tz.theicarushunt-第43部分

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　I　grunted。　〃Typical　hotshot　student　genius。　Brilliant　and　knows　it；　and　figures　none　of　the　usual　rules　apply　to　him。　Does　it　mention　anything　about　his　jaunt　out　to　Ephis？〃
　〃Not　a　word；〃　Ixil　said。　〃Of　course；　he　did　say　no　one　knew　about　that；　didn't　he？〃
　〃That's　what　he　implied；〃　I　agreed　doubtfully。　〃But　the　more　I　think　about　it；　the　more　I　wonder　if　he　and　his　buddies　could　really　have　pulled　it　off　without　at　least　being　noticed。〃
　Ixil　pondered　that　a　moment。　〃In　which　case；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃it　would　raise　the　question　of　whether　his　borandis　dependence　is　really　a　medical　matter　at　all。〃
　〃It　would　indeed；〃　I　agreed。　〃Of　course；　Everett　did　confirm　that　was　the　diagnosis。　But　then；　Everett　apparently　also　didn't　recognize　the　symptoms　of　either　the　drug　dependency　or　the　Cole's　disease　until　Shawn　really　started　getting　twitchy。　Is　there　anything　there　about　Everett's　medical　training？〃
　Ixil　adjusted　the　document　in　the　reader。　〃Looks　like　just　the　basic　Mercantile　course　and　certification。〃
　〃How　long　ago？〃
　〃Two　years。〃
　〃Which　leaves　a　twenty…year　gap　between　his　throw…boxing　and　medical　careers；〃　I　said。　〃What　was　he　doing　to　fill　the　idle　workday　hours？〃
　〃A　variety　of　different　jobs；〃　Ixil　said；　scanning　down　the　text。　〃Let　me　see。　He　did　five　years　of　throw…boxing　instruction；　two　as　a　judge/referee；　and　six　as　a　casino　security　officer。　Then　there　was　one　year　each　as　bartender　on　a　liner；　mechanics'　apprentice；　and　tour　packager/guide　on　the　throw…boxing　circuit。　After　that　he　went　in　for　his　medical　certificate。〃
　〃By　my　count；　that　leaves　us　two　years　short。〃
　〃That's　taken　up　by　the　instruction　regimens　for　the　various　career　changes；〃　Ixil　explained。　〃One　to　eight　months　each。〃
　〃I　wonder　what　he　wants　to　be　when　he　grows　up；〃　I　murmured。　Though　to　be　fair；　it　didn't　sound　a　whole　lot　worse　than　my　own　employment　resume。　〃All　right；　back　to　Shawn。　Anything　in　there　that　might　suggest　he'd　dabbled　with　any　other　drugs　besides　borandis？〃
　〃Nothing；〃　Ixil　said。　〃Though　nothing　that　would　preclude　it；　either。　Something　else　for　our　wish　list？〃
　〃Right；〃　I　agreed；　making　yet　another　mental　note。　〃Okay。　That　just　leaves　Tera。〃
　〃Tera；〃　Ixil　echoed；　peering　at　the　reader。　〃We　start　with　a　negative：　Preliminary　checks　of　appropriate　religious…group　listings　fail　to　find　anyone　by　that　name　with　the　description　you　gave。　After　that。。。〃
　He　paused；　his　face　going　suddenly　rigid。　〃Jordan；〃　he　said；　his　voice　studiously　conversational；　〃would　you　say　that　Uncle　Arthur　has　a　tendency　toward　the　dramatic？〃
　〃Is　moss　slimy？〃　I　countered；　feeling　the　hairs　tingling　on　the　back　of　my　neck　as　I　swung　my　legs　over　the　side　of　my　cot　and　sat　up。　〃How　dramatic　is　he　being　this　time？〃
　Wordlessly；　he　handed　me　the　reader。　I　took　it；　glanced　at　the　indistinct　photo　that　might　or　might　not　have　been　our　Tera；　and　with　a　feeling　of　nameless　but　impending　doom　plowed　my　way　into　the　final　section　of　the　Kalixiri　text。
　It　was　as　if　I'd　been　slapped　across　the　face　with　a　wet　rag。　I　read　it　twice；　sure　I　must　have　gotten　it　wrong。　But　I　hadn't。　〃Where's　Tera　now？〃　I　asked；　looking　up　at　Ixil。
　〃Probably　in　her　cabin；〃　he　said。　〃She's　off…duty；　and　she　hasn't　shown　much　tendency　to　sit　around　the　dayroom。〃
　〃Let's　go　find　her；〃　I　said；　making　sure　my　plasmic　was　riding　snugly　in　its　holster。
