"Simon R. Green - Deathstalker - 1 - Deathstalker" - читать интересную книгу автора (Green Simon R)

minimum of fuss. Investigator Frost turned to go, and then stopped as she realized
Silence wasn't moving.

"Aren't you coming. Captain?"

"No, Investigator. This Captain is going down with his ship. The main bulk of the
Darkwind will probably survive the initial impact and only break up on entering
the atmosphere. I have to be here to guide the ship down for as long as I can. I
have to make sure the pieces will land safely in one of the oceans. Hundreds of
thousands could be killed if any of the pieces were to land in an inhabited area."

"You are more important," said Frost calmly. 'The Empire has a great deal of time
and money invested in you, Captain. The colonists are just peasants. They don't
matter."

"They matter to me. Clear the bridge, Investigator. There's nothing you can say
that will persuade me to leave."

"No," said Frost. "I don't suppose there is."

She hit him once, efficiently, and he slumped forward in his command chair,
unconscious. Frost checked the pulse in his neck, nodded once, and then picked
the Captain up and slung him almost effortlessly over one shoulder.

"Odin, this is Investigator Frost. Acknowledge."

"Acknowledged, Investigator."

"The Captain is indisposed. I am placing you in command. You will do everything
in your power to guide the ship down, so that its eventual impact does the
minimum possible damage to inhabited areas. You understand I cannot take the

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Green, Simon R. - Deathstalker 01 - Deathstalker (v1.0) (html)


risk of downloading you and taking you with us. There is no telling how much
damage the infecting virus has done to your systems, or how infectious it
remains."

"Yes, Investigator. I understand."

Frost looked once around the empty bridge. "Goodbye, Odin."

"Goodbye, Investigator. Safe journey."

Frost turned and left the bridge with the Captain still unconscious over her
shoulder. The empty bridge was filled with the low sound of the AI singing
quietly to itself and the pirate ship growing ever larger on the viewscreen.