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

тАЬFour. Three.тАЭ He stopped. тАЬWhat distressing news?тАЭ he roared at the screen.
тАЬSir,тАЭ said Tuf, тАЬif you must shout, you will only oblige me to adjust the volume on my communications
equipment.тАЭ He raised a finger. тАЬThe distressing news is that the mere act of broaching the ArkтАЩs
defensive shields, as I have no doubt you can easily accomplish, will trigger a small thermonuclear device
that I have previously secreted within the shipтАЩs cell library, thereby instantaneously destroying the very
cloning materials that make the Ark unique, invaluable, and widely coveted.тАЭ
There was a long silence. The glowing crimson sensors beneath the darkness of Wald OberтАЩs faceplate
seemed to smoulder as they stared into the screen at TufтАЩs blank features. тАЬYouтАЩre bluffing,тАЭ the
commander said at last.
тАЬIndeed,тАЭ said Tuf. тАЬYou have found me out. How foolish to think I might hoodwink a man of your
perspicacity with such a blatant and juvenile deception. And now I fear you will fire upon me, rend my
poor obsolete defenses, and demonstrate my lie for good and all. Permit me only a moment to make my
farewells to my cats.тАЭ He folded his hands neatly atop his great paunch, and waited for the commander to
reply. The SтАЩuthlamese flotilla, his instruments avowed, was now well within range.
тАЬIтАЩll do just that, you damned abortion!тАЭ Wald Ober swore.
тАЬI wait with sullen resignation,тАЭ said Tuf, unmoving.
тАЬYou have twenty seconds,тАЭ Ober said.
тАЬI fear my news has confused you. The count previously stood at three. Nonetheless, I shall take
shameless advantage of your error and savor each instant remaining to me.тАЭ
They stared at each other, face to face and screen to screen, for the longest time. Snug in TufтАЩs lap, Dax
began to purr. Haviland Tuf reached down to stroke the catтАЩs long black fur. Dax purred even more
loudly and began kneading TufтАЩs knee with his claws.
тАЬOh, abort it to hell and gone,тАЭ said Wald Ober. He pointed at the screen. тАЬYou may have us checked
for the moment, but I warn you, Tuf, donтАЩt even think about trying to get away. Dead or fled, your cell
library would be equally lost to us. And given a choice IтАЩd sooner you be dead.тАЭ
тАЬI comprehend your position,тАЭ said Haviland Tuf, тАЬthough I, of course, would sooner be fled. Yet I do
have a debt to pay to the Port of SтАЩuthlam, and therefore could not honorably depart as you fear, so
please accept my assurances that you will have every opportunity to ponder my visage, and I your
fearsome mask, while we sit locked in this irksome impasse.тАЭ
Wald Ober never got the chance to reply. His battle mask vanished abruptly from the screen, and was
replaced by a womanтАЩs homely featuresтАФa broad crooked mouth, a nose that had been broken more
than once, hard leathery skin with the deep blue-black cast that comes from lots of exposure to hard
radiation and decades of anti-carcinoma pills, pale bright eyes in a nest of squint-folds, all of it
surrounded by a lavish halo of coarse gray hair. тАЬSo much for getting tough,тАЭ she said. тАЬYou win, Tuf.
Ober, youтАЩre now an honor guard. Form up and escort him into the web, damn it.тАЭ
тАЬHow thoughtful,тАЭ said Haviland Tuf. тАЬI am pleased to inform you that I am now prepared to tender the
final payment due the Port of SтАЩuthlam for the refitting of the Ark.тАЭ
тАЬI hope you brought some catfood, too,тАЭ Tolly Mune said drily. тАЬThat so-called тАШfive-year supplyтАЩ you
left me ran out almost two years ago.тАЭ She signed. тАЬI donтАЩt suppose youтАЩd care to retire and sell us the
Ark.тАЭ
тАЬIndeed not,тАЭ said Tuf.
тАЬI didnтАЩt think so. All right, Tuf, break out the beer, IтАЩm coming to talk to you as soon as you reach the
web.тАЭ
тАЬWhile I mean no disrespect, I must confess that I am not at the moment in the best frame of mind for
entertaining such a distinguished guest as yourself. Commander Ober has recently informed me that I
have been adjudged a criminal and heretic, a curious conception, as I am neither a citizen of SтАЩuthlam nor
an adherent to its dominant religion, but no less disquieting for all that. I am agog with fear and worry.тАЭ
тАЬOh, that,тАЭ she said. тАЬJust an empty formality.тАЭ
тАЬIndeed,тАЭ Tuf said.
тАЬPuling hell, Tuf, if weтАЩre going to steal your ship we need a good legal excuse, donтАЩt we? WeтАЩre a