tz.theicarushunt-第9节

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d　to　my　growing　list。　I　could　see　a　glowing　ceiling　light　over　the　hatch　inside　the　wraparound；　but　nothing　else　was　visible　from　this　angle。
　〃He　told　me　we　were　going　to　Earth；〃　Chort　offered。
　〃Right；　but　Earth's　a　big　place；〃　I　reminded　him。　〃With　lots　of　different　parking　spaces。　Still；　we　might　as　well　go　in。〃　I　picked　up　my　bag　and　started　toward　the　stairway…
　〃Hang　on　a　second；　Jordan；〃　Jones　cut　me　off。　〃Someone's　ing。〃
　I　turned　around。　From　around　the　stern　of　one　of　the　nearby　ships　a　large；　bulky　man　was　jogging　toward　us　like　a　trotting　hippo；　a　pair　of　travel　bags　bouncing　in　his　grip。　〃Hold　on！〃　he　called。　〃Don't　leave　yet。　I'm　here。〃
　〃And　who　are　you？〃　I　called　back。
　〃Hayden　Everett；〃　he　said；　coasting　to　a　stop　beside　Tera　and　taking　a　deep　breath。　〃Medic　certificate。　Whew！　Had　some　trouble　at　the　gate…didn't　think　I　was　going　to　make　it。〃
　〃Don't　worry；　you're　not　the　last；〃　Jones　said。　〃Our　employer　hasn't　shown　up　yet；　either。〃
　〃Really？〃　Everett　said；　frowning。　He　had　short　black　hair　and　blue　eyes；　and　the　slightly　squashed　features　I　usually　associated　with　professional　high…contact　sports　types。　Up　close；　I　could　see　now　that；　unlike　Jones　and　Nicabar；　most　of　his　impressive　body　mass　ran　to　fat；　though　there　were　indications　there'd　been　a　fair　amount　of　muscle　there　once　upon　a　time。　He　was　also　crowding　fifty；　considerably　older　than　the　rest　of　our　group；　with　an　impressive　network　of　wrinkles　around　his　eyes　and　mouth。
　I　could　also　see　that　despite　the　implication　that　he'd　jogged　along　the　slideways　all　the　way　from　the　gate；　there　was　no　sheen　of　sweat　on　his　face；　nor　was　he　even　breathing　all　that　hard。　Despite　his　age　and　surface　fat；　his　cardiovascular　system　was　apparently　in　pretty　decent　shape。
　〃Really；〃　Jones　assured　him。　〃So　what　do　we　do　now；　McKell？〃
　〃Like　I　said；　we　go　inside；〃　I　told　him；　starting　up　the　steps。　〃Revs；　you　get　to　the　engine　room　and　start　your　preflight；　I'll　find　the　bridge　and　get　things　started　from　that　end。　The　rest　of　you；　bring　your　luggage　and　find　your　stations。〃
　Given　the　Icarus's　iconoclastic　design　I　knew　that　that　last　order　was　going　to　be　a　challenge。　To　my　mild　surprise；　someone　had　anticipated　me。　The　wraparound　tunnel　curved　around　the　smaller　sphere　to　a　pressure　door　at　the　surface　of　the　larger　sphere…apparently；　the　whole　wraparound　served　as　the　ship's　airlock…and　attached　to　the　wall　of　the　corridor　on　the　far　side　of　the　pressure　door　was　a　basic　layout　of　the　ship。
　〃Well；　that's　handy；〃　Tera　mented　as　the　six　of　us　crowded　around　it；　Nicabar　having　already　disappeared　in　the　other　direction　along　the　wraparound　to　the　engine　room。　〃Where's　the　puter　room？…oh；　there　it　is。　Odd　placement。〃
