amc.killashandra-第8节

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；　her　body　arched　in　resistance。　Abruptly　he　let　go；　staring　at　her　with　an　expression　of　puzzled　shock　…　his　arms　were　bare；　and　the　hairs　on　them　stood　erect。
　〃I'm　awaiting　purchases　from　Stores。〃　Killashandra　was　so　desperate　for　a　last…minute　reprieve　that　any　delay　seemed　reasonable。
　〃There！〃　The　Mate　conveyed　frustrated　disgust　and　impatience　as　he　pointed　to　a　stack　of　odd…size　parcels　littering　the　passageway。
　〃The　crystals？〃
　〃Cartons　all　racked　and　tacked　in　the　special　cargo　hold。〃　He　made　a　move　as　if　to　grab　her　arm　and　yank　her　aboard；　but　jingled　his　hands　with　frustration　instead。　〃We've　got　to　make　way。　Shanganagh　Authority　imposes　heavy　fines　for　missed　departure　windows。　And　don't　tell　me；　Crystal　Singer；　that　you've　got　enough　credit　to　pay　'em。〃　Abruptly　she　abandoned　all　hope　that　Lanzecki；　like　the　legendary　heroes　of　yore；　would　rescue　her　at　the　last　moment　from　her　act　of　boundless　self…sacrifice。　She　stepped　aboard　the　freighter。　The　airlock　closed　with　such　speed　that　the　heavy　external　hatch　brushed　against　her　heels。　The　ship　was　moving　from　the　docking　bay　before　the　Mate　could　lead　her　out　of　the　lock　and　close　the　secondary　iris　behind　them。
　Killashandra　experienced　an　almost　overpowering　urge　to　wrench　open　the　airlock　and　leap　into　the　blessed　oblivion　of　space。　But　as　she　had　deplored　such　extravagant　and　melodramatic　actions　in　performances　of　historical　tragedy；　integrity　prevented　suicide　despite　the　extreme　anguish　which　tormented　her。　Besides；　she　had　no　excuse　for　causing　the　death　of　the　Mate　who　seemed　not　to　be　suffering　at　all。
　〃Take　me　to　my　cabin；　please。〃　She　turned　too　quickly；　stumbled　over　the　many　packages　in　the　passageway　and　had　to　grab　the　Mate's　shoulder；　to　regain　her　balance。　Ordinarily　she　would　have　cursed　her　clumsiness；　and　apologized　but　cursing　was　undignified　and　inappropriate　to　her　mood。　From　the　pile；　she　chose　two　packages　with　the　victualer's　logo；　and　waved　negligently　at　the　remainder。　〃The　rest　may　be　brought　to　my　cabin　whenever　convenient。〃
　The　Mate　wended　a　careful　passage　through　the　tumbled　parcels　as　he　passed　her　to　lead　the　way。　She　noticed　that　the　hair　on　his　neck；　indeed　the　dark　body　hairs　that　escaped　the　sleeveless　top　he　wore；　were　piercing　the　thin　stuff；　all　at　right　angles　to　his　body。
　This　was　no　longer　an　amusing　manifestation。　Just　another　fascinating　aspect　of　crystal　singing　that　you　don't　hear　about　in　that　allegedly　plete　Disclosure！　It　should　be　renamed　〃A　Short　Introduction　to　what's　really　in　store　for　you！〃　One　day；　no　doubt；　she　would　be　in　the　appropriately　damaged　state　to　give　All　the　Facts。
　The　Mate　had　stopped；　flattening　himself　against　the　bulkhead；　and　gestured　toward　an　open　door。
　〃Your　quarters；　Crystal　Singer。　Your　thumbprint　will　secure　the　door。〃　He　touched　his　fingers　to　a　spot　above　his　right　eye　and　disappeared　around　the　corner　as　if　chased　by　Galormis。
