"Harrison, Harry- The Stainless Steel Rat Sings the Blues" - читать интересную книгу автора (Harrison Harry)

If I didn't know better I would have said that the seasoned old space dog was
embarrassed.
"You have to understand that keeping the galactic peace is our role and our
goal. This is not always possible. There are sometimes individuals, even groups,
that are impervious to our attentions. Violent people, some apparently incurably
insane, obnoxious. Despite everything that we can do they remain immune to our
blandishments, impervious to our help." He gulped down the dregs and I had the
feeling that we were finally getting to the truth.
"Since we cannot kill them we-and you realize only the highest authorities know
what I am about to tell you-we so to speak arrange, see to it that they are,
well, transported to Liokukae to live the sort of life they prefer to live.
Without endangering the peaceful cultures of the union-"
"A galactic garbage dump!" I cried aloud. "Where you holier-than-thou bigots
sweep your failures under the carpet! No wonder you keep this a top-secret
secret."
"Just knock off the superior attitude cagal, diGriz. I know your record-and in
my book it stinks. But we have you by the short and curlies since you drank the
seven-hundred-and-twenty-hour poison, so you will do just as I say. So now I'm
going to fill you in with all the loathsome details re Liokukae, let you see
what information we have. Then you will come up with a plan for getting that
thing back. You have no choice."
"Thanks. What resources do I have?"
"Limitless resources, unrestricted funds, boundless support. Every planet in the
galaxy contributes to Galaksia Universitato. They have so many credits that they
make the super-rich look super-poor. I want you to take them to the cleaners."
"Now you are talking my language! For the first time I have some interest in
this poisonous project. Bring on the records-and some food-and I will see what I
can do."
Not very much I thought to myself after hours of reading and rereading the thin
file, while eating a number of stale and tasteless sandwiches. The Admiral was
slumped asleep in the armchair and snoring like a rocket exhaust. There were no
answers here, so some questions were very much in order. Which gave me the sweet
pleasure of waking him up. A few good shakes did it and those nasty little red
eyes glared into mine.
"You better have a good reason for that."
"I do. How much do you personally know about Liokukae?"
"Everything, you dimwit. That is why I am here."
"It seems to be pretty tightly sealed up."
"Pretty tightly is not the way I would describe it. Hermetically sealed,
guarded, patrolled, watched, locked tight, quarantined - take your pick. Food
and medicines are shipped in. Nothing comes out."
"Do they have their own doctors?"
"No. Medical teams are stationed there in the hospital inside the landing
station-which is built like a fortress. And before you even ask-the answer is
no. What little trust there is between the Navy and the Liokukaers involves the
medical services. They come to us and we treat them. Let them suspect for an
instant that the medicos are involved in hanky-panky and the trust is gone.
Disease and death would be certain. We're not taking a chance on that."
"If the rest of the civilized galaxy doesn't know about them - what do they know
about us?"