tz.theicarushunt-第81部分

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y　silence　in　some　other　way…〃
　〃You　must　choose　quickly；〃　Nask　interrupted　me。　〃Tell　me　where　the　Icarus　is；　or　the　decision　will　be　snatched　from　your　hands。〃
　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　I　demanded；　the　sinking　sensation　back　in　my　stomach。　〃How　could…〃
　I　broke　off　at　the　sound　of　clinking　from　the　door　to　my　right。　The　sound　of　a　lock　being　keyed。　〃He　is　here；〃　Nask　said　with　a　forlorn…sounding　wheeze　I'd　never　heard　a　Patth　make　before。　〃The　glory　and　profit　now　pass　to　the　Director　General。〃
　The　door　swung　open。　I　turned　to　look…
　And　felt　my　breath　catch　like　fire　in　my　throat。　Two　figures　were　striding　into　the　room；　looking　as　if　they　owned　the　place　and　were　about　to　raise　the　rent。　One　was　another　robed　Patth；　the　by…now…familiar　starship…pilot　implants　twinkling　around　his　eyes。
　The　other　was　Revs　Nicabar。
　　
　CHAPTER　20
　
　IT　WAS；　ON　stunned　reflection；　about　the　last　sight　I　would　have　expected　to　see。　The　last　person　in　the　Spiral　I　would　have　thought　would　be　striding　with　such　casual　arrogance　into　a　Patth　den。　I　opened　my　mouth　to　say　something…anything…but　he　beat　me　to　the　punch。　〃I　see　you've　got　him；〃　he　said　to　Nask。　〃About　time。〃
　〃Yes；　I　have；〃　Nask　said；　considerably　less　taken　aback　by　Nicabar's　appearance　than　I　was。　〃And　you　are。。。？〃　he　added　as　Nicabar　crossed　the　room　toward　him。
　〃What　do　you　mean；　who　am　I？〃　Nicabar　countered　scornfully。　〃Weren't　you　watching　when　Brosh　held　my　ID　up　to　the　monitor？〃
　〃Only　the　Director　General's　seal　was　clear；〃　Nask　said。　〃Not　the　number　or　rank　designation。〃
　With　a　supremely　restrained　sigh；　Nicabar　pulled　an　ID　folder　out　of　his　inner　pocket　and　dropped　it　on　the　desk。　〃Fine。　Help　yourself。〃
　Nask　did。　For　nearly　half　a　minute　he　studied　the　folder；　while　the　rest　of　us　sat　or　stood　where　we　were　in　silence。　Nicabar　sent　his　gaze　around　the　room；　pausing　briefly　and　measuringly　on　each　of　the　Iykams　in　turn；　sent　me　a　brief　and　totally　impassive　glance；　then　looked　back　at　Nask。
　Finally；　almost　reluctantly　I　thought；　the　Patth　closed　the　folder　and　laid　it　back　down　on　the　table　in　front　of　him。　〃Satisfied？〃　Nicabar　asked。
　〃Quite　satisfied；　Expediter；〃　Nask　said；　his　voice　almost　sullen。
　〃Good；〃　Nicabar　said；　holding　out　his　hand。　〃Then　you　can　return　the　favor。　Brosh　tells　me　you're　the　ambassador　to　Palmary。　Unless　you　want　to　try　telling　me　this　is　an　embassy　annex；　I'd　like　to　see　some　proof　of　that。〃
　〃Of　course　this　isn't　the　embassy；〃　Nask　said　stiffly；　reaching　into　his　robe　and　pulling　out　his　own　ID　folder。　〃I　chose　this　place　precisely　because　I　didn't　want　the　encounter　taking　place　on　official　Patthaaunutth　soil。〃
　〃So　where　exactly　are　we？〃　I　asked。
　Nask　glanced　at　me　but　didn't　answer。　Nicabar；　studying　Nask's　ID；　didn't　even　bother　to　look　at　me。　I　looked　around　at　the　Iykams；　but　none　of　them　seemed　interested　in　talking　to　me；　either。　After　a　moment；　Nicabar　closed　Nask's　ID　and　dropped　it　onto　the　desk　beside　his　own。　〃Fine；〃　he　said。　〃Any　progress　so　far？〃
　〃We　have　him；〃　Nask　said；　gesturing　toward　me。　〃That's　a　start。〃　He　cleared　his　throat。　〃You'll　forgive　me　if　I　find　myself　surprised　by　your　unexpected　arrival；　Expediter。　I　was　not　informed　of　your　presence　on　Palmary。〃
　〃You'll　be　even　more　surprised　when　I　tell　you　the　name　of　the　ship　I　came　in　on；〃　Nicabar　said　dryly。　〃A　little　independent　freighter　by　the　name　of　Icarus。〃
　It　was　as　if　all　three　Patth　had　simultaneously　grabbed　hold　of　the　same　high…voltage　wire。　〃What？〃　Enig　said；　the　sound　ing　out　more　as　a　gasp　than　a　legitimate　word。　〃The　Icarus？〃
　〃What；　don't　you　read　your　own　government's　hot…sheets？〃　Nicabar　sniffed。　〃My　picture　ought　to　be　plastered　all　over　the　embassy　identifying　me　as　one　of　the　Icarus's　crewers。〃
　〃There　have　been　no　such　pictures；〃　Nask　said。　〃We　have　only　now　begun　to　piece　together　the　profile　of　the　Icarus's　crew　from　sifting　through　the　various　reports；　and　there　are　no　pictures　or　sketches　as　yet。〃
　Nicabar　grunted。　〃Sloppy。〃
