amc.killashandra-第61节

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　〃Right　on　the　dot；　Killashandra；　you've　improved！〃　he　said；　giving　her　an　unnecessary　assist　out　of　the　vehicle。
　〃Thank　you；　driver；〃　Killashandra　said。　〃I　really　need　to　stretch　my　legs；　Corish。　Let's　walk　to　the　restaurant　if　it　isn't　far。　I　felt　awfully　conspicuous　where　so　few　people　use　ground　transport。〃
　〃Have　you　paid　him？〃　Corish　asked；　reaching　into　his　belt　pouch。
　〃I　told　you　I　could；〃　she　began　in　a　sulky　voice　and　made　shooing　gestures　at　the　driver。　The　man　reengaged　the　drive　and　the　vehicle　slid　slowly　away。　〃I'm　being　monitored；　Corish；　and　we　need　to　talk；〃　she　said；　cocking　her　head　up　at　him　with　an　apologetic　expression　on　her　face。
　〃I　thought　so。　I'm　told　to　try　the　Berry　Bush　so　I　expect　it's　got　monitors　in　the　utensils。　This　way。〃　Corish　cupped　his　hand　under　her　elbow；　guiding　her　in　the　right　direction。　〃It's　not　far。　I'm　only　just　back　from　Ironwood。〃
　〃Lars　is　in　a　swivet　about　Nahia　and　Hauness。〃
　〃They're　all　right。。。〃　and　Corish's　tone　of　voice　added　so　far；　〃but　the　search　and　seize　continues！　Hauness　is　convinced　that　the　Elders　mean　to　rouse　a　punitive　expedition　against　the　islands。　In　spite　of　your　safe　return。〃
　〃Torkes　doesn't　believe　in　coincidence。　More　important。。。〃　and　Killashandra　broke　off；　stunned　by　the　look　of　pure　hatred　on　the　face　of　a　woman　passing　by。　Killashandra　glanced　around　but　the　woman　had　not　paused　or　accelerated　her　pace。
　〃More　important？〃　Corish　prompted；　his　hand　impelling　her　to　keep　pace　with　him。
　With　an　effort；　Killashandra　redirected　her　attention；　but　an　afterimage　of　the　intensity　of　that　expression　burned　in　her　mind。
　〃The　Elders　use　subliminal　conditioning。〃
　〃My　dear　Killashandra　Ree；　that　is　a　dangerous　allegation。〃　Corish　tightened　his　fingers　on　her　arm；　shocked　by　her　statement。　He　looked　about；　to　see　if　any　of　the　few　passers…by　could　have　overheard。
　〃Allegation；　fardles！　Corish。　They　blasted　last　night's　audience　with　it；〃　she　said；　only　barely　able　to　keep　her　intense　indignation　at　the　conversation　level。　〃Security；　pride；　and　sex　was　the　dose。　Didn't　Olav　mention　subliminals　to　you？　He　knows　about　them。〃
　Corish　wet　his　mouth　in　a　grim　line。　〃He　mentioned　them　but　he　could　provide　me　with　no　proof。〃
　〃Well；　I　can　swear　to　it；　and　so　can　Trag。　He　disconnected　the　processor　on　the　Festival　Organ　yesterday　…　while　we　had　the　chance　…　and　the　Conservatory　instrument　today。〃　She　cast　him　a　snide　sideways　glance。　〃Or　should　we　have　waited　until　tomorrow　night　so　you'd　have　firsthand　experience？〃
　〃Of　course　I　trust　Trag's　evidence。。。　and　yours。〃　He　added　the　last　in　an　afterthought。　〃How　were　you　able　to　find　the　equipment？　Wasn't　it　well　hidden？〃
　〃It　was。　Shall　we　say　a　joint　effort　…　the　murdered　gail；　Lars；　and　Trag。　It　wasn't　crystal　that　killed　gail；　and　I　never　could　see　how　it　had；　but　a　desperate　man。　Probably　Ampris。　There'll　be　enough　witnesses　to　testify　before　the　Federation　Council。　Nahia　and　Hauness　too；　if　we　can　get　them　out。〃
