tz.theicarushunt-第50部分

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lace；　currently　unlit；　in　the　center　of　the　room。　It　was　also　severely　underpopulated。　There　was　a　group　of　a　dozen　scruffy…looking　aliens　gathered　around　three　of　the　tables　near　the　bar；　a　pirate　gang　if　ever　I'd　seen　one；　a　pair　of　young　human　females　sitting　together　at　a　table　near　the　right…hand　wall；　and　three　robed　and　hooded　figures　with　faces　hidden　hunched　over　a　table　in　the　far　back　corner。　And　that　was　it。　Behind　the　bar；　a　furry…faced　Ulkomaal　was　leaning　on　the　countertop　gazing　morosely　at　the　dead　fireplace。　He　looked　up　as　I　walked　into　the　room；　his　bony　eyebrow　crest　turning　a　faint　purple　with　surprise。　〃So　that　was　another　ship　I　heard；〃　he　said；　straightening　up。　〃Wele；　patronae；　wele。〃
　〃Thanks；〃　I　said；　glancing　around　at　the　other　customers。　The　pirates　had　looked　up　as　we　entered；　but　after　a　quick　assessment　had　turned　back　to　their　drinks。　The　two　women　were　still　eyeing　us；　the　robed　threesome　in　the　back　hadn't　even　bothered　to　turn　around。　Maybe　they　were　already　too　drunk　to　care；　though　the　collection　of　empty　glasses　traditionally　associated　with　sleeping　drunks　wasn't　in　evidence。　On　the　other　hand；　I　could　see　that　none　of　the　tables　had　menu　selectors；　which　meant　the　barkeep　also　doubled　as　a　waiter；　and　from　the　looks　of　things　he　certainly　wasn't　too　busy　to　keep　the　place　tidy。　〃You　still　serving？〃
　He　sighed。　〃For　what　good　it　does；〃　he　said。　〃Everyone　else　has　already　fled。〃
　〃Fled　from　what？〃　Tera　asked　from　behind　me。　The　barkeep　sighed　again。　〃The　Balthee；〃　he　said　in　a　tone　that　managed　to　be　both　angry　and　resigned　at　the　same　time。　〃We　received　a　report　late　this　afternoon　that　they　were　on　their　way　for　another　spraymarker　raid。〃
　〃A　what？〃　Tera　asked。
　〃It　is　an　example　of　Balthee　guilt…by…association　law；〃　Chort　spoke　up　as　I　led　them　to　a　table　near　the　door　and　away　from　the　other　patrons。　I　took　the　chair　that　put　my　back　to　the　wall；　where　I　could　watch　the　entrance　and　also　keep　the　rest　of　the　customers　at　least　within　peripheral　vision。　Nicabar　chose　the　chair　to　my　left；　which　would　put　the　pirates　in　his　direct　line　of　sight；　while　Tera　took　the　seat　to　my　right；　where　she　couldn't　see　much　of　anything　except　the　door　and　me。　If　the　two　of　them　had　been　deliberately　planning　to　corral　me；　they　couldn't　have　done　a　better　job　of　it。　〃Consorting　with　known　criminals　is　itself　a　crime　under　Balthee　law；〃　Chort　continued；　easing　himself　delicately　into　the　remaining　chair。
　〃You　are　very　knowledgeable；〃　the　barkeep　plimented　him。　〃Knowing　Morsh　Pon's　reputation…which　is　wholly　unjustified；　I　assure　you…they　periodically　e　and　spray　a　molecularly　bonded　dye　over　all　ships　on　our　landing　pads。　Any　such　marked　ship　that　enters　a　Balthee…run　spaceport　is　immediately　impounded　and　searched　and　its　crew　held　for　questioning。〃
　〃I　can　see　why　your　clientele　wouldn't　want　that；〃　I　agreed；　nodding　toward　the　pirate　gang　at　their　tables。　〃They　not　get　the　message？〃
　〃Their　captain　tells　me　they　do　not　fear　the　Balthee；〃　he　said；　lowering　his　voice　as　he　glanced　their　direction。　〃However；　another　crew　member　confided　that　they　plan　to　have　all　their　hull　plates　replaced　soon　anyway。〃
　He　gestured　to　the　other　two　occupied　tables。　〃As　to　the　females；　they　are　employees　of　one　of　the　guesthouses；　Shick　Place。　And；　when　the　word　came；　the　gentlebeings　in　back　were　already　too　inebriated　to　try　to　leave。〃
　He　straightened　up　and　cocked　his　head　at　me。　〃And　what　is　your　story？〃
　I　frowned　up　at　him。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃You　are　here；〃　he　said；　waving　a　hand　at　us。　〃Yet　there　is　word　of　an　impending　raid。〃
　〃Which　we　obviously　didn't　know　about；　did　we？〃　I　said。
　〃Were　no　other　ships　leaving　as　you　arrived？〃　the　barkeep　countered。　〃Some　must　still　have　been　on　their　way　out。　Did　no　one　transmit　a　warning　to　you？〃
