tz.theicarushunt-第47部分

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　me　up。　End　of　story。〃
　〃Not　end　of　story；〃　Nicabar　said。　〃He　didn't　just　buy　your　business。　He　bought　you。〃
　〃Of　course　he　did；〃　I　said；　putting　an　edge　of　bitterness　into　my　tone。　〃Ixil　and　I　are　the　business。〃
　〃So　you　sold　your　soul；〃　Nicabar　said　contemptuously。　〃For　money。〃
　〃I　prefer　to　think　of　it　as　having　traded　my　pride　for　a　little　bottom…line　integrity；〃　I　shot　back。　〃Or　do　you　think　it　would　have　been　more　honorable　to　have　declared　bankruptcy　and　left　my　creditors　holding　an　empty　bag。　Well？〃
　〃How　much　debt　are　we　talking　about　here？〃　Tera　asked。
　〃Five　hundred　thousand　marks；〃　I　told　her。　〃And　let　me　also　say　that　I　tried　every　single　legitimate　way　to　get　the　money　before　I　finally　gave　up　and　let　Antoniewicz's　people　bail　us　out。〃　Which　wasn't　strictly　true；　of　course。　But　there　was　no　need　to　muddy　the　water　here。
　〃What　about　now？〃　she　asked。
　〃What　about　now？〃　I　countered。　〃You　think　I　wouldn't　love　to　pay　off　the　debt　and　be　out　from　under　his　thumb？　Antoniewicz　has　done　this　before；　you　know；　and　he's　quite　good　at　it。　The　way　he's　got　things　structured；　we're　going　to　be　in　servitude　to　him　till　about　midway　into　the　next　century。〃
　〃There　must　be　another　way；〃　she　insisted。
　I　felt　my　forehead　creasing。　For　someone　who'd　e　in　here　ready　to　accuse　me　of　being　the　scum　of　the　Spiral；　she　seemed　awfully　concerned　about　my　personal　ensnarement　in　this　web。　Maybe　even　suspiciously　concerned。　〃Such　as？〃　I　asked。
　〃You　could　turn　him　in；〃　she　said。　〃Go　to　one　of　the　police　or　drug…enforcement　agencies。　Or　even　EarthGuard　Military　Intelligence…if　he　deals　in　weapons　they're　surely　interested　in　him；　too。　You　could　offer　to　testify　against　him。〃
　I　sighed。　〃You　still　don't　get　it。　Look；　Tera；　every　police　force　in　the　Spiral　has　been　trying　to　get　their　hands　on　Antoniewicz　for　at　least　twenty　years。　EarthGuard；　too；　for　all　I　know。　The　problem　isn't　evidence　or　even　persuading　suicidal　fools　to　testify；　the　problem　is　finding　him。　No　one　knows　where　he　is；　and　at　the　rate　things　are　going；　no　one's　going　to　figure　it　out　anytime　soon；　either。〃
　〃But…〃
　〃And　furthermore；　blowing　the　horn　on　him　would　end　it　for　me　permanently；〃　I　cut　her　off。　〃He's　got　my　debt　held　with　a　bank　on　Onikki；　under　their　charming　debtors'　prison　laws。　All　he　has　to　do　is　call　it　in；　and　I'll　spend　the　next　thirty　years　working　it　off　at　fifty　marks　a　day。　Sorry；　but　I　have　other　plans。〃
　〃Like　spending　the　same　thirty　years　working　for　Antoniewicz？〃　Nicabar　said　pointedly。
　〃The　choices　stink；〃　I　agreed。　〃But　at　least　this　way　I'm　not　doing　hard　labor；　and　I　still　get　to　fly。〃
　〃As　Antoniewicz's　wholly　owned　drink…fetcher。〃
　I　shrugged。　〃Like　I　said；　the　choices　stink。　If　you've　got　any　others；　I'm　listening。〃
　〃What　if　you　could　find　someone　to　pay　off　the　debt？〃　Tera　asked。
　〃Like　who？〃　I　demanded。　〃If　the　banks　wouldn't　look　at　me　before；　they　sure　aren't　going　to　start　now。　Unless　one　of　you　has　half　a　million　in　spare　change；　it's　not　going　to　happen。〃
　The　corner　of　her　mouth　twitched。　〃It　sounds　like　you've　already　given　up。〃
　〃What　I've　done　is　accepted　reality。〃　I　cocked　an　eyebrow。　〃The　question　is；　are　you　two　prepared　to　do　the　same？〃
　Both　of　them　frowned。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Tera　asked。
　〃I　mean　you　have　to　decide　whether　you're　going　to　rise　above　your　finicky　scruples　and　continue　to　fly　with　me；〃　I　said。　I　was　taking　a　risk；　I　knew；　bringing　up　the　subject　that　way。　But　only　a　slight　one…that　was；　after　all；　what　they'd　e　here　planning　to　confront　me　with　in　the　first　place。　Besides；　if　they　could　be　blunt；　so　could　I。
　And　Tera；　at　least；　could　certainly　be　blunt。　〃I　would　think　it's　a　matter　of　whether　you　will　be　allowed　to　continue　flying　with　us；〃　she　retorted。
　〃Afraid　it　doesn't　work　that　way；〃　I　said；　shaking　my　head。　〃I'm　the　pilot；　hired　for　the　job　by　Borodin。　None　of　you　has　the　position　or　rank　to　replace　me。〃
　〃Under　the　circumstances；　I　doubt　you'd　have　the　gall　to　file　a　plaint；〃　Nicabar　pointed　out。