　I　got　up　and　headed　for　the　door。　Ixil　was　faster；　hopping　up　from　his　place　on　the　floor　and　blocking　my　way。　〃Are　you　sure　this　is　a　good　idea？〃　he　asked。
　〃Not　really；〃　I　said。　〃But　I　want　to　find　out　for　sure；　and　I　want　to　find　out　now。　Confronting　her　straight…out　seems　to　me　the　best　way　to　do　it。〃
　〃Yes；　but　she'll　want　to　know　how　we　found　out；〃　he　warned。　〃That　could　be　awkward。〃
　〃It　won't；〃　I　said；　shaking　my　head。　〃She　already　knows　we　run　cargoes　for　Antoniewicz；　and　she　knows　he's　got　his　slimy　fingers　into　everything。　We　can　lay　this　at　his　feet；　no　problem。〃
　He　still　didn't　look　convinced；　but　he　nevertheless　stepped　aside。　I　tapped　the　release　pad；　confirmed　there　was　no　one　loitering　outside　in　the　corridor；　and　headed　for　the　aft　ladder。　Ixil　stayed　behind　long　enough　to　collect　his　ferrets　from　the　floor；　then　followed。
　We　reached　the　top　deck　without　seeing　anyone；　clearly；　the　Icarus's　antisocial　atmosphere　was　still　unsullied　by　anything　resembling　genuine　camaraderie。　Tera's　door　was　closed。　Bracing　myself；　I　tapped　the　release　pad；　and　as　the　door　slid　open　I　dodged　inside。
　From　my　previous　clandestine　visit　to　Tera's　room　I　knew　she　used　the　lower　of　the　three　bunks；　and　that　supposed　knowledge　nearly　got　me　killed。　Even　as　I　aimed　my　charge　toward　the　lower　bunk；　I　belatedly　saw　in　the　light　filtering　in　from　the　corridor　that　that　particular　bunk　was　in　fact　empty。　My　eyes　tracked　upward；　caught　sight　of　the　body　and　sudden　movement　on　the　top　bunk…clearly；　she　alternated　bunks；　probably　for　exactly　this　purpose。
　I　altered　course　in　mid…charge；　nearly　wrenching　my　back　in　the　process；　reaching　for　her　mouth　to　keep　her　from　screaming。　There　was　a　faint　glint　of　something　metallic　in　her　hand；　and　I　shifted　the　direction　of　my　hands　toward　the　object　as　she　tried　to　bring　it　around　to　bear　on　me。　I　won　by　a　thin…sliced　fraction　of　a　second；　and　with　a　twist　of　my　wrist　wrenched　it　out　of　her　hand。　With　my　other　hand　I　reached　again　for　her　mouth；　but　even　as　I　could　see　her　taking　a　deep　breath　Ixil's　left　hand　closed　almost　delicately　across　it；　his　right　taking　up　a　supporting　position　behind　her　head。
　〃It's　all　right；　Tera；〃　I　assured　her　quickly。　〃We　just　want　to　talk。〃
　She　ignored　me；　grabbing　Ixil's　hand　and　trying　to　pry　it　away…considering　Kalixiri　musculature；　a　plete　waste　of　effort。　From　the　movements　of　her　head　I　guessed　she　was　also　trying　to　bite　him；　another　waste　of　effort。　Behind　us；　the　door　slid　shut；　plunging　the　silent　struggle　into　darkness。　〃Really；　that's　all　we　want；〃　I　said；　stepping　across　the　darkened　room　and　switching　on　the　light。　〃We　thought　it　would　be　better　if　what　we　had　to　say　was　kept　quiet　from　the　others　for　the　moment。〃
　Tera　grunted　something　unintelligible　but　undoubtedly　quite　rude　from　behind　Ixil's　hand；　her　eyes　doing　their　best　to　skewer　me。　〃Nice　to　see　you're　armed；　too；〃　I　added；　looking　at　the　gun　I'd　taken　from　her。　It　was　a　short…barreled　shotgun…style　pepperbox　pistol；　capable　of　making　a　considerable　mess　of　an　assailant　at　the　close　range　inherent　in　shipboard　bat　without　the　danger　of　accidentally　rupturing　the　hull　in　the　process。　My　earlier　search　of　her　room　hadn't　turned　it　up；　clearly；　she　made　a　habit　of　carrying　it　around　with　her。　〃Of　course；　this　thing's　loud　enough　to　have　brought　the　whole　ship　down　on　us。　Good　thing　you　didn't　get　a　chance　to　fire。　If　Ixil　takes　his　hand　away；　will　you　promise　not　to　make　a　fuss　until　you　hear　what　we　have　to　say？〃
