amc.killashandra-第17章

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mediate　wrath　than　courting　disfavor　of　an　absent　authority。
　〃Tell　me；〃　she　asked　in　a　pleasant　tone　when　they　had　entered　a　small　lift；　〃is　food　plentiful　on　Optheria？〃
　He　cast　her　a　very　nervous　glance　and　when　she　smiled　winningly　at　him；　relaxed　a　little；　though　he　kept　as　far　from　her　in　the　carriage　as　possible。
　〃There　is　plenty　of　food　on　Optheria。　Too　much。　This　year　only　half　the　fields　may　be　planted；　and　I　know　that　early　fruit　has　been　left　to　rot　on　the　vine。〃
　〃Then　why　did　I　get　three　mouthfuls　at　dinner？〃
　Something　approaching　levity　touched　the　young　man's　face。　〃All　the　Elders　are　old：　they　don't　eat　much。〃
　〃Hmm！　That's　one　explanation。　But　a　good　brew　or　a　nice　dry　vintage　would　have　helped！〃
　A　smile　tugged　at　the　young　man's　lips。　〃Well；　Elder　Pentrom　was　present　and　he　is　death　on　any　sort　of　alcoholic　beverage。　Says　it　saps　the　energy　of　the　young　and　disrupts　thought　in　the　mature。〃
　〃And　he　was　my　dinner　partner！〃　Killashandra's　crow　of　malice　resounded　in　the　enclosed　space。　〃My　timing　is；　as　ever；　superb！　Well；　I'm　not　under　his　jurisdiction　and；　if　Optheria　really　needs　that　organ　repaired；　the　Elders　will　have　to　placate　me；　not　him。〃　The　young　man　was　obviously　shocked。　〃Tell　me；〃　she　said　in　her　kindest；　most　wheedling　voice；　〃you　seem　to　be　a　knowledgeable　fellow；　what　sort　in　interesting　beverages　are　produced　on　this　planet？〃
　〃Oh；　there　are　brews　and　vintages；〃　he　assured　her　promptly　and　with　some　pride；　〃and　some　rather　potent　spirituous　drinks　manufactured　in　the　mountains　and　the　islands　…　but　that　sort　of　stuff　isn't　permitted　in　the　Conservatory。〃　The　lift's　doors　slid　open；　and　the　Optherian　bustled　out。
　〃More's　the　pity。〃　Killashandra　strode　on　down　the　hallway　after　her　guide。　〃What　do　you　drink？　No；　abort　the　question；〃　and　she　grinned　at　his　startled　glance。　〃What　is　the　most　popular　drink？〃
　〃The　most　popular　one　on　this　continent　is　a　brew　called　Bascum。〃
　〃Is　Bascum　a　plant　or　a　person？〃
　〃Person。〃　Her　guide　was　warming　to　his　subject。　He　indicated　they　take　the　left…hand　corridor　at　the　junction。　〃One　of　the　Founding　Fathers。〃
　〃So　his　brewery　is　allowed　to　function　in　the　face　of　the　Medical　Supervisor's　displeasure？〃　Killashandra　grinned　as　he　nodded。　〃I　infer　from　your　remarks　that　there　are　other　popular　drinks？　Any　wines？〃
　〃Oh；　yes；　the　western　continent　produces　some　very　fine　vintages；　both　white　and　red；　and　some　doubly　distilled　liqueurs。　I'm　not　familiar　with　the　wines　at　all。〃
　〃And　those　islands　you　mentioned；　they　go　for　the　spirituous　liquors？〃
　〃The　polly　tree。〃
　〃The　polly　tree？〃
　〃Its　fermented　fruit　makes　a　brandy　which；　I'm　told；　is　more　potent　than　anything　else　in　the　universe。　The　polly　tree　provides　foliage　for　shelter；　a　fine…grained　wood　for　building；　its　roots　burn　for　a　long　time；　its　bark　can　be　pounded　into　a　fiber　which　the　islanders　use　for　weaving　cloth；　its　pith　is　extremely　nutritious；　and　its　large　fruit　is　delicious　as　well　as　nutritious　…　〃
　〃When　it　isn't　fermented　…　〃
　〃Exactly。〃
　〃And　the　polly　tree　only　grows　on　the　islands？〃
　〃That's　right；　and　here　is　your　apartment。　Guildmember。〃　He　opened　the　door。
　〃There's　no　privacy　lock　on　this？〃　Killashandra　had　not　noticed　the　lack　in　her　first　hurried　inspection。
　〃There　is　no　need　for　such　in　the　plex。〃　Her　guide　appeared　surprised　at　her　reaction　。　〃　No　one　would　presume　to　enter　without　your　express　permission。〃
　〃There　are　no　thieves　on　Optheria？〃
　〃Not　in　the　Conservatory！〃
　She　thanked　him　for　his　escort　and　entered　her　sacrosanct　apartment；　closing　the　door　behind　her　with　a　sigh　of　relief。　Only　then　did　her　eye　fall　on　the　table。　She　exclaimed　aloud　at　the　display　of　bottles　of　all　sizes　and　shapes；　at　the　beakers；　goblets；　wine　glasses　that　waited　in　pristine　array　on　the　white　cloth。　A　separate　tray　offered　an　assortment　of　tidbits；　nuts；　and　small　wafers。　A　small　chest　opened　to　exhibit　chilled　bottles　and　two　pottery　amphoras。
