tz.theicarushunt-第64部分
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〃Why not？〃 Nicabar said。 〃They want to get the data to Earth； too。 Why not take all of it together？〃
Shawn snorted。 〃Ever heard of putting all your eggs in one basket？〃
〃Actually； I suspect it's more a case of having had all the eggs together in the first place；〃 I told him。 〃I think the reason our puter is so badly suited for starship operation is that it was never intended or programmed for that purpose in the first place。 It was probably the expedition's regular working puter； which was already hooked up to the alien electronics in the smaller sphere。 They just left it where it was when they constructed the Icarus around it。〃
〃Maybe；〃 Shawn said。 〃Assuming all of this isn't just some hallucinatory wishful thinking； how exactly do you suggest we proceed？ If Chort is right； where we're sitting right now is supposed to be a resonance chamber。〃
〃Yes；〃 I agreed。 〃And obviously； if it's going to resonate； it's going to have to be empty。 Mostly empty； anyway。〃
〃Resonance means pletely empty； McKell；〃 Shawn growled。 〃Any first…level physics student can tell you that。 Were you thinking we could cram the whole ship into the wraparound？〃
〃It does not have to be pletely empty；〃 Chort said； his feathers fluffing。 〃In this application； the resonance effect only requires the central area。〃
〃He's right；〃 Nicabar seconded。
〃For that matter； the presence of the interior gravitational field argues that the designers weren't expecting the whole thing to be empty；〃 I added。 〃The field's clearly there to clear out the center and move everything to the edge； where it'll be out of the way。〃
〃Unless the gravity is part of the resonance mechanism；〃 Tera said。
〃There's nothing like that in the theory；〃 Nicabar said。 〃At least； not that I remember。〃
〃Nor I；〃 Chort said。
Shawn waved a hand。 〃Fine。 I stand corrected。〃
〃So what's the plan？〃 Nicabar asked。 〃Disassemble the interior corridors and bulkheads and stack everything along the inner edge？〃
〃Basically；〃 I said。 〃Except that I don't think we have either the space or the need to keep everything。 The interior wall and hull material should e apart into a collection of mostly one…meter…square plates； which we can dump outside through the main hatch。 Ditto for some of the other unnecessary stuff。〃
〃And what if it isn't a stardrive？〃 Shawn asked。 〃How do we get everything back in again？〃
〃We don't；〃 I said。 〃That's why we only toss stuff we know we can do without。〃
〃And what if it doesn't work？〃 he persisted。 〃We'll have lost a lot of time and won't be any better off than when we started。〃
〃But we won't be any worse off； either；〃 Nicabar reminded him。
〃And if we can get it working； think of what it'll mean for all of us；〃 Everett added thoughtfully。
Shawn sniffed。 〃Borodin will do great。 Us； we'll be lucky to get the lousy two grand he promised us。〃
〃We'll get it；〃 I promised。 〃That； plus the bonus he mentioned in his note。〃
Shawn snorted。 〃Yeah。 Right。〃
〃Actually； we may be able to do even better than that；〃 Everett said。 〃It all depends on who ends up shoveling out the money。〃
〃I thought we'd already decided the Icarus belongs to Borodin；〃 Tera said。 The menace in her voice was subtle； probably too subtle for the others to notice。 But I heard it； and I was sure Ixil did； too。
〃We did；〃 Everett assured her； throwing a look at Nicabar。 〃Mostly。 I'm just suggesting that we've already earned a lot more than the two thousand he promised us on Meima。〃
〃Fair pensation for services rendered；〃 Shawn put in。 〃See？ I can talk legalese； too。 Here's another great legal term for you： extortion。〃
〃And what's the 'or else'？〃 she countered。 〃Every demand has to have the threat of an 'or else' along with it。 Who are you planning to offer the Icarus to if Borodin doesn't feel especially extortable that day？ The Patth？〃
〃Let me just mention that anyone who wants to deal with those slime is going to have to go through me to do it；〃 Nicabar put in。
〃The Patth are hardly the only players in this game；〃 Everett reminded him。 〃Potential players； anyway。 If Borodin won't play ball there are a lot of other people we could sell it to。〃
