"George R. R. Martin - Manna From Heaven" - читать интересную книгу автора (Martin George R R)

тАЬIndeed,тАЭ said Haviland Tuf.
тАЬWhy do you think the wing is closing on you?тАЭ Ober said.
тАЬAs a gesture of affectionate welcome, I had hoped,тАЭ Tuf said. тАЬAs a friendly escort bearing kudos,
salutations, and gift baskets of plump, fresh, spiced mushrooms. I see that this assumption was
unfounded.тАЭ
тАЬThis is your third and final warning, Tuf. WeтАЩll be in range in less than four standard minutes. Surrender
now or be destroyed.тАЭ
тАЬSir,тАЭ said Tuf, тАЬbefore you make a grievous error, please consult with your superiors. I am certain there
has been a lamentable communications error.тАЭ
тАЬYou have been tried in absentia and found guilty of being a criminal, a heretic, and an enemy of the
people of SтАЩuthlam.тАЭ
тАЬI have been grossly misperceived,тАЭ Tuf protested.
тАЬYou escaped the flotilla ten years ago, Tuf. DonтАЩt think to do it again. SтАЩuthlamese technology does not
stand still. Our new weaponry will shred those obsolete defensive shields of yours, I promise you that.
Our top historians have researched that ponderous EEC derelict of yours. I supervised the simulations
myself. Your welcome is all prepared.тАЭ
тАЬI have no wish to seem ungracious, but it was unnecessary to go to such lengths,тАЭ said Tuf. He glanced
at the banks of telescreens that lined the consoles along both sides of the long, narrow room, and studied
the phalanx of SтАЩuthlamese warships rapidly closing upon the Ark. тАЬIf this unprovoked hostility has its
root in my outstanding debt to the Port of SтАЩuthlam, rest assured that I am prepared to render payment in
full immediately.тАЭ
тАЬTwo minutes,тАЭ said Wald Ober.
тАЬFurthermore, if SтАЩuthlam is in need of additional ecological engineering, I find myself suddenly inclined to
offer you my services at a much reduced price.тАЭ
тАЬWeтАЩve had enough of your solutions. One minute.тАЭ
тАЬIt would seem I am left with but a single viable option,тАЭ said Haviland Tuf.
тАЬThen you surrender?тАЭ the commander said suspiciously.
тАЬI think not,тАЭ said Haviland Tuf. He reached out, brushed long fingers across a series of holographic
keys, and raised the ArkтАЩs ancient defensive screens.
Wald OberтАЩs face was hidden, but he managed to get a sneer into his voice. тАЬFourth generation imperial
screens, triple redundancy, frequency overlapping, all shield phasing coordinated by your shipтАЩs
computers. Duralloy plate armor on your hull. I told you weтАЩd done our research.тАЭ
тАЬYour hunger for knowledge is to be commended,тАЭ Tuf said.
тАЬThe next sarcasm you mouth may be your last, trader, so you had better take care to make it a good
one. The point is, we know exactly what youтАЩve got, and we know to the fourteenth decimal how much
damage an EEC seedshipтАЩs defenses can absorb. WeтАЩre prepared to give you more than you can
handle.тАЭ He turned his head. тАЬPrepare to commence fire,тАЭ he snapped at unseen subordinates. When
the dark helmeted face swiveled back toward Tuf, Ober added, тАЬWe want the Ark and you canтАЩt stop
us from taking it. Thirty seconds.тАЭ
тАЬI beg to differ,тАЭ said Tuf calmly.
тАЬTheyтАЩll fire at my command,тАЭ Ober said. тАЬIf you insist, IтАЩll count down the final seconds of your life.
Twenty. Nineteen. Eighteen...тАЭ
тАЬSeldom have I heard such vigorous counting,тАЭ said Tuf. тАЬPlease do not lose track on account of my
distressing news.тАЭ
тАЬ...Fourteen. Thirteen. Twelve.тАЭ
Tuf folded his hands atop his stomach.
тАЬEleven. Ten. Nine.тАЭ Ober looked uneasily to one side, then back at the screen.
тАЬNine,тАЭ announced Tuf. тАЬA fine number. It is customarily followed by eight, thence seven.тАЭ
тАЬSix,тАЭ Ober said. He hesitated. тАЬFive.тАЭ
Tuf waited silently.