tz.theicarushunt-第6部分

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en　hardening　of　her　tone。　〃Please　don't　require　me　to　use　force。　I　know　you　humans　consider　Ihmisits　to　be　laughable　creatures；　but　I　assure　you　we　are　stronger　than　we　look。〃
　For　a　long　second　I　continued　the　face…off。　Then；　muttering　under　my　breath；　I　reached　up　and　slid　both　tags　from　the　slot。　〃Fine；〃　I　growled；　palming　Cameron's　tag　and　slapping　the　Stormy　Banks's　onto　the　desk。　Brother　John's　cargo；　I　knew；　would　be　well　enough　disguised　to　weather　even　a　serious　Ihmisit　customs　search。　〃Help　yourselves。　Just　don't　leave　a　mess。〃
　〃We　shall　be　quick　and　neat；〃　she　promised。　〃In　the　meantime；　if　you'd　like；　you　can　wait　in　the　guest　room　behind　the　striped　door。〃
　〃I'd　rather　wait　in　the　hospitality　center；〃　I　said　stiffly；　snagging　the　handle　of　my　bag　and　pulling　it　over　to　me。　〃If　you're　going　to　waste　my　time　this　way；　you　can　at　least　let　me　get　some　breakfast。〃
　〃As　you　wish；〃　Aymi…Mastr　said；　giving　me　the　Ihmis　gesture　of　farewell。　Her　phone　warbled；　and　she　reached　over　to　pick　it　up。　〃We　should　be　finished　within　the　hour；〃　she　added　as　she　held　the　handset　to　her　neck　slits。
　I　spun　on　my　heel　and　stalked　across　the　room　toward　the　door；　trying　to　put　as　much　righteous　indignation　into　my　posture　as　I　could。　They　were　letting　me　go；　and　they　hadn't　taken　my　phone。　Either　they　didn't　seriously　suspect　me；　Aymi…Mastr's　accusations　to　the　contrary；　or　they　did　seriously　suspect　me　and　were　hoping　to　follow　me　to　wherever　I　was　hiding　Cameron。
　〃Captain　McKell？〃　Aymi…Mastr　called　from　behind　me。
　For　a　flickering　half　second；　I　considered　making　a　run　for　it。　But　the　door　was　too　far　away；　and　there　were　too　many　Ihmisits　between　me　and　it。　Bracing　myself；　I　turned　back　around。　〃What？〃　I　demanded。
　Aymi…Mastr　was　still　on　the　phone；　beckoning　me　back。　I　thought　again　about　running；　decided　it　made　no　more　sense　now　than　it　had　five　seconds　ago；　and　headed　back。
　By　the　time　I　reached　the　desk　she　had　finished　the　conversation。　〃My　apologies；　Captain；〃　she　said；　putting　down　the　phone　and　holding　out　the　tag　she'd　taken　from　me。　〃You　may　go。〃
　I　frowned　suspiciously　at　the　tag　like　it　was　some　sort　of　kid's　practical　joke　that　would　snap　a　spring　against　my　finger　if　I　took　it。　〃Just　like　that？〃
　〃Just　like　that；〃　Aymi…Mastr　said；　sounding　midway　between　embarrassed　and　disgusted。　〃My　superiors　just　informed　me　they've　heard　from　our　mysterious　informant　again。　It　seems　the　charge　has　now　changed：　that　you　were　seen　instead　in　the　pany　of　the　notorious　armed　robber　Belgai　Romss。　He　attacked　a　storage　depot　over　in　Tropstick　three　days　ago。〃
　I　frowned。　What　the　hell　sort　of　game　were　they　playing？　〃And；　what；　you　want　me　to　take　a　look　at　his　photo　now？〃
　〃That　won't　be　necessary；〃　Aymi…Mastr　said；　her　disgust　deepening。　〃Apparently；　our　friend　missed　the　follow…up　story　of　Romss's　capture　early　yesterday　morning；　before　your　ship　arrived。〃
　She　pushed　the　tag　toward　me。　〃Obviously　merely　a　troublemaker；　as　you　suggested。　Again；　my　apologies。〃
　〃That's　all　right；〃　I　said；　cautiously　taking　the　tag。　No　spring　snapped　out　to　sting　my　fingers。　〃Maybe　next　time　you　won't　be　so　quick　to　jump　on　something　like　this　without　proof。〃
　〃With　a　murder　investigation；　we　must　always　investigate　every　lead；〃　she　said；　drumming　her　fingers　thoughtfully　on　the　top　of　my　file。　〃A　safe　journey　to　you；　Captain。〃