　Her　eyes　flicked　to　her　gun　in　my　hand。　Reluctantly；　I　thought；　she　nodded。　〃Good；〃　I　said；　nodding　to　Ixil。
　He　pulled　his　hands　away　slowly；　ready　to　put　them　back　again　if　she　reneged　on　her　promise。　〃What　do　you　want？〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice。　There　was　a　fair　degree　of　tension　in　her　face；　I　saw；　but　whatever　panic　there　might　have　been　had　already　disappeared。
　〃Like　I　said；　to　talk；〃　I　told　her。　〃We　want　to　find　out　what　you　know　about　this　ship；　Tera。〃　I　lifted　my　eyebrows。　〃Or　should　I　call　you　Elaina？〃
　The　corner　of　her　mouth　twitched。　Not　much；　but　enough　to　show　I'd　hit　the　bull's…eye。　Uncle　Arthur　had　indeed　e　through。　〃Elaina？〃　she　asked　cautiously。
　〃Elaina；〃　I　said。　〃Elaina　Tera　Cameron。　Daughter　of　Arno　Cameron。　The　man　who　put　all　of　us　aboard　this　ship。〃
　　
　CHAPTER　12　
　
　FOR　THE　SPACE　of　a　dozen　heartbeats　I　thought　she　was　going　to　try　to　play　out　the　masquerade。　She　lay　there　on　her　bunk；　propped　up　on　one　elbow；　and　stared　at　me；　a　dozen　expressions　flicking　across　her　face。　And　then；　the　one　hand　I　could　see　tightened　into　a　fist；　and　I　knew　she'd　given　up。　〃What　gave　me　away？〃　she　asked　calmly。
　〃It　wasn't　anything　you　said　or　did；〃　I　assured　her。　〃Though　now　in　retrospect　I　can　see　hints　that　you　were　more　than　you　seemed。　That　nicely　fortuitous　timing　when　you　first　came　to　the　bridge；　for　instance；　making　sure　that　I　didn't　just　pocket　the　money　your　father　had　left　for　us　and　stroll　casually　off　the　ship。　No；　we　simply　picked　up　some　additional　information　which　included　the　interesting　note　that　Cameron's　daughter　hadn't　been　seen　for　a　while。　Our　informant　was　kind　enough　to　include　a　photo　that　was　just　barely　adequate。〃
　〃I　see；〃　she　said。　〃Where　exactly　did　this　information　e　from？〃
　〃You　know　how　we're　connected；〃　I　said；　my　voice　heavy　with　significance。　〃Just　leave　it　at　that。〃
　She　seemed　to　measure　me　with　her　eyes。　〃All　right；〃　she　said。　〃So。　Now　what？〃
　〃Now　what　is　that　you　tell　us　what　the　hell　this　is　all　about；〃　I　said。　〃Starting　with　where　your　father　is。〃
　〃He's　back　on　Meima；　of　course；〃　she　said。　〃You　ought　to　know…you　took　off　without　him。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃Sorry；　but　that　won't　wash。　The　whole　planet　was　looking　to　hang　a　murder　charge　on　him；　and　there　aren't　a　hell　of　a　lot　of　places　there　where　a　human　could　hide。〃
　〃Which　means　he　was　already　aboard　when　you　left；〃　Ixil　added。　〃I　presume　he　was　the　one　Jordan　chased　briefly　around　the　'tweenhull　area？〃
　Tera　grimaced。　So　did　I；　feeling　like　a　plete　fool。　All　the　way　up　from　the　lower　deck　knowing　she　was　Cameron's　daughter；　and　that　part　had　never　even　occurred　to　me。　〃So　he's　the　one　who　tapped　into　my　inter；〃　I　said。　〃And　who　tried　to　kill　Ixil　with　the　cutting　torch。〃
　〃Dad　wasn't　trying　to　hurt　him；〃　Tera　snapped；　her　face　flushing。　〃Not　Ixil　or　anyone　else。〃　She　transferred　her　glare　to　Ixil。　〃He　thought　you'd　be　professional　enough　to　check　the　torch　before　you　tried　lighting　it。〃
　〃I'd　already　done　so；〃　he　said　calmly。　〃Under　the　circumstances；　I　should　have　known　to　check　it　again。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　she　growled；　her　expression　one　of　anger　mixed　with　guilt。　〃For　whatever　it's　worth；　he　felt　very　bad　about　you　getting　hurt。〃
　Ixil　inclined　his　head。　〃I　accept　his　apology。〃
　〃Accept　it　in　person；　why　don't　you；〃　I　put　in。　〃Elaina；　we　need　to　talk　to　your　father　right　away。〃
　〃Tera；〃　sh