　There　was　no　way　the　collection　could　have　been　assembled　and　spirited　into　her　apartment　in　the　time　elapsed　since　she　stormed　out　of　the　dining　room。　Then　she　remembered　her　remarks　on　the　trip　from　the　spaceport。　Well；　Elder　Pentrom　might　be　a　prissy；　dogmatic；　abstemious　man；　but　obviously　her　every　whim　was　someone's　mand。
　Because　her　guide　had　mentioned　Bascum；　her　choice　among　so　many　finally　settled　on　the　neat　brown　bottle　in　the　cold　chest。　She　flipped　the　top　off　and　let　the　midbrown　brew　slowly　descend　into　an　appropriate　beaker。　The　malty　scent　that　rose　to　her　nostrils　suggested　good　things　to　e。
　〃And　about　time；　too；〃　she　said；　scooping　up　a　random　selection　of　nibbles　and　sinking　into　the　nearest　fortable　seat。　〃To　absent　friends！〃　She　lifted　her　beaker　high　then　took　her　first　sip。
　She　regarded　the　brew　with　respect　and　delight。　〃Could　Bascum　possibly　have　e　from　Yarra？〃　she　asked　herself。　〃This　might　not　be　so　bad　an　assignment　after　all！〃
　Chapter　6
　By　the　time　the　quick　Optherian　sunset　had　finished　its　evening　display；　Killashandra　had　sampled　nine　beverages；　wishing　she　had　someone　with　whom　to　share　the　largesse；　especially　since　there　was　a　prohibition　against　it。　Which　brought　Corish　to　mind；　and　that　mythical　uncle　of　his。　Unless　she　could　discover　how　much　surveillance　she　would　be　having　from　her　discreet　quartette　…　and　how　easy　it　would　be　to　outwit　it　…　she　didn't　want　to　risk　meeting　him。　Would　they　think　it　odd　if　she　left　a　message　in　at　the　Piper　Facility？　Corish　had　considerably　piqued　her　curiosity　and　she　was　somewhat　motivated　by　a　desire　to　show　him　that　two　could　play　the　exploitation　gambit。
　Someone　tapped　on　her　apartment　door　and；　when　Mirbethan　entered　on　her　permission；　Killashandra　caught　the　shade　of　uncertainty　in　the　Optherian's　manner。
　〃Since　you're　not　acpanied　by　any　priss…mouthed　ancients；　you　are　wele。　And　if　that　excuse　for　a　meal　is　a　state　dinner　here；　no　wonder　you're　a　lean　bunch。〃
　Mirbethan　flushed。　〃Since　Elder　Pentrom　graciously　accepted　our　invitation；　we　are　obliged　to　cater　to　his　dietary　preferences。　Didn't　Elder　Ampris　mention　this　to　you？〃
　〃He　failed　to　put　me　in　the　know。　However。　all　this；〃　and　Killashandra　waved　expansively　at　the　beverage　table's　load；　〃makes　up　for　that　deficiency；　though　solid　food　would　assist　my　investigations。。。〃
　〃There　was　no　time　to　show　you　the　catering　facility。〃　Mirbethan　glided　to　one　of　the　discreet　wall　cabinets。　Its　doors　opened　on　a　catering　unit。　〃Alcoholic　beverages　are　not　included。　Students　have　a　distressing　aptitude　for　breaking　restricted　codes。〃　Killashandra　decided　that　she　merely　thought　she　detected　a　note　of　tolerant　humor　in　Mirbethan's　voice。　〃That　is　why　we　have　supplied　you　with　a　sampling　of　the　available　intoxicants。〃
　〃In　spite　of　Elder　Pentrom。〃
　Mirbethan　cast　her　eyes　downward。
　〃Tell　me；　Mirbethan；　would　you　happen　to　know　if　Bascum　the　brewmaster　originated　from　the　planet　Yarra？〃
　〃Bascum？〃　Mirbethan　looked　up；　startled；　and　confused。　When　Killashandra　waved　the　long…emptied　bottle　at　her；　she　blushed。　〃Oh；　that　Bascum。〃　Now　she　glided　to　a　second　ornate　cabinet　which　opened　into　a　full　size　terminal；　and　a　panel　in　the　wall　slid　aside　to　reveal　a　large　screen。　She　typed　an　entry　as　Killashandra　made　a　private　wager。　〃Why；　how　under　the　suns　did　you　know？〃
　〃The　best　brewmasters　in　the　galaxy　hail　from　that　planet。　I　haven't　sampled　everything　yet；〃　Killashandra　went　on；　〃but　I　shall　be　very　well　suited　indeed　if　you'll　undertake　to　keep　me　supplied　with　Bascum's　brew。〃
　〃As　you　require；　Guildmember。　But　for　now；　the　concert　is　about　to　start　in　the　Red　Hall。　Only　the　single　manual　organ；　but　the　performer　was　last　year's　prize　winner。〃
　Killashandra　was　tempted；　but　she　was　a　shade　hungrier　and　drier　than　she　liked　to　be。　〃The　Elders　are　present？〃　When　Mirbethan　solemnly　nodded；　Killashandra　sighed　deeply。　〃Convey　my　apologies　on　the　grounds　of　travel　fatigue。。。　and　the　stress　of　metabolic　readjustment　after　the　assault　and　the　wound。〃　Killashandra　ran　the　silk　up　her　arm；　exposing　her　shoulder　where　only　a　thin　red　line　gave　evidence　of　an　injury。
　Mirbethan's　eyes　widened　significantly　and　then；　with　a　subtle　shift；　she　incline