amc.killashandra-第55节

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ched　with　visions　of　Torkes　and　an　improbably　robust　Pentrom　urging　the　faithful　onto　the　path　to　victory　and　planetarianism；　defending　the　credo　of　Optheria　to　the　death。
　An　audible　sigh　…　of　relief？　…　preceded　the　applause　this　selection　engendered。　So　the　audience　was　being　soothed　to　trust；　encouraged　to　resist　subversive　philosophies：　now　what；　Killashandra　wondered？
　An　alarmingly　thin　and　earnest　young　man；　swallowing　his　Adam's　apple　convulsively　as　he　crossed　the　stage；　was　the　next　performer。　He　looked　more　like　a　wading　bird　than　a　premier　organist。　And　when　he　took　his　seat　and　lifted　his　hands；　they　splayed　to　incredible　lengths；　making　the　soft　opening　notes　ludicrous　to　Killashandra's　mind；　especially　when　she　recognized　the　seductive　phrases　of　a　French　pianist。　The　name　escaped　her　momentarily　but　the　erotic　music　was　quite　familiar。　She　held　her　breath　against　the　first　image　and　choked　on　the　howl　of　laughter　as　the　subliminal　image　of　Ampris…the…seducer　was　superimposed；　in　reds　and　oranges；　on　the　viewers'　abused　senses。　Fortunately；　the　notion　of　Ampris　making　love　to　her；　or　anyone；　was　so　bizarre　that　the　eroticism　…　even　magnified　by　scent　and　sensory　titillation　…　failed　to　achieve　its　full　effect。　Lars's　continual　tapping　…　was　he　succumbing　to　the　illusion；　keeping　the　beat；　or　trying　to　distract　her　from　the　powerful　sensuality　…　against　her　toe　kept　reminding　her　how　perilous　their　position　was　at　the　moment。
　Bolero！　The　name　returned　to　her　as　the　lights　came　up。　And　fury　at　this　arrant　manipulation　set　a　flush　in　her　cheeks　that　matched　those　in　Mirbethan's　as　the　delighted　woman　turned　to　inquire　breathlessly　how　Killashandra　had　enjoyed　the　concert。
　The　seats　were　all　tilting　forward；　releasing　their　occupants　once　more　into　the　cold　cruel　world　of　reality。
　〃I　have　never　so　totally　experienced　music　before　in　my　life；　Mirbethan；〃　Killashandra　said　in　ringing；　heartfelt　tones。　What　she　felt　in　her　breast　was　not　what　the　performance　was　expected　to　generate。　〃A　balanced　and　professional　performance。　The　artists　were　magnificent。　Excellent　adaptations　to　the　Optherian　organs。〃
　〃Adaptations？　Oh；　no；　Guildmember；　this　was　the　first　performance　of　three　brilliant　new　positions。〃　Mirbethan　said　and　Killashandra　could　only　goggle　at　her。
　〃That　music　was　totally　original？　posed　by　the　performers？〃　Killashandra's　surprised　was　misinterpreted　by　Mirbethan　as　the　proper　expression　of　awe。　Lars　squeezed　her　arm　warningly　and　she　managed　to　contain　her　outrage。
　〃A　truly　brilliant　concert；〃　Trag　said；　joining　them　as　the　audience　was　dispersing。　〃An　experience　I　would　not　willingly　have　foregone。〃
　Never　having　heard　so　much　warmth　in　his　voice；　Killashandra　looked　sharply　at　Trag。　Surely；　if　her　symbiont　had　protected　her。。。〃　Now　she　stared　at　Trag's　flushed　face；　his　bright　eyes；　and　noticed　that　a　smile　had　reshaped　his　lips。　Killashandra　grabbed　at　Lars's　arm；　before　anyone　else　could　see　her　dismay；　she　pulled　them　both　into　the　crowd；　away　from　Trag　and　the　two　Elders　who　escorted　him
