tz.theicarushunt-第49部分
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re the brunt of that one as he spent the better part of seventy hours helping Tera and Shawn disassemble the system； clean it thoroughly； and put it back together again。
That all by itself scored as both a plus and a minus on my mental tally sheet。 A plus because Ixil closeted with Shawn and Tera meant neither of those two would be skulking around crimping torch nozzles or tapping into inters； a minus because it meant that for those same seventy hours I was robbed of Ixil's assistance in anything I might want to do。
Which meant that by the time we had a chance to send Pix and Pax into the open area between the two hulls for a thorough exploration； there was no longer anything in there for them to find。 No footprints in whatever dust might have been present before the multitude of vibrations redistributed it； no leftover tool lying behind one of the supports where its owner might have missed it； no trace of the short…circuited inter power lines； which had apparently been carefully and unobtrusively fixed。 About all the ferrets could e up with was the odd fact that the outer hull didn't feel； smell； or taste like anything else they'd ever e across。 It certainly wasn't any standard hull metal。 At one point I actually wondered if perhaps the Potosi customs people hadn't been as far off the mark as I'd thought； that all Cameron was doing was smuggling gold or iridium or some other exotic metal plated along the inside edge of the outer hull。 But that seemed both too plicated and too petty for someone with Cameron's reputation and resources。 Besides which； it didn't even start to explain the increasingly obsessive Patth interest in us。
Earlier I had also taken advantage of Tera's and Shawn's preoccupation with the puter to do a quiet check of their cabins； but both searches came up empty。 Neither of them had a cache of hidden weapons； secret Patth code books； or instruction manuals on how to sabotage a starship。 On the other hand； I found nothing in Tera's cabin to confirm that she was a member of any of those first…name…only religious sects； either。 Perhaps she was just the cautious type who didn't like giving her full name to strangers。
Overall； crew morale didn't fare very well during that leg of the trip。 Everett's private reservations about going to a criminal hellhole like Morsh Pon didn't stay private very long； and starting about two hours into the trip I had him； Shawn； and Tera all campaigning for me to find someplace else for our next fueling stop。 Nicabar and Chort didn't join in the chorus； but in Nicabar's case I had the distinct feeling he was wondering if I'd chosen Morsh Pon deliberately to make sure he and Tera couldn't find anyone more trustworthy to replace me。
In short； it was a frustrating； aggravating three and a half days for all of us。 And with Morsh Pon waiting； I wasn't expecting it to get any better at the far end。
It was late afternoon and early evening across the main Morsh Pon colony area when we arrived over the planet； with the sunset line probably an hour past the Blue District that was our destination。 We were the only ship ining； though I spotted a couple of other freighters on their way out； all of them running IDs that were probably as phony as ours。 I gave the control center our destination port； got a rectangle assignment； and eased the Icarus down into the darkness。
The others were all waiting in the wraparound by the time I'd secured the ship； called for a fueling team； and made my way aft。 The entryway hatch was unopened； by mon consent； apparently； they'd all decided I should get the honor of being first in line for any stray shots that might be flying around out there。 Leaving my plasmic in its holster…Nicabar aside； none of the others knew about the weapon； and I didn't feel the need to enlighten them…I keyed the hatch and waited tautly as it swung ponderously open。 This particular spaceport didn't have any of the nice concave landing cradles we'd had at our last couple of stops； with the result that I was looking out over the landscape from a vantage point ten meters up。
I'd never actually been on Morsh Pon before； but I couldn't imagine the view was any better up here than it would be at ground level。 Even in the admittedly bad street light； the tavernos； flophouse brothels； and other assorted dives that crowded into the spaces between the various landing…pad clusters looked dingy and unfriendly。 Most of the buildings had darkened windows and doorways； adding their individual bits to the overall gloom。 Across the strip of buildings facing us was an empty pad cluster； looking rather like a bald spot amid the uneven rows of buildings encircling it。 A few stars were visible in the darkening sky； but even they seemed subdued； as if they didn't really want to look down at the Blue District； either。
〃Interesting；〃 Ixil murmured from beside me。 〃Where is everyone？〃
I frowned； looking at the scene with new eyes。 He was right。 I'd already noted the dark buildings and empty landing…pad cluster directly in front of me； now； leaning partially out of the entryway； I could see that none of the nearest landing clusters was occupied。 In the distance I could see what might have been the curved hulls of a pair of ships； and a couple hundred meters off to my right I could see a single taverno with its doorway lights on。 But that was it。 Virtually no ships； virtually no open businesses； no vehicles except for the fueler I could see heading our way along an access road； and no pedestrians at all。 It was as if we'd landed in a ghost town。
〃Hey； Everett； I thought you said this place was crawling with murderers and pirates；〃 Shawn said accusingly。 〃So where are they？〃
〃I don't know；〃 Everett muttered behind me。 〃Something's wrong。 Something's very wrong。〃
〃Did Landing Control say anything when you checked in？〃 Nicabar asked。 〃Disease； plague； quarantine…anything？〃
〃Not a word；〃 I said； studying the single lit taverno I could see。 We were too far away for me to read the nameplate； but knowing Uncle Arthur I was willing to bet it was the Baker's Dozen； the place he'd named in our last conversation。 〃Maybe they can tell us something in there；〃 I suggested； pointing to it。 〃Anyone want to join me for a little stroll？〃
〃Not me；〃 Everett said firmly。 〃If there's some disease out there； I don't want to catch it。〃
〃Landing Control's legally required to alert ining ships about medical dangers；〃 I reminded him。
〃And this is Morsh Pon； where they use laws for place mats；〃 Everett countered firmly。 〃Thanks； but I'll stay here。〃
〃Me； too；〃 Shawn seconded。
〃I'll go with you；〃 Tera said。 〃I need to get out of this ship for a while。〃
〃Count me in； too；〃 Nicabar added。
〃Sure；〃 I said； pletely unsurprised by this one。 Neither Tera nor Nicabar would be nearly as concerned about possible germs as they would be that I might sneak off and do something they wouldn't approve of。 〃Chort？ Ixil？〃
〃I will e；〃 Chort said。 〃Perhaps the taverno will have a bottle of kompri for sale。〃
〃They might；〃 I said； wondering what kompri was。 Some Craean drink； probably。 〃What about you； Ixil？〃
〃I want to get the fuelers started first；〃 he said。 〃I'll try to join you later。〃
〃Okay；〃 I said； pretending to believe him as I swung around and started down the ladder。 He most certainly would not be joining us； he would be staying here and watching Everett and Shawn like an iguana…faced hawk。 〃We won't be long。〃
It was an eerie walk down the deserted access walkway； our footsteps sounding unnaturally loud in the silence。 I looked into each doorway and alley as we passed it； half expecting to see dark men or aliens waiting in the darkness to ambush us。 But the doorways were just as deserted as the rest of the place。
We reached the taverno without incident； to find it was indeed the Baker's Dozen。 The others close behind me； I pulled open the door and looked inside。
The place was quite large； a bit on the dark side； but otherwise surprisingly homey； with heavy wooden tables and chairs； a traditional Earth…style wooden bar running the length of the left…hand wall； and even a sunken fireplace； currently unlit； in the center of the room。 It was also severely underpopulated。 There was a g