　〃You'll　never　get　Nahia　to　leave　Optheria；〃　Corish　said；　shaking　his　head　sadly。　He　gestured　for　them　to　make　a　right　turn　at　the　next　junction。　The　smell　of　roasting　meats　and　frying　foods　greeted　their　nostrils；　not　all　of　it　appetizing。　But　this　was　clearly　a　catering　area。　Open…front　stalls　served　beverages　and　a　pastry…covered　roll　…　with　a　hot　filling　to　judge　by　the　expression　of　a　man　cautiously　munching　one。
　〃If　we　could　get　anyone　out；〃　Corish　said　gloomily。　〃They're　all　in　jeopardy　now。〃
　〃Which　is　why　we　want　you　to　contact　Olav　and　get　him　and。。。〃
　A　change　in　air　pressure　against　her　back　gave　Killashandra　only　a　second's　warning　but　she　had　turned　just　enough　to　deflect　the　long　knife　descending　to　her　back。　Then　a　second　knife　caught　her　shoulder　and　she　tried　to　roll　away　from　her　assailants；　hearing　Corish's　hoarse　cry。
　〃Lars！〃　she　shouted　as　she　fell；　trying　to　roll　away　from　her　attackers。　〃Lars！〃　She　had　bee　too　used　to　his　presence。　And　where　was　he　when　she　really　needed　him？　The　thought　flitted　even　as　she　tried　to　protect　herself　from　the　boots　kicking　her。　She　tried　to　curl　up；　but　hard　rough　hands　grabbed　at　arms　and　legs。　Someone　was　really　attempting　to　kidnap　her；　even　with　Corish　beside　her。　He　was　no　bloody　use！　She　heard　him　yelling　above　the　unintelligible　and　malevolent　growls　of　the　people　beating　her。　There　were　so　many；　men　and　women；　and　she　knew　none　of　them；　their　faces　disguised　by　their　hatred　and　the　insanity　of　violence。　She　saw　someone　haul　back　a　man　with　a　knife　raised　to　plunge　into　her；　saw　a　face　she　knew　…　that　woman　from　the　street。　She　heard　Corish　howling　with　fury　and　then　a　boot　connected　with　her　temple　and　she　heard　nothing　else。
　Chapter　24
　Of　the　next　few　days；　Killashandra　had　only　disconnected　memories。　She　heard　Corish　arguing　fiercely；　then　Lars；　and　under　both　voices；　the　rumble　of　Trag　who　was；　she　thought　even　in　her　confusion　and　welter　of　physical　pain；　laying　down　laws。　She　was　aware　of　someone's　holding　her　hand　so　tight　it　hurt；　as　if　she　didn't　have　enough　wounds；　but　the　grasp　was　obscurely　forting　and　she　resisted　its　attempt　to　release　hers。　Pain　came　in　waves；　her　chest　hurt　viciously　with　every　shallow　breath。　Her　back　echoed　the　disfort；　her　head　seemed　to　be　vibrating　like　a　drum；　having　swollen　under　the　skull。
　Pain　was　something　not　even　her　symbiont　could　immediately　suppress　but　she　kept　urging　it　to　help　her。　She　chanted　at　it；　calling　it　up　from　the　recesses　of　her　body　to　restore　the　cells　with　its　healing　miracle；　especially　the　pain。　Why　didn't　they　think　about　the　pain？　There　wasn't　a　spot　on　her　body　that　didn't　ache；　pound；　throb；　profest　the　abuse　that　she　had　suffered。　Who　had　attacked　her　and　why？
　She　cried　out　in　her　extremity；　called　out　for　Lars；　for　Trag　who　would　know　what　to　do；　wouldn't　he？　He'd　helped　Lanzecki　with　crystal　thrall。　Surely　he　knew　what　to　do　now？　And　where　had　Lars　been　when　she　really　needed　him？　Fine　bodyguard　he　was！　Who　had　it　been？　Who　was　the　woman　who　hated　her　enough　to　recruit　an　army　to　kill　her？　Why？　What　had　she　done　to　any　Optherians？
