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I scowled some more at my displays。 This was getting me nowhere except dizzy。 What could a perfect stranger like Jones…a perfect stranger to the rest of the Icarus's crew； anyway…possibly know that would be worth killing him over？ Perhaps the fact that； despite his claims about his mechanical skills； Nicabar didn't actually know one end of a wrench from another？ But why would even an egregious bending of the truth be worth murder？ Besides； Uncle Arthur's profile on Nicabar had shown that he did have those skills。 Was it something about Chort； then？ Or Everett； or Shawn？
A rumbling in my stomach intruded on my thoughts； an audible reminder that it had been a long time since my last meal。 Giving the displays one last check； I got up and headed back to the dayroom just aft of the bridge。 The ship could look after itself long enough for me to put together a quick sandwich； and maybe a liter or two of coffee would help me think。 Though from the evidence to date； I doubted it。
I had assembled a sandwich from the rather unimaginative selection of ship's stores； and was pouring coffee into a spill…proof mug； when I caught the sound of a light footstep outside the door。 I turned； and to my plete lack of surprise found Chort framed in the doorway。 〃Excuse me； Captain McKell；〃 he said in his whistly voice。 〃I did not mean to intrude。〃
〃No intrusion at all；〃 I assured him； waving him in。 〃The dayroom's mon property； you know。 e in； e in。〃
〃Thank you；〃 he said； moving somewhat hesitantly into the room。 〃I know that the dayroom is usually a mon area。 But here it does not seem to be so。〃
〃The Icarus is an unusual ship；〃 I reminded him； picking up my plate and mug and settling down at the table。 So far on this trip I hadn't really had the chance to talk with Chort； and this seemed the ideal opportunity to do so。 〃And we're flying under very unusual conditions；〃 I added。 〃Our crew doesn't have the usual cohesion of people who've traveled a lot together。〃 I eyed him speculatively。 〃Though maybe that doesn't mean all that much to you。 You haven't been at this sort of thing very long； have you？〃
His feathery scales fluttered slightly。 〃Is it so very obvious？〃
I shrugged。 〃Maybe a little；〃 I said。 〃I wouldn't worry about it； though。 You're a Craea； and somehow you people have space travel in your blood。〃
〃Perhaps。〃 His beak clicked softly twice； the first time I'd heard him make that sound。 〃Or perhaps that is merely a myth。〃
〃If it is； there are an awful lot of people who've swallowed it；〃 I told him； taking a bite of my sandwich。 〃There's a terrific demand out there for Craean spacewalkers。〃
〃Perhaps the demand is justifiable；〃 he said； eyeing me closely。 〃But perhaps it is not。 Tell me； what did Ship Master Borodin tell you about this mission？〃
〃What do you mean？〃 I asked； frowning。 Mission； he'd said。 Not trip or voyage。 Mission。 〃I was hired to fly the Icarus from Meima to Earth。 Why； did he tell you something else？〃
〃Not something else； exactly；〃 he said； those pure white eyes still studying me with a disfiting intensity。 〃But he said there was something more involved here。〃
He stopped。 〃Go on；〃 I encouraged him； taking another bite of sandwich so as not to look too eager。
He gave it another couple of heartbeats before he finally went on。 〃Twelve others were trying to hire me at the Craean employment site on Meima；〃 he said。 〃Ship Master Borodin drew me aside and told me that while he could not pay as much as the others were offering； he could instead offer me a chance to do something for my people that would never be forgotten。〃
〃Really；〃 I said； fighting to keep my voice casual as I took another bite to hide the sudden shiver running through me。 Idiot that I was； not until that moment had Tera's revelation of the Icarus's true nature made even the slightest connection in my mind with the data Uncle Arthur had sent regarding the boom the Craean economy had been enjoying since the Talariac had hit the space lanes。 〃What else did he say？〃
Faced with a nonhuman audience； I'd apparently overplayed my casual act。 〃You don't believe me；〃 Chort said； starting for the door。 〃I'm sorry to have bothered you。〃
〃No； no…please；〃 I said； gathering my feet beneath me； ready to jump out of my chair if I needed to in order to stop him。 Suddenly there were a whole new raft of possibilities opening up here； possibilities I very much wanted to explore。 〃I didn't mean it that way。 Of course I believe you。 Did he say anything more？〃
He stood there another moment； then slowly retraced his steps。 〃You do not understand；〃 he said。 〃You humans。 You greatly dislike the Patth…I hear you talking。 But you do not understand。〃
〃Help me understand； then；〃 I invited； gesturing at the seat across the table from me。 〃Why shouldn't we dislike the Patth？〃
He hesitated again； then slowly sat down in the indicated seat。 〃You spoke of space travel being in Craean blood；〃 he said。 〃Perhaps in some ways it is。 We love free fall； and thrive in space habitats。 We have five in our home system； did you know that？〃
I nodded。 〃I hear they're beautiful inside。 I wish your government allowed non…Crooea to visit them。〃
〃They are indeed beautiful；〃 he said； the white eyes unfocusing oddly。 〃And it is in such places； or on our homeworld itself； that most Crooea would prefer to live if that was possible。〃
His eyes came back to focus on my face。 〃But such is not the case。 We have nothing in the fields of science or technology that can pete with the products of Earth or Basni or J'kayrr。 Yet we must continue to create wealth if we are to have the benefits of that technology； or if we are to build more space habitats for our people。〃
〃You have your food exports；〃 I reminded him。 〃I understand they're very much sought after。〃
〃But they can travel only a limited distance before spoiling；〃 he said。 〃In the face of such a dilemma； what can the Crooea do？〃
I sighed。 I saw where he was headed now； all right。 〃They hire themselves out across the Spiral； of course；〃 I said。 〃Tell me； how much of your pay goes directly to the Craean government？〃 His beak snapped hard。 〃Seven…tenths；〃 he said。 A seventy percent tax bracket。 Indentured servitude； with the twist that the servitude was to their own government and people。 〃I've never heard anything about this before；〃 I said。 〃Why have you kept it such a secret？〃
His feathers fluffed briefly。 〃Why would we tell it？〃 he countered。 〃It is not something we are proud of。 To sell ourselves into service to aliens is not a pleasant thing。〃
〃Though it's really no different from what the rest of us do；〃 I pointed out。 〃None of us are selling ourselves； exactly； just hiring our services and our expertise out to others。 It's what's called a job。〃
〃It was never the Craean way；〃 he said firmly。 〃But it is our way now。〃
He cocked his head to one side； a quick gesture that was very bird…like。 〃But even now that way may be changing。 The Patth merchants have given us the chance to sell our foodstuffs in more markets than ever before。 In only a few short decades； perhaps we will have the resources necessary for the habitats we yet wish to build。 When that happens； we will once again be able t