tz.theicarushunt-第26部分

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；　diminished　but　a　long　way　yet　from　being　quenched。　And　with　the　gas　pressure　driving　its　erratic　movements　pletely　unaffected　by　the　foam；　it　was　still　just　as　dangerous　as　it　had　been　before。
　There　was　only　one　chance；　and　I　had　to　take　it　before　the　extinguishers　ran　dry　and　the　flame　roared　back　to　full　strength　again。　Squeezing　the　handle　hard；　keeping　my　stream　of　foam　aimed　as　best　I　could；　I　charged　straight　in　toward　our　adversary。　Nicabar　shouted　something　from　the　doorway；　but　I　couldn't　make　out　what　he　was　saying　over　the　noise。　The　hoses　finished　their　oscillation　the　other　direction　and　started　swinging　back；　and　in　about　half　a　second　the　flame　would　get　its　chance　to　incinerate　me　on　its　way　to　doing　the　same　to　Ixil。
　And　at　the　last　moment；　with　my　best　effort　at　the　long　jump　since　failing　to　make　my　college　track　team；　I　leaped　over　the　flame　and　landed　squarely　on　the　end　of　the　hoses；　pinning　them　in　place　on　the　deck。
　I　heard　Nicabar　give　an　encouraging　whoop；　and　suddenly　the　billowing　mist　from　his　extinguisher　was　flowing　coldly　around　my　legs；　a　sharp　contrast　to　the　backwash　of　heat　that　already　seemed　to　be　trying　to　cook　my　feet　inside　my　boots。　But　for　that　final　two　seconds　I　didn't　care　about　either　the　fire　or　Nicabar's　efforts　to　put　it　out。　Dropping　my　own　canister　onto　the　deck；　I　grabbed　the　valve　handle　on　the　acetylene　tank　and　twisted　for　all　I　was　worth。
　And　with　one　final　indignant　gasping　wheeze　from　the　hoses；　the　fire　went　out。
　　
　CHAPTER　8
　
　〃ALL　I　CAN　say　is　that　you　were　very　lucky；〃　Everett　said；　shaking　his　head　as　he　finished　sealing　the　last　burn　pad　around　Ixil's　leg　and　picked　up　the　medical　scanner　again。　〃Very　lucky　indeed。　I　know　my　hearing's　not　up　to　picking　up　sounds　that　subtle；　especially　through　two　doors。　If　I'd　still　been　on　the　bridge　instead　of　McKell；　I'd　be　pulling　a　blanket　over　your　face　about　now。〃
　〃Yes；　I　know；〃　Ixil　said；　his　voice　and　manner　the　subdued　humility　of　someone　who　knows　he's　done　something　stupid　that　has　put　himself　in　danger　and　made　trouble　for　everyone　else。　Glancing　over　at　the　med…room　doorway；　where　Nicabar；　Tera；　and　Chort　were　silently　watching　the　procedure；　I　could　see　traces　of　sympathetic　embarrassment　in　their　faces；　the　normal　reaction　of　polite　people　having　to　witness　another　person's　private　shame。
　I　didn't　feel　any　such　embarrassment　myself。　But　then；　I　knew　full　well　that　this　humility　bit　was　pletely　out　of　character　for　Ixil；　that　it　was　all　merely　for　show　in　the　hopes　of　allaying　any　suspicions　anyone　might　have　about　the　sort　of　person　he　really　was。
　Vaguely；　I　wondered　if　one　of　the　observers　standing　in　the　doorway　was　putting　on　a　similar　performance。
　〃Next　time　I　suggest　checking　all　the　equipment　before　you　start　it　up；〃　Everett　went　on　sternly；　running　the　scanner　slowly　along　Ixil's　burned　leg　as　he　frowned　at　the　readings。　Not　surprisingly；　Cameron's　people　had　failed　to　include　a　Kalixiri　module　with　their　med　puter；　and　I　could　almost　guarantee　the　readings　were　like　nothing　Everett　had　ever　seen　before。　Fortunately；　Ixil　had　another；　uninjured　leg　to　use　for　parison。
