tz.theicarushunt-第38部分
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things are going； no one's going to figure it out anytime soon； either。〃
〃But…〃
〃And furthermore； blowing the horn on him would end it for me permanently；〃 I cut her off。 〃He's got my debt held with a bank on Onikki； under their charming debtors' prison laws。 All he has to do is call it in； and I'll spend the next thirty years working it off at fifty marks a day。 Sorry； but I have other plans。〃
〃Like spending the same thirty years working for Antoniewicz？〃 Nicabar said pointedly。
〃The choices stink；〃 I agreed。 〃But at least this way I'm not doing hard labor； and I still get to fly。〃
〃As Antoniewicz's wholly owned drink…fetcher。〃
I shrugged。 〃Like I said； the choices stink。 If you've got any others； I'm listening。〃
〃What if you could find someone to pay off the debt？〃 Tera asked。
〃Like who？〃 I demanded。 〃If the banks wouldn't look at me before； they sure aren't going to start now。 Unless one of you has half a million in spare change； it's not going to happen。〃
The corner of her mouth twitched。 〃It sounds like you've already given up。〃
〃What I've done is accepted reality。〃 I cocked an eyebrow。 〃The question is； are you two prepared to do the same？〃
Both of them frowned。 〃What do you mean？〃 Tera asked。
〃I mean you have to decide whether you're going to rise above your finicky scruples and continue to fly with me；〃 I said。 I was taking a risk； I knew； bringing up the subject that way。 But only a slight one…that was； after all； what they'd e here planning to confront me with in the first place。 Besides； if they could be blunt； so could I。
And Tera； at least； could certainly be blunt。 〃I would think it's a matter of whether you will be allowed to continue flying with us；〃 she retorted。
〃Afraid it doesn't work that way；〃 I said； shaking my head。 〃I'm the pilot； hired for the job by Borodin。 None of you has the position or rank to replace me。〃
〃Under the circumstances； I doubt you'd have the gall to file a plaint；〃 Nicabar pointed out。
〃Oh； I might have the gall；〃 I said。 〃But I wouldn't； mainly because there wouldn't be anything to gain。 You and the Icarus would already be gone； taken by the hijackers I've already told you about。〃
〃Assuming there was any truth to that story；〃 Tera scoffed。
〃Why would I make something like that up？〃
〃Maybe you're hoping to scare us all into jumping ship；〃 she said。 〃Maybe you've got another crew lined up ready to move in when that happens； like you had Ixil ready when Jones got killed。 Maybe you're the real hijacker。〃
〃Then why didn't I move my crew in on Dorscind's World while you were all out sampling the sights？〃 I countered。 〃Why bother with any story at all？〃
〃And you don't know who these hijackers are？〃 Nicabar asked。
〃All I know is that they're very well organized；〃 I said。 〃And that for whatever reason； they think they want the Icarus。〃
〃They 'think' they want it？〃
〃Well； I sure can't see any good reason for chasing us this way；〃 I told him。 〃Any cargo that would pass muster well enough on Gamm to earn a sealed…cargo license can't be all that exciting to anyone。 Maybe it's the ship itself they want； though personally I find that even less plausible。〃
I looked back at Tera。 〃But whatever the reason； it boils down to the fact that you're stuck with me。 You try finding a replacement pilot from this point on； and you'll never know whether it's someone the hijackers deliberately dangled in front of you； either one of their own or someone they've hired for the occasion。 Not until it's too late； anyway。 Have you noticed that none of your cabin doors have locks？〃
They exchanged glances。 Unhappy glances； trapped…and…not…liking…it…at…all glances。 But they were stuck； and they knew it。 At the moment the only people they had even a hope of trusting were already aboard the Icarus。 And it was for sure that none of them could fly this front…heavy fitter's nightmare。
〃If this is supposed to make us feel better about trusting you； it isn't；〃 Nicabar said。 〃How do we know you aren't just sticking around hoping to get a better deal？〃
〃How do I know you won't sell out？〃 I countered。 〃Or that Tera won't； or any of the others？ Answer： I don't。 If there were better odds to be had anywhere else； I'd grab them。 But there aren't。 Not here； not now。〃
〃So why should you care what happens to the Icarus？〃 Nicabar persisted。 〃Or to any of the rest of us？〃
I looked him straight in the eye。 〃Because I took a contract to fly this ship to Earth。 And that's what I intend to do。〃
〃And we can believe that or not？〃
I sighed； suddenly weary of this whole stupid game。 〃Believe whatever you want；〃 I told him。 〃But if and when we make it to Earth I'll want a full apology。〃
It would be overly generous to say that he smiled。 But some of the implied threat did seem to drain out of his face。 I reflected briefly on his former career with the EarthGuard Marines； a career that wouldn't really have trained him how to read people。 〃I'll remember that；〃 he promised。
