"Norton, Andre - Redline the stars" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

your crew. Second is the response of your apprentices and
Mr. Weeks to the crisis of being framed as a plague ship.
They proved they could think quickly and clearly and then
make and carry through the desperate plan needed to clear
you. Furthermore, at the end, the Queen not only came out
of it all solvent with a relatively good contract but managed
to avenge herself on her enemies as well. I think I could
learn more serving with you for a voyage or two than I
could in ten years bumming around the rim."

The violet eyes studied him somberly. "I have no ulte-

Redllne the Stars 23

rior motive for this. You don't compete directly with my

brother, and even if you did, Teague doesn't deal in back-
alley work."

"No one ever said that he did. Doctor Cofort," he re-
sponded quietly.

She carefully closed her portfolio. "You have our offer.
Take your time to talk it over, but please consider it well.
It's generous since we are seriously interested in acquiring
the ship, and you're not likely to better it, or equal it, either,
in the foreseeable future."

Van Rycke was silent for a moment. "That won't be
necessary. We accept your brother's bid. -- You'll want to
inspect the Wrack?"

"Of course, as will our Engineer when the crew gets here,
as a formality in this case. You've been flying her, and none
of you appears to be suicidal. -- My request?"

"The Queen will carry you, but if you want to work, it'll
have to be as an unskilled temporary hand with no share
in the ship's profits." They would have to check the rates.
Only the huge transgalactics, most of those passenger lin-
ers, plying the inner-system starlanes, used unspecialized
labor. Out here on the rim, no Captain could indulge in that
luxury. Every crew member had his or her specific place

and could usually back up at least one other shipmate as
well.

"That's all I had in mind, Mr. Van Rycke." She glanced
at Jellico. "If it is agreeable to the Captain. Hiring a crew