"Andre Norton - Solar Queen 06 - Derelict For Trade" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

Now Dane looked around, saw Rip Shannon, the astrogator apprentice,
tapping his fingers on his knees. "We might be able to work a deal," he
said. "We all have good skillsтАФ"

"Right," came Craig Tau's voice over the com. "We might be forced to
hire ourselves out to different outfits for a time, but if we pledge to save
half our earnings and come back to rescue the QueenтАФ"

"If she's not rendered down into scrap in the meantime." Karl Kosti's
rumbling voice came from the engine deck.

"Which is why we cut a deal," Kamil said. "We have several silver
tongues on boardтАФ"

All through their discussion, Dane noted abstractedly that Wilcox had
not ceased his scanning of surrounding space; having satisfied himself of a
clear course ahead, the astrogator had turned his attention in other
directions.

" Captain!" Wilcox's exclamation brought everyone's attention forward
again. "We've got a tail! Matching velocityтАФ"

"Tang!" Jellico snapped. "Raise them."

Dane saw Rael frown and Van Ryke grip a handhold in the hatchway.
He suspected they had the same thought as he did: was this some new
form of space piracy?

"Working, CaptainтАФ" Tang Ya muttered. The comtech crouched over
his console, the muscles in his broad back ridged with his intense
concentration. "No answerтАФ"

"Try Shver and Kanddoyd frequencies," Jellico cut in.

Of course Terran frequencies might not work this far outтАФDane didn't
know much about their present location, except that the Mykos system
was on the boundaries of two alien spheres of influence, Kanddoyd and
Shver.

"Sent, Captain," Tang said. "No response." He paused. "And no engine
emissions detectable, either."

"Rip, try to get visuals," Jellico ordered.

The astrogator apprentice worked at his console as Jellico went about
setting up their defense system. Not that they had much in the way of
weaponryтАФthe Solar Queen was a Trade vessel, not a fighter.

For a protracted moment there was silence on the bridge again. Dane