"Andrew J. Offutt - Spaceways 09 - In Quest of Qalara" - читать интересную книгу автора (Offutt Andrew J)

that of the worlds of the spaceways. He sold more "walking cargo" than he
bought. Certainly four murderous pirates were better off earning their keep as
slaves on Bleak than receiving that form of public welfare called
imprisonment. In two hours on Bleak he and a happy mines manager struck a
bargain. Menekris and crew became slaves to expiate their sins; Jonuta
received enough for them to pay for his trouble in capturing them and
conveying them here. Since Bleak always needed more warm bodies of the working
type and these four were able-bodied, strong, and beloved by no one (meaning
they were stuck on Bleak for life and good riddance), Jonuta received his
price. Expenses and then some. He was offered an amount equivalent to the
price of all four men for the fascinating exotic woman accompanying him. She
continued to look proud and serene while he affected minor insult at the
offer. That brought them both an apology from mines manager Chiranalli,
followed by exaggerated politeness and niceties. That was that, on Bleak.
HReenee wanted to tarry and look around; to observe as a tourist of another
race. Jonuta wanted to take the next shuttle up to Coronet. "That was a rich
offer you turned down, my love," she said. "Are you sure you don't want to
sell me?" Jonuta's cultivated basso rumbled up from his chest: "I am not even
smiling, HReenee." She took his arm with both hands and pressed against him,
unconsciously moving with the sensuous rubbing of her kind. Men stared,
swallowed, and tried to keep their minds on their business. Jonuta and HReenee
took the next shuttle up to Coronet A short time later they were onboard ship,
zipped up, cleared, and easing away from Bleakerstation with the aid of a
reversed magnetic repulsion. Then they were hot-tailing it out of that solar
system. 31 "Up" toward the double star Payne-Humason and their six planets
(including the single really inhabited one, Jorinne), and on "up" and out
toward the star named Galileo. One of its planets was Qalara, and Qalara was
Jonuta's home. (The four pair of boots he had kindly given to Chiranalli on
Bleak. In addition to the cred-exchange, Jonuta bore away with him his
duffel-bag. In it were four stoppers of the Outer Planets type, unregistered
and not signed for. Their second setting was frowned upon by most planets here
toward Galaxy Center-the area long ago misnamed the Outer Reaches because the
original settlers of space came from the Sol system, way out at the edge of
the galaxy- although those same governments did not frown on the third
setting, which was death by complete disintegration.) Past the canary yellow
FO Payne and its blue dwarf companion, Coronet and all onboard would convert
to tachyons and thumb their noses at light-speed and Einstein. In terms of
time, Qalara was not all that distant, across the surrealistic arabesques of
stars in all their colors. A few million kloms out from Bleak and its fading
sun, Jonuta called Sak to the con. Sak came, to find his captain standing as
was his wont. The captain was also staring at the shiner on that old-copper
face with its high, sharply etched cheekbones. "What's the other guy look
like?" he rumbled. Sak heaved a sigh and affected a bowed head. "Not too bad,
Cap'n. There were five of them." The reply was silence, and Sakyo looked at
the console. Anywhere but at Jonuta. At last the latter spoke. "How clever of
you! Five of them! What kind of shape is Shigin?" "He's all right too. A few
cuts and bruises." "No broken bones, no stab-wounds." "Neg, Captain," Sak
said quietly, addressing the console with its multicolored lights. 32 "Two