tz.theicarushunt-第44部分

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e　it。　〃Here's　my　ID。〃
　I　handed　it　to　him；　mentally　crossing　my　fingers。　If　I'd　guessed　wrong；　it　wasn't　even　going　to　take　until　the　Najik　started　calling　in　console　numbers　for　me　to　be　in　big　trouble。
　He　took　the　folder　and　opened　it。　The　multiple　eyes　twitched　in　unison　as　he　saw　the　map　nestled　inside；　twitched　again　as　he　spotted　the　note　I'd　written　on　it。　For　a　long　minute　he　just　stared　at　it。　Once　again　I　was　suddenly　conscious　of　the　weight　of　my　plasmic　against　my　ribs；　knowing　full　well　that　opening　fire　in　such　a　confined　space　against　ten　armed　opponents　would　be　a　quick　way　of　mitting　suicide。　Beside　me；　Shawn　seemed　to　have　stopped　breathing；　and　I　could　sense　a　similar　tension　in　Tera　on　his　other　side。
　Then；　almost　delicately；　the　gokra　closed　the　folder　without　even　looking　behind　the　map　at　my　actual　ID　and　handed　it　back　to　me。　〃Thank　you；〃　he　said；　almost　primly。　〃We　won't　be　long。〃
　And　they　weren't。　They　wandered　up　and　down　the　various　corridors；　glanced　around　the　engine　room　and　bridge；　casually　examined　the　curving　metal　of　the　cargo　partment　and　confirmed　there　was　no　entry　hatch；　and　made　a　copy　of　Cameron's　fake　Gamm　sealed…cargo　license　to　take　for　their　files。　Nicabar　returned　while　they　were　poking　around；　I　told　him　to　get　dried　off　and　then　get　the　thrusters　ready　to　go。　At　one　point；　almost　as　an　afterthought；　the　gokra　also　presented　me　with　the　bill　for　our　fueling；　explaining　that　he'd　taken　it　from　the　ground　crew　when　he　arrived　and　found　them　waiting　for　my　return。　He　didn't　seem　surprised　that　I　paid　the　bill　in　cash；　or　that　there　were　five　extra　hundred…mark　bills　in　the　stack　I　gave　him。　And　that　was　it。　Ten　minutes　after　they'd　e　in　out　of　the　rain；　they　were　out　in　it　again；　striding　briskly　toward　the　slideways　and　headed　home。
　〃All　right；　I　give　up；〃　Tera　murmured　from　my　side　as　she　and　I　stood　in　the　wraparound　and　watched　them　go。　〃Who　is　Mr。　Antoniewicz；　and　why　won't　he　be　happy　if　they　find　anything？〃
　I　grimaced。　I　hadn't　thought　she　would　be　able　to　read　the　note　from　her　angle　as　I'd　scribbled　it　on　the　map。　〃He's　just　someone　I　know；〃　I　said　evasively。　〃He　has　a　certain　amount　of　influence　around　the　Spiral。〃
　〃I'd　say　he　has　a　great　deal　of　influence；〃　she　said；　eyeing　me　in　a　way　I　didn't　much　care　for。　〃You　know　him　personally　or　professionally？〃
　〃I've　done　some　business　with　his　people；〃　I　said。　A　movement　outside　caught　my　eye：　Everett；　our　last　crewman　still　unaccounted　for；　had　appeared　around　the　bow　of　one　of　the　nearby　ships　and　was　plodding　our　way；　his　big　feet　kicking　up　impressive　splashes　with　each　step。　He　looked　tired；　he　must　have　worn　himself　out　looking　for　Shawn。　Not　surprising；　really；　given　that　he　probably　considered　it　his　fault　the　kid　had　gotten　away　in　the　first　place。　〃Here　es　Everett；〃　I　added　to　Tera；　hoping　to　forestall　any　further　questions；　as　I　dug　out　the　fake　cassette。　〃Tell　him　to　check　Shawn　and　see　if　he　needs　another　dose　yet…here's　the　borandis。　As　soon　as　he's　aboard；　seal　the　hatch　and　get　to　the　puter　room。〃
　I　left　her　there　and　headed　to　the　bridge；　feeling　both　cautiously　relieved　and　cautiously　pleased　with　myself。　I'd　been　right：　Brother　John's　grudging　admiration　for　the　Najik　had　indeed　been　based　on　the　fact　that　the　Antoniewicz　organization　was　able　to　do　business　with　them。　Clearly；　our　customs　gokra　was　in　on　the　deal；　and　dropping　Antoniewicz's　name　had　been　enough　to　wave　him　off　us。　I　still　didn't　know　why　the　Icarus　had　been　fingered　for　a　search；　but　as　soon　as　we　were　out　of　Potosi　space　that　wouldn't　matter。
　Assuming　we　did　get　out　of　Potosi　space；　of　course。　If　the　gokra　had　merely　taken　the　extra　cash　in　order　to　add　attempted　bribery　to　the　charges　against　me；　he　should　be　rounding　the　corner　any　minute　with　that　army　battalion　I'd　been　expecting　earlier。
　But　for　once；　my　pessimism　proved　unfounded。　We　got　clearance　to　lift；　the　port's　grav　beams　lifted　us　smoothly　out　and　up；　and　within　a　few　minutes　we　were　once　again　in　space。　I　had　cut　us　into　hyperspace　and　was　doing　a　quick　check　of　the　systems　when　the　door　opened　and　Everett　came　in。　〃We　safely　away？〃　he　asked。
