amc.killashandra-第41部分

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oll　to　pose　myself　after　that　horrible　confrontation　with　an　officious　oaf　and　wham！　bung！　I'm　coshed　on　the　head　and　wake　up；　all　alone；　on　a　desert　island；　heavens　know　where！〃　Killashandra　got　into　the　part　with　a　faked　swoon。　〃I'm　less　of　a　ham　with　a　properly　respectful　audience；　I　might　add。　But　there　I　am。　Lost！　Who　knows　who　the　dastards　are　…　using　a　plural　will　suggest　a　whole　group　of　conspirators；　you　see　…　And　then　you。。。〃　Killashandra　laid　a　delicate　hand　on　Lars's　arm。　His　eyes　were　bright　with　mirth　and　he　had　his　lips　pressed　together　against　distracting　laughter。　〃You　…　loyal　despite　your　terrible　disappointment〃　…　and　Killashandra　put　her　hand　to　her　breast　and　breathed　hard　〃　…　rescued　me　and　insisted　on　returning　me　to　the　safety　of　the　City；　to　install　the　crystal　manual　so　that　the　priceless　organ　will　be　ready　for　the　Summer　Festival。　Thus　currying　favor　with　the　powers　that　be　…　which；　in　view　of　your　subversive　activities；　is　a　very　good　idea　…　and　saving　them　the　cost　of　another　expensive　crystal　singer。　We　are　very　expensive　to　hire；　you　see。　And　I　have　the　impression　that　the　Elders　are　credit…crunchers。〃
　Lars　began　to　chuckle；　rubbing　his　chin　as　if　he　was　visualizing　those　moments　of　triumph。
　〃If　you　can　be　trusted　not　to　overact〃　…　he　ducked　as　she　shook　her　fist　at　him　…　〃you　know；　it　might　work。〃
　〃Of　course　it　will　work！　I　was　able　to　gauge　audience　reactions　to　a　pico。　And　more　than　just　give　you　a　well…deserved　return　for　their　meanness　and　chicanery　to　you；　I'll　pretend　that　I'm　so　very　nervous　about　a　repetition　of　assault　and　battery　that　I'll　need　you　by　my　side　all　the　time。〃
　〃I　think；〃　Lars　began；　slowly；　thoughtfully；　〃Father　and　the　others　will　like　this　plan。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　Lars　gave　a　rueful　snort。　〃I　got　rather　soundly　told　off　for　acting　in　a　unilateral　fashion　when　I　abducted　you；　you　know。　My　father　is　a　mild　mannered　man　most　of　the　time　…　〃
　〃Then　let　us　by　all　means　present　this　idea　to　him　…　them。　And　by　the　way；　speaking　of　mild…mannered　men；　what　do　you　know　about　Corish　von　Mittelstern？〃
　〃The　man　looking　for　his　uncle？〃
　〃That's　the　one。〃
　〃Well；　he's　not　an　Optherian　agent　if　that's　what　you're　worried　about。　We　checked　him　for　residue。〃
　〃Checked　him　for　what？〃
　〃D'you　recall　the　arc　at　the　shuttleport？　That's　to　prevent　Optherians　from　leaving　the　planet。　The　arc　is　set　to　detect　a　mineral　residue　that　is　present　in　our　bone　marrow。　There's　absolutely　no　argument　with　the　port　guards　if　you　try　to　enter　the　shuttleport。　They　just　shoot。〃
　〃And　that's　activated　by　any　Optherian　passing　the　sensors？〃
　〃Even　visitors　who've　stayed　long　enough　to　absorb　sufficient　trace　to　be　detected。〃　Lars's　expression　was　sour。　〃Like　my　father。〃
　Killashandra　half　heard　that　ment；　as　she　was　thinking　back　to　her　exit　from　the　port。　Thyrol　had　been　right　beside　her　and　the　alarm　hadn't　gone　off　for　them；　though　it　had　when　the　rest　of　the　Optherian　quartette　had　passed。
　〃Strange；　that；〃　she　said　half　to　herself。　〃No。　Corish　isn't　Optherian。　He　came　out　on　the　Athena　with　me。　But　I've　a　very　good　notion　that　he's　an　FSP　agent　of　some　sort。　I　mean；　what　good　is　just　one　impartial　observer　if　the　object　is　to　change　the　status　quo　of　an　entire　planet？　Even　if　I　am　a　crystal　singer。〃
　〃Did　Corish　know　that？〃
　〃No。〃　Killashandra　chuckled。　〃To　Citizen　von　Mittelstern　I　was　a　brash　and　impulsive　music　student　traveling　cheap　to　the　Summer　Festival！〃　When　Lars　gave　her　a　puzzled　look；　she　laughed。　〃Being　a　crystal　singer　entails　some　rather　curious　disadvantages　which　are　not　relevant　to　the　more　important　discussion　at　hand。〃
　〃I　don't　know　much　about　crystal　singers　…　〃
　〃What　you　don't　know　won't　hurt　you；〃　she　said；　waggling　a　finger　under　his　nose。　〃But　I'd　very　much　like　to　know　more　about　Corish；　and　if　there　is　a　missing　uncle。〃
　〃Why　didn't　Corish　recognize　you　on　the　beach？〃
　〃The　same　reason　you　didn't。　And　he　didn't　know　me　all　that　well；〃　she　added；　a　bit　amused　by　Lars's　reaction。　〃He　rather　obviously；　at　least　to　me；　cultivated　the　pany　of　an　innocuous　and　silly　young　music　student。　And　one　or　two　other　anomalies　alerted　me。〃
