tz.theicarushunt-第3部分

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rd　as　hard　as　I　could　with　my　right　foot。
　In　most　other　places　windbreaks　like　these　were　made　out　of　a　highly　resilient　plastic。　The　Vyssiluyas　preferred　glass…tough　glass；　to　be　sure；　but　glass　nonetheless。　With　three　angry　Yavanni　lumbering　toward　me　I　was　understandably　in　no　mood　for　half　measures；　and　the　force　of　the　kick　seemed　to　shoot　straight　through　my　spine　to　the　top　of　my　head。　But　I　achieved　the　desired　result：　the　glass　panel　blew　out；　scattering　a　hundred　pieces　across　the　landscape。
　I　caught　my　balance　and　jumped　backward　through　the　now　mostly　empty　box　frame。　A　large　wedge　of　jagged　glass　that　was　still　hanging　tentatively　onto　the　side　of　the　frame　scraped　at　my　jacket　as　I　went　through。　Trying　to　avoid　slicing　my　fingers　on　the　edges；　I　got　a　grip　on　it　and　broke　it　free。　Brandishing　it　like　a　makeshift　knife；　I　jabbed　at　the　Yavanni。
　The　Yavanne　in　front　stopped　short；　generating　a　brief　bit　of　vaguely　edic　confusion　as　the　other　two　bumped　into　him。　For　all　their　bulk　and　aggressiveness；　Yavanni　are　remarkably　sensitive　to　the　sight　of　their　own　blood；　and　the　thought　of　charging　into　a　knife　or　knifelike　instrument　can　give　even　the　hardiest　a　moment　of　pause。　But　only　a　moment。　Like　most　other　unpleasantries；　anticipation　is　often　worse　than　the　actual　event；　and　as　soon　as　their　molasses　minds　remembered　that　they'd　be　all　over　me。
　But　I　wasn't　planning　to　be　here　when　that　happened。　With　the　windbreak　gone　and　the　Yavanni　bunched　together；　I　now　had　a　pletely　clear　exit　route　at　my　back。　Flipping　my　shard　of　glass　at　the　lead　Yavanne；　I　turned　and　ran　for　it。
　I　got　only　a　couple　of　steps　before　they　set　up　a　startled　howl　and　lurched　into　gear　after　me。　They'd　eventually　get　me；　too…in　a　long　straightaway　human　legs　couldn't　outmatch　Yavannian　ones。　But　for　the　first　few　seconds；　until　they　got　all　that　body　mass　moving；　I　had　the　advantage。　All　I　had　to　do　was　find　something　to　do　with　it。
　I　knew　better　than　to　waste　time　looking　over　my　shoulder；　but　I　could　tell　from　the　sounds　of　their　foot　thuds　that　I　still　had　a　reasonably　good　lead　when　I　reached　the　corner　of　the　taverno　and　swung　around　into　the　narrow　pedestrian　alleyway　separating　it　from　the　next　building　over。　An　empty　alleyway；　unfortunately；　without　what　I'd　hoped　to　find　there。　The　Yavanni　hove　around　the　corner；　lowering　my　head；　I　put　all　my　effort　into　getting　every　drop　of　speed　I　could　out　of　my　legs。　They　would　probably　get　me；　I　knew；　before　I　could　circle　the　building　pletely。　If　what　I　was　looking　for　wasn't　around　back；　I　was　going　to　be　in　for　some　serious　pain。
　I　rounded　the　next　corner　with　the　Yavanni　unfortably　close　behind　me。　And　there　it　was；　just　as　I'd　hoped　to　find　it：　a　pile　of　half…meter…long　logs　for　the　taverno's　big　fireplace；　neatly　stacked　against　the　wall　and　reaching　nearly　to　the　eaves　of　the　roof。　Without　slowing　my　pace；　I　headed　up。
　I　nearly　didn't　make　it。　The　Yavanni　were　right　on　my　heels　and　going　far　too　fast　to　stop；　and　their　big　feet　slammed　into　the　logs　like　bowling　disks　hitting　the　pins。　The　whole　pile　went　rippling　down　behind　me；　and　if　I'd　been　a　fraction　of　a　second　slower　I'd　have　gone　down　right　along　with　it。　As　it　was；　I　came　within　an　ace　of　missing　my　flying　leap　upward　at　the　eaves　when　my　takeoff　log　bobbled　under　my　feet　and　robbed　me　of　some　hard…earned　momentum。　But　I　made　it　and　got　the　desired　grip；　and　a　second　later　had　hauled　myself　over　the　edge　and　onto　the　roof。