〃I may even expect a little groveling；〃 I warned； shifting my attention back to Tera。 〃How about you？ Willing to rub shoulders with the drink…fetchers a little longer； or are you going to jump ship at the next port？〃
I'd thought the words； or at least the tone； might get another facial reaction out of her。 But she simply studied me； those hazel eyes holding more pity than loathing。 〃I'll stay；〃 she said。 〃I took the contract； too。〃
〃Good；〃 I said briskly。 〃Then we're all one big happy family again。 How nice。 Revs； I believe you're still on duty？〃
〃I'll stay with the ship for now； McKell；〃 he said quietly。 〃But remember what I told you earlier。 If I find out we're carrying drugs or guns； I'm out。〃
I nodded。 〃I'll remember；〃 I promised。
He regarded me another moment； then nodded back and tapped the door…release pad。 It opened； and he disappeared back out into the corridor。
Tera started to follow； but then paused in the doorway。 〃You're not trapped； Jordan；〃 she said； her voice quiet。 Quiet； earnest； and idealistic as all get…out。 Generally； it was a bination I hated。 On her； oddly enough； it seemed to fit rather naturally。 〃There's a way out somewhere。 You just have to want to find it badly enough。〃
〃I once thought that way；〃 I told her。 〃Thought there was a quick and simple solution to every problem。〃
〃I didn't say the solution would be quick or simple；〃 she said impatiently； the idealism level dropping but the earnestness increasing to more than make up the difference。 〃I just said that it was there if you really wanted it。〃
〃I'll keep that in mind；〃 I said。 〃And while I'm doing that； perhaps you'll try to remember that job security of any sort is a damn sight better than the starvation diet everyone but the Patth is on these days。 It's easy for a puter jock like you…you don't have to fly on star…ships； there are puters everywhere。 But I can't very well fly an accounting firm's desk； now can I？〃
〃I suppose the question is how much security is worth to you；〃 she said。 〃pared with； say； self…respect。〃 Turning back to the door； she started to stride out of the room。
〃By the way； Tera？〃 I said。
Almost reluctantly； probably annoyed at my ruining her dramatic exit； she stopped。 〃Yes？〃
〃Everett told me you were in the mechanics shop when he came to alert everyone about Shawn's escape；〃 I said。 〃What were you doing in there？〃
She regarded me coolly。 〃I was looking for a jeweler's screwdriver set；〃 she said。 〃One of my displays was going funny and I thought it might need some adjustment。〃
〃Ah；〃 I said。 〃Thank you。〃
She gazed at me another heartbeat。 〃You're wele；〃 she said； turning again and making her exit。
I watched the door slide closed behind her； gave her and Nicabar a minute to get out of the corridor； then went over and locked the door open again。 I like my privacy as much as the next man； but if anyone was planning to go for a stroll around the mid deck； I wanted to hear them doing it。
Returning to my chair； I resumed my regimen of scowling at the displays。 Tera and Nicabar had at least been up front about their suspicions about me。 How many of the others； I wondered； were having the same thoughts； only weren't interested in a confrontation？
I didn't care about being popular。 Well； I did； actually； as much as anyone else； but I'd long since resigned myself to the knowledge that people who liked me were going to be few and far between。 The vital question right now； though； was not popularity but trust and obedience。 If there was any chance at all of making it through the ever…tightening Patth noose； it was going to require all of us working together。
All of us。 Including our mysterious saboteur。
It would help enormously if I could figure out what exactly he was going for。 But while I could hammer any three or four of the incidents into a workable theory； trying to put all of them together simply refused to work。 If someone knew what was in the Icarus's cargo hold； and if it was as valuable as we all thought； why hadn't he turned us in to the Patth on Potosi and claimed the reward？ Or had the gem…smuggling tip to Najiki Customs been an abortive attempt to do just that？ And how did the attacks on Jones and Ixil fit in？
Abruptly； I sat up straighter in my chair； my mind flashing back to what I myself had said not ten minutes earlier to Nicabar about the hijackers possibly hiring a pilot for the occasion。 The Patth might very well be doing just that…they certainly had enough money to spread around； and I was the one person they knew was aboard。 A single well…placed shot could take me out of the picture permanently； and make it vital for the rest to find a new pilot。
And if the Patth were dangling high…denomination bills in front of ships' pilots； why not ships' mechanics as well？ Our resident saboteur； no matter what his secret talents and certificates； probably couldn't fly a ship this size and shape by himself。 But two such talented and certified men just might be able to pull it off。
And if this second man was also a mechanic； then the simplest way to get him aboard was to create an opening in that slot。 Our saboteur had succeeded in eliminating Jones； but I'd already had Ixil standing in line to fill the vacancy。 Was the implied