　〃We　are　doing　the　best　we　can　with　what　we　have；〃　Nask　insisted；　his　voice　still　civil　but　clearly　showing　some　strain。　〃It　was　mere　blind　luck　that　one　of　Enig's　defenders　spotted　McKell　heading　for　that　pharmacy　and　was　able　to　see　through　his　disguise。〃
　〃Enig's　defenders？〃　Nicabar　echoed；　looking　over　at　Enig。
　〃Yes；〃　Nask　said。　〃Enig　and　Brosh　are　the　pilot　and　copilot　of　the　freighter　Considerate。〃
　〃Civilians？〃　Nicabar　demanded；　his　eyes　blazing。　〃You　brought　civilians　into　this？〃
　〃I　had　no　choice；〃　Nask　snapped　back。　〃I　couldn't　involve　my　staff　for　the　same　reason　I　didn't　take　McKell　to　the　embassy。　Besides；　Brosh　and　Enig　are　no　longer　precisely　civilians。　Their　ship　happens　to　be　the　only　Patthaaunutth　vessel　currently　on　the　planet；　and　once　we　have　the　Icarus　we'll　need　someone　who　can　fly　it　back　to　Aauth。　I've　therefore　mandeered　both　of　them　into　official　service。〃
　〃I　see；〃　Nicabar　said；　glancing　at　me。　〃You　know　where　the　ship　is；　then？〃
　〃Not　yet；〃　Nask　had　to　admit。　〃I　was　just　beginning　negotiations　when　you　arrived。〃　He　sent　me　a　rather　disgusted　look。　〃Now；　I　presume；　the　question　is　moot。〃
　〃Not　quite；〃　Nicabar　said。　〃The　rest　of　the　crew　know　he's　missing　and　are　on　the　alert。　We　have　to　be　careful　or　we'll　risk　damaging　the　artifact。〃
　〃That　would　just　be　too　bad；　wouldn't　it；〃　I　murmured。
　Nicabar　regarded　me　as　if　I　were　something　he'd　found　on　the　bottom　of　his　shoe。　〃Who　are　all　of　these？〃　he　asked；　waving　at　the　assembled　Iykams。　〃More　merchant…ship　conscripts？〃
　〃They're　my　ship's　personal　defenders；　Expediter；〃　Brosh　said；　bristling　noticeably　at　what　he　obviously　took　to　be　a　slight。　〃They're　more　than　equal　to　whatever　task　you　require　of　them。〃
　〃I　suppose　we'll　find　that　out；　won't　we？〃　Nicabar　said；　leaving　the　desk　and　moving　through　the　gathered　Iykams；　looking　at　each　in　turn　with　the　piercing　glance　of　military　inspection　officers　everywhere。　〃Do　I　also　assume　you　have　cloaks　of　invisibility　for　all　of　them？〃
　〃What？〃　Brosh　asked；　clearly　startled。　〃Cloaks　of　what？〃
　〃That's　the　only　way　they're　going　to　get　close　enough　to　the　Icarus　to　use　these；〃　Nicabar　said；　lifting　the　nearest　Iykam's　gun　hand　and　tapping　the　corona　weapon。
　〃Yes；　I　see；〃　Nask　said　with　a　nod。　〃A　good　point。　Brosh；　do　any　of　the　defenders　standing　guard　outside　have　plasmics　with　them？〃
　〃Some　of　them；　yes；〃　Brosh　said；　glaring　from　under　his　hood　at　Nicabar。　Apparently；　he　wasn't　used　to　dealing　with　top…ranking　Patth　agents。　He　certainly　didn't　seem　to　care　much　for　their　style。　〃I'll　call　them　and　ask。〃
　〃No…no　phones；〃　Nicabar　said　as　Brosh　reached　beneath　his　robe。　〃We　don't　want　anything　going　through　the　phone　system　that　could　be　backtracked　later。　You　three〃…he　jabbed　a　finger　at　a　clump　of　Iykams…〃go　to　the　others　and　collect　all　their　plasmics　from　them。〃
　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　Brosh　protested；　pointing　at　me。　〃You　can't　just　send　them　away。　What　about　him？〃
　〃What；　it　takes　more　than　five　of　your　highly　petent　defenders　to　guard　a　single　manacled　prisoner？〃　Nicabar　countered　scornfully。
　〃He　has　a　point；　Expediter；〃　Nask　put　in。　〃McKell　is　a　highly　dangerous　human；　and　has　slipped　out　of　several　other　traps。　Enig　can　go　check　on　the　weapons。〃
　〃I　don't　want　you　three　going　outside　this　room　any　more　than　you　have　to；〃　Nicabar　said　in　a　voice　of　strained　patience。　〃You　shouldn't　even　be　in　this　part　of　town；　let　alone　wandering　around　loose。〃
　〃It's　the　Grand　Feast；〃　Nask　pointed　out　tartly。　〃All　races　mix　freely　together　for　that。　But　if　you　insist。〃　He　nodded　to　the　three　Iykams　Nicabar　had　marked　out。　〃Carry　out　your　orders。〃
　〃And　make　sure　you　bring　back　one　for　me；〃　Nicabar　added　as　the　three　headed　to　the　door。
　〃You're　not　armed；　Expediter？〃　Nask　asked　as　the　Iykams　left　the　room；　closing　the　door　behind　them。
　〃You　know　I'm　not；〃　Nicabar　said。　〃I　presume　you　were　watching　as　Enig　and　his　defenders　checked　me　for　weapons　outside。〃
　〃My　question　was　more　along　the　lines　of　why　you　didn't　have　a　weapon　at　all；〃　Nask　said。　〃I　was　under　the　impression　Expediters　were　routinely　armed。〃
　〃Most　Expediters　don't　have　to　live　aboard　a　ship　the　size　of　the　Icarus　with　people　like　McKell　poking