tz.theicarushunt-第51部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


y　define　our　final　destination　and　cargo　disposition。〃
　〃What　ownership？〃　Shawn　countered。　〃He　dug　it　out　of　a　desert　on　someone　else's　planet。　What　gives　him　any　more　rights　than　the　Ihmisits　who　already　live　there？〃
　〃Basic　monwealth　law　regarding　salvage　and　extraindigenous　archaeological　recovery；　that's　what；〃　Tera　told　him　stiffly。　〃The　guidelines　clearly　put　Borodin　and　his　people　in　possession。　That　one's　not　even　arguable。〃
　〃Well；　well；〃　Shawn　sneered。　〃And　when　did　you　bee　our　resident　legal　authority？〃
　〃We're　drifting　from　the　point；〃　I　spoke　up　quickly。　I　had　no　doubt　Tera　could　quote　him　the　relevant　laws　line　for　line；　and　I　had　no　intention　of　letting　Shawn　goad　her　into　a　display　of　such　unreasonable　expertise。　〃Tera's　right　about　Borodin's　claim；〃　I　went　on。　〃But　at　the　same　time　she's　wrong　about　the　functionality　of　this　stardrive…〃
　〃This　alleged　stardrive；〃　Shawn　insisted。
　〃This　alleged　stardrive；〃　I　corrected；　〃being　none　of　our　concern。　In　point　of　fact；　this　hunk　of　metal　may　be　all　that　stands　between　us　getting　to　Earth　or　winding　up　in　the　bottom　of　a　very　deep　Patth　pit　somewhere。〃
　For　a　couple　of　heartbeats　they　all　just　stared　at　me。　Everett　got　it　first；　as　I　could　tell　by　the　distance　his　jaw　dropped　toward　the　floor。　〃You　aren't　saying…you're　not　suggesting…？〃
　〃I　think　it's　our　best　chance；〃　I　said。　〃The　Patth　know　perfectly　well　how　fast　the　Icarus　can　travel…it's　not　like　stardrive　speed　ranges　are　any　secret。　They　also　don't　want　any　more　people　than　necessary　knowing　about　this　little　hunt　of　theirs；　which　means　they're　probably　timing　their　bribes　and　governmental　pressurings　to　hit　the　systems　just　ahead　of　where　we're　flying　at　any　given　time。〃
　〃I　see　where　you're　going；〃　Nicabar　said；　rubbing　his　chin　thoughtfully。　〃If　we　can　get　ahead　of　that　wave　front；　we　might　have　a　chance　of　landing　and　refueling　before　anyone　in　the　area　even　knows　what　a　hot　ticket　we　are。〃
　〃Right；〃　I　said。　〃We　may　still　run　into　a　random　Patth　advance　scout　or　two；　but　that'll　be　a　whole　lot　easier　to　deal　with　than　taking　on　an　entire　customs　and　military　establishment。〃
　〃What　about　the　underworld　characters　they've　been　bribing？〃　Everett　asked。　〃Even　if　the　Patth　themselves　aren't　talking；　they're　bound　to　be　spreading　the　word　about　us。〃
　〃True；　but　remember　that　they're　only　giving　out　half　the　story　to　that　bunch；〃　I　said。　〃The　Spiral's　underworld　is　looking　for　me；　and　doesn't　know　anything　about　the　Icarus　itself。　The　Icarus's　name　won't　do　them　any　good；　since　we're　ing　into　each　port　under　a　different　ID。〃
　〃Unless　they　also　find　out　its　shape；〃　Shawn　muttered。　〃We　are　just　a　little　distinctive；　you　know。〃
　〃And　we　know　the　Najik　have　already　made　the　connection；〃　Nicabar　added。　〃What's　to　keep　them　from　spreading　the　word　back　to　the　Patth　and　across　the　rest　of　the　Spiral？〃
　〃The　same　thing　that's　keeping　the　Patth　from　doing　so；〃　I　told　him。　〃Namely；　the　desire　to　play　this　whole　game　as　close　to　the　vest　as　possible。　For　the　Patth；　the　reasons　are　obvious；　for　the　Najik；　it'll　be　the　hope　of　putting　the　choke　collar　on　us　themselves；　thus　guaranteeing　themselves　the　full　range　of　whatever　goodies　the　Patth　are　offering。〃
