tz.theicarushunt-第53部分

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　〃Well；　we're　not　going　to　get　anywhere　without　a　plete　idea　of　what's　in　there；〃　I　said。
　〃I　hope　you're　not　suggesting　one　of　us　go　inside；〃　she　said　darkly。　〃If　the　probes　couldn't　make　it　through；　you　certainly　won't。〃
　〃I　like　to　think　I'm　a　bit　more　petent　at　working　my　way　through　tangled　wiring　than　someone　tugging　blindly　on　a　probe　control；〃　I　told　her。　〃As　it　happens；　though；　I　was　thinking　of　starting　with　someone　slightly　smaller。〃
　She　frowned。　〃Who？〃
　I　nodded　in　the　direction　of　the　engine　room。　〃Go　get　Ixil；〃　I　said；　〃and　I'll　show　you。〃
　Ixil　wasn't　any　more　enthusiastic　about　my　idea　than　Tera　was。　〃I　don't　know；　Jordan；〃　he　said；　stroking　Pax's　head　uneasily　as　he　crouched　on　his　left　forearm　and　hand。　〃Every　design　of　Stardrive　I've　ever　heard　of　has　had　a　half…dozen　high…voltage　sites　and　shock　capacitors　associated　with　it。　If　Pax　touches　one　of　those；　it'll　kill　him。〃
　〃He　goes　through　power　conduits　all　the　time；〃　I　reminded　him。　〃How　does　he　avoid　insulation　breaks　and　short　circuits　there？〃
　〃He　knows　what　to　look　for　with　our　stuff；〃　Ixil　said。　〃This　is　an　unknown　alien　design；　with　an　entirely　different　set　of　cues。　For　that　matter；　even　the　lower…voltage　lines　may　have　lost　their　insulation　over　the　years。　You　and　I　are　big　enough　to　survive　a　minor　shock　like　that。　Pax　isn't。〃
　〃I　know；〃　I　said。　〃And　I　wish　there　were　another　way。　But　there　isn't。　We　have　to　see　what's　in　there；　and　Pix　and　Pax　are　the　only　eyes　we've　got。〃
　〃Except　ours；〃　Ixil　said。　〃Why　don't　I　go　instead？〃
　〃No；〃　Tera　said；　a　fraction　of　a　second　before　I　could　get　the　word　out　myself。　〃Not　a　chance。〃
　〃But　I　could　see　what's　there；〃　he　persisted。　〃There　are　cues　I　know　how　to　read　that　Pax　hasn't　got　the　basic　intelligence　to　pick　up　on。　If　I　go　just　a　little　way　in；　far　enough　to　see　past　the　initial　tangle；　I　could　brief　him　on　whatever　I　find　and　then　let　him　go　in。　It　would　give　him　a　better　chance。〃
　Tera　shook　her　head。　〃I'm　sorry；　Ixil；　but　I　can't　let　you　do　that。　Dad　was　absolutely　adamant　that　no　one　go　inside　until　we　got　all　the　power　sources　and　cables　mapped　out；　for　that　very　reason。　It's　Pix　or　Pax　or　no　one　at　all。〃
　Ixil　lowered　his　eyes　to　the　ferret；　his　mouth　tight。　〃All　right；〃　he　said　with　a　resigned　sigh。　〃What　exactly　do　you　want　him　to　do？〃
　〃We　need　to　find　a　path　through　to　the　center　of　the　sphere；〃　I　said。　〃Chort　and　Nicabar　are　a　little　fuzzy　on　the　details　of　this　exotic　double…sphere　design　of　theirs；　but　they　both　agree　there　should　be　a　large　resonance　crystal　somewhere　in　the　center；　probably　with　a　control　panel　either　wrapped　around　it　or　somewhere　nearby。　If　they're　right；　and　if　we　can　either　scope　out　the　controls…or；　better　yet；　connect　it　through　to　a　control　system　out　here…we　may　be　able　to　activate　it。〃
　〃If　it's　even　still　functional　after　all　this　time；〃　Ixil　muttered；　putting　Pax　up　on　his　shoulder。
　〃Well；　something's　drawing　and　using　power　in　there；〃　I　reminded　him。　〃Though　where　it's　getting　it　from　I　haven't　the　foggiest　idea。　Warn　him　to　watch　where　he　puts　his　feet　and　nose；　and　to　take　his　time。　We're　not　in　any　special　hurry　here。〃
　Ixil　nodded；　and　for　a　moment　he　just　stood　there　silently；　muning　with　the　outriders。　Then；　taking　a　deep　breath；　he　picked　Pax　up　off　his　shoulder　and　set　him　down　beside　the　opening。　For　a　moment　the　ferret　sniffed　at　the　edge；　his　little　nose　wrinkling　as　if　he　didn't　care　for　the　smell　of　age　in　there。　Then；　with　what　sounded　almost　like　a　reassuring　squeak；　he　scrabbled　over　the　edge　and　disappeared。
