tz.theicarushunt-第78部分

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concluded；　I　wasn't　quite　ready　to　make　such　a　decision。　Not　yet。　Maybe　once　we　were　off　Palmary。
　The　tram　line；　for　all　its　obviously　quick　assembly；　was　still　more　fortable　and　professional　than　transports　I'd　used　on　a　lot　of　supposedly　more　advanced　worlds。　I　arrived　at　the　platform　to　find　a　pair　of　trams　already　waiting；　one　each　heading　in　to　the　cities　of　Drobney　and　k'Barch。　I　picked　the　k'Barch　one；　reasoning　that　the　place　with　a　k'Tra　name　would　probably　have　a　more　frenetic　celebration　level；　and　hence　more　cover　for　a　man　on　the　run。
　Most　of　my　fellow　travelers　had　apparently　e　to　a　similar　conclusion；　though　undoubtedly　with　different　motivations。　I　let　the　traffic　flow　carry　me　in　through　the　doors　and　to　a　standing　point　midway　down　one　of　the　cars；　jammed　between　a　group　of　sweaty　Narchners　and　a　group　of　clean　but　equally　aromatic　Saffi。
　We　headed　out。　I　had　enough　of　a　view　out　one　of　the　side　windows　to　see　that　Nicabar's　assumption　had　been　correct：　Not　only　was　there　a　good…sized　outfitters'　store　at　the　junction　of　the　two　tram　lines；　but　also　a　collection　of　restaurants；　tavernos；　and　gawk…shops。　Even　Starrm　had　gotten　into　the　act；　setting　up　a　prefab　satellite　station　so　that　spacers　who　felt　the　need　to　get　in　touch　with　the　outside　universe　wouldn't　have　to　go　to　wherever　their　main　building　was　in　the　twin…city　area。　Once　again；　I　raised　my　estimate　of　how　much　money　this　Grand　Feast　must　pour　into　the　Palmary　economy。
　We　rumbled　our　way　to　the　end　of　the　line；　which　from　the　look　of　things　was　relatively　close　to　the　middle　of　k'Barch　and　perilously　near　the　epicenter　of　the　uping　celebrations。　The　earlier　flow　through　the　tram　doors　reversed　itself；　and　a　few　chaotic　minutes　later　I　was　maneuvering　my　way　down　a　sidewalk　that　was　only　marginally　less　crowded　than　the　inside　of　the　tram　had　been。　About　a　block　ahead；　I　could　see　the　rustling　display　flag　of　a　pharmacy；　and　I　concentrated　on　making　my　way　toward　it。
　I　had　reached　the　shop　and　was　working　my　way　sideways　through　the　crowd　toward　the　door；　when　something　exploded　against　the　back　of　my　neck；　plunging　me　into　darkness。
　　
　CHAPTER　19
　
　I　CAME　TO　slowly；　drifting　back　toward　consciousness　in　gradual　and　tortured　stages。　There　was　a　vague　sensation　of　disfort；　which　first　coalesced　into　an　overall　chill　and　stiffness　before　zeroing　in　on　a　throbbing　somewhere　in　the　back　of　my　head。　There　was　something　wrong　with　my　arms；　though　I　couldn't　figure　out　exactly　what。　There　was　light　somewhere；　too；　though　as　vague　and　undefined　as　the　disfort　had　originally　been；　and　the　distant　thought　occurred　to　me　that　if　I　turned　my　head　maybe　I　could　figure　out　where　it　was　ing　from。　It　took　some　time　and　effort　to　remember　how　that　could　be　done；　but　finally　I　had　it　doped　out。　Feeling　rather　pleased　with　my　acplishment；　I　turned　my　head　a　little　to　the　side。
　And　instantly　came　fully　awake　as　a　flare　of　pain　burned　through　the　back　of　my　skull。　Someone；　apparently；　was　doing　his　best　to　rip　my　head　off　my　spine　with　his　bare　hands。　Clenching　my　teeth；　I　waited　until　the　pain　had　mostly　subsided；　then；　keeping　my　head　as　motionless　as　possible；　I　eased　open　my　eyes。
　I　was　sitting　in　a　plain　wooden　armchair；　unpadded；　my　head　lolled　forward　with　my　chin　resting　on　my　chest。　What　was　wrong　with　my　arms　was　quickly　apparent：　both　wrists　were　handcuffed　to　the　chair　arms　on　which　they　were　resting。　Experimentally；　I　shifted　my　right　foot　a　bit　and　found　that　they　hadn't　bothered　to　lock　my　feet　in　place　as　they　had　my　arms。　In　the　background　I　could　hear　the　faint　sounds　of　distant　music；　closer　at　hand；　somewhere　just　in　front　of　me；　I　could　also　hear　the　sounds　of　quiet　alien　conversation。　Slowly；　mindful　of　the　trip…hammer　waiting　to　resume　work　on　the　back　of　my　skull；　I　carefully　raised　my　head　to　look。
　And　immediately　wished　I　hadn't。　I　was　in　a　medium…sized　room；　plain　and　largely　unfurnished；　with　a　single　light　in　the　ceiling　and　a　single　closed　door　maybe　four　meters　directly　ahead　of　me。　Seated　behind　a　low　wooden　table　midway　between　the　door　and　me；　my　partially　disassembled　phone　on　the　tabletop　in　front　of　them；　were　two　more　members　of　the　lumpy　Iykami　Clan。
