amc.killashandra-第13节

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　〃That's　a　businesslike　piece　of　wickedness；〃　Killashandra　remarked　as　she　studied　the　asterisk…bladed　object；　three　of　its　lethal　blades　buried　in　the　seat　back。　The　one　which　had　wounded　her　pointed　outward；　a　strand　of　her　sleeve　material　laid　neatly　along　the　cutting　edge。
　〃Don't　touch　it〃　Mirbethan　put　out　her　hand　to　prevent　such　action。
　〃No　fear；〃　Killashandra　said；　straightening　up。　〃Local　manufacture？〃
　〃No。〃　Mirbethan's　voice　took　on　a　note　of　indignant　anger。　〃An　island　implement。　An　outrage。　We　shall　spare　no　effort　to　discover　the　perpetrator　of　this　deed。〃
　There　was　a　subtle；　but　discernible；　alteration　in　Mirbethan's　tone　between　her　first　two　remarks　and　the　last　which　Killashandra　caught　but　could　not　then　analyze；　for　the　rest　of　the　mittee　suddenly　recalled　that　there　had　been　a　victim　of　this　〃outrage〃　and　more　attentions　were　showered　on　Killashandra　by　the　concerned。　Despite　her　protestations；　she　was　carried　into　the　vaulting　entrance　hall　of　the　main　building；　and　whisked　along　a　corridor；　lined　floor　to　ceiling　with　portraits　of　men　and　women。　Even　in　her　swift　passage　she　noticed　that　they　all　smiled　in　the　same　tight；　smug　way。　Then　she　was　conducted　to　a　lift　while　dignitaries　bickered　about　who　should　acpany　her　in　the　limited　space。
　Once　again；　Mirbethan　won　Killashandra's　approval　by　closing　the　door　on　the　argument。　They　were　met　at　their　destination　by　a　full　medical　convention　and　Killashandra　was　made　to　lie　on　a　gurney　and　was　wheeled　into　diagnostics。
　At　the　moment　of　truth。　when　the　temporary　bandaging　was　reverently　unwound　from　the　injury；　there　was　a　stunned　silence。
　〃I　could　have　spared　everyone　a　great　deal　of　unnecessary　effort；〃　Killashandra　remarked　dryly　after　she　glanced　at　the　clean；　bloodless　cut。　〃As　a　crystal　singer；　I　heal　very　quickly　and　am　not　the　least　bit　susceptible　to　infection。　As　you　can　see。〃
　Consternation　was　rampant；　with　all　the　medics　exclaiming　over　the　wound；　and　others　cramming　forward　in　an　attempt　to　witness　this　miracle　of　regeneration。　Glancing　up；　Killashandra　saw　the　very　smug　smile　on　Mirbethan's　face；　so　very　like　the　smiles　on　the　portraits。
　〃To　what　agency　do　you　attribute　such　remarkable　healing　properties？〃　asked　the　eldest　of　the　medical　people　in　attendance。
　〃To　living　on　Ballybran；〃　Killashandra　replied。　〃As　you　must　surely　be　aware；　the　resonance　of　crystal　slows　down　the　degenerative　process。　Tissue　damage　regenerates　quickly。　By　this　evening　this　minor　cut　will　be　pletely　healed。　It　was　a　clean　swipe　and　not　all　that　deep。〃
　She　seized　the　opportunity　to　slip　off　the　gurney。
　〃If　we　may　take　a　sample　of　your　blood　for　analysis；〃　the　elder　medic　began；　reaching　for　a　sterilely　packaged　extractor。
　〃You　may　not；〃　Killashandra　said　and　again　felt　a　wave　of　incredulous　dismay　and　surprise　from　her　audience。　Was　contradiction　forbidden　on　Optheria？　〃The　bleeding　has　stopped。　Nor　will　analysis　isolate　the　blood　factor　which　slows　degeneration；〃　she　went　on　with　a　kind　smile。　〃Why　waste　your　valuable　time？〃
