amc.killashandra-第15章

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er　each　performance。〃
　〃We　recognized　that　problem　early　on　…　the　performer　is　shielded　from　the　full　effect　of　the　organ　in　order　to　retain　a　degree　of　objectivity。　And；　of　course；　in　rehearsal　the　transducer　system　is　pletely　bypassed　and　the　signals　inserted　into　a　systems　analyzer。　Only　the　best　positions　are　played　on　the　full　organ　system。〃
　〃Naturally。　Tell　me；　are　the　smaller　organs　amplified　in　this　fashion？〃
　〃The　two…manual　organs　are。　We　have　five　of　them；　the　rest　are　all　single　manual　with　relatively　primitive　synthesizer　attentuator　and　excitor　capability。〃
　〃Remarkable。　Truly　remarkable。〃
　Thyrol　was　not　blind　to　the　implied　pliment　and　looked　about　to　smile　as　the　outside　door　opened　to　admit　the　work　party。　Behind　them　came　three　more　men；　their　stance　and　costume　identifying　them　as　security。　The　work　party　stopped　along　the　wall　while　the　security　trio　tramped　stolidly　down　to　where　Thyrol　and　Killashandra　stood　by　the　sensory　feedback　transponder。
　〃Elder　Thyrol；　Security　Leader　Blaz　needs　to　know　what　disposition　is　to　be　made　of　the　debris。〃　He　saluted；　ignoring　Killashandra's　presence。
　〃Bury　it　deep。　Preferably　encapsulated　in　some　permaform。　Sea　trench　would　be　ideal；〃　Killashandra　answered　and　was　ignored　by　the　security　leader；　who　continued　to　look　for　an　answer　from　Thyrol。　Abruptly　Killashandra's　captious　temper　erupted。　She　slammed　her　right　hand　into　the　leader's　shoulder；　forcefully　turning　toward　her。　〃Alternatively；　insert　it　in　your　anal　orifice；〃　she　said；　her　voice　reasonable　and　pleasant。
　With　a　wave　of　astounded　gasps　sounding　in　her　ear；　she　made　her　exit。
　Chapter　7
　As　Killashandra　started　across　the　stage　to　retrace　her　steps　to　the　plex；　she　decided　that　that　was　the　last　place　she　wanted　to　go　in　her　state　of　mind　After　all；　Trag　had　chosen　her　because　she　could　be　more　diplomatic　than　Borella。　Not　that　Borella　mightn't　have　handled　that　security　fardle…face　with　more　tact；　or　effectiveness。　However；　the　Optherians　were　stuck　with　her　and　she　with　them；　and　just　then　she　didn't　wish　to　see　one　more　sanctimonious；　self…righteous；　smug　Optherian　face。
　She　strode　to　the　edge　of　the　stage；　peered　over　at　the　ten…foot　drop　to　the　ground；　saw　the　heavy　doors　at　each　end　of　that　level　and　made　her　decision。　She　lay　at　the　edge；　swung　her　legs　down；　gripping　the　overhang；　and　let　go。
　Her　knees　took　the　jar　and　she　leaned　against　the　wall　for　a　moment　just　as　she　heard　the　men　emerge　from　the　organ　room。
　〃She'll　have　gone　back　to　the　plex；〃　Thyrol　said；　breathless　with　anger。　He　hurried　across　the　stage；　followed　by　the　others。　〃Simcon；　if　you　have　offended　the　Guildmember；　you　may　have　jeopardized　far　more　than　you　have　protected。。。〃　The　heavy　door　closed　off　the　rest　of　his　reprimand。
　Somewhat　mollified　by　Thyrol's　attitude　and　pleased　with　her　timely　evasion；　Killashandra　dusted　off　her　hands　and　moved　toward　the　clearly　marked　exit　door　at　the　outer　edge　of　the　amphitheater。　Even　the　soft　sound　of　the　brushing　was　echoed　by　the　fine　acoustics。　Grimacing；　Killashandra　stepped　as　cautiously　and　as　silently　as　she　could　toward　the　exit。　The　heavy　door　had　the　usual　push…bar　on　the　inside；　which　she　depressed；　holding　her　breath　lest　it　be　locked　from　a　control　point。　The　bar　swung　easily　out。　She　opened　it　only　wide　enough　to　permit　her　egress　and　it　closed　with　a　thunk　behind　her。　Its　exterior　was　without　handle　or　knob　for　reentry　and　a　flange　protected　it　from　being　forced　open　…　if　such　a　circumstance　ever　arose　on　perfect　Optheria。