　Ixil　was　kneeling　at　the　edge　in　an　instant；　plucking　the　light　from　my　hand　and　playing　it　inside。　〃Doesn't　seem　to　be　any　gravity　in　there；〃　he　said；　leaning　his　face　into　the　opening。　〃He's　working　his　way　along　the　wires　the　way　he　does　in　zero　gee。〃
　I　looked　at　Tera。　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said。　〃Though　if　the　purpose　of　the　grav　field　out　here　is　to　make　sure　the　center　of　the　resonance　cavity　stays　clear；　there　really　wouldn't　be　any　need　for　one　in　the　smaller　sphere。〃
　Ixil　grunted；　and　for　another　few　minutes　we　stood　or　crouched　there　in　silence。　Then；　hunching　his　shoulders；　Ixil　straightened　up　again。　〃He's　gone；〃　he　said；　handing　the　light　back　to　me。　〃Disappeared　behind　something　that　looked　like　a　multicable　coupler。〃
　〃He'll　be　fine；〃　Tera　said　quietly；　laying　a　hand　soothingly　on　his　arm。　〃He　does　this　sort　of　thing　all　the　time；　remember？〃
　Ixil　grunted；　clearly　not　in　the　mood　to　be　soothed。　〃I'd　better　get　back　to　the　engine　room…there's　still　a　lot　of　recalibration　to　be　done；　and　Everett　doesn't　know　how　to　do　most　of　the　calculations　on　his　own。　You'll　call　me　when　he　es　back？〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　assured　him。　〃Actually；　Tera；　you　might　want　to　go　back　there　with　him　and　open　the　other　access　hole；　the　one　you　said　was　behind　the　breaker　panel。　If　Pax　gets　disoriented；　it　would　be　handy　for　him　to　have　a　second　way　out。〃
　〃Good　idea；〃　she　said。　〃e　on；　Ixil。〃
　They　climbed　up　the　slight　curve…it　still　made　me　vaguely　dizzy　to　watch　people　walking　around　the　hull　in　here…and　disappeared　through　the　open　pressure　door　into　the　zero　gee　of　the　wraparound。　With　a　sigh；　I　lay　down　on　the　hull　again　and　shined　my　light　into　the　opening。　Pax　was　gone；　all　right；　though　I　imagined　I　could　hear　occasional　scratching　sounds　as　he　maneuvered　his　way　through　the　maze。　Leaning　partially　over　the　hole；　I　stuck　my　head　carefully　in　and　played　the　light　slowly　around　the　inner　surface。
　I　was　halfway　around　in　my　sweep　when　I　saw　the　gap。
　I　was　still　lying　there　studying　it　two　minutes　later　when　Tera　returned。　〃He's　really　not　happy　about　this；　is　he？〃　she　mented　as　she　sat　down　cross…legged　beside　me。　〃He　claims　they're　not　pets；　but　I　think　he　really…〃
　〃Did　Chou　and　his　people　take　photos　of　what　they　could　see　from　this　opening？〃　I　interrupted　her。
　She　took　a　half　second　to　switch　gears。　〃I　think　so；〃　she　said。　〃At　least　some。　I　hadn't　pulled　them　up　before　because…〃
　〃Pull　them　up　now；〃　I　ordered；　trying　to　keep　my　sudden　apprehension　out　of　my　voice。　〃Find　me　one　that　shows　a　gray　trapezoid　about　half　a　meter　across　with　about　two　dozen　wires　ing　off　gold　connectors　along　its　edges。〃
　She　was　already　at　the　puter；　fingers　playing　across　the　keys。　〃What　is　it？〃　she　asked　tightly。
　〃Just　find　me　the　picture；〃　I　said　tersely；　getting　up　and　stepping　to　her　side。
　Dr。　Chou's　people；　it　turned　out；　had　taken　a　lot　of　pictures。　It　took　Tera　nearly　a　minute　to　find　the　specific　area　I　was　looking　for。
　And　when　she　did；　my　apprehension　turned　to　full…blown　certainty。
　〃Tera；　you　told　me　your　dad　left　the　ship　at　Potosi；〃　I　said。　〃How　do　you　know？　Did　he　leave　a　note？〃
