"Andrew J. Offutt - Spaceways 02 - Corundums Woman" - читать интересную книгу автора (Offutt Andrew J)

dancing helplessly, Three was called Fry, and killed. "Stand behind him,
Tetsu, and be sure he stays put. Most likely he will be out long enough for
them to board, transfer cargo, and leave. But-" "I understand." 14 Prith
settled into the control chair and opened the comm-link to the other ship,
including Visual. His screen showed only the restless writhing of cosmic
static. Star noise. "First Mate Prithvi 712-90-4119 of Suyari, acknowledging
an act of piracy. We have conferred. Signal when you want the outer lock
opened." "Thank you, Myrzha Prithvi," the quiet, calm voice said. "We shall
arrive spacesuited and bearing arms. Would you be kind enough to place your
own sidearms in the airlock, please? It will be so good for our mental
state." "Uh-agreeable, but they will be drawn out into space and we could
use-" He waited. There was no reply. He sweated. Damn the damn pirate! At last
he spoke. "Very well. We are a crew of four, with four side-arms and another
locked up in the captain's cabin. Be assured that we are not stupid enough to
try using a cutter onboard ship!" Again he heard the amusement in the polite
tones of the other man, who continued to refrain from activating his Visual
send. "One is glad to hear it, Myrzha Prithvi. Not actuating even a
short-beam, laser onboard a spacer is a lesson learned by all good farers
along the spaceways. One of us will bear a cutter. It is not to be used except
in emergency, you understand! Place your arms in the airlock and be certain
that the inner lock is secured. Open outer port once you have accomplished
that. Two-plus-two taps means close outer port. One more signals you to open.
Three of us are now leaving ship. Evil pirate out." "Evil pirate!" Tetsu
repeated incredulously, while Prithvi shut off and sank back with a sigh.
Damned fancy-talking polite pirate! He looked over and up at Tetsu. The
captain continued inert. Prithvi sighed again and opened internal comm. "Suki?
Meet me at the airlock. SIPACUM and the shark have everything in control.
They're boarding. 15 We are going to be very very still and polite. If
they want your earrings, pass 'em over. Better than losing your lobes!" He
buttoned off and waited a moment for a reply that did not come. He rose. A
glance told him that the console was placid. All systems were stable. Locked
together, pirate and merchanter plunged on, oncourse for Murph and its fourth
moon. Prithvi looked at Tetsu. "We're in trouble, of course," he said, holding
out his hand. "Doubly." Tetsu placed his stopper in the other man's palm, cold
blue cylinder on warm beige skin. "Horrible thing to say, but-better we set
that thing on Fry and used it again." He jerked his hairless head at the
captain. "Once we reach port we'll just tell 'em the pirate done it." Still
again Prithvi sighed. "We can't. I know it and so do you. Everything we've
said has been recorded. We'll have to take our chances." His smile was pallid.
"Maybe he'll decide it's smarter not to press charges, once he thinks it
over-and accesses that part of the record." "You believe that?" Prithvi
shrugged. "We'll be alive." "Either way, we're through. Even if he decides to
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let it go, we can't stay on Suyari. And he won't be giving us any gold
stars!" "We'll be alive," the lean Prith said, and left the con-cabin. Suzuki,
big in shapeless gray coveralls, apparent-age forty, Indian blood evident amid
the Oriental, waited at the airlock. She looked at him and the three stoppers