tz.theicarushunt-第35部分

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twice　a　day　throughout　his　entire　career。　〃Then　you　will　unseal　the　hatch　and　allow　us　inside。　I　will　need　to　see　your　personal　identification；　as　well。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　I　said；　brushing　some　of　the　water　out　of　my　eyes　and　trying　to　figure　out　what　the　hell　was　going　on。　The　gemstone　story　was　utter　nonsense；　of　course…you　could　fill　fifty　ships　the　size　of　the　Icarus　from　deck　to　ceiling　with　Dritar　opals　without　so　much　as　lifting　a　Patth　eyebrow。　But　if　they　suspected　the　ship　in　front　of　us　might　be　the　Icarus；　why　bother　with　this　subterfuge？
　Answer：　they　wouldn't。　Which　meant　that　they　didn't　know　it　was　the　Icarus。
　Which　further　meant　the　Patth　weren't　involved　in　this；　that　it　was　a　purely　Najiki　affair；　with　the　whole　gemstone　thing　being　either　a　ridiculous　bureaucratic　error　or　else　a　horrifying　coincidence。　I'd　chosen　the　name　Sleeping　Beauty　for　our　current　ship's　ID　on　the　assumption　that　few　people　in　the　Spiral　were　going　to　name　their　ships　after　obscure　nineteenth…century　Russian　ballets。　It　would　be　the　height　of　irony　if　I'd　not　only　guessed　wrong；　but　had　managed　to　pick　the　name　of　a　bona　fide　smuggling　ship　in　the　bargain。
　Unfortunately；　in　about　five　minutes　the　how　and　why　of　it　weren't　going　to　matter　anymore。　There　were　a　dozen　different　numbers　etched　on　engines　and　consoles　all　over　the　ship；　numbers　that　were　on　various　lists　all　across　the　Spiral。　If　Cameron　had　done　a　proper　job　of　creating　a　history　for　his　phantom　freighter；　those　numbers　would　be　in　a　Mercantile　file　labeled　Icarus；　and　the　minute　the　Najik　started　checking　them　we　would　be　finished。　If　Cameron　hadn't　filed　the　numbers；　it　would　simply　take　a　little　longer　for　the　soap　bubble　to　burst。
　The　Najik　were　still　waiting。　〃Of　course；〃　I　said　again；　turning　back　and　stepping　to　where　Tera　was　still　clinging　to　Shawn's　left　arm。　There　was　one　very　tenuous　hope　here；　a　hope　based　on　Brother　John's　off…handed　ment　earlier　about　the　Najik；　and　my　own　hopefully　not…too…cynical　interpretation　of　it。　〃Let　me　get　the　hatch　unlocked　first　and　get　us　in　out　of　the　rain。　Especially　Geoff　here…he's　not　well。〃
　Someone　in　the　group　gave　a　deep…bass　rumble；　the　Najiki　equivalent　of　a　guffaw；　as　I　took　Shawn's　right　upper　arm。　Not　an　unreasonable　response；　given　that　Shawn　looked　more　drunk　than　he　did　sick；　and　I　took　it　as　a　good　sign。　Customs　HQ　might　be　taking　this　seriously；　but　apparently　not　all　the　officers　themselves　were。　Together　Tera　and　I　led　Shawn　through　the　Najiki　cordon　to　the　near　end　of　the　ramp。　I　keyed　in　the　bination　on　the　pad　and；　behind　Chort；　the　hatch　swung　open。　Without　waiting　for　permission　from　the　Najik；　I　moved　us　forward　onto　the　ramp。
　〃Keep　going；〃　I　murmured　to　Tera；　letting　go　my　grip　on　Shawn's　arm　and　sliding　my　left　arm　through　his；　freeing　up　that　hand　while　still　giving　the　appearance　that　I　was　holding　on　to　him。　Extending　my　reach　as　much　as　I　could；　I　dipped　into　my　side　jacket　pocket　for　the　folded　city　map　I'd　stuffed　in　there　earlier。　My　other　hand　had　already　slipped　inside　my　jacket　for　my　pen；　and　as　we　passed　out　of　the　rain　into　the　shelter　of　the　wraparound　I　scribbled　briefly　on　the　front　of　the　map。
　〃An　interesting　ship　design；〃　the　gokra　mented　from　right　behind　me。　He　might　be　courteous　enough　to　let　me　precede　him　into　my　own　ship；　but　that　didn't　mean　he　was　going　to　let　me　get　too　much　of　a　lead　on　him。　〃Ylpea…built；　I　presume？〃
