amc.killashandra-第3部分

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ve　equipment；　it　is　a　matter　of　planetary　urgency　to　repair　the　instrument。　It's　the　largest　on　the　planet　and　is　essential　to　the　observances　of　Optheria's　prestigious　Summer　Festival。　We　are　contracted　to　supply　technicians　as　well　as　crystal。〃　He　paused　for　a　mouthful　of　the　crisp　white　beans。　He　was　definitely　baiting　her；　Killashandra　knew。　She　held　her　tongue。　〃While　the　list　of　those　qualified　does　include　your　name。。。〃
　〃The　catch　can't　be　the　crystal　this　time；〃　she　said　as　he　purposefully　let　his　sentence　dangle　unfinished。　She　watched　his　face　for　any　reaction。　〃White　crystal's　active；　reflecting　sound。。。〃
　〃　…　Among　other　things；〃　Lanzecki　added　when　she　paused。
　〃If　it　isn't　the　crystal；　what's　the　matter　with　the　Optherians；　then？〃
　〃My　dear　Killashandra；　the　assignment　has　not　yet　been　awarded。〃
　〃Awarded？　I　like　the　sound　of　that。　Or　do　I？　I　wouldn't　put　it　past　you；　Lanzecki；　to　sucker　me　into　another　job　like　that　Trundomoux　installation。〃
　He　caught　the　finger　she　was　indignantly　shaking　at　him；　pulling　her　hand　across　the　laden　table　to　his　lips。　The　familiar　caress　evoked　familiar　responses　deep　in　her　groin　and　she　tried　to　use　her　irritation　with　his　methods　to　neutralize　its　effect　on　her。
　Just　then　a　munit　bleep　startled　her。　With　a　fleeting　expression　of　annoyance；　Lanzecki　lifted　his　wrist　unit　to　acknowledge　the　summons。
　A　tinny　version　of　Trag's　bass　voice　issued　from　the　device。　〃I　was　to　inform　you　when　the　preliminary　testing　stations　reported；〃　the　Administration　Officer　said。
　〃Any　interesting　applicants？〃
　Although　Lanzecki　sounded　diffident；　even　slightly　bored；　the　curious　tension　about　his　lips　and　eyes　alerted　Killashandra。　She　pretended　to　continue　eating　in　a　courteous　disregard　of　the　exchange；　but　she　didn't　lose　a　syllable　of　Trag's　reply。
　〃Four　agronomists；　an　endocrinologist　from　Theta；　two　xenobiologists；　an　atmospheric　physicist；　three　former　spacers〃　…　Killashandra　noted　the　slight　widening　of　Lanzecki's　eyes　which　she　interpreted　as　satisfaction　…　〃and　the　usual　flotsam　who　have　no　remendations　from　Testing。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Trag。〃
　Lanzecki　nodded　his　head　at　Killashandra　to　indicate　the　interruption　was　concluded　and　finished　off　the　dish　of　fried　Malva　beans。
　〃So　what　is　the　glitch　in　the　Optherian　assignment？　A　lousy　fee？〃
　〃On　the　contrary；　such　an　installation　is　set　at　twenty　thousand　credits。〃
　〃And　I'd　be　off…world　as　well。〃　Killashandra　was　quite　impressed　with　the　latitude　such　a　credit　balance　would　give　her　to　forget　crystal。
　〃You　have　not　been　awarded　the　contract；　Killa。　I　appreciate　your　willingness　to　entertain　the　assignment　but　there　are　certain　aspects　which　must　be　considered　by　the　Guild　as　well　as　the　individual。　Don't　mit　yourself　rashly。〃　Lanzecki　was　being　sincere。　His　eyes　held　hers　steadily　and　a　worried　crease　to　his　brows　emphasized　his　warning。　〃It's　a　long　haul　to　the　Optherian　system。　You'd　be　gone　from　Ballybran　nearly　a　full　year。。。〃
　〃All　the　better。。。〃
　〃You　say　that　now　when　you're　full　of　crystal　resonance。　You　can't　have　forgotten　Carrik　yet。〃
　His　reminder　conjured　flashing　scenes　of　the　first　crystal　singer　she　had　met：　Carrik　laughing　as　they　swam　in　Fuerte's　seas；　then　Carrik　wracked　by　withdrawal　fever　and　finally　the　passive　hulk　of　the　man；　shattered　by　sonic　resonance。
　〃You　will　in　time；　I've　no　doubt；　experience　that　phenomenon；〃　Lanzecki　said。　〃I've　never　known　a　singer　who　didn't　try　to　push　himself　and　his　symbiont　to　their　limits。　A　major　disadvantage　to　the　Optherian　contract　is　that　you　would　lose　any　resonance　to　your　existing　claims。〃
