tz.theicarushunt-第30部分

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　〃Someone　has　to　go　hunt　up　a　drug　dealer；〃　I　reminded　her　patiently。　〃Would　you　rather　do　it　yourself？〃
　〃I　just　don't　want　you　to　get　caught；〃　she　shot　back　angrily。　〃If　you　do；　that　ends　it　for　all　of　us。〃
　〃I　won't　get　caught；〃　I　assured　her。　〃I　won't　even　be　noticed。　The　picture　they've　got　of　me　is　old；　and　I　know　the　sort　of　people　the　Patth　are　recruiting。　They　won't　be　able　to　get　past　the　hair　and　eyes；　believe　me。〃
　〃Interesting；〃　Nicabar　murmured。　〃I　wonder　how　one　gets　to　be　an　expert　on　how　people　like　that　think。〃
　〃Don't　ask　questions　you　don't　want　the　answers　to；〃　I　warned　him　acidly。　Maybe　a　little　too　acidly；　but　time　was　getting　tight。　And　besides；　I　really　didn't　want　to　go　out　there；　either。
　There　were　apparently　no　more　questions　that　anyone　wanted　answers　to。　〃That's　settled；　then；〃　I　said　into　the　chilly　silence。　〃Revs；　call　and　get　someone　out　here　to　fuel　up　the　ship…hopefully；　we　can　get　the　tanks　properly　topped　off　this　time。　Don't　forget　that　we're　the　Sleeping　Beauty　now。　Everett；　keep　an　eye　on　Shawn。　Keep　him　quiet　until　I　get　back。〃
　Everett's　lips　pressed　again。　〃I'll　do　what　I　can。〃
　〃What　about　Mechanic　Ixil？〃　Chort　asked。　〃Is　he　all　right？〃
　〃He's　resting　in　his　cabin；〃　I　told　them；　deliberately　bending　the　truth　a　bit。　If　our　saboteur　didn't　already　know　about　Kalixiri　healing　as；　I　had　no　intention　of　enlightening　him。　〃Don't　worry；　he'll　e　out　when　he's　ready。　I'll　be　back　in　two　hours。〃
　They　were　still　standing　together　in　the　wraparound　as　I　headed　down　the　ramp；　looking　for　all　the　world　like　hapless　waifs　watching　the　last　bus　leaving　for　the　orphanage。　I　hoped　they　wouldn't　still　be　standing　there　like　that　when　the　fuelers　came　by　to　start　filling　the　tanks。　It　would　look　a　little　odd。
　The　slideways　here　were　similar　to　the　ones　on　Dorscind's　World；　only　better　maintained；　as　well　as　being　equipped　with　transparent　half…cylinder　shields　overhead　to　ward　off　the　elements。　At　the　moment　the　protection　wasn't　necessary；　but　judging　by　the　dark　clouds　beginning　to　gather　on　the　horizon　it　likely　would　be　soon。
　The　port　itself　was　neat；　efficient；　and　as　clean　as　a　port　could　be；　not　a　great　surprise　with　the　Patth　directly　running　three…quarters　of　it　and　having　a　strong　say　in　the　operation　of　the　rest。　The　civilian　area　just　outside　the　port；　though；　wasn't　under　even　their　nominal　control　and　was　likely　to　be　just　as　dark；　sinister；　and　vice…ridden　as　any　other　spaceport　environs　in　the　Spiral。　There　I　would　find　the　dealers　in　happyjam　and　other　forms　of　misery；　at　least　one　of　whom…I　hoped…would　have　borandis　in　stock。
　The　problem；　of　course；　was　finding　the　right　needle　in　the　correct　haystack。　Under　normal　circumstances　that　would　take　a　great　deal　of　time；　time　neither　Shawn　nor　I　nor　the　Icarus　had　to　spare　at　the　moment。　I　had　to　cut　through　the　danger　and　tedium　of　the　search　process　and　go　straight　to　the　source。
　Fortunately；　or　maybe　unfortunately；　I　had　the　source's　phone　number。
　The　screen　lit　up　to　show　the　same　broken…nosed　thug　who　had　answered　Brother　John's　line　the　last　time　I'd　called。　〃Yeah？〃
　〃It's　Jordan　McKell；〃　I　said。　〃I　need　some　information。〃
　The　scowl　lines　around　his　eyes　deepened　as　he　frowned　at　me。　〃McKell？〃
　〃Yes；　McKell；〃　I　said；　striving　mightily　for　patience。　I'd　already　lost　twenty　minutes　of　my　promised　two　hours；　ten　in　getting　to　the　Starrm　building　and　ten　more　waiting　for　a　free　booth；　and　I　wasn't　interested　in　playing　Greek　chorus　to　one　of　Brother　John's　housethugs。　〃I'm　disguised；　all　right？　I　need　some　information…〃