　She　shook　her　head；　her　neck　twisted　to　look　up　at　me。　〃No；　nothing　like　that；〃　she　said；　a　note　of　uncertain　dread　in　her　voice　as　she　picked　up　on　my　own　mood。　〃I　told　you：　He　and　his　things　were　gone；　and　I　couldn't　find　him　anywhere　on　the　ship。〃
　〃Right；〃　I　nodded。　〃Except　that　you　didn't　think　to　look　inside　the　small　sphere　here；　did　you？〃
　Her　eyes　widened；　her　throat　muscles　suddenly　tense。　〃Oh；　no；〃　she　breathed。　〃He's　not…oh；　God。〃
　〃No；　no；　I　can't　see　him；〃　I　hastened　to　assure　her。　〃There's　no…I　mean…〃
　〃No　body？〃
　〃No　body；〃　I　confirmed。　At　least　not　one　I　could　see；　I　carefully　refrained　from　saying。　〃What　there　is　by　that　trapezoid　is　a　gap　in　the　wiring。　A　big　gap；　as　if　someone　maneuvered　his　way　through　the　thicket；　creating　a　hole　as　he　went。〃
　〃It　couldn't　have　been　Pax？〃　she　asked；　her　voice　going　even　darker。
　〃It's　man…sized；〃　I　told　her　gently。　〃Look；　maybe　he's　just　lying　low　in　there。〃
　She　shook　her　head；　a　short；　choppy　movement。　〃No；　we've　been　doing　work　here　by　the　access　panel　off　and　on　for　the　past　couple　of　days。　He'd　have　heard　my　voice　and　e　out。〃　She　swallowed。　〃If　he　could。〃
　I　looked　back　over　at　the　hole；　ing　to　the　inevitable　decision。　〃I'm　going　in；〃　I　announced；　taking　a　step　that　direction。
　A　step　was　all　I　got。　Like　a　rattlesnake　her　hand　darted　out　and　grabbed　my　arm。　〃No！〃　she　snapped；　holding　on　with　a　strength　that　surprised　me。　〃No！　If　he's　dead；　it　means　something　in　there　killed　him。　We　can't　risk　you；　too。〃
　〃What；　all　this　concern　for　a　soul…dead　smuggler？〃　I　retorted。　It　wasn't　a　nice　thing　to　say；　but　at　the　moment　I　wasn't　feeling　particularly　nice。　〃Maybe　he's　not　dead　in　there…you　ever　think　of　that？　Maybe　he's　injured；　or　unconscious；　or　paralyzed。　Maybe　he　can't　get　to　the　opening；　or　can't　even　call　out　to　you。〃
　〃If　he　went　in　while　we　were　on　Potosi；　he's　been　in　there　eleven　days；〃　she　said。　Her　voice　sounded　empty；　but　her　grip　on　my　arm　hadn't　slackened　a　bit。　〃Any　injury　serious　enough　to　prevent　him　from　getting　out　on　his　own　would　have　killed　him　long　before　now。〃
　〃Unless　he　just　got　the　injury；〃　I　shot　back。　I　wasn't　ready　to　give　in；　either。　〃Maybe　he　got　thrown　around　while　I　was　dodging　the　ion　beams　off　Utheno。　He　could　still　be　alive。〃
　She　took　a　deep　breath。　〃We'll　wait　for　Pax　to　e　out。〃
　〃We'll　wait　half　an　hour；〃　I　countered。
　〃One　hour。〃
　I　started　to　protest；　took　another　look　at　her　face；　and　gave　it　up。　〃One　hour；〃　I　agreed。
　She　nodded；　and　for　a　long　moment　she　stared　down　at　the　access　hole。　Then；　reluctantly；　she　keyed　off　the　puter　photo　we'd　been　looking　at　and　sat　down　on　the　deck。　〃Tell　me　about　yourself；　McKell；〃　she　said。
　I　shrugged；　sitting　down　on　the　deck　beside　her。　〃There's　not　very　much　to　tell。〃
　〃Of　course　there　is；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃You　had　hopes　and　plans　and　dreams　once。　Maybe　you　still　do。　What　would　you　be　doing　now　if　you　weren't　smuggling？〃
　〃Who　knows？〃　I　said。　She　didn't　care　about　my　hopes　and　dreams；　of　course。　I　knew　that。　She　was　just　casting　around　looking　for　some　mindless　chatter；　something　to　distract　herself　from　the　mental　image　of　her　father　floating　dead　in　there。　〃Once；　I　thought　I　might　have　a　career　in　EarthGuard。　That　ended　when　I　told　a　superior　officer　exactly　what　I　thought　of　him。〃
　〃In　public；　I　take　it？〃
　〃It　was　public　enough　to　earn　me　a　court…martial；〃　I　conceded。　〃Then　I　thought　I　might　have　a　career　in　customs。　I　must　have　been　a　little　too　good　at　it；　because　someone　framed　me　for　taking　bribes。　Then　I　tried　working　for　a　shippi