"Harry Harrison - Deathworld 1 " - читать интересную книгу автора (Harrison Harry)

If there was any doubt what he meant, he set Jason an example of fine roadwork. It was inconceivable that someone of his
bulk could run so fast, yet he did. He moved more like a charging tank than a man. Jason shook the fog from his head and worked
up some speed himself. Nevertheless, he was barely halfway to the ship when Kerk hit the gangway. It was already unhooked
from the ship, but the shocked attendants stopped rolling it away as the big man bounded up the steps.
At the top he turned and fired at the soldiers who were charging in through the open gate. They dropped, crawled, and returned
his fire. Very few shot at Jason's running form.
The scene in front of Jason cranked over in slow motion. Kerk standing at the top of the ramp, coolly returning the fire that
splashed all about. He could have found safety in an instant through the open port behind him. The only reason he stayed there
was to cover Jason.
"Thanks," Jason managed to gasp as he made the last few steps up the gangway, jumped the gap and collapsed inside the ship.
"You're perfectly welcome," Kerk said as he joined him, waving his gun to cool it off.
A grim-jawed ship's officer stood back out of range of fire from the ground and looked them both up and down. "And just
what the hell is going on here," he growled.
 Kerk tested the barrel with a wet thumb, then let the gun slide back into its holster. 'We are law-abiding citizens of a different
system who have committed no criminal acts. The savages of Cassylia are too barbarous for civilized company. Therefore we are
going to Darkhan- here are our tickets-in whose sovereign territory I believe we are at this moment" This last was added for the
benefit of the Cassylian officer who had just stumbled to the top of the gangway and was raising his gun.
The soldier couldn't be blamed. He saw these badly wanted criminals getting away. Aboard a Darkhan ship as well. Anger got
the best of him and he brought his gun up.
"Come out of there, you scum! You're not escaping that easily. Come out slow with your hands up or I'll blast you..."
It was a frozen moment of time that stretched and stretched without breaking. The pistol covered Kerk and Jason. Neither of
them attempted to reach for their own guns.
The gun twitched a bit as the ship's officer moved, then steadied back on the two men. The Darkhan spaceman hadn't gone far,
just a pace across the lock. This was enough to bring him next to a red box set flush with the wall. With a single, swift gesture, he
flipped up the cover and poised his thumb over the button inside. When he smiled, his lips peeled back to show all of his teeth. He
had made up his mind, and it was the arrogance of the Cassylian officer that had been the deciding factor.
"Fire a single shot into Darkhan territory and I press this button," he shouted. "And you know what this button does-every one
of your ships has them as well. Commit a hostile act against this ship and someone will press a button. Every control rod will be
blown out of the ship's pile at that instant and half your filthy city will go up in the explosion." His smile was chiseled on his face
and there was no doubt he would do what he said. "Go ahead, fire. I think I would enjoy pressing this."
The takeoff siren was hooting now, the close lock light blinking an angry message from the bridge. Like four actors in a grim
drama, they faced each other an instant more.
Then the Cassylian officer, growling with unvoicable, frustrated anger, turned and leaped back to the steps.
"All passengers board ship. Forty-five seconds to takeoff. Clear the port.". The ship's officer slammed shut the cover of the
box and locked it as he talked. There was barely time to make the acceleration couches before the Pride of Darkhan cleared
ground.

5

Once the ship was in orbit, the captain sent for Jason and Kerk. Kerk took the floor and was completely frank about the
previous night's activities. The only fact of importance he left out was Jason's background as a professional gambler. He drew a
beautiful picture of two lucky strangers whom the evil forces of Cassylia wanted to deprive of their gambling profits. All this
fitted perfectly the captain's preconceptions of Cassylia. In the end, he congratulated his officer on the correctness of his actions
and began the preparation of a long report to his government He gave the two men his best wishes as well as the liberty of the
ship.
It was a short trip. Jason barely had time to catch up on his sleep before they grounded on Darkhan. Being without luggage,
they were the first ones through customs. They left the shed just in time to see another ship landing in a distant pit. Kerk stopped
to watch it and Jason followed his gaze. It was a grey, scarred ship. With the stubby lines of a freighter-but sporting as many large
guns as a cruiser.
"Yours, of course," Jason said.