　At　the　moment；　though；　they　weren't　paying　any　attention　to　the　phone；　nor　to　any　of　the　rest　of　my　pocket　equipment　that　had　been　unceremoniously　dumped　out　onto　the　table。　My　efforts　at　stealthy　wakefulness　to　the　contrary；　they　were　looking　straight　at　me。
　And　not；　as　near　as　I　could　tell　from　those　alien　faces；　with　particularly　friendly　expressions。　They　were　more　the　sort　of　expressions　worn　by　people　who　have　orders　to　keep　a　prisoner　alive　and　mostly　well；　but　who　are　at　the　same　time　secretly　longing　for　said　prisoner　to　make　trouble　and　thus　provide　them　with　an　excuse　to　beat　the　living　daylights　out　of　him。
　Cooperative　type　that　I　was；　it　seemed　a　shame　to　disappoint　them。　I　came　up　on　my　feet；　hunched　forward　for　balance　as　I　gripped　the　arms　to　hold　the　chair　more　or　less　in　place　against　my　back　and　rear。　Their　secret　hopes　notwithstanding；　a　sudden　and　clearly　suicidal　attack　on　my　part　was　probably　the　last　thing　they　were　actually　expecting；　and　the　shock　had　just　enough　time　to　register　on　their　faces　as　I　took　two　quick　steps　forward　and　swung　180　degrees　around；　taking　care　not　to　let　my　chair　get　hung　up　on　the　edge　of　their　table。　With　all　the　strength　I　could　muster；　I　heaved　myself　and　the　chair　as　hard　as　I　could　squarely　on　top　of　them。
　They　saw　it　ing；　of　course。　But　seated　with　their　legs　under　the　table；　there　wasn't　a　single　thing　they　could　do　about　it。　We　all　went　down　together　in　a　confused　and　thunderous　crash　of　splintering　wood　and　alien　curses。　Still　handcuffed　to　the　chair；　my　movements　were　severely　limited；　but　even　so　I　was　in　a　far　better　fighting　position　than　my　opponents。　Flailing　back　and　forth；　hammering　them　with　the　chair　and　keeping　them　pinned　beneath　me；　I　lashed　out　with　my　feet；　throwing　kick　after　kick　to　head　and　torso　and　anything　else　I　could　reach。　After　what　seemed　like　forever　through　the　haze　of　pain　from　my　head；　they　stopped　moving。　I　gave　them　each　another　couple　of　kicks；　just　in　case　they　were　faking；　then　collapsed　in　a　panting　heap　amid　the　carnage。
　I　didn't　stay　collapsed　long；　though。　It　had　been　a　serious　gamble　on　my　part；　taking　them　on　just　after　waking　up；　but　I　hadn't　had　much　choice　in　the　matter。　Two…to…one　odds　were　as　good　as　I　was　likely　to　get；　and　if　I'd　waited　for　them　to　call　whoever　was　in　charge　with　the　news　that　the　sacrificial　Voodoo　doll　was　awake　and　ready　to　have　pins　stuck　in　him；　I'd　never　have　left　the　room　alive。
　An　unhappy　ending　that　could　still　very　easily　happen。　The　brief　fight　had　been　anything　but　quiet；　and　the　music　I　could　hear　in　the　distance　meant　that　there　was　at　least　someone　else　in　the　immediate　vicinity。　My　chair　had　suffered　some　damage　in　the　fight；　but　enough　of　it　had　survived　to　keep　me　pinioned。　Rolling　around　awkwardly；　keeping　an　ear　cocked　for　the　inevitable　reaction；　I　started　checking　my　unconscious　jailers　for　the　keys　to　my　handcuffs。
　They　were　wearing　the　same　sort　of　neo…Greek　tunics　as　the　two　who'd　jumped　me　on　Xathru；　and　it　didn't　take　long　to　find　out　that　the　limited　pocket　space　that　came　with　the　outfits　included　no　handcuff　keys。　One　had　a　belt　pouch；　similarly　bereft　of　keys。　Neither　was　carrying　a　weapon。
　But　a　couple　of　meters　away　on　the　floor　where　it　had　fallen　at　the　table's　collapse　was　my　phone。
　My　imprisoning　chair　had　gotten　itself　caught　in　a　slight　hollow　formed　by　the　bodies　of　the　two　Iykams；　but　a　little　rocking　broke　me　free。　I　rolled　up　onto　my　knees；　got　to　my　feet；　and　picked　my　way　through　the　debris　to　the　phone。　At　this　range　I　could　see　the　Iykams　hadn't　gotten　any　further　in　their　disassembly　of　the　device　than　merely　pulling　the　back　off；　though　why　they'd　even　done　that　I　didn't　know。　Perhaps　they　were　hoping　to　tease　a　latent　phone　number　or　two　out　of　the　memory　that　they　could　use。
　If　so；　they　were　out　of　luck。　That　was　the　phone　I'd　taken　from　James　Fulbright　on　Dorscind's　World；　and　there　were　no　incriminating　numbers　connected　with　me　anywhere　in　there；　laten