　〃The　basic　flaw　in　motivation　by　bribery；〃　Tera　said。　Her　tone　was　neutral；　but　I　thought　I　could　detect　a　little　grudging　respect　for　my　reasoning　in　her　voice。　Or　maybe　it　was　just　resignation。　〃All　your　supposed　allies　spend　as　much　time　jockeying　for　position　among　the　rest　of　the　group　as　they　do　on　the　hunt　itself。〃
　〃It's　about　all　we've　got　going　for　us；〃　I　said。　〃That；　plus　the　star…drive　itself；　If　we　can　get　it　up　and　running。〃
　Everett　shook　his　head。　〃It's　still　crazy；〃　he　said。　〃What　do　any　of　us　know　about　alien　technology？〃
　〃Not　a　lot；〃　I　conceded。　〃On　the　other　hand；　we're　not　exactly　starting　from　zero；　either。　Tera　tells　me　she's　found　what　seems　to　be　a　full　set　of　the　expedition's　reports　in　the　puter。〃
　〃You're　kidding；〃　Everett　said；　blinking。　〃They　put　all　their　files　aboard；　too？〃
　〃Why　not？〃　Nicabar　said。　〃They　want　to　get　the　data　to　Earth；　too。　Why　not　take　all　of　it　together？〃
　Shawn　snorted。　〃Ever　heard　of　putting　all　your　eggs　in　one　basket？〃
　〃Actually；　I　suspect　it's　more　a　case　of　having　had　all　the　eggs　together　in　the　first　place；〃　I　told　him。　〃I　think　the　reason　our　puter　is　so　badly　suited　for　starship　operation　is　that　it　was　never　intended　or　programmed　for　that　purpose　in　the　first　place。　It　was　probably　the　expedition's　regular　working　puter；　which　was　already　hooked　up　to　the　alien　electronics　in　the　smaller　sphere。　They　just　left　it　where　it　was　when　they　constructed　the　Icarus　around　it。〃
　〃Maybe；〃　Shawn　said。　〃Assuming　all　of　this　isn't　just　some　hallucinatory　wishful　thinking；　how　exactly　do　you　suggest　we　proceed？　If　Chort　is　right；　where　we're　sitting　right　now　is　supposed　to　be　a　resonance　chamber。〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　agreed。　〃And　obviously；　if　it's　going　to　resonate；　it's　going　to　have　to　be　empty。　Mostly　empty；　anyway。〃
　〃Resonance　means　pletely　empty；　McKell；〃　Shawn　growled。　〃Any　first…level　physics　student　can　tell　you　that。　Were　you　thinking　we　could　cram　the　whole　ship　into　the　wraparound？〃
　〃It　does　not　have　to　be　pletely　empty；〃　Chort　said；　his　feathers　fluffing。　〃In　this　application；　the　resonance　effect　only　requires　the　central　area。〃
　〃He's　right；〃　Nicabar　seconded。
　〃For　that　matter；　the　presence　of　the　interior　gravitational　field　argues　that　the　designers　weren't　expecting　the　whole　thing　to　be　empty；〃　I　added。　〃The　field's　clearly　there　to　clear　out　the　center　and　move　everything　to　the　edge；　where　it'll　be　out　of　the　way。〃
　〃Unless　the　gravity　is　part　of　the　resonance　mechanism；〃　Tera　said。
　〃There's　nothing　like　that　in　the　theory；〃　Nicabar　said。　〃At　least；　not　that　I　remember。〃
　〃Nor　I；〃　Chort　said。
　Shawn　waved　a　hand。　〃Fine。　I　stand　corrected。〃
　〃So　what's　the　plan？〃　Nicabar　asked。　〃Disassemble　the　interior　corridors　and　bulkheads　and　stack　everything　along　the　inner　edge？〃
　〃Basically；〃　I　said。　〃Except　that　I　don't　think　we　have　either　the　space　or　the　need　to　keep　everything。　The　interior　wall　and　hull　material　should　e　apart　into　a　collection　of　mostly　one…meter…square　plates；　which　we　can　dump　outside　through　the　main　hatch。　Ditto　for　some　of　the　other　unnecessary　stuff。〃
　〃And　what　if　it　isn't　a　stardrive？〃　Shawn　asked。　〃How　do　we　get　everything　back　in　again？〃
　〃We　don't；〃　I　said。　〃That's　why　we　only　toss　stuff　we　know　we　can　do　without。〃
　〃And　what　if　it　doesn't　work？〃　he　persisted。　〃We'll　have　lost　a　lot　of　time　and　won't　be　any　better　off　than　when　we　started。〃
　〃But　we　won't　be　any　worse　off；　either；〃　Nicabar　reminded　him。
　〃And　if　we　can　get　it　working；　think　of　what　it'll　mean　for　all　of　us；〃　Everett　added　thoughtfully。