　Killashandra　pressed　her　thumb　hard　into　the　door　lock。　She　was　pleasantly　surprised　by　the　size　of　the　cabin。　Not　as　big　as　any　acmodation　she　had　enjoyed　on　Ballybran　but　larger　than　her　student　room　at　Fuerte　and　much　more　spacious　than　that　closet　on　the　Trundomoux　cruiser。　She　slid　the　door　shut；　locked　it；　and　put　the　packages　down　on　the　narrow　writing　ledge。　She　looked　at　the　bunk；　strapped　up　to　the　wall　in　its　daytime　position。　Suddenly　she　was　light…headed　with　fatigue。　Strong　emotion　is　as　exhausting　as　cutting　crystal；　she　thought。　She　released　the　bunk　and　stretched　herself　out。　She　exhaled　on　a　long　shuddering　sob　and　tried　to　relax　her　taut　muscles。
　The　hum　of　the　ship's　crystal　drive　was　a　counterpoint　to　the　resonance　between　her　ears；　and　both　sounds　traveled　in　waves　up　and　down　her　bones。　At　first　her　mind　did　a　descant；　weaving　an　independent　melody　through　the　bass　and　alto；　but　the　rhythm　suggested　a　three…syllable　word　…　Lan…zec…ki　…　so　she　changed　to　an　idiot　two…note　dissonance　and　eventually　fell　asleep。
　Once　she　got　over　the　initial　buoyancy　of　self…sacrifice　aboard　the　Pink　Tulip　Sparrow；　Killashandra　vacillated　between　fury　at　Trag　and　wallowing　in　despair　at　her　〃Loss。〃　Until　she　concluded　that　her　misery　was　caused　by　Lanzecki　…　after　all；　if　he　hadn't　made　such　a　determined　play　for　her　affections；　he　wouldn't　have　bee　so　attached　to　her；　nor　she　to　him；　and　she　wouldn't　be　on　a　stinking　tub　of　a　freighter。　Well；　yes；　she　probably　would。　If　all　Trag　had　told　her　about　the　Optherian　assignment　was　true。　In　no　mood　to　be　civil　to　either　the　crew　or　the　other　passengers；　she　stayed　in　her　cabin　the　entire　trip。
　At　Rappahoe　Transfer　Point；　she　boarded　a　second　freighter；　newer　and　less　unpleasant　than　the　Pink　Tulip　Sparrow；　with　a　lounge　for　the　ten　passengers　it　carried。　Eight　were　male　and　each　of　them；　including　the　only　attached　man；　stood　quickly　at　her　entrance。　Plainly　they　were　aware　that　she　was　a　crystal　singer。　Equally　apparent　was　the　fact　that　they　were　willing　to　put　scruples　aside　to　discover　the　truth　of　the　space　flot　about　singers。　Three　of　them　desisted　after　their　first　hour　of　propinquity。　Two　more　during　the　first　evening's　meal。　To　have　one's　hair　constantly　standing　on　end　seems　like　a　little　thing　but　so　is　a　drop　of　water　patiently　wearing　away　a　stone。　The　bald　Argulian　was　the　most　persistent。　He　actually　grabbed　her　in　the　narrow　panionway；　pressing　her　close　to　his　body　in　an　ardent　embrace。　She　didn't　have　to　struggle　for　release。
　He　dropped　his　arms　and　slid　away；　flushing　and　trembling。　〃You're　shocking。〃　He　scrubbed　his　arms　and　brushed　urgently　at　those　portions　of　his　body　which　had　been　in　contact　with　her。　〃That's　not　a　nice　thing　to　do　to　a　friendly　fellow　like　me。〃　He　looked　aggrieved。
　〃It　was　all　your　idea。〃　Killashandra　continued　on　to　her　quarters。　And　another　singer　legend　is　spawned！
　The　female　captain　of　the　third　freighter；　which　she　boarded　at　Melorica；　bluntly　informed　her　that；　under　no　circumstances；　would　she　tolerate　any　short…term　disruption　of　the　pairing　in　her　all…female　crew。
　〃That's　quite　all　right；　captain。　I've　taken　a　vow　of　celibacy。〃
