tz.theicarushunt-第1部分

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　THEY　WERE　WAITING　as　I　stepped　through　the　door　into　the　taverno：　three　of　them；　preadult　Yavanni；　roughly　the　size　of　Brahma　bulls；　looming　over　me　from　both　sides　of　the　entryway。　Big；　eager…eyed；　and　territorial；　they　were　on　the　prowl　and　looking　for　an　excuse　to　squash　something　soft。
　From　all　indications；　it　looked　like　that　something　was　going　to　be　me。
　I　stopped　short　just　inside　the　door；　and　as　it　swung　closed　against　my　back　I　caught　a　faint　whiff　of　turpentine　from　the　direction　of　my　would…be　assailants。　Which　meant　that　along　with　being　young　and　brash；　they　were　also　tanked　to　the　briskets。　I　was　still　outside　the　invisible　boundary　of　the　personal　territories　they'd　staked　out　for　themselves　in　the　entryway；　and　if　I　had　any　brains；　I'd　keep　it　that　way。　Yavanni　aren't　very　bright　even　at　the　best　of　times；　but　when　you're　outweighed　by　two　to　one　and　outnumbered　by　three　to　one；　brainpower　ratio　isn't　likely　to　be　the　deciding　factor。　It　had　been　a　long　day　and　a　longer　evening；　I　was　tired　and　cranky；　and　the　smartest　thing　I　could　do　right　now　was　get　hold　of　the　doorknob　digging　into　my　back　and　get　out　of　there。
　I　looked　past　the　Yavanni　into　the　main　part　of　the　taverno。　The　place　was　pretty　crowded；　with　both　humans　and　a　representative　distribution　of　other　species　sitting　around　the　fashionably　darkened　interior。　It　was　likely　to　stay　well　populated；　too；　at　least　as　long　as　anyone　who　tried　to　leave　had　to　pass　the　three　mobile　mountains　waiting　at　the　door。　A　fair　percentage　of　the　clientele；　I　could　see；　was　surreptitiously　watching　the　little　drama　about　to　unfold；　while　the　rest　were　studiously　ignoring　it。　None　of　either　group　looked　eager　to　leap　to　my　defense　should　that　bee　necessary。　The　two　bartenders　were　watching　me　more　openly；　but　there　would　be　no　help　from　that　direction；　either。　This　section　of　the　spaceport　environs　lay　in　Meima's　Vyssiluyan　enclave；　and　the　Vyssiluyas　were　notoriously　laissez…faire　where　disputes　of　this　sort　were　concerned。　The　local　police　would　gladly　and　industriously　pick　up　the　pieces　after　it　was　all　over；　but　that　wasn't　going　to　be　much　fort　if　I　wound　up　being　one　of　those　pieces。
　I　looked　back　at　the　Yavanni　flanking　my　path；　one　a　little　way　ahead　and　to　my　left；　the　other　two　to　my　right。　They　still　hadn't　moved；　but　I　had　the　mental　picture　of　coiled　springs　being　tightened　a　couple　more　turns。　I　hadn't　run；　didn't　look　like　I　was　going　to　run；　and　their　small　minds　were　simmering　in　eager　anticipation　of　the　moment　when　I　put　a　foot　across　that　invisible　barrier　and　they　got　to　see　how　many　colors　of　bruises　they　could　raise　on　me。
　I　wasn't　armed；　at　least　not　seriously。　Even　if　I　had　been；　blasting　away　from　close　range　at　three　full…size　Yavanni　was　not　a　remended　procedure　for　anyone　desiring　a　long　and　happy　life。　But　there　was　a　trick　I'd　heard　about　a　few　years　ago；　a　nice　little　bination　of　Yavannian　psychology　and　physiology　that　I'd　tucked　away　for　possible　future　reference。　It　looked；　as　the　saying　went；　like　the　future　was　now。　Gazing　at　each　of　the　Yavanni　in　turn；　I　cleared　my　throat。　〃Do　your　mothers　know　you　boys　are　here？〃　I　demanded　in　the　deepest　voice　I　could　manage。
　Three　jaws　dropped　in　unison。　〃It's　late；〃　I　continued　before　they　could　respond。　〃You　should　be　home。　Go　home。　Now。〃
　They　looked　at　each　other；　their　earlier　anticipation　floundering　in　confusion。　Talking　like　a　Yavannian　dominant　male　was　probably　the　last　response　they'd　expected　from　an　alien　half　their　size；　and　the　molasses　they　used　for　brains　was　having　trouble　adjusting　to　the　situation。　〃Did　you　hear　me？〃　I　snapped；　putting　some　anger　into　my　voice。　〃Go　home。〃
　The　one　on　the　left　apparently　had　faster　molasses　than　the　other　two。　〃You　are　not　Yavannian；〃　he　snarled　back　at　me　in　typically　Yavannian…mangled　English。　A　fresh　wave　of　turpentine　smell　acpanied　the　words。　〃You　will　not　speak　to　us　that　way。〃　Paws　flexing；　he　took　a　step　toward　me…
　And　I　opened　my　mouth　and　let　out　a　warbling；　blood…freezing　howl。
