"David A. Kyle - Lensman 10 - Z- Lensman" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kyle David A)

We're lucky to
have you. Finding you when Joey got himself killed was the only good thing
that's
happened to us in the last three months. You got us out of the galaxy right
past the Patrol.
And then to find this place is practically a miracle. Now we hope you're right
about the
treasure."
``I'm right. My source is infallible. There will be practically no resistance.
And no
Patrolmen."
"No defenses, no Patrol," said the second-in-command, undisguised suspicion in
his
voice. "How do you know that?"
"Stands to reason. A small Palainian lab," Val-d'or said. "Strictly oddball,
elderly
Palainians, in a toxic atmosphere. Two or three of them, at most. You afraid?"
"I'm cautious, smart guy. We all are. That's how we keep alive. There are such
things as
Palainian Patrolmen." "Palainian Patrolmen? Not many of them around. Very few.
And very
unlikely out here. You got no worries."
Captain Balltis was keenly glancing from one to the other, in his fidgety way,
out of the
corners of his puffy black eyes. When the exchange of remarks was over, he
examined the
faces of the rest of his crew crowded into the tiny pilothouse. He intimately
knew eight of
the nine of them, all tough, experienced rogues. He saw that he would have to
make the
decision. They were all on edge, ready to crack from frustration, desperate
for some action
and some profit, and concerned about being in uncharted deep-space; where they
had
been driven by a Patrol ship that their clever navigator, a stranger, had
managed to outwit.
"I say we attack," Captain Balltis said. "We'll make it quick. Quick success
or quick retreat.
Palainians are cowards, but we'll take no chances."
"Palainians are also known to be poor," one spaceburned pirate said, pink
scarred flesh
permanently drawn back from his big, yellow teeth. "Talk of treasure still
seems foolish to
me. But I don't really care. I've never seen a Palainian, let alone killed
one. That chance
makes it interesting."
"You can't really see Palainians;" the captain said. "They distort your
vision. They're always
moving, so even pictures are worthless. They can't be depicted. I've seen a
few and even I