amc.killashandra-第64章

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ngly　about　Lars's。　He　gave　her　a　quick　and　grateful　glance。
　〃That's　why；　if　you　would　go　to　Ironwood　to　check　out　the　organ　there；　you　would　surely　encounter　Nahia　and　Hauness；〃　Lars　said　eagerly。
　〃I　would？〃　Trag　asked。
　〃Quite　likely；　if　you　were　suddenly　taken　ill。〃
　Trag　regarded　him　steadily。　〃Crystal　singers　do　not　succumb　to　planet…based　diseases。〃
　〃Not　even　food　poisoning？〃　Lars　was　not　to　be　deterred。
　〃And　that's　a　likelihood　if　you　eat　often　with　the　Elders。　Or　do　I　mean　starvation？〃　Killashandra　remarked。
　〃That　way；　you　can　warn　Nahia　and　Hauness；　and　they　can　alert　others。〃　Lars　leaned　forward；　eagerly　waiting　for　Trag's　decision。　〃I　couldn't　save　myself　at　the　expense　of　my　friends。〃
　〃How　large　a　group　do　you　have；　Lars　Dahl？〃　Trag　asked。
　〃I　don't　know　at　the　moment。　We　had　about　two　thousand；　and　more　were　being　investigated。　The　Elder's　search　and　seize　to　find　Killashandra　reduced　our　ranks　considerably。〃　Regret　for　having　provoked　the　Elders　to　such　action　colored　Lars's　expression。　He　squared　his　shoulders；　accepting　that　responsibility。　〃I　fervently　hope　more　sacrifices　will　not　be　required。〃
　〃Do　your　islanders　perpetrate　many　outrages　on　the　Main　land？〃
　〃Outrages　on　the　Mainland？〃　Lars　burst　out　laughing。　〃We　leave　the　Mainland　to　stew　in　its　own　juice！　If　you　wish　to　punish　an　island　child；　you　threaten　to　send　him　to　a　Mainland　school。　What　crimes　were　being　laid　on　our　beaches？〃
　〃Crimes　hinted　at　darkly　but　never　specified；　apart　from　the　attack　on　Killashandra　…　〃
　〃Ampris　instigated　that　…　〃　Killashandra　said　angrily。
　〃And　her　abduction。〃
　〃And　I　have　laid　that　firmly　on　the　shoulders　of　unknown　malfeasants。　I　thought　they'd　bought　that。〃
　〃They　might　have　if　the　attachment　between　you　and　Lars　Dahl　was　not　so　apparent；　almost　as　if　you　were　in　resonance　with　each　other。　However；〃　and　Trag　went　on　quickly；　〃Torkes　contended　that　young　Lars　Dahl　could　scarcely　have　found　you　so　conveniently　if　he　had　not　known　where　you　were。　The　islands　being　so　numerous　and　widespread　he　does　not　accept　coincidence。〃
　〃I　think　Torkes　is　in　for　a　large　surprise　on　the　mechanics　of　coincidence；〃　Killashandra　said　in　her　most　caustic　tone。　She　had　poured　another　stiff　drink　for　herself；　trying　to　dull　anger　and　indignation。　〃Trag；　I　don't　see　why　the　Federated　Council　cannot　act　expeditiously　…　〃
　〃This　planet　is　not　threatened　by　destruction。〃
　〃Our　much　vaunted　Federated　Council　is　not　much　better　than　the　Elders　Council；　is　it？〃
　〃I　will　do　everything　in　my　power；　Lars　Dahl；　to　ensure　the　physical　and　psychological　integrity　of　your　adherents；〃　Trag　said。　〃And　if　that　includes　servicing　every　instrument　on　this　planet；　I　will　do　that；　too。〃　A　slight　shift　of　the　alignment　of　his　lips　gave　him　an　appearance　of　smiling。　〃Greed　provokes　me。　And　all　this　talk　has　made　me　thirsty。　What　is　this？〃　he　asked；　obliquely　requesting　a　refill。
　〃The　fermented　juice　of　the　ubiquitous　polly　fruit。〃　Lars　said；　serving　him。　〃The　Elders　may　plain　about　the　islands　but　they　are　its　best　customers。〃
　〃Tell　me　again　about　the　security　arrangements　at　the　shuttle　port；〃　Trag　went　on。　〃A　liner　is　due　in　two　weeks'　time。　I　should　like　to　have　you　both　on　it。〃
　〃There's　more　chance　of　sailing　a　straight　course　in　the　islands；　Trag；〃　Lars　said；　shaking　his　head　discouragingly。　〃If　anyone　had　been　able　to　discover　a　flaw　in　the　security　curtain　at　the　shuttle　port；　it　would　have　been　done。　My　father　had　the　unique　honor　of　adjusting　the　screens　to　prevent　a　mass　attack。　Father　came　here　on　a　short…term　contract　to　provide　security　micro…units　for　the　Optherian　Council。　Father　was　co…opted　by　the　Federated　Council　because　of　his　expertise　with　microchip　installations。　The　Federation　wanted　him　to　find　out　why　another　agent　had　never　reported　back　to　them。　But；　while　he　was　installing　the　chips；　he　didn't　have　much　luck　with　the　covert　assignment。　So　when　the　Optherians　offered　him　the　shuttleport　contract；　he　took　it。　No　one　mentioned　the　fact　that　three　to　four　months　was　the　longest　it　was　safe　to　stay　on　Optheria　without　getting　trapped。　When　he　realized　that　he　was；　and　even　he　couldn't　get　past　the　shuttleport　curtain；　he　talked　himself　into　his　position　as　Angel　Island　Harbor　Master。　Far　enough　away　from　the　shuttleport　to　satisfy　the　Elders；　and　far　enough　away　for　him　to　feel　safe　from　them。〃
