tz.theicarushunt-第41部分

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　〃Three　colas　and　a　water；　huh？〃　Jennifer　said；　shaking　her　head。　〃You　really　are　the　big　spenders。〃
　〃As　he　said；　we're　short　on　cash；〃　Tera　said　firmly。　〃So　you　might　as　well　stop　wasting　your　time。〃
　Jennifer　shrugged。　〃Fine。　You　know；　though；　there's　an　easy　way　to　make　some　fast　money。〃
　She　leaned　in　toward　the　middle　of　the　table；　beckoning　us　in　conspiratorially。　〃There's　a　ship　out　there　somewhere…no　one　knows　where；〃　she　said；　dropping　her　voice　to　a　murmur。　〃You　find　it；　and　it's　worth　a　hundred　thousand　marks　to　you。　Cash　money。〃
　A　matched　set　of　Kalixiri　ferrets　with　cold　feet　began　running　up　and　down　my　back。　〃Really；〃　I　said；　trying　to　keep　my　voice　neutral。　〃How　e　it's　worth　that　much？　And　who　to？〃
　〃I　don't　know　why　they　want　it；〃　she　said；　half　turning　and　snagging　a　folded　piece　of　paper　from　the　next　table　over　that　had　apparently　been　left　behind　during　the　earlier　mass　exodus。　〃But　it's　all　right　here；〃　she　said；　handing　it　to　me。
　I　unfolded　it。　To　my　plete　lack　of　surprise；　it　was　the　same　flyer　James　Fulbright　had　waved　in　my　face　back　on　Dorscind's　World。
　With　two　unpleasant　differences。　First；　as　Jennifer　had　said；　the　reward　had　been　jumped　from　the　original　five　thousand　to　a　hundred　thousand。　And　second；　instead　of　my　old　Mercantile　Authority　photo；　there　was　a　much　more　up…to…date　sketch。　An　extremely　good　sketch。
　〃Sounds　like　a　con　to　me；〃　I　mented　offhandedly　as　I　folded　the　paper　again　and　dropped　it　on　the　table　in　front　of　me；　my　skin　crawling　beneath　the　fake　scars　on　my　cheek。　So　that　was　why　the　Patth　agent　on　Dorscind's　World　had　surrendered　without　even　token　resistance。　Letting　me　get　off　the　planet　had　been　less　important　in　his　eyes　than　making　sure　he　stayed　alive　to　take　back　a　proper　description　to　his　masters。　Suddenly　my　disguise　didn't　seem　quite　so　forting　and　impenetrable　anymore。　〃So　why　show　it　to　us？〃　I　asked。
　She　waved　a　hand　around。　〃You　can　see　how　it　is；〃　she　said；　her　eyes　and　voice　starting　to　drift　toward　the　seductive。　〃I'm　stuck　down　here。　But　you're　not。　You　might　run　into　this　Icarus　out　there。〃
　Chort　made　a　strange　sound　in　the　back　of　his　throat。　〃What　ship　did　you　say？　The　Icarus？〃
　〃I　guess　no　one　knows　what　it　looks　like；〃　she　said；　ignoring　him；　her　eyes　still　on　me　and　growing　ever　more　seductive。　〃But　they　say　that　guy　on　the　flyer　is　aboard　it。　You　might　spot　the　ship；　you　might　spot　him。〃
　〃And　then？〃　I　prompted。
　She　leaned　close　to　me。　〃Then　you　could　call　me　here；〃　she　said；　breathing　the　words　straight　into　my　face　now。　The　perfume　mixed　with　the　alcohol　on　her　breath　was　definitely　from　the　lower　end　of　the　price　spectrum。　〃I　know　who　to　get　the　word　to；　and　who　to　collect　the　bounty　from。〃
　〃You　say　they　just　want　the　ship？〃　Tera　spoke　up。　She　had　picked　up　the　flyer　now　and　was　looking　at　it；　and　in　the　admittedly　inadequate　light　I　thought　her　face　had　gone　a　little　pale。
　〃They　want　the　ship　and　crew　both；〃　Jennifer　said；　still　gazing　at　me。　〃What；　can't　you　read？〃
　〃What　for？〃　Tera　persisted；　handing　the　flyer　off　to　Nicabar。　〃What　do　they　want　them　for？〃
　Reluctantly；　Jennifer　leaned　back　again　and　looked　at　Tera　over　her　shoulder。　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　growled；　clearly　annoyed　at　the　interruption　in　her　sales　pitch。　〃And　I　don't　care；　either。　The　point　is　that　there's　money　to　be　made；　and　we　could　be　the　ones　who　make　it。〃
