amc.killashandra-第44节

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　〃We're　called　crystal　singers　because　we　must　tune　our　subsonic　cutters　to　the　dominant　pitch　of　the　crystal　we　cut　from　the　ranges。　A　dangerous　and　exhausting　task。〃　She　held　out　her　hands　so　that　all　could　see　the　fine　white　scars　that　crisscrossed　the　skin。
　〃I　was　told；〃　Lars　said　in　an　amused　drawl；　〃that　crystal　singers　have　amazing　recuperative　powers。〃
　〃That　is　quite　true。　Crystal　resonance　apparently　slows　the　degenerative　processes　and　accelerates　the　regenerative。　Crystal　singers　retain　their　youthful　appearance　well　into　the　third　century。〃
　〃How　old　are　you；　Guildmember？〃　a　brash　young　voice　asked。
　Frowning；　the　Captain　turned　about　to　seek　the　source　of　such　insolence　but　Killashandra　laughed。　〃I　am　a　relatively　new　member　of　the　Heptite　Guild；　and　in　my　third　decade。〃
　〃Are　you　able　to　travel　anywhere　you　wish？〃　Did　she　detect　a　note　of　yearning？
　〃All　crystal　singers　travel；〃　she　said　with　mendable　restraint　and　then　realized　that　her　statement　was　hardly　politic　on　Optheria。　She　had　shown　few　examples　of　the　tact　for　which　Trag　had　chosen　her。　〃But　we　always　return　to　Ballybran；〃　and　she　tried　to　make　it　sound　as　if　going　home　was　more　desirable　than　traveling　far　away。　No　sense　in　arousing　hopes　on　Optheria；　especially　in　the　presence　of　the　cruiser's　senior　officers。　〃Once　a　crystal　singer；　always　a　crystal　singer！〃
　In　the　same　instant　the　printer　extruded　an　impatient　sheet；　Killashandra　felt　a　stab　of　crystal　shock　travel　painfully　from　her　heelbone　to　her　ears。
　〃Kill　the　drive；〃　she　shouted　as　the　Captain　was　issuing　the　mand。
　Breathless　from　the　unexpected　peaking；　Killashandra　sagged　against　Lars。　〃Congratulations；〃　she　said；　hoping　the　sarcasm　would　hide　the　pain　in　her　bones；　〃you　have　just　lost　one　of　your　crystals。　What　are　they？　Blues？〃
　〃Greens；〃　the　Captain　replied　with　some　pride；　〃but　the　same　crystals　since　the　cruiser　was　missioned。〃
　〃And　Optheria　will　spring　credit　for　organ　crystals　with　considerably　more　alacrity　than　for　plebian　greens；　huh？〃　Festinel　nodded　solemn　affirmation。　〃Engineer；　I　request　permission　to　inspect　the　crystal　drive　with　you。　My　apprenticeship　in　tuning　crystals　may　be　of　some　use　here。〃
　〃Honored；　Guildmember。〃　He　strode　to　the　unit。　〃Damage　report！〃
　〃Sir；〃　came　the　disembodied　voice　from　the　bowels　of　the　cruiser；　〃casing　blown；　foam　applied；　no　injuries。〃
　〃As　you　were！〃
　An　acrid　stench。　a　bination　of　odors　arising　from　the　intense　heat　on　the　crystal　casing　and　on　the　foam；　was　still　being　exhausted　by　fans　when　Killashandra；　Engineering　Officer　Fernock；　and　Lars　reached　the　drive　deck。　The　captain　had　hurried　to　inform　Elder　Torkes　of　the　delay。　Killashandra　winced　as　she　caught　residual　echoes　from　the　other　crystals　of　the　drive。　Or　perhaps　more　than　one　element　had　blown。　That　could　happen。
　Fernock　quickly　directed　his　men　to　sweep　up　the　now　hardened　foam　and　remove　the　cover。　The　durametal　had　been　fractured　by　the　explosion　and　came　off　in　piece　。
