"Cloak Of Deception (James Luceno)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Luceno James)

living captives, settling finally on Dofine. Then he drew his blaster.
Spreading his arms wide in a gesture of surrender, Dofine took two
backward steps as Cohl approached.
"You would shoot an unarmed individual, Captain Cohl?" Cohl pressed the
barrel of the weapon to Dofine's ribcage. "I'd shoot an unarmed Neimoidian -
comand I'd sleep better for it." He glared at Dofine for a long moment, then
holstered the blaster and turned to the Rodian member of his band.
"Boiny, get to work. And be quick about it." Cohl swung back to Dofine.
"Where's the rest of your crew, Commander?" Dofine swallowed and found
his voice. "Returning by shuttle from Dorvalla." Cohl nodded. "Good, that'll
simplify things." Repeatedly poking Dofine in the chest with his forefinger,
Cohl moved him backwards along the walkway until they reached the navigator's
chair. A final poke sent Define off the walkway and into the seat.
Cohl jumped down to face him. "We need to discuss your cargo, Commander."
"The cargo?" Dofine stammered. "Lommite--destined for SluisVan." "To the
depths with the ore," Cohl snarled. "I'm talking about the aurodium." Dofine
tried to keep his red eyes from bulging. His nictitating membranes spasmed,
and he blinked half a dozen times. "Aurodium?" Cohl leaned toward him. "You're
carrying two billion in aurodium ingots." Dofine stiffened under Cohl's gaze.
"You--you must be mistaken, Captain. The Revenue is carrying ore." Cohl raised
himself to his considerable height.
"I'll say it once more. You're carrying aurodium ingots--butribes
proffered by Outer Rim worlds to ensure the continued blessing of the Trade
Federation." Dofine sneered, in spite of himself. "So it is currency you seek.
I had always heard that the notorious Captain Cohl was an idealist. Now I see
that he is a simple thief." Cohl almost grinned. "We can't all be licensed
thieves like you and the rest of your bunch." "The Trade Federation does not
deal in violence and death, Captain." Cohl grabbed two fistfuls of Dofine's
rich raiment and yanked him halfway out of the chair. "Not yet you don't." He
pushed Dofine back into the seat. "But we'll save that for another day. What
matters now is the aurodium." "And should I refuse to submit?" Without taking
his eyes from Dofine, Cohl pointed to his Rodian comrade. "Boiny, there, is
affixing a thermal detonator to the Revenue's fuel-driver control system. As I
understand it, the device will trigger an explosion large enough to destroy
your ship in... Boiny?" "Sixty minutes, Captain," Boiny shouted, holding aloft
a metallic sphere the size of a stinkmelon.
Cohl pulled an object from the thigh pouch pocket of his mimetic suit and
slapped it against the back of Dofine's left hand. Dofine saw that it was a
timer, already counting down from sixty minutes. He raised his eyes to Cohl's
steadfast gaze.
"About the ingots," Cohl said.
Dofine nodded. "Yes, all right--if you promise to spare the ship." Cohl
laughed shortly. "The Revenue is history. But you have my word I'll spare your
life if you do as you're told." Again, Dofine nodded. "That way I'll at least
live to see you executed." Cohl shrugged. "You never know, Commander." He
straightened and grinned at Rella. "What did I tell you? Easy as--was
"Captain," Cohls man at the communications station cut him off. "Vessel
emerging from hyperspace.
Authenticators paint her as the TradeFed freighter Acquisitor." Rella
made a plosive sound. "You were saying, Cohl?" The look Cohl directed at