"Brad Ferguson - Rhuum Service" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ferguson Brad)

тАЬAnything else?тАЭ
тАЬThatтАЩs it. ThereтАЩs considerably more material on the Bloxx, though.тАЭ
Trudy handed Jacobs a big bowl of salad makings and a pair of wooden
forks. тАЬHere. You toss, IтАЩll serve.тАЭ
тАЬI wish youтАЩd find another metaphor,тАЭ Jacobs said. тАЬI hate salad.тАЭ He
began to mix the contents of the bowl.
Trudy suddenly looked distant.
Jacobs knew that look. тАЬWhat is it?тАЭ he asked.
тАЬYouтАЩre going to hate this, too,тАЭ Trudy replied. тАЬThe Bloxx fixed that
busted driver of his. HeтАЩll be here in about an hour.тАЭ
тАЬOh,тАЭ Jacobs said. тАЬWeтАЩd better get out of here; I still have to shave.
Damn, I hate being pushed on things like this.тАЭ
Jacobs and Trudy waited in the reception bay for the arrival of the
Bloxx craft. It dropped out of hyperspace on schedule and achieved
rendezvous without incident. Being relatively small, the ship made its own
way into the parking bay as disappointed robot tugs scuttled out of the
way. Robot valets, their headlights blinking on and off in a pattern of
welcome, quickly came into position, bumping into each other in their
programmed eagerness.
 тАЬI love watching this,тАЭ Trudy said. тАЬThe тАШbots are so cute.тАЭ
тАЬUmph. My tie knotted okay?тАЭ
тАЬFor the twelfth time, yes. Oops тАФ green light. That was fast.тАЭ
The airlock to the parking bay slid open, and there stood a tall, muscled
man with the reddest hair Jacobs and Trudy had ever seen.
тАЬSir Kethrommon?тАЭ Jacobs asked, as if there could be any doubt. тАЬDo
you speak trader talk?тАЭ
тАЬThat I am and that I do,тАЭ he said, nodding. тАЬYou the contacts
Bannister was talking about?тАЭ
тАЬYes, mтАЩlord, we are. IтАЩm Jonathan Lee Jacobs, and this is my partner,
Trudy Burke. As youтАЩve surmised, we represent Bannister Investments тАФ тАЭ
тАЬBunch of crooks, them. Hope youтАЩre not the same. If youтАЩre Terrans,
then letтАЩs all speak Anglish; I know it pretty good. Hi, Trudy.тАЭ
тАЬHello, MтАЩlord Ambassador. Pleased to meet you.тАЭ
тАЬMтАЩlord?тАЭ Jacobs asked. тАЬIs there really no one else in your party?тАЭ
тАЬNobody else, pal. IтАЩm it.тАЭ
тАЬUh, you are? I mean to say, mтАЩlord, that the Rhuum have sent a lead
negotiator and twenty-three assistants.тАЭ
тАЬYep,тАЭ he rumbled. тАЬSo what? DonтАЩt need others to deal with people
from Rhuum or anywhere else. Been doing this kind of thing all my damn
life. I captain my own craft and chart my own course; King Bolo
understands that. Helps that heтАЩs my uncle, natch.тАЭ
тАЬBut, mтАЩlord, did I misunderstand? We were informed that your people
have never before held talks with the Rhuum.тАЭ
тАЬThatтАЩs right. So? We have stuff they want. TheyтАЩll do a deal without too
much trouble. King Bolo understands that, too. Hey, Trudy Burke, you tied
down?тАЭ
тАЬExcuse me, mтАЩlord?тАЭ
тАЬYou committed to some guy?тАЭ
Jacobs cleared his throat. тАЬSir, Miss Burke is also my wife.тАЭ
тАЬThat the same as mated, pal? I donтАЩt know Terran ways much.тАЭ