"Harry Harrison - Galactic Dreams" - читать интересную книгу автора (Harrison Harry)

"Ouch!тАЭ he chuckled as the pack of gaspers caught him in the eye. He drew out
one of the slim white forms and tapped it on the wall to ignite it, then drew
in a lungful of refreshing smoke. "I still can't believe it . . .тАЭ

He smoke ringed.

"Well it's true enough, by Mrddl," Jax smiled. "We're graduates. Now throw
back that pack of lungbusters so I can join you in a draw or two.тАЭ

Steel complied, but did it so enthusiastically that the pack hit the wall and
instantly all the cigarettes ignited and the whole thing burst into flame. A
glass of water doused the conflagration but, while it was still fizzling
fitfully, a light flashed redly on the comscreen.

"High-priority message," Steel bit out, slamming down the actuator button.
Both youths snapped to rigid attention as the screen filled with the iron
visage of Colonel von Thorax.

"M, L to my office on the triple.тАЭ

The words fell like leaden weights from his lips. What could it mean?

"What can it mean?тАЭ Jax asked as they hurtled down a dropchute at close to the
speed of gravity.

"We'll find out quickly enough," Steel snapped as they drew up at the old
man's door and activated the announcer button.

Moved by some hidden mechanism, the door swung wide and, not without a certain
amount of trepidation, they entered. But what was this? This! The Colonel was
looking at them and smiling. Unbelievable for this expression had never before
been known to cross his stern face at any time.

"Make yourselves comfortable, lads," he indicated, pointing at comfortable
chairs that rose out of the floor at the touch of a button. "You'll find
gaspers in the arms of these servochairs. As well as Valumian wine or Snaggian
beer.тАЭ

"No koffee?тАЭ Jax open-mouthedly expostulated, and they all laughed.

"I don't think you really want it," the Colonel susurrated coyly through his
artificial larynx. "Drink up, lads. You're Space Rats of the CCC now, and your
youth is behind you. Now look at that.тАЭ
That was a three-dimensional image that sprang into being in the air before
them at the touch of a button, an image of a spacer like none ever seen
before. She was as slender as a swordfish, fine-winged as a bird, solid as a
whale, and as armed to the teeth as an alligator.

"Holy Kolon," Steel sighed in open-mouthed awe. "Now that is what I call a