amc.killashandra-第4节

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　Killashandra；　reading　with　an　eye　to　hidden　significance's；　paused　to　consider　the　implications。　Although　her　experience　with　planets　had　been　limited　to　two　…　Fuerte；　her　planet　of　origin；　and　Ballybran；　she　knew　enough　of　how　worlds　wagged　to　sense　the　iron　idealism　that　probably　supported　the　Optherian　propaganda。　She　tapped　a　question　and　frowned　at　the　negative　answer：　Optheria's　Charter　Signers　were　not　proselytizers　of　a　religious　sect　nor　did　Optheria　recognize　a　federal　church。　As　many　worlds　had　been　colonized　for　idealist　forms　of　government；　religiously　or　secularly　oriented；　as　for　purely　mercial　considerations。　The　guiding　principle　of　foundation　could　not　yet　be　considered　the　necessary　criterion　for　a　successful　subculture。　The　variables　involved　were　too　numerous。
　But　the　entry　made　it　clear　that　Optheria　was　considered　efficiently　organized　and；　with　its　substantial　positive　galactic　balance　of　payments；　a　creditably　administered　world。　The　entry　concluded　with　a　statement　that　Optheria　was　well　worth　a　visit　during　its　annual　Summer　Festival。　She　detected　a　certain　hint　of　irony　in　that　bland　ment。　While　she　would　have　preferred　to　sample　some　of　the　exotic　and　sophisticated　pleasures　available　to　those　with　credit　enough；　she　felt　she　could　tolerate　Optheria's　〃natural〃　pastimes　in　return　for　the　sizeable　fee　and　a　long　vacation　from　Ballybran。
　She　considered　Lanzecki's　diffidence　about　the　assignment。　Could　he　be　charged　with　favoritism　if　he　gave　her　another　choice　off…world　assignment？　Who　would　remember　that　she　had　been　away　during　the　horrendous　Passover　Storms；　much　less　where？　She'd　been　peremptorily　snatched　away　by　Trag；　shoved　onto　the　moon　shuttle；　and　without　a　shred　of　background　data　about　the　vagaries　of　the　Trundomoux；　delivered　willy…nilly　to　a　naval　autocracy　to　cope　with　the　exigencies　of　installing　millions　of　credits'　worth　of　black　munication　crystal　for　a　bunch　of　skeptical　spartan　pioneers。　The　assignment　had　been　no　sinecure。　As　Trag　was　the　only　other　person　who　had　known　of　it；　was　he　the　objector？　He　very　easily　could　be；　as　Administration　Officer；　yet　Killashandra　did　not　think　that　Trag　could；　or　did；　influence　Guild　Master　Lanzecki。
　A　second　wild　notion　followed　quickly　on　the　heels　of　that　one。　Were　there　any　Optherians　on　the　roster　of　the　Heptite　Guild　to　whom　such　a　job　might　be　assigned？。。。　The　Heptite　Guild　had　no　Optherian　members。
　From　her　ten　years　in　the　Music　Department　of　Fuerte's　Culture　Center；　Killashandra　was　familiar　with　the　intricacies　of　Optherian　sensory　organ　instruments。　The　encyclopedia　enlarged　the　picture　by　stating　that　music　was　a　planetwide　mania　on　Optheria；　with　citizens　peting　on　a　planetary　scale　for　opportunities　to　perform　on　the　sensory　organs。　With　that　sort　of　environment；　Killashandra　thought　it　very　odd　indeed　that　Optheria　produced　no　candidates　with　the　perfect　pitch　that　was　the　Heptite　Guild's　essential　entry　requirement。　And；　with　petitions　on　a　worldwide　scale；　there　would　be　thousands　disappointed。　Killashandra　smiled　in　sour　sympathy。　Surely　some　would　look　for　off…world　alternatives。
　Her　curiosity　titillated；　Killashandra　checked　other　Guilds。　Optherians　did　not　go　into　the　Space　Services　or　into　galactic　mercantile　enterprises；　nor　were　embassies；　consulates　or　legates　of　Optheria　listed　in　the　Diplomatic　Registers。　There　she　lucked　out　by　discovering　a　qualifier：　As　the　planet　was　nearly　self…sufficient　and　no　Optherians　left　their　home　world；　there　was　no　need　for　such　services。　All　normal　inquiries　about　Optheria　had　to　be　directed　to　the　Office　of　External　Trade　and　merce　on　Optheria。
　Killashandra　paused　in　perplexity。　A　planet　so　perfect；　so　beloved　by　its　citizens　that　no　one　chose　to　leave　its　surface？　She　found　that　very　hard　to　believe。　She　recalled　the　encyclopedia's　entry　on　the　planet；　searching　for　the　code　on　Naturalization。　Yes；　well；　citizenship　was　readily　available　for　those　interested　but　could　not　be　rescinded。　She　checked　the　Penal　Code　and　discovered　that；　unlike　many　worlds；　Optheria　did　not　deport　its　criminal　element：　any　recidivists　were　acmodated　at　a　rehabilitation　center。
　Killashandra　shivered。　So　even　perfect　Optheria　had　to　resort　to　rehabilitation。
