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

тАЬYes. Yes, it is. Miss Burke is my wife.тАЭ
тАЬOh,тАЭ he said, shrugging. тАЬToo damn bad. Would have liked to try you,
Trudy Burke.тАЭ
 тАЬIтАЩm flattered beyond the telling, mтАЩlord,тАЭ Trudy said dryly. тАЬWell, shall
we settle Sir Kethrommon in his suite now, Mr. Jacobs? Perhaps you
would like some dinner, mтАЩlord?тАЭ
тАЬScrew dinner,тАЭ Kethrommon said. тАЬThere any women for hire at this
damn hotel? Bigger ones than Trudy Burke here, I mean. Not so
fragile-looking.тАЭ Kethrommon grinned. тАЬBeen a long trip for me, heh.тАЭ
тАЬIтАЩll have the hotelтАЩs concierge contact you to arrange things,тАЭ Trudy
said, her expression carefully bland. тАЬIтАЩm sure theyтАЩll have someone well
worth your time. You might also try the neural net.тАЭ
тАЬHeh,тАЭ Kethrommon said. тАЬMaybe I will, both. You donтАЩt like, eh, Trudy
Burke?тАЭ
тАЬItтАЩs none of my concern, mтАЩlord. Really.тАЭ
тАЬBut you donтАЩt like. Know what, Trudy Burke? You got spunk. I love
spunk!тАЭ
The opening round of talks between the trade representatives of the
Kingdom of Bloxx and the Rhuum Industrial Organization got under way
the following morning with as much appropriate pomp and ceremony as
Jacobs & Burke could quickly arrange with Hotel AndromedaтАЩs hospitality
staff.
After the courtesy robots withdrew, Jacobs and Trudy took seats at
opposite ends of the long, large mahogany conference table traditionally
used in such negotiations, while Sir Kethrommon sat directly across from
Chaylaifa. The table was bare of everything but writing implements and
notepaper; in keeping with Rhuum ways, there was not even water. The
size of the table seemed excessive for so few people, but Jacobs was
betting that an old hand like Chaylaifa would appreciate the implied
status it gave him, and he was right; Chaylaifa broke into an undiplomatic
grin when he first saw it. The twenty-three members of the Rhuum
negotiating staff sat in a gallery well behind their chief; their only job was
to lend their presence to these proceedings. ChaylaifaтАЩs wife and daughter
sat with them in the front row.
The first five minutes of the meeting were spent in exchanging formal
pleasantries. Chaylaifa was, predictably, good at it with the skill of long
experience. Kethrommon, not so predictably, quickly proved himself
capable of delivering a rough yet effective and endearing presentation
capable of charming even his most formal listener.
Jacobs accessed the net. You there, Trudy?
She answered immediately. Sure I am, hon. Hey, is this guy good, or
what? Not only does he seem undamaged after last nightтАЩs antics тАФ and
IтАЩve seen the bill! тАФ but heтАЩs got the gift of gab like you wouldnтАЩt believe.
Jacobs winked at her. You just gotta love the big lug, donтАЩtcha? Maybe
old King Bozo knew what he was doing. This is going to be okay, after
all. A quick deal, nice and clean, and тАФ
That was exactly when Kethrommon bolted from his seat and
attempted to leap across the table at Chaylaifa, his ceremonial dagger
unsheathed. тАЬYou piss-sprayed son of a whore!тАЭ Kethrommon cried in a
white heat. тАЬIтАЩll kill you!тАЭ