　〃And　how　would　you　propose　we　split　it？〃　I　asked。
　She　smiled　at　me　again。　The　seductress　role　was　apparently　all　she　knew　how　to　play。　〃All　I　want　is　passage　back　to　Earth　and　a　couple　thousand　to　help　me　get　set　up　there；〃　she　breathed；　leaning　toward　me　again。　〃That's　all…you'd　get　all　the　rest。　Just　for　one　little　Starrm　call。　I'd　even　pay　you　back　for　the　call。〃
　〃Why　do　we　need　you　at　all？〃　Nicabar　put　in；　looking　up　from　the　flyer。　〃Why　can't　we　just　call　this　number　ourselves？〃
　〃Because　I　know　how　to　get　you　an　extra　fifty　thousand；〃　the　woman　said；　breathing　her　words　into　my　face　again。　〃Private　money。　Revenge　money。　See　those　three　in　the　back？〃
　I　turned　my　head。　The　three　robed　figures　were　still　hunched　over　their　table；　but　as　we　all　looked　that　direction；　as　if　on　cue；　one　of　them　stirred；　rolling　his　shoulders　to　the　sides　as　if　adjusting　them　in　his　sleep；　then　falling　silent　and　still　again。　But　the　movement　had　been　enough　to　drop　his　hood　partially　back；　revealing　his　face。
　It　was　another　of　the　Lumpy　Clan。
　From　my　left；　from　Nicabar's　direction；　came　a　faint　but　sharp　intake　of　air。　I　turned　to　look　at　him；　but　by　the　time　I　got　there　he　had　his　usual　stolid　expression　back　in　place。
　But　the　stifled　gasp　alone　was　very　enlightening。　Clearly；　somewhere　along　the　line；　Nicabar　had　run　into　these　lads　before。
　〃They　passed　the　word　that　they　were　putting　another　fifty　thousand　into　the　pot；〃　Jennifer　continued。　Like　Chort's　reaction　earlier　to　the　name　of　the　hunted　ship；　she'd　apparently　also　missed　Nicabar's　reaction　to　the　Lumpies。　Either　she　was　drunker　than　I'd　thought；　or　else　she　was　putting　so　much　effort　into　her　attempted　seduction　of　me　that　she　didn't　have　any　attention　to　spare　for　anyone　else。　〃I　hear　the　guy　on　the　flyer　smoked　a　couple　of　their　pals。〃
　〃Not　a　very　friendly　thing　to　do；〃　I　said；　peering　with　some　difficulty　into　her　face；　not　because　she　was　unpleasant　to　look　at　but　because　she'd　once　again　moved　to　a　position　bare　centimeters　away　from　me。　Maybe　she　was　counting　on　her　perfume　to　seal　this　deal　for　her。
　Inside　my　jacket；　my　phone　vibrated。　〃Excuse　me；〃　I　said；　half　turning　away　from　her　and　digging　into　my　pocket；　glad　for　an　excuse　to　break　away　from　that　gaze；　even　temporarily。
　It　was；　as　I'd　expected；　Ixil。　〃Everything　all　right？〃　he　asked。
　〃Just　fine；〃　I　told　him　as　Nurptric　returned　to　our　table　with　our　drinks。　〃We　found　out　why　everyone　else　is　gone。〃
　〃Good；〃　he　said。　〃Whatever　the　reason；　they're　ing　back。〃
　〃It　seems…〃　I　broke　off。　〃What？〃
　〃I'm　reading　fifteen　ships　on　landing…approach　vectors；〃　he　said。　〃At　least　five　of　them　are　heading　for　our　spaceport。〃
　I　looked　up　at　the　Ulkomaal。　〃Nurptric；　do　the　Balthee　ever　actually　land　to　pick　up　prisoners？〃
　He　seemed　shocked。　〃Of　course　not。　They　wouldn't　dare…this　is　Ulko　sovereign　territory。〃
　〃Then　you're　right；　they're　ing　back；〃　I　confirmed　to　Ixil；　trying　to　keep　the　sudden　tension　out　of　my　voice。　A　whole　crowd　of　returning　pirates；　smugglers；　and　cutthroats；　and　probably　every　one　of　them　with　a　Patth　sketch　of　me　folded　neatly　in　his　pocket。　Just　what　we　needed。　〃What's　the　fueling　status？〃
　〃About　half…done；〃　he　said。　〃We　should　be　topped　off　by　the　time　the　first　wave　arrives。　I　presume　we'd　like　to　be　buttoned　down　and　ready　to　fly　by　then？〃
　〃If　not　sooner；〃　I　told　him。　Whatever　Uncle　Arthur　had　cooked　up　for　us；　he'd　better　hit　the　road　with　it；　and　fast。　〃We're　on　our　way。〃
