tz.theicarushunt-第25部分

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rowned　at　me。　〃What　are　you　doing　here；　by　the　way？　I　thought　you　were　asleep。〃
　〃I　came　up　to　check　on　things　and　happened　on　your　patient　still　strapped　to　the　examination　table；〃　I　told　him。　〃You　know　what's　wrong　with　him？〃
　〃He　told　me　it　was　a　borandis…dependency　problem；〃　he　said。　〃Coupled　with　a　chronic　case　of　Cole's　disease。〃
　〃You　believe　him？〃
　He　shrugged。　〃The　diagnostic　confirmed　the　withdrawal　aspects；〃　he　said。　〃The　medical　database　isn't　plete　enough　to　either　confirm　or　refute　the　Cole's　disease。〃
　〃Close　enough；〃　I　told　him；　my　last　lingering　suspicion　that　Shawn　might　have　been　faking　the　whole　thing　fading　away。　Muscle　tremors　and　obnoxiousness　were　one　thing；　but　a　med　diagnostic　puter　wasn't　nearly　so　easily　fooled。
　〃Unfortunately；　that　leaves　us　with　a　problem；〃　Everett　went　on。　〃According　to　the　database；　borandis　is　a　controlled　drug。　It's　going　to　take　more　than　just　a　ship's　medic's　certificate　to　get　some　for　him　on　Mintarius。〃
　〃I　know；〃　I　said。　〃Don't　worry；　we'll　figure　something　out。〃
　〃I　hope　so；〃　he　said。　〃The　prognosis　for　untreated　Cole's　disease　is　apparently　not　a　very　positive　one。〃
　〃So　he　told　me；〃　I　nodded。　〃Small　wonder；　I　suppose；　that　he　was　at　loose　ends　on　Meima。〃　I　lifted　my　eyebrows　slightly。　〃Speaking　of　which；　I've　been　meaning　to　ask　how　you　wound　up　in　that　same　position。　At　loose　ends；　I　mean。〃
　He　made　a　wry　face。　〃Caught　in　the　middle　of　a　jurisdictional　dispute；　I'm　afraid。　One　of　the　crewers　on　my　previous　ship　pushed　the　captain　one　time　too　many　and　wound　up　rather　badly　injured。　A　troublemaker…I'm　sure　you　know　the　sort。　At　any　rate；　I　helped　him　get　to　the　med　facility　at　the　Meima　spaceport　for　treatment；　and　while　we　were　out；　the　captain　apparently　decided　he　could　do　without　both　of　us　and　took　off。〃
　〃Yet　another　Samaritan　winds　up　with　the　splintered　end　of　the　stick；〃　I　murmured。
　He　shrugged。　〃Perhaps。　Frankly；　I　was　just　as　happy　to　see　their　thrusters　fading　into　the　sunset。　When　Borodin　came　into　the　restaurant　where　I　was　eating　looking　for　someone　with　a　med　certificate；　I　jumped　at　the　chance。〃
　〃Well；　we're　certainly　glad　to　have　you　here；〃　I　said；　glancing　around　the　bridge。　〃Look；　we're　not　more　than　a　few　hours　from　landing；　and　I　can't　sleep　anyway。　Why　don't　I　take　over　and　let　you　go　hit　the　sack。〃
　〃Oh；〃　he　said；　sounding　and　looking　surprised。　〃Well。。。　if　you're　sure。〃
　〃I'm　sure；〃　I　told　him。　〃There's　nothing　you　can　do　for　Shawn　at　the　moment；　and　you　might　as　well　be　rested　when　we　hit　ground。〃
　〃I　suppose；〃　Everett　conceded；　heaving　himself　out　of　the　chair。　I　stepped　forward　out　of　his　way　as　he　moved　to　the　doorway。　〃Do　call　me　if　you　change　your　mind　and　want　to　at　least　catch　a　catnap。〃
　〃I　will；〃　I　promised。
　He　left　the　bridge；　turning　right　at　the　ladder　and　plodding　his　way　up　to　the　top　deck。　I　waited　until　his　feet　were　out　of　sight；　gave　him　another　ten　count；　then　closed　the　bridge　door　behind　me　and　stepped　over　to　the　nav　table。
　Given　the　set　of　parameters　I　was　stuck　with　on　this；　I　wasn't　expecting　the　task　ahead　to　be　an　easy　one。　I　needed　a　world　that　was　large　enough　and　decadent　enough　to　have　an　illicit　drug…distribution　network　in　place；　with　the　kind　of　laissez…faire　attitude　toward　paperwork　that　would　let　us　slip　in　under　our　false　ID；　and　yet　wasn't　a　haven　for　the　kind　of　career　criminals　who　would　be　sporting　crisp　new　hundred…mark　bills　and　keeping　their　eyes　peeled　for　anyone　resembling　my　Mercantile　Authority　file　photo。　And　it　had　to　be　somewhere　within；　say；　nine　hours　of　our　present　position。