　Someone　touched　her　temples　and　she　cried　out　…　the　right　one　was　immeasurably　sore。　The　pain　flowed　away；　like　water　from　a　broken　vessel；　flowed　out　and　down　and　away；　and　Killashandra　sank　into　the　gorgeous　oblivion　which　swiftly　followed　painlessness。
　〃If　she　had　been　anyone　else；　Trag；　I　wouldn't　permit　her　to　be　moved　for　several　weeks；　and　then　only　in　a　protective　cocoon；〃　said　a　vaguely　familiar　voice。　〃In　all　my　years　as　a　physician；　I　have　never　seen　such　healing。〃
　〃Where　am　I　going？　I'd　prefer　the　islands；〃　Killashandra　said；　rousing　enough　to　have　a　say　in　her　disposition。　She　opened　her　eyes；　half…expecting　to　be　in　the　wretched　Conservatory　Infirmary　and　very　well　satisfied　to　find　that　she　was　in　the　spacious　bed　of　her　quarters。
　〃Lars！〃　Hauness　called　jubilantly。　His　had　been　the　familiar　voice。
　The　door　burst　inward　as　an　anxious　Lars　Dahl　rushed　to　her　bedside；　followed　by　his　father。
　〃Killa；　if。。。　you　knew。。。〃　Tears　welling　from　his　eyes；　Lars　could　find　no　more　words　and　buried　his　face　against　the　hand　she　raised　to　greet　him。　She　stroked　his　crisp　hair　with　her　other　hand；　soothing；　his　release　from　uncertainty。
　〃Lousy　bodyguard；　you　are。。。〃　She　was　unable　to　say　what　crowded　her　throat；　hoping　that　her　loving　hand　conveyed　something　of　her　deep　feeling　for　him。　〃Corish　was　no　use；　after　all。〃　Then　she　frowned。　〃Was　he　hurt？〃
　〃Security　says；〃　Hauness　replied　with　a　chuckle；　〃he　lifted　half　a　dozen　of　your　assailants　and　broke　three　arms；　a　leg；　and　two　skulls。〃
　〃Who　was　it？　A　woman。。。〃
　Trag　moved　into　her　vision；　registering　with　a　stolid　blink　that　her　hands　were　busy　forting　Lars　Dahl。　〃The　search　and　seize　stirred　up　a　great　deal　of　hatred　and　resentment；　Killashandra　Ree；　and　as　you　were　the　object　of　that　search；　your　likeness　was　well　circulated。　〃Your　appearance　on　the　streets　made　you　an　obvious　target　for　revenge。〃
　〃We　never　thought　of　that；　did　we？〃　she　said　ruefully。
　The　movement　to　her　right　caused　her　to　flinch　away　and　then　offer　profuse　apologies；　for　Nahia　was　moving　to　fort　the　distraught　Lars。
　〃So　you　took　the　pain　away；　Nahia？　My　profound　thanks；〃　Killashandra　said。　〃Even　crystal　singer's　nerve　ends　don't　heal　as　quickly　as　flesh。〃
　〃So　Trag　told　us。　And　that　crystal　singers　cannot　assimilate　many　of　the　pain…relieving　drugs。　Are　you　in　any　pain　now？〃　Nahia's　hands　gently　rested　on　Lar's　head　in　a　brief　benison；　but　her　beautiful　eyes　searched　Killashandra's　face。
　〃Not　in　the　flesh；〃　Killashandra　said；　dropping　her　gaze　to　Lars's　shuddering　body。
　〃It　is　relief；〃　Nahia　said；　〃and　best　expressed。〃
　Then　Killashandra　began　to　chuckle；　〃Well；　we　achieved　what　I　set　out　to　do　in　meeting　Corish。　Got　you　all　here！〃
　〃Far　more　than　that；〃　Trag　said　as　the　others　smiled。　〃A　third　attack　on　you　gave　me　the　excuse　to　call　a　scout　ship　to　get　us　off　this　planet。　The　Guild　contract　has　been　fulfilled　and；　as　I　informed　the　Elder's　Council；　we　have　no　wish　to　cause　domestic　unrest　if　the　public　objects　so　strongly　to　the　presence　of　crystal　singers。〃
　〃How　very　tactful　of　you。〃　Belatedly　remembering　caution；　Killashand