　I　clicked　off　and　returned　the　phone　to　my　pocket。　〃Trouble？〃　Jennifer　asked。
　〃Just　the　opposite；〃　I　assured　her；　lifting　my　glass　to　my　lips　but　not　drinking　any　of　it。　The　barkeep　might　have　recognized　me　and　slipped　in　something　special；　and　I　didn't　want　to　find　out　about　it　the　hard　way。　If　I　hadn't　been　a　raving　paranoid　before；　I　reflected；　this　trip　would　very　likely　do　the　trick。　〃Our　ship's　almost　fueled　up；　and　it　looks　like　we　can　be　out　of　here　before　the　rest　of　your　clientele　start　tying　up　all　the　perimeter　grav　beams。〃
　Her　face　fell；　just　a　bit。　All　that　effort；　and　now　we　were　about　to　leave　without　letting　her　finish　her　presentation。　〃Think　about　my　offer；　okay？〃　she　said；　a　note　of　pleading　in　her　voice。　〃There　could　be　extra　benefits；　too；　not　just　the　money。〃
　〃Oh？〃　I　said；　resisting　the　temptation　to　look　suggestively　up　and　down　her　tight…fitting　outfit。　It　would　have　been　a　cheap　shot；　and　I　imagined　she　got　enough　of　that　from　the　Baker's　Dozen's　usual　denizens。　〃Such　as？〃
　Cheap　shots；　apparently；　were　Jennifer's　stock…in…trade。　Putting　her　right　hand　behind　my　head；　the　corners　of　her　ring　catching　momentarily　on　my　hair；　she　pulled　me　the　last　thirty　centimeters　still　separating　us　and　kissed　me。
　There　was　nothing　tentative　or　perfunctory　about　it；　either。　It　was　a　full…mouth；　full…pressure　lip　dock；　with　all　the　desperate　strength　of　someone　facing　her　absolute　last　chance。　I　thought　about　how　she'd　spoken　of　being　stuck　here；　of　how　she'd　asked　for　passage　to　Earth　for　putting　us　onto　the　Patth　hunt；　and　for　the　first　time　since　we'd　met　I　actually　felt　a　little　sorry　for　her。　Of　all　of　us　at　that　table；　I　could　empathize　most　strongly　with　the　feeling　of　being　caught　inside　an　ever…shrinking　box。
　And　then　the　tip　of　her　tongue　pushed　between　my　lips；　and　abruptly；　my　twinge　of　sympathy　vanished　in　a　sudden　flush　of　surprise　and　cautious　excitement。
　It　seemed　like　a　long　time　before　the　pressures　fore　and　aft　slackened　off　and　she　pulled　away；　though　it　was　probably　no　more　than　a　few　seconds。　As　her　head　moved　out　of　my　line　of　sight；　I　saw　that　Tera　was　looking　at　me　with　a　cast…granite　expression　on　her　face。　Irreverently；　I　found　myself　wondering　how　many　other　expressions　of　surprise；　outrage；　or　disgust　she'd　gone　through　while　I　wasn't　looking。　Even　a　scoundrel　as　low…class　as　I　was　shouldn't　act　that　way　in　the　presence　of　a　lady。
　〃Just　remember；　there's　a　lot　more　where　that　came　from；〃　Jennifer　said；　using　her　seductive　voice　again　as　she　rose　leisurely　to　her　feet。　Clearly；　she　was　feeling　very　pleased　with　herself。　〃If　you　spot　the　Icarus；　call　the　Morsh　Pon　Starrm　exchange　and　leave　a　message　for　Jennifer　at　Shick　Place。〃　With　one　last　smile　all　around；　plus　a　smirk　for　Tera；　she　sauntered　away。
　The　others　were　all　looking　at　me；　varying　degrees　of　expectation　on　their　faces。　〃Well；　don't　just　sit　there；〃　I　said。　To　my　perhaps　hypersensitive　ears　my　voice　sounded　a　little　slurred。　〃Drink　up；　and　let's　get　out　of　here。〃
　They　did　so　without　ment。　I　let　my　own　cola　sit　where　it　was；　keeping　a　surreptitious　eye　on　Jennifer　as　I　sorted　out　the　proper　number　of　small…denomination　coins。　She　returned　to　her　table　and　spoke　briefly　with　her　friend　there；　but　as　the　four　of　us　stood　up　she　left　that　table　and　wandered　off　again；　this　time　heading　in　the　general　direction　of　the　three　Lump