amc.killashandra-第34部分

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as　still　diddling；　but　Erutown　and　Lars　were　absent。
　She　heard　voices　and　steps　on　the　circular　stair　and　made　a　dash　for　the　toilet。　She　distinguished　Lars's　distinctive　laugh；　a　bass　rumble　from　his　father；　and　a　grunt　that　could　be　Erutown；　and　some　other　voices。　Until　the　eye　had　passed　and　the　symbiont　had　quieted；　Killashandra　wanted　to　avoid　everyone；　especially　Lars。
　〃Carrigana？〃　Lars　called。　Then　she　heard　him　approach　the　toilet　and　rap　on　the　door。　〃Carrigana？　Would　you　mind　fixing　some　hungry　storm　watchers　more　of　those　excellent　sandwiches？〃
　Under　ordinary　circumstances；　Killashandra　would　have　had　a　tart　rejoinder　but　catering　would　solve　the　more　immediate　problem。
　〃Just　a　moment。〃　She　splashed　water　on　her　face；　smoothed　back　her　hair；　and　regarded　the　blossoms　about　her　neck。　Strangely　enough　they　were　not　dead；　their　petals　were　still　fresh　despite　the　creasing。　Their　fragrance　scented　her　fingers　as　she　opened　the　crushed　flowers　and　spread　them　back　into　their　original　shapes。
　When　she　opened　the　door；　Nahia　and　Hauness　were　making　their　way　toward　the　catering　area。
　〃They　only　want　to　talk　weather；〃　Nahia　said　with　a　smile。　〃We'll　help　you。〃
　The　others　did　talk　weather；　but　on　the　units　to　other　islands；　checking　on　storm　damages　and　injuries；　finding　out　what　supplies　would　be　required；　and　which　island　could　best　supply　the　needs。　The　three　caterers　served　soup；　a　basic　stew；　and　high…protein　biscuits。　In　the　pany　of　Nahia　and　Hauness；　the　work　was　more　pleasant　than　Killashandra　would　have　believed。　She　had　never　met　their　likes　before　and　realized　that　she　probably　never　would　again。
　The　respite　at　the　storm's　eye　was　all　too　brief；　and　soon　the　hurricane　was　more　frightening　in　its　renewed　violence。　Though　it　was　a　zephyr　in　parison　to　Ballybran　turbulence；　Killashandra　rated　it　a　respectable　storm；　and　slept　through　the　rest　of　it。
　A　touch　on　her　shoulder　woke　her；　a　light　touch　that　was　then　repeated　and　her　shoulder　held　in　a　brief　clasp。　That　was　enough　to　bring　Killashandra　to　full　awareness　and　she　looked　up　at　Nahia's　perplexed　expression。　Killashandra　smiled　reassuringly；　attempting　to　pass　off　the　storm　resonance　still　coursing　through　her　body。　As　Lars　was　draped　against　her；　she　moved　cautiously　to　a　sitting　position　and　took　the　steaming　cup　from　Nahia　with　quiet　thanks。　Killashandra　wondered　how　the　man　had　been　able　to　sleep　with　her　body　buzzing。
　Other　storm　watchers　had　disposed　themselves　for　sleep　about　the　room。　Outside　a　hard　rain　was　falling　and　a　stout　wind　agitated　the　rain　forest　but　the　blow　had　bee　a　shadow　of　its　hurricane　strength。
　〃We　had　orders　to　wake　people　as　soon　as　the　wind　died　to　force　five；〃　Nahia　said　and　extended　a　second　hot　cup　to　Killashandra　for　Lars。
　〃Has　there　been　much　damage？　Many　injuries？〃
　〃Sufficient。　The　hurricane　was　unseasonably　early　and　caught　some　munities　unprepared。　Olav　is　preparing　emergency　schedules　for　us。〃
　〃Us？〃　Killashandra　stared　at　Nahia　in　surprise。　〃Surely　you're　not　going　to　risk　being　seen　and　identified　here？〃
