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

height and obvious alienness. Prith would not dream of hampering or
challenging this trio of spacefaring thieves. 18 Suzuki was staring at the
yellow-suited one. It was definitely 215 or more centimeters or "sems" in
height-above seven feet. And four-armed. And two-legged, two-footed. And ...
its TP eye was on a level with her face! Suzuki was 157 sems tall. Had she
worn a TP in a corresponding area, it would have been in the center of her
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chest! The calm, quiet voice emerged electronically hollow, and made both
Suyari crewmembers jump. "Are you carrying knives? Are there blades in your
boots?" Both shook their heads and both said "No," as well. "I believe you. I
spoke with the captain and with the Mate. Which are you?" "Mate," Prith said.
"Prithvi." The white suit bowed slightly. "Myrzha Prithvi. And your
captain?" "Unconscious," Prithvi said. "He was not going to let you board.
Engineer Tetsu and I decided that was irrational, and told him so. He began to
draw his stopper. I stopped him." "Second setting?" There was that amused tone
again. "Of course." "And where is Engineer Tetsu? Pardon, but that is not a
woman's name." "Here," Tetsu said, having come quietly along the tunnel from
the con. The speed with which two stoppers were leveled at him was genuinely
shocking. Prith also noted that the alien did not move. The cutter was aimed
at Mate Prithvi. They all heard the banging, scraping noises on the hull. "You
are a dangerously quiet man, Engineer Tetsu," white suit said. "Potentially
dangerous to yourself. Were we not professionals we might have given away to
the urges of adrenaline and squeezed these stoppers. In that event there would
have been no more Engineer Tetsu. 19 "You are hearing others of my crew
transferring your external cargo. Where is the captain?" "In the Mate's chair.
Unconscious." The white helmet nodded stiffly. "That is unfortunate. Captain
Ota brought onboard some contraband. One assumes that only he is cognizant of
its location. We cannot wait hours for him to awaken. Engineer Tetsu: pray
escort us to his cabin. Number Three: remain here with the cutter. Myrzha
Prithvi: do go and revive your captain. An injection . . . whatever you have
to do." "But-" The white-suited shark had already begun moving away. It turned
back. So did the stopper in its gaunt-leted hand. The stopper was a most
sinister black. Prith nodded and went forward. The others went to the
captain's cabin. The banging noises on the hull continued. Naturally Captain
Ota's cabin was locked. "Engineer Tetsu, one assumes this cabin is coded to
the captain's thumb or voice or both. Is there an override card?" "Not that I
know of, sir." Tetsu heard himself add that last word automatically, and
wished he had not. Still, perhaps it was best. "Before we open it with the
cutter, Engineer Tetsu, is there-in your opinion-an electronic override? In
the con, perhaps?" "If . . . there is one, Myrzha Prithvi would know of
it-probably." "Secretive sort, your captain." "Yes, sir." Suddenly, the white
spacesuit swung to Suzuki. "I have been remiss in my manners, computrician.
What is your name?" "Su-zuki," she said slowly, and couldn't help asking, "How
did you know my function on Suyari?" "First Mate said there were four aboard
Suyari. The captain does not seem sufficiently stable to double as 20
computer interfacer and maintner. The first mate does not seem to possess
that sort of personality. Number Two: go to him and advise that we desire this