"Andrew J. Offutt - Spaceways 14 - Assignment Hellhole" - читать интересную книгу автора (Offutt Andrew J)

quite long enough for Alanni's peace of mind. He just might decide that being
straight wasn't worth the trouble, with adversity piled on. Alanni sighed. She
had taken on obligations she could not walk away from. Now she'd just have to
go where those obligations forced her, and right now that looked remarkably
like the planet named Hellhole-for good reason. She also remembered another
reason why Nortay might have picked her, apart from her skill and her
vulnerability to his squeezing. One of her early successes was in a
computer-fraud case she had built against Councillor Nortay's biggest business
rival. It was never proven that Nortay had anything to do with it ... and it
was never really disproved, either. Nortay had a reputation for staying angry
a long time and turning minor grievances into running feuds. Did he consider
that he was at feud with her?-consider her dangerous to him? The concept made
a certain sort of sense, or might to him. In that case, did it make sense to
leave Jay and Bouncy? They might be damned if I do . . . and damned if I
don't! Tilno flipped five, making her realize she'd muttered the last few
thoughts more or less aloud. He said, "If I had the answer to that, I'd tell
you. I can say that I brought the message because somebody-whose name you'd
recognize- asked me to bring it. He said you might say things somebody else
could/would testify to in court. I'd hold my tongue, even if you
didn't." "Hmm!" That sounded a lot like Prefect Kilwar. If he's taking an
interest in this and if he's at all on my side, Bouncy and Jay might be safe
as long as I went to Hellhole. Certainly will be, if Tilno keeps watch
too. She stood, no longer at all aware of her more than fetching
appearance. "I smell all sorts of vermin in this one, Tilno. Big
ones. 13 Firm, then: I want five thousand birds in my credaccount tomorrow,
and the scrute on the Brotherhood by the end of the week. I want hard copy,
not computer transfer. I get that and I'll assume it isn't just a set-up,
firm? I'll go to Hellhole, and Blackarse Nortay can have either my blood or
the Invisible Wisdom. D'you happen to know which he'd rather think about when
he's jerking off?" She yanked the comb with its Hellhole pearls out of her
hair so fiercely that strands went with it. The pain only fed her anger. She
hurled the comb at the statue in the middle of the pool, wishing the comb was
a shuriken and the statue Councillor Nortay. Dislodged pearls
plop-plop-plopped into the green water like a handful of .gravel. Tilno came
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up behind her and slid an arm around her waist. The distracted Alanni went on
full automatic and slammed both elbows back into his ribs. Tilno sat down on
empty air, and went right on back into the pool with a mighty splash. Alanni
stared down. The ripples cleared to show Tilno floating just below the
surface. He seemed oddly motionless and suddenly she was more scared than
she'd been angry. She must have insulted him by ruining his gift, and now what
if I've really hurt him-! Tilno jackknifed and shot upward. Both long legs
shot out of the water and clamped around Alanni's left calf. With a scream of
mingled surprise and relief, she followed him into the pool. She didn't stay
long. Normally he couldn't lift her, but with the water making her buoyant he
hoisted her up onto the rim of the pool. By that time she was wearing only the
bracelets and the flower on her left breast, although her straggling hair now