"Philip E. High - The Prodigal Sun" - читать интересную книгу автора (High Phillip E)

"One question," General Statten's little eyes were hard but alert. "I have
received information that Independent News has appointed a permanent
contact. Thanks to its blasted charter rights we couldn't block the move."

Kaft smiled thinly. "We didn't try, too obvious. Let him report until
public interest wanes."

Rickman said, "Who is this contact and what's his job?"

Kaft leaned down and extracted something from a briefcase. "I have his
file here. His job is to write up a day by day account of Duncan and his
reactions to Earth. If we handle this carefully we may learn quite a lot."
 "And the contact himself?"

"A man named Mark Gaynor, he's been screened of course. Has a flair
for factual reporting but fortunately an extrovert and without subtlety. An
excellent war record incidentally, organized and personally lead four
successful commando raids on Vrenka bases in the latter stages of the
war. Decorated twice, achieved rank of majorтАж" Kaft closed the file slowly.
"A hard, tough man but excellent for our purpose. If we have to rub out
Duncan in a hurry we have a scapegoat conveniently at hand."

"Sounds as if this goat could butt back and hard," said Rickman,
savagely.

Kaft smiled. "Well make quite sure he butts the man we choose, thank
you."

"We're going to look this prodigal over personally?"

"But of course, the interrogation of such a man is not a task for
subordinates. We must handle this with subtlety, at first he must feel he is
among friends."

The transfer ship hung ready in space, withdrawn-looking and
somehow timeless. A dull black pear-shaped blob flung carelessly and
rather incongruously against an unwinking mist of stars.

At a distance, but close enough to be pointed, four bulbous and heavily
armed cruisers stood ready and waiting.

During the war the Mattrain, despite the tactical position of her Empire
directly between the two warring races, had remained uncompromisingly
neutral. It was not a stand which had endeared her to the human
raceтАФsurely one humanoid people should help another. Worse, since first
contact, the Mattrain had brusquely cold shouldered all attempts to
establish friendly relations. Keep away and stay away had been her only
response to countless suggestions of trade, cultural exchanges, pleas for
medical assistance by which Earth sought to establish profitable relations