　〃These　are　my　own　people；　Carrigana。　I　am　safest　in　the　islands。〃　Serenely　confident；　the　beauty　returned　to　the　catering　area。
　Lars　had　awakened　during　that　brief　interchange　although　he　hadn't　changed　his　position。　His　very　blue　eyes　were　watching　her　closely；　no　expression　gave　her　a　hint　of　his　mood。　Lazily　he　caressed　her　leg。　Gradually　his　lips　began　to　curve　in　a　smile。　What　he　might　have　said；　what　thoughts　he　held　behind　those　keen　eyes　he　did　not　share　with　her。　Then　he　touched　the　garland　she　still　wore；　carefully　unfolding　a　crushed　petal。　〃Will　you　be　crew　for　me？　We　won't　have　much　time　together　southbound。　Tanny；　Theach；　and　Erutown　sail　with　us；　and　we'll　be　dropping　off　supplies　here　and　there。。。〃
　〃Of　course　I'll　e；〃　Killashandra　said　eagerly。　She　wouldn't　miss　the　trip　for　the　world。　Only。。。　how　would　Lars　take　her　deception？　Would　she　lose　him？　Well；　she　didn't　have　to　admit　that　she　was　the　crystal　singer　they　had　incarcerated　on　the　island！
　The　winds　out　of　the　Back　Harbor　were　brisk　enough　to　be　dangerous；　but　the　well　laden　Pearl　settled　down　to　her　task　like　the　splendid　craft　she　was。　Erutown　was　the　nonsailor　among　them　and　took　to　a　bunk　in　the　forward　cabin　until　the　motion　sickness　medication　had　taken　effect。　Theach　had　appropriated　the　small　terminal；　smiling　with　absentminded　good　humor　at　his　shipmates；　before　he　resumed　his　programming。
　Now　that　Tanny　was　on　his　way；　he　was　as　cheerful　a　panion　as　one　could　wish。　Nor　was　he　impatient　with　Killashandra　as　a　crewmember。　They　had　set　sail　once　the　winds　had　dropped　to　force　three；　one　of　the　first　of　the　larger　sailing　vessels　to　leave　haven。　Others　were　being　loaded　and　crewed　for　their　relief　voyages。　After　the　enforced　idleness　of　the　storm；　it　was　good　to　be　physically　active。　Killashandra　didn't　mind　the　wet　weather　nor　the　tussle　with　wind　as　she　and　Tanny　made　periodic　checks　of　the　deck　cargo。
　Fresh　water　and　food　were　unloaded　at　the　first　stop；　and　some　emergency　medical　supplies。　The　Pearl　had　carefully　motored　past　the　debris　floating　in　the　small　harbor：　roofs；　the　sides　of　dwellings；　innumerable　polly　trees；　fruit　bobbing　about　like　so　many　bald　heads。　That　sight　had　startled　Killashandra　and　she　had　nearly　exposed　her　ignorance　of　island　phenomena　to　Tanny。　The　inhabitants　had　taken　refuge　on　the　one　highland　of　the　island；　but　they　were　already　hauling　salvageables　from　the　high　tide　mark　and　the　water。　They　cheered　the　arrival　of　the　Pearl；　some　wading　out　to　float　the　water…tight　supplies　in　to　shore。　The　exchange　was　pleted　in　the　time　it　took　the　Pearl　to　turn　about　and　head　back　to　the　open　sea。
　And　that　was　the　routine　at　a　half…dozen　smaller　islands。　Killashandra　had　had　a　long　look　at　the　charts　and　the　pass；　they　were　taking　a　long　arcing　route；　〃her〃　island　being　the　farthest　point　of　their　journey　to　the　southwest。
