amc.killashandra-第42部分

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　〃Beloved　Killashandra；　when　you　sprang　that；〃　and　he　aptly　mimicked　her　voice；　〃　'I　have　no　fear　of　being　assaulted　with　Captain　Dahl　beside　me；'　I　nearly　choked。〃
　〃I　felt　you　quaking；　but　I　didn'　t　know　if　it　was　laughter　or　outrage。〃
　〃And　then　suggesting　that　someone　else　had　instigated　the　attack　to　implicate　islanders　…　Killashandra；　I　wouldn'd　have　missed　that　for　anything。　You　really　got　mine　back　on　the　flatulent　fardling。　But　watch　him；　Killa。　He's　dangerous。　Once　he　and　Torkes　start　paring　notes。。。〃
　〃They　still　have　to　get　that　organ　fixed　in　time　for　all　those　lucky　little　posers　to　practice　their　pieces。　I'm　here　and　even　if　a　replacement　is　ing；　it's　the　old　bird…in…the…hand。〃
　〃Yes；　and　they've　got　to　have　done　all　the　Mainland　concerts　to　ensure　a　proper　Optherian　attitude　toward　visitors。〃
　〃Proper　attitude？　Mainland　concerts？　What　do　you　mean？〃
　Lars　held　her　slightly　away　from　him　in　the　capacious　bath；　reading　her　face　and　eyes。
　〃You　don't　know？　You　don't　really　know　why　that　organ　is　so　important　to　the　Elders？〃
　〃Well；　I　do　know　that　the　set…up　will　produce　an　intense　emotional　experience　for　the　listener。　It　verges　on　illegal　manipulation。〃
　Lars　gave　a　sour　laugh。　〃Verges？　It　is。　But　then　you　would　only　have　seen　the　sensory　elements。　The　subliminal　units　are　kept　out　of　sight；　underneath　the　organ　loft。〃
　〃Subliminals？〃　Killashandra　stared　at　Lars。
　〃Of　course；　ninny。　How　do　you　think　the　Elders　keep　the　people　of　Optheria　from　wanting　any　of　the　marvels　that　the　visitors　tell　them　about？　Because　they've　just　had　a　full　dose　of　subliminal　conditioning！　Why　do　you　think　people　who　prefer　to　exercise　their　own　wits　live　in　the　islands？　The　Elders　can't　broadcast　the　subliminals　and　sensories。〃
　〃Subliminals　are　illegal！　Even　the　sensory　feedbacks　border　on　illegality！　Lars；　when　I　tell　the　FSP　this　…　〃
　〃Why　do　you　think　my　father　was　sent　to　Optheria？　The　FSP　wants　proof！　And　that　means　an　eyeball　on　the　illegal　equipment。　It's　taken　Father's　group　nearly　thirty　years　to　get　close　enough。〃
　〃Then　you　weren't　here　just　to　learn　to　play　that　blasted　thing？〃
　〃Playing　the　blasted　thing　is　the　only　way　to　get　close　enough　to　it　to　find　out　where　the　subliminal　units　are　kept。　gail　did。　And　died！〃
　〃You're　suggesting　he　didn't　suicide？〃
　Lars　shook　his　head　slowly。　〃Something　Nahia　said　during　the　hurricane　confirmed　my　suspicion　that　he　hadn't。　You　see；　I　knew　gail。　He　was　my　position　tutor。　He　wasn't　a　martyr　type。　He　certainly　wanted　to　live。　He　was　willing　to　risk　a　lot　but　not　his　life。　Nahia　mentioned　that　he'd　asked　Hauness　to　provide　him　with　rehab　blocks。　A　good　block　…　and　Hauness　is　the　best　there　is　…　prevents　the　victim　from　confessional　diarrhea　and　a　total　loss　of　personality。　gail　had　been　so　above　reproach　all　the　time　he'd　been　at　the　Conservatory　that　not　even　a　paranoid　like　Pedder　would　have　suspected　him　of　collusion　with　dissidents。　But；　for　shattering　the　manual；　gail'd　automatically　be　sent　to　rehab。　He　had　prepared　himself　for　that。　He　wasn't　killed　by　a　crystal　fragment；　Killa；　he　was　murdered　by　it。　I　think　it　was　because　he　had　found　the　access　to　the　subliminal　units。〃
　〃Subliminals！〃　Killashandra　seethed　with　horror　at　the　potentially　total　control。　〃And　he　found　the　access？　Where？　All　I　need　is　one　look　at　them　…　〃
