tz.theicarushunt-第70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！


　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　the　various　layers　of　my　psyche　to　my　soul。　〃You're　serious；〃　he　said　at　last。　It　wasn't　a　question。
　〃Deadly　serious；〃　I　agreed。　〃I　can　do　it。　Bear　in　mind；　too；　that　if　we　don't　do　something；　we　will　lose　the　Icarus。　Either　to　the　Patth　or…〃
　〃All　right；　you've　sold　me；〃　he　cut　me　off。　〃What　do　you　need？〃　And　for　the　next　ten　minutes；　in　great　detail；　I　told　him。
　*　*　*
　　
　THERE　WERE；　PREDICTABLY；　none　of　the　little　runabout　cars　available　as　I　left　the　Starrm　building；　which　meant　another　long　walk。　Mindful　of　the　hour's　grace　time　I'd　given　Ixil　before　he　was　to　try　his　hand　at　piloting　the　Icarus；　I　hurried　as　quickly　as　my　throbbing　head　and　the　need　to　remain　reasonably　inconspicuous　would　permit。
　None　of　the　others　was　visible　outside　the　ship　as　I　finally　dragged　myself　into　view　of　it。　But　then；　I　wasn't　really　expecting　to　see　anyone；　not　with　Ixil　and　Nicabar　in　charge　of　arranging　guard　duty。　It　wasn't　until　I　was　nearly　to　the　foot　of　the　ladder　that　I　spotted　Pix　crouched　in　the　shadow　of　one　of　the　ship's　landing　skids；　staying　clear　of　the　press　of　spacers　wandering　around　even　at　this　hour。　I　whistled；　and　he　bounded　away　from　his　spot　and　scampered　over　to　me。　I　managed　to　catch　him　before　he　could　try　his　tree…climbing　act　with　my　shin　and　scritched　him　briefly　behind　his　ears。　〃Ixil？〃　I　called　quietly。
　〃Here；〃　a　voice　answered　from　above　and　to　my　left。　I　looked　up；　just　as　Ixil　appeared　from　behind　the　festively　glowing　lights　that　had　been　set　up　as　per　my　orders　in　the　gaps　of　our　camouflaging　cowling。　〃Any　trouble？〃
　〃None；〃　I　said；　watching　as　he　eased　his　way　through　one　of　the　larger　gaps　and　dropped　to　the　ground。　〃You？〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃It's　been　very　quiet；〃　he　said；　waving　somewhere　behind　me。　I　turned　to　look；　saw　Chort　detach　himself　from　a　parked　fueler　and　head　toward　us。　〃You　like　the　job　Chort　and　Tera　did　with　the　lights？〃
　〃Very　nice；〃　I　agreed；　looking　up　at　the　lights　again。　〃Nice　little　sniper's　position　you　found　up　there；　too。〃
　〃Chort's　idea；　actually；〃　Ixil　said　as　he　took　Pix　back　from　me　and　set　him　on　his　shoulder。　〃He　was　up　there　on　guard　when　Nicabar　and　Everett　and　I　got　back。　Since　Kalixiri　are　slightly　more　conspicuous　than　Crooea；　I　took　it　over　and　set　him　up　in　the　more　visible　spot　over　at　that　fueler。〃
　〃Sounds　reasonable；〃　I　said。　〃How's　Shawn　doing？〃
　〃Bad；　but　not　critical。　At　least　this　time　he　didn't　get　loose。　Tera　made　sure　he　was　securely　strapped　down　before　she　set　up　her　own　guard　position　just　inside　the　hatchway。〃　He　peered　up。　〃She　should　still　be　there；　in　fact…neither　Everett　nor　Nicabar　was　in　any　shape　to　take　over　from　her。　Be　sure　to　announce　yourself　before　you　step　inside　the　wraparound；　I　get　the　feeling　she's　still　a　little　nervous。〃
　〃I　know　exactly　how　she　feels；〃　I　said　dryly　as　Chort　came　up　beside　us。　〃You　all　right；　Chort？〃
　〃Quite　well；　Captain　McKell；　thank　you；〃　he　whistled；　peering　closely　at　me。　〃I　understand　you　have　not　had　such　fair　fortune；　however。〃
　〃I've　been　worse；〃　I　assured　him。　〃Looks　like　Ixil　will　be　on　engine…room　duty　for　lift；　I'd　like　you　to　stay　back　there　with　him　in　case　he　needs　assistance。　We　did　get　fueled；　didn't　we？〃
　〃Loaded　and　topped　off　and　paid　for；〃　Ixil　assured　me。　〃Easily　enough　to　get　where　we're　going。〃