　〃Unless　the　hull　decides　to　collapse；　we　are；〃　I　told　him。
　He　made　a　face。　〃Considering　the　way　things　have　been　going；　that's　not　very　funny。〃
　〃I　suppose　not；〃　I　conceded。　〃Sorry。　How's　Shawn　doing？〃
　〃Seems　to　be　recovering；〃　he　said。　〃Fortunately；　the　reversible　Cole's　disease　symptoms　begin　long　before　the　irreversible　damage　kicks　in。　And　the　borandis　dependence　itself　is　more　or　less　reversible　at　any　point。　Rather　like　scurvy　in　that　respect。〃
　〃That's　handy；〃　I　said。　〃How　much　of　his　current　trouble　is　related　to　the　dependence　and　how　much　to　the　disease？〃
　He　shook　his　head；　peering　at　the　displays。　〃I　don't　know。　The　two　problems　intermix　so　tightly　it　takes　a　specialist　to　disentangle　them。　We're　going　to　Morsh　Pon　next？〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃After　that　little　run…in　back　there；　I　thought　it　might　be　nice　to　refuel　someplace　where　they　don't　bother　at　all　with　customs　formalities。〃
　〃If　you　live　to　get　back　out；〃　he　said　dubiously。　〃I've　heard　stories　about　that　world…bands　of　pirates　and　smugglers　roaming　the　streets　looking　for　trouble。〃
　〃We'll　be　all　right；〃　I　told　him　with　a　confidence　I　didn't　much　feel　myself。　〃I'll　make　you　a　small　wager　that　it　won't　be　as　bad　as　you　think。〃
　〃Um；〃　Everett　said　nonmittally；　still　looking　doubtful。　〃Still；　you're　the　captain；　power　of　life　and　death　over　your　crew；　and　all　that。　Speaking　of　which…the　crew；　I　mean…I　haven't　seen　Ixil　since　before　we　landed　on　Potosi。〃
　〃Neither　have　I；〃　I　said。　〃But　I'm　sure　he's　all　right。〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said　hesitantly。　〃The　reason　I　asked；　you　see；　was　that　I　tried　checking　on　him　and　his　cabin　door　wouldn't　open。〃
　〃That's　okay…I　set　it　that　way　to　make　sure　he　had　some　privacy；〃　I　assured　him。　〃I　just　hope　it　didn't　slam　on　your　fingers。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Everett　asked；　looking　puzzled。　〃It　didn't　slam。　It　didn't　open　at　all。〃
　I　stared　at　him；　a　sudden　chill　running　through　me。　〃It　didn't　open　a　few　centimeters　and　then　shut　again？〃
　〃I　told　you：　it　didn't　even　budge；〃　he　insisted。　〃I　thought　maybe　it　had　gotten　jammed…〃
　I　didn't　wait　to　hear　any　more；　jumping　out　of　my　seat　and　dodging　past　him　to　the　ladder　out　in　the　corridor。　I　slid　down　it　without　touching　any　of　the　rungs；　my　heart　pounding　suddenly　in　my　throat。　I　reached　Ixil's　door　and　tried　the　release　pad。
　Everett　was　right。　It　didn't　budge　at　all。
　I　had　my　multitool　out　and　was　unfastening　the　pad's　cover　by　the　time　Everett　caught　up。　〃You　think　something's　wrong？〃　he　puffed　as　he　came　up　beside　me。
　〃There's　something　wrong　with　the　door；　anyway；〃　I　said；　fighting　hard　to　speak　calmly；　to　keep　my　fear　and　rage　out　of　my　voice。　If　the　saboteur　had　been　here　while　Ixil　was　lying　helpless。。。　but　maybe　the　control　chip　had　simply　burned　out。　With　my　fingers　fumbling　slightly　in　their　hurry；　I　got　the　cover　off。
　The　control　chip　hadn't　simply　burned　out。　The　control　chip　wasn't　there　at　all。　What　was　there　looked　like　it　had　been　attacked　by　a　gorilla　with　a　small　sledgehammer。
　Beside　me；　Everett　gasped。　〃What　in　hell's　name…？〃
　〃Our　friend　who　wrecks　cutting　torches　does　doors；　too；〃　I　snarled；　dropping　the　cover　on　the　deck　and　hurrying　to　the　door　to　my　own　cabin。　One　glance　was　all　I'd　needed　to　know　Ixil's　release　pad　was　going　to　need　some　major　work；　and　I　could　replace　it　with　the　one　from　my　door　in　a　fraction　of　the　time。　〃Go　to　the　puter　room　and　tell　Tera　to　take　the　bridge；〃　I　called　back　over　my　shoulder　as　I　set　to　work　on　the　fasteners。
　I　had　my　release　pad　off　and　was　starting　on　Ixil's　when　Everett　returned；　a　first…aid　kit　clutched　in　his　hand。　〃I　thought　we　might　need　this；〃　he　said　grimly；　setting　it　down　out　of　my　way。　〃What　can　I　do？〃
　〃Hold　this；〃　I　said；　thrusting　the　damaged　pad　into　his　hands。　A　first…aid　kit　wasn't　going　to　do　a　damned　bit　of　good。　Not　now。　Our　saboteur　had　had　plenty　of　time　to　make　this　one　a　leisurely　killing。　〃What　exactly　happened　after　Shawn　got　loose？〃
　〃He　ran　out　of　the　ship；〃　Everett　said；　rubbing　at　the　side　of　his　neck。　〃I'm　afraid　he　got　past　me…〃
　〃W