"Emil Petaja - The Path Beyond The Stars" - читать интересную книгу автора (Petaja Emil)

тАЬYup. Small but exclusive. Lots of what I need on these quick trips to
Terra. Privacy.тАЭ
тАЬSplendid.тАЭ
тАЬGlad you approve.тАЭ
The automobile lift zoomed them up to within a short walk down the
hall from Jon's expensive utility apartment with the spectacular view of San
Francisco and the whole Bay area. It was all-inclusive, with dinner and
drinks to be had from central service for the pushing of a button,
robot-cooked, robot-served.
Jon Wood's life had been here today and a million parsecs there
tomorrow; starplot arranged for his creature needs wherever he might
happen to be at the moment. Considering the luxury that his unique
position with the fantastically huge star company rated, this two-room
jewel box was practically poverty.
Venus double-checked the lock on the door before accepting the brandy
Jon poured out at the built-in bar. With growing interest, he watched her
prowl the cubicle's nooks and crannies (there weren't many). She was a
small girl but built with exceptional precision. Her burnished-gold hair just
brushed her shoulders; her tight gold suit with its accents of glinting
sapphire matched her hair and brought out the startling green of her eyes.
She'd stashed the hand weapon somewhere on her person; where, Jon could
not imagine, although he thought as he sipped his brandy it might be fun
to set about finding out. When she had finished checking out the
apartment, including the bathroom, she came over and sat by him on the
long couch.
тАЬWell now?тАЭ he prompted, cocking an ironic eyebrow.
She tilted breathlessly toward him, thoroughly absorbed in her secret
thoughts. тАЬHave you lived here long?тАЭ
Jon checked his watch. тАЬAbout fourteen hours. Okay?тАЭ
тАЬFine. IтАФthink.тАЭ
тАЬI wish you'd let me in on what it is you think. If it's any help at all,
nobody knows I am staying here. I am anonