tz.theicarushunt-第12部分

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　〃Got　it。〃　Jones　eased　past　me　and　headed　for　the　aft　ladder。
　〃So　how　will　he　handle　it？〃　Everett　asked。　〃Go　into　the　wraparound　and　feed　Chort　the　lifeline　from　there？〃
　〃Basically；〃　I　nodded。　〃There's　a　slot　just　outside　the　entryway　where　the　secondary　line　can　connect；　but　he'll　want　Jones　feeding　him　the　primary　line　as　he　goes　along。　Otherwise；　it　can　get　kinked　or　snarled　on　the　maneuvering　vents；　and　that　eats　up　time。〃
　〃I've　heard　of　snarled　lines　giving　false　readings　on　sensors；　too；〃　Tera　put　in。　〃He　might　wind　up　fixing　a　hull　plate　that　didn't　need　it。〃
　〃That　won't　happen；〃　Chort　assured　her。　〃I　will　know　the　damage　when　I　reach　it。〃
　〃I'm　sure　you　will；〃　Everett　said；　lumbering　down　the　corridor　toward　the　aft　ladder。　〃I'll　see　if　Jones　can　use　a　hand。〃
　There　were　indeed　three　vac　suits　in　the　locker；　one　of　which　fit　Jones　just　fine；　and　with　Everett's　help　he　was　suited　up　in　fifteen　minutes。　Five　minutes　after　that　he　and　Chort　were　in　the　wraparound；　the　airlock　doors　at　both　ends　were　sealed；　and　I　was　on　the　bridge　with　the　hull　monitor　cameras　extended　on　their　pylons。
　And　we　were　set。　〃Ready　here；〃　I　called　into　the　inter。　〃Revs；　go　ahead　and　shut　down　the　gravity。〃
　〃Right；〃　Nicabar　acknowledged　from　the　engine　room；　and　I　felt　the　sudden　stomach…twisting　disorientation　as　the　Icarus's　grav　generator　went　off…line。　I　double…checked　the　airlock　status　and　keyed　for　the　suit　radios。　〃It's　all　yours；　Chort。　Let　him　out　easy；　Jones。〃
　Given　that　Jones　had　a　Craea　at　the　other　end　of　his　line；　my　automatic　warning　was　probably　both　unnecessary　and　even　a　bit　ridiculous。　Before　the　outer　hatch　was　even　all　the　way　open　Chort　was　out　on　the　hull；　pausing　briefly　to　snap　his　secondary　line　into　the　connector　slot　and　heading　nimbly　across　the　wraparound；　using　his　hull…hooks　and　stickypads　as　if　he'd　been　born　in　zero　gee。
　〃Mind　if　I　watch？〃　a　voice　asked　from　the　doorway　behind　me。
　I　turned　my　head。　Shawn　was　floating　just　outside　the　door；　gazing　past　me　at　the　monitors；　an　intense　but　oddly　calm　look　on　his　face。　〃No；　e　on　in；〃　I　invited。
　〃Thanks；〃　he　said；　maneuvering　his　way　into　the　room　and　ing　to　a　stop　hovering　beside　my　chair。　〃There　aren't　any　monitors　in　the　electronics　shop；　and　I've　never　seen　a　Craea　spacewalk　before。〃
　〃It's　definitely　a　sight　to　behold；〃　I　agreed；　trying　not　to　frown　as　I　studied　his　profile。　The　twitchy；　nervous；　sarcastic　kid　who'd　been　such　a　pain　in　the　neck　while　we　were　waiting　outside　the　Icarus　had　apparently　been　kidnapped　sometime　in　the　last　six　hours　and　replaced　by　this　near…perfect　copy。　〃How　are　you　doing？〃
　He　smiled；　a　little　shamefacedly。　〃You　mean　how　e　I'm　not　acting　like　a　jerk？〃
　〃Not　exactly　the　way　I　would　have　put　it；〃　I　said。　〃But　as　long　as　you　bring　it　up。。。？〃
　〃Yeah；　I　know；〃　he　said；　his　lip　twisting。　〃That's　another　reason　I　wanted　to　talk　to　you；　to　apologize　for　all　that。　I　was。。。　well；　nervous；　I　guess。　You　have　to　admit　this　is　a　really　strange　situation；　and　I　don't　do　well　with　strange　situations。　Especially　early　in　the　morning。〃
　〃I　have　trouble　with　mornings　sometimes　myself；〃　I　said；　turning　back　to　the　monitors。　〃Don't　worry　about　it。〃
　〃Thanks。　He's　really　good；　isn't　he？〃
　I　nodded。　Chort　was　moving　slowly　along　the　edge　of　the　cowling　that　covered　the　intersection　of　the　two　spheres；　his　faceplate　bare　centimeters　above　the　hull　as　he　glided　over　the　surface。　Here　and　there　he　would　stop　for　a　moment；　touching　something　with　his　long　fingers　and　occasionally　selecting　one　of　the　squeeze　tubes　from　the　collection　clamped　to　his　forearms。　I　thought　about　getting　on　the　radio　and　asking　what　he　was　doing；　but　decided　against　it。　He　clearly　knew　his　business；　and　there　didn't　seem　any　point　in　distracting　him　with　a　lot　of　questions。　I　made　a　mental　note　to　pick　up　a　set　of　zoomable　hull　cameras　at　our　next　stop。
　The　whistle　from　the　radio　speaker　was　so　unexpected　that　Shawn　and　I　both　jumped；　a　movement　that　the　zero　gee　magnified　embarrassingly。　〃There　it　is；〃　Chort　said　as　I　grabbed　my　restraint　straps　and　pulled　myself　firmly　down　into　the　chair　again。　〃A　small　pressure　ridge　only。　Easily　repaired。〃
