tz.theicarushunt-第19部分

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I'm　not。〃
　〃Look；　son；　I　understand　how　you　feel；〃　Everett　said；　laying　a　hand　on　Shawn's　shoulder。　〃But　he　is　our　captain…〃
　〃I　don't　care；〃　Shawn　snapped；　shrugging　off　the　hand。　〃I'm　going　out。　Now！〃
　And　with　that；　he　bunched　his　hands　into　fists　and　dived　straight　toward　me。
　He　didn't　get　very　far。　Ixil　was　ready　on　his　right　and　Nicabar　on　his　left；　and　each　of　them　grabbed　an　arm　right　in　mid…leap。　For　a　moment　Shawn　struggled　in　their　grip；　mouthing　obscenities　and　threats　mixed　liberally　with　snarls　in　an　alien　language　I　didn't　understand。　But　he　might　as　well　have　tried　to　walk　away　with　the　Icarus　resting　on　his　foot。　Ixil　and　Nicabar　held　on；　and　without　warning；　Shawn　suddenly　collapsed　in　their　grip；　whimpering　softly　under　his　breath。
　〃Bring　him　back　here；〃　Everett　said　quietly；　gesturing　as　he　backed　down　the　corridor　toward　the　sick　bay。　〃I'll　give　him　something。〃
　Ixil　caught　Nicabar's　eye；　the　tall　man　nodded　understanding　and　shifted　around　behind　Shawn；　taking　his　other　arm　from　Ixil　and　half　guiding；　half　carrying　the　moaning　kid　down　the　corridor　behind　Everett。　They　all　disappeared　inside；　the　door　closed　behind　them；　and　Ixil　looked　back　at　me。　〃That　was　interesting；〃　he　said。
　〃Is　he　ill？〃　Chort　asked；　his　alien　face　as　usual　impossible　to　read。　〃Perhaps　we　should　take　him　to　a　full…service　medical　center。〃
　〃Let's　see　what　Everett　can　do　with　him　first；〃　I　said；　throwing　a　glance　at　Tera。　Her　face；　too；　was　unreadable。　〃Look；　I've　got　to　go。　I'll　be　back　as　soon　as　I　can。〃
　〃Go　ahead；〃　Ixil　said。　〃We'll　handle　things　here。〃
　I　headed　down　the　ramp…as　on　Xathru；　the　landing　cradle　here　was　concave；　putting　part　of　the　Icarus's　bulk　beneath　ground　level　and　making　a　long　climb　unnecessary…and　crossed　to　the　edge　of　our　landing　square。　A　high…speed　slideway　ran　past　two　landing　squares　over；　with　two　short　layers　of　lower…speed　transfer　slideway　beside　it；　and　in　a　minute　I　was　being　carried　briskly　westward　toward　the　edge　of　the　spaceport　where　the　map　had　said　the　Starrm　building　was　located。
　The　port　was　busy　today；　I　noticed　with　some　concern　as　I　studied　my　fellow　slideway　travelers　with　the　same　casual　and　nonintrusive　glances　they　were　using　back　on　me。　The　extra　anonymity　provided　by　a　crowd　was　always　useful；　but　crowded　slideways　also　often　meant　crowded　Starrm　booths。　Even　before　we'd　landed　I　had　wanted　to　make　this　stop　as　brief　as　possible。　Now；　after　Shawn's　performance　back　there；　I　wanted　it　even　more。
　It　took　me　nearly　fifteen　minutes　to　reach　the　Starrm　building；　only　to　find　my　fears　had　been　realized。　The　entire　place　was　in　use；　with　estimated　waiting　times　for　a　booth　hovering　around　half　an　hour。　I　tried　to　talk　my　way　higher　on　the　waiting　list；　but　on　a　place　like　Dorscind's　World　the　operators　were　used　to　much　more　serious　threats　and　bullying　than　I　was　willing　to　try　and　wouldn't　budge。　Conceding　defeat；　I　accepted　the　numbered　card　they　handed　me…no　one　asked　for　or　gave　out　names　here…and　retreated　across　the　lobby　to　the　waiting…room　taverno。　Not　surprisingly；　it；　too；　was　doing　a　brisk　business；　but　I　was　lucky　enough　to　arrive　just　as　a　pair　of　Mastanni　were　leaving　a　small　table　near　the　entrance　and　was　able　to　grab　it。　I　glanced　at　the　menu；　punched　up　the　cheapest　drink　they　had；　and　sat　back　to　glower　at　the　large　display　over　the　bar　indicating　which　customers　were　currently　next　in　line　for　the　booths。