　The　waters　were　studded　with　islands；　large；　small；　and　medium。　All　showed　the　devastation　of　the　storm；　and　on　most　the　polly　trees　were　still　bent　over　from　their　struggle　with　the　hurricane：　on　some　of　the　smaller　islands；　the　trees　had　been　uprooted。　As　no　one　made　a　ment　on　this　waste；　Killashandra　could　not　ask　how　soon　polly　would　reestablish　itself。
　In　answer　to　a　faint　emergency　call；　they　eventually　sailed　into　the　harbor　of　a　medium…size　island　that　had　lost　its　munications　masts　and　had　been　unable　to　make　contact　with　Angel。　Lars　and　Tanny　went　ashore　there；　leaving　Killashandra　in　conspicuous　sight　while　Erutown　and　Theach　remained　below。　Some　of　the　urgently　needed　items　could　be　supplied　from　the　extras　on　board　and　Lars　contacted　Angel　for　the　rest。
　As　they　finally　lifted　anchor　and　sailed　onward；　Tanny's　rising　excitement　was　municated　to　Killashandra。　She　could　recognize　nothing；　but　if　they　were　indeed　near　the　island　of　her　incarceration；　she　had　swum　away　from　nearby　help。　As　they　approached　the　next　landfall；　she　didn't　need　Tanny's　shout　of　relief　to　know　they　had　reached　〃her〃　island；　the　huge　polly　tree　in　the　center　was　a　distinctive　landmark。　Not　only　had　the　tree　survived　but　also　its　siblings　or　offspring；　and　the　little　hut　she　had　made　in　their　shelter。　Lars　had　to　restrain　Tanny　from　diving　into　the　breakers　and　swimming　ashore　in　his　eagerness　to　reassure　himself。
　〃I　don't　see　anyone！〃　Tanny　cried　as　the　Pearl　motored　toward　the　beach。　〃Surely　she　could　hear　the　engine！〃
　〃Is　this　where　you　want　to　dump　us？〃　Erutown　growled；　surveying　the　uprooted　polly；　the　wind…depressed　trunks　of　more；　and　the　storm　debris　on　the　once　white　sands。
　〃Oh；　you'll　be　luxuriously　situated；　I　assure　you。〃　Lars　said。　Killashandra　had　decided　that　Lars　and　Erutown　were　in　basic　disagreement　on　too　many　counts。　Lars　was　delighted　to　deposit　the　man　out　of　the　way　for　a　while。　〃We've　solar…power　units　for　Theach's　equipment；　all　sorts　of　emergency　camp　gear；　and　plenty　of　food　should　you　tire　of　the　stuff　the　island　and　the　sea　provide。〃
　〃And　a　hatchet；　a　knife；　and　a　book　of　instructions？〃　Killashandra　asked　she　was　not　above　priming　her　surprise。
　〃There　speaks　the　polly　planter。〃　Grinning；　Lars　flipped　the　toggle　to　release　the　anchor；　cut　off　the　engine；　and　gestured　Tanny　overboard。　He　was　halfway　up　the　heights　to　the　shelter　before　the　others　had　made　the　beach。
　〃There's　no　one　here；　Lars。　Ye　gods；　what　shall　we　do？　There's　no　one　here！〃　Tanny　screamed。
　Consternation　smoothed　Lars's　features　and　he　set　off　up　the　slope　at　speed。　Killashandra　followed　at　a　more　leisurely　pace；　wondering　whether　she　would　ease　their　fears。　One　look　at　the　terror　and　hopelessness　of　Tanny's　face；　and　a　second　one　at　the　shock　on　Lars's　eroded　her　need　for　revenge。　Erutown　and　Theach　were　on　the　beach；　out　of　hearing。
　〃You　don't　know　very　much　about　crystal　singers；　do　you；　Lars。。。〃
　He　swung　around；　stared　at　her；　trying　to　assimilate　her　words。　Tanny　reached　his　conclusion　first　and　sat　heavily　down　among　the　storm…strewn　polly　fronds；　his　expression　incredulous。
　〃。。。　If　you　thought　I'd　just　sit　here　until　it　suited　you　to　retrieve　me。〃
　Chapter　14
　Any　discussion　of　that　would　have　to　be　postponed。　Theach　and　Erutown