　I　turned　again　and　headed　for　the　door；　sliding　the　Stormy　Banks　tag　back　into　my　collar　slot　but　continuing　to　palm　the　Icarus　one。　No　one　tried　to　stop　me；　no　one　called　me　back；　and　two　minutes　later　I　was　once　again　out　in　the　open　air。　It　was　all　over；　and　I　was　free　to　go。
　I　didn't　believe　it　for　a　minute。　It　was　all　too　pat；　too　convenient。　The　Ihmisits　were　still　looking　for　Cameron；　and　they　still　thought　I　was　the　one　who　was　going　to　lead　them　to　him。　And　they'd　turned　me　loose　hoping　I'd　do　exactly　that。
　And　unless　they　planned　to　tail　me　all　the　way　to　the　Icarus…which　was；　I　supposed；　an　option…that　meant　they'd　planted　a　tracker　on　me。
　The　question　was　how。　Molecular…chain　echo　transponders　were　useless　in　the　radio　cacophony　inside　a　major　port；　so　it　had　to　be　one　of　the　larger；　needle…sized　trackers。　But　I'd　watched　Aymi…Mastr's　flunky　as　he　searched　my　bag；　and　would　have　been　willing　to　swear　in　court　that　he　hadn't　planted　anything。
　Which　meant　it　had　to　have　been　planted　after　the　search。　And　then；　of　course；　it　was　obvious。
　Carefully；　I　eased　the　tag　out　of　my　collar　and　took　a　good　look；　and　there　it　was；　slid　neatly　and　nearly　invisibly　lengthwise　through　the　bottom　edge　of　the　tag。　Getting　hold　of　the　end　with　finger　and　thumbnail；　I　managed　to　pull　it　free　of　the　plastic。
　Now　came　the　problem　of　how　to　get　rid　of　it　without　the　telltale　motionlessness　that　would　occur　if　I　simply　tossed　it　in　the　nearest　trash　bin。　Fortunately；　the　opportunity　was　already　close　at　hand。　ing　rapidly　through　the　crowd；　three　seconds　away　from　intersecting　my　path；　was　a　short　Bunkre　with　one　of　those　glittering；　high…collared　landing　jackets　that　always　remind　me　of　something　you'd　see　at　an　Elvis　revival。　Adjusting　my　step　slightly；　I　turned　my　head　partially　away　to　make　it　look　accidental；　and　slammed　full　tilt　into　him。
　〃Sorry；〃　I　apologized；　grabbing　his　shoulders　to　help　him　regain　his　balance。　I　straightened　his　collar　where　the　impact　of　my　shoulder　had　bent　it；　at　the　same　time　pulling　a　five…mark　piece　out　of　my　pocket。　〃My　personal　fault　entirely；〃　I　gave　the　proper　Bunkrel　apology　as　I　offered　him　the　coin。　〃In　partial　pensation；　please　have　a　meal　or　drink　on　the　labor　of　my　arms。〃
　He　snatched　the　coin；　grunted　the　proper　Bunkrel　wheeze　of　acceptance　and　forgiveness；　and　immediately　changed　course　toward　the　hospitality　building。　Five　marks　was　about　ten　times　the　pensation　the　accident　warranted；　and　he　was　clearly　bent　on　spending　the　money　before　the　clumsy　human　realized　his　mistake　and　came　looking　for　change。
　With　luck；　he'd　also　be　so　busy　spending　it　he　wouldn't　notice　that　while　I　was　straightening　his　collar　I'd　left　him　a　small　present。　I　let　him　get　a　ten…meter　head　start；　then　followed。
　The　hospitality　center　straddling　the　main　pathway　thirty　meters　inward　from　the　entrance　gate　wasn't　much　more　than　your　basic　Ihmis　taverno；　just　built　on　a　larger　scale　and　with　correspondingly　higher　prices。　I　walked　straight　across　the　crowded　dining　area；　past　the　line　of　small　private　dining　chambers；　and　through　the　NO　ADMITTANCE　door　into　one　of　the　storage　rooms。