　It　wasn't　an　encouraging　sight。　At　the　leisurely　rate　the　numbers　were　crawling　upward；　I　decided　darkly；　the　operator's　estimation　of　thirty　minutes　was　entirely　too　optimistic。　I　hadn't　wanted　to　make　this　call　to　Uncle　Arthur；　but　being　forced　to　sit　here　and　wait　for　the　chance　to　have　myself　verbally　flensed　was　just　adding　insult　to　injury。　I　tried　to　e　up　with　a　clever　way　to　circumvent　the　system；　but　it　was　really　only　mental　steam…venting。　On　Dorscind's　World；　the　people　I'd　be　cutting　in　line　in　front　of　would　not　be　the　sort　to　greet　such　attempts　with　genial　smiles。　I　had　enough　trouble　in　my　life　already　without　going　out　and　finding　more。
　A　shadow　passed　over　me；　and　to　my　annoyance　a　thin；　wiry　man　with　dark　hair　and　a　scraggly　beard　plopped　himself　down　in　the　chair　across　from　me。　〃Hey；　old　buddy；〃　he　greeted　me　expansively。　〃How's　it　going？〃
　〃It's　going　just　fine；〃　I　told　him　automatically；　frowning。　His　tone　and　expression　implied　we　knew　each　other；　and　he　did　indeed　look　vaguely　familiar；　but　for　the　life　of　me　I　couldn't　place　him。
　He　apparently　picked　up　on　my　uncertainty。　〃Aw；　e　on；　Jordie　old　buddy；〃　he　said；　sounding　hurt。　〃Don't　tell　me　you　don't　remember　your　old　drinking　pal。〃
　And　in　that　moment；　it　all　came　disgustingly　back。　James　Fulbright；　small…time　gunrunner　and　smuggler；　the　only　person　I'd　ever　met　who　was　either　too　stupid　or　too　stubborn　for　me　to　break　of　using　the　hated　nickname　Jordie。　I'd　been　trying　to　negotiate　a　deal　with　his　group　when　Uncle　Arthur　had　fixed　me　up　with　Brother　John　instead。　The　drinking　bouts　that　had　been　a　centerpiece　of　Fulbright's　negotiations　had　been　one　of　the　definite　low　points　in　my　life。　〃Hello；　James；〃　I　sighed。　〃Small　Spiral；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Small　as　you'd　ever　want；〃　he　agreed；　grinning　with　a　mouthful　of　uneven　teeth。　Rumor　had　it　they'd　started　out　perfectly　straight；　but　that　every　time　one　was　knocked　out　during　a　brawl　he'd　had　it　put　back　crooked　just　to　make　himself　look　meaner。　〃Waiting　to　make　a　call；　huh？〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said；　bowing　to　the　inevitable。　〃Can　I　get　you　a　drink？〃
　〃Oh；　I　think　you　can　do　better　than　one　measly　drink；〃　he　said。　〃How　much　cash　you　got　on　you？〃
　I　stared　at　him；　warning　bells　belatedly　going　off　in　the　back　of　my　mind。　Fulbright　was　still　smiling；　but　I　could　now　see　the　hard　edge　beneath　the　grin。　He　was　definitely　not　here　just　to　cadge　drinks。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　I　demanded　quietly。
　〃I'm　talking　about　a　shakedown；〃　he　said；　lowering　his　voice　to　match　mine。　〃What'd　you　think？　All　for　your　own　good；　of　course。　So。　You　got　ten　grand　on　you？　That's　what　it's　gonna　take；　you　know。　At　least　ten　grand。〃
　For　a　good　three　seconds　I　just　stared　at　him；　wondering　what　in　hell　was　going　on。　There　he　sat；　alone；　both　hands　on　the　table；　his　right　casually　holding　a　folded　piece　of　paper；　his　left　open　and　empty。　His　sleeves　were　too　tight　to　be　concealing　a　quick…throw　gun　or　knife；　and　there　was　no　way　he　could　beat　me　to　a　standard　draw　with　his　jacket　zipped　and　mine　half…open。　It　was　possible　he　had　a　backup　somewhere　in　the　room　already　targeting　me；　but　even　drawing　a　weapon　in　here　would　be　begging　for　trouble；　and　starting　a　firefight　would　be　even　worse。　And　why　pick　on　me　in　the　first　place？　〃Maybe　you　don't　know　I'm　not　running　independent　anymore；〃　I　said　at　last。　〃I'm　connected　with　a　pretty　big　organization。　They　wouldn't　think　much　of　this。〃
