"Steve Perry - Battle Surgeons" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Steven)

One of the human females was wearing the robes and trappings of a Jedi.
There was no disputing it; the plain dark hooded robe, the lightsaber hanging from her belt, and, most of
all, something as indefinable as it was unmistakable in the way she comported herselfтАФall these identified
her as surely as if a neon holo had been blinking jedi above her head. The Order had been in the holonews
quite a lot lately, Den knew. He felt his pulse quicken a bit as he thought about the possible implications of
her being here, on Drongar. Something to do with the bota, perhaps? Or was it something more secretive,
more clandestine .. . ?
His reporter's curiosity could not be denied. Den picked up his drink and started toward the table.
After all, the public needed to know.




4
Jos didn't recognize the Sullustan, but that wasn't sur-prising. Rimsoo Seven wasn't exactly one of the
Corus-cant spaceports, but a small amount of traffic did cycle through. Most of the newcomers were
observers or offi-cers on tour, and, of course, there was an endless parade of clones. Some, however, were
civilians: supply and materiel supervisors, bota harvesters, and various hired laborers. He'd even heard
rumors that the base might be included in a HoloNet Entertainment tour. Many base functions were
performed by droids, but most droids didn't last very long on Drongar. The WED Treadwells were
constantly breaking their many delicate arma-tures, and the medical droidsтАФthe MDs, 2-1 Bs and
FXsтАФneeded constant maintenance due to the humid-ity and high oxygen quotient. Jos had had parts on
back order from Cybot, Medtech, and other factories for months, but no joy was in sight anytime soon.
So when the Sullustan strolled over with a drink in one hand and a friendly expression, the four made
room for another chair. He introduced himself, adding that he was a string reporter for the Galactic Wave,
one of the smaller holonews services. "Been asked to come over to HoloNet several times," he said,
grabbing a handful of shroomchips from the bowl in the table's
center. "But they're too mainstream, too party line for me. I like working on the edge."
 "Do you disagree with the Republic's policies toward Dooku and his Separatists?" Barriss Offee asked.
Dhur's huge eyes appraised her for a few seconds while he swallowed. "Kind of unusual to see a Jedi
Knight this far out," he said.
"I'm not a Jedi Knight as of yet. Until I complete my training, my title is still Padawan," Barriss said.
"And you haven't answered my question."
"You're rightтАФI haven't." Dhur looked steadily into the Jedi's eyes. "Let's just say I disapprove of some
of Dooku's methods."
The silence that followed threatened to become ten-sion. Zan said quickly, "We'd just offered to give our
new healer the five-decicred tour. Care to join us?"
Dhur drained his drink. "Wouldn't miss it."

Five decicreds would be robbery for this tour, Jos thought as the four walked through the base. There
really wasn't much to see: several foamcast buildings, the biggest of which contained pre- and postmed and
the operating theater. Then there were the officers' quartersтАФsmaller cubicles, for the most partтАФthe
can-tina, mess hall, landing pad, refreshers, and showers. All this in a small valley overshadowed by tall,
tree-like growths, mostly draped with something that looked similar to Naboo swamp moss.
The storm had stopped as suddenly as it began. Jos was sweating after a dozen steps; the air lay sodden
and heavy, without a breath of movement. He watched Bar-riss Offee, wondering how she stood the damp
heat in that heavy cloak. She didn't even seem to be sweating.
He wondered what she looked like under those robes.. .
"We do triage over there, where the lifters put down," Zan said to her, pointing to the west. "We keep a
sepa-rate pad for the shuttles; that's where you two landed, near the harvesters' quarters." He pointed