　There　was　a　murmur　of　general　agreement。　The　interior　layout　was　fully　as　odd　as　the　exterior　design；　with　the　three　levels　of　the　sphere　laid　out　in　possibly　the　most　arbitrary　fashion　I'd　ever　seen。　The　bridge　was　in　its　standard　place；　nestled　just　behind　the　nose　cone　on　the　mid　deck；　but　the　puter　room；　instead　of　being　connected　to　the　bridge　as　usual；　was　at　the　opposite　end　of　the　sphere；　pressed　up　against　the　wall　of　the　smaller　sphere　on　the　starboard　side　of　the　centerline；　directly　behind　the　wall　we　were　currently　looking　at。　The　machine　shop；　electronics　shop；　and　EVA　prep　area　were　slapped　together　on　the　port　side；　where　vibrations　and　electronic　noise　from　one　would　inevitably　slop　over　into　the　other；　with　the　sick　bay　and　galley/dayroom　across　the　corridor　from　them　just　forward　of　the　puter　room。
　The　top　deck　consisted　of　six　cracker…box…sized　sleeping　cabins　and　an　only　slightly　larger　head；　plus　two　main　storage　rooms；　the　lower　deck　was　two　more　sleeping　cabins；　another　head；　the　main　bulk　of　the　ship's　stores；　and　the　air…　and　water…scrubbing　and　reclamation　equipment。　There　were　other；　smaller　storage　cabinets　scattered　around　everywhere；　apparently　wherever　and　however　the　designer's　mood　had　struck。　The　three　decks　were　linked　together　by　a　pair　of　ladders；　one　just　behind　the　bridge；　the　other　aft　near　the　wraparound。
　I　also　noticed　that　while　the　wraparound　and　engine　section　were　drawn　with　a　certain　minimal　detail；　the　smaller　sphere　was　drawn　as　a　solid　silhouette；　labeled　simply　CARGO；　with　no　access　panels　or　hatches　shown。　When　Cameron　had　said　the　cargo　was　sealed；　he'd　meant　it。
　〃This　has　got　to　be　the　dumbest　ship　I've　ever　been　on；〃　Shawn　declared　in　obvious　disgust。　〃Who　built　this　thing；　anyway？〃
　〃It'll　be　listed　on　the　schematics；〃　I　told　him。　〃Tera；　that'll　be　your　first　job　after　you　get　the　puter　up　and　running：　Pull　up　the　plans　so　we　can　see　what　exactly　we've　got　to　work　with。　Everyone　else；　go　get　settled。　I'll　be　on　the　bridge　if　you　need　me。〃
　I　headed　up　the　corridor…literally　up　it；　the　Icarus's　floors　were　sloped　at　the　same　ten…degree　angle　as　the　ship　itself…and　touched　the　release　pad　set　into　the　center　of　the　door。
　Considering　all　the　extra　space　the　Icarus　had　over　the　Stormy　Banks；　I　might　have　expected　the　bridge　to　be　correspondingly　larger；　too。　It　wasn't。　If　anything；　it　was　a　little　smaller。　But　whatever　other　corners　Cameron　and　his　cronies　had　cut　with　this　ship；　at　least　they　hadn't　scrimped　on　vital　equipment。　The　piloting　setup；　to　my　right　as　I　stood　in　the　doorway；　consisted　of　a　full　Wurlitz　mand　console　wrapped　around　a　military…style　full…active　restraint　chair；　a　half…dozen　Valerian　monitor　displays　to　link　me　to　the　rest　of　the　ship；　and　a　rather　impressive　Hompson　RealiTeev　main　display　already　activated　and　showing　the　view　out　the　bow　of　the　ship。　To　my　left；　the　other　half　of　the　room　was　dominated　by　a　Gorsham　plotting　table　connected　to　a　Kemberly　nav　database　records　system。
　And　sitting　in　the　center　of　the　plotting　table　were　an　envelope　and　a　large　metal　cash　box。
　I　stepped　over　to　the　table　and　crouched　down；　giving　the　box　a　long；　careful　look。　There　were　no　wires　that　I　could　see；　no　discolorations；　no　passive　triggers；　nothing　that　struck　me　as　an　obvious　booby　trap。　Holding　my　breath；　I　picked　it　up　and　eased　it　open　a　crack。