　She　strode　purposefully　toward　the　door；　determined　to　end　this　interlude。　Just　then；　Pirinio；　Thyrol；　and　Polabod　arrived；　breathless　in　their　haste　to　rejoin　her。
　〃Ah；　gentlemen；　you　are　just　in　time　to　escort　me　to　my　quarters。〃　And　when　there　were　stumbled　explanations　about　receptions　and　Music　Center　faculty　waiting　and　the　prospect　of　attendance　by　the　Elders；　she　smiled　gently。　〃All　the　more　reason　for　me　to　change。。。〃　and　she　gestured　to　the　torn　sleeve。
　〃But　you've　not　been　attended！〃　Thyrol　cried；　astonished　to　see　an　unbandaged　slash。
　〃Very　well；　thank　you；〃　she　said　and　walked　past　him　into　the　corridor。　〃Well？〃　She　swung　round　to　face　a　throng　of　very　confused　people。　〃Will　no　one　escort　me　to　my　quarters？〃　This　farce　was　beginning　to　pall。
　The　corridor；　too；　had　its　occupants；　mostly　in　the　universal　green　garb　of　the　medical　profession。　Therefore；　the　young　man；　clad　in　a　dark　tunic；　his　bronzed　legs　bare　to　the　soft　leather　ankle　boots；　stood　out　among　them。
　Lanzecki　might　swear　that　the　Ballybran　spore　did　not　confer　any　psychic　enhancement　but　Killashandra　was　entertaining　severe　doubts　on　that　score。　She　had　definitely　caught　conflicting　emotional　emanations　from　Mirbethan；　from　the　other　worthies；　and　now；　from　this　young　man　…　a　curious　flash　of　green；　annoyance；　interest；　and　anticipation　far　too　strong　to　be　the　casual　reaction　to　a　visitor。　And　flash　was　all　it　could　be；　for　Thyrol　and　Pirinio　bore　down　on　her；　all　apologies　for　their　discourtesies　real　and　imaginary。　Mirbethan　firmly　took　her　place　at　Killashandra's　right；　edging　the　three　men　out　of　position　and　motioning　their　guest　down　the　hall。　When　Killashandra　was　able　to　glance　back　to　the　young　man；　he　was　striding　down　a　side　corridor；　head　down；　shoulders　sagging　as　if　weighed　down　by　some　burden。　Guilt？
　Then　she　was　swept　into　the　lift；　down　to　the　guest　level；　and　into　the　most　sumptuous　quarters　which　had　ever　been　allotted　to　her。　Having　agreed　to　descend　to　the　reception　as　soon　as　she　had　changed　gave　her　time　for　only　the　most　cursory　examination　of　the　apartment。　She'd　been　guided　through　a　large；　elegant　reception　room　suitable　for　formal　affairs。　A　smaller　room　was　evidently　to　be　used　as　a　studio　or　office。　They　hurried　past　two　bedchambers；　one　of　them　quite　modern；　before　she　was　ushered　into　a　main　room　so　vast　that　she　had　to　stifle　a　chuckle。　Mirbethan　indicated　the　toilet　and　the　slightly　open　closet　panel　where　her　clothes　had　been　hung。　Then　the　woman　withdrew。
　Stripping　off　the　torn　garment；　Killashandra　flicked　open　one　of　the　Beluga　spider…silk　kaftans　which　ought　to　be　suitable　for　any　reception：　certainly　a　foil　against　the　predominantly　white　or　pale　colors　which　the　Optherians　seemed　to　prefer。　Except　for　that　brooding　young　man。
　Killashandra　dwelt　briefly　on　him　as　she　washed　hastily。　Then　she　couldn't　resist　a　peek　into　the　other　hygiene　rooms。　One　contained　a　variety　of　tubs；　massage　table；　and　exercise　equipment　while　the　third　boasted　a　radiant…fluid　tub　and　several　curious　devices　which　Killashandra　had　never　before　encountered　but　which　left　an　impression　of　obscenity。
