"Norton, Andre - Solar Queen 01 - Sargasso of Space" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

Sargasso of Space
by Andre Norton

Scanning by Iczelion, proofing and layout by Nadie
Contents

* CHAPTER ONE--THE SOLAR QUEEN
* CHAPTER TWO--WORLDS FOR SALE
* CHAPTER THREE--CHARTERED GAMBLE
* CHAPTER FOUR--LIMBO LANDING
* CHAPTER FIVE--FIRST SCOUT
* CHAPTER SIX--SINISTER VALLEY
* CHAPTER SEVEN--SHIP OUT OF SPACE
* CHAPTER EIGHT--FOG BOUND
* CHAPTER NINE--BLIND HUNT
* CHAPTER TEN--THE WRECK
* CHAPTER ELEVEN--SARGASSO WORLD
* CHAPTER TWELVE--SHIP BESIEGED
* CHAPTER THIRTEEN--ATTACK AND STALEMATE
* CHAPTER FOURTEEN--TRUMPET OF JERICHO
* CHAPTER FIFTEEN--PRISONER'S MAZE
* CHAPTER SIXTEEN--THE HEART OF LIMBO
* CHAPTER SEVENTEEN--THE HEART CEASES TO BEAT
* CHAPTER EIGHTEEN--UP SHIP AND OUT



CHAPTER ONE:
THE SOLAR QUEEN

THE LANKY, VERY young man in the ill-fitting Trader's tunic tried to stretch the cramp out of his long
legs. You'd think, Dane Thorson considered the point with a certain amount of irritation, the man who
designed these under-surface transcontinental cars would take into mind that there would be tall
passengers--not just midgets--using them. Not for the first time he wished that he could have used air
transport. But he had only to finger the money belt, too flat about his middle, to remember who and what
he was--a recruit new to the Service, without a ship or backer.

There was his muster pay from Training Pool, and a thin pad of crumpled credit slips which remained from
the sale of all those belongings which could not follow him into space. And he had his minimum kit--that
was the total sum of his possessions--except for that slender wafer of metal, notched and incised with a
code beyond his reading, which would be his passport to what he determined was going to be a brighter
future.

Not that he should question the luck he had had so far, Dane told himself firmly. After all, it wasn't every
boy from a Federation Home who could get an appointment to the Pool and emerge ten years later an
apprentice Cargo Master ready for ship assignment off world. Even recalling the stiff examinations of the
past few weeks could set him to squirming now. Basic mechanics, astrogation grounding, and then the
more severe testing in his own specialization--cargo handling, stowage, trade procedure, Galactic markets,
Extra-terrestrial psychology, and all the other items he had had to try and cram into his skull until he
sometimes thought that he had nothing but bits and patches which he would never be able to sort into