　Killashandra　now　found　herself　on　a　long　ledge　which　led　to　one　of　the　switchback　paths　she　had　seen　yesterday；　though　this　one　was　at　the　rear　of　the　plex。　From　that　height　she　had　a　view　of　an　unpretentious　area　of　the　City；　to　judge　by　the　narrow　streets　and　the　small　single…story　buildings　crowded　together。　Between　it　and　the　plex　heights　lay　a　stretch　of　cultivated　plots；　each　planted　with　bushy　climbing　plants　and　fenced　off　from　its　neighbors；　and　most　of　them　neat。　In　several；　people　were　busily　watering　and　hoeing　in　the　early　morning　sunlight。　A　rural　scene　served　as　a　restorative　to　Killashandra's　exacerbated　nerves。
　She　began　her　descent。
　As　she　reached　the　valley　floor；　her　nose　was　assailed　by　the　unmistakable　aroma　of　fermenting　brew。　Delighted；　Killashandra　followed　the　odor；　squeezing　past　an　old　shed；　traversing　the　narrow　path　between　allotments；　nodding　polite　greetings　to　the　gardeners　who　paused　in　their　labors　to　regard　her　with　astonishment。　Well；　she　was　wearing　a　costume　which　marked　her　as　alien　to　Optheria；　but　surely　these　people　had　encountered　aliens　before。　The　aroma　lured　her　on。　If　it　tasted　half　as　good　as　it　smelled；　it　would　be　an　improvement　on　the　Bascum　brew。　Of　course　it　could　be　Bascum；　for　breweries　were　often　situated　in　suburbs　where　the　fumes　would　not　irritate　the　fastidious。
　She　reached　the　dirt　road　that　served　as　main　artery　for　the　settlement；　deserted　at　that　morning　hour　except　for　some　small；　peculiar…looking　animals　basking　in　the　sun。　She　was　aware　of　being　watched；　but　as　that　was　only　to　be　expected；　she　continued　her　inspection　of　the　unprepossessing　buildings　facing　the　road。　The　brew…smell　continued　to　permeate　the　air　but　intensified　to　her　right。　mon　sense　indicated　that　the　wide　gray　structure　on　the　far　side　of　the　road　some　thousand　meters　away　was　probably　the　source。　She　headed　there。
　As　she　walked　she　heard　doors　and　windows　open　behind　her；　marking　her　passage　to　her　objective。　She　permitted　herself　a　small　smile　of　amusement。　Human　nature　did　not　change　and　anything　new　and　unusual　would　be　marked　in　a　society　as　dull　and　repressed　as　she　suspected　Optheria's　was。
　The　brew…smell　was　almost　overpowering　by　the　time　she　reached　the　gray　building。　An　exhaust　fan　was　extracting　the　air　from　the　roof；　its　motor　laboring。　Although　there　was　no　sign　or　legend　on　the　building　to　indicate　its　purpose；　Killashandra　was　not　deterred。　A　locked　front　door；　however；　did　pose　an　obstacle。　She　rapped　politely　and　repeated　her　knock　when　it　brought　no　immediate　response。　Thumping　on　the　door　also　produced　no　results；　and　Killashandra　felt　determination　replace　courtesy。
　Was　brewing　illegal　in　Optheria's　largest　city？　Or　could　it　be　brewing　without　due　license？　After　all；　Bascum　originated　on　Optheria　and　might　have　a　monopoly。　To　be　sure；　she　hadn't　paid　much　attention　to　what　plants　were　being　so　carefully　tended　in　the　gardens。　Home　industry？　Thwarting　the　ever　vigilant　and　repressive　Elders？
　Quickly　she　stepped　around　the　building　and　toward　its　rear；　hoping　to　find　a　window。　She　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　running　juvenile　body　and　heard　it　raise　its　voice　in　warning。　So　she　raced　around　the　corner　to　find　the　rear　doors　folded　back　on　a　scene　of　much　industry　as　men　and　women　supervised　the　bottling　of　a　brew　from　an　obviously　improvised　vat。　The　young　messenger　took　one　look　at　her　and　fled；　ducking　down　the　nearest　alley。
　〃May　a　thirsty　stranger　to　this　planet　have　a　sample　of　your　brew？　I'm　perishing　for　lack　of　a　decent　glass。〃
　Killashandra　could；　when　she　exerted　herself；　be　smoothly　charming　and　ingratiating。　She'd　played　the　part　often　enough。　She　glanced　from　one　stony　expression　to　the　next；　holding　her　smile。
　〃I'll　tell　you　it　was　some　shock　to　discover　this　planet　doesn't　import　anything　spirituous　or　fermented。〃
　〃Shuttle　got　in　yesterday；〃　someone　in　the　group　said。
　〃Too　early　for　tourists。〃
