amc.killashandra-第49节

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　Lars　took　the　bracket　from　her；　hefting　it　in　his　hand。　〃They're　no　problem。　Olver　can　do　them。〃
　Instinctively　Killashandra　looked　up　at　the　monitors　as　Lars　mentioned　his　contact。　She　dragged　at　the　fabric　of　Lars's　sleeve　and　pointed　to　the　surveillance　buds；　where　traces　of　black　had　mysteriously　appeared　to　make　an　aureole　about　each　unit。　〃Now　what　did　that？〃
　Killashandra　chuckled　and　pointed　to　the　white　crystal。　〃A　secret　weapon　for　you　when　I　leave。　Sing　white　crystal　to　whatever　room　you're　in　and　blast　the　monitors。〃　She　reached　for　one　of　the　larger　pieces　Lars　had　cleared　away　and　hefted　it。　〃We'll　just　save　some　of　this　for　you。　I　wonder　if　Research　and　Development　know　about　this　application　of　white。〃
　Suddenly　Lars　had　his　arms　about　her；　his　face　buried　in　her　hair；　his　lips　against　her　neck。　She　could　feel　the　tension　in　him　and　caressed　him　with　gentle　hands。
　〃Oh；　Sunny；　must　you　leave？〃
　She　gave　him　a　twisted；　rueful　smile；　gentling　the　frown　from　his　face　with　tender　fingers　〃Crystal　calls　me　back；　Lars　Dahl。　It's　not　a　summons　I　can　ignore；　and　live！〃
　He　kissed　her　hungrily　and　as　she　responded　they　both　caught　the　slight　sound；　swiveling　away　from　each　other；　as　the　door　slid　open。
　〃Ah；　Elder　Ampris；〃　Killashandra　said；　〃your　arrival　is　most　opportune。　Show　him　the　bracket；　Lars　Dahl；〃　and　when　Ampris　regarded　this　unusual　offering　with　amazement；　〃run　your　fingers　over　the　clamping　edge。。。　carefully。。。　and　feel　how　rough　it　is。　We're　going　to　need　some　two　hundred　of　these；　for　I'm　not　about　to　trust　new　crystal　in　old　brackets。　All　I've　removed　so　far　have　been　scratched　just　like　that　one。　Will　you　authorize　the　order　…　and　designate　it　is　urgent？〃
　Killashandra　snapped　her　mask　back　over　her　face　and　picked　up　the　brush。　Then　she　swore。
　〃I　could　also　use　a　handlight　of　some　sort。　Some　of　this　wretched　stuff　is　like　powder。〃
　Elder　Ampris　peered　in　and　she　heard　his　intake　of　breath。　She　straightened；　regarding　him　passively；　seeing　the　stern　accusation　in　his　eyes。
　〃Let　me　demonstrate；　Elder　Ampris；　the　need　for　meticulous　care。〃　She　hummed；　more　loudly　then　before；　and　took　great　delight　in　its　effect　on　the　man。　〃Sorry　about　that。〃　She　resumed　work。
　〃I　came　to　inquire；　Guildmember；　how　soon　the　repairs　would　be　pleted。〃
　〃Since　the　idiot　who　smashed　the　manual　put　his　heart　in　the　destruction；　it's　going　to　take　a　lot　more　time　than　it　did　for　me　to　remove　one　shattered　crystal　from　the　cruiser　drive　…　if　that's　the　parison　you　were　using。〃　Killashandra　sighed；　and　looked　disconsolately　at　the　crystal　ruin。　〃It's　slow　going　because　of　the　nature　of　crystal　and　because；　as　you　perceived；　every　smidgeon　has　to　be　cleaned　out。　That's　all　we've　achieved　today。。。〃
　Elder　Ampris　shot　a　sour　glance　at　Lars。　〃More　helpers？〃
