"Elizabeth Moon - Familias 05 - Rules of Engagement" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moon Elizabeth)

sense."
"He's gettin' old, though," Sam Dubois, Ranger Austin said. "He's
had one of them proscribed procedures . . ."
"He was rejuvenated," Mitch said, using the correct term. "They
started rejuvenating their most senior NCOs about ten, fifteen years ago,
and he's one of 'em. If they hadn't, likely we wouldn't have got anythin'
from him."
"But it's an abomination," Sam said. Stubborn as rock, Sam was,
and tighter than a tick to Parson Wells.
"Yes, it's an abomination," Mitch said. "I'm not sayin' it's right. But
the devil takes care of his own, sometimes, and them rejuvenations have
been working awhile now. The man's only eighty; his mind should be fine
even if he hadn't had the drugs."
"But it's not," the Captain said, with a triumphant look at Mitch.
"Look at this here." He passed down a sheet of paper.
Mitch looked at it. "Gobbledegook," he said after a glance. "Did
he change ciphers or something?"
"No. I think he's taken to some heathen practiceЧor that
rejuvenation is eating his brain. I've heard about that." His next glance at
Mitch was calculating.
"Could be," Mitch said. Everyone knew he had read more widely
in the dangerous literature of biomodification than was strictly approved
by the parsons. The Captain was trying to trap him into a discussion that
would prove his contamination, but Mitch was smarter than that.
Instead, he had his own plan.
"Well?" Sam said.
"Captain," Mitch said formally. "I'd like to make a proposal."
"Sure," the Captain said. His gaze didn't waver. Mitch could have
laughed; the idiot still thought Mitch would incriminate himself.
"You know you gave me permission 'way last year to do some
work in the Familias myselfЧ"
"YeahЧ"
"Well, sir, I cast bread on the waters and let me tell you, there are
hungry souls out there all athirst for the true word of God." Now the
others all nodded, leaning forward. "I found us some agents here and
thereЧin big trading firms, and one in a regional weapons depot, an
assistant station masterЧand we've been getting a nice little flow of
illicits in here for about six months."
Mitch pulled out his own report and passed it around. "More'n
that, gentlemen, any time we want an entire cargo hold loaded with
nukes or anything else, I've got just the person to do it. What I thought
was, I'd go on and tell 'em to load up, and then go get us a transport as
well as the weapons. There's this ship that takes a shortcut through a
deserted systemЧa fine place for an ambush."
"AhЧand you want our help, Ranger Bowie?"
"No sir, I don't. With all respect, sir, there's too much goin' on to
pull resources from the rest of our people. What I thought was, I'd take
all of the Bowies, and take care of this little choreЧand that should put
us back on track for knocking the Guernesi flat on their tails."
Silence, during which the others digested this, and looked for