　Lars　regarded　her　solemnly。　〃That's　all　we　need　…　once　we　find　them。　They've　got　to　be　somewhere　in　the　organ　loft。〃
　〃Well；　then〃　…　Killashandra　embraced　him　exuberantly　…　〃wasn't　I　clever　to　insist　that　you　and　I　handle　the　repairs　all　by　ourselves。〃
　〃If　we're　allowed！〃
　〃You've　the　jammer。〃　She　rose　from　the　deep　bath；　Lars　following　her。　〃Say；　if　your　father's　so　clever　with　electronics；　why　hasn't　he　figured　a　Way　to　jam　the　shuttleport　detection　arch？〃
　Lars　chuckled　as　she　dried　him；　for　once　more　interested　in　something　other　than　his　physical　effect　on　her。
　〃He's　spent　close　to　thirty　years　trying。　We　even　have　a　replica　of　the　detector　on　Angel。　But　we　cannot　figure　a　way　to　mask　that　residue。　Watch　out　for　my　ears！〃　She　had　been　briskly　toweling　his　hair。
　〃Does　the　detector　always　catch　the　native？〃
　〃Infallible。〃
　〃And　yet。。。〃　She　wrapped　her　hair　in　a　towel。　She　pointed　to　the　jammer　and　then　proceeded　to　the　salon。　Lars　followed；　the　jammer　held　above　his　head　like　a　torch；　a　diabolical　gleam　in　his　eye　as　he　waved　it　at　each　of　the　monitors　he　passed。　〃Yet　when　Thyrol　came　out　right　with　me；　the　detector　didn't　catch　him。　And　passed　me。〃
　〃What？　No　matter　how　many　people　pass　under　it；　it　will　always　detect　the　native！〃
　〃It　didn't　then！　I　wonder　if　it　had　anything　to　do　with　crystal　resonance。
　〃You　mean　in　you？〃
　〃Hmmm。　It's　not　exactly　something　we　can　experiment　with；　is　it？　Prancing　in　and　out　of　the　shuttleport。〃
　〃Hardly　…　and　we're　half　a　world　away　from　the　only　other　one。〃
　〃Well；　we　can　worry　about　that　later。　After　we've　found　the　access　and　after　we've　repaired　that　wretched　organ！　Now；〃　and　she　opened　the　doors　of　the　beverage　store　with　a　flourish；　〃what　shall　we　drink　with　our　supper？〃
　Chapter　19
　Killashandra　woke　before　the　chimes；　which　did　not　sound　in　her　suite　but　were　nevertheless　audible　from　the　adjacent　sections　of　the　Conservatory。　She　woke　refreshed　and　totally　relaxed；　and　cautiously　eased　herself　away　from　Lars's　supine　body　so　that　she　might　have　a　better　view　of　his　sleeping　form。　She　fell　oddly　protective　of　him　as　she　propped　her　head　on　one　hand　and　minutely　inspected　his　profile。　Thus　she　noticed　that　the　tips　of　his　long　eyelashes　were　bleached　and　the　lid　itself　was　not　as　dark　as　the　surrounding　skin。　Fine　laugh；　or　sun　lines；　fanned　out　from　the　corners　to　the　temple。　The　arch　of　his　nose　just　missed　being　too　high；　too　thin；　being　balanced　by　fine　modeling　and　length。　His　cheeks　wore　a　dusting　of　freckles　which　she　hadn't　noticed　before。　And　several　dark　brow　hairs　were　out　of　line　as　the　brow　curved　around　the　eye　socket。　Several　hairs　bristled　straight　up　at　the　inner　edges　of　brows　that　would　almost　meet　when　he　frowned。
　She　liked　best　his　wide　lips；　more　patrician　than　sensual。　She　knew　the　havoc　they　could　raise　with　her　body　and　felt　they　were　perhaps　his　best　feature。　Even　in　sleep；　the　corners　raised　slightly。　His　chin　was　rather　broader　than　one　was　aware　when　his　face　was　mobile；　but　the　strong　jawline　swept　back　to　well…shaped　ears；　also　tan；　with　a　spot　of　new　sunburn　about　to　peel　on　the　top　skin。
　The　column　of　his　neck　was　strong　and　the　pulse　beat　in　his　throat。　She　wanted　to　put　her　finger　tip　on　it　and　almost　did　before　retracting　her　hand。　He　was　more　truly　hers　when　asleep；　untouched　by　stress；　relaxed；　his　rib　cage　barely　moving。