　Killashandra　gave　a　bark　of　laughter。　〃Just　find　me　a　vacuum　capable　of　sucking　up　crystal　dust　and　we'd　clear　this　in　an　hour。　Or；　supply　me　with　a　brand　new　case！〃　And　she　gave　the　one　before　her　a　dismissive　slap　with　her　hand。　Crystal　pinged；　Lars　and　Ampris　winced。　〃Gets　to　you；　doesn't　it？　Well；　Elder　Ampris；　that's　where　we　stand。　Now；　if　you'll　excuse　me；　the　nitty　gritty　doesn't　get　done　by　talking　about　it。〃　She　picked　up　her　brush　but　Ampris　cleared　his　throat。
　〃A　dinner　and　concert　have　been　arranged　for　your　enjoyment　this　evening；〃　he　said。
　〃I　appreciate　the　courtesy；　Elder　Ampris；　but　until　I　have　finished　this；　I　wouldn't　feel　right　about　taking　any　time　off　for　mere　entertainment。　If　you'll　send　us　in　some　more　food　…　〃
　〃Guildmember；〃　Lars　interrupted；　〃with　all　due　respect；　Elder　Ampris　is　not。。。　I　mean；　it　is　hardly　his　responsibility。。。　〃
　〃What　are　you　trying　to　say；　Captain？〃
　Ampris；　his　eyes　glinting　with　the　first　glimpse　of　the　humor　she　had　seen　from　him　since　that　long…ago　reception；　held　up　his　hand；　relieving　Lars　of　the　necessity　of　explanation。
　〃If　the　Guildmember　is　willing　to　forego　pleasure　to　plete　her　task；　I　feel　I　may　serve　as　messenger　for　her　requirements。〃
　〃Apparently　everything　I　require　has　to　be　authorized　by　you　anyway。　Seems　silly　to　waste　time　with　all　those　intermediate　stages。〃　Killashandra　grinned　at　Ampris　without　a　sign　of　remorse。　〃Would　you　not　have　a　word　with　them　out　there；　or　Thyrol？　Speed　things　up　tremendously。　Oh；　and　don't　forget；　I　need　two　hundred　of　those　brackets。　And　the　handlight。　Lars；　you　go　with　him　and　get　it；　will　you？　It　has　to　be　small　enough　not　to　hamper　sight；　and　I'd　prefer　a　tight　beam。〃
　They　left　and　she　returned　to　work。　When　Lars　came　back　with　several　handbeams；　his　eyes　were　bubbling　with　humor。
　〃Your　wishes　are　his　mands；　Oh　mighty　Guild…member；　Oh　sweeper　of　the　white　crystal　specks！　Orders　were　issued　to　all　the　boys　out　there；〃　and　he　jerked　his　thumb　at　the　closed　door　panel；　〃that　anything　you　request　is　to　be　secured　as　fast　as　possible。〃
　〃Hmmm。　Bring　one　of　those　lights　to　bear　on　this　corner；　will　you；　Lars？〃　She　flicked　the　brush　and　disclosed　tiny　granules　that　glittered　in　the　light。　〃See？　The　fardling　things　are　pernicious！　I'll　get　'em；　every　last　speck！〃
　When　the　sumptuous　dinner　was　wheeled　in　to　them　some　time　later；　she　grumbled　but　stopped　working。
　〃Is　crystal　singing　some　kind　of　disease！〃　Lars　asked　conversationally。
　〃You　sail。　Do　you　call　a　halt　in　the　middle　of　a　storm？　Do　you　leave　off　fishing　in　the　midst　of　a　school　to　nap？〃
　〃It's　not　quite　the　same　thing　…　〃
　〃It　is　to　me；　Lars。　Be　of　good　cheer。　The　bracketing　will　be　relatively　easy　and　you　can　help　me　do　that。〃
　Despite　her　protests；　Lars　carried　her　out　of　the　organ　loft　just　before　midnight。　When　they　reached　her　suite；　she　insisted　that　they　had　better　have　a　good　soak；　to　be　sure　none　of　the　crystal　dust　had　penetrated　their　clothing。　In　the　bath；　he　had　to　hold　her　head　above　water；　for　she　kept　falling　asleep。
　It　took　nearly　four　days　to　ensure　that　no　speck　of　crystal　dust　remained　in　the　case。　By　the　time　they　arrived　each　morning；　new　monitor　buds　had　been　installed。　So　the　first　thing　that　Killashandra　did　on　entering　the　organ　loft　was　to　hum　a　happy　tune；　charging　the　white　crystal　shards　to　do　their　duty　and　blast　the　fragile　sensors。
