"Jane Lindskold - Endpoint Insurance" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lindskold Jane)

by most shippers instead of his usual suit. As he listened, he kept his hands in his
pockets, playing with some junk heтАЩd stuffed into them.
тАЬSo,тАЭ I concluded, тАЬthereтАЩs no way that this is just an insurance matter anymore. We
need to notify the authorities. ThereтАЩs time before morning reaches Gilbert City.
They might be able to catch the Absolute.тАЭ
тАЬEndpoint system,тАЭ Spike said, quite mildly for someone who had been forced to
endure a monologue, тАЬis neutral regarding the Batherite conflict.тАЭ
тАЬBut the Absolute is a mass murderer!тАЭ I said aghast.
тАЬTechnically, he is the leader of a political group-the legitimate elected ruler of a large
portion of Bath.тАЭ
тАШTechnically,тАЬ I snarled.
тАЬAllie,тАЭ Spike said, still mildly , тАЬI didnтАЩt know you were so political.тАЭ
тАЬIтАЩm not,тАЭ I replied, more calmly, тАЬbut you and I both know that the Absolute is a
fiend-that the votes of those who elected him were meaningless.тАЭ
тАЬSo his opponents say.тАЭ
тАЬSo the chemists say,тАЭ I retorted. Then I calmed down, realizing that I was being
unfair to Spike. тАЬChemists who have analyzed the blood of some of his deceased
followers. The fanatics are so pumped up theyтАЩd shoot their own sweethearts if the
Absolute gave the command.тАЭ
тАЬThe Absolutists say that their soldiers are chemically enhanced to make them strong
and faithful,тАЭ Spike said, in-furiatingly insisting on playing the devilтАЩs advocate.
тАЬAnd there seems to be some evidence to support that position.тАЭ
тАЬYouтАЩre not,тАЭ I growled stubbornly, тАЬon his side, are you?тАЭ
тАЬNo,тАЭ Spike assured me. тАЬPersonally, I canтАЩt stand the Absolute and what he
advocates, but going after him isnтАЩt my job. That wouldnтАЩt stop me if I thought we
could actually do anything about him, but without EndpointтАЩs support, we canтАЩt
touch him groundside. IтАЩm more interested in the contents of those crates you saw.
Those might fall within the range of my job.тАЭ
тАЬStolen goods?тАЭ I asked.
тАЬMaybe,тАЭ Spike rubbed his chin. тАЬMost of the ships carrying refugees donтАЩt carry
just refugees. It wouldnтАЩt pay. Nor do they make a one system trip. It would be easy
to make a trade for passage, to use some of the refugees as mules for stolen goods.тАЭ
тАЬThe pirates would give them some identification code,тАЭ I said, nodding, for SpikeтАЩs
picture matched the one IтАЩd been working out while I staked out the building. тАЬThen
when the refugees get here, they hand over whatever theyтАЩve been carrying. ItтАЩs
repacked and sold. The planтАЩs a bit elaborate, though, and it doesnтАЩt account for
larger shipments like crates of wine.тАЭ
Spike shook his head. тАЬI donтАЩt agree-you havenтАЩt been elaborate enough-and you
havenтАЩt accounted for the presence of the Absolute. Absolutist holdings in the Bath
system have suffered serious assaults. Their troops move constantly-buoyed,
doubtless, by some of those chemical stimulants you mentioned earlier. Their ships
gnaw, bite, and snap-winning battles but rarely holding ground. Even so, the
Loyalists are hard pressed.тАЭ
тАЬThatтАЩs what the news services say,тАЭ I agreed. тАЬNow, tell me, what elaboration am I
missing?тАЭ
тАЬThose very chemicals you mentioned,тАЭ Spike said, тАЬtake time and high-tech
facilities to synthesize. Their formulas are highly guarded secrets, known only to the
Absolute and a few trusted minions. One of the first things the Loyalists did was
pinpoint and destroy as many of the Absolutist factories as they could and so limit
the supply.тАЭ