　〃Yes；　there　were　other　ships　leaving；〃　I　said；　putting　some　impatience　into　my　voice　even　as　a　quiet　warning　bell　went　off　in　my　ear。　I'd　never　been　on　Morsh　Pon　before；　but　the　criminal　hangouts　I　had　had　occasion　to　visit　had　not　been　known　for　overly　inquisitive　waiters。　This　kind　of　interrogation　was　way　out　of　character；　even　given　that　the　barkeep　was　probably　bored　out　of　his　skull。　〃And　no；　none　of　them　bothered　to　give　us　a　warning。　Why　do　you　think　this　is　any　of　your　business？〃
　〃Don't　mind　him；〃　a　soprano　voice　came　from　my　side。
　I　turned。　One　of　the　two　women　at　the　far　table　had　gotten　to　her　feet　and　was　ing　toward　us。　She　was　medium　height　and　slender；　and　her　step　was　just　a　bit　unsteady。　I　wondered　briefly　if　she　could　be　Uncle　Arthur's　information　courier；　but　the　skintight　outfit　she　was　wearing　couldn't　have　concealed　a　spare　poker　chip。　At　least；　I　thought　incongruously；　that　also　meant　we　didn't　have　to　worry　about　her　being　an　assassin。　〃I'm　sorry？〃　I　said。
　〃I　said　don't　mind　him；〃　she　repeated；　flipping　her　hand　toward　the　Ulkomaal　in　the　more　or　less　universal　gesture　of　contemptuous　dismissal；　the　dim　room　light　glinting　momentarily　off　the　large　gaudy　rings　she　was　wearing。　Now　that　she　was　facing　us；　I　could　see　she　was　wearing　the　display　scarf　of　a　bar　girl　knotted　around　her　neck；　the　particular　tartan　pattern　advertising　what　services　she　offered　and　the　charge　for　them。　I　wondered　distantly　whether　Tera　would　know　about　such　things；　I　rather　hoped　she　didn't。　〃Nurptric　the　Nosy；　they　call　him；〃　the　woman　continued。　〃Mind　if　I　sit　down？〃
　〃Business　slow？〃　Tera　asked；　her　voice　frosty。　Apparently；　she　knew　all　about　the　scarf。
　The　woman　gave　her　a　smile　that　was　a　good　eighty　percent　smirk。　〃Yours　too？〃　she　asked　sweetly；　snagging　a　chair　from　the　next　table　and　hauling　it　over。　With　a　hip　she　deftly　shoved　Tera　over；　to　Tera's　obvious　consternation；　and　planted　her　chair　squarely　between　the　two　of　us。　〃I'm　just　being　sociable；　you　being　strangers　here　and　all；〃　she　added；　dropping　into　the　seat　and　swiveling　to　put　her　face　to　me　and　her　back　to　Tera。　〃Any　law　against　that？〃
　〃Not　too　many　laws　against　anything　here；〃　Tera　countered　pointedly。　〃Obviously。〃
　〃And　like　you　say；　business　is　slow；〃　the　woman　added；　wiggling　her　hips　and　shoulders　to　carve　a　bit　more　room　for　herself。　〃I'm　sure　not　going　to　get　any　decent　conversation　out　of　anyone　else　in　here。　My　name's　Jennifer。　How　about　buying　me　a　drink？〃
　〃How　about　you　going　somewhere　else？〃　Tera　said；　starting　to　sound　angry。　〃This　is　a　private　conversation。〃
　〃Noisy；　isn't　she？〃　Jennifer　mented；　an　amused　smile　playing　around　her　lips。　〃Unfriendly；　too。　You　e　here　often？〃
　Tera　half　rose　to　her　feet；　sank　reluctantly　back　into　her　seat　as　Chort　put　a　gentle　hand　on　her　arm。　〃I'm　afraid　we're　pretty　much　broke；　Jennifer；〃　I　said　diplomatically。　〃We've　got　barely　enough　money　for　the　fuel　we　need。　Nothing　left　over　for　incidentals。〃
　She　eyed　me　speculatively。　〃Gee；　that's　too　bad；〃　she　said；　looking　over　at　the　Ulkomaal　still　hovering　expectantly　behind　Chort。　〃Give　me　a　small　vodkaline；　Nurp。〃
　His　eyebrow　crest　turned　a　brief　magenta；　but　he　nevertheless　nodded。　〃Of　course。　And　for　the　rest　of　you？〃
　〃Have　you　kompri；　by　any　chance？〃　Chort　asked。
　〃No；　nothing　like　that；〃　Nurptric　said。　〃We　have　no　Craean　drinks。〃
　〃We　might　have　some　back　at　Shick　Place；〃　Jennifer　volunteered。　〃We　cater　to　all　sorts　of　vices　there；〃　she　added；　giving　Chort　a　sly　smile。　〃It's　not　far　away　if　you　want　to　go　see。〃
　Chort　looked　at　me　uncertainly。　〃If　we　have　the　time…？〃
　〃No；〃　Nicabar　said　flatly；　his　tone　leaving　no　room　for　argument。　〃As　soon　as　the　ship's　fueled；　we're　out　of　here。〃
　〃He's　right；〃　I　seconded。　I　didn't　especially　like　the　thought　of　spending　any　more　time　out　in　the　gloom　than　I　had　to；　and　I　certainly　wasn't　going　to　let　any　of　the　group　go　wandering　off　on　their　own。　〃We'll　take　three　caff　colas　and　a　distilled　water；〃　I　added　to　the　barkeep。
　His　eyebrow　crest　went　a　little　mottled；　either　a　sign　of　resignation　or　possibly　contempt　for　such　miserliness。　〃Yes；　patronae；〃　he　said　and　turned　back　to　his　bar；　muttering　under　his　breath　as　he　went。
　〃Three　colas　and　a　water；　huh？〃　Jennifer　said；　shaking　her　head。　〃You　really　are　the　big　spenders。〃
　〃As　he　said；　we're　short　on　cash；〃　Tera　said　firmly。　〃So　you　might　as　well