　Back　in　the　bedchamber；　she　heard　a　soft　rapping　at　the　door。
　〃I'm　ready；　I'm　ready；〃　she　cried；　masking　irritation　with　a　lilt　in　her　voice。
　Chapter　5
　That　protocol　had　bee　an　art　form　on　Optheria　told　Killashandra　quite　clearly　that　if　there　were　no　rebellious　spirits　then　the　entire　population　had　stagnated。　At　the　reception；　every　faculty　member；　their　subordinates；　then　every　student；　all　in　order　of　their　rank　and　scholastic　standing；　filed　past　her。　Mercifully；　handshaking　was　no　longer　a　part　of　the　ritual。　A　nod；　a　smile；　a　mumbled　repetition　of　the　name　sufficed。　After　fifty　nods；　Killashandra　felt　her　smile　fixed　in　her　cheeks　and　her　face　stiffened　into　that　mode。　With　her　everfaithful　quartette；　she　stood　at　the　top　of　a　massive　double　staircase；　whose　white　marble　nights　curved　down　into　a　marbled　hall　below。　The　ceiling　of　the　vast　reception　chamber　was　so　high　that　the　murmuring　of　the　assembled　crowd　was　absorbed。
　Killashandra　had　had　a　glimpse　of　tables；　laden　with　patterns　of　plates　whose　contents　were　as　precisely　placed　as　the　plates　were；　and　with　beakers　of　colored　liquids。　The　assembled　scrupulously　kept　their　eyes　from　the　direction　of　the　refreshments。　Killashandra　guessed　that　they　all　knew　too　well　the　taste　and　texture　of　the　reception　repast。
　There　were　curious　patterns；　too；　in　the　reception。　Five　people　would　take　the　right…hand　staircase；　the　next　five　would　descend　on　the　left。　Killashandra　wondered　if　a　steward　in　some　distant　anteroom　ticked　the　people　off　for　left　and　right。　There　were　never　more　than　ten　people　waiting　to　be　introduced；　yet　the　flow　down　the　hallway　was　steady　despite　its　apparent　randomness。
　Abruptly　no　more　people　were　making　their　way　to　the　reception　line　and　Killashandra　let　her　cheeks　relax；　rotating　her　head　on　her　neck；　wriggling　her　lips　and　nose　in　a　very　undignified　manner　in　order　to　ease　the　muscles。　One　never　knows　when　one's　early　training　as　a　singer　is　going　to　prove　useful；　she　thought；　just　as　she　heard　a　concerted　intake　of　breath　from　her　quartette。　Reorganizing　her　expression；　she　glanced　up　the　hall　in　time　to　observe　the　ceremonial　approach　of　dignitaries。
　The　seven　figures　who　processed　…　and　that　was　the　correct　verb　to　describe　their　advance　…　were　not　differently　garbed　from　the　other　highly　placed　Optherians；　but　they　wore　their　pale　robes　with　an　unmistakable　air　of　authority。　Four　men　and　three　women；　each　wearing　the　same　slight　smile　upon　their　serene　faces。　Faces；　Killashandra　would　shortly　note；　that　had　been　carefully　adjusted　by　surgery　and　artifice　to　enhance　that　serenity；　for　only　one　of　the　smiles　reached　the　weary；　bored；　aged　eyes。
　Elder　Ampris；　Killashandra　was　immensely　relieved　to　discover；　was　the　only　one　of　the　Optherian　rulers　with　whom　she　would　have　much　contact。　He　was　currently　responsible　for　the　Music　plex。　If　there　should　ever　be　a　Stellarity　Award　given　for　Best　Character　Actor　among　Planetary　Rulers；　surely　Ampris　would　win　it。　But　for　the　disparity　of　expression　between　e