tz.theicarushunt-第69部分
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Ixil nodded。 〃Be careful。〃
〃Trust me；〃 I promised。
They headed out； varying degrees of unhappiness mirrored in their faces and postures。 I leafed through the wallet…three hundred marks； more than enough…making sure to give them a good head start。 Then； diving into the crowd； I followed after them。 Partly it was simple caution on my part； a desire to be in backup position in case the Iykams hadn't all been killed or scattered。 Mainly； though； I wanted to make sure all three actually got on that tram and stayed there。 What I was about to do next I couldn't afford to let even a hint leak out about。
And so I stood half…concealed behind a group of Skanks and watched as they got aboard。 I hung around until the tram pulled out； then； standing on tiptoe to study the flapping display flags； I headed for the nearest pharmacy。
I had anticipated having no trouble picking up borandis in the middle of the Grand Feast； and no trouble was exactly what I got。 Ten minutes after entering； I was out on the street again； two hundred marks' worth of borandis safely tucked away in my inner pocket。 With any luck that would be far more than we would actually need； but it would look suspicious if I'd only brought enough to get us to Everett's Beyscrim hideout。 I made my way back to the station and hid in the crowd until the next tram arrived。
Not surprisingly； the tram was quite uncrowded； with the revels in full swing the majority of the traffic was headed into the cities and not vice versa。 The sparse occupancy meant I was more conspicuous than I might otherwise have been； but it also meant I got a seat all to myself； plus a few minutes of badly needed rest。 All in all； I decided it was a fair trade。
The ride was uneventful。 I saw no Patth； no Iykams； and no sign that I was being either watched or followed。 And after what seemed like far too short a trip the doors opened onto the Bangrot Spaceport platform。
It was going to be another long hike back to the Icarus； unless opportunity and diminished crowd density enabled me to take one of the little runaround cars instead。 But whichever； ride or walk； it was going to be postponed a little while longer。 Instead of turning right and making for the Icarus； I turned left and headed to the Starrm building。
The receptionist at Uncle Arthur's left me on hold for several minutes； which was a bad sign all by itself。 It meant they were having to wake him up； and Uncle Arthur roused from his beauty sleep was never even remotely at his best。 Add to that the news I was about to give him； and this was likely to be one of our less pleasant conversations。
My first look at him； when the display finally cleared； was the first indication that my assessment of the situation had been ominously off target。 Uncle Arthur was not garbed in sleep shirt and hastily thrown…on robe； his hair tousled into a multidirectional halo。 He was instead immaculately groomed； every hair in place； and dressed in the sort of upscale finery I hadn't seen him wear in years。
Which meant that instead of hauling him out of bed； I'd instead interrupted a meeting with those higher up in the food chain than he was； out in those murky waters he'd spent so much of his life swimming in。 I tried to decide whether that was better or worse than waking him up； but my throbbing head wasn't up to the task。
And then I took my first look at his face； and felt an icy cold begin to seep into my heart。 It was a graveyard face； the look of a man who's been backed into a corner by his enemies with nowhere else to go and no more tricks left to use。 The look of a chess master down to his king and one pawn； with the painful knowledge that that pawn is about to be sacrificed。
〃Jordan；〃 he said； his voice studiously neutral。 〃We were just talking about you。 What's the situation？〃
〃Mine's not so hot；〃 I said。 〃How's yours？〃
〃Not very good； I'm afraid；〃 he conceded。 〃Where are you now？〃
〃In the middle of the Grand Feast celebration on Palmary；〃 I told him。 〃And hoping to get the hell out as fast as we can。〃
〃I take it you had some trouble？〃
〃You might say that；〃 I agreed tartly。 〃The Patth caught up with me and let their Iykami underlings play a brief drum solo on my head。 My crew was able to spring me； but two of them took plasmic burns on the way out。 I know you don't like getting overtly involved with my life； but we need some backup。 And we need it now。〃
His expression； if anything； went a little more neutral。 〃Do you have a destination in mind after you leave there？〃
〃One of the crew has a friend on Beyscrim with an isolated lodge he's not using；〃 I said； feeling the cold dread settling a little more deeply into me。 He hadn't responded to my call for reinforcements； and now the mention of Beyscrim should have had him busily punching his off…screen puter keys for data。 But he wasn't。 〃It's supposed to be a five…day flight from here； which I figure should put it within reach of at least some of your people。〃
〃Yes； it would；〃 he agreed heavily。 〃Jordan。。。 I'm afraid there won't be any backup。〃
I stared at him。 〃May I ask why not？〃
