"Debra Doyle & James MacDonald - Mageworlds 03 - By Honor Betray'd" - читать интересную книгу автора (Doyle Debra)

тАЬItтАЩs always possible that they mean us no ill will.тАЭ
тАЬHah. Legit business shows up at the place in town, like our old buddy
damn-him-for-interrupting-breakfast Tarveet. We might as well go on into the common room and see
whoтАЩs there.тАЭ
As she spoke, Beka checked the knife up her left sleeve. Maybe the Domina of Entibor-in-Exile
couldnтАЩt get away with a tied-down blaster, but she was damned if she was going to walk around Suivi
Point without a weapon or two for backup. And Jessan, for all his Khesatan elegance, had a single-shot
needler concealed somewhere about his person, along with various other lethal surprises. If matters did
come down to violence, theyтАЩd be ready.
She straightened the heavy tiara-without the formal structure of braids to anchor it, the famous
Iron Crown of Entibor tended to slip askew-and stepped through the door into the common room.
Jessan followed her, a step or two behind.
Two people waited at the common-room table. Ignaceu LeSoit, dark and wiry, with his thin
mustache and his well-worn blaster, was a familiar sight. The woman was a stranger, dark-haired, her
face creased with worry lines, but she wore the uniform of the RepublicтАЩs Space Force and the insignia of
a full captain. She rose and bowed when Beka entered.
тАЬMy lady,тАЭ she said. тАЬPlease forgive this irregular method of securing an audience-but I needed
to meet with you, away from the eyes and ears of the local authorities.тАЭ
Oh, wonderful, thought Beka. More politics, and it isnтАЩt even lunch yet. тАЬI havenтАЩt got the
time for diplomatic games. What do you need?тАЭ
The Space Force captain glanced from Beka to Jessan and back. тАЬI have reason to believe,тАЭ she
said, тАЬthat the Steering Committee of Suivi Point wishes to commandeer my forces. In fact, I suspect that
the committeeтАЩs messenger is looking for me right now. Regardless of the situation on Galcen, I donтАЩt
want to swear allegiance to Suivi Point, or to have my ships taken from my command.тАЭ
I donтАЩt blame her one little bit, Beka thought. Let those bastards on the committee get a
fleet of their own, and itтАЩll be hurray for Suivi Point and to hell with the rest of us.
She did her best to keep her features schooled to an expression of mild interest, as if they were
discussing nothing more pressing than the allocation of tax levies for glidewalk repair. тАЬSo what do you
want from me?тАЭ
The captain paused. This was not, it seemed, a decision she had come to easily. тАЬDomina,тАЭ she
said, тАЬwe-myself and those under me-wish to swear ourselves formally to you . . . тАЭ
I donтАЩt believe this, Beka thought. NobodyтАЩs bothered with all that oath-of-fealty nonsense
since before I was born.
She kept her face impassive. The Space Force captain was still talking.
тАЬ . . . with the understanding that you not require us to oppose the RepublicтАЩs Space Force or to
act against the RepublicтАЩs interests, and that you will release us from our oath once the present situation
normalizes.тАЭ
Beka drew a deep breath. тАЬIs that all?тАЭ
тАЬYes, Domina,тАЭ said the captain. тАЬAll I ask is that you put me and my detachment under your
protection.тАЭ
тАЬAll?тАЭ she asked. тАЬSounds like a great deal for you with not much in it for me.тАЭ
тАЬIтАЩm afraid so, my lady. I can only hope that youтАЩll be generous.тАЭ
тАЬGenerous,тАЭ said Beka. тАЬRight. Hang on for a moment while I confer with my advisors.тАЭ
She didnтАЩt wait for the captainтАЩs reply, but nodded to LeSoit and Jessan and swept out of the
common room in her most regal manner. The Iron Crown, fortunately, didnтАЩt slip until she was out of
sight around the bend in the passageway that led to the engineering spaces.
тАЬWell,тАЭ she said, as soon as they had a solid bulkhead and a closed door between them and the
Space Force captain. тАЬWhat do you think?тАЭ
тАЬIt is a chance to increase the size of the fleet,тАЭ LeSoit pointed out.
тАЬTo more than one vessel. Yes, thatтАЩs a start. Jessan, whatтАЩs the Space Force got here?тАЭ