tz.theicarushunt-第52部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　There　was　nothing　tentative　or　perfunctory　about　it；　either。　It　was　a　full…mouth；　full…pressure　lip　dock；　with　all　the　desperate　strength　of　someone　facing　her　absolute　last　chance。　I　thought　about　how　she'd　spoken　of　being　stuck　here；　of　how　she'd　asked　for　passage　to　Earth　for　putting　us　onto　the　Patth　hunt；　and　for　the　first　time　since　we'd　met　I　actually　felt　a　little　sorry　for　her。　Of　all　of　us　at　that　table；　I　could　empathize　most　strongly　with　the　feeling　of　being　caught　inside　an　ever…shrinking　box。
　And　then　the　tip　of　her　tongue　pushed　between　my　lips；　and　abruptly；　my　twinge　of　sympathy　vanished　in　a　sudden　flush　of　surprise　and　cautious　excitement。
　It　seemed　like　a　long　time　before　the　pressures　fore　and　aft　slackened　off　and　she　pulled　away；　though　it　was　probably　no　more　than　a　few　seconds。　As　her　head　moved　out　of　my　line　of　sight；　I　saw　that　Tera　was　looking　at　me　with　a　cast…granite　expression　on　her　face。　Irreverently；　I　found　myself　wondering　how　many　other　expressions　of　surprise；　outrage；　or　disgust　she'd　gone　through　while　I　wasn't　looking。　Even　a　scoundrel　as　low…class　as　I　was　shouldn't　act　that　way　in　the　presence　of　a　lady。
　〃Just　remember；　there's　a　lot　more　where　that　came　from；〃　Jennifer　said；　using　her　seductive　voice　again　as　she　rose　leisurely　to　her　feet。　Clearly；　she　was　feeling　very　pleased　with　herself。　〃If　you　spot　the　Icarus；　call　the　Morsh　Pon　Starrm　exchange　and　leave　a　message　for　Jennifer　at　Shick　Place。〃　With　one　last　smile　all　around；　plus　a　smirk　for　Tera；　she　sauntered　away。
　The　others　were　all　looking　at　me；　varying　degrees　of　expectation　on　their　faces。　〃Well；　don't　just　sit　there；〃　I　said。　To　my　perhaps　hypersensitive　ears　my　voice　sounded　a　little　slurred。　〃Drink　up；　and　let's　get　out　of　here。〃
　They　did　so　without　ment。　I　let　my　own　cola　sit　where　it　was；　keeping　a　surreptitious　eye　on　Jennifer　as　I　sorted　out　the　proper　number　of　small…denomination　coins。　She　returned　to　her　table　and　spoke　briefly　with　her　friend　there；　but　as　the　four　of　us　stood　up　she　left　that　table　and　wandered　off　again；　this　time　heading　in　the　general　direction　of　the　three　Lumpies。　〃Let's　go；〃　I　told　the　others；　putting　a　hand　on　Tera's　back　to　encourage　her　forward；　a　friendly　gesture　I　instantly　abandoned　at　the　glare　she　flashed　me。
　We　headed　to　the　door；　and　as　I　ushered　the　others　through；　I　took　one　final　look　behind　us。　The　pirates　were　looking　back　at　us；　with　the　universal　suspicious　expressions　of　men　permanently　on　the　run。　Nurptric　the　barkeep　was　busily　puttering　around　the　bar；　his　eyebrow　crest　fairly　glowing　with　the　eager　anticipation　of　customers　on　their　way　in。　Jennifer's　friend　had　a　small　mirror　out　and　was　checking　her　makeup；　with　much　the　same　air　of　anticipation。
　And　Jennifer　herself　was　at　the　back　table　leaning　over　one　of　the　Lumpies；　speaking　solicitously　to　him　as　if　trying　to　wake　him　up；　her　ring　again　catching　the　light　as　she　patted　him　soothingly　on　the　back　of　his　neck。　Her　eyes　caught　mine；　and　though　she　didn't　smile；　I　knew　we　understood　each　other。
　The　trip　back　was　very　quiet。　After　what　had　happened　back　at　the　taverno；　no　one　seemed　interested　in　talking　to　me；　and　I　certainly　wasn't　going　to　start　any　conversations　myself。
　We　reached　the　Icarus　to　find　Ixil　in　the　process　of　paying　off　the　fuelers。　I　ordered　everyone　to　their　stations；　then　waited　in　the　wraparound　until　Ixil　was　finished　so　that　I　could　personally　retract　the　ladder　and　seal　the　hatch。　Heading　up　the　now　deserted　mid…deck　corridor　to　the　bridge；　I　sealed　the　door　behind　me　and　sat　down　in　the　mand　chair。
　And　only　then；　with　no　one　around　to　see；　I　pulled　from　its　resting　place　between　my　gum　and　cheek　the　poker…chip…sized　object　that　Jennifer　had　transferred　from　her　mouth　to　mine　during　our　kiss。　Unscrewing　the　top；　I　carefully　extracted　the　folded　microprint　document　nestled　inside；　and　the　six　small　borandis　tablets　that　had　been　packed　tightly　together　beneath　it。
　Uncle　Arthur　had　e　through。
　*　*　*
　　
　THE　DOCUMENT；　ANNOYINGLY　but　not　surprisingly；　was　written　in　Kalixiri。