〃Maybe even the Crooea；〃 Shawn said； throwing a sly grin at Chort。 〃You'd like that； wouldn't you； Chort？〃
Chort's feathers ruffled； and he delivered some no doubt innocuous…sounding reply。 But I wasn't listening。 Suddenly； Everett's ment had sent the pieces falling into place with such loud clicks it was a wonder the rest of them couldn't hear them。 Suddenly； the inconsistencies and random illogic of the Icarus's entire voyage were making sense。 Suddenly； small bits of data and casually odd ments were connecting together with the ease of children's playing blocks。
Suddenly； I knew why Jones had been murdered。 Not who had done it； not yet。 But I knew why。
〃McKell？〃
I blinked； dragging myself out of the depths of my introspection。 Nicabar was gazing at me； a speculative look on his face。 〃Sorry；〃 I apologized。 〃Mind wandered for a minute。 What did you say？〃
〃I asked if that was it for the meeting；〃 he repeated。 〃We've got a lot of work ahead of us。〃
〃That's it from me；〃 I said。 That was it for right now； anyway； I amended privately。 The next time I held court like this it would be to expose a murderer。 〃Unless anyone else has something to add？〃
Chort half lifted a hand。 〃I have a thought；〃 he said； almost apologetically。 〃Though I hesitate to mention it； as it will mean even more work for us all。〃
〃We're facing a ton of work as it is；〃 Ixil said。 〃Another half ton on top of it will hardly be noticed。 Please； speak。〃
〃As Electronics Specialist Shawn pointed out earlier； the Icarus has a most distinctive configuration；〃 Chort said； still sounding a little uncertain。 〃And our experience at Utheno has shown that that configuration is now known。 My suggestion is that we attempt to alter it。〃
〃Straightforward enough；〃 I said。 〃How do you suggest we do that？〃
〃The main body of the Icarus consists of two spheres；〃 he said； drawing the shape in the air with his fingers。 〃My thought is that we could use the cast…off interior plates to build a cylindrical sheath running between them at their widest points。 From the outside； the main body will then appear to be a tapered cylinder with rounded ends instead of two joined spheres。〃
〃With just the nose cone and engine sections sticking out on either side；〃 I said； a tingle of cautious excitement running through me as I looked over at Ixil。 〃Possible？〃
〃I don't see why not；〃 he said。 His voice was its usual calm； but the ferrets were twitching again。 〃At least in theory。 We've got the equipment to spot…weld the plates to the spheres； and the plates themselves can be connected together with the same fasteners that are holding them together now。〃
〃I thought the cutting torch was dead；〃 Shawn reminded him。
〃We also have an arc…welding torch；〃 Ixil told him。 〃It's still functional。〃
〃What about supports？〃 Nicabar asked。 〃You're not going to have any structural strength to speak of here。〃
〃We could add some braces in from beneath；〃 Ixil said。 〃Assuming the welding rods hold out； we ought to have enough material。〃
〃And assuming we don't run out of power to run the welder；〃 Tera said。 〃How are we on fuel； McKell？〃
〃We've got more than enough to drive the generators as long as we'll need；〃 I assured her。 〃My question is how long Shawn's medicine is going to last。〃
There was a moment of unfortable silence。 Apparently； that aspect hadn't yet occurred to them。 〃Yes； that is rather a limiting factor；〃 Everett conceded。 〃I'd say we have no more than eight or nine days left on this supply。 And that's if we stretch it out。〃
〃Doesn't give us much time；〃 Tera said。 〃Especially since we also have to get to a port once all this conversion work is finished。〃
〃True。〃 I looked at Shawn。 〃What do you think？ Can you handle a week on low doses？〃
He snorted。 〃I'll handle a week on no doses if I have to；〃 he said bitterly。 〃You probably don't know it； but the Patth had some major harvesting operations on Ephis； and were furious when the monwealth closed them down by interdicting the place。 I don't think I'd get any sympathy from them if they
