"Miller,.Steve.And.Lee,.Sharon.-.Liaden.Universe.07.-.I.Dare.v1.1" - читать интересную книгу автора (Miller Steve)

a hand and plucked the ring up, turning it under the light, then
lowering it to compare against the holopic. Trapped on his stool,
the master jeweler watched her, seeing neither pleasure nor relief
on her cold, comely face.

"Yes," she said finally, and dropped the ring as if it were a common
trinket into the pocket of her jacket. The holopic went to the other
pocket, from out of which came three cantra coins, shining across
her palm like moons.

"You have earned your fee, Master Jen," she said, extending her
hand, the coins glowing, murmuring comfort and ease and
schooling for the boy. He leaned forward, felt a sharp pain at the
base of his skull.

The Liaden woman stepped back and let the body fall to the floor.
Her companion took the polishing rag up from the work-table and
used it to clean the gore from the wire-blade before slipping it
away into an inner pocket. From another pocket he drew forth a
vial, and anointed the corpse with its contents. Then he recapped
the container, and wiped it, too, with the polishing rag before
returning it to its place.

The woman raised her hand and turned, walking unhurriedly down
the dim, cluttered room. He followed her back into the house, past
the still figure in the small bed, through the forced door and out into
the night.

They were five minutes gone when the first flames licked to life,
feeding on the lines of accelerant left to nourish them. Five
minutes more found house and workshop both engulfed in fire so
fierce the water from the firefighter's cannon sizzled and
evaporated before it ever touched flame.

Five hours from the start, the fire was out, having consumed
house, shop and contents, leaving not so much as an ash on the
scoured stone floor of the basement.
Day 283
Standard Year 1392
McGee Spaceport
Fortune's Reward

"How many times you figure on firing me?"

Pat Rin yos'Phelium sighed. "Refresh my memory, Mr. McFarland.
How many times have I succeeded in firing you thus far?"

The big man grinned. "OK, that's fair. But, see, I thought we had an
understanding. I ain't only your pilot; I'm your backup. This idea of
yoursЧto cash up and go to groundЧnot a thing wrong with it. In