　She　loved　the　line　of　his　chest；　the　smooth　skin　clothing　smooth　pectoral　muscle；　and　once　again　she　had　to　repress　the　wish　to　run　her　hand　down　the　shape　of　him；　to　feel　the　fine　crisp　hair　on　his　chest。　He　was　not　hirsute　and　she　found　that　much　to　her　preference　as　well；　his　legs　and　arms　having　only　a　fine　dusting　of　blond　hairs。
　She　had　seen　handsomer　men　but　the　position　of　his　face　pleased　her　better。　Lanzecki　…　now　that　was　the　first　time　she'd　thought　of　him　in　days　…　actually　was　the　more　distinguished　in　looks；　heavier　in　build。　She　decided　she　preferred　the　way　Lars　Dahl　was　put　together。
　She　sighed。　It　was　easier　to　be　philosophical　about　Lanzecki。　Would　she　have　been　as　easily　resigned　to　that　loss　if　she　hadn't　met　Lars　Dahl？　She　had　broken　off　with　Lanzecki　for　his　own　good；　but　she　hadn't　〃lost〃　him；　for　she　would　return　to　Ballybran。　Once　she'd　left　Optheria。。。
　For　a　moment　her　emotions　hovered　above　a　new　abyss　of　despair　and　regret。　And　for　the　first　time　in　her　life；　the　thought　of　bearing　a　man's　child　crossed　her　mind。　That　was　as　much　an　impossibility　as　remaining　with　Lars；　but　it　emphasized　the　depth　of　her　emotional　involvement　with　the　man。　Perhaps　it　was　just　as　well　that　no　child　was　possible；　that　their　liaison　would　end　when　this　assignment　was　over。　She　surprised　herself！　Children　were　something　other　people　had。　To　feel　that　desire　was　remarkable。
　Optheria；　for　all　its　conservatism　and　alleged　security；　had　unexpected　facets　of　danger。　Not　the　least　of　which　were　her　adventures　so　far。　She　could　hardly　fault　Trag；　or　rail　at　the　Encyclopedia　Galactica。　Facts　she　had　had。　What　couldn't　have　been　foreseen　were　the　astonishing　predicaments　which　had　entangled　her。　And　the　fascinating　personalities。
　More　extraordinary　still；　she　remembered　all　too　vividly；　and　with　just　a　trace　of　chagrin；　her　rantings　and　ravings　and　desperation's　when　she'd　left　Ballybran；　a　sacrifice　to　the　Guild　for　Lanzecki's　good。　Now；　when　contemplating　a　much　deeper　and　irreversible　loss；　why　was　she　so　calm；　fatalistically　resigned；　even　philosophical。　How　very　strange！　Had　her　loss　of　Lanzecki　inured　her　to　others？　Or　was　she　mistaking　her　feelings　for　Lars　Dahl？　No！　She'd　remember　Lars　Dahl　for　the　rest　of　her　life　without　benefit　of　data　retrieval。
　The　second　chimes　rang　faintly　across　the　open　court　outside　the　windows。　Faint　but　sufficient　to　waken　Lars。　He　was　as　neat　on　wakening　as　he　was　in　sleep。　His　eyes　opened；　his　right　hand　searched　for　her　body；　his　head　turned　and　his　smile　began　as　he　located　her。　Then　he　stretched；　arms　above　his　head；　back　arching　toward　her　as　he　extended　his　legs　and　then　on　the　top　of　his　extension；　suddenly　retracted　himself；　drawing　her　against　him；　to　plete　a　morning　ritual　which　included　the　exercise　of　their　intimate　relationship。　Each　time；　they　seemed　to　discover　something　new　about　themselves　and　their　responses。　She　particularly　liked　Lars's　capacity　for　invention；　stimulating　as　it　did　heretofore　unsuspected　originalities　in　herself。
　As　usual　hunger　roused　them　from　these　variations。
　〃Breakfast　here　is　the　heartiest　meal；〃　Lars　said　cheerfully；　striding　quickly　for　the　catering　unit。　〃You'll　like　it。〃
　Killashandra　saw　that　he　had　left　the　jammer　behind　him；　and　she　followed　him　at　a　quick　trot；　holding　the　device　up　to　distort　anything　else　he　might　say。
　He　laughed。　〃We'd　best　leave　them　something　to　hear。　A　discussion　of　breakfast　must　be　sufficiently　innocuous。〃
　Killashandra　settled　in　one　of　the　chairs　near