　〃I'll　second　that；〃　I　put　in；　throwing　a　glance　at　the　other　end　of　the　room。　Still　strapped　to　the　examination　table；　Shawn's　face…for　that　matter；　his　entire　body…was　practically　dripping　with　impatience　and　a　near…total　contempt　for　Ixil　and　his　injuries；　a　marked　contrast　to　the　solicitude　everyone　else　was　showing。　Still；　aside　from　a　single　sour　question　about　what　the　hell　was　going　on　as　we'd　hustled　Ixil　inside；　he'd　kept　his　mouth　shut。　Maybe　his　borandis…withdrawal　sarcasm　was　under　better　control　than　he'd　implied；　or　maybe　he　was　in　the　calm　side　of　one　of　the　mood　swings　he'd　mentioned。　Or　maybe　he'd　seen　Ixil's　expression　and　was　possessed　of　a　finer…tuned　survival　instinct　than　I'd　thought。　〃The　shape　this　whole　ship　is　in；〃　I　added　diplomatically；　turning　back　to　Ixil；　〃it's　a　wonder　more　of　the　equipment　hasn't　fallen　apart。〃
　〃I　know；〃　Ixil　said　again。　〃I　heartily　promise　to　be　more　careful　next　time。〃
　〃We　can　all　consider　ourselves　lucky　the　lesson　wasn't　learned　more　painfully；〃　Everett　said；　shifting　the　scanner　from　Ixil's　leg　to　the　impressively　swelling　bruise　on　his　forehead　where　the　torch　head　had　slammed　into　him　when　it　sheared　apart；　the　impact　throwing　him　back　against　the　lockers　and　knocking　him　out　cold。
　He　didn't　remember　that　last　part　himself；　of　course；　having　been　unconscious　at　the　time。　But　the　ferrets　hadn't　been　injured　in　the　accident；　and　once　I'd　coaxed　them　out　from　behind　the　row　of　lockers　where　they'd　gone　to　ground　Ixil　had　been　able　to　sample　their　memories　and　confirm　the　entire　sequence　of　events。
　〃At　any　rate；　that's　all　I　can　do　for　now；〃　Everett　concluded；　putting　the　scanner　aside　and　smoothing　the　burn　pads　one　last　time。　〃Except　for　a　painkiller　or　sedative；　of　course。　Either　would　help　you　sleep。〃
　〃Don't　worry；　I'll　sleep　just　fine；〃　Ixil　assured　him。　〃There　really　isn't　all　that　much　pain。〃
　Everett　looked　doubtful；　but　he　nodded　and　headed　for　the　sonic　scrubber。　〃As　you　wish；〃　he　said　as　he　started　cleaning　his　hands。　〃If　you　change　your　mind　just　let　me　know。　I'm　sure　there's　something　aboard　that　will　work　on　a　Kalix。〃
　〃I'll　keep　that　in　mind；〃　Ixil　promised；　easing　off　the　stool　where　Everett　had　been　working　on　him　and　standing　up。
　Or　more　accurately；　trying　to　stand　up。　His　leg　wobbled　beneath　him；　and　he　grabbed　at　the　wall　for　balance。
　As　cues　went；　it　was　one　of　the　more　obvious　ones　I'd　ever　been　tossed。　〃Hang　on；　I'll　give　you　a　hand；〃　I　said　quickly；　stepping　to　his　side　as　I　juggled　Pix　and　Pax　around　to　free　up　one　of　my　hands。　The　furry　little　beasts　were　less　than　cooperative…they'd　gone　back　to　Ixil's　shoulders　long　enough　for　him　to　get　their　version　of　the　accident；　but　he　was　still　in　pain　and　they　weren't　at　all　interested　in　sharing　in　it。　But　with　a　little　creative　shuffling　I　got　them　settled　in　on　shoulder　and　forearm　and　was　able　to　assist　a　limping　Ixil　out　past　the　group　at　the　doorway。　〃Excitement's　over　for　the　night；〃　I　told　them　as　we　made　our　slow　way　down　the　corridor。　〃Tera；　I'd　appreciate　it　if　you'd　take　over　on　the　bridge。〃
　〃Consider　it　done；〃　she　said。
　Ixil　had　a　lot　of　qualities　that　I　admired；　but　a　sylphlike　body　frame　wasn't　one　of　them。　Fortunately；　the　wounded…warrior　act　lasted　only　as　long　as　it　took　us　to　get　down　the　ladder　and　out　of　sight　of　any　of　the　gallery　that　might　have　lingered　behind　after　the　show。　Once　on　the　lower　deck；　he　made　it　the　rest　of　the　way　to　his　cabin　under　his　own　steam。
　〃An　interesting　experiment；〃　he　mented　as　he　maneuvered　his　way　onto　the　center　bunk。　〃Not　that　it's　one　I　would　have　chosen　on　my　own。　Thank　you　for　your　help；　by　the　way。　I　owe　you　one。〃