　He　set　to　work　with　his　squeeze　tubes　again。　〃I'll　never　understand　about　that　stuff；〃　Shawn　mented。　〃If　it's　so　good　at　fixing　hull　cracks　and　ridges；　why　not　coat　the　whole　hull　with　it？〃
　〃Good　question；〃　I　agreed；　throwing　him　another　surreptitious　glance。　Calm；　friendly；　and　now　even　making　intelligent　conversation。　I　made　another　mental　note；　this　one　to　restrict　all　my　future　interactions　with　him　until　after　he'd　had　his　morning　coffee　or　whatever。
　If　Chort　was　a　representative　example　of　Craean　spacewalking　ability；　it　was　no　wonder　they　were　so　much　in　demand。　In　less　than　ten　minutes　he'd　sealed　the　ridge；　tracked　two　jaglines　radiating　from　that　spot；　and　fixed　them　as　well。　〃All　secure；〃　he　announced。　〃I　will　check　the　rest　of　the　sphere；　but　I　believe　this　is　the　only　problem。〃
　〃Sounds　good；〃　I　said。　〃Before　you　go　any　farther　forward；　you　might　as　well　go　aft　and　run　a　quick　check　on　the　cargo　and　engine　sections。〃
　〃Acknowledged；〃　Chort　said；　turning　around　and　heading　back　over　the　side　of　the　cargo　sphere。　He　paused　once；　moved　down　the　side　toward　the　wraparound…
　And　suddenly；　with　another　stomach…wrenching　disorientation；　I　fell　down　hard　into　my　chair。
　Shawn　yelped　in　surprise　and　pain　as　he　dropped　like　a　rock　to　the　deck　beside　me。　But　I　hardly　noticed。　Incredibly；　impossibly；　the　Icarus's　gravity　field　had　gone　back　on。
　And　as　I　watched　in　helpless　horror；　Chort　slammed　against　the　side　of　the　cargo　sphere；　caromed　off　the　wraparound；　and　disappeared　off　the　monitor　screen。
　〃Revs！〃　I　barked　toward　the　inter；　twisting　the　camera　control　hard　over。　〃Turn　it　off！〃
　〃I　didn't　turn　it　on；〃　he　protested。
　〃I　don't　give　a　damn　who　turned　it　on！〃　I　snarled。　I　had　Chort　on　the　screen　now；　hanging　limply　like　a　puppet　on　a　string　at　the　end　of　his　secondary　line　at　the　bottom　of　the　artificial　〃down〃　the　Icarus's　gravity　generator　had　imposed　on　this　small　bubble　of　space。　〃Just　shut　it　down。〃
　〃I　can't；〃　he　bit　back。　〃The　control's　not　responding。〃
　I　ground　my　teeth　viciously。　〃Tera？〃
　〃I'm　trying；　too；〃　her　voice　joined　in。　〃The　puter's　frozen　up。〃
　〃Then　cut　all　power　to　that　whole　section；〃　I　snapped。　〃You　can　do　that；　can't　you？　One　of　you？〃
　〃Working　on　it；〃　Nicabar　grunted。
　〃puter's　still　frozen；〃　Tera　added　tautly。　〃I　can't　see　him…is　he　all　right？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　told　her　harshly。　〃And　we　won't　know　until　we　get　him　back…〃
　I　broke　off　suddenly；　my　breath　catching　horribly　in　my　throat。　Concentrating　first　on　Chort's　fall；　and　then　on　getting　the　gravity　shut　down；　it　hadn't　even　occurred　to　me　to　wonder　why　Chort　had　fallen　that　far　in　the　first　place。　Why　Jones　hadn't　had　the　slack　in　the　primary　line　properly　taken　up；　or　for　that　matter　why　he　hadn't　already　begun　reeling　the　Craea　back　into　the　wraparound。
　But　now；　looking　at　the　outside　of　the　entryway　for　the　first　time　since　the　accident；　I　could　see　why。　Hanging　limply　over　the　sill　of　the　hatchway　beside　the　equally　limp　primary　line　was　a　vacsuited　hand。　Jones's　hand。
　Not　moving。
　〃Revs；　do　you　have　a　suit　back　there？〃　I　called；　cursing　under　my　breath；　trying　to　key　the　camera　for　a　better　look　inside　the　entryway。　No　good；　Jones　had　turned　the　overhead　light　off　and　the　shadow　was　too　intense　for　the　camera　to　penetrate。
　〃No；〃　he　called　back。　〃What's　the…oh；　damn。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　I　bit　out；　my　mind　racing　uselessly。　With　the　entryway　open　to　space；　the　wraparound　was　totally　isolated　from　the　rest　of　the　ship　by　the　pressure　doors　at　either　end。　I　could　close　the　hatch　from　the　bridge；　but　the　way　Jones　was　lying；　his　hand　would　prevent　it　from　sealing。
　The　only　other　way　to　get　to　him　would　be　to　depressurize　one　side　of　the　ship　so　we　could　open　the　door。　But　we　couldn't　depressurize　the　sphere…there　were　only　two　vac　suits　left　for　the　four　of　us　still　in　here；　and　I　wasn't　about　to　trust　the　room　or　cabin　doors　to　hold　up　against　hard　vacuum。　And　without　a　suit　for　Nicabar；　we　couldn't　depressurize　the　engine　room；　either。　My　eyes　flicked　uselessl