"John G. Hemry - Lady Be Good" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hemry John G)

another matter. "Dingo, take the lifeboat over. Take three sailors along to help."

"You're not going yourself?"

I gave Dingo a level stare. "I have to stay with the ship. And keep the Captain informed."

"Ah, yes, so you do. Can you walk with me to the lifeboat?" I went along, knowing Dingo wanted to say
something where we couldn't be overheard. "Kilcannon, there's a chance they're still alive, and if they're
still alive, there's a chance they're in bad shape, and if they're in bad shape then there ain't much you or I
can do for them."

I pretended to study the readouts on the lifeboat access. "And?"

"Do we haul ├втВм╦Ьem here and wake ├втВм╦Ьem up enough to know they're hurting so they can die?"

I took a deep breath, thinking. "Yes."

Dingo shrugged. "You're the boss."

"Dingo, it's up to the saints whether or not they die. I won't make that decision for them."

Another grin. "The saints don't like to be crossed, do they? Ah, here's my crew. Strap in."

I reported to Captain Weskind, then went back to the bridge and watched the lifeboat match velocity,
roll and tumble to the wreck. Whatever his limitations as a man of culture, Dingo was a sailor's sailor who
knew how to drive even a lumbering lifeboat.

I'd learned patience on many long watches between the stars, and I needed it now. I knew Dingo and his
crew were working their way inside the wrecked ship, but Lady couldn't afford fancy communications
and tracking gear. All I could do was watch the lifeboat where it rested on the hull of the Canopus and
wait.

It took an hour. "Ahoy on the Lady, this is Third Officer Dingo."
"This is Kilcannon."

"We got ├втВм╦Ьem. Six souls. They're all walkin'."

Six sailors. Maybe Vestral would cough up a reward. "Anything we can use onboard?"

"Nah. The bastards who done ├втВм╦Ьer in stripped ├втВм╦Ьer good. All we're gettin' out of this one is happy
points with the saints."

"Most likely." Perhaps ten more minutes passed, then the lifeboat detached from the wreck and made its
slow way back.

I was at the access when they arrived. Curiosity aside, protocol demanded it and I wasn't going to let any
company sailors say the Lady hadn't done things right.

Two officers, three able spacers, and one woman who wasn't wearing a crew coverall. The senior officer
extended his hand to me. "First Officer Chen. We'd about given up hope."