　〃What　for？〃　the　captain　demanded；　raking　Killashandra　with　an　appraising　scrutiny。　〃Religious　or　professional？〃
　〃Neither。　I　shall　be　true　to　one　man　till　I　die。〃　Killashandra　was　pleased　with　the　infinitesimal　tremor　of　pathos　in　her　voice。
　〃No　man's　worth　that；　honey！〃　The　captain's　disgust　was　genuine。
　With　a　sad　sigh；　Killashandra　asked　if　the　ship's　library　had　much　in　the　way　of　programs　for　single　players　and　retired　to　her　quarters；　which　had　been　getting　smaller　with　each　ship。　Fortunately　this　was　the　shortest　leg　of　her　space　hike　to　Bernard's　World。
　By　the　time　Killashandra　reached　the　Bernard's　World　Transfer　Satellite；　she　entertained　doubts　about　Trag's　candor。　The　journey　seemed　incredibly　long　for　a　modern　space　voyage；　even　allowing　for　the　fact　that　freighters　are　generally　slower　than　cruisers　or　liners。　She'd　logged　five　weeks　of　interstellar　travel　and　must　somehow　endure　another　five　before　she　reached　the　Optherian　system。　Could　Trag　have　done　a　subtle　job　recruiting　her　because　no　other　singer　would　consider　the　assignment？　No；　the　fee　was　too　good　…　besides。　Borella；　Concera；　and　Gobbain　had　been　trying　for　it。
　In　the　orbital　position　of　a　small　moon；　the　Transfer　Satellite　inscribed　a　graceful　forty…eight…hour　path　about　the　brilliant　blue…and…green　jewel　of　a　planet。　The　satellite　was　a　marvel　of　modern　engineering；　with　docking　and　repair　facilities　capable　of　handling　FSC　cruisers　and　the　pound　ships　of　the　Exploration　and　Evaluation　Corps；　felicitously　sited　at　the　intersection　of　nine　major　space　routes。　Fresh　fruit　and　vegetables　were　grown　in　its　extensive　gardens；　and　high　quality　protein　was　manufactured　in　its　catering　division：　sufficient　in　quantity　and　diversity　to　please　the　most　exacting　clients。　Stores　of　the　basic　nutrients　were　available　for　five　other　star…roving　species。　Additional　nodules　acmodated　small　industries　and　a　thriving　medical　research　laboratory　and　hospital。　In　the　transient　quadrant；　there　were　playing　fields；　free…ball　and　free…fall　courts；　spacious　gardens；　and　a　zoo　housing　a　selection　of　the　smaller　life　forms　from　nine　nearby　star　systems。　As　Killashandra　perused　the　directory　in　her　room；　she　noted　with　considerable　delight　that　a　radiant　fluid　tank　was　one　of　the　amenities　in　the　gymnasium　arc。
　Although　she　was　certain　that　there　had　been　some　decrease　of　the　resonance　in　her　body；　she　ached　for　the　total　relief　provided　by　an　hour　or　so　in　the　radiant　fluid。　She　booked　the　room　and；　fed　up　with　the　reaction　of　〃ordinary〃　people　to　her　proximity；　took　the　service　route　to　it。　She　had　also　decided　that　she　was　not　going　to　spend　the　five　weeks　on　the　cruise　ship　enhancing　crystal　singer　myths。　Just　then　her　bruised　and　aching　heart　had　no　room　for　affection；　much　less　passion。　And　crystal　neutralized　passing　fancy　or　pure　lust。
　If　she　could　reduce　the　hair…standing　phenomenon　to　a　minimum；　she　intended　to　adopt　a　new　personality：　that　of　an　aspiring　young　musician　traveling　to　Optheria's　Summer　Festival；　and　required　by　economics　to　travel　off…season　and　on　the　cheaper　freight　lines。　She　had　spent　long　hou