　〃See　if　stores　have　a　replacement。〃　Fernock's　expression　suggested　this　was　unlikely。　〃I'd　not　want　to　drive　unshielded　crystal。〃
　〃There'd　be　no　problem　so　long　as　the　remaining　brackets　are　secure；〃　Killashandra　said；　reasonably　sure　that　she　was　correct。　After　all；　there　was　no　shield　at　all　around　black　crystal。　And　they　generated　far　more　power　than　greens。
　Suction　was　used　to　clean　foam　from　the　intact　blocks　but　both　Killashandra　and　Fernock　warned　the　seaman　to　stay　away　from　the　fragmented　shaft。
　〃Bracketing　came　adrift；〃　Killashandra　announced；　remembering　her　manners　enough　to　look　to　Fernock　for　confirmation。
　〃You're　right。　See；　here？〃　Fernock　pointed　to　the　lopsided　bracket　at　the　green's　base。　〃Now　how　could　that　happen？〃
　〃You　said　the　seas　were　turbulent。　And　that　you　were　overdue　an　overhaul。　Doubtless　the　discrepancy　would　have　been　seen　and　corrected。　No　fault　of　yours；　Officer　Fernock。〃
　〃I　appreciate　that。〃
　〃All　right；　then。。。〃　Killashandra　squatted　by　the　drive；　reached　for　the　shattered　green　crystal。
　〃What　are　you　about；　Guildmember？〃　Fernock　grabbed　her　wrist　and　Lars　moved　forward。
　〃Well；　until　this　crystal　is　moved；　we　won't。〃　And　she　again　reached　for　the　crystal。
　〃But　you've　no　gloves　and　crystal　…　〃
　〃Cuts　clean　and　heals　quickly。　For　me。　Allow　me　Fernock。〃
　The　man　continued　to　protest；　but　he　made　no　further　attempt　to　stop　her。　The　first　splinter　did　not　cut　her。　Fortunately　the　broken　bracket　also　made　it　easier　for　her　to　lift　out　the　pieces。　She　pointed　to　a　metal　oil…slop　pail　and　when　it　was　fetched；　she　laid　the　crystal　in　it。　She　removed　the　remaining　portions　with　only　one　slice；　when　the　final　fragment　resisted　her　initial　pull。　She　held　up　her　bleeding　hand。
　〃Behold；　before　your　marveling　eyes；　the　incredible　recuperative　powers　of　the　crystal　singer。　One　of　my　professions'　few　advantages。〃
　〃What　is　another？〃　Lars　asked。
　〃The　credit！〃　She　reached　for　the　suction　device。　〃This　won't　be　good　for　anything；　and　no　one　is　to　touch　it　on　its　way　to　the　disposal　unit。〃　She　depressed　the　toggle　and　made　sure　that　the　few　loose　slivers　were　cleared。　〃I'll　check　all　the　brackets　to　be　sure　none　are　loose。　More　problems　are　caused　by　faulty　bracketing　than　anything　else。〃
　That　was　a　tedious　enough　process　but　it　was　her　own　safety　she　was　ensuring；　hers　and　Lars's。　With　Fernock　and　Lars　handing　her　the　appropriate　tools；　she　released　each　bracket　in　turn　and　reseated　the　five　squat　crystal　shafts　remaining。　Then　she　struck　each　in　turn　for　tone。　They　were　all　Gs；　of　course；　in　a　crystal　drive；　and　to　her　intense　relief；　each　emitted　a　pure　unblemished　tone。　She　glanced　up　at　Lars；　to　see　him　nod　at　the　true　G　she　had　just　sung。　He　had　not　been　the　only　one　fascinated　by　the　process。　There　had　been　a　constantly　changing　if　discreet　audience　on　the　catwalk　above　the　drive　floor。　As　well。　This　would　only　enhance　the　image　of　the　crystal　singer。　And　it　might　just　safeguard　her　against　any　more　nonsense　from　the　Elders。