　〃Good；〃　I　said；　putting　one　foot　on　the　bottom　rung　of　the　ladder　and　taking　one　last　look　around。　There　were　no　Patth　or　Iykams　anywhere　to　be　seen。　Nor；　for　that　matter；　were　there　any　police　or　customs　officials　visible；　either。　But　then；　now　that　the　last　onion　layer　had　been　peeled　away；　that　didn't　especially　surprise　me。　〃Let's　do　it。〃
　　
　CHAPTER　22
　
　THE　FIVE…DAY　TRIP　to　Beyscrim　was　the　longest　jump　at　one　stretch　that　we'd　tried　yet　with　the　Icarus。　We　paid　the　price　for　such　daring；　too；　to　the　tune　of　three　hull　ridges　and　a　pair　of　hairline　cracks。　Each　required　from　two　to　six　hours　of　outside　work；　together；　they　added　nearly　a　full　day　to　our　travel　time。
　The　most　frustrating　part；　at　least　to　some　of　the　more　impatient　members　of　the　crew；　was　that　it　was　no　longer　clear　whether　such　repair　work　was　even　necessary；　given　what　we　now　knew　about　the　true　nature　of　the　Icarus。　The　cracks　and　ridges　were　only　in　the　outer…hull　plating　that　Cameron's　people　had　layered　over　the　artifact　sphere；　and　there　was　no　indication　that　the　alien　metal　beneath　was　being　affected　in　the　slightest　by　the　hyperspace　pressure　it　was　being　subjected　to。　There　were　several　lively　discussions　about　that；　in　fact；　most　of　them　occurring　while　Chort　and　Ixil　were　busy　outside　with　the　latest　repair　job。　But　the　arguments　presented　were　for　the　most　part　pletely　moot。　I　voted　to　continue　stopping　for　repairs；　whether　they　were　necessary　or　not；　and　no　one　else　got　a　vote。
　It　wasn't　simply　caution；　though；　or　even　a　lack　of　faith　in　the　Icarus's　original　designers。　Despite　Everett's　assurance　that　his　doctor　friend　was　above　reproach；　we　were　heading　into　a　largely　unknown　situation　on　a　pletely　unknown　world。　With　three　of　us　qualifying　as　walking　wounded…four　if　you　counted　Shawn's　medical　problems…I　figured　the　more　recovery　time　we　had　along　the　way；　the　better。
　Still；　I　had　to　admit　that　our　first　pass　by　Beyscrim　showed　the　place　to　be　pretty　much　as　advertised。　The　planet　boasted　just　five　public　spaceports；　none　of　them　up　to　even　Meima's　casual　standards；　with　the　coordinates　Everett's　friend　had　supplied　reading　halfway　up　a　mountain　and　very　literally　in　the　middle　of　nowhere。　The　automated　landing　system　guided　us　in　to　a　group　of　five　pads　about　three　hundred　meters　west　and　slightly　downslope　from　the　mansion…sized　lodge　itself；　the　pad　cluster　edged　in　turn　on　its　downslope　side　by　an　extensive　range　of　bushy　blue…green　trees。　I　chose　the　pad　closest　to　the　trees；　setting　us　down　parallel　to　them　and　as　close　to　their　outstretched　branches　as　I　could　manage；　remembering　first　to　rotate　the　ship　so　that　the　hatchway　was　on　the　open；　non…tree　side　facing　the　lodge。
　Tera　questioned　my　choice　of　placement；　pointing　out　that　resting　so　close　to　the　edge　of　an　artificially　built…up　landing　area　was　an　invitation　to　disaster　should　the　Icarus's　weight　cause　the　edge　to　collapse。　Everett　was　equally　critical　of　my　landing　site；　except　that　his　argument　was　that　I'd　chosen　the　pad　farthest　from　the　lodge；　thereby　putting　us　an　extra　hundred　meters　from　the　forts　we　all　hoped　were　waiting　for　us　up　there。　I　pointed　out　to　Tera　that　the　idea　was　for　the　trees　to　provide　us　at　least　a　little　bit　of　visual　cover　from　any　aircraft　that　happened　to　pass　overhead；　to　Everett；　I　rather　ungraciously　suggested　that　if　after　several　days　of　rest　the　walk　was　still　too　much　for　him；　he　was　wele　to　stay　aboard　while　the　rest　of　us　checked　the　place　out。　That　was　exactly　what　he　did；　though　he　phrased　it　more　along　the　lines　of　standing　guard　over　the　ship　than　of　anything　so　childish　as　a　fit　of　sulking　or　pique。　I　accepted　his　offer；　pretended　also　to　accept　his　rationale　for　it；　and　together　the　rest　of　us　trooped　on　up　through　the　cool　afternoon　air　to　the　lodge。
