tz.theicarushunt-第75部分

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　I　felt　the　hairs　on　the　back　of　my　neck　tingling　unpleasantly。　Seizures？　That　was　a　new　one　on　me。　〃Does　Revs　need　help？〃
　Another　twitch　of　the　head。　〃He　assured　me　he　can　manage　on　his　own。　But　we　will　need　to　obtain　more　medicine　as　soon　as　possible。〃
　〃Understood；〃　I　said；　stepping　over　to　the　puter　and　tapping　the　inter　to　the　engine　room。　〃Ixil？〃
　〃There　you　are；〃　Tera's　voice　came　back　almost　instantly。　〃Where　have　you　been？〃
　〃Where　do　you　think　I've　been？〃　I　retorted。　〃Inside　that　damn　puzzle　box　disentangling　Ixil's　damn　ferret　from　all　that　damn　wiring。　Why；　wasn't　I　moving　fast　enough　for　you？　Put　Ixil　on。〃
　She　didn't　reply；　and　I　could　imagine　her　floundering　with　surprise　at　my　uncharacteristic　harshness。　I　felt　a　twinge　of　guilt；　but　at　the　moment　hurt　feelings　were　low　on　my　priority　list。　〃Yes；　Jordan？〃　Ixil's　voice　came　calmly。
　〃Shawn's　having　some　kind　of　seizure；〃　I　told　him。　〃Revs　will　be　bringing　him　in　as　soon　as　it's　over。　Start　kicking　the　thrusters　and　stardrive　back　to　life；　and　send　Everett　and　Tera　over　to　this　side　before　we　have　to　seal　down　the　wraparound　again。〃
　〃Understood；〃　he　said。　〃They're　on　their　way。〃
　〃Good；〃　I　said。　〃Oh；　and　I've　got　Pax。　He's　safe　and　sound。〃　A　thought　occurred　to　me…〃I'll　bring　him　back　around　to　you　in　a　minute。〃
　I　keyed　off　before　he　could　ask　why　I　would　waste　time　bringing　a　safe　and　sound　ferret　around　to　him　now　instead　of　concentrating　on　the　navigational　part　of　our　uping　trip。　〃What　shall　I　do？〃　Chort　asked。
　〃Go　get　the　treatment　table　ready　for　him；〃　I　said；　pointing　across　toward　the　pile　of　sick…bay　equipment。　〃Then　stand　by　to　assist　Everett。　I've　got　to　get　Pax　back　to　Ixil　in　case　he　needs　him。〃
　The　excuse；　lame　though　it　was；　was　unnecessary。　Chort　probably　didn't　even　hear　it　as　he　took　off　at　a　quick　jog　across　the　sphere。　I　headed　in　the　opposite　direction；　toward　my　personal　kit　and　the　food　supplies　that　had　been　stored　near　my　cabin　and　were　now　conveniently　piled　nearby。　I'd　promised　Cameron　some　supplies；　and　this　could　very　well　be　my　last　clear　chance　for　a　while　to　get　them　to　him。
　I'd　just　finished　filling　my　bag　with　food　bars　and　water　bottles　when　Everett　and　Tera　emerged　from　the　wraparound。　Everett　made　a　beeline　for　Chort　and　the　medical　setup；　Tera；　not　surprisingly；　made　an　equally　straight　beeline　for　me。
　I　met　her　halfway。　〃Well？〃　she　asked　in　a　low　and　anxious　voice；　her　expression　that　of　someone　braced　for　the　worst。
　I　shook　my　head。　〃He's　not　in　there；〃　I　said。　〃Not　alive；　not　dead；　not　injured。〃
　The　anxiety　in　her　face　eased；　but　only　fractionally。　〃Then　where　is　he？〃　she　asked。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　told　her；　a　statement　that　was　technically　correct；　though　misleading　as　hell。　〃Maybe　he　got　off　at　Potosi　after　all。〃
　She　turned　her　eyes　away　from　me。　〃He　wouldn't　have　left　the　Icarus；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃Not　voluntarily。〃
　I　thought　about　that　one。　Another　technically　correct　statement；　though　she　didn't　know　it。　〃Perhaps；〃　I　said。　〃I　wouldn't　give　up　hope；　though。　If　anyone　can　find　a　place　to　hide　where　the　Patth　can't　find　him；　it'll　be　your　father。〃
　She　took　a　careful　breath。　〃I　hope　so。〃
　〃I　know　so；〃　I　said；　turning　my　eyes　away　from　her　in　turn。　The　quiet　pain　on　her　face　was　tugging　hard　at　my　conscience；　making　me　want　to　tell　her　that　he　was　all　right。
　But　with　a　heroic　effort　I　resisted　the　temptation。　If　I　even　let　myself　start　dropping　hints　as　to　the　true　situation　here；　I　would　go　from　forter　to　suspect　in　nothing　flat。　Neither　of　us　could　afford　that。　〃Look；　I'd　love　to　chat　some　more；〃　I　said　instead。　〃But　I　have　to　get　this　stuff　to　Ixil　before　Nicabar　needs　to　turn　the　wraparound　into　an　airlock　again。〃
　〃Sure；〃　she　said　automatically；　her　thoughts　clearly　still　with　her　father。
　Which　for　the　immediate　moment　was　all　to　the　good。　If　I　could　get　out　of　her　sight　before　she　thought　to　ask　what　I　had　in　my　bag；　it　would　mean　one　less　thing　I　would　have　to　lie　to　her　about。　Whistling　for　Pax；　who　was　rooting　around　the　food　stores；　I　headed　out　into　the　wraparound。
