"David Drake - Hammer's Slammers 01 - Hammer's Slammers" - читать интересную книгу автора (Drake David)

"Ah, but we are," Desoix noted as he raised the
briefcase that seemed to be all the luggage he
carried. "Just not very valuable cargo, my friend.
But I think it's about time toтАФ"

As he started toward the door, one of the
hovercars they'd watched put out from the city
drove through the mingled cluster of men from
the starships and the surface freighter. Water from
the channel surrounded the car in a fine mist that
cleared its path better than the threat of its rubber
skirts. While the driver in his open cab exchanged
curses with men from the surface freighter, the
rear of his vehicle opened to disgorge half a dozen
civilians in bright garments.

"Our transportation," Desoix said, nodding to
the hovercar as he headed out of the shelter.
"Now that it's dropped off the Bamberg factors to


fight for their piece of the market. Everybody's
got tobacco, and everybody wants a share of what
may be the last cargoes onto the planet for a

while."

"Before the shooting starts," Tyi amplified as he

strode along with the UDB officer. They hadn't
sent a briefing cube to Miesel for him . .'. but it
didn't take that or genius to figure out what was
going to happen shortly after a world started hir-
ing mercenary regiments.
"That's the betting," Desoix agreed. He opened
the back of the car with his universal credit key, a
computer chip encased in noble metal and banded

to his wrist.

"Oh," said Tyi, staring at the keyed door.
"Yeah, everything's up to date here in Bamberg,"

said the other officer, stepping out of the doorway

and waving Tyi through. "Hey!" he called to the

driver. "My friend here's on mel"