tz.theicarushunt-第11部分

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ent　wrong。〃
　He　nodded　in　miseration。　〃So　what　happens　now？〃
　I　looked　over　at　Jones's　body　again。　〃We　take　him　to　port　and　turn　him　over　to　the　authorities；〃　I　said。　〃Then　we　keep　going。〃
　〃Without　a　mechanic？〃　Everett　frowned。　〃A　ship　this　size　needs　all　eight　certificates；　you　know。〃
　〃That's　okay；〃　I　assured　him；　backing　out　the　door。　〃Nicabar　can　cover　for　the　few　hours　it'll　take　to　get　to　port。　After　that；　I　know　where　we　can　pick　up　another　mechanic。　Cheap。〃
　He　made　some　puzzled…sounding　reply；　but　I　was　already　in　the　corridor　and　didn't　stop　to　hear　it。　Cameron's　course　plan　had　put　our　first　fueling　stop　at　Trottsen；　seventy…two　more　hours　away。　But　a　relatively　minor　vector　change　would　take　us　instead　to　Xathru；　only　nine　hours　from　here；　where　Ixil　and　the　Stormy　Banks　were　due　to　deliver　Brother　John's　illegal　cargo。　We　needed　a　replacement　mechanic；　after　all；　and　Ixil　would　fit　the　bill　perfectly。
　Besides　which；　I　suddenly　very　much　wanted　to　have　Ixil　at　my　side。　Or　perhaps　more　precisely；　to　have　him　watching　my　back。
　　
　CHAPTER　4
　
　THE　PARQUET　DOCKYARD　on　Xathru　was　like　a　thousand　other　medium…sized　spaceports　scattered　across　the　Spiral：　primitive　pared　to　Qattara　Axial　or　one　of　the　other　InterSpiral…class　ports；　but　still　two　steps　above　small　regional　hubs　like　the　one　we'd　taken　off　from　on　Meima。　The　Parquet's　landing　pits　were　cradle…shaped　instead　of　simply　flat；　smoothly　contoured　to　acmodate　a　variety　of　standard　ship　designs。
　Of　course；　no　one　in　his　right　mind　would　have　anticipated　the　Icarus's　lopsided　shape；　so　even　with　half　its　bulk　below　ground　level　the　floors　still　sloped　upward。　But　at　least　here　the　entryway　ladder　could　be　reconfigured　as　a　short　ramp　with　a　rise　of　maybe　two　meters　instead　of　the　ten…meter　climb　we　had　had　without　it。　Progress。
　Nicabar　volunteered　to　help　Everett　take　Jones's　body　to　the　Port　Authority；　where　the　various　death　forms　would　have　to　be　filled　out。　I　ran　through　the　basic　landing　procedure；　promised　the　tower　that　I　would　file　my　own　set　of　accident　report　forms　before　we　left；　then　grabbed　one　of　the　little　runaround　cars　scattered　randomly　between　the　docking　rectangles　and　headed　out　to　the　Starrm　building　looming　like　a　giant　mushroom　at　the　southern　boundary　of　the　port。
　Like　most　Starrm　facilities；　this　one　was　reasonably　crowded。　But　also　as　usual；　the　high　costs　involved　with　interstellar　munication　led　to　generally　short　conversations；　with　the　result　that　it　was　only　about　five　minutes　before　my　name　was　called　and　I　was　directed　down　one　of　the　corridors　to　my　designated　booth。　I　closed　the　door　behind　me；　made　sure　it　was　privacy…sealed；　and　after　only　a　slight　hesitation　keyed　for　a　full　vid　connect。　It　was　ten　times　as　expensive　as　vidless；　but　I　had　Cameron's　thousand…mark　advance　money　and　was　feeling　extravagant。
　Besides；　reactions　were　so　much　more　interesting　when　face　and　body　language　were　there　in　addition　to　words　and　tone。　And　unless　I　missed　my　guess；　the　ing　reaction　was　going　to　be　one　for　the　books。　Feeding　one　of　Cameron's　hundred…mark　bills　into　the　slot；　I　keyed　in　Brother　John's　private　number。
　Somewhere　on　Xathru；　Starrm's　fifty…kilometer…square　star…connect　array　spat　a　signal　across　the　light…years　toward　an　identical　array　on　whichever　world　it　was　where　Brother　John　sat　in　the　middle　of　his　noxious　little　spiderweb。　I　didn't　know　which　world　it　was；　or　even　whether　it　was　the　same　world　each　time　or　if　he　continually　moved　around　like　a　touring　road　show。