　〃As　if　I　had　a　decent　claim　among　the　lot。〃　Killashandra　snorted　in　disgust。　〃Rose　is　no　good　to　anyone　and　the　blue　petered　out　after　two　days'　cutting。　Even　the　white　vein　skips　and　jumps。　I　cut　the　best　of　the　accessible　vein。　With　the　kind　of　luck　I've　been　enjoying；　the　storm　has　probably　made　a　total　bollix　of　the　site。　I　am　not　…　not；　I　repeat　…　spending　another　three　weeks　in　a　spade　and　basket　operation。　Not　for　white。　Why　can't　Research　develop　an　efficient　portable　excavator？〃
　Lanzecki　cocked　his　head　slightly。　〃It　is　the　firm　opinion　of　Research　that　any　one　of　the　nine　efficient；　portable　and　durable；〃　a　significant　pause；　〃excavators　already　field…tested　ought　to　perform　the　task　for　which　it　was　engineered。。。　except　in　the　hands　of　a　crystal　singer。　It　is　the　opinion　of　Research　that　the　only　two　pieces　of　equipment　that　do　not　tax　the　mechanical　aptitude　of　a　singer　are　his　cutter　…　though　Fisherman　does　not　concur　…　and　his　sled；　and　you　have　already　heard　section　and　paragraph　from　the　Flight　Engineer　on　that　score。　Haven't　you？〃
　Killashandra　regarded　him　stolidly　for　a　few　moments；　then　remembered　to　chew　what　was　in　her　mouth。
　〃Overheard　him；〃　she　said；　with　a　malicious　grin。　〃Don't　try　to　distract　me　from　this　Optherian　business。〃
　〃I'm　not。　I　am　bringing　to　your　notice　the　several　overt　disadvantages　to　an　assignment　that　involves　a　long　absence　from　Ballybran　for　what　might；　in　the　long　run；　be　inadequate　pensation。〃　His　expression　changed　subtly。　〃I'd　rather　not　be　professionally　at　odds　with　you。　It　interferes　with　my　private　life。〃
　His　dark　eyes　caught　hers。　He　reached　for　her　hands；　lips　curved　in　the　one…sided　smile　that　she　found　so　affecting。　She　no　longer　shared　a　table　with　her　Guild　Master　but　with　Lanzecki　the　man。　The　alteration　pleased　her。　On　numerous　occasions；　during　sleepless　nights　in　the　Milekey　Ranges；　she　had　fondly　remembered　their　love…making。　Now；　seated　opposite　the　charismatic　Lanzecki；　she　found　that　her　appetite　for　more　than　food　had　been　pletely　restored。
　Her　smile　answered　his　and　together　they　rose　from　the　little　table　and　headed　for　the　sleeping　room。
　Chapter　2
　Killashandra　pushed　herself　back　from　the　terminal　and；　balancing　on　the　base　of　her　spine；　stretched　arms　and　legs　as　far　from　her　body　as　bone　and　tendon　permitted。　She　had　spent　the　morning　immersed　in　the　Optherian　entry　of　the　Encyclopedia　Galactica。
　Once　she　had　got　past　the　initial　exploration　and　evaluation　report　to　the　release　of　the　Ophiuchine　planet　for　colonization；　and　the　high…flown　language　of　its　charter　…　〃to　establish　a　colony　of　Mankind　in　plete　harmony　with　the　ecological　balance　of　his　adopted　planet：　to　ensure　the　propagation　thereon　of　the　Species　in　its　pure；　unadulterated　Form。〃　She　kept　waiting　for　the　fly　to　appear　in　the　syrupy　ointment　of　Optheria's　honey　pot。
　Optheria　was　an　old　planet　in　geological　terms。　A　near…circular　orbit　about　an　aging　sun　produced　a　temperate　clime。　There　was　little　seasonal　change　since　the　axial　〃wobble〃　was　negligible；　and　modest　glaciers　capped　both　poles。　Optheria　was　inordinately　proud　of　its　self…sufficiency　in　a　civilization　where　many　planets　were　so　deeply　in　debt　to　mercantile　satellites　that　they　were　almost　charged　for　the　atmosphere　that　encapsulated　them。　Optherian　imports　were　minimal。。。　with　the　exception　of　tourists　seeking　to　〃enjoy　the　gentler　pleasures　of　old　Terra　in　a　Totally　Natural　World。〃
　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　G