"Harry Harrison - SSR 08 - The Stainless Steel Rat Sings the " - читать интересную книгу автора (Harrison Harry)

law. What you have committed so far makes you liable for fourteen concurrent life sentences." His grim
voice grew even grimmer. "But there is even worse than that-"

"What could be worse than fourteen life sentences?" Despite my efforts at calm control I could hear my
voice cracking.

"Death. That is the penalty for stealing from the Mint."

"I haven't stolen anything!" Definitely a quaver now.

"That will be determined very shortly. When the decision was made to mint five-hundred-thousand-credit
coins every precaution was taken to prevent their theft. Integral to their fabric is a transponder that listens
for a specific signal at a specific frequency. It answers and reveals the location of the coin."

"Stupid," I said with more bravado than I felt. "Won't work here. Not with all the coins you have made-"

"All now safe behind ten feet of solid lead. Radiation proof. If there are any other coins not in our custody
the signal will sound."

Right on cue I heard the pealing of bells in the distance. The iron face of my inquisitor was touched by a
fleeting cold smile.

"The signal," he said. We sat in silence for long seconds. Until the door burst open and the hurrying


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guards dropped a very familiar bag onto the desk. He lifted the end slowly and the coins jangled forth.

"So that's what they look like. I never

"Silence!" he thundered. "These were removed from the minting room. They were found suspended in the
chimney from the smelter. Along with these other objects."

"Proves nothing."

"Proves everything!" Quick as a snake he grabbed my hands, slammed them onto a plate on his desk. A
hologram of my fingerprints appeared instantly on the air above.

"Any prints lifted from the coins?" he asked over his shoulder.

"Many," a spectral voice responded. A portion of the desk top rose up bearing what appeared to be
photographic prints. He looked at them and for the second time I was treated to the sight of that frigid
smile as he dropped the prints through a slot. A second hologram floated in the air beside the first, moved
over and merged with it as he touched the controls.

The double image flickered and became one.

"Identical!" he said triumphantly. "You can tell me your if you wish. So it can be spelled correctly on