"David Drake - RCN 02 - Lt. Leary Commanding" - читать интересную книгу автора (Drake David)

Uncle Stacey was trembling with fatigue; Adele, thank goodness, was easing him down into the
wheelchair. The officers in Vaughn's own party didn't look pleased at the notion of being upstaged by a
junior lieutenant. And as a matter of RCN regulation, not to mention fairness, the officer commanding the
Princess Cecile wasтАФ

"Lieutenant Mon, the present captain, will be more than happy to do the job, though," Daniel continued,
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gesturing toward the corvette. "As for myself, I'm on half pay at the pleasure of the Navy Board for
now."

Vaughn chuckled, then bowed to put a period to the discussion. "Perhaps I can hear about your
adventures at some other time, Lieutenant," he said, allowing Captain Wenslow's slow movement to ease
him toward the catwalk. "It'll have to be soon, though, I'm sure. The chiefs of your navy will never permit
an officer of your demonstrated abilities to remain unemployed for long."

Adele started the wheelchair briskly toward the waiting jitney; it looked rather forlorn among its larger,
flashier fellows. Daniel glanced over his shoulder as he took the wheelchair's handles himself a little
farther down the apron. Vaughn was negotiating the catwalk with aplomb, but one of his aides and two
Foreign Ministry officials had frozen at the edge of the dock like a trio of statues.

"The poor devil's an exile, I suppose," Uncle Stacey said as they neared the jitney. "Brought here as a
hostage for his father's good behavior. Strymon isn't as bad as the Selma Cluster next door to itтАФthe
Pirate Cluster, you knowтАФbut his life still wouldn't be worth a zinc florin if he tried to go home now."

"He seems a personable fellow," Daniel offered as he paused for Adele to open the door. He might have
to hand his uncle into the vehicle; meeting the delegation had been as much of a strain on Stacey as the
whole rest of the outing. "I wonder why he wanted to see thePrincess Cecile , though?"

"Mr. Vaughn didn't strike me as a man who's often bored," Adele said without emphasis as she walked
around to the other side where she could help if needed, "or one who gathers information without a good
reason. Which is a good reason for me . . ."

Uncle Stacey lurched onto the bench seat without touching the arm Adele crooked for him to grip.
Daniel began folding the wheelchair to set in the roof cargo rack.

" . . . to learn what I can about Mr. Vaughn, I think," Adele concluded.




Chapter Two
A monorail car stopped within moments to carry Daniel and his uncle in the direction of Xenos West,
but Adele Mundy would have thirty minutes on the platform before a car arrived for her. City Center
wasn't a popular destination for those leaving Harbor Three by public transportation. Laborers and ships'
crewmen stayed either in barracks near the port or in tenements ranged on the city's outskirts. Senior