　Not　any　too　soon；　either。　I　was　just　swinging　my　legs　up　over　the　edge　when　one　of　the　logs　came　whistling　up　past　the　eaves　to　disappear　into　the　night　sky。　My　playmates　below；　proving　themselves　to　be　sore　losers。　I　didn't　know　whether　Yavanni　were　good　enough　jumpers　to　get　to　the　roof　without　the　aid　of　the　woodpile　they'd　just　demolished；　but　I　had　no　particular　desire　to　find　out　the　hard　way。　Keeping　my　head　down…there　were　plenty　more　logs　where　that　first　one　had　e　from…I　got　my　feet　under　me　and　headed　across　the　roof。
　All　the　buildings　in　this　section　of　the　spaceport　periphery　were　reasonably　uniform　in　height；　with　only　those　narrow　alleys　separating　them。　With　a　little　momentum；　a　gentle　tailwind；　and　the　inspirational　mental　image　of　irritated　Yavanni　behind　me　I　made　it　across　the　gap　to　the　next　rooftop　with　half　a　meter　to　spare。　I　angled　across　that　one；　did　a　more　marginal　leap　to　the　building　abutting　against　its　back；　and　kept　going。　Along　the　way　I　managed　to　get　out　of　my　jacket　and　turn　it　inside　out；　replacing　the　black　leather　with　an　obnoxiously　loud　paisley　lining　that　I'd　had　put　in　for　just　this　sort　of　circumstance。　Aiming　for　a　building　with　smoke　curling　out　of　its　chimney；　I　located　its　woodpile　and　made　my　way　down。
　The　Yavanni　were　nowhere　to　be　seen　when　I　reentered　the　main　thoroughfare　and　the　wandering　groups　of　spacers；　townspeople；　e…ons；　and　pickpockets。
　Unfortunately；　neither　was　the　white…haired　man　I'd　been　hoping　to　follow。
　I　poked　around　the　area　for　another　hour；　popping　in　and　out　of　a　few　more　tavernos　and　dives　on　the　assumption　that　my　new　employer　might　still　be　trolling　for　crewers。　But　I　didn't　see　him　anywhere；　and　the　spaceport　periphery　was　far　too　big　for　a　one…man　search。　Besides；　my　leg　was　aching　from　that　kick　to　the　windbreak；　and　I　needed　to　be　at　the　spaceport　when　it　opened　at　five…thirty。
　The　Vyssiluyas　ran　a　decent　autocab　service　in　their　part　of　the　periphery；　but　that　thousand　marks　I'd　been　promised　weren't　due　until　I　showed　up　at　the　Icarus；　and　the　oversize　manager　of　the　slightly　seedy　hotel　where　Ixil　and　I　were　staying　would　be　very　unhappy　if　we　didn't　have　the　necessary　cash　to　pay　the　bill　in　the　morning。　Reluctantly；　I　decided　that　two　arguments　with　large　aliens　in　the　same　twelve…hour　period　would　be　pushing　it；　and　headed　back　on　foot。
　My　leg　was　hurting　all　the　way　up　to　my　skull　by　the　time　I　finished　the　last　of　the　four　flights　of　stairs　and　slid　my　key　into　the　slot　beside　the　door。　With　visions　of　a　soft　bed；　gently　pulsating　Vyssiluyan　relaxation　lights；　and　a　glass　of　Scotch　dancing　with　the　ache　behind　my　forehead；　I　pushed　open　the　door　and　stepped　inside。
　The　soft　bed　and　Scotch　were　still　a　possibility。　But　the　lights　apparently　weren't。　The　room　was　pletely　dark。
　I　went　the　rest　of　the　way　into　the　room　in　a　half　fall；　half　dive　that　sent　me　sprawling　face　first　onto　the　floor　as　I　yanked　my　plasmic　out　of　its　concealed　holster　under　my　left　armpit。　Ixil　was　supposed　to　be　waiting　here；　and　a　darkened　room　could　only　mean　that　someone　had　taken　him　out　and　was　lying　in　wait　for　me。
　〃Jordan？〃　a　smooth　and　very　familiar　Kalixiri　voice　called　from　across　the　room。　〃Is　that　you？〃