　As　I'd　expected；　the　room　was　empty；　the　entire　staff　out　serving　the　rush　of　opening…hour　customers。　I　crossed　to　the　service　door　on　the　far　side；　shucking　off　my　jacket　and　again　turning　it　inside　out。　There　was　no　ID　slot　on　this　side；　but　I　could　wedge　the　Icarus　tag　between　the　zipper　and　covering　flap　where　the　scanners　could　read　it。　Unlocking　the　door；　I　stepped　out　into　the　spaceport　proper　again　and　got　onto　the　nearest　of　the　guidelighted　slideways　meandering　between　the　various　landing　pads。　We　would　see　now　just　how　alert　the　Ihmisits　were；　and　how　badly　they　wanted　to　follow　me。
　To　my　mild　surprise；　they　apparently　didn't　want　it　very　badly　at　all。　Serious　interest　on　their　part　would　have　meant　an　actual；　physical　tail　on　hand　to　augment　the　signal　from　the　tracker；　but　I　kept　a　close　watch　as　I　shifted　between　slideways　at　the　prompting　of　the　guide…lights；　and　saw　no　indication　of　anyone　performing　a　similar　dance。　Either　my　jaunt　through　the　hospitality　building　and　jacket　switch　had　caught　them　pletely　by　surprise；　or　the　tracker　had　just　been　a　token　reaction　to　a　possible　lead　who　might　still　be　of　interest　but　probably　wasn't。　Or　else　they　had　no　particular　reason　to　follow　me　because　they　had　no　idea　the　Icarus　even　existed。
　Or　else　they　knew　all　about　the　Icarus　and　were　already　waiting　for　me　there；　and　all　of　this　was　simply　their　helpful　way　of　offering　me　the　rope　I　would　need　to　hang　myself。　A　wonderfully　cheery　thought　to　be　having　at　six　in　the　morning。
　I'd　been　riding　along　the　slideways　in　what　seemed　like　circles　for　about　fifteen　minutes；　and　was　starting　to　quietly　curse　the　entire　Ihmis　species；　when　the　yellow　guidelights　running　ahead　of　me　finally　turned　the　pink　that　indicated　I　was　there。　Taking　one　last　surreptitious　look　around；　I　hopped　off　my　current　slideway；　circled　the　stern　of　a　Trinkian　freighter；　and　came　face…to…face　with　the　Icarus。
　To　say　that　the　first　sight　was　a　letdown　would　be　to　vastly　understate　the　case。　The　ship　looked　like　nothing　I'd　ever　seen　before；　like　nothing　I'd　ever　imagined　before。　Like　nothing；　for　that　matter；　that　had　any　business　flying。
　The　bow　section　was　built　along　standard　lines；　with　the　necessary　splay…finger　hyperspace　cutter　array　melding　into　the　equally　standard　sensor/capacitor　nose…cone　arrangement。　But　from　that　point　on；　anything　resembling　normal　starship　design　went　straight　out　the　window。　Behind　the　bow　the　ship　swelled　abruptly　into　a　large　sphere；　a　good　forty　meters　across；　covered　with　the　same　dark　gray　hull　plates　as　the　nose　cone。　The　usual　assortment　of　maneuvering　vents　were　scattered　around　its　surface；　connecting　aft　to　the　ship's　main　thrusters　via　a　series　of　conduits　running　through　the　narrow　space　between　the　inner　and　outer　hulls。
　Behind　the　large　sphere　was　a　smaller；　twenty…meter…diameter　sphere　squashed　up　into　the　aft　section　of　the　larger　one；　with　a　saddle…surface　cowling　covering　the　intersection　between　them。　Behind　the　second　sphere；　looking　almost　like　it　had　been　slapped　on　as　an　afterthought；　was　a　full…size　engine　section　that　looked　like　it　had　e　off　a　Kronks　ore　scutter；　and　one　of　the　more　disreputable　ones　at　that。　Hugging　the　surface　of　the　small　sphere　here　on　the　ship's　port　side；　running　from　the　aft　part　of　the　large　sphere　to　the　forward　part　of　the　engine　section；　was　a　hard…shell　wraparound　space　tunnel。　Near　the　center　of　the　wraparound　was　the　entryway；　currently　sealed；　with　a　pair　of　floodlights　stuck　to　the　wraparound　just　above　the　top　two　corners。　A　collapsible　stairway　extended　the　ten　meters　from　the　red…rimmed　hatch　down　to　the　ground；　with　an　entry…code　keypad　on　the　handrail　near　the　bottom。　There　was　a　landing　skid/cushio