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through one of the slots in the bottom pallet with Thompson cuffed on the other side of the stack。 With the weight of the rest of the stack on top； and the utter lack of leverage any of them had to work with； I was pretty sure they would stay put until someone happened by； which from the evidence would probably not be until the next shift change at the maintenance buildings。 Hopefully； that wouldn't be for at least another couple of hours。
〃You won't get away with this；〃 Thompson warned as I went quickly through his pockets。 〃Not a chance in the universe。 If you release me now； I promise nothing will happen to you because of this incident。〃
〃Nothing over and above what you planned to do to me anyway？〃 I suggested。 〃Thanks； but I'll take my chances。〃
〃Your chances don't exist； McKell；〃 he said flatly。 〃And we don't want you； anyway。 All we want is the Icarus。 All of you are free to go。〃 He cocked his head to the side as he looked up at me； a gesture that somehow made him look even more like an accountant。 〃I'll do better； in fact。 I can promise you that if you'll turn the Icarus over to me； you'll profit quite handsomely on the deal。〃
〃Thanks； but this will do；〃 I said； withdrawing a neat stack of hundred…mark bills from one of his inside pockets。 〃I know it's not nice to steal；〃 I added； slipping the stack into my pocket； 〃but we're likely to have some unexpected expenses along the way。 If you'll give me your name and address； I'll make sure you're properly reimbursed。〃
〃Fifty thousand； McKell；〃 he said； staring unblinkingly into my eyes。 〃Fifty thousand marks to take me to the Icarus and walk away。〃
I gazed down at him； a hard lump forming in my throat。 What in hell's name were we carrying； anyway？ 〃I appreciate the offer；〃 I said； checking the other inside pocket。 This one yielded a phone and a slim documents folder。 〃But I'm already under contract。〃
〃A hundred thousand；〃 he said。 〃Five hundred thousand。 Name your price。〃
I patted his shoulder and stood up。 〃You might be surprised sometime to find out what money can't buy；〃 I said； tossing his phone onto the stack of pallets where none of them could reach it and pocketing the documents folder。 〃See you around。〃
〃You're making a big mistake； McKell；〃 he said。 His voice was quiet； but it held an absolute conviction that sent a chill up my back。 〃You have no idea who you're dealing with。〃
〃Maybe this will tell me；〃 I countered； tapping the pocket where I'd put his folder。
I passed around to the other side of the pallets； where Fulbright was still lying trussed up glaring at me。 〃Sorry about this； James；〃 I apologized。 〃I'll make it up to you next time； all right？〃
The look in his eyes made it abundantly clear what his plans were for the next time。 But again； that was a future too distant to worry about right now。
I hopped on the southbound slideway and headed back toward the spaceport center； keeping an eye on the Lumpies and Thompson as long as they were in sight。 The minute they were lost to view I got off the slideway and headed east toward the Icarus's landing cradle； walking quickly along until I reached a properly directed slideway and getting on it。
And there； with finally a moment of breathing space； I opened Thompson's folder and started going through his papers。 I was only halfway through when I put them back into my pocket and pulled out Fulbright's phone。
〃Yes？〃 Ixil's melodic voice answered。
〃It's me；〃 I said。 〃How's the fueling going？〃
〃Probably no more than a quarter finished；〃 he said。 〃They only got here fifteen minutes ago。〃
〃Tell them to quit and seal the ship back up；〃 I told him。 〃And get the bridge and drive preflights started。 We're out of here as soon as I get back。〃
There was just the briefest pause。 〃What did Uncle Arthur say？〃
〃I never got to talk to Uncle Arthur；〃 I told him。 〃And I'll explain as much as I can when I get there。 Just get us ready to fly； all right？〃
〃Got it；〃 he said。 〃We'll be ready when you are。〃
The Icarus was buttoned down； with no fuelers in sight； by the time I retracted the ramp and sealed the hatchway。 Tera and Everett tried to collar me in the corridor； demanding to know what the rush was； I ordered them back to their stations in no uncertain terms and headed to the bridge。
Ixil was waiting for me there。 〃All set；〃 he said； standing up and relinquishing the control chair to me。 〃Nicabar is ready with the drive； the fuelers are paid off； and I've got lift permission from the tower。〃
〃Good；〃 I said； sliding into the chair and sounding the lift alert。 〃Let's get out of here。〃
We were off the ground； nearly out of Dorscind's World's atmosphere； and driving for the blackness of space when he finally broke the silence。 〃Well？〃
I leaned back in my seat。 〃Someone out there wants to get hold of the Icarus；〃 I said。 〃They want it very badly。〃
He frowned。 〃Why？〃
〃I don't know why；〃 I said； pulling Thompson's documents out of my pocket and handing them over。 〃But I do know who。〃
He leafed through the papers； and stopped at the same place I had。 Staring at the plain ID card with its operative number and ornate governmental seal and nothing else； the ferrets on his shoulders twitching with his astonishment。 〃I don't believe it；〃 he said mechanically； looking up at me。
〃I don't believe it either；〃 I agreed grimly。 〃But it's true。 We； my friend； are being chased by the Patth。〃
CHAPTER 7
〃BUT IT DOESN'T make sense；〃 Ixil protested。
〃On the contrary； it makes perfect sense；〃 I countered。 〃It has to。 We just don't know what that sense is yet； that's all。〃
Ixil muttered something in his own language； rubbing a fingertip along the corner of my locker。 We had retired to my cabin as the most private place on the ship to talk after I'd gotten us into hyperspace and turned the bridge over to Tera。 Technically； it was Shawn's shift； with Chort on watch in the engine room； but given the shape Shawn had been in when I left earlier I wouldn't have trusted him to butter bread for me； let alone watch over a ship I was on。
And between then and now； I'd had time to do some serious thinking。 〃Look； it's very simple；〃 I went on。 〃At least； the basics of it are。 The archaeological dig on Meima found something big…that much is clear from the fact that Cameron himself came out there to take a look。 They brought in the Icarus…〃
〃Wait a minute；〃 Ixil put in。 〃How did they bring it in without the Port Authority having a record of it？〃
〃Probably in pieces；〃 I said。 〃You've seen what this thing looks like…odds are Cameron flew it in in sections； along with some of his tech people to put it together； and maybe with the archaeological team helping with some of the gruntwork。 They probably built it underground； which would explain why none of the normal ining traffic noticed it on the surface。〃
〃Then that massive explosion Director Aymi…Mastr told you about was to blow the roof off one of those underground caverns and let the ship out。〃
〃Right；〃 I nodded。 〃Along with conveniently scrambling the spaceport sensors so that its departure wouldn't be noticed。 I'd give a lot to know what they added to the explosive or the dirt strata to pull that off…again；