" Perry Rhodan 0089 - (81) Pucky's Grestest Hour" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

briefly and then excused himself to Rhodan for the unexpected interruption,
indicating with a gesture to the nearest clan members sitting behind him.
тАЬRhodan, as you can see we are in the midst of a conference. If you will grant us
three hours, Earth time, we will then let you know our decision.тАЭ
тАЬCokaze, will you call back yourself, or should I call first?тАЭ Rhodan asked, still
courteous.
тАЬIтАЩll call, Rhodan.тАЭ
тАЬThank you, Springer. But IтАЩd like to take this opportunity to reiterate that we
Terrans have never lacked gratitude towards our friends.тАЭ
тАЬWhen it pays off, Terran,тАЭ answered Cokaze smoothly and two-facedly, тАЬthen
we Galactic Traders are the last not to know how to value gratitude. We could
sign a treaty which would grant my clan the trading monopoly here, for after all,
the Solar Imperium has my help to thank for the fact it still exists. However, we
can always discuss that later, Terran. IтАЩm switching off.тАЭ

* * * *

тАЬI really like that!тАЭ said Bell with a threatening undertone as CokazeтАЩs face
disappeared from the vidscreen. He sat to one side and had attentively followed
the discussion between Rhodan and the Springer patriarch. тАЬI donтАЩt think we have
any other choice than to call Atlan once more so that we can have him make it
clear to Cokaze we have no intention of being blackmailed like this. That
reference to a trade monopoly was sheer effrontery.тАЭ
тАЬThey arenтАЩt called Galactic Traders for nothing,тАЭ Rhodan commented. тАЬBut
that matter isnтАЩt what worries me at the moment. What I want to know is what
news was whispered to the patriarch when he was answering me. I have seldom
seen a Springer whose eyes lit up in such joy as CokazeтАЩs did.тАЭ
Intuitively, Bell caught the drift of RhodanтАЩs thoughts. тАЬPerry,тАЭ he exclaimed,
тАЬyouтАЩre crazy!тАЭ
Rhodan looked meaningfully at Bell. тАЬI almost wish I were,тАЭ he said. тАЬYou
were always the one to protect Tom. It was you who kept him from being
courtmartialledтАжтАЭ
He got no further.
Whenever RhodanтАЩs son was the topic of discussion, the opinions of the two
men collided violently. Bell believed devoutly in the good in Thomas Cardif and
he simply could not understand why Rhodan was so hopeless and pessimistic in
the matter.
Bell dragged Rhodan away from the hypercom. тАЬIf you donтАЩt do it, then IтАЩll call
Pluto. Thomas didnтАЩt run off with any destroyer just because he didnтАЩt have
anything better to do that day.тАЭ He clicked the switches into place. TerraniaтАЩs
hypercom central reported and Bell asked for a connection with the garrison chief
on the far distant planet.
Three minutes went by before the major appeared on the vidscreen in RhodanтАЩs
workroom.
тАЬSirтАжтАЭ announced the major.
Bell got down to business at once. тАЬMajor, what do you know about Thomas
CardifтАЩs desertion? What was the reason for it?тАЭ
тАЬSirтАжтАЭ It could be clearly seen how much the major would have preferred to
avoid answering that question. тАЬSirтАж thereтАЩs a rumour going aroundтАж well, sir,
you know how it is with soldiersтАжтАЭ