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I had reached the trigger。 I took one last look at Cameron； who didn't know any of what his daughter had learned about me。 But as I squeezed the trigger； and the tingling and blackness closed in around me； I wondered oddly if he might possibly have guessed the truth。
CHAPTER 18
THE TRIP BACK to the Icarus probably took no longer than the trip out from it had。 I say probably because it definitely seemed longer。 Partly that was due to the fact that I was expecting it； with the acpanying sense of slightly cringing anticipation； and partly because this time I had a Kalixiri ferret cradled in my arm； whose main reaction to the tingling sensation was to attempt to dig his claws into whatever patches of skin were within easy reach。
Mostly； though； it was due to the unfortable awareness that a single miscalculation on Cameron's part would leave me in very serious trouble indeed。 Because if Cameron had guessed that I was not precisely what he thought he'd hired back at that Meima taverno； and if he'd decided he didn't want someone like me aboard his ship anymore； then a small mistake on the encoding panel would be the absolute simplest way of getting rid of me for good。
But Pax's claws didn't get to anything that wouldn't heal by itself； and Cameron hadn't made any mistakes； deliberate or otherwise。 There below me were the stacks of interior wall panels awaiting the attention of Chort and his welding team outside； the other stacks of equipment and paraphernalia； and the archaic puter humming beside the gaping access panel。
The relatively minuscule part of my mind that hadn't been worried about me ending up in the wrong stargate at the wrong end of the universe had occupied itself with the question of how I was going to explain my sudden appearance to Tera without giving away the true nature of her father's discovery。 But to my mild surprise Tera was nowhere to be seen； either at the access panel or half…hidden in the shadows thrown by the sections of inner hull that we'd left in place because of the wiring conduits fastened to their undersides。 For a moment I wondered uneasily if she might have taken it upon herself to crawl into the small sphere after me； but as I began the by…now…familiar downward drift toward the surface I realized she had more likely simply gone around to the access panel in the engineering section to see if I was ing out there。
For a change； Lady Luck seemed to be smiling on me。 Then again； maybe the fickle wench was just lulling me into a false sense of security while she reached for a rock。
I had made it to the surface； ready this time for the sudden surge in gravitational strength in that final meter； and was picking my way through the obstacle course toward the access panel when the hatchway to the wraparound opened。 Tera； undoubtedly； e to ask questions I had no intention of answering。
But to my mild surprise it wasn't Tera who came crawling out of the zero gee of the wraparound toward me。 It was； instead； Chort； still vacsuited but with his helmet hanging from the neck connector and bouncing gently against his shoulder blades。 〃Captain McKell；〃 he puffed as he caught sight of me。 〃Good…I had hoped to find you here。〃
I resisted the impulse to ask where else he thought I might have gotten to。 It would have been unnecessarily sarcastic； and given my experiences of the past hour； would have been rather disingenuous as well。 〃Is there a problem？〃 I asked instead as I set Pax down。
〃We have to leave this place；〃 he said； pulling himself the rest of the way into the sphere and standing up。 〃As soon as possible。〃
I frowned。 〃Are you finished with the cowling already？〃
He twitched his head。 〃No； not entirely；〃 he said。 〃But there will be no finishing。 Electronics Specialist Shawn is ill。〃
I grimaced。 In the excitement of my trip to nowhere and back I'd almost forgotten about this constraint on our little operation。 〃How bad is he？〃
〃You will see for yourself soon；〃 Chort said； his voice noticeably more whistly than usual。 〃Drive Specialist Nicabar will be bringing him inside as soon as his seizure is ended。〃
I felt the hairs on the back of my neck tingling unpleasantly。 Seizures？ That was a new one on me。 〃Does Revs need help？〃
Another twitch of the head。 〃He assured me he can manage on his own。 But we will need to obtain more medicine as soon as possible。〃
〃Understood；〃 I said； stepping over to the puter and tapping the inter to the engine room。 〃Ixil？〃
〃There you are；〃 Tera's voice came back almost instantly。 〃Where have you been？〃
〃Where do you think I've been？〃 I retorted。 〃Inside that damn puzzle box disentangling Ixil's damn ferret from all that damn wiring。 Why； wasn't I moving fast enough for you？ Put Ixil on。〃
She didn't reply； and I could imagine her floundering with surprise at my uncharacteristic harshness。 I felt a twinge of guilt； but at the moment hurt feelings were low on my priority list。 〃Yes； Jordan？〃 Ixil's voice came calmly。
〃Shawn's having some kind of seizure；〃 I told him。 〃Revs will be bringing him in as soon as it's over。 Start kicking the thrusters and stardrive back to life； and send Everett and Tera over to this side before we have to seal down the wraparound again。〃
〃Understood；〃 he said。 〃They're on their way。〃
〃Good；〃 I said。 〃Oh； and I've got Pax。 He's safe and sound。〃 A thought occurred to me…〃I'll bring him back around to you in a minute。〃
I keyed off before he could ask why I would waste time bringing a safe and sound ferret around to him now instead of concentrating on the navigational part of our uping trip。 〃What shall I do？〃 Chort asked。
〃Go get the treatment table ready for him；〃 I said； pointing across toward the pile of sick…bay equipment。 〃Then stand by to assist Everett。 I've got to get Pax back to Ixil in case he needs him。〃
The excuse； lame though it was； was unnecessary。 Chort probably didn't even hear it as he took off at a quick jog across the sphere。 I headed in the opposite direction； toward my personal kit and the food supplies that had been stored near my cabin and were now conveniently piled nearby。 I'd promised Cameron some supplies； and this could very well be my last clear chance for a while to get them to him。
I'd just finished filling my bag with food bars and water bottles when Everett and Tera emerged from the wraparound。 Everett made a beeline for Chort and the medical setup； Tera； not surprisingly； made an equally straight beeline for me。
I met her halfway。 〃Well？〃 she asked in a low and anxious voice； her expression that of someone braced for the worst。
I shook my head。 〃He's not in there；〃 I said。 〃Not alive； not dead； not injured。〃
The anxiety in her face eased； but only fractionally。 〃Then where is he？〃 she asked。
〃I don't know；〃 I told her； a statement that was technically correct； though misleading as hell。 〃Maybe he got off at Potosi after all。〃
She turned her eyes away from me。 〃He wouldn't have left the Icarus；〃 she said quietly。 〃Not voluntarily。〃
I thought about that one。 Another technically correct statement； though she didn't know it。 〃Perhaps；〃 I said。 〃I wouldn't give up hope； though。 If anyone can find a place to hide where the Patth c