　〃I　hate　it　when　he　does　that；〃　I　sighed；　handing　the　reader　over　to　Ixil　and　flopping　onto　my　back　on　my　bunk。　〃Here；　you　do　it。　I'm　not　up　to　deciphering　Kalixiri　right　now。〃
　〃Certainly；〃　Ixil　said；　resettling　himself　fortably　against　the　door　of　my　cabin　and　showing　the　good　sense　not　to　lecture　me　yet　again　as　to　why　Uncle　Arthur　did　things　this　way。　Kalixiri　was　probably　one　of　the　least…known　languages　in　the　Spiral；　which　made　for　automatic　security　if　the　wrong　person　happened　across　one　of　his　missives；　though　it　was　surprisingly　easy　for　non…Kalixiri　to　learn。　Furthermore；　the　way　the　alphabet　was　laid　out；　the　words　themselves　were　generally　much　shorter　than　the　English　equivalents；　which　meant　he　could　cram　in　more　text　per　square　centimeter。
　And　from　what　I'd　seen　of　this　one；　he　had　those　square　centimeters　very　well　crammed　indeed。
　〃We　start　with　Almont　Nicabar；〃　Ixil　said。　〃We　have　a　photo。　Slightly　out…of…date。。。　but　yes；　it　does　appear　to　be　him。　Certificate　in　starship　drive　and　unofficial　training　in　mechanics…the　dates　and　details　are　here；　you'll　want　to　look　them　over　later。　Ten　years　in　the　EarthGuard　Marines；　just　as　he　said；　achieving　rank　of　master　sergeant。。。　Interesting。　Had　you　ever　heard　of　an　attempt　six　years　ago　by　EarthGuard　to　get　hold　of　a　Patth　Talariac　Drive？〃
　〃I　hadn't　until　Uncle　Arthur　mentioned　it；〃　I　told　him；　wondering　why　the　mention　of　six　years　sounded　familiar。　〃Was　Nicabar　involved　with　that？〃
　〃I　would　say　so；〃　Ixil　said　dryly。　〃He　was　on　the　mando　team　that　penetrated　the　Patthaaunutth　Star　Transport　Industries　plant　on　Oigren。〃
　I　turned　my　head　to　look　at　him。　〃You're　kidding。　Our　Almont　Nicabar？〃
　〃So　it　says；〃　Ixil　assured　me。　〃Furthermore；　from　the　listed　dates；　it　appears　he　resigned　from　the　service　barely　three　months　after　the　mission's　failure。〃
　A　funny　sensation　began　to　dig　into　my　stomach。　That　was　when　I　remembered　six　years　being　mentioned：　Nicabar　had　said　that　was　how　long　ago　he'd　resigned　from　the　Marines。　〃Is　there　any　mention　of　why　the　mission　failed？〃
　Ixil　gave　me　an　odd　look。　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　there's　a　note　that　suggests　inside　information　might　have　been　leaked　to　the　Patth。　Are　you　seeing　a　connection？〃
　〃Could　be；〃　I　said　grimly。　〃Three　months　is　just　the　right　length　for　a　private　confidential　court…martial。〃
　〃You　sure？〃
　〃Trust　me；〃　I　assured　him。　〃I　went　through　one；　remember？　One　other　thing。　I　told　you　about　seeing　three　more　of　the　Lumpy　Clan　back　in　that　taverno。　What　I　didn't　tell　you　was　that　Nicabar　reacted　rather　strongly　when　we　got　our　first　glimpse　of　one　of　them。　Strongly　for　Nicabar；　anyway。〃
　For　a　moment　Ixil　digested　that　in　silence。　〃Still；　there　must　not　have　been　a　real　case　against　him；　or　he　wouldn't　have　been　allowed　to　resign　and　leave　gracefully。〃
　〃But　there　must　have　been　enough　of　one　for　them　to　hold　him　for　court…martial　in　the　first　place；〃　I　pointed　out。
　〃Unless　there　was　no　court…martial　involved；〃　Ixil　also　pointed　out。　〃It　might　have　just　been　three　months　of　general　debriefing。〃
　〃And　he　then　picked　up　and　left　a　promising　ten…year　career　just　for　the　hell　of　it？〃　I　shrugged。　〃Well；　maybe。　Still；　bad　feelings　might　explain　why　he　jumped　his　last　ship　just　because　they　were　mask…shilling　for　the　Patth。　Is　there　anything　else？〃
　〃Various　details　of　his　life；〃　Ixil　said；　scanning　down　the　text。　〃Nothing　all　that　interesting；　though　again　you'll　want　to　look　them　over　when　you're　up　to　deciphering　Kalixiri　again。　Mostly　public　and　official…record　material…Uncle　Arthur　must　not　have　had　time　to　have　anyone　dig　deeper　than　that。〃
　〃I'm　sure　he'll　have　the　really　juicy　details　later；〃　I　said。　Uncle　Arthur's　knack　for　getting　his　hands　on　supposedly　confidential　information　was　legendary。　〃The　trick　will　be　how　we　get　hold　of　it。　Who's　next？〃
　〃Hayden　Everett；〃　he　said。　〃He　was　indeed　a　professional　throw…boxer　for　two　years；　leaving　the　ring　twenty…two　years　ago。〃
　〃Was　he　any　good？〃
　Ixil　shrugged。　〃His　win/loss　record　would　say　no。　Still；　he　did　last　two　years　on　the　circuit；　so　he　must　at　least　have　had　stamina。〃
　〃