　〃Easy；　Killa；〃　Lars　murmured　in　her　ear。　〃Don't　give　it　away。　Not　now！〃
　〃But　he　…　〃
　His　hand　twisted　her　fingers　cruelly；　reminding　her　of　the　danger　they　were　in。
　〃That　last　piece　will　send　them　all　to　their　beds；　alone　if　necessary；〃　Lars　continued；　breaking　up　the　sentence　into　quick　short　phrases　as　he　hurried　her　away　from　the　hall。　〃No　one　is　expected　to　linger。　Not　after　that　dose　of　eroticism。〃　They　turned　a　corner；　Killashandra　accepting　Lars's　direction。　〃Trag's　ing。〃
　〃Don't　you　understand？　No　one　here　posed　that　music。　It　was　all　stolen！〃
　〃I　know；　I　know。〃
　〃Yours　wasn't　stolen。　It　was　original。　The　only　bloody　original　music　I've　heard　on　this　fardling　mudball！〃
　〃Shush　now；　Killa。　Only　one　more　corridor　and　we're　home　safe　and　then　you　can　rant　and　rave。〃
　〃I　get　the　cold　shower　first。〃
　〃What　and　waste　the　music？〃
　She　tried　to　kick　him　but　they　were　walking　so　fast　she　would　have　lost　her　balance　if　she'd　succeeded。
　〃I　will　not　be　manipulated。。。〃　and　the　last　word　she　roared　in　the　privacy　of　their　suite。　She　was　hauling　the　Beluga　spidersilk　kaftan　over　her　head　as　she　reached　the　bathroom　door　and；　flipping　on　the　cold　water；　stood　in　its　frigid　torrent　until　she　could　feel　her　flesh　shriveling。　Lars　pulled　her　out；　handing　her　a　towel　as　he　took　her　place。
　〃I　think　it's　a　shame　to　waste　all　their　hard　work　and　effort　…　〃
　〃Did　you　want　to　go　to　bed　with　an　image　of　Ampris？〃　she　demanded　at　the　top　of　her　voice。
　〃Oh；　I　saw　Mirbethan；〃　Lars　said　ingenuously；　toweling　himself　dry。
　〃Mirbethan？〃
　〃Yes；　didn't　you　know　that　was　why　she　was　included　in　your　weling　mittee？　She's　bi　…　〃
　〃What？〃　Killashandra　screeched　that　at　the　top　of　her　lungs。
　〃pose　yourself；　Killashandra　Ree；〃　said　the　cool　voice　of　Trag　from　the　doorway。　〃You　and　Lars　Dahl　are　in　every　bit　as　much　danger　as　you　thought。　We　must　talk。〃
　Chapter　22
　〃First；〃　Trag　said　as　Killashandra　and　Lars　joined　him　in　the　main　room；　and　he　pointed　to　the　monitors。　Lars　held　up　the　jammer。　〃Very　good。　Secondly；　I　need　to　hear　an　account　of　your　adventures　here；　Killashandra。　Then　I　can　separate　the　fact　from　the　fiction　presented　by　Ampris　and　Torkes。　Both　are　clever　men。〃
　〃A　drink；　Killa？〃　Lars　asked　and　his　voice　was　rough　with　either　anger　or　anxiety。
　〃I　would　appreciate　something　stronger　than　that　tasteless　beer；　please；　Lars　Dahl；〃　Trag　said
　〃My　pleasure。　Trag。〃
　Killashandra　could　feel　the　tension　release　in　her　belly　and　she　let　out　a　lungful　of　air　as　Trag's　courteous　request　gave　her　a　reassuring　measure　of　his　attitude。　She　took　a　quick　pull　at　the　polly　liqueur　which　Lars　handed　her　before　he　sat　on　the　couch；　not　touching　her　but　with　one　arm　protectively　along　the　back。　She　began　with　her　arrival　on　the　Athena　and　her　suspicions　about　Corish。　Nor　was　she　any　less　than　candid　about　the　fit　of　pique　with　Optherian　bureaucracy　which　had　led　her　to　leave　the　Conservatory　grounds；　her　subsequent　kidnapping；　escape；　and　her　second　meeting　with　the　young　islander。　She　was　as　forthright　about　Lars's　effect　on　her　sexuality　as　she　was　about　the　impact　Nahia。　Hauness；　and　Theach　had　had　on　her　sympathies。　Crystal　singing　tended　to　peel　off　unnecessary　veneers　and　conditioned　attitudes；　not　that　she　had　been　afflicted　by　many；　having　been　raised　on　Fuerte。