　It　took　only　five　minutes　to　conclude　that　there　was　exactly　one　place　on　the　charts　that　even　came　close　to　fitting　my　requirements：　the　Najiki　colony　world　of　Potosi；　currently　seven　hours　distant。　It　had　the　kind　of　cosmopolitan　populace　that　promised　that　vices　of　all　sorts　would　be　in　evidence；　and　it　was　run　by　beings　with　such　keen　eyesight…and　such　a　stratospheric　self…confidence…that　they　seldom　used　scanners　to　check　ships'　papers。
　There　was；　in　fact；　just　one　small　factor　that　kept　Potosi　from　being　absolutely　ideal。　It　was　also　a　major　hub　for　the　Patth　shipping　industry。
　I　stared　at　the　listing　for　a　while；　perhaps　hoping　that　in　my　tiredness　I　was　imagining　things　and　that　if　I　looked　long　enough　it　would　go　away。　But　no　such　luck。　Certain　parts　of　Potosi；　including　the　sky　above　it；　were　going　to　be　crawling　with　Patth；　and　that　was　just　the　way　it　was。
　But　there　was　nothing　for　it。　Not　unless　we　wanted　to　sit　around　and　watch　Shawn　die。
　It　was　a　matter　of　two　minutes　to　cancel　the　Mintarius　course　and　recalculate　a　vector　to　take　us　to　Potosi　instead。　Listening　carefully；　I　was　just　able　to　hear　the　subtle　shift　in　thrust　tone　from　the　drive　as　we　swung　over　the　twenty…three　degrees　necessary　to　make　the　course　change。
　And　I'm　convinced　that　it　was　precisely　because　I　was　listening　so　carefully　that　even　through　two　closed　doors　I　heard　the　muted　pop　and　the　equally　faint　and　choked…off　scream。
　I　was　in　the　corridor　half　a　second　later；　heading　for　the　mechanics…room　door　five　meters　away。　I　crossed　the　distance　in　two　seconds　more；　hearing　a　soft　but　ominous　hissing　sound　that　grew　steadily　louder　as　I　neared　it。　I　slapped　the　pad；　and　the　door　slid　open。
　And　with　a　roar　like　a　rabid　dragon　a　wall　of　flame　blew　out　of　the　doorway　toward　me。
　An　instant　later　I　was　rolling　to　my　feet　from　three　meters　farther　down　the　corridor　with　no　clear　memory　of　how　I'd　gotten　there。　I　spun　back　to　the　open　doorway；　the　terrifying　image　of　Ixil　trapped　in　the　midst　of　that　inferno　paralyzing　my　entire　thought　process。　I　clawed　my　way　back　to　the　doorway；　the　smell　of　burning　acetylene　filling　my　nose　and　mouth；　a　small　and　still　functional　part　of　my　mind　noting　with　some　confusion　that　there　was　now　no　trace　of　the　wall　of　flame　that　had　sent　me　diving　instinctively　away。　I　reached　the　doorway；　bracing　myself　for　the　worst；　and　looked　inside。
　It　was　bad　enough；　but　not　nearly　as　bad　as　I'd　feared。　Off　to　the　left；　the　twin　tanks　of　the　Icarus's　oxyacetylene　cutting　torch　were　sitting　upright　beside　the　main　workbench；　the　pressure　of　the　pressed　gases　sending　their　connected　hoses　writhing　together　along　the　deck　like　a　pair　of　demented　Siamese…twin　snakes。　From　the　open　ends　of　the　coupled　hoses　was　spewing　an　awesome　spray　of　yellow　flame。　Even　as　I　took　it　all　in　I　was　forced　to　once　again　duck　back　as　the　skittering　hoses　swung　past　the　doorway　and　sent　another　burst　my　direction…clearly；　that　was　what　I'd　mistaken　earlier　for　an　all…enpassing　wall　of　flame。　The　blast　swept　past　and　I　looked　back　inside。
　And　it　was　only　then；　in　the　back　of　the　room　beyond　the　flopping　hoses；　that　I　spotted　Ixil。