　Nothing　snapped；　flashed；　hissed；　or　blew　up　in　my　face。　Perhaps　I　was　getting　paranoid　in　my　old　age。　Exhaling　quietly；　I　opened　it　the　rest　of　the　way。
　Inside　was　money。　Crisp　one…hundred…mark　bills。　Lots　of　them。
　I　looked　at　the　cash　for　another　moment；　then　set　the　box　back　on　the　plotting　table　and　opened　the　envelope。　Inside　were　a　set　of　cards；　the　originals　of　the　registration　and　clearance　papers　Cameron　had　showed　me　in　the　taverno　last　night；　plus　a　single　sheet　of　paper　with　a　hand…printed　message　on　it：
　To　the　captain：
　Due　to　circumstances　beyond　my　control；　I　will　not　be　able　to　acpany　you　and　the　Icarus　after　all。　I　must　therefore　trust　in　your　honor　to　take　the　ship　and　its　cargo　to　Earth　without　me。
　When　you　reach　Earth　orbit；　please　contact　Stann　Avery　at　the　vid　number　listed　at　the　bottom　of　the　page。　He　will　give　you　specific　delivery　instructions　for　your　cargo　and　arrange　your　final　payment。　The　settlement　will　include　a　substantial　bonus　for　you　and　the　others　of　the　crew；　over　and　above　what　we've　already　agreed　to；　provided　the　ship　and　cargo　are　delivered　intact。
　In　the　meantime；　the　initial　payments　for　all　of　you　are　in　the　box；　as　well　as　the　money　for　fuel　and　docking　fees　you'll　need　along　the　way。
　Again；　my　apologies　for　any　inconvenience　this　sudden　change　of　plan　may　cause　you。　I　would　not　be　exaggerating　when　I　say　that　delivering　the　Icarus　and　its　cargo　safely　will　be　the　most　significant　acplishment　any　of　you　will　ever　do　in　your　lives。　It　may　in　fact　be　the　most　significant　deed　any　human　being　will　perform　during　the　remainder　of　this　century。
　Good　luck；　and　do　not　fail　me。　The　future　of　the　human　race　could　well　lie　within　your　hands。
　It　was　signed　〃Alexander　Borodin。〃
　My　first　thought　was　that　Cameron　really　needed　to　cut　back　on　those　melodramas　and　star…thrillers　he　was　watching　in　the　evenings　after　work。　My　second　was　that　this　was　one　hell　of　a　hot　potato　for　him　to　have　dropped　into　my　lap　on　no　notice　whatsoever。
　〃McKell？〃　a　female　voice　called　from　behind　me。
　I　turned　to　see　Tera　making　her　way　uphill　into　the　bridge。　〃Yes；　what　is　it？〃
　〃I　wanted　to　check　out　the　bridge；〃　she　said；　glancing　around　the　room。　〃I　was　kind　of　hoping　the　main　puter　might　be　stashed　in　here。〃
　I　frowned。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？　Isn't　it　back　in　the　puter　room？〃
　〃Yes；　I　guess　it　is；〃　she　said　with　a　grimace。　〃I　was　hoping　that　piece　of　junk　was　the　backup。〃
　Those　cold　ferret　feet　started　their　wind　sprints　up　my　back　again。　The　puter　was　very　literally　the　nerve　center　of　the　entire　ship。　〃Just　how　bad　a　piece　of　junk　is　it？〃　I　asked　carefully。
　〃Noah　had　a　better　one　on　the　ark；〃　she　said　flatly。　〃It's　an　old　Worthram　T…66。　No　decision…assist　capabilities；　no　vocal　interface；　no　nanosecond　monitoring。　Programming　like　I　haven't　seen　since　high　school；　no　autonomic　functions　or　emergency　mand　capabilities…shall　I　go　on？〃
　〃No；　I　get　the　picture；〃　I　said　heavily。　pared　to　normal　starship　operation；　we　were　starting　out　half…blind；　half…deaf；　and　slightly　muddled…rather　like　a　stroke　victim；　actually。　No　wonder　Cam