"Andre Norton & P M Griffin - Redline The Stars - uc" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

ingЧof real value remained that was anywhere near being

in a Free Trader's price range."

"Why so many jewels?" Rip inquired curiously.
Van Rycke glanced up at his apprentice. "Answer him."
"Teague Cofort trades with powerful people on some
highly developed planets and with fairly sophisticated,
complex societies even on those less technically advanced.
He has to carry quality goods, not trinkets, or no one would

bother coming to him."
"Precisely."

ReiSllnelhe Stars 15

Thorson breathed an inner sigh of relief. Questions and
testing were every apprentice's lot, part of the process that
would eventually transform the dead material learned at
Training Pool into the ingrained knowledge and experi-
ence of a Master. Still, he hated the feeling of being trans-
ported back to the classroom and hated more the chance
that he might not respond correctly, embarrassing himself
and letting his chief down. He realized with a touch of
pride that it had been a compliment to him that the ques-
tion had been put to him publicly. Van Rycke had expected
an accurate reply.

"When did the Roving Star planet?" Wilcox inquired.
"She hasn't, nor have any of the other Cofort ships," Van
Rycke told him. "Our encounter was brief, and I didn't get
a chance to question our prospective customer about that
mystery. Perhaps she'll be good enough to enlighten us
when she comes aboard to discuss the Wrack."
"Which will be when?" the Captain asked.
"In a couple of hours. I wanted to give us some thinking
time."

He sighed then, to himself. They had best use it well.
This was purely a buyer's market. They had to unload that
freighter, and Rael Cofort would know that every bit as well
as they did themselves.




Miceal was too accustomed to his brown Trade uniform to
be much bothered by it even with all fastenings in place
and the high, stiff dress collar squeezing his neck, espe-
cially not with so important a meeting as this to claim his