amc.killashandra-第17节
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p was not grounds for charter…smashing； and the Guild had only been requested to discover if the planetary exit restriction was popularly accepted。
Well； she knew one person she could ask … the tenor … if he hadn't gone into hiding after last night's hunt。 Killashandra grinned。 If she knew tenors。。。
She had breakfasted … the catering unit did offer a substantial breakfast … and dressed by the time Thyrol arrived to inquire if she had rested； and more importantly； if she would like to start the repairs。 He tactfully indicated her arm。
〃You've apprehended the assailant？〃
〃Merely a matter of time。〃
〃How many students in the plex？〃 she asked amiably as Thyrol led her down the hall to the lift。
〃At present； four hundred and thirty。〃
〃That's a lot of suspects to examine。〃
〃No student would dare attack an honored guest of the planet。〃
〃On most planets； they'd be the prime suspects。〃
〃My dear Guildmember； the selection process by which this student body is chosen considers all aspects of the applicant's background； training； and ability。 They uphold all our traditions。〃
Killashandra mumbled something suitable。 〃How many positions are available to graduates？〃
〃That is not an issue； Guildmember；〃 Thyrol said with mild condescension。 〃There is no limit to the number of fully trained performers who present positions for the Optherian organ … 〃
〃But only one may play at a time … 〃
〃There are forty…five organs throughout Optheria … 〃
〃That many？ Then why couldn't one of those be substituted … 〃
〃The instrument here at the plex is the largest； most advanced and absolutely essential for the performance level required by the Summer Festival。 posers from all over the planet pete for the honor and their work has been especially written for the potential of the main instrument。 To ask them to perform on a lesser organ defeats the purpose of the Festival。〃
〃I see；〃 Killashandra said although she didn't。 However； once she had been admitted through the series of barriers and security positions protecting the damaged organ； she began to appreciate the distinction Thyrol had made。
He had taken her to the rocky basements of the plex； and then to the impressive and unexpectedly grand petition Amphitheater which utilized the natural stony bowl on the nether side of the plex promontory。 Some massive early earthfault and a lot of weathering had molded the mount's flank into a perfect semicircle。 The Optherians had improved the amphitheater with tiered ranks of individual seating units； facing the shelf on which the organ console stood。 This was accessible only from the one entrance through which Thyrol now guided Killashandra。 With a sincere and suitable awe； Killashandra looked about her； annoyed that she was gratifying Thyrol's desire to impress a Guildmember even as she was unable to suppress that wonder。 She cleared her throat； and the sound； small though it was； echoed faithfully back at her。 〃The acoustics are incredible；〃 she murmured and； as Thyrol smiled tolerantly； heard her words whispered back。 She rolled her eyes and looked about her for an exit from the phenomenal stage。
Thyrol gestured to a portal carved in the solid rock on the far side of the organ console。 From his belt pouch he extracted three small rods。 With these and his thumb print； he opened the door； the sound reverberating across the empty space。 Killashandra slipped in first。 As familiar as she was with auditoria of all descriptions； something about this one unnerved her。 Something about the seats reminded her of primitive diagnostic chairs which used physical restraints on their occupants； yet she knew that people would cross the Galaxy to attend the Festival。
Lights had e up at their entry and illuminated a large； low…ceilinged chamber。 Taking up the floor space in front of the innocuous interlinked cabinets that made up the electronic guts of the Optherian organ were the prominent sealed crates containing the white crystal。 Overhead harnesses of color…coded cables formed a ceiling design before they disappeared through conduits to unknown destinations。
Thyrol led the way to the large rectangle containing the shattered remains of the crystal manual。
〃How； in the name of all that's holy； did he manage that？〃 Killashandra demanded after surveying the damage。 Some of the smaller crystals had been reduced to thin splinters。 In idle wonder she picked up a handful of the shards； letting them trickle through her fingers； ignoring Thyrol's cry of alarm as he grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands back。 The tiny cuts inflicted by the scalpel…sharp crystal briefly oozed droplets of blood then closed over while Thyrol watched in fascinated horror。