　Shawn　sniffed。　〃Borodin　will　do　great。　Us；　we'll　be　lucky　to　get　the　lousy　two　grand　he　promised　us。〃
　〃We'll　get　it；〃　I　promised。　〃That；　plus　the　bonus　he　mentioned　in　his　note。〃
　Shawn　snorted。　〃Yeah。　Right。〃
　〃Actually；　we　may　be　able　to　do　even　better　than　that；〃　Everett　said。　〃It　all　depends　on　who　ends　up　shoveling　out　the　money。〃
　〃I　thought　we'd　already　decided　the　Icarus　belongs　to　Borodin；〃　Tera　said。　The　menace　in　her　voice　was　subtle；　probably　too　subtle　for　the　others　to　notice。　But　I　heard　it；　and　I　was　sure　Ixil　did；　too。
　〃We　did；〃　Everett　assured　her；　throwing　a　look　at　Nicabar。　〃Mostly。　I'm　just　suggesting　that　we've　already　earned　a　lot　more　than　the　two　thousand　he　promised　us　on　Meima。〃
　〃Fair　pensation　for　services　rendered；〃　Shawn　put　in。　〃See？　I　can　talk　legalese；　too。　Here's　another　great　legal　term　for　you：　extortion。〃
　〃And　what's　the　'or　else'？〃　she　countered。　〃Every　demand　has　to　have　the　threat　of　an　'or　else'　along　with　it。　Who　are　you　planning　to　offer　the　Icarus　to　if　Borodin　doesn't　feel　especially　extortable　that　day？　The　Patth？〃
　〃Let　me　just　mention　that　anyone　who　wants　to　deal　with　those　slime　is　going　to　have　to　go　through　me　to　do　it；〃　Nicabar　put　in。
　〃The　Patth　are　hardly　the　only　players　in　this　game；〃　Everett　reminded　him。　〃Potential　players；　anyway。　If　Borodin　won't　play　ball　there　are　a　lot　of　other　people　we　could　sell　it　to。〃
　〃Maybe　even　the　Crooea；〃　Shawn　said；　throwing　a　sly　grin　at　Chort。　〃You'd　like　that；　wouldn't　you；　Chort？〃
　Chort's　feathers　ruffled；　and　he　delivered　some　no　doubt　innocuous…sounding　reply。　But　I　wasn't　listening。　Suddenly；　Everett's　ment　had　sent　the　pieces　falling　into　place　with　such　loud　clicks　it　was　a　wonder　the　rest　of　them　couldn't　hear　them。　Suddenly；　the　inconsistencies　and　random　illogic　of　the　Icarus's　entire　voyage　were　making　sense。　Suddenly；　small　bits　of　data　and　casually　odd　ments　were　connecting　together　with　the　ease　of　children's　playing　blocks。
　Suddenly；　I　knew　why　Jones　had　been　murdered。　Not　who　had　done　it；　not　yet。　But　I　knew　why。
　〃McKell？〃
　I　blinked；　dragging　myself　out　of　the　depths　of　my　introspection。　Nicabar　was　gazing　at　me；　a　speculative　look　on　his　face。　〃Sorry；〃　I　apologized。　〃Mind　wandered　for　a　minute。　What　did　you　say？〃
　〃I　asked　if　that　was　it　for　the　meeting；〃　he　repeated。　〃We've　got　a　lot　of　work　ahead　of　us。〃
　〃That's　it　from　me；〃　I　said。　That　was　it　for　right　now；　anyway；　I　amended　privately。　The　next　time　I　held　court　like　this　it　would　be　to　expose　a　murderer。　〃Unless　anyone　else　has　something　to　add？〃
　Chort　half　lifted　a　hand。　〃I　have　a　thought；〃　he　said；　almost　apologetically。　〃Though　I　hesitate　to　mention　it；　as　it　will　mean　even　more　work　for　us　all。〃
　〃We're　facing　a　ton　of　work　as　it　is；〃　Ixil　said。　〃Another　half　ton　on　top　of　it　will　hardly　be　noticed。　Please；　speak。〃
　〃As　Electronics　Specialist　Shawn　pointed　out　earlier；　the　Icarus　has　a　most　distinctive　configuration；〃　Chort　said；　still　sounding　a　little　uncertain。　〃And　our　experience　at　Utheno　has　shown　that　that　configuration　is　now　known。　My　suggestion　is　that　we　attempt　to　alter　it。〃
　〃Straightforward　enough；〃　I　said。　〃How　do　you　suggest　we　do　that？〃
　〃The　main　body　of　the　Icarus　consists　of　two　spheres；〃　he　said；　drawing　the　shape　in　the　air　with　his　fingers。　〃My　thought　is　that　we　could　use　the　cast…off　interior　plates　to　build　a　cylindrical　sheath　running　between　them　at　their　widest　points。