"Paul J. McAuley - Winning Peace" - читать интересную книгу автора (Mcauley Paul J)

тАЬThe two of you are enemies, as you said. Fight your duel. The winner will take me
with himтАФI will pay well for it.тАЭ

Rider Jackson looked at Carver and smiled. тАЬWhat do you think?тАЭ
 тАЬI think the war is over.тАЭ Carver was smiling too, remembering something
Jarred had said. That peace was harder work than war, but more worthwhile.

Useless Beauty said, тАЬI do not understand. You are enemies.тАЭ

Rider Jackson stuck his pistol in his belt. тАЬLike he said, the war is over.
Besides, we both want the same thing.тАЭ

Carver lowered the pistol heтАЩd taken off Mr. KanzaтАЩs body and told the !Cha,
тАЬYouтАЩre like Mr. Kanza. You think you own us, but you donтАЩt understand us.тАЭ

тАЬYou must take me with you,тАЭ Useless Beauty said.

тАЬIt wants to find out how the story ends,тАЭ Rider Jackson told Carver.

тАЬI will pay you well,тАЭ Useless Beauty said.

Carver shook his head. тАЬWe donтАЩt need your money. We have the scow, and
I have about thirty meters of a weird thread I took off Dr. SmithтАЩs body. ItтАЩs
superconducting and very strong, and I canтАЩt help wondering if itтАЩs something you
and her pulled out of Ganesh Five B.тАЭ

тАЬI told you the truth about what we found,тАЭ Useless Beauty said. тАЬIt escaped
us and destroyed our ship, but it did not survive. However, I admit this thread may
be of interest. I must examine it, of course, but if it is ma-terial transformed during
the destruction of the ship, I may be willing to purchase it.тАЭ

тАЬThatтАЩs what I thought,тАЭ Carver said. тАЬIt may not be an Elder Culture artifact,
but it could be worth something. And maybe the data from the probes I dropped
into Ganesh Five B might be worth something too.тАЭ

тАЬI may be willing to purchase that too,тАЭ Useless Beauty said. тАЬAs a souvenir.тАЭ

тАЬWhat do you think?тАЭ Carver said to Rider Jackson. тАЬThink weтАЩll get a better
price on the open market.тАЭ

тАЬI can force you to take me,тАЭ Useless Beauty said.

тАЬNo you canтАЩt,тАЭ Carver said.

тАЬAnd even if you could, it would ruin the ending of your story,тАЭ Rider
Jackson said. тАЬIтАЩm sure the settlers or the Navy will rescue you, for a price.тАЭ

There was a long moment of silence. Then Useless Beauty said, тАЬI would like
to know what happens after you escape. I will pay well.тАЭ
 тАЬIf we escape,тАЭ Carver said. тАЬWe have to get past the cutter.тАЭ