"Miller.and.Lee.-.Liaden.Universe.-.The.Tomorrow.Log" - читать интересную книгу автора (Miller Steve)

"Damn your ship and damn your crew," Gem elaborated, pressing his advantage. "You know nothing of me, of my business, of my necessities, or my life. You have found Gem ser Edreth, who repudiates you and yours and forbids you to come near him! Come to me again and regret it...." He glared at her. "Do you believe that I mean what I say?"
"Yes, Anjemalti, I believe that." Still she stood there, staring at him out of enormous eyes.
"Then leave me!"
"The Tomorrow Log," Corbinye said then, as if all of his ranting had been mere pleasantry, "names the child of a Captain and a Grounder as the Captain who will bring the Ship out of the greatest danger we have faced since the Exodus itself. The danger is not just to Gardenspot, but to all the Ships and all the Crews. You are the one named to save us-"
"The Tomorrow Log is a tale for children-and for halfwits. It has nothing to do with me. Go!"
She stamped her foot, voice rising to a shout. "I have not sought you, world to world, year to year, to take 'nay' from an ill-tempered brat as my final orders!"
"A fine respect," Gem drawled, "to show for the Captain Hero." He snapped forward, put his face close to hers and spoke deliberately. "I am not yours. Go away."
So saying, he left her there, and she let him go, which upon reflection, did not make him entirely easy. He turned the matter over as he went from errand to errand, and made a note to speak to Dart's Captain Skot, when that ship came to port.


CHAPTER SIX

The research had gone slowly: he'd uncovered the breath of a possibility, nothing more, and Shilban in such a vile mood it was worth Gem's entire fortune, and the Vornet's as well, to disturb the scholar today.
Standing on the rotting verandah, he stared out over the city, rubbing the palm of his right hand down his thigh and frowning. Tomorrow. Tomorrow he would have the answer to the riddle of what protected Mordra El Theman's treasure so well. The day after, at the very latest, he would have an antidote-and damn Shilban's moods! Three days hence, the vase would be his and on its way off-world.
Gem nodded, discovered his hand still rubbing against his leg, and balled it into a fist. Third Noon was long past, and darkness was settling comfortably over the city below. He abruptly decided against going home. He would need to come back to Shilban's Library early tomorrow morning in any wise; it was senseless to add a trip from across the city and Down to the day's labors.
He crossed the verandah gingerly, sprang over the disintegrating steps and descended the slope toward the 'Ramp that would bear him down to UpTown.

* * *

Dinner covers removed by the efficient Phred, Gem leaned back in his chair and sipped an excellent brandy, languidly watching the ebb and flow of people within the Concourse. There were a good many tourists among the players; if he still picked pockets he would have done quite well this evening. Not that Edreth had sanctioned the picking of pockets as more than an exercise in versatility. He-and his apprentice-were of the elite, who stole art objects and valuables far beyond mere money or day-jewels.
Theirs was the glory and the greater gain, Edreth had said often enough; and, which he did not say, theirs was the greatest risk. A mere pickpocket might be fined, or lose a year of consciousness in the Blue House, while his body did service. A master thief, unlikely as it was that such would be apprehended, would lose his fortune, his name and quite likely his life, for Henron, at least, did not believe in rehabilitation of the persona, not with the demand for bodies so high. And so profitable.
Watching the players, he did not see them until they were upon him: an expensively dressed woman flanked by two men who wore vests, so the guns would not offend. But the guns were there, nonetheless; as apparent as Phred and the Concourse bouncer were absent.
Gem set his drink aside, rose and bowed as they came to his table, deeply and with profound respect. He straightened in time to see the surprise in the woman's eyes; smiled and showed her his empty hands in the age-old gesture of welcome.
"My lady. I am amazed and honored to see you."
Surprise had faded; the aquamarine eyes held speculation. "But you made sure that you would," she said, and her voice matched her person-lovely and expensive and very, very dangerous. "See me."
He made a show of astonishment. "I? How could I make sure of such a thing?"
"By ignoring my messages and confounding my messengers." She lifted a hand glittering with jewels; motioned. "May I sit?"
"If it pleases you," Gem said, though it far from pleased him. He watched as her gun-sworn pulled the chair out for her; and sat at the same instant she did, as an equal chieftain would, and affected not to see that the second gunman had raised his hand to his vest.
"May I offer you brandy, my lady?" he inquired courteously. "Wine?"
She lifted a finger and the man's hand dropped; smiled coolly at Gem. "Brandy would be pleasant. Thank you."
He raised his own hand and Phred was magically at his side, whisking away the half-empty snifter and replacing it with two, generously filled.
"You do not answer my charge, Master ser Edreth," said Saxony Belaconto, laying her bejeweled hands flat upon the table and fixing him with those alluring eyes.
He gazed back, his own hands relaxed and in sight. "What should I answer, lady? Your messengers approached me twice. In each instance I gave them a message to take back to you. If they failed of this, then I can only suggest-with all courtesy-that you must look to the quality of your employees." He dropped his eyes momentarily; brought them back to hers.
"As for confounding your messenger-she was overzealous, to my mind, and required a lesson. You note that she came back to you intact."
"I did note that, yes." She raised her glass; sipped delicately. "The message I received was that you refused my commission."
"It was never so harshly phrased as that, my lady."
"But that was the essence of the message," she pursued, watching him closely.
"Yes," Gem agreed, tasting the brandy carefully.
"I would be interested in learning why." She held up a hand, forestalling the explanation. "It was perhaps not explained to you: I return favors lavishly. You would not be the poorer for assisting me."
"I never doubted it," he told her, and sighed lightly. "My master left me several life-rules, all of which have served me well; all of which have sound reason and the experience of a long and fruitful life behind them. One of these rules was to never do favors." He gazed ingeniously into her eyes.
"Lady, I am desolate that I may not assist you. As I suggested to your gun-sworn, there are several of my profession on Henron; several more on Zelta. There is no reason to expect that they embrace the same life-rules as I."
"You were mentioned to me as the best," Saxony Belaconto said; "and the task I have in mind would challenge even the best, I think." She looked at him; he smiled and shook his head. "Two hundred thousand qua," she said softly, and lifted her glass to drink. The sum was large; fully twice his own liquid assets, here on Henron. The thought disturbed him, though, of course the Vornet would be able to command such information from any data bank. What disturbed him more was that she apparently thought the cash the full extent of his resources.
"A handsome repayment for even a challenging favor. I regret-"
"Four hundred thousand qua."
"Lady," he said, as gently as was possible. "There is no sum of money that can buy my assistance. I am my own man and no one else commands me. This suits me very well. I have no wish to offend you or your masters, I merely wish to be left to live my life as I would."
"I see." She raised her glass and drank again. "Passable. Allow me, though, Master ser Edreth, to send you some from my own cellar."
"My thanks to you, lady, but-no."
She laughed suddenly, as gaily as any girl, and reached across to touch his hand. "By not even so much as a bottle of brandy! Very well, then, sir."
She rose, and he did, and she beckoned to her bodyguard as he bowed. "Good evening, lady."
"Good evening, Master ser Edreth, and thank you for your hospitality. No doubt we shall speak again."