　Neither　did　InterSpiral　Law　Enforcement　or　any　of　the　other　more　regional　agencies　working　their　various　jurisdictions　within　the　Spiral。　They　didn't　know　where　he　was；　or　where　the　records　of　his　transactions　were；　or　how　to　get　hold　of　either　him　or　them。　Most　every　one　of　the　beings　working　those　agencies　would　give　his　upper　right　appendage　to　know　those　things。　Brother　John's　influence　stretched　a　long　way　across　the　stars；　and　he　had　ruined　a　lot　of　lives　and　angered　a　lot　of　people　along　the　way。
　Considering　my　current　relationship　with　the　man　and　his　organization；　I　could　only　hope　that　none　of　those　eager　badgemen　found　him　anytime　soon。
　The　screen　cleared；　and　a　broken…nosed　thug　with　perpetual　scowl　lines　around　his　eyes　and　mouth　peered　out　at　me。　〃Yeah？〃　he　grunted。
　〃This　is　Jordan　McKell；〃　I　identified　myself；　as　if　anyone　Brother　John　had　answering　the　phone　for　him　wouldn't　know　all　of　us　indentured　slaves　by　sight。　〃I'd　like　to　speak　with　Mr。　Ryland；　please。〃
　The　beetle　brows　seemed　to　twitch。　〃Yeah；〃　he　grunted　again。　〃Hang　on。〃
　The　screen　went　black。　I　made　a　small　private　wager　with　myself　that　Brother　John　would　leave　me　hanging　and　sweating　for　at　least　a　minute　before　he　deigned　to　e　on；　despite　the　fact　that　fielding　calls　from　people　like　me　was　one　of　his　primary　jobs；　and　also　despite　what　this　vid　connect　was　costing　me　per　quarter　second。
　I　thought　I'd　lost　my　wager　when　the　screen　came　back　on　after　only　twenty　seconds。　But　no；　he'd　simply　added　an　extra　layer　to　the　procedure。　〃Well；　if　it　isn't　Jordan　McKell；〃　a　moon…faced　man　said　in　a　playfully　sarcastic　voice；　looking　even　more　like　a　refugee　from　a　mobster　movie　than　the　call　screener　had；　his　elegantly　proper　butler's　outfit　notwithstanding。　〃How　nice　of　you　to　grace　our　vid　screen　with　your　presence。〃
　〃I'm　amazingly　delighted　to　see　you；　too；〃　I　said　mildly。　〃Would　Mr。　Ryland　like　to　hear　some　interesting　news；　or　are　we　just　taking　this　opportunity　to　help　you　brush　up　on　your　badinage？〃
　The　housethug's　eyes　narrowed；　no　doubt　trying　to　figure　out　what　〃badinage〃　was　and　whether　or　not　he'd　just　been　insulted。　〃Mr。　Ryland　doesn't　appreciate　getting　interesting　news　from　employees　on　the　fly；〃　he　bit　out。　The　playful　part　had　evaporated；　but　the　sarcasm　was　still　there。　〃In　case　you've　forgotten；　you　have　a　cargo　to　deliver。〃
　〃Done　and　done；〃　I　told　him。　〃Or　it　will　be　soon；　if　it　isn't　already。〃
　He　frowned　again；　but　before　he　could　speak；　his　face　vanished　from　the　screen　as　a　different　extension　cut　in。
　And　there；　smiling　cherubically　at　me；　was　Brother　John。　〃Hello；　Jordan；〃　he　said　smoothly。　〃And　how　are　you？〃
　〃Hello；　Mr。　Ryland；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　just　fine。　I'm　pleased　everyone　over　there　is　so　cheerful　today；　too。〃
　He　smiled　even　more　genially。　To　look　at　Johnston　Scotto　Ryland；　you　would　think　you　were　in　the　presence　of　a　philanthropist　or　a　priest　or　at　the　very　least　a　former　choirboy…hence；　our　private　〃Brother　John〃　nickname　for　him。　And　I　suspected　that　there　were　still　people　in　the　Spiral　who　were　being　taken　in　by　that　winning　smile　and　clear…conscienced　face　and　utterly　sincere　voice。