　I'd　noted　on　the　way　in　that　the　lodge　was　good…sized；　but　I　hadn't　realized　just　how　extensive　the　place　actually　was。　Besides　the　main　rectangular　section　running　parallel　to　the　landing　area；　there　was　also　a　full　wing　extending　back　from　the　middle　toward　the　mountain　itself；　giving　the　building　an　overall　T…shape。　How　I'd　missed　that　back　wing　I　didn't　know；　except　to　assume　that　the　rough…cut　slate　roofing　had　blended　so　well　into　the　rocky　slope　beyond　that　I　hadn't　realized　it　was　part　of　the　lodge。　Beyscrim；　I　decided；　must　be　a　fantastically　popular　place　at　the　height　of　the　tourist　season。
　The　size　of　the　lodge　also　meant　that　the　six　of　us…or　seven；　whenever　Everett　deigned　to　join　us…would　have　the　chance　to　get　seriously　lost　from　each　other。　After　the　forced　intimacy　we'd　created　by　ripping　out　the　Icarus's　decks　and　cabins；　the　thought　of　a　little　personal　privacy　was　something　the　whole　crew　was　definitely　champing　at　the　bit　for。　I　thought　about　keeping　us　all　together　at　least　long　enough　to　check　out　the　public　areas　of　the　lodge　for　signs　of　recent　occupancy；　but　when　I　offered　the　suggestion　Tera　made　it　clear　that　she　wasn't　interested　in　anyone　else's　pany　for　a　couple　of　hours　at　least。　Snagging　the　key　for　one　of　the　guest　rooms…old…fashioned　permanent　keys　were　apparently　part　of　the　rustic　atmosphere　of　the　place…she　headed　off　to　get　some　sleep　on　a　real　bed。　Shawn　and　Nicabar　took　her　cue　and　picked　out　rooms　of　their　own；　while　Chort　headed　instead　to　the　kitchen　area　to　see　what　sort　of　food　might　be　available。　Giving　up；　I　sent　Ixil　with　him　and　then　headed　back　outside　onto　the　lodge's　wide　front　portico。
　It　had　been　late　afternoon　when　we'd　landed；　and　from　what　the　nav　listing　had　said　about　Beyscrim's　rotation　period　I　had　assumed　we　would　have　another　two　to　three　hours　of　daylight　left。　But　I　had　failed　to　take　into　account　the　effects　of　the　mountain　range　to　the　west　that　rose　dramatically　behind　the　Icarus　and　its　shading　trees。　Already　the　sun　was　dipping　behind　the　taller　peaks；　and　I　could　see　now　that　it　would　be　dusk　in　probably　half　an　hour。
　Still；　half　an　hour　of　sun　and　fresh　air　was　better　than　nothing。　Snagging　one　of　the　sturdy　lounge　chairs　lined　up　along　the　portico's　back　wall；　I　pulled　it　to　the　front　edge　and　sat　down。
　Everett　had　evidently　been　thinking　along　the　same　lines　I　had；　at　least　as　far　as　the　fresh　air　was　concerned。　From　where　I　sat　I　could　make　out　his　figure　in　the　wraparound　just　behind　the　open　hatchway；　gazing　back　in　my　direction。　I　thought　about　waving　to　him；　but　concluded　after　a　minute　that　the　lack　of　any　such　gesture　on　his　part　probably　meant　he　was　still　not　feeling　all　that　sociable；　at　least　not　toward　me。　So　I　just　settled　more　fortably　into　my　chair；　aware　of　Everett's　presence　but　not　acknowledging　it　any　more　than　he　was　acknowledging　mine。
　We　sat　there；　wrapped　in　our　own　little　worlds；　as　the　sun　vanished　and　the　western　sky　faded　from　sunlig