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warn us there's a saboteur aboard。〃
〃If it was； he should learn how to pose letters；〃 I said sourly。 〃Let's try it from a different angle。 Who else aboard might know about that trick with the qohumet and whatever？〃
〃Prindeclorian；〃 he said around another bite of sandwich。 〃Hard to tell； unfortunately。 It was a favorite of armchair revolutionaries twenty years ago； along with a host of other mon…chemical concoctions； and it received a fair amount of word…of…mouth publicity。 But it never really caught on； mainly because you either need a small area to contaminate or a large supply of the necessary chemicals。〃
〃And because the fact that you have to set it on fire limits its subterfuge value？〃
〃Definitely；〃 he agreed。 〃Most people seeing a bright yellow flame spewing a cloud of greenish smoke won't stick around to see what the smoke might do to them。〃
〃Unless the person in question is in a Kalixiri a in a cabin the size of a large shoe box；〃 I concluded with a grimace。 〃You suppose there are other equally handy chemicals aboard？〃
Ixil paused to chew。 〃I imagine almost anything in sick bay would be lethal in a high enough dose；〃 he said when he got his mouth clear again。 〃Unless you want to throw all of it overboard； there's not much we can do about it。〃
〃That might not be such a bad idea；〃 I growled。 〃I'm starting to wonder if the only reason you're alive is that Shawn's escape interrupted our would…be killer in his work。〃
Ixil paused in the act of taking another bite。 〃Excuse me？ I thought your current theory was that the saboteur released Shawn so that he could chase everyone else out of the ship while he came back and did his dirty work。〃
〃That was the old theory；〃 I told him。 〃This is the new theory。 He'd gotten your door open； but then heard the motion on the mid deck and decided he'd better be found someplace else when they came looking for him。 Not wanting to be caught with his pockets full of chemicals； he stashed them inside the room for safekeeping； hied himself off to someplace innocent； and just never got a chance to e back。〃
〃And also put the control chip inside the room so that he wouldn't be able to open the door again himself？〃
I glared at him。 〃That's right； let yourself get mired down in facts。 Never mind the simple elegance of the theory。〃
〃My apologies；〃 Ixil said； an odd look on his face as he set the remains of his sandwich on the nav table。 〃An idea。 I'll be right back。〃
He left。 I started another systems check； just for something to do； and did some more glaring at the various instruments。 Unfortunately； he was right： If the saboteur planned to e back later； why take out the control chip？ Not to mention the rest of the damage he'd done to the release pad。
Unless that had happened since we'd returned。 Maybe he'd tried to e back early and found the ship surrounded by Najik customs officers。 He wouldn't have had a chance to act after that until the Najik had e and gone； while the rest of us were busy getting the Icarus ready to fly。
But why smash the pad at that point？ What did it gain him？
Unless he'd already gotten into the cabin and wanted to make sure no one was able to get in to interrupt him。 With the inside release pad intact； he would have had no trouble leaving whenever he wanted to。
So what had he done in there？
There was a clumping of heavy footsteps； and Ixil reappeared； carrying a large object wrapped in a folded cloth in his hand。 〃Have you checked with Pix and Pax since you woke up？〃 I asked。 〃I'm wondering if they might have seen someone else in there with you。〃
〃Yes； I have； and no； they didn't；〃 he said； sitting down again。 He set the object in his lap and started to unwrap it。 〃Except for seeing you e in for the ship's schematics； of course。 On the other hand； they were both asleep much of the time； so I can't absolutely state that no one else got in。〃
Dead end。 〃You need to train them to sleep one at a time。〃
〃If I'd been more alert before I went under I would have tried；〃 he said。 〃Though it might not have worked。 Instructions like that often get lost when I don't have any neural contact with them for a few hours and can't reinforce the orders。〃
I gestured toward the object in his hand。 〃What's that？〃
〃Exhibit A。〃 He pulled back the last fold of cloth； and I found myself looking at what had to be the biggest universal wrench on the ship； the kind used for unbolting thruster casings。
〃Ah；〃 I said。 〃And the significance of it is。。。？〃
〃Look closely； right here；〃 he said； pointing at a spot about midway along the rectangular cross…sectioned handle。 〃See the black streak？〃
I leaned forward。 It was there； all right： a faint black vertical mark； with a wider and fainter echo beside it as if a charcoal line had been smeared。 〃Let me guess；〃 I said； leaning back again。 〃A mark from the rubber edge of your cabin door？〃
〃Very good；〃 he said； lifting the wrench up by the cloth for a closer look of his own。 〃Those doors hit pretty hard when the buffer doesn't engage。 My assumption is he hit the release pad； then shoved this into the gap when it opened。〃
And it was still moving as the door hit it； hence； the smeared streak。 〃That would have left enough of an opening for the bottles； but not enough to get his arm through；〃 I pointed out。 〃Probably why they weren't farther from the door。 Unless he was hoping someone would kick them on the way in or out。〃
〃That wouldn't have done him any good；〃 Ixil reminded me。 〃You have to ignite the mixture； remember？〃
〃None of this does him any good；〃 I growled； mentally giving the whole thing up as hopeless。 There was some vital information we didn't yet have…I was sure of it。 And until we found out what it was all we were going to acplish by chasing our meager data around was to make ourselves dizzy。
Apparently； Ixil had figured that out； too。 〃As you suggested in an earlier conversation； it all makes perfect sense；〃 he said； starting to wrap up the wrench again。 〃We just don't yet know what that sense is。〃
I nodded to the wrench。 〃You planning to check it for fingerprints？〃
〃I was thinking of it；〃 he agreed。 〃Knowing the Icarus； though； I suspect we'll need to use it before we ever get within hailing distance of a proper fingerprinting expert。〃
〃Knowing the Icarus； I'd say you were right；〃 I agreed。 〃So what now？〃
〃I thought I'd see about fixing my door；〃 he said； tucking the wrench under one arm and snapping his fingers as he reached for the remains of his sandwich。 The two ferrets came at his call； scampering up his body to his shoulders。 〃Your door； rather； since your outer pad's on my cabin now。 I can take the pad off the empty Number Two cabin on the top deck and replace the whole thing。〃
〃What if we want to get in there？〃 I asked。
〃What for？〃 he asked reasonably。 〃Anyway； we can always move a pad from one of the other cabins temporarily if we need to。〃
〃Point；〃 I conceded。 〃Okay； go ahead。〃
〃Right。 I'll see you later。〃 Stuffing another large corner of his sandwich into his mouth； he headed out。
For a couple of minutes； ignoring my own resolve not to waste time and effort doing so； I chased our meager data around in a couple more circles。 It didn'