　〃Hang　on；〃　he　interrupted　me。　〃Just　hang　on。〃
　The　screen　went　black。　I　glared　at　my　watch；　suddenly　very　tired　of　Brother　John　and　his　vicious　yet　stupid　people。　The　next　one　on　the　line　would　probably　be　that　moon…faced　thug　in　the　butler's　outfit；　who　by　now　had　probably　figured　out　what　badinage　was　and　would　waste　more　of　my　time　trying　to　e　up　with　some。
　The　screen　cleared；　but　to　my　surprise　it　wasn't　the　butler。　〃Hello；　Jordan；〃　Brother　John　said。　The　voice　was　as　smooth　as　ever；　but　the　usual　cherubic　smile　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　〃Do　you　have　any　idea　what　kind　of　stir　you've　been　creating　out　at　that　end　of　the　Spiral？〃
　〃Have　I；　sir？〃　I　asked。
　The　chill　visibly　surrounding　him　abruptly　dropped　into　the　subzero　range。　〃Don't　play　innocent　with　me；　McKell；〃　he　snarled；　his　veneer　of　civility　cracking　like　a　cheap　packing　crate。　〃A　ship　from　Meima；　they're　all　saying…a　rogue　freighter　the　Patth　are　panting　like　sick　dogs　to　get　their　calloused　little　hands　on。　Are　you　going　to　sit　there　and　tell　me　that's　not　you？〃
　〃Yes；　sir；　it's　me；〃　I　said　hastily。　It　was　impossible　to　grovel　properly　in　a　Starrm　booth；　but　insofar　as　vocal　groveling　was　possible　I　was　groveling　for　all　I　was　worth。　〃I'm　sorry；　I　didn't　mean　it　that　way。　I　just　didn't　realize　how　much　of　a　stir　we　were　actually　causing。〃
　The　temperature　stayed　where　it　was。　〃I　don't　like　motions；　McKell；〃　he　warned。　〃I　don't　like　them　at　all。　motions　draw　attention；　and　I　don't　like　attention。　You　don't　like　attention；　either。〃
　〃I　know；　sir；〃　I　agreed　humbly。　〃Believe　me；　I'm　trying　as　hard　as　I　can　to　get　out　of　the　spotlight。〃
　〃Trying　how？〃　he　demanded。　〃It's　not　your　ship　or　your　problem…just　walk　away　from　it。　Where　are　you？　I'll　have　you　picked　up。〃
　He　had　a　point；　all　right。　Half　of　one；　anyway。　It　wasn't　my　ship；　but　it　was　my　problem。　〃I　can't　do　that；　sir；〃　I　said；　bracing　myself　for　another　burst　of　his　anger。　〃I　accepted　a　contract　to　fly　the　ship　out。　A　poor　but　honest　independent　shipper　can't　just　break　contracts　that　way。　Not　and　continue　to　look　like　a　poor　but　honest　shipper。〃
　〃Who　would　know？〃　he　countered。　His　voice　was　still　hard　and　cold；　but　at　least　he　hadn't　started　screaming　at　me。　Maybe　I'd　gotten　him　to　start　thinking　it　through。
　〃Too　many　people；〃　I　told　him。　〃A　lot　of　people…some　of　them　spaceport　officials…have　seen　my　ID　in　connection　with　it。　People　who　might　start　wondering　how　an　independent　shipper　could　afford　to　break　a　contract　that　way。　People　who　might　start　wondering　if　that　independent　shipper　had　another　source　of　operating　funds。〃　I　shrugged；　a　brief　twitching　of　my　shoulders。　〃And　if　they　did；　I　wouldn't　be　very　effective　as　an　employee　anymore。〃
　For　a　long　minute　he　just　stared　at　me；　breathing　heavily；　his　face　unreadable。　I　gazed　back；　visually　groveling　now；　wondering　uneasily　if　I'd　pushed　my　hand　too　far　with　that　last　one。　Cutting　me　loose　from　our　agreement　would　lose　him　most　of　the　five　hundred　thousand　in　debt　I　still　owed　him；　but　the　Antoniewicz　organization　probably　blew　that　much　a　month　just　on　paper　clips。　If；　on　the　other　hand；　he　decided　that　I　had　bee　too　much　of　a　liability　to　be　trusted　on　my　own；　I　would　be　summarily　snuffed　out　like　an　atmosphere…test　candle。
　And　it　would　be　the　height　of　irony　if　it　turned　out　I　was　the　one　who　had　talked　him　into　doing　it。
