"Niven, Larry & Jerry Pournelle - Moties - 02 - The Gripping Hand" - читать интересную книгу автора (Niven Larry)

"I sent Belinda back to the interaction nook. She's looking for a ticket out. She thought I was it. I thought I'd better send her back. A car took off right behind the taxi. I didn't think anything of it, I just tend to notice - "
"My training."
"Right. I strolled on into the spill section. I wanted an overview, and it really felt like I was onto something. That's where I got so drunk. Local whiskey. Made from - "
"'Gripping hand'?"
Renner sipped more espresso. "Gah! They looked like hunters. Smelled like hunters. 'Oh, I'm used to hunting snow ghosts. The furs sell for a lot, and if you know their habits, they aren't so dangerous.' One said, 'On the other hand, they did get Serge Levoy a month ago. You think they're learning, maybe? Mutating?' Another one laughed and said, 'On the gripping hand, Page, you're too lazy to do anything else for a living.'"
Bury shuddered. "Through the Coal Sack. The Mote is just on the other side of the Coal Sack. Moties must have come through the Coal Sack in slower-than-light ships."
"Not since we were there," Renner said. "Not enough time. And before that - Bury, they couldn't use that light sail trick through the Coal Sack. Just sending that one ship to New Cal soaked up so many resources it collapsed their whole civilization."
"Gripping hand," Bury said. "Three alternatives, one dominant. Two delicate right arms and a powerful left. People don't think that way. Moties do! There's too much money on this planet. We were looking for Outies. Maybe it isn't Outies. Maybe it's far worse than Outies."
"I don't believe it."
"I don't want to." Bury grimaced. "It is a pity that Nabil had to kill all three who attacked you. I think we might have learned something interesting from them."
Renner tried to look thoughtful and gave up. He finished the glass of water. "How so?"
"They wanted you alive. Not the actions of random muggers. Peaceable Sam is a gas used by police, not sold to civilians. They were skilled, and desperate, and had resources, but if they had been truly skilled, they would have succeeded."
"Desperate skilled amateurs," Renner said. "Who?"
"I trust we will know in the morning."
"Excellency?"
Bury turned. "Do you have something, Nabil?"
"The records office is closed and the computer is not responsive, so we cannot check retinal pattern identifications tonight, but Wilfred has made progress. Neither the first or second assassin had any trace of darkening in the lungs, no alcohol or drugs in the bloodstream."
"Look for caffeine."
Nabil nodded and spoke to the console.
"Mormons," Renner said. "Narrows it a bit. I'm about to fall over, Horace."
"To bed."


Renner was naked in the sauna. Despite the water and vitamins he had taken the night before, his head throbbed, and his stomach rejected all notions of food. When cold air touched him, he bellowed, "Shut it!"
Nabil smiled thinly. "You were more pleased to see me last night."
"I was still drunk. What do you have?"
"His Excellency wishes to see you. We have identified the assassins. They are crew members from Nauvoo Vision."
"Nauvoo Vision?"
"The name is Mormon. The ship belongs to Imperial Autonetics."
Renner whistled. "To Bury? Why in hell would crew from one of Bury's ships try to kill Bury's pilot?"
"Not kill. Kidnap," Nabil said. He carefully closed the sauna door.

"Nauvoo Vision," Bury said. "Captain Reuben Fox. A native of Maxroy's Purchase. Mormon, and recruits Mormon crew."
"Corruptible?" Renner asked.
Bury shrugged. "I have never had reason to find out. It would be worthwhile smuggling opal meerschaum if there were enough of it, but in fact it is very rare. Nothing else this world exports carries a tariff."
"What else do you know about him?"
"Very little. I do not believe I have ever met him. My Sector Commodore would have promoted him." Bury spoke softly in Arabic to his pocket computer. "It might be worth learning why, but in fact the reason seems clear enough. Fox has been a profitable captain."
"I think we should talk with him," Renner said. "And I'd better alert Navy Intelligence."
Bury grimaced. "I suppose you are correct. Especially since there may be Moties involved."
"The Governor has to know, too."
"I do not like government attention. Should I trust the Governor? If somebody on this world is dealing with Moties ...
"You'll be meeting him tonight, for dinner. Horace, I was hunted last night."
Nabil looked up from his console. "That is true. It is clear enough. They followed you, hoping to catch you alone or with only the woman. You left a taxi waiting when you went to the Top of the World."
"Yes - "
"We have located the driver. His cab was met at Madame Ressina's by three men with an improbable tale. They lost interest when they discovered that you were not in it."
"They really were hunting me, then. My head still hurts."
"It should, given what you drink," Bury said.
"I take my nerve restoratives. Bury, why did they want me?"
"I would presume for your keys," Nabil said, "and perhaps for instructions on how to enter the house. They carried other drugs. Serconal would have induced cooperation, or at least they must have thought so."
"That's illegal!" Renner protested.