　His　smile　went　a　bit　more　brittle。　〃Yeah；　well；　whoever　they　are；　I　can　guarantee　they　won't　lift　a　finger　to　help　you　on　this　one；〃　he　said。　〃Believe　it　or　not；　Jordie；　I'm　your　only　friend　in　this　room　right　now。〃　With　a　smooth　motion；　he　flipped　open　the　paper　in　his　hand　and　swiveled　it　around　to　face　me。
　I　glanced　down。　And　found　myself　looking　at　my　own　Mercantile　Authority　file　photo。
　I　looked　up　at　Fulbright；　startled。　〃Go　ahead；〃　he　said　encouragingly。　〃Read　it。〃
　I　looked　back　down　at　the　flyer。　It　was　an　urgent　request　for　information　about　the　current　location　of　one　Jordan　McKell；　pilot/captain　of　the　Orion…class　freighter　Icarus；　registry　and　configuration　unknown。　It　didn't　say　why　McKell　was　being　sought；　but　included　two　contact　numbers；　a　local　Dorscind's　World　phone　number　and　a　Starrm　vid　connect…the　latter；　like　Brother　John's　number；　one　of　the　anonymous　types　that　gave　no　indication　of　which　world　it　was　connected　to。
　It　also　promised　a　reward　to　the　one　who　fingered　me。　A　straight　five　thousand　marks。
　〃I　don't　know　what　you've　done　now；　Jordie；〃　Fulbright　said　softly；　〃but　you're　in　one　hell　of　a　lot　of　trouble。　Everyone　in　this　place　probably　has　one　of　these　things　by　now…the　guy　was　passing　them　out　like　free　fruit　sticks。　The　only　reason　you're　still　walking　around　is　that　that's　such　a　lousy　picture。〃
　He　grinned。　〃That；　plus　no　one　figured　you'd　e　to　a　sleazepit　like　this。　I'd　guess　that's　what's　tying　up　the　Starrm　lines…everyone's　calling　their　buddies　to　pass　the　word。〃
　〃Probably；〃　I　murmured。　But　someone　thought　I　might　e　to　a　sleazepit　like　this；　whoever　was　at　the　other　end　of　that　phone　number；　at　the　very　least。　Someone　was　very　intent　here　about　covering　all　the　bases；　and　from　all　indications　he　was　covering　them　very　well。　And　unlike　the　Lumpy　Brothers；　that　same　someone　knew　the　name　of　the　ship　I　was　flying。　〃Tell　me；　was　this　walking　fruit…stick　tray　a　bipedal　alien　with　long　arms　and　lumpy　skin？〃
　Fulbright's　forehead　creased　slightly。　〃Naw；　he　was　a　human。　Short　and　kind　of　wimpish…your　basic　accountant　type。〃
　〃Doesn't　sound　like　he　really　belongs　in　a　place　like　this；〃　I　suggested。　〃You　sure　it's　not　a　scam　of　some　sort？〃
　〃At　a　hundred　marks　a　crack？〃　Fulbright　scoffed。　〃Who　cares？〃
　I　frowned。　〃A　hundred？　The　flyer　says　five　thousand。〃
　〃That's　the　finder's　fee；〃　Fulbright　said。　〃The　guy's　been　handing　out　a　hundred　with　each　flyer。　Just　to　make　sure　it　gets　read；　I　guess。〃
　I　felt　cold　all　over。　Five　thousand　marks　to　find　me…that　could　be　anything；　from　anywhere。　But　for　the　hunter　to　be　passing　out　additional　thousands　of　marks　in　cash　just　to　generate　interest　meant　something　very　big　indeed　was　going　on。
　And　the　only　thing　that　had　saved　me　so　far　was　that　abominably　poor　photo　in　my　Mercantile　file。　That；　and　the　fact　that　the　one　person　here　who　did　recognize　me　was　angling　for　a　higher　bounty。　〃Okay；〃　I　said　to　Fulbright。　〃Ten　thousand　it　is。　But　I　don't　have　it　on　me。　We'll　have　to　go　back　to　the　ship。〃
　His　eyes　narrowed；　and　in　the　twitching　of　his　eyebrows　and　lips　I　could　practically　read　his　line　of　reasoning：　that　if　he　was　able　to　get　a　good　look　at　the　Icarus；　he　might　be　able　to　peddle　the　description　for　another　few　thousand　from　the　unidentified　accountant　type。　〃Okay；〃　he　said；　unzipping　his　jacket　and　stuffing　the　flyer　into　an　inside　pocket。　He　stood　u