　During　her　recitation；　Trag　had　sipped　his　drink；　any　reaction　hidden　by　his　hooded　eyes。　He　finished　the　last　of　the　polly　liqueur　which　Lars　had　elected　to　serve　him　as　she　concluded　the　summary　and　he　gestured　politely　to　Lars　for　a　refill。
　〃They　are　clever；　those　old　men；　but　they　have　not　dealt　with　crystal　singers　before；〃　Trag　said。　〃They　have　outsmarted　themselves　this　time。　Whom　the　Gods　would　destroy；　they　first　make　mad。〃
　Killashandra　regarded　Trag　in　mild　astonishment　and　then　Lars；　wondering　if　his　habit　was　contagious。　But　Trag's　adage　was　eminently　applicable。
　〃Or　think　themselves　impervious　to　the　slings　and　arrows　of　outraged　fortune；〃　Lars　said　with　a　mischievous　grin。　Killashandra　groaned　in　protest。
　〃Tomorrow　I　shall　offer　to　realign　the　Conservatory　instrument。〃　Trag　said。　〃I　distinctly　heard　a　burr　…　the　first　sign　of　a　souring　crystal。〃
　〃Will　they　permit　you？〃　Killashandra　asked。
　〃They　are　greedy。　And　they　have　no　qualified　crystal　tuner　until　we　have　trained　some。　I　have　already　resolved　the　point　that　the　Guild　contracted　to　supply　the　crystals　and　technical　assistance；　without　reference　to　the　number　of　appropriate　technicians　supplied。　Therefore　no　further　sum　is　to　be　paid　by　them。　Until　they　received　that　reassurance　from　me；　they　were　trying　to　make　out　that　you　were　in　breach　of　contract　…　〃
　〃In　breach？　Me？　When　they　placed　me　in　jeopardy？　First　by　hiring　an　assailant　to　prove　my　Heptite　origination？　Then　they　hinder　me　in　the　execution　of　my　assignment？　And　they　malign　my　petence？〃　Killashandra　quickly　switched　to　malicious　amusement。　〃Not　that　they　will　really　appreciate　the　level　of　petence　we　have　exhibited！　Nor　the　caliber　of　the　technical　assistance　they've　bought！〃　She　grinned　at　Trag。　〃So；　what　other　knotty　problems　did　you　solve　at　dinner？〃
　〃Your　incorruptible　dedication　to　your　Guild。〃
　〃What！〃　Killashandra's　irritation　rekindled。　〃Of　all　the　…　〃
　Trag　held　up　his　hand；　a　gleam　in　his　eye　that　suggested　to　Killashandra　that　he　was　enjoying　her　disfiture。　Firmly　she　controlled　herself。　It　didn't　help　to　notice；　out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye；　that　Lars　was　struggling　to　suppress　his　own　amusement。
　〃ing　as　I　do　from　Guildmaster　Lanzecki's　office；　I　am；〃　Trag　paused　unexpectedly；　shooting　a　glance　at　Killashandra　which　she　could　only　interpret　as　sly；　〃above　reproach。　I　am　also　male。　Apparently　the　Elders　trust　few　women　in　any　but　the　most　traditional　or　subordinate　capacities。　I　assured　them　that　not　only　were　you　Guildmaster　Lanzecki's　first　choice　for　such　a　delicate　and　crucial　installation；　but　you　were　mine　as　well。〃
　Killashandra　sniffed　but　gave　him　a　long　hard　look；　to　remind　him　exactly　why　Killashandra　Ree　had　been　Trag's　first　choice。
　〃Your　praise；　Guildmember；　is　only　surpassed　by　your　concern　for　the　welfare　of　the　Guild；〃　she　said　dem