"Simon R. Green - Deathstalker - 4 - Deathstalker Honor" - читать интересную книгу автора (Green Simon R)

"We just dropped out of hyperspace over Virimonde," murmured the AI Ozymandius in
Owen's ear. "Currently maintaining high orbit and all shields. I really don't know why
you wanted to come back here, Owen. I mean, it's not as if you have any friends here
anymore. In fact, I would have to say that the likelihood of our all ending up riddled
with holes increases geometrically with every second we are dumb enough to stay
here."
"Nag, nag, nag," said Owen, subvocalizing so Hazel wouldn't hear. She didn't approve
of him talking to an AI that was supposed to be dead and no one else could hear. "You
never want to go anywhere fun, Oz. This is where our current quarry has gone to
ground, so here we are too. Right now Valentine Wolfe is down there somewhere,
along with certain aristocratic cronies, all of whom the current authorities would dearly
like to see standing in a dock or hanging from a rope. And preferably both. BesidesтАж I
always said that one day I'd come home to Virimonde."
There had been a time when Owen Deathstalker had been Lord of the whole planet of
Virimonde. And then the Empress Lionstone had outlawed him and taken it all away.
His own security people had tried to kill him for the reward on his head, and he'd had to
flee for his life. He nearly hadn't made it. But Hazel had arrived at just the right
moment to save his aristocratic ass, as she never tired of reminding him, and they'd
been together ever since. He fell in love with her. He still wasn't sure how she felt about
him. His cousin David had been made Lord in his absence, but he died not long after,
trying to defend the planet from Lionstone's troops, led by Valentine Wolfe. The Wolfe
had overseen the murder of millions of defenseless people, and the utter destruction of
what had been a beautiful rural paradise.
And now Valentine had returned, like a criminal to the scene of his crime, or a dog to
its own droppings, and Owen had come back too, to bring belated justice to the
destroyer of Virimonde. One way or another.
He sighed quietly to himself. Through all his rebel wanderings, he'd always clung to the
secret hope that someday he would be able to return home and take up his old life again
as a minor historian of no real importance to anyone but himself. But he'd changed so
much, in so many ways, till he wasn't sure, he recognized himself anymore. And given
the reports he'd seen of the utter devastation awaiting him below, he wasn't even sure
there was a home left to return to.
"Run sensor scan," he subvocalized to his AI. "Locate my old Standing and see what
kind of force they've got protecting it."
"Way ahead of you as usual," sniffed the AI. "There's a fair-sized army surrounding the
castle, which according to the comm traffic I'm picking up, Valentine and his associates

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Simon R. Green - Deathstalker 04 - Deathstalker Honor


are currently occupying. Typical. Nothing but the best for dear Valentine. And
according to the information we were given before we left Golgotha, which I'll wager
good money you haven't even looked at, there's also a hell of a lot of scientific
equipment down there, along with scientists to run it. Though no one seems to know
what or why."
"Don't get uppity, Oz. Just tell me what I need to know."
"Bully."