　〃You　keep　trying　to　force　these　decisions　on　me；　Jordan；〃　he　said　at　last。　His　voice　was　still　cold；　but　I　thought　I　could　detect　a　slight　thawing　of　the　chill　factor。　〃These　faits　acplis。　There　are　to　be　no　more　of　them。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　really　not　trying　to　do　that。　It's　just　that　things　keep　happening　too　fast；　and　I　keep　having　to　improvise。〃
　〃No　more　of　them；　Jordan；〃　he　repeated　in　the　same　tone。　〃I　make　myself　clear？〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　I　said。　〃Perfectly。〃
　〃Good。　Now；　why　did　you　call？〃
　I　took　a　careful　breath。　〃I　need　to　find　a　dealer；　sir。〃
　He　blinked　at　that；　the　blink　turning　into　an　even　deeper　frown。　〃A　dealer？〃　he　repeated；　the　chill　factor　diving　into　arctic　territory　again。　For　all　the　misery　he　caused　with　his　happyjam；　Brother　John　was　almost　puritanical　when　it　came　to　his　own　people　using　the　stuff。
　〃One　who　carries　borandis；〃　I　said　hastily。　〃One　of　my　crew　is　ill　with　Cole's　disease；　and　borandis　is　the　treatment　for　it。　It's　also　called　jackalspit。〃
　〃Yes；　I　know。〃　For　a　few　more　seconds　those　soulless　eyes　gazed　into　mine；　his　face　still　unreadable　but　almost　certainly　wondering　if　I　was　telling　the　truth　or　simply　spinning　a　line。　I　held　my　breath；　trying　to　look　as　simple　and　honest　as　I　possibly　could。
　And　then；　to　my　relief；　he　shrugged。　〃Why　not？　Where　are　you？〃
　I　got　my　lungs　working　again。　〃Potosi；〃　I　said。　〃Kacclint　Spaceport。〃
　He　grunted。　〃A　Najiki　world。　Decent　enough　bug…eaters。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　I　agreed；　mildly　surprised　that　a　xenophobe　like　Brother　John　would　be　even　that　plimentary　toward　a　nonhuman　race。　Either　he　genuinely　had　some　grudging　respect　for　the　Najik；　or　else　he　had　business　interests　in　the　Archipelago　and　the　Najik　were　doing　a　good　job　of　making　money　for　him。　If　I　had　to　guess；　I'd　pick　the　latter。　〃I　need　to　know　if　the　organization　has　a　dealer　here　who　can　help　us。　And　if　so；　how　to　find　him。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Brother　John's　eyes　flicked　to　his　right。　〃Just　a　moment。〃
　The　screen　blanked。　I　took　another　deep　breath；　suddenly　aware　of　the　weight　of　my　plasmic　against　my　side　under　my　jacket。　So　far；　it　was　all　looking　hopeful。　But　I　knew　better　than　to　risk　relaxing；　even　for　a　moment。　Brother　John's　moods　were　notoriously　mercurial；　and　with　his　already　stated　displeasure　at　my　being　aboard　the　Icarus　he　might　suddenly　decide　that　letting　a　sick　crew　member　die　would　be　all　to　the　good；　either　as　an　object　lesson　to　me　or　as　an　extra　push　to　get　me　to　walk　away　from　the　whole　situation。　If　he　looked　like　he　was　going　that　direction　I　would　have　to　remind　him　that　Shawn's　death　would　only　serve　to　raise　the　Icarus's　profile　that　much　higher。
　He　was　gone　a　long　time。　Long　enough　that　I　began　to　wonder　if　perhaps　he'd　decided　that　this　had　bee　more　trouble　than　it　was　worth；　that　both　Shawn　and　I　were　expendable；　and　he　was　off　making　the　appropriate　arrangements。　I　was　just　thinking　about　pulling　out　my　phone　and　seeing　if　Ixil　had　e　out　of　his　a　when　the　screen　abruptly　cleared。
　〃All　right；〃　he　said　briskly。　〃He's　a　Drilie　named　Emendo　Torsk；　and　he　runs　his　business　from　a　street　music　stand　at　Gystr'n　Corner。　I　presume　your　sick　crewman　can　pay？〃
　〃We　should　have　enough；　yes；〃　I　assured　him。　〃Thank　you；　sir。〃
　〃Don't　call　here　again；　Jordan；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃Not　until　t