　〃I　really　don't　know；〃　I　said。　Now　that　he　mentioned　it；　I　could　see　an　echo　of　the　Ylpean　love　of　French　curves　in　the　Icarus's　double…sphere　shape。　Had　that　been　what　Cameron　had　been　going　for？　Regardless；　something　worth　remembering。　〃I'm　just　the　pilot；　not　the　owner。　I　don't　know　anything　about　its　history。〃
　〃Ah。〃
　We　had　moved　along　the　wraparound；　and　were　now　ing　up　on　the　main　sphere。　Behind　the　gokra　the　rest　of　the　Najik　had　filed　in；　with　a　silent　Chort　bringing　up　the　rear。　〃But　you're　not　here　for　a　history　lesson　anyway；〃　I　added；　pulling　my　ID　folder　from　inside　my　jacket　and　surreptitiously　sliding　the　map　inside　it。　〃Here's　my　ID。〃
　I　handed　it　to　him；　mentally　crossing　my　fingers。　If　I'd　guessed　wrong；　it　wasn't　even　going　to　take　until　the　Najik　started　calling　in　console　numbers　for　me　to　be　in　big　trouble。
　He　took　the　folder　and　opened　it。　The　multiple　eyes　twitched　in　unison　as　he　saw　the　map　nestled　inside；　twitched　again　as　he　spotted　the　note　I'd　written　on　it。　For　a　long　minute　he　just　stared　at　it。　Once　again　I　was　suddenly　conscious　of　the　weight　of　my　plasmic　against　my　ribs；　knowing　full　well　that　opening　fire　in　such　a　confined　space　against　ten　armed　opponents　would　be　a　quick　way　of　mitting　suicide。　Beside　me；　Shawn　seemed　to　have　stopped　breathing；　and　I　could　sense　a　similar　tension　in　Tera　on　his　other　side。
　Then；　almost　delicately；　the　gokra　closed　the　folder　without　even　looking　behind　the　map　at　my　actual　ID　and　handed　it　back　to　me。　〃Thank　you；〃　he　said；　almost　primly。　〃We　won't　be　long。〃
　And　they　weren't。　They　wandered　up　and　down　the　various　corridors；　glanced　around　the　engine　room　and　bridge；　casually　examined　the　curving　metal　of　the　cargo　partment　and　confirmed　there　was　no　entry　hatch；　and　made　a　copy　of　Cameron's　fake　Gamm　sealed…cargo　license　to　take　for　their　files。　Nicabar　returned　while　they　were　poking　around；　I　told　him　to　get　dried　off　and　then　get　the　thrusters　ready　to　go。　At　one　point；　almost　as　an　afterthought；　the　gokra　also　presented　me　with　the　bill　for　our　fueling；　explaining　that　he'd　taken　it　from　the　ground　crew　when　he　arrived　and　found　them　waiting　for　my　return。　He　didn't　seem　surprised　that　I　paid　the　bill　in　cash；　or　that　there　were　five　extra　hundred…mark　bills　in　the　stack　I　gave　him。　And　that　was　it。　Ten　minutes　after　they'd　e　in　out　of　the　rain；　they　were　out　in　it　again；　striding　briskly　toward　the　slideways　and　headed　home。
　〃All　right；　I　give　up；〃　Tera　murmured　from　my　side　as　she　and　I　stood　in　the　wraparound　and　watched　them　go。　〃Who　is　Mr。　Antoniewicz；　and　why　won't　he　be　happy　if　they　find　anything？〃
　I　grimaced。　I　hadn't　thought　she　would　be　able　to　read　the　note　from　her　angle　as　I'd　scribbled　it　on　the　map。　〃He's　just　someone　I　know；〃　I　said　evasively。　〃He　has　a　certain　amount　of　influence　around　the　Spiral。〃
　〃I'd　say　he　has　a　great　deal　of　influence；〃　she　said；　eyeing　me　in　a　way　I　didn't　much　care　for。　〃You　know　him　personally　or　professionally？〃
　〃I've　done　some　business　with　his　people；〃　I　said。　A　movement　outside　caught　my　eye：　Everett；　our　last　crewman　still　unaccounted　for；　had　appeared　around　the　bow　of　one　of　the　nearby　ships　and　was　plodding　our　way；　his　big　feet　kicking　up　impressive　splashes　with　each　step。　He　looked　tired；　he　must　have　worn　himself　out　looking　for　Shawn。　Not　surprising；　really；　given　that　he　probably　considered　it　his　fault　the　kid　had　gotten　away　in　the　first　place。　〃Here　es　Everett；〃　I　added　to　Tera；　hoping　to　forestall　any　further　questions；　as　I　dug　out　the　fake　cassette。　〃Tell　him　to　check　Shawn　and　see　if　he　needs　another　dose　yet…here's　the　borandis。　As　soon　as　he's　aboard；　seal　the　hatch　and　get　to　the　puter　room。〃