　〃How　is　cargo　transferred？〃　Trag　asked。
　〃What　little　there　is；　is　unloaded　through　the　main　passenger　lock；　which　is　operated　by　the　shuttle　pilots；　true　and　loyal；　incorruptible　citizens　of　Optheria。　The　only　way　into　the　shuttleport　is　past　the　detector's　arc。　And　if　the　detector　is　set　off　without　first　presenting　the　right　pass　to　those　rehabbed　guards；〃　he　made　a　popping　sound；　〃you're　dead。〃
　〃Ah；　but　Thyrol　was　right　beside　me　as　we　left　the　port；　Lars；〃　Killashandra　said；　〃　And　the　arc　did　not　go　off。　Yet　you　say　that　it　goes　off　whenever　the　mineral　residue　is　detected。〃
　〃Crystal　resonance　might　mask　or　confuse　the　detector；〃　Trag　remarked；　choosing　his　words　slowly。　〃For　the　same　thing　occurred；　and　with　Thyrol　beside　me；　when　I　exited　the　port。〃
　〃Why　don't　we　just　boldly　go　under　the　fardling　arc　then？　Both　of　us　with　Lars　between。〃
　〃You　no　longer　resonate；　Killashandra；〃　Trag　said。
　〃Besides；　that　only　helps　me；　Killa。　I　won't　leave　the　others　vulnerable　to　the　Elder's　reprisals。〃
　〃Impasse！〃　Killashandra　threw　her　hands　out　in　disgust　but　she　had　to　admire　Lars's　stand。　〃Wait　a　minute。　I　may　not　resonate；　but　white　crystal　does。　Trag；　they　blow　out　the　monitors　at　the　sound　of　an　A。　Won't　crystal　resonance　affect　other　piezoelectrical　equipment？　I　know　it'd　be　folly　to　try　to　blow　out　the　shuttleport　detector。。。〃
　〃That's　been　tried；　too；　Killa。〃　Lars　interrupted　her　with　a　rueful　grin。
　〃Trag？　…　If　crystal　resonance　provides　a　mask。。。〃
　〃I　should　not　like　to　put　it　to　the　test　and　fail。〃
　Killashandra　turned　to　Lars。　〃You　said　something　about　your　father　being　able　to　detect　Council　agents。　Does　he　have　a　unit？〃
　〃A　small　one。〃
　〃If　we　had　it；　we　could　test　crystal　resonance　with　it。　We've　got　all　those　crystal　shards；　Trag；　and　you　know　how　interactive　white　is。〃
　〃First　we　have　to　contact　my　father；〃　Lars　said　with　an　ironic　laugh；　〃then　get　him　and　the　device　here。　Oh；　it's　not　large　but　certainly　not　something　you　carry　bare…faced　through　City　streets。〃　But；　even　as　Lars　spoke　in　pessimistic　terms；　it　was　clear　to　Killashandra　that　she　had　revived　his　hopes。　〃All　the　more　reason；　Trag；　for；　you　to　get　to　Ironwood　and　make　contact　with　Nahia　and　Hauness。　They've　got　the　oceanjet。　They　could　discreetly　bring　Father　and　the　device　as　far　as　Ironwood。〃
　〃There　are　no　other　embarkation　clearances　at　the　shuttleport？〃　Trag　asked。
　Lars　shook　his　head　slowly。　〃No　other　beside　the　security　curtain　has　ever　been　needed。　You　forget；　Trag；　that　loyal；　happy；　natural　Optherians　have　no　desire　to　leave　their　planet。　Only　tourists；　who　can　buy　tickets　anywhere；　so　long　as　they've　enough　credit。〃
　〃Then；〃　and　Trag　got　to　his　feet；　carefully　putting　the　glass　down　on　the　nearest　surface；　〃patently　I　must　oblige　both　you　and　the　greedy　Elders。　Good　night。〃
　Killashandra　watched；　wondering　if　the　polly　had　got　to　the　impervious　Trag　but　his　step　was　as　firm　and　unswerving　as　ever。　She　saw　that　Lars　was　watching　his　progress；　a　very　thoughtful　expression　on　his　face。
　〃If　this　idea　works；　Killa；〃　he　said；　taking　her　in　his　arms；　his　eyes　on　that　distant　prospect；　〃is　there　enough　crystal　to　get　six　or　seven　people　off　Optheria？〃
　〃Don't　hope　too　hard；　Lars！〃　she　cautioned　him；　her　head　against　his　shoulder；　her　arms　about　him。　〃Nor　can　we　schedule　a　mass　exodus　on　the　next　liner　without　giving　the　whole　scheme　away。　But　if　crystal　resonance　fools　the　scanner；　the　most　vulnerable　people　will　get　free。　The　Festival　season　hasn't　even　started。　When　it　does；　a　few　one…way　passengers　could　go　out　on　each　flight。〃　She　looked　up　and　caught　the　bleak　look　on　his　face。　〃Lars；　dance　with　me？〃
　〃To　a　distant　drum？〃　he　asked　with　a　rueful　grin；　but　he　shortly　sloughed　off　depression。
　The　next　morning　Killashandra　woke　to　the　second　chimes　and　to　an　interesting　ide