"Simon R. Green - Deathstalker Prelude 03 - Hellworld" - читать интересную книгу автора (Green Simon R)

Simon R. Green - Deathstalker Prelude 03 - Hellworld


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Hellworld by Simon R. Green

HELLWORLD
The sleep of reason brings forth monsters.



CHAPTER ONE

Broken Men
The starship Devastation dropped out of hyperspace and moved into orbit around Wolf
IV. The planet's surface was hidden from view by the swirling atmosphere. It looked
much like any other planet; a drop of spit against the darkness. The ship's sensor spikes
shimmered briefly as it scanned Wolf IV, and then the cargo-bay doors swung open. A
slender Navy pinnace emerged, sleek and silver, and drifted away from the huge bulk
of the starship. The pinnace fell into its own orbit, and the Devastation disappeared
back into hyperspace. The pinnace slowly circled the storm-shrouded planet, a
gleaming silver needle against the star-speckled night.
Captain Hunter gnawed at the insides of his cheeks as he ran his hands over the control
panels. It looked like he was going to have to pilot the ship down after all. This far out,
the onboard computers were all but useless. They didn't have enough information to
work with. Hunter shrugged. What the hell; it had been a long time since he'd had to
fly a ship by the seat of his pants, but some things you never forget. Particularly if your

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Simon R. Green - Deathstalker Prelude 03 - Hellworld


life depends on them.
For a moment, the old overpowering uncertainty was suddenly back with him; the
familiar panic of not being able to choose between alternatives for fear of doing the
wrong thing. His breathing and heartbeat speeded up, and then slowed again as he
fought grimly for control. He'd done this before, he could do it again. He ran through
the standard instrument checks, losing himself in routine. The control panels blazed
with steady, comforting lights. He checked that the pinnace's orbit was still stable, and
then released the sensor drones. Hunter watched them fall towards the planet on his
viewscreen. The sensor probes had better tell him what he needed to know the first
time; the odds were he wouldn't get a chance to launch a second series. It wouldn't be
long now before the pinnace's orbit began to decay, and then he'd have to power up the
engines, ready or not. The ship's batteries only had so much power, and he was going