"Zach Hughes - Mother Lode" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hughes Zach)

years she had thought that she'd found the universe in Jack Burnish's
arms. She'd always been a sucker for older men, although she would have
fought any head-shrinker who tried to hang a father complex on her. She
was by no means a promiscuous girl. There'd been a boy at the Academy,
and then Jack, and after she'd found the holo-tape from Jack's wife and
children there'd been two others, quite discreetly, aboard Rimfire. The
ship had been a long, long way from home, with years stretching ahead
before she made the last left turn and headed back into the starred regions
of the Milky Way Galaxy and that little grouping of suns and worlds that
made up the U.P. Sector. Jack's deception had left her empty and very,
very lonely. With the others she was simply trying, unsuccessfully, to fill
the void inside her with shared passion.

For the last three years of Rimfire's voyage she had kept to her own
bed. She had learned that without love the act of coupling was almost
comically sweaty, strenuous, undignified, quickly finished, and in the
aftermath somewhat damaging to one's self esteem.

At the end of her last watch aboard Rimfire she put on a full dress
uniform, tucked the last few items of her personal gear into her bag, and
went to knock on Julie Roberts' door.

The captain was in gown and slippers.

"I'll be leaving on the next shuttle, ma'am," Erin said.

Julie rose, gave Erin a solemn salute, then came to put her arms around
the younger woman. She squeezed, stepped back. "You are a good officer,"
she said. "If you change your mind, your rank and position will be reserved
for you for a period of six months."

"I know. Thank you."

The captain smiled. "Thanks, but no thanks?"

"I'm afraid so."

"We're getting a unit citation. Leave your home address with personnel
and I'll have yours sent along to you."

"I will, thank you.' "

"Have a good life."

"And you," Erin said.

The shuttle dropped away from the big ship. Looking back, Erin saw
the harsh outlines, the dingy, service gray paint, and felt a moment of
sadness. In a way it was like leaving the womb, for the ship had been her
home, her haven in a completely hostile environment. The crew had been