　I　left　her　there　and　headed　to　the　bridge；　feeling　both　cautiously　relieved　and　cautiously　pleased　with　myself。　I'd　been　right：　Brother　John's　grudging　admiration　for　the　Najik　had　indeed　been　based　on　the　fact　that　the　Antoniewicz　organization　was　able　to　do　business　with　them。　Clearly；　our　customs　gokra　was　in　on　the　deal；　and　dropping　Antoniewicz's　name　had　been　enough　to　wave　him　off　us。　I　still　didn't　know　why　the　Icarus　had　been　fingered　for　a　search；　but　as　soon　as　we　were　out　of　Potosi　space　that　wouldn't　matter。
　Assuming　we　did　get　out　of　Potosi　space；　of　course。　If　the　gokra　had　merely　taken　the　extra　cash　in　order　to　add　attempted　bribery　to　the　charges　against　me；　he　should　be　rounding　the　corner　any　minute　with　that　army　battalion　I'd　been　expecting　earlier。
　But　for　once；　my　pessimism　proved　unfounded。　We　got　clearance　to　lift；　the　port's　grav　beams　lifted　us　smoothly　out　and　up；　and　within　a　few　minutes　we　were　once　again　in　space。　I　had　cut　us　into　hyperspace　and　was　doing　a　quick　check　of　the　systems　when　the　door　opened　and　Everett　came　in。　〃We　safely　away？〃　he　asked。
　〃Unless　the　hull　decides　to　collapse；　we　are；〃　I　told　him。
　He　made　a　face。　〃Considering　the　way　things　have　been　going；　that's　not　very　funny。〃
　〃I　suppose　not；〃　I　conceded。　〃Sorry。　How's　Shawn　doing？〃
　〃Seems　to　be　recovering；〃　he　said。　〃Fortunately；　the　reversible　Cole's　disease　symptoms　begin　long　before　the　irreversible　damage　kicks　in。　And　the　borandis　dependence　itself　is　more　or　less　reversible　at　any　point。　Rather　like　scurvy　in　that　respect。〃
　〃That's　handy；〃　I　said。　〃How　much　of　his　current　trouble　is　related　to　the　dependence　and　how　much　to　the　disease？〃
　He　shook　his　head；　peering　at　the　displays。　〃I　don't　know。　The　two　problems　intermix　so　tightly　it　takes　a　specialist　to　disentangle　them。　We're　going　to　Morsh　Pon　next？〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃After　that　little　run…in　back　there；　I　thought　it　might　be　nice　to　refuel　someplace　where　they　don't　bother　at　all　with　customs　formalities。〃
　〃If　you　live　to　get　back　out；〃　he　said　dubiously。　〃I've　heard　stories　about　that　world…bands　of　pirates　and　smugglers　roaming　the　streets　looking　for　trouble。〃
　〃We'll　be　all　right；〃　I　told　him　with　a　confidence　I　didn't　much　feel　myself。　〃I'll　make　you　a　small　wager　that　it　won't　be　as　bad　as　you　think。〃
　〃Um；〃　Everett　said　nonmittally；　still　looking　doubtful。　〃Still；　you're　the　captain；　power　of　life　and　death　over　your　crew；　and　all　that。　Speaking　of　which…the　crew；　I　mean…I　haven't　seen　Ixil　since　before　we　landed　on　Potosi。〃
　〃Neither　have　I；〃　I　said。　〃But　I'm　sure　he's　all　right。〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said　hesitantly。　〃The　reason　I　asked；　you　see；　was　that　I　tried　checking　on　him　and　his　cabin　door　wouldn't　open。〃
　〃That's　okay…I　set　it　that　way　to　make　sure　he　had　some　privacy；〃　I　assured　him。　〃I　just　hope　it　didn't　slam　on　your　fingers。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Everett　asked；　looking　puzzled。　〃It　didn't　slam。　It　didn't　open　at　all。〃
　I　stared　at　him；　a　sudden　chill　running　through　me。　〃It　didn't　open　a　few　centimeters　and　then　shut　again？〃
　〃I　told　you：　it　didn't　even　budge；〃　he　insisted。　〃I　t