　〃We'll　add　it　to　your　side　of　the　ledger；〃　I　said　briefly；　resisting　the　urge　to　bring　up　all　the　times　he'd　hauled　me　bodily　out　of　similar　predicaments。　The　Kalixiri　way　of　handling　injuries　was　to　go　into　a　deep；　alike　sleep　while　healing；　and　from　the　looks　of　Ixil's　drooping　eyelids　he　was　three…quarters　of　the　way　there　already。　The　fact　that　he　hadn't　dropped　off　the　second　he　hit　the　bunk　implied　there　was　something　he　wanted　or　needed　to　say　to　me　before　he　went　under；　and　it　certainly　wasn't　to　go　over　our　personal　win/loss　score　sheet。
　〃I　believe　we　can　safely　cross　Jones　off　our　suspect　list；〃　he　murmured；　his　eyelids　closing　pletely　and　then　opening　partway　again；　like　sliding　doors　with　a　bad　feedback　loop。　〃I　didn't　just　turn　that　torch　on　tonight　without　doing　a　plete　equipment　check；　Jordan。　I　looked　it　over　two　days　ago；　just　after　I　came　aboard　at　Xathru。　The　sabotage　has　to　have　been　done　since　then。〃
　I　stared　at　him；　something　large　and　invisible　taking　me　by　the　throat　and　gently　squeezing。　A　cutting　torch　was　a　totally　innocuous　tool　to　have　aboard　a　starship；　and　there　was　no　reason　whatsoever　for　anyone　to　sabotage　it　that　way。　Unless；　of　course；　someone　really；　really　didn't　want　us　cutting　our　way　into　the　sealed　cargo　hold。
　The　only　catch　was　that　no　one　else　should　have　known　we　were　even　considering　such　an　action。　That　conversation　had　taken　place　less　than　an　hour　ago；　with　only　Ixil　and　me　present；　in　the　privacy　of　my　cabin。
　Apparently；　someone　had　taken　it　upon　himself　to　listen　in。
　I　opened　my　mouth　to　ask　Ixil　how　this　bit　of　auditory　legerdemain　might　have　been　acplished；　closed　it　again　with　the　question　unvoiced。　Ixil's　eyes　were　squeezed　shut；　his　breathing　slow　and　even。　He'd　delivered　his　message；　was　down　for　the　count；　and　barring　an　extremely　urgent　and　probably　extremely　loud　catastrophe　he　was　going　to　stay　that　way　for　however　many　hours　it　took　to　heal　his　leg　and　head。
　And　for　that　same　number　of　hours；　I　was　going　to　be　on　my　own。
　Ixil　had　made　up　the　lower　bunk　for　Pix　and　Pax；　bunching　the　blanket　up　for　them　to　snuggle　into　and　putting　their　food　and　water　containers　where　they　could　easily　get　to　them。　I　spent　a　few　minutes　getting　them　settled　there；　then　pulled　the　blanket　off　the　top　bunk　and　tucked　it　under　Ixil's　mattress；　wedging　its　center　under　the　lower　bunk　beside　the　ferrets'　nest　and　letting　the　rest　drape　down　from　there　onto　the　floor。　Assured　that　they　could　get　to　the　floor　if　they　wanted　exercise　or　to　Ixil　if　they　wanted　pany；　I　turned　off　the　light　and　left　the　cabin。
　There　were　no　locks　on　any　of　the　Icarus's　interior　doors。　Up　till　now　I　hadn't　really　worried　much　about　that；　but　up　till　now　my　partner　hadn't　been　lying　atose　and　reasonably　helpless　after　what　might　or　might　not　have　been　an　effort　to　kill　him。　Pulling　out　my　multitool；　checking　both　ways　down　the　corridor　to　make　sure　I　was　unobserved；　I　removed　the　cover　of　the　release　pad　from　the　center　of　the　door　and　pulled　out　the　control　chip。　On　the　underside；　snugged　inconspicuously　between　two　of　the　connector　feet；　was　what　I　was　looking　for：　the　timing　dial；　which　told　the　door　how　many　seconds　it　was　to　stay　open　unless　you　overrode　it　by　locking　the　door　in　place。　Using　the　narrowest　screwdriver　from　the　multitool；　I　eased　the　dial　from　its　preset　position　all　the　way　to　zero；　then　returned　the　chip　to　its　socket。
　Experimentally