going　to　be。〃
　〃And　it's　infinitely　safer　in　this　sort　of　game　if　no　one　has　had　even　a　peek　at　your　cards；〃　Cameron　said；　rising　to　my　defense。　〃Sir　Arthur　explained　all　of　that　in　his　message。〃
　〃What　message？〃　Tera　asked。
　〃A　note　from　my　boss；〃　I　explained。　〃Retired…sort　of…General　Arthur　Sir　Graym…Barker；　former　Intelligence　Level　Two　Overseer　and　the　Earthside　director　of　this　quiet　little　bined…services　unit　Ixil　and　I　have　been　involved　with　all　these　years。　The　mando　team　brought　it　through　the　stargate　with　them　so　that　your　father　would　know　what　was　going　on。〃
　〃Unlike　the　rest　of　us；〃　Nicabar　said　pointedly。　〃So　what　was　that　fluff　you　spun　to　Tera　about　having　been　kicked　out　of　EarthGuard？〃
　〃Not　a　single　bit　of　fluff　to　it；〃　I　assured　him。　〃The　court…martial　was　pletely　and　totally　official。　It　had　to　be…I　was　trying　to　worm　my　way　into　the　center　of　the　Spiral's　underworld；　and　everything　in　my　record　had　to　stand　up　to　the　kind　of　scrutiny　we　knew　it　would　be　getting　someday。　The　time　I　spent　with　Customs　and　Rolvaag　Brothers　Shipping　was　more　of　the　same　window　dressing；　with　the　added　value　of　giving　me　practical　training　in　the　sorts　of　things　a　soon…to…be　smuggler　needs　to　know。　When　I　was　finally　ready；　they　gave　me　the　Stormy　Banks　and　instructions　to　pile　up　a　mountain　of　debts　and　turned　me　loose。〃
　〃And　that　was　when　you　met　Ixil？〃　Nicabar　asked。
　〃Actually；　Ixil　and　I　go　back　all　the　way　to　my　EarthGuard　days；〃　I　said。　〃In　fact；　he　was　the　one　who　spotted　me　while　trolling　for　prospective　recruits　and　suggested　to　Uncl…I　mean；　Sir　Arthur…that　I　be　invited　in。　He　spent　my　training　years　building　up　his　own　sordid　background；　so　that　when　we　publicly　linked　up　we　were　about　as　sorry　a　pair　of　misfits　as　you　could　ever　hope　to　meet。〃
　〃And　you　already　knew　this　General　Graym…Barker？〃　Tera　asked；　looking　at　her　father。
　〃I　met　him　about　fifteen　years　ago；　when　we　were　developing　an　advanced　targeting…system　countermeasure　for　military　stealthers；〃　Cameron　said。　He　made　a　face　at　me。　〃Of　course；　I　thought　he　really　was　retired　now　or　I　never　would　have　contacted　him　in　the　first　place。　The　last　thing　I　wanted　was　for　the　leaky　bureaucratic　sieve　at　Geneva　to　get　hold　of　any　of　this。〃
　〃So　that's　why　you　were　on　Meima　when　this　whole　thing　started；〃　Tera　said；　turning　back　to　me。　〃You　never　did　answer　that　question。〃
　I　nodded。　〃Sir　Arthur　told　us　your　father　was　in　some　kind　of　trouble　on　Meima　during　one　of　my　check…ins　and　asked　us　to　swing　over　and　assess　the　situation。　I'd　been　wandering　around　the　local　tavernos　for　nearly　four　hours　looking　for　him　when　we　finally　ran　into　each　other。〃
　I　looked　at　Cameron。　〃Interestingly　enough；　he　even　said　that；　depending　on　how　serious　the　danger　you　were　in；　I　was　authorized　to　do　whatever　was　necessary　to　protect　you；　up　to　and　including　blowing　my　cover　if　there　was　no　other　way。　Shows　you　just　how　highly　you're　considered　up　there　in　the　corridors　of　power。〃
　〃I'm　honored；〃　Cameron　murmured。　〃That's　rather　amusing；　really；　considering　that　I　was　prepared　in　turn　to　tell　whoever　he　sent　everything　about　the　Icarus　if　there　was　no　other　way　to　secure　his　help。〃
　〃Just　as　well　you　didn't；〃　I　said。　〃You　start　showing　your　cards　to　someone　and　you　never　know　if　someone　else　is　looking　over　your　shoulder。〃
　〃As　opposed　to　just　dropping　the　cards　faceup　on　the　table；〃　Nicabar　mented　dryly。　〃I　thought　Tera　was　going　to　have　a　stroke　when　you　announced　in　front　of　everyone　who　she　really　was。〃
　〃I　presume　you've　figured　out　why　I　did　that？〃　I　asked。
　He　nodded。　〃It　took　me　a　while；　but　eventually　I　got　it。〃
