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〃I'd be a little less flippant if I were you；〃 Nicabar said reprovingly。 〃Whether the rest of the Icarus crew lives or needlessly dies is going to depend entirely on you。 In fact； I'd go so far as to say that…what the hell？〃 He jumped away from the desk toward the wall； just as Nask let out a yelp of his own。
And for good reason。 The air vents； upper and lower both； were suddenly spewing a dense； pale yellow smoke。 〃We're on fire！〃 Enig gasped。
〃You three get out of here！〃 Nicabar snapped。 He'd reached the area of the lower vent now； his head and torso disappearing as he bent down into the smoke。 〃You…defenders…get that top vent sealed！〃
Two of the five Iykams were already scrambling against the wall； straining to reach the upper vent's sealing lever。 From Nicabar and the lower vent came a teeth…grinding screech of torn metal； and then abruptly he was standing upright again out of the cloud of smoke； a cloud that seemed already to be starting to dissipate。
And in his hand was Fulbright's Kochran…Uzi three…millimeter semiautomatic。
His first two shots took out two of the Iykams still standing guard over me。 The third guard nearly got his own weapon up and aimed in time； but lost the last chance he would ever have as I leaned sideways and kicked his gun arm out of line。 I swiveled back around as Nicabar systematically took out the rest of the guards； heaving myself up with the chair on my back again； and hurled myself across the desk at Nask。
The Patth threw his own chair backward as he saw me ing； making one last futile grab for something in the drawer he'd opened as he got out of my way。 But the desk was higher than the table in the back room had been； and with the additional barrier of the monitors along its edge I only made it about halfway across before I ran out of momentum。 Nask； belatedly seeing that his reflexive dodge had been unnecessary； killed his own backward momentum and dived out of his chair toward the open drawer。
〃Don't；〃 a familiar voice warned from the doorway。
Nask froze； his head twisting to look in that direction； his hand still outstretched toward the drawer。 I looked； too； trying to ignore the fresh red haze my sudden bit of exercise had sent swimming across my vision。 Ixil stood in the doorway； the plasmic in his hand pointed squarely at Nask； his wide shoulders and settled…looking stance blocking any hope of escape for the two Patth pilots standing rigidly in shock in front of him。
〃I see；〃 Nask said。 I looked back to find he had straightened up again； his hand fallen empty at his side。
〃It's like a class reunion in here；〃 I said； my voice sounding distant in my ears through the trip…hammer that had apparently finished its lunch break and started up work again on the back of my head。 〃I hope someone thought to bring some painkillers along。〃
〃We did better than that；〃 Ixil assured me； motioning Brosh and Enig back toward Nask and closing the door behind him。 〃We've got Everett waiting outside。〃
〃Everett？〃 I echoed。 〃I told him to stay with Shawn。〃
〃Tera and Chort are with Shawn；〃 Nicabar told me。 He was at my side now； examining the handcuffs。 〃It occurred to us that you might need medical attention more urgently than he did。〃
〃I don't； but I might have；〃 I admitted； nodding toward one of the guards lying dead on the floor。 〃That one。 Keys in his belt pouch。 How did you find me； anyway？〃
〃We never really lost you；〃 Nicabar said； dropping to one knee and digging into the pouch。 〃Tera wanted to know just where you were going to go on your errand。〃
I looked at Nask； who was standing stiffly glowering at us。 〃Don't worry about giving anything away；〃 I told Nicabar。 〃They were staking out pharmacists； after all。 Like he said； they're putting together the pieces。〃
〃And we already have most of them；〃 Nask said quietly。 〃Sooner or later we will get you。〃
He drew himself up。 〃And when we do； you will wish you had bargained here and now。 You will wish it very much。〃
〃I'll make you a small wager that we don't；〃 I offered。 But the words were automatic； and ninety percent bluster besides。 For at least the foreseeable future； the smart money was definitely still on the Patth。 〃So what； after I left she called and had you tail me？〃 I asked； turning back to Nicabar。
〃Actually； we'd already set it up；〃 Nicabar said。 He found the keys and set to work on my cuffs。 〃After the Iykams jumped you； I followed your party back here and then called Ixil。 He brought the chemicals I needed； and while I mixed up the smoke bombs and time fuses he sent his ferrets in to reconnoiter。 They came back； and we rigged them with harnesses to drag the bombs and gun inside。〃
The last cuff came loose。 〃You certainly had me going；〃 I said； massaging my wrists。 So that was what the ferret in the vent had been doing： chewing through his harness straps so that he wouldn't have to be sitting on top of the smoke bomb when it went off。 〃How exactly does the rest of the plan go？〃
Nicabar nodded at the three Patth。 〃We cuff our friends together and get out of here。〃
〃Good plan；〃 I said。 〃There's only one problem。 This ship of theirs； the Considerate。 It must be pretty good…sized； or Nask wouldn't have thought they'd be able to handle the Icarus。 If they get loose before we make it off…planet； they might take it into their heads to try and intercept us。〃
〃A good point；〃 Nicabar admitted。 〃Well。。。 if you want； I'll deal with it。〃
〃Be warned；〃 Nask said。 Suddenly every trace of smarminess was gone from his voice； leaving nothing but simmering threat in its place。 〃The murder of a Patthaaunutth citizen is punishable by the most severe consequences imaginable。〃
〃And how would they know who'd done it？〃 Nicabar scoffed。
〃There are ways；〃 Nask said； still in that same tone。 〃There are always ways。〃
〃Doesn't matter；〃 I said before Nicabar could reply。 〃We can't shoot down unarmed civilians in cold blood anyway。〃
〃Then what do we do？〃 Nicabar demanded。 〃Just leave them here like this？〃
〃We leave them here；〃 Ixil said； stepping forward and handing me his gun。 〃But not precisely like this。 Jordan； if you'd be so kind as to watch them； and Revs； I'd appreciate it if you'd get that upper vent open so that Pix can get out。〃
〃What are you going to do？〃 I asked； keeping one eye on the three Patth and the other on Ixil。 He had retrieved one of the corona guns and was fiddling with a pair of control settings。
〃This will be an experiment；〃 Ixil said。 〃I found this setting when I was examining the weapons you brought from your encounter on Xathru。 It's quite low…power…far too low； in fact； to possibly serve as a credible weapon。〃
〃What's it for； then？〃 Nicabar asked； grunting as he tore the grating from the upper vent。 Pix was more than ready； diving out of the opening almost before the grating was all the way off。 Hitting the floor； he dodged around the Iykams' bodies and scampered up Ixil's leg。
〃I expect it's used for torture；〃 Ixil said； squinting at the dials。 〃Something to cause pain without the risk of physical damage。〃
〃What an efficient idea；〃 I muttered； gazing hard at Nask。 He said nothing； his eyes riveted on the weapon in Ixil's hand。 〃No reason you should ha