"Andre Norton - Solar Queen 04 - Postmarked The Stars" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

POSTMARKED THE STARS
by Andre Norton

Scan by Iczelion, proof by Nadie
Contents

* 1. RUDE AWAKENING
* 2. MEMORY LOST AND FOUND
* 3. CARGO TROUBLE
* 4. TROUBLE FLIGHT
* 5. TEMPORARY TRUCE
* 6. MONSTER FROM THE PAST
* 7. ICEBOUND MURDER
* 8. INVOLUNTARY FLIGHT
* 9. HUNTERS OF MEN
* 10. THE TRAP
* 11. SECURITY ORтАФ?
* 12. HIDDEN BASE
* 13. WILDERNESS REFUGE
* 14. CARTLтАЩS HOLDING
* 15. RESCUE ATTEMPT
* 16. BAIT FOR A TRAP
* 17. PURSUIT TO THE RAT NEST
* 18. SPOILS TO THE VICTORS



1. RUDE AWAKENING

He was crawling on hands and knees through a world of steam, of greasy mud that sought to engulf him
bodily. He could not breatheтАФyet he must goтАФget awayтАФoutтАФ

His lanky body was sprawled across the bed, arms wide and spread. Hands clawed feebly at the wrinkled
covering bunched under it as his head turned with slow, agonized steadiness back and forth on the slightly
raised section at one end of that narrow shelf.

Humid heat, gluey mess holding himтАФbut he must keep going. It was very necessaryтАФhe must!

He was breathing in gasps, which grew into shudders, shaking his whole lean length. And though his eyes
were still closed, he endeavored to push himself up and away from the surface on which he lay.

He could seeтАФhis eyes relayed a message to his brainтАФthat he was not crawling over any steam-pillared
swamp. Instead, he lifted his head higher to look at walls that appeared to raise and lower rhythmically to
his gasping.

Dane Thorson, assistant cargo master, the free trader Solar Queen, Terra registry 65-724910-JKтАФas if they
were part of a flaming scarlet sign printed on the heaving surface before him, he read those words. And
they made sense, althoughтАФdid he see them? HeтАФhe was Dane Thorson. And the Solar QueenтАФ

With a gasp that was half cry, he gave himself a push so he was seated, not lying, on the bed, though he