　Having　delved　sufficiently　into　Optheria's　history　and　background　to　satisfy　her　basic　curiosity；　she　turned　to　research　the　procedure　necessary　to　replace　a　fractured　manual。　The　installation　posed　no　overt　problems　as　the　bracketing　was　remarkably　similar　to　that　required　by　the　black　munications　crystal。　The　tuning　would　be　more　plex　because　of　the　broad…frequency　variable　output　of　the　Optherian　organ。　The　instrument　was　similar　to　early　Terran　pipe　organs；　with　four　manuals　and　a　terminal　with　hundreds　of　stops；　but　a　performer　on　the　Optherian　organ　read　a　score　containing　olfactory；　neural；　visual；　and　aural　notes。　The　crystal　manual　was　in　permanent　handshake　with　the　multiplex　demodulator；　the　synapse　carrier　encoder；　and　the　transducer　terminal　networks。　Or　so　the　manual　said；　no　schematic　was　included　in　the　entry。　Nor　could　she　remember　one　from　her　days　at　the　Fuerte　Music　Center。
　Dedicated　Optherian　players　spent　lifetimes　arranging　music　embellished　and　ornamented　for　reception　by　many　senses。　A　skilled　Optherian　organist　could　be　mass…psychologist　and　politician　as　well　as　musician；　and　the　effect　of　any　position　played　on　the　fully　augmented　instruments　had　such　far…reaching　consequences　that　performances　and　practitioners　were　subject　to　Federal　as　well　as　artistic　discipline。
　Bearing　that　in　mind；　Killashandra　wondered　how　the　manual　could　have　been　fractured　…　let　alone　have　killed　the　performer　at　the　same　time；　especially　as　that　person　had　also　been　the　only　one　on　the　planet　capable　of　repairing　it。　Was　there　perhaps　a　spot　of　rot　on　the　Optherian　apple　of　Eden？　This　assignment　could　be　interesting。
　Killashandra　pulled　her　chair　back　to　the　console　and　asked　for　visual　contact　with　the　Travel　Officer。　Bajorn　was　a　long；　thin　man；　with　a　thin　face　and　a　thin　nose　with　pinched　nostrils。　He　had　preternaturally　long；　thin　fingers；　too；　but　much　was　redeemed　by　the　cheerful　smile　that　broke　across　his　narrow　face；　and　his　plete　willingness　to　sort　out　the　most　difficult　itinerary。　He　seemed　to　be　on　the　most　congenial　terms　with　every　transport　or　freight　captain　who　had　ever　touched　down　at　or　veered　close　to　the　Shanganagh　Moon　base。
　〃Is　it　difficult　to　get　to　the　Optherian　System；　Bajorn？〃
　〃Long　old　journey　right　now　…　out　of　season　for　the　cruise　ships　on　that　route。　Summer　Festival　won't　be　for　another　six　months　galactic。　So；　traveling　now；　you'd　have　to　make　four　exchanges　…　Rappahoe；　Kunjab；　Melorica；　and　Bernard's　World　…　all　on　freighters　before　getting　passage　on　a　proper　liner。〃
　〃You're　sure　up　to　date。〃
　Bajorn　grinned；　his　thin　lips　almost　touching　his　droopy　ears。　〃Should　be。　You're　the　fifth　inquiry　I've　had　about　that　system。　What's　up？　Didn't　know　the　Optherians　went　in　for　the　sort　of　kicks　singers　like。〃
　〃Who're　the　other　four？〃
　〃Well；　there's　no　regulation　against　telling。　〃Bajorn　paused　discreetly；　〃and　as　they've　all　asked；　no　reason　why　you　shouldn't　be　told。　You；〃　and　he　ticked　names　off　on　his　fingers；　〃Borella　Seal；　Concera；　Gobbain　Tekla；　and　Rimbol。〃
　〃Indeed。　Thank　you；　Bajorn；　that's　real　considerate　of　you。〃
　〃That's　what　Rimbol　said；　too。〃　Bajorn's　face　sagged　mournfully。　〃I　do　try　to　satisfy　the　Guild's　travel　requirements；　but　it　is　so　depressing　when　my　efforts　are　criticized　or　belittled。　I　can't　help　it　if　singers　lose　their　memories。。。　and　every　shred　of　mon　courtesy。〃
　〃I'll　program　eternal　courtesy　to　you　on　my　personal　tape；　Bajorn。〃
　〃I'd　appreciate　it。　Only　do　it　now；　would　you；　Killashandra；　before　you　forget？〃
　Promising　faithfully；　Killashandra　rang　off。　Lanzecki　had　said　there　was　a　list。　Were　there　only　five　names！　Borella　Seal　and　Concera　she　knew　and　she　wouldn't　have　minded　doing　them　out　of　the　assignment；　Gobbain　Tekla　was　a　total　stranger。　Rimbol　had　been　cutting　successfully；　and　in　the　darker　shades　just　as　Lanzecki　had　predicted。　Why　would　he　want　such　an　assignment？　So；　four　people　had　been　interested　enough　to　check　Travel。　Were　there　more？
　She　asked　for　a　list　of　unassigned　singers　in　residence　and　it　was　depressingly　long。　After　some　names；　including　her　own；　the　capital　I　…　for　Inactive　…　flashed。　Perhaps　unwisely；　she　deleted　those　and　still　had　thirty…seven　possible　rivals。　She　twirled　idly　about　in　the　gimbaled　chair；　wondering　exactly　what　criterion　was　vital　for　the　Optherian　assignment。　Lanzecki　hadn't　mentioned　such　minor　details　in　the　little　he　had　disclosed。　From　what　she　had　already　learned　of　the　planet　and　the　mechanics　of　installation；　any　petent　singer　could　do　the　job。　So　what　would　weigh　the　balance　in　favor　of　one　singer？
　Killashandra　reexamined　the　list　of　her　known　rivals：　Borella　and　Concera　had　both　been　cutting　a　long　time。　Gobbain　Tekla；　when　she　found　his　position　on　the　Main　Roster；　was　a　relative　newer；　Rimbol；　like　Killashandra；　was　a　rank　tyro。　When　she　inquired；　she　discovered　that　each　of　the　others　had　been　a　redundant　or　a　failed　musician。　Perhaps　that　was　the　necessary　requirement。