"Michael McCollum - Antares 01 - Antares Dawn" - читать интересную книгу автора (McCollum Michael)

The landing boat touched down at Homeport forty minutes after it encountered the first tenuous wisps of
AltaтАЩs atmosphere. As soon as the craft had parked at the passenger terminal, Drake unstrapped and
made his way to the starboard airlock where a nervous crew chief watched intently as a cantilevered
loading bridge maneuvered slowly over the boatтАЩs still-glowing wing surfaces.

тАЬWhatтАЩs the matter, Chief?тАЭ Drake asked. тАЬDonтАЩt you trust the port handlers?тАЭ

тАЬTrust them fumble fingered goons withMolly here, CapтАЩn? No, sir. Not as far as I can spit under triple
gravs.тАЭ

The landing boat had touched down well past local sunset, but the million-candlepower beams of the
spaceportтАЩs polyarcs had no trouble turning night into day. Drake watched as the loading bridge sealed
itself against the hull. When the Chief signaled that all was secure, he stepped onto the spidery trusswork
and crossed to the terminal beyond.

Inside, he found Commodore Douglas Wilson waiting for him. Over the years, Drake had served three
tours of duty under the older manтАЩs command. He had long since learned to sense WilsonтАЩs every mood.
Drake could tell that the Commodore was excited and trying mightily to hide the fact.

тАЬGood to see you again, Richard,тАЭ Wilson said. тАЬHow was your trip?тАЭ

тАЬRough enough, sir. I have not had to suffer through a maximum performance reentry since my days at
the Academy. WhatтАЩs up?тАЭ

тАЬThe Admiral will brief you,тАЭ Wilson said noncommittally. тАЬCome on, IтАЩve a car waiting.тАЭ

Drake followed as Wilson led the way to an Admiralty limousine. An enlisted driver helped him with his
hand luggage, and then slid behind the control panel while the two officers arrayed themselves in the back
seat for the ten-kilometer drive to the Admiralty.

тАЬHow is that young lady of yours?тАЭ Wilson asked as the driver maneuvered the car into the heavy traffic
headed for Homeport.

тАЬCynthia? SheтАЩs fine, sir.тАЭ Drake gestured at the overnight bag. тАЬI was hoping for a chance to see her this
trip.тАЭ

Some unidentifiable emotion flashed across WilsonтАЩs features. тАЬSorry, Captain, but you wonтАЩt be on the
ground that long.тАЭ

тАЬOh?тАЭ Drake accompanied his question with raised eyebrows, but the commodore refused to rise to the
bait. Instead, he leaned back in his seat and gazed out the window at the shadowy trees zipping past at
two hundred kilometers per hour.

They rode in silence for several minutes until the driver gestured toward the eastern sky.

тАЬAntares is coming up, sirs!тАЭ

Drake turned to follow the driverтАЩs pointing finger. Sixty kilometers to the east was the Colgate mountain
range. By day, their snow-capped summits and forested slopes provided a view that was a favorite