　〃Well；　I　haven't；〃　Tera　said；　frowning　at　me。　〃I　assumed　you　were　just　tired。　Or　suddenly　gone　senile。〃
　〃Tired；　yes；　senile；　possibly；〃　I　said。　〃But　not　on　that　account。　Remember；　I'd　already　checked　the　Icarus　and　knew　the　Kalixiri　were　aboard　and　the　trap　there　was　set。　What　I　didn't　know　was　what　kind　of　contingency　plan　they　had　for　anyone　left　behind　in　the　lodge；　whether　they'd　be　able　to　move　quickly　enough　to　get　you　out。　I　made　sure　that　Everett　knew　who　you　were　so　that　you'd　be　brought　back　to　the　ship　with　us。　You　were　in　no　danger　from　Antoniewicz…as　he'd　already　explained；　you　were　far　too　valuable　to　simply　shoot　out　of　hand。　Whether　or　not　the　mandos　arrived　in　time　to　save　me；　they　would　certainly　be　in　time　to　save　you。〃
　There　was　a　flicker　of　movement　across　the　room；　and　I　looked　up　to　see　Ixil　step　in　through　the　wooden　archway。　〃Ah；　there　you　are；〃　he　said　as　he　came　toward　our　table。　〃Not　sitting　with　your　back　to　the　door　this　time；　I　see。〃
　〃Don't　be　snide；〃　I　reproved　him　with　an　air　of　injured　pride。　〃You　know　perfectly　well　I　just　didn't　want　my　gun　pointed　anywhere　near　Brother　John　and　his　goons　when　they　burst　in　on　us。　Any　news？〃
　〃All　sorts　of　news；〃　he　said；　pulling　up　a　chair　and　sniffing　appreciatively　at　the　food。　Pix　and　Pax　weren't　nearly　so　reticent；　they　bounded　straight　off　his　shoulders　and　headed　for　the　serving　plate。　〃The　pilot　tried　to　scramble　the　preliminary　helm　setting　he'd　been　coding　in；　but　we　were　able　to　reconstruct　it。　The　bined　force　landed　twenty　minutes　ago　inside　Antoniewicz's　estate。　They　report　it's　been　secured。〃
　〃bined；　eh？〃　I　mented　approvingly　as　Nicabar　spooned　some　of　the　Kalixiri　food　onto　his　plate　for　the　two　ferrets。　〃I　take　it　that　means　Sir　Arthur　was　able　to　get　Geneva　to　loosen　up　and　send　some　human　troops　to　assist。〃
　〃I　believe　he　convinced　them　this　operation　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　Icarus　and　the　Patth　ultimatum；〃　Ixil　said。　〃Which　is　not　entirely　untrue。〃
　〃Not　entirely　at　all；〃　I　agreed。　〃I　hope　they're　being　careful…Antoniewicz　is　bound　to　have　a　few　booby　traps　set　up　for　unexpected　visitors。〃
　〃I'm　sure　they　are。〃　Ixil　looked　over　at　Cameron。　〃The　other　news　you　may　be　interested　in　is　that　there　was　a　bit　of　confusion　off　Trondariok　about　two　hours　ago。　A　ship　identified　as　the　renegade　freighter　Icarus　barely　escaped　from　a　group　of　three　customs　cruisers。〃
　Cameron　threw　a　startled　look　at　Tera。　〃The　Icarus？　Was　seen　where？〃
　〃Trondariok；〃　Ixil　repeated。　〃It's　a　Dariok　colony　world　about　ten　light…years　from　Rachna。〃
　For　a　moment　Cameron　still　didn't　get　it。　I　watched　his　face；　wondering　idly　how　long　it　was　going　to　take。　And　then；　his　face　suddenly　cleared。　〃Of　course；〃　he　said；　nodding。　〃Rachna。　It's　the　duplicate　Icarus　we　were　building　at　the　construction　plant　there。　The　one　I　was　going　to　have　flown　to　Meima。〃
　〃That's　the　one；〃　I　confirmed。　〃One　of　my　other　suggestions　to　Sir　Arthur。　A　second　Kalixiri　mando　team　got　in　and　mandeered　it；　with　instructions　to　fly　around　that　area　for　a　week　or　so　and　make　sure　they're　seen　and　identified。〃
　〃By　then；　if　we're　lucky；〃　Ixil　added；　〃the　group　we've　got　at　Hinsenato　will　have　finished　making　their　copy　off　the　blueprints　the　Kalixiri　sent　them　from　Rachna。〃
　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　Nicabar　said；　his　forehead　wrinkled　in　thought。　〃Rachna。　That's　way　over　in　the　Eta　Sindron　region；　isn't　it？〃
　〃That's　right；〃　I　said。
　〃Well；　hell；　that's　no　good；〃　he　objected。　〃The　Patth　know　we　were　on　Palmary　less　than　a　week　ago。　We　couldn't　possibly　have　made　it　all　the　way　to…〃
　He　broke　off；　his　face　changing　as　he　suddenly　got　it。　〃Oh；〃　he　said。　〃R