　He　was　lying　against　the　line　of　equipment…storage　lockers　that　made　up　the　back　wall；　his　torso　half…propped　up　against　the　lockers；　his　eyes　closed。　There　was　no　sign　of　Pix　and　Pax；　odds　were　they　were　cowering　in　a　nook　or　corner　somewhere。　If　they　were　even　alive；　Ixil's　right　pant　leg　was　smoldering　above　his　low　boot；　but　otherwise　the　fire　didn't　seem　to　have　marked　him。
　But　that　bit　of　grace　wasn't　going　to　last　much　longer。　Even　just　since　I'd　started　watching　I　could　see　that　the　hoses'　gyrations　were　swinging　wider　with　each　oscillation；　and　within　a　minute　or　less　they　would　be　twisting　around　to　the　point　where　the　fire　stream　would　be　washing　directly　over　my　unconscious　partner。
　〃God　and　hellfire；〃　a　voice　breathed　in　my　ear。
　I　twisted　my　head　around　to　find　Nicabar　standing　just　behind　me；　staring　wide…eyed　into　the　room。　〃I　heard　the　motion　and　smelled　the　fire；〃　he　said。　〃Where's　the　damn　suppression　system？〃
　〃There　isn't　one；〃　I　bit　out；　jabbing　my　finger　toward　the　bridge　door。　〃There's　an　extinguisher　just　inside　the　bridge　to　the　left。〃
　He　was　off　before　I'd　even　finished　the　sentence。　I　turned　back　to　the　mechanics　room；　dodging　back　just　in　time　as　the　semirandom　fire　spray　once　again　did　its　best　to　take　my　eyebrows　off。　There　was　another　extinguisher；　I　knew；　just　inside　the　door　to　my　right；　the　question　was　whether　I　could　slip　into　the　room　and　get　to　it　without　incinerating　myself。
　Unfortunately；　at　that　point　came　an　even　bigger　question：　What　could　I　do　with　the　thing　if　and　when　I　got　to　it？　Shipboard　fire　extinguishers　used　a　two…prong　approach；　the　foam　smothering　the　air　away　from　the　flames　while　simultaneously　pulling　out　as　much　of　the　heat　as　possible。　But　that　acetylene　fire　had　a　lot　of　heat　built　up　already；　possibly　more　than　a　small　extinguisher　canister　could　handle；　and　given　that　the　blaze　had　its　own　built…in　oxygen　supply；　the　question　of　smothering　was　even　more　problematic。
　There　was　a　breath　of　sudden　movement　beside　me。　〃Got　it；〃　Nicabar　said；　holding　the　half…meter…long　orange　canister　ready　in　the　doorway。　〃Straight　in？〃
　〃Straight　in；〃　I　told　him。　He　squeezed　the　handle；　and　a　stream　of　yellowish　fluid　sprayed　toward　the　writhing　hoses；　its　loud　hissing　joining　the　crackle　of　the　flames。　Joining；　but　not　eliminating。　For　a　few　seconds　the　blaze　faltered　as　the　droplets　sucked　heat　away　from　it；　but　then　seemed　to　gather　its　strength　again　in　defiance。　The　hoses　twisted　around　in　their　unpredictable　way；　sending　the　tip　skittering　off　the　edge　of　Nicabar's　spray；　and　with　an　almost…triumphant　roar　the　fire　blazed　fully　back　to　life。
　But　those　few　seconds　were　enough。　I　jumped　into　the　room　and　ducked　to　my　right；　grabbing　at　the　bright　orange　object　at　the　edge　of　my　peripheral　vision　as　I　kept　my　main　attention　on　the　fire　and　Nicabar's　attack　on　it。　The　quick…releases　holding　the　extinguisher　to　the　bulkhead　worked　exactly　as　they　were　supposed　to；　though　in　the　mood　I　was　in　I　would　have　had　the　canister　off　the　wall　no　matter　how　it　was　fastened　there。　I　continued　to　my　right；　twisting　the　canister　around　into　position　in　my　hands　as　I　moved。　I　got　it　lined　up　just　as　the　hoses　started　to　shift　toward　me；　and　squeezed　the　handle。
　My　spray　joined　Nicabar's；　and　the　tanks　and　hoses　all　but　vanished　into　a　roiling　cloud　of　mist。　But　the　fire　itself　was　still　clearly　visible；　diminished　but　a　long　way　yet　from　being　quenched。　And　with　the　gas　pressure　driving　its　erratic　m