tz.theicarushunt-第68部分
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ectors gimmicked so that he could get quickly in and out。〃
〃Ah；〃 I said； feeling even more like Nobel prize material。 I'd been through that whole 'tweenhull area from starboard to port； and it had never even occurred to me to check for loose or missing inner…hull connectors。 〃But he never took up residence there？〃
She shook her head。 〃We were planning to move him in while you were out hunting for Shawn's medicine。 But then Shawn escaped； and we all had to go out and look for him。 Then with the trouble we had with customs； I didn't get a chance to look for Dad until we were long gone from there。〃
〃Is that why you were in the mechanics room when Everett found you？〃 I asked。 〃You were actually there to pick up a connector tool？〃
She smiled tightly。 〃You are sharp； aren't you？〃 she mented。 〃Yes； that's exactly why I was there。 When Everett charged in on me I thought we'd been found out； but he just told me Shawn was gone and charged back out again without asking any questions about what I was doing there。〃
She shrugged。 〃Then； of course； after you asked and I'd spun you the puter story； I had to take the puter apart and pretend there was a genuine glitch somewhere。 Just as well I did； I suppose； given all the sand that had gotten in。 That was as big a surprise to me as it was to anyone else。〃
There was a faint and distant…sounding noise like metal scratching on metal； and I looked hopefully back at the access hole。 But there was no sign of Pax。 Probably one of the group outside had banged the hull or something。 〃Maybe one of the others did see him；〃 I suggested slowly。 〃That might account for his deciding he needed somewhere else to hide。〃
〃But then why hasn't that person said something？〃 Tera pointed out。 〃I mean； after that note he left you about how he wouldn't be ing along； don't you think seeing him aboard would have been worth at least a passing ment？〃
〃It should have；〃 I agreed。 〃Unless that someone had a reason for keeping it secret。 Maybe your father caught him doing something that…oh； damn。〃
Tera got it at the same time I did。 〃The poison you found in Ixil's room；〃 she breathed。 〃Of course。 Dad was going down the corridor for some reason and spotted him setting that up。〃
Abruptly； her eyes widened。 〃Oh； my God。 McKell…maybe he didn't go in there voluntarily。 Maybe he was。。。 put there。〃
I got to my feet。 〃I'm going in；〃 I told her； snagging my flashlight and stuffing it securely into my belt。 〃There should be a couple of medkits over with the sick…bay stuff。 Go get me one。〃
She set off across the curved surface at a fast run； her footsteps echoing eerily through the mostly empty space。 I headed off in nearly the opposite direction； across the broken landscape that was what was left of the Icarus's inner hull； toward the two piles of equipment from the mechanics and electronics shops。 Sorting through the piles； I picked out a tool belt； an electronic…field detector； a couple of rolls of insulator tape； and a handful of small tools。
Tera was already waiting by the puter by the time I started back。 〃Here's the medkit；〃 she said as I came up to her； holding out a large belt pack。 〃I put in a bottle of water and some emergency ration bars； too。〃
〃Thanks；〃 I said； resisting the urge to remind her that wrapping me in unnecessary bulk would only make my trip through the sphere more difficult than it was promising to be already。 But she was only trying to help； and I couldn't see how a single water bottle was likely to be the deciding factor one way or the other。 I strapped the pack around my waist where it wouldn't block access to my tools； and settled everything in place。 〃All right；〃 I said as casually as I could manage。 〃I'll see you later。〃
〃Good luck；〃 she said quietly。
I threw her a frown； wondering if I was imagining the concern I heard in her voice。 But then I realized that the fear wasn't for me； or at least not primarily for me。 It was for her father。
Turning away from her； I lay down on the floor beside the access hole。 Taking a deep breath； I got a grip on the edge and pulled myself in。
CHAPTER 16
THE FIRST LEG of the trip was uneventful enough。 There was plenty of light ing in behind me； the zero gee made precision movement reasonably easy； and I had a mostly clear path up to the gap I'd pointed out to Tera。 I held the electronic…field sensor at arm's length in front of me the whole way like a mystical talisman； keeping a close eye on its readings and pausing to check out the source of anything that made its indicators so much as twitch。
There was current flowing in here； all right； plenty of it。 Fortunately for purposes of navigation； the strongest sources seemed to be the handful of panels spaced irregularly along the inner surface。 From the limited view I'd had from the access hole the nature of the panels had been a mystery； up close and direct； the situation wasn't much clearer。 They might have been readout displays； giving ever…changing equipment…status reports in a strange and inprehensible alien script。 Unfortunately； they could just as easily have been ever…changing mood lights there for the edification of whoever it was the mindless electronics thought was on duty in here。 All in all； I decided； I should probably stick with flying starships and leave the more esoteric alien evaluations alone。
After a few minutes I reached the gap； only to discover that my earlier interpretation of its significance was not nearly as clear…cut as I'd thought。 It turned out； in fact； to be far from certain that the opening was proof of a human…sized body having gone through that direction at all。 Partly it was a matter of that particular region being clearer than the surrounding area； partly it was a trick of perspective that had made the spot seem more open than it really was。
And it wasn't particularly open。 There were at least a dozen wires crisscrossing the gap a half meter farther in； which I hadn't been able to see from my previous vantage point。 If Cameron had e this way； he'd done a good job of smoothing out his footprints behind him。
Which further meant that it was suddenly far from certain that Cameron had ever e in here at all； let alone that he was floating unconscious or dead somewhere inside。
For a minute I played my light through the gap into the darkness beyond； watching the glints as the beam reflected off bits of alien metal or plastic or ceramic； wondering what I should do now。 If Cameron wasn't in here； then continuing on would be not only unnecessary but probably dangerous as well。
Of course； if Cameron wasn't in here； then we were back to the sticky question of where in blazes he'd gotten to。 If he'd left the Icarus at Potosi； voluntarily or otherwise； then he was likely in worse trouble than if he were in here。 In fact； as I thought about it； I realized his abduction on Potosi might explain why the Najik had identified the Icarus so quickly at Utheno。 Though that could equally be the Potosi customs report catching up with us。
On the other hand； whether Cameron was in here or not； we still had to figure out how the stardrive worked if we were going to pussyfoot our way out of the Patth net。 Still； it would definitely be the better part of valor for me carefully to back out of here at this point and postpone any other plans until Pax came back with his report。
And then； even as I gave the light one last sweep around； I heard a soft； distant sound。 Unlike the noise I'd heard while talking with Tera； though； this one was very familiar。 It was the screech of a startled Kalixiri ferret； the kind of verbal reaction that usually went quickly up the tonal scale and then just as quickly back down again。
Only this one didn't。 It went halfway up the scale； then abruptly cut off。
And with the sudden silence ringing in my ears； I stared into the darkness； feeling sweat beading up on my forehead and neck。 There hadn't been even the whisper of a trailing edge to that call； no whimper； no gasp； no sigh。 None of the sounds that should have e from the last escaping bit of air in Pax's lungs as he collapsed into sleep or unconsciousness。
Which meant he hadn't collapsed into sleep or unconsciousness。 He was dead。
And something in he