　Ixil　was　drifting　around　the　cramped　space　of　the　engine　section　like　a　massive　cloud；　checking　and　double…checking　monitors　and　indicators　as　he　eased　the　thrusters　and　stardrive　back　to　life。　〃I'm　glad　to　see　you're　all　right；〃　he　said；　dropping　his　eyes　to　Pax　as　I　gave　the　ferret　a　nudge　that　sent　him　floating　through　the　air　in　Ixil's　direction；　squeaking　happily　as　his　claws　scrabbled　through　the　air　in　search　of　a　pawhold。　〃Both　of　you；〃　he　added　as　Pax　reached　him　and　clawed　his　way　up　the　tunic　to　his　accustomed　place　on　Ixil's　shoulder。　〃Any　problems？〃
　〃Hang　on　to　your　teeth；〃　I　advised；　crossing　toward　the　access　panel　into　the　small　sphere；　which　Tera　had　thoughtfully　left　open　for　me。　〃I'll　make　you　a　small　wager　you're　not　going　to　believe　the　ride　Pax　and　I　had。〃
　The　tangle　of　wiring　on　this　side　of　the　sphere　was　as　bad　as　the　matching　set　on　the　other　side　had　been。　Now；　though；　after　Cameron's　assurances　that　the　stuff　was　stronger　than　it　looked；　I　was　far　less　concerned　that　an　accidental　bump　might　irrevocably　damage　something。　Accordingly；　I　plowed　my　way　inside；　pushing　the　wires　and　conduits　aside　with　relatively　reckless　abandon；　and　as　a　result　took　only　five　minutes　to　reach　the　mesh　instead　of　the　hour　it　had　taken　me　going　in　from　the　opposite　side。
　Hovering　just　inside　the　mesh；　I　pulled　out　a　pad　and　scribbled　a　quick　note　to　Cameron；　warning　him　again　not　to　budge　from　his　private　hermitage　until　one　of　the　ferrets　or　I　came　for　him。　I　stuffed　the　note　into　the　pack；　and　with　careful　aim　sent　the　whole　bundle　dropping　gently　toward　the　end　of　the　control　arm。　At　the　last　minute　it　occurred　to　me　that　perhaps　having　the　pack　bump　into　the　end　wouldn't　be　enough；　that　it　might　require　an　actual　grip　of　some　sort　to　trigger　the　mechanism。　If　so；　I　would　have　to　figure　out　a　way　to　retrieve　the　bag　and　send　it　back　down　with　Pix　strapped　somehow　to　it。　At　that　point　I　would　also　have　to　figure　out　how　to　explain　the　ferret's　disappearance　to　the　rest　of　the　crew；　because　the　last　thing　I　could　afford　would　be　for　Pix　to　suddenly　appear　in　the　center　of　the　large　sphere　with　the　whole　bunch　of　us　in　there　with　him。
　But　evidently　a　grip　was　not　required。　The　bag　slid　down　the　arm　to　the　end；　and　without　any　fuss　whatsoever　it　vanished。　There　was　a　faint；　brief　breeze　as　air　rushed　into　the　hole　where　it　had　been；　and　that　was　that。
　I　worked　my　way　out　back　to　the　rim…another　five…minute　trip…and　climbed　out　into　the　engine　section。　Ixil　was　strapped　into　the　control　chair　now；　both　ferrets　on　his　shoulders；　a　look　on　his　face　that　I'd　never　seen　before。　〃So；〃　I　said　conversationally　as　I　swung　the　hinged　breaker　panel　closed　again　over　the　access　hole。　〃What　do　you　think？〃
　With　an　obvious　effort　he　focused　on　me。　〃It's　unbelievable；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃Absolutely　unbelievable。〃
　〃Isn't　it　though；〃　I　agreed。　〃But　it's　real。〃
　Absently；　Ixil　reached　up　to　rub　Pax's　head。　〃We　can't　let　the　others　know　about　this；〃　he　said。　〃The　Patth　would　be　willing　to　topple　whole　governments　if　they　really　knew　what　it　was　they　were　chasing。〃
　〃Yes；　I've　already　worked　through　the　logic；〃　I　assured　him。　〃Including　the　fact　that　we　can't　tell　Tera；　either。〃
　The　ferrets　did　one　of　their　unison　twitches。　〃Because　we　work　for　Brother　John？〃
　〃And　because　turning　the　Icarus　over　to　him　would　more　than　buy　our　way　clear　of　the　whole　organization；〃　I　said。　〃She　doesn't　trust　us　as　it　is…she'd　spot…weld　our　butts　to　the　hull　if　she　knew　the　bargaining　chip　we　held　here。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Ixil　was　silent　a　moment。　〃Which　unfortunately　loops　us　back　to　the　question　of　our　immediate　future。〃
　I　grimaced。　〃I　don't　think　we　have　any　choice；〃　I　said。　〃Unless　we　want　to　sit　out　here　and　watch　Shawn　die；　we　have　to　go　get　him　some　more　borandis。〃
　〃I　wonder；〃　Ixil　said　thoughtfully。　〃We　have　only　his　word　that　he　even　has　the　disease；　you　know。　As　I　recall；　Everett　was　unable　to　either　confirm　or　deny　it。　What　if　he's　faking　all　this；　with　these　seizures　his　way　of　pulling　us　out　of　hiding　before　we're　ready？〃
　〃In　that　case；　we're　back　to　the　question　of　why　he　didn't　betray