〃As you can see； the merest caress of crystal。〃 She twisted her hands free of Thyrol's unexpectedly strong grasp。 〃Now；〃 and she spoke more briskly； looking down at the mess in the bottom of the cabinet； 〃I'll need some tools； some stout fellows； and stouter baskets to remove the debris。〃
〃An extractor？〃 Thyrol suggested。
〃There isn't an extractor built on Ballybran or anywhere else that wouldn't be sliced to ribbons by crystal shards in suction。 No； this has to be cleaned in a time honored fashion … by hand。〃
〃But you。。。〃
Killashandra drew herself up。 〃As a Guildmember； I am not averse to performing necessary manual tasks。〃 She paused to let Thyrol appreciate the difference。 She had done more than enough shard…scrapping on Ballybran to undertake it here on Optheria。
〃It is only that security measures … 〃
〃I would； of course； accept your assistance in the interests of security。〃
Thyrol hastily adjourned to a munication console。 〃What exactly do you require； Guildmember？〃
She gauged the volume of broken crystal in the cabinet。 〃Three strong men with impervometallic bins of approximately ten…kilo volume； triple…strength face masks； durogloves； fine…wire brushes； and the sort of small； disposable extractor used by archeologists。 We have to be sure to glean every particle of crystal dust。〃
Thyrol's eyes bugged out a bit over the more bizarre items； but he repeated her requirements； and then turned up very stiff indeed when he was subjected to questions by the staff。 〃Of course； they have to be cleared by Security； but they are to be here immediately； properly geared to assist the Guildmember！〃 He broke off the connection and； his face blotched with displeasure； turned to Killashandra。 〃With so much at stake； Guildmember； you can appreciate our wish to protect you and the organ from further depredations。 If something should happen to the replacement crystal。。。〃
Killashandra shrugged。 From what she had seen of Optherians； 'once bitten； twice shy' described their philosophy。 She ran her hand across the instrument nearest her； glancing around at the rest of the anonymous equipment。 〃This is a more plex device than I'd been led to believe。〃 She turned and presented a politely inquiring expression to Thyrol。
〃Well； ah； that is。。。〃
〃e now； Thyrol； I am scarcely connected with the subversives。〃
〃No； of course not。〃
Killashandra diverted Thyrol's attention from realizing that he had covertly admitted the existence of an underground organization by turning； once again； toward the front of the chamber and pointing at the access panel to the keyboard。 〃Now the actual keyboard is beyond that panel； so the right…hand box houses the stops and voicing circuitry。 And is that；〃 she pointed to the largest unit； 〃the CPU？ The induction modulator and mixer must be in that left…hand cabinet。〃
〃You are knowledgeable about organ technology？〃 Thyrol's expression assumed a wary blankness。 For the second time since her arrival； Killashandra perceived empathic emanations from an Optherian： this time a strong sense of indefinable apprehension and alarm。
〃Not as much about organs as I do about interface techniques； sensory simulators； and synthesizer modulators。 Crystal singing requires a considerably wide range of experience with sophisticated electronic equipment； you know。〃
He obviously didn't or he wouldn't have nodded so readily。 Killashandra blessed her foresight in utilizing the sleep…teaching tapes she had copied from the Athena's prehensive data retrieval system。 Her answer reassured Thyrol and the shadow of his fear slowly dissipated。
〃Of course there is a double handshake between the program；〃 and he tapped the black case by him； 〃and the position memory banks。 position；〃 and he walked from one to the other； his hand lightly brushing the surfaces； 〃of course leads directly into the recall excitor stimulator； for that uses the memory symbology of the median individual member of any audience so that a position is translated into terms which have meaning to the auditors。 Naturally the subjective experience of a program for Optherians would differ greatly from the experience a nonhuman would have。〃
〃Of course；〃 Killashandra murmured encouragingly。 〃And the information from the crystal manual goes？。。。〃
Assuming the pose of a pompous lecturer； Thyrol pointed to the various units in flow sequence。 〃Into the synapse carrier encoder and demodulator multiplexer； both of which feed into the mixer for the sensory transducer terminal network。〃 Beaming with pride； h