　I　felt　the　sudden　surge　of　adrenaline　turn　into　chagrined　embarrassment　and　drain　away　through　my　aching　leg　where　it　could　hurt　some　more　on　its　way　out。　〃I　thought　you'd　still　be　up；〃　I　said　blackly；　resisting　the　urge　to　trot　out　some　of　the　colorful　language　that　had　earned　me　a　seat　in　front　of　that　court…martial　board　so　many　years　ago。
　〃I　am　up；〃　he　said。　〃e　take　a　look　at　this。〃
　With　an　amazingly　patient　sigh；　I　clicked　the　safety　back　on　my　plasmic　and　slid　the　weapon　back　into　its　holster。　With　Ixil；　the　object　of　interest　could　be　anything　from　a　distant　nebula　he'd　spotted　through　the　haze　of　city　lights　to　an　interesting　glow…in…the…dark　spider　crawling　across　the　window。　〃Be　right　there；〃　I　grunted。　Hauling　myself　to　my　feet；　I　kicked　the　door　closed　and　rounded　the　half　wall　into　the　main　part　of　the　room。
　For　most　people；　I　suppose；　Ixil　and　his　ilk　would　be　considered　as　much　a　visual　nightmare　as　the　charming　Yavanni　lads　I'd　left　back　at　the　taverno。　He　was　a　typical　Kalix：　squat；　broad…shouldered；　with　a　face　that　had　more　than　once　been　unflatteringly　pared　to　that　of　a　squashed　iguana。
　And　as　he　stood　in　silhouette　against　the　window；　I　noticed　that　this　particular　Kalix　was　also　decidedly　asymmetric。　One　of　those　broad　shoulders…the　right　one…appeared　to　be　hunched　up　like　a　cartoonist's　caricature　of　a　muscle…bound　throw…boxer；　while　the　other　was　much　flatter。　〃You're　missing　someone；〃　I　mented；　tapping　him　on　the　flat　shoulder。
　〃I　sent　Pix　up　onto　the　roof；〃　Ixil　said　in　that　cultured　Kalixiri　voice　that　fits　so　badly　with　the　species'　rugged　exterior。　One　of　the　last　remaining　simple　pleasures　in　my　life；　in　fact；　was　watching　the　reactions　of　people　meeting　him　for　the　first　time　who　up　till　then　had　only　spoken　with　him　on　vidless　starconnects。　Some　of　those　reactions　were　absolutely　priceless。
　〃Did　you；　now；〃　I　said；　circling　around　to　his　right　side。　As　I　did　so；　the　lump　on　top　of　that　shoulder　twitched　and　uncurled　itself；　and　a　whiskered　nose　probed　briefly　into　my　ear。　〃Hello；　Pax；〃　I　greeted　it；　reaching　over　to　scritch　the　animal　behind　its　mouselike　ear。
　The　Kalixiri　name　for　the　creatures　was　unpronounceable　by　human　vocal　apparatus；　so　I　usually　called　them　ferrets；　which　they　did　sort　of　resemble　in　their　lean；　furry　way；　though　in　size　they　weren't　much　bigger　than　laboratory　rats。　In　the　distant　past；　they　had　served　as　outriders　for　Kalixiri　hunters；　running　ahead　to　locate　prey　and　then　returning　to　their　masters　with　the　information。
　What　distinguished　them　from　dogs　or　grockners　or　any　of　a　hundred　other　similar　hunting　partners　was　the　unique　symbiotic　relationship　between　them　and　their　Kalixiri　masters。　With　Pax　riding　on　Ixil's　shoulder；　his　claws　dug　into　the　tough　outer　skin；　Pax's　nervous　system　was　right　now　directly　linked　to　Ixil's。　Ixil　could　give　him　a　mental　order；　which　would　download　into　Pax's　limited　brain　capacity；　and　when　he　returned　and　reconnected；　the　download　would　go　the　opposite　direction；　letting　Ixil　see；　hear；　and　smell　everything　the　ferret　had　experienced　during　their　time　apart。
　For　Kalixiri　hunters　the　advantages　of　the　arrangement　were　obvious。　For　Ixil；　a　starship…engine　mechanic；　the　ferrets　were　invaluable　in　dealing　with　wiring　or　tubing　or　anything　else　involving　tight　spaces　or　narrow　conduits。　If　more　of　his　people　had　taken　an　interest　in　going　into　offworld　mechanical　and　electronic　work；　I'd　often　thought；　the　Kalixiri　might　well　have　taken　over　that　field　the　same　way　the　Patth