　〃Oh；　I　might　have　the　gall；〃　I　said。　〃But　I　wouldn't；　mainly　because　there　wouldn't　be　anything　to　gain。　You　and　the　Icarus　would　already　be　gone；　taken　by　the　hijackers　I've　already　told　you　about。〃
　〃Assuming　there　was　any　truth　to　that　story；〃　Tera　scoffed。
　〃Why　would　I　make　something　like　that　up？〃
　〃Maybe　you're　hoping　to　scare　us　all　into　jumping　ship；〃　she　said。　〃Maybe　you've　got　another　crew　lined　up　ready　to　move　in　when　that　happens；　like　you　had　Ixil　ready　when　Jones　got　killed。　Maybe　you're　the　real　hijacker。〃
　〃Then　why　didn't　I　move　my　crew　in　on　Dorscind's　World　while　you　were　all　out　sampling　the　sights？〃　I　countered。　〃Why　bother　with　any　story　at　all？〃
　〃And　you　don't　know　who　these　hijackers　are？〃　Nicabar　asked。
　〃All　I　know　is　that　they're　very　well　organized；〃　I　said。　〃And　that　for　whatever　reason；　they　think　they　want　the　Icarus。〃
　〃They　'think'　they　want　it？〃
　〃Well；　I　sure　can't　see　any　good　reason　for　chasing　us　this　way；〃　I　told　him。　〃Any　cargo　that　would　pass　muster　well　enough　on　Gamm　to　earn　a　sealed…cargo　license　can't　be　all　that　exciting　to　anyone。　Maybe　it's　the　ship　itself　they　want；　though　personally　I　find　that　even　less　plausible。〃
　I　looked　back　at　Tera。　〃But　whatever　the　reason；　it　boils　down　to　the　fact　that　you're　stuck　with　me。　You　try　finding　a　replacement　pilot　from　this　point　on；　and　you'll　never　know　whether　it's　someone　the　hijackers　deliberately　dangled　in　front　of　you；　either　one　of　their　own　or　someone　they've　hired　for　the　occasion。　Not　until　it's　too　late；　anyway。　Have　you　noticed　that　none　of　your　cabin　doors　have　locks？〃
　They　exchanged　glances。　Unhappy　glances；　trapped…and…not…liking…it…at…all　glances。　But　they　were　stuck；　and　they　knew　it。　At　the　moment　the　only　people　they　had　even　a　hope　of　trusting　were　already　aboard　the　Icarus。　And　it　was　for　sure　that　none　of　them　could　fly　this　front…heavy　fitter's　nightmare。
　〃If　this　is　supposed　to　make　us　feel　better　about　trusting　you；　it　isn't；〃　Nicabar　said。　〃How　do　we　know　you　aren't　just　sticking　around　hoping　to　get　a　better　deal？〃
　〃How　do　I　know　you　won't　sell　out？〃　I　countered。　〃Or　that　Tera　won't；　or　any　of　the　others？　Answer：　I　don't。　If　there　were　better　odds　to　be　had　anywhere　else；　I'd　grab　them。　But　there　aren't。　Not　here；　not　now。〃
　〃So　why　should　you　care　what　happens　to　the　Icarus？〃　Nicabar　persisted。　〃Or　to　any　of　the　rest　of　us？〃
　I　looked　him　straight　in　the　eye。　〃Because　I　took　a　contract　to　fly　this　ship　to　Earth。　And　that's　what　I　intend　to　do。〃
　〃And　we　can　believe　that　or　not？〃
　I　sighed；　suddenly　weary　of　this　whole　stupid　game。　〃Believe　whatever　you　want；〃　I　told　him。　〃But　if　and　when　we　make　it　to　Earth　I'll　want　a　full　apology。〃
　It　would　be　overly　generous　to　say　that　he　smiled。　But　some　of　the　implied　threat　did　seem　to　drain　out　of　his　face。　I　reflected　briefly　on　his　former　career　with　the　EarthGuard　Marines；　a　career　that　wouldn't　really　have　trained　him　how　to　read　people。　〃I'll　remember　that；〃　he　promised。
　〃I　may　even　expect　a　little　groveling；〃　I　warned；　shifting　my　attention　back　to　Tera。　〃How　about　you？　Willing　to　rub　shoulders　with　the　drink…fetchers　a　little　longer；　or　are　you　going　to　jump　ship　at　the　next　port？〃
　I'd　thought　the　words；　or　at　least　the　tone；　might　get　another　facial　reaction　out　of　her。　But　she　simply　studied　me；　those　hazel　eyes　holding　more　pity　than　loathing。　〃I'll　stay；〃　she　said。　〃I　took　the　contract；　too。〃
　〃Good；〃　I　said　briskly。　〃Then　we're　all　one　big　happy　family　again。　How　nice。　Revs；　I　believe　you're　still　on　duty？〃
　〃I'll　stay　with　the　ship　for　now；　McKell；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃But　remember　what　I　told　you　earlier。　If　I　find　out　we're　carrying　drugs　or　guns；　I'm　out。〃
　I　nodded。　〃I'll　remember；〃　I　promised。
　He　regarded　me　another　moment；　then　nodded　back　and　tapped　the　door…release　pad。　It　opened；　and　he　disappeared　back　out　into　the　corridor。
　Tera　started　to　follow；　but　then　paused　in　the　doorway。　〃You're　not　trapped；　Jordan；〃　she　said；　her　voice　quiet。　Quiet；　earnest；　and　idealistic　as　all　get…out。　Generally；　it　was　a　bination　I　hated。　On　her；　oddly　enough；　it　seemed　to　fit　rather　naturally。　〃There's　a　way　out　somewhere。　You　just　have