　On　the　third　day；　the　new　brackets　were　delivered　and　Killashandra　set　Lars　Dahl　to　checking　each　one　under　a　microscope。　Fourteen　were　rejected　for　minor　flaws。　After　the　visit　of　Elder　Ampris；　they　had　no　visitors。　Thyrol　would　conduct　them　every　morning　to　the　loft；　unlocking　it　and　inquiring　after　their　needs。　Excellent　meals　were　delivered　at　the　appropriate　hours。　Assured　of　uninterrupted　privacy；　with　easily　disabled　monitors；　Lars　had　the　freedom　to　undertake　a　very　patient　examination　of　the　room；　searching　for　the　location　of　the　subliminal　equipment。
　On　the　fourth　morning；　as　Thyrol　led　them　across　the　stage；　Killashandra　noted　a　curious　discrepancy。　The　loft　room　did　not　extend　the　entire　length　of　the　stage　behind　the　organ　console。　She　silently　counted　her　paces　to　the　door。　When　Thyrol　had　closed　the　panel　and　Lars　had　activated　the　jammer；　she　paced　out　the　width　of　the　room。
　〃In…ter…est…ing；〃　she　said；　her　nose　against　the　far　wall。　〃This　room　is　only　half　the　length　of　the　stage；　Lars。　Does　that　suggest　anything　to　you？〃
　〃It　does；　but　there　is　no　corresponding　door　on　the　other　side　of　the　console！〃　He　joined　her　in　her　scrutiny　of　the　blameless　wall。　〃The　subliminals　have　to　be　linked　to　the　main　frame　data　bases。　I　wonder。。。〃
　She　followed　his　inspection　of　the　cables　that　festooned　the　ceiling；　pausing　where　they　ran　alongside　the　wall。
　〃Just　a　little　minute；〃　he　said；　his　eyes　wide　with　discovery；　and　he　spun　one　of　the　impervo　tubs　to　position　just　under　the　cables。
　He　had　to　crane　his　neck；　half　stooped　against　the　ceiling；　but　he　gave　a　low　and　triumphant　whistle。　When　he　jumped　down；　he　gathered　Killashandra　in　his　arms　and　whirled　her　about；　crowing　with　exultation。
　〃The　wall　drops　…　how　I　don't　know；　but　there　is　just　the　slightest　gap　at　the　top；　where　no　one　would　think　to　look　for　it。　And　three　very　heavy　cables　go　through　the　wall。〃
　Lars　replaced　the　tub　before　he　began　to　inspect　the　corner　joint。　Once　again　he　gave　an　exultant　yip。
　〃The　whole　wall　must　move；　Killa　…　but　how？〃
　That　large　a　mass　sinking　into　the　floor　might　be　a　touch　noisy。〃
　〃If　we　knew　the　mechanism。。。〃　He　felt　along　the　corner；　then　the　floor；　pressing　and　tapping。
　〃That's　far　too　obvious；　Lars。　Stupid　they　are　but　never　obvious。　Try　for　an　extrusion　on　one　of　the　units；　underneath　'em；　inside。。。〃　She　ran　searching　fingers　under　the　one　nearest　her；　finding　nothing　but　a　rough　edge　on　one　corner　which　produced　a　gouged　finger。　〃Ach；　I　haven't　the　patience　for　this　sort　of　nonsense　right　now。　You　go　ahead。　I'll　finish　this　last　bit　of　cleaning。〃
　By　the　time　their　lunch　was　brought　in；　Lars　had　found　nothing　more。　The　units　that　could　be　opened　had　been　opened　with　no　result。　Lars　stewed　and　fussed　all　through　the　meal　at　his　inability　to　resolve　the　problem。
　〃What　sort　of　form　do　the　security　measures　generally　take　on　Optheria？　Bureaucracies　tend　to　find　a　reliable　mechanism　and　stick　with　it；〃　Killashandra　suggested；　with　only　half　her　attention　on　that　part