　〃There　now。　Mr。　Fernock；〃　she　said　at　last；　arching　her　back　against　the　crick　caused　by　awkward　positions。　〃I　think　you　can　safely　proceed　with　reconnections。　I　don't　think　there's　any　danger　if　the　load　is　properly　apportioned。　A　five…shaft　drive　should　generate　enough　power　to　get　us　to　the　Mainland。〃　She　held　up　the　hand　that　had　been　profusely　bleeding　an　hour　before。　〃See？　All　better。〃
　〃Guildmember；　do　you　know　how　long　it　would　have　taken　me　and　my　men　to　make　such　repairs？〃
　〃I　couldn't　begin　to　guess；　Mr。　Fernock；　but　do　get　on　with　the　job。〃　She　smiled　at　the　disconcerted　officer　and　then；　with　Lars　a　step　behind　her；　retraced　her　steps　to　the　upper　deck。
　〃Citizen；　you're　too　much　for　this　island　boy。〃
　〃Huh！　I　was　showing　off。。。　again；〃　and；　leaning　backward　on　one　hand；　kissed　him　lustily。　Just　in　time　to　avoid　the　exchange's　being　witnessed　by　Captain　Festinel；　who　was　hurrying　to　check　on　repairs。　〃You　were　a　very　deft　assistant；　Captain　Dahl。　I　must　ask　for　your　help　with　the　organ　repair。〃　She　sedately　continued　her　ascent。
　〃Surely；　just　perfect　pitch　…　〃　Lars　began　as　they　returned　to　the　wardroom。
　〃　…　Perfect　and　absolute　…　〃
　〃　…　As　you　say；　isn't　the　only　requirement　for　your　profession？〃
　〃The　major　one。　Ballybran　is　a　Code　Four　planet　…　〃
　〃What　does　that　mean？　I'm　an　island　lad　from　a　iggerant　planet；〃　and　Lars'　voice　was　rich　with　contempt。
　〃Dangerous。　Singing　crystal　is　rated　a　'highly　dangerous'　profession；　limited　to　Type　IV　through　VIII　bipedal　humanoids。。。〃
　〃Are　there　any　other　kinds？〃
　〃Don't　alien　life　forms　e　for　the　Festival？　The　Reticulans　are　avid　musicologists　though　I　could　never　e　to　terms　with　their　croons　as　music。〃
　〃Are　they　the　ones　that　look　like　an　assembly　of　twigs　on　a　barrel？〃　The　wardroom　was　empty　and　Lars　swung　her　into　his　arms；　kissing　her　passionately；　stroking　her　body；　murmuring　endearments。　But　knowing　that　they　could　be　interrupted　at　any　time　inhibited　Killashandra's　response；　even　as　she　yearned　for　more。　At　a　scraping　sound；　they　broke　apart；　Killashandra　sliding　breathlessly　into　the　nearest　chair。
　〃What　a　delightful　description　of　Reticulans！　The　barrel　is　mostly　windbag　but　I've　never　been　close　enough　to　discover　which　of　their　pseudopods　are　the　pipes。〃
　Lars　stopped　pacing；　for　the　noise　in　the　panionway　had　ceased；　and　he　came　back　to　fondle　her。
　〃A　candidate　for　Guild　membership　has　to　pass　Physical　Fitness　Test　SG…I；　Psychological　Profile　SG…I　…　which　you'd　never　pass　if　you　continue　to　do　that；　Lars　…　and　Education　Level　3。〃
　〃I'm　not　applying　to　the　Guild；　only　applying　a　member。。。　〃
　This　time　the　footsteps　stopped　and　the　door　was　slid　back。　Mr。　Fernock　entered；　smiling　broadly　when　he　saw　the　occupants。
　〃We'll　be　underway　in　ten　minutes；　Guildmember；　thanks　to　your　invaluable　assistance。　And　we'll　be　able　to　make　a　reasonable　enough　speed　on　five　shafts　to　reach　our　destination　on　time。〃
　〃How　marvelous；〃　Killashandra　said　in　a　languid　drawl。　Marvelous　was　not　really　the　way　she　felt；　considering　the　inner　turmoil　Lars's　caresses　had　stimulated。　She　couldn't　get　to　the　City　and　the　Conservatory　fast　enough。
　Chapter　18
　Fortunately　Lars　was　equally　frustrated　by　thei