　〃Those　clothes　aren't　local。〃
　〃Nor　island。〃
　〃I'm　not　a　tourist；〃　Killashandra　inserted　in　the　terse　ments。　〃I'm　a　musician。〃
　〃e　to　see　the　organ；　have　you？〃　The　man's　voice　was　so　rich　in　contempt；　disapproval；　cynical　skepticism；　and　malicious　amusement　that　Killashandra　tried　hard　to　spot　him　in　the　hostile　group。
　〃If　I　can　judge　by　my　reception　above；　that　sour　lot　permits　few　favors。　A　body　really　needs　a　brew　here。〃　Again　she　fortified　her　smile　with　winning　charm。　And　licked　dry　lips。
　Later；　in　reviewing　the　scene　at　her　leisure；　Killashandra　decided　that　it　might　have　been　that　unconscious　reflex　that　won　her　case。　The　next　thing　she　knew　an　uncapped　bottle　was　thrust　at　her。　She　reached　to　her　belt　pouch　for　the　Optherian　coins　she　had　acquired　on　the　Athena　but　was　curtly　told　to　leave　off。　Money　didn't　buy　their　brew。
　Although　some　had　turned　back　to　their　job；　most　watched　while　she　took　her　first　sip。　It　was　rich　despite　its　clandestine　manufacture；　slightly　cool；　undoubtedly　improved　by　a　proper　chilling　but　superior　to　the　Bascum　and　almost　on　a　par　with　Yarran。
　〃Your　brewmaster　wouldn't　happen　to　be　of　Yarra　origin？〃　she　asked。
　〃What　do　you　know　of　Yarra？〃　Once　again　the　question　was　posed　anonymously　though　Killashandra　thought　the　speaker　was　on　her　left；　near　the　vat。
　〃They　make　the　best　beer　in　the　Federated　Sentient　Planets。　Yarran　brewmasters　have　the　best　reputation　in　the　Galaxy。〃
　A　rumble　of　approval　greeted　this。　She　could　feel　the　tension　ease　though　the　work　continued　at　the　same　swift　pace。　Above　the　rattle　of　bottles；　and　the　noise　of　crating　the　full　containers；　Killashandra　heard　a　gasping　wheeze　to　her　right；　on　the　roadway；　and　then　a　dilapidated　vehicle；　its　sides　scarred　and　rusting；　pulled　up　to　the　open　door。
　Immediately　crates　were　loaded　into　it；　Killashandra　helping；　for　she'd　finished　her　bottle　and　wondered　how　she　could　wheedle　another；　others；　from　them。　Thirst　properly　quenched；　she'd　find　it　easier　to　deal　with　the　reproaches　of　Thyrol　and　the　others。　No　sooner　had　the　load　bed　been　filled　than　the　vehicle　moved　off　and　another；　equally　disreputable；　slid　into　its　place。　Of　course　this　patently　unauthorized　operation　proved　conclusively　to　Killashandra　that　the　population　of　Optheria　had　not　all　stagnated。　But　how　much　of　a　minority　did　they　constitute？　And　did　any　of　them　actually　wish　to　leave　Optheria！　Some　people　enjoy　thwarting　their　elected/established/appointed　governments　out　of　perversity　rather　than　disloyalty　or　dislike。
　When　the　third　transport　had　been　loaded；　only　a　few　crates　remained。　And　the　vat　and　its　attendant　paraphernalia　had　been　dismantled　and　reassembled　in　different　form　entirely。　Killashandra　gave　the　brewers　full　marks　for　ingenuity。
　〃You　expect　a　search？〃
　〃Oh　yes。　Can't　mask　brewing　pletely；　you　know；〃　said　a　sun…wrinkled　little　man　with　a　twinkle　in　his　eye。　He　offered　Killashandra　a　second　bottle；　gesturing　to　the　loaded　vehicle　in　explanation　of　his　generosity。
　As　she　inadvertently　glanced　in　the　same　direction；　Killashandra　noticed　that　his　workers；　each　laden　with　a　crate；　were　disappearing　up　and　down　the　street　and　into　the　alleys。　Just　audible　was　an　odd　siren。　He　cocked　his　head　at　the　sound　and　grinned。
　〃I'd　take　that　with　me；　were　I　you。　Won't　help　you　to　be　found　in　my　disreputable　pany。〃
　〃You'll　be　making　another　batch　soon？〃　Killashandra　asked　wistfully。
　〃Now　that　I　couldn't　say。〃　He　winked。　The　siren　became　more　insistent　and　louder。　He　began　to　fold　over　the　doors。
　〃What's　the　quickest　way　back　to　the　City？〃
　〃Over　two　ranks　and　then　to　your　left。〃　He　closed　the　last　lap　of　the　door　behind　him　and　she　heard　the　firm　click　of　the　lock。
　The　vehicle　with　the　siren　was　moving　at　a　good　clip　so　Killashandr