　He　froze　in　place；　his　alien　face　abruptly　stricken　as　his　glacial　brain　caught　up　with　his　fatal　error。　I　was　stationary　and　he　was　moving；　which　meant　he　had　now　violated　my　territory。　I　was　the　injured　party；　I　had　given　out　with　the　proper　Yavannian　accusation/indictment/challenge　shout；　and　I　was　now　entitled　to　the　first　punch。
　By　and　by；　of　course；　he　would　remember　that　I　wasn't　a　Yavanne　and　therefore　not　entitled　to　the　courtesy　of　Yavannian　customs。　I　had　no　intention　of　giving　that　thought　time　to　percolate　through。　Taking　a　long　step　toward　him；　I　tightened　my　hands　into　fists　and　drove　both　of　them　hard　into　his　lower　torso；　into　the　slight　depressions　on　either　side　of　the　central　muscle　ridge。
　He　gave　a　forlorn　sort　of　squeak…a　startling　sound　from　a　creature　his　size…and　went　down　with　a　highly　satisfying　thud　that　must　have　shaken　the　whole　taverno。　Curled　around　himself；　he　lay　still。
　The　other　two　were　still　standing　there；　staring　at　me　with　their　jaws　hanging　loosely。　I　wasn't　fooled…flabbergasted　or　not；　they　were　still　in　territorial　mode；　and　the　minute　I　stepped　onto　either's　chosen　section　of　floor　I　would　get　mauled。　Fortunately；　that　was　no　longer　a　problem。　The　left　side　of　the　entryway　was　now　free　territory；　stepping　over　the　downed　Yavanne；　I　passed　through　the　entryway　and　into　the　taverno。
　There　was　a　small　ripple　of　almost…applause；　which　quickly　evaporated　as　those　involved　belatedly　remembered　that　there　were　still　two　Yavanni　left　on　their　feet。　I　wasn't　expecting　any　more　trouble　from　them　myself；　but　just　the　same　I　kept　an　eye　on　their　reflection　in　the　brass　chandelier　domes　as　I　made　my　way　through　the　maze　of　tables　and　chairs。　There　was　an　empty　table　in　the　back；　fortably　close　to　the　homey　log　fireplace　that　dominated　that　wall；　and　I　sat　down　with　my　back　to　the　crackling　flames。　As　I　did　so；　I　was　just　in　time　to　see　the　two　undamaged　Yavanni　help　their　unsteady　colleague　out　into　the　night。
　〃Buy　you　a　drink；　sir？〃
　I　turned　my　head。　A　medium…sized　man　with　dark　skin　stood　in　the　dim　light　to　the　right　of　my　table；　a　half…full　mug　in　his　hand；　a　thick　thatch　of　white　hair　shimmering　in　the　firelight。　〃I'm　not　interested　in　pany　right　now；〃　I　said；　punching　up　a　small　vodkaline　on　the　table's　menu　selector。　I　wasn't　interested　in　drinking；　either；　but　that　little　fracas　with　the　Yavanni　had　drawn　enough　attention　to　me　as　it　was；　and　sitting　there　without　a　glass　in　my　hand　would　only　invite　more　curiosity。
　〃I　appreciate　what　you　did　over　there；〃　the　man　mented；　pulling　out　the　chair　opposite　me　and　sitting　down　as　if　he'd　been　invited　to　do　so。　〃I've　been　stuck　here　half　an　hour　waiting　for　them　to　go　away。　Bit　of　a　risky　move；　though；　wasn't　it？　At　the　very　least；　you　could　have　broken　a　couple　of　knuckles。〃
　For　a　moment　I　gazed　across　the　table　at　him；　at　that　dark　face　beneath　that　shock　of　white　hair。　From　the　age　lines　in　his　skin　he　clearly　had　spent　a　lot　of　his　life　out　in　the　sun；　from　the　shape　of　the　musculature　beneath　his　jacket　he　hadn't　spent　that　time　lounging　around　in　beach　chairs。　〃Not　all　that　risky；〃　I　told　him。　〃Yavanni　don't　get　that　really　thick　skin　of　theirs　until　adulthood。　Kids　that　age　are　still　pretty　soft　in　spots。　You　just　have　to　know　where　those　spots　are。〃
　He　nodded；　eyes　dropping　momentarily　to　the　ship　patch　with　its　stylized　〃SB〃　on　the　shoulder　of　my　faded　black…leather　jacket。　〃You　deal　a　lot　with　aliens？〃
　〃A　fair　amount；〃　I　said。　〃My　partner's　one；　if　that　helps　any。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean；　if　it　helps　any？〃
　The　center　of　the　table　opened　up　and　my　vodkaline　appeared。　〃If　it　helps　you　make　up　your　mind；〃　I　amplified；　taking　the　glass　off　the　tray。　〃About　offering　me　a　cargo。〃
　A　flicker　of　surprise　crossed　his　face；　but　then　he　smiled。　〃You're　quick；〃　he　said。　〃I　like　that。　I　take　it　you're　an　independent　shipper？〃
　〃That's　right。〃　I　wasn't　all　that　independent；　actually；　not　anymore。　But　this　wasn't　the　right　time　to　bring　that　up。　〃My　name's　Jordan　McKell。　I'm　captain　of　a　Capricorn…class　freighter　called　the　Stormy　Banks。〃
　〃Specialty　certificates？〃
　〃Navigation　and　close…order　piloting；〃　I　said。　〃