〃To be blunt； because Earth has caved；〃 he said； his voice suddenly bitter。 〃Not fifteen minutes ago Geneva issued a formal notice that no public； governmental； or private organizations or persons with citizenship ties to Earth or Earth…allied worlds are to offer information； personnel； materiel； or any other assistance to the outlaw starship flying under the name Icarus。〃
His lip twitched。 〃You were also specifically mentioned in the order； Jordan。 Along with Ixil and two or three others of your crew for whom they have names。〃
〃This is nonsense；〃 I said； my voice sounding unreal through the noise of my suddenly pounding heart。 Uncle Arthur had been my absolute last chance。 〃They can't do that。 The stakes here…〃
〃The stakes are precisely what they're thinking about；〃 he said with a grimace。 〃I didn't tell you the other part。 Approximately ten minutes before Geneva issued their order the Patth issued one of their own。 The entire Kalixiri populace has been declared anathema。〃
I stared at him； Nask's parting…shot curse against Ixil and his people echoing through my mind。 〃That was fast；〃 I said。 〃It wasn't even an hour ago that the Patth ambassador made that threat。〃
〃Yes；〃 Uncle Arthur said。 〃Whatever you did to irritate them； it would seem the Patth have suddenly decided to stop playing games。〃
I exhaled loudly。 〃I liked it better when they were skulking around not telling anyone who or what they really wanted。 Has Geneva forgotten that Arno Cameron's involved here？〃
He shrugged。 〃I presume not。 If Cameron himself were there I'm sure he'd be pulling strings and cashing out favors all over the city。 But as far as I know he's still missing； and those kinds of strings don't pull themselves。〃 His eyes narrowed slightly。 〃Unless you know where he is。〃
〃If I did； I certainly wouldn't tell you；〃 I countered sourly。 〃At least not in the hearing of whoever the high…nosed flacks are back there who are listening in。〃
He glanced down at his clothing。 〃I suppose this outfit is something of a giveaway； isn't it？〃 he conceded。 〃Yes； Geneva was thoughtful enough to send a pair of representatives to deliver to me a personal copy of their edict。 However； they are not； in fact； listening in on us。〃
〃I suppose I should be thankful for small favors；〃 I grumbled。 〃So much for our private little arrangement。〃
〃So much for it； indeed；〃 he agreed。 〃I'm somewhat surprised the authorities hadn't forgotten about me after all this time。〃
〃A pity they hadn't；〃 I said； probing carefully at the lump on the back of my head。 It felt about the size of a prize…winning grapefruit。 〃All right； so you've been ordered not to deal with me； along with everyone else in the Spiral with ten toes and red blood。 What exactly does that mean？〃
He sighed。 〃I'm afraid it means exactly what it says。 I can't have anything whatsoever to do with you。〃
I snorted。 〃Oh； e on。 Since when have you worried about what anyone says you can or can't do？ Especially anyone in Geneva？〃
He shook his head。 〃You still don't understand； Jordan。 This isn't some strategic or political decision on the part of reasoned statesmen。 This is the panic reaction of people who are terrified of what the Patth might do to us if any human in the Spiral…any human…is seen to be assisting you。〃
〃That's ridiculous；〃 I insisted。 〃The Patth are bluffing…they have to be。 Human…owned and …associated shipping must make up four to six percent of Patth cargoes。 They can't afford to lose all that with the stroke of a pen。〃
〃They did it with the Kalixiri；〃 he reminded me。 〃And yes； I know the Kalixiri total is minuscule pared to ours。 But no one in Geneva is ready to call that bluff。〃 He hesitated。 〃And to be quite honest； I'm not convinced it is a bluff。 Not when you consider that the Patth economic future could hinge on what the Icarus contains。〃
For perhaps half a minute neither of us spoke。 Uncle Arthur broke the silence first。 〃What about Ryland or Antoniewicz？〃 he asked。 〃I doubt Geneva has been able to deliver to them a personal copy of the edict。〃
〃They didn't have to；〃 I said； frowning as a sudden thought struck me。 〃The Patth ambassador told me Brother John had already disavowed any connection between us。〃
〃Too bad；〃 he murmured。 〃No matter what you think of Antoniewicz； his group might have had the resources to help you out。〃
〃Oddly enough； Tera made a similar suggestion；〃 I said； thinking furiously as yet another layer of the Jones murder peeled away； onion…like； in my mind。 〃Though unlike you； she didn't care for the idea of turning the Icarus over to criminals。〃
〃I can't say I care for it myself；〃 Uncle Arthur admitted。 〃But if it es to a choice of Antoniewicz or the Patth having the Icarus。。。〃 He shook his head。
I took a deep breath。 This was it。 All the pieces were finally in place； and it was time to make my pitch。 〃What if you could have it all？〃 I asked。 〃The Icarus； and everything else？ Everything you've always wanted。 How far would you go to get it？〃
For a long moment he didn't speak； his pale blue eyes gazing at me in that way that always made me feel like he was trying to drill his way down through t