　Especially　the　voice。　〃Why　shouldn't　we　be　happy？〃　he　said；　nothing　in　his　manner　giving　the　slightest　hint　of　what　was　going　on　behind　those　dark　and　soulless　eyes。　〃Business　is　booming；　profits　are　up；　and　all　my　valued　employees　are　working　so　wonderfully　together。〃
　The　smile　didn't　change；　but　suddenly　there　was　a　chill　in　the　air。　〃Except　for　you；　Jordan；　my　lad。　For　some　unknown　reason　you　seem　to　have　suddenly　grown　weary　of　our　pany。〃
　〃I　don't　know　what　could　have　given　you　that　impression；　Mr。　Ryland；〃　I　protested；　trying　my　own　version　of　the　innocent　act。
　〃Don't　you；〃　he　said；　the　temperature　dropping　a　few　more　degrees。　Apparently；　innocence　wasn't　playing　well　today。　〃I'm　told　the　Stormy　Banks　docked　on　Xathru　not　thirty　minutes　ago。　And　that　you　weren't　on　it。〃
　〃That's　right；　I　wasn't；〃　I　agreed。　〃But　Ixil　was；　and　so　was　your　merchandise。　That's　the　important　part；　isn't　it？〃
　〃All　aspects　of　my　arrangements　are　important；〃　he　countered。　〃When　I　instruct　you　to　deliver　a　cargo；　I　expect　you　to　deliver　it。　And　I　expect　you　to　take　it　directly　to　its　proper　destination；　without　unscheduled　and　unnecessary　stops　along　the　way。　That　was　our　agreement；　or　do　I　have　to　bring　up…again…the　five　hundred　thousand　in　debts　I　bailed　you　and　your　partner　out　of？〃
　〃No；　sir；〃　I　sighed。　Not　that　I　was　ever　likely　to　forget　his　largesse　in　that　matter；　what　with　him　reminding　me　about　it　every　other　assignment。　〃But　if　I　may　be　so　bold；　I'd　like　to　point　out　that　another　of　your　standing　instructions　is　that　we　should　maintain　our　facade　of　poor　but　honest　cargo　haulers。〃
　〃And　how　does　that　apply　here？〃
　〃I　was　offered　a　position　as　pilot　on　another　ship　for　a　one…time　transport　job；〃　I　explained。　〃A　thousand　marks　up　front；　with　another　two　on　delivery。　How　could　I　turn　that　down　and　still　pretend　to　be　poor？〃
　That　line　of　reasoning　hadn't　impressed　Ixil　very　much　back　on　Meima。　It　impressed　Brother　John　even　less。　〃You　don't　seriously　expect　me　to　buy　that；　do　you？〃　he　demanded；　the　cultured　facade　cracking　just　a　bit。
　〃I　hope　so；　sir；　yes；〃　I　said。　〃Because　that　is　why　I　did　it。〃
　For　a　long　moment　he　studied　my　face；　and　I　found　myself　holding　my　breath。　Brother　John's　tentacles　stretched　everywhere；　even　to　backwater　worlds　like　Xathru。　A　touch　of　a　button；　a　few　pointed　words；　and　I　would　probably　not　even　make　it　out　of　the　Starrm　building　alive。　A　flurry　of　contingency　plans；　none　of　them　very　promising；　began　to　chase　each　other　through　my　mind。
　And　then；　suddenly；　he　smiled　again；　the　chill　that　had　been　frosting　the　screen　vanishing　into　warm　sunshine。　〃You're　a　sly　one；　Jordan…you　really　are；〃　he　said；　his　tone　implying　that　all　sins　had　graciously　been　forgiven。　〃All　right；　since　you've　gotten　my　cargo　delivered　on　time；　you　may　go　ahead　and　take　this　other　ship　and　cargo　home。　Consider　it　a　vacation　of　sorts　for　all　your　service　these　past　three　years；　eh？〃
　Considering　what　I'd　already　been　through　on　the　Icarus；　this　trip　was　not　exactly　turning　out　to　be　my　idea　of　a　good　time。　But　pared　to　facing　Brother　John's　vengeance；　I　decided　I　couldn't　plain。　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Ryland；〃　I　said；　giving　him　my　best　humble　gratitude　look。　〃I'll　let　you　know　when　I'll　be　available　again。〃
　〃Of　course　you　will；〃　he　said；　and　suddenly　the　warm　sunshine　vanished　again　into　an　icy　winter's　night。　〃Because　you　still　owe　us　a　considerable　debt。　And　you　know　how　Mr。　Antoniewicz　feels　about　employees　who　try　to　leave　without　paying　off　their　debts。〃
　Involuntarily；　I　shivered。　Mr。　Antoni