　〃I'd　encountered　a　few　of　those　creatures　recently　myself；〃　Lars　remarked　in　a　reproving　drawl。
　〃I　did　the　best　I　could　with　the　background　material　I　had。〃
　Lars　pulled　her　as　close　to　him　as　the　tiller　allowed。　〃Your　only　mistake；　now　that　I　think　back　on　it；　were　your　ments　about　singing。　Everyone　in　the　islands　sings。　But　voice　is　not　an　instrument　for　real　music。。。　according　to　the　Masters。〃
　Killashandra　began　to　sputter　indignantly。　〃That　in　itself　proves　how　stupid　they　all　are！〃
　Lars　laughed　in　delight　at　her　reaction　and　then　drew　his　feet　up　as　the　water　began　slopping　up　their　calves。
　〃Tanny！〃　he　shouted。　〃On　the　deck；　on　the　double。〃
　The　hatch　was　opened　so　quickly　in　response　to　his　call　that　Killashandra　wondered　how　long　the　young　man　had　had　his　ear　to　the　wooden　panels。
　〃Haven't　you　found　us　something　to　eat　yet？　About　time。〃　For　Tanny　held　up　two　heavy　soup　mugs。　〃Give　it　over　and　start　bailing。〃
　Chapter　15
　It　took　quite　a　bit　of　persuading　on　Killashandra's　part　to　reassure　Tanny　that　she　intended　no　reprisals　against　him　for　his　very　minor　part　in　her　abduction。　Lars　explained　that　he　had　managed　to　sneak　her　on　board　the　ocean　jet　with　the　help　of　another　friend　who　merely　thought　Lars's　latest　girl　friend　had　had　a　shade　too　much　new　brew。
　〃One　for　the　girls；　are　you；　m'bucko？〃　Killashandra　had　asked　in　an　arch　tone。
　Lars　nodded　at　her　garland。　〃Not　any　more；　Sunny！　I've　made　an　honest　woman　of　you！〃
　That　exchange　did　more　to　reassure　Tanny　than　any　other　argument　Killashandra　had　presented。　That　and　the　fact　that　she　was　perfectly　willing　to　help　bail　out　the　cockpit。
　Bar　Island　was　reached　just　before　sunset；　with　enough　time　to　unload　the　emergency　supplies。　The　Bar　Islanders　had　been　directly　in　the　hurricane's　path　and　suffered　more　damage　than　any　of　the　other　islands　on　their　sweep。　Two　men；　a　woman　and　a　young　child　had　internal　injuries　which　the　medical　facilities　of　the　smaller　settlement　could　not　treat　adequately。　Lars　immediately　offered　them　passage　on　the　Pearl　Fisher；　giving　Killashandra　a　guarded　and　rueful　grin　of　regret。　Nor　did　they　have　a　chance　to　be　private　that　night。　Everyone　pitched　in　to　finish　constructing　temporary　munal　shelters；　and　Killashandra　found　herself　once　again　plaiting　polly　fronds；　pleased　that　her　deftness　caused　no　questions。　When　a　halt　was　called　at　midnight；　Killashandra　was　far　too　tired　to　do　more　than　curl　up　gratefully　against　Lars　on　the　sand；　her　head　pillowed　on　his　arm；　and　fall　asleep。
　At　first　light　of　a　sullen　day；　the　injured　were　floated　on　bladder　rafts　to　the　Pearl；　carefully　hoisted　aboard；　then　secured　in　the　cabin　bunks。　Killashandra　was　given　instructions　by　the　medic　for　the　administration　of　necessary　drugs　and　care。　The　patients　had　been　sedated　for　the　voyage；　so　he　expected　no　problems。
　As　soon　as　she　could；　Killashandra　went　up　on　deck。　She　found　care　of　the　sick　and　injured　a　distasteful　necessity　and　the　faint　odor　of　antiseptics　and　medicine　made　her　slightly　nauseous。　She　said　nothing　about　her　disinclination；　uncharacteristically　wanting　to　sustain　Lars's　good　opinion　of　her。　He　was　bent　over　the　chart　display　on　the　small　navigational　terminal；　plotting　the　most　direct　course　for　Angel　Island's　North　Harbor　where　the　main　medical　facility　was　situated。
　〃Tide　and　wind　are　in　our　favor　this　morning；　Killa；〃　he　said；　reaching　his　arm　about　her　waist　and　drawing　her　in　to　him　without　taking　his　eyes　from　the　display。　He　tapped　for　an　overlay　of　the　route　he　had　chosen　and　she　could　see　how　it　made　use　of　the　swift　channels　between　the　islands　and　the　fuller　morning　tide。　〃We'll　be　in　North　before　we　know　it。〃　He　made　a　final　correction　and　laid　in　the　course。　Now　the　display　cleared　to　show　him　the　pass　headings　and　the　minimum　required　tacking　to　slip　into　the　swift　current　just　beyond　Bar　Island's　western　reef。　〃Is　the　spinnaker　set；　Tanny？〃
　〃Aye；　aye　skipper；〃　the　young　man　called　from　the　bow　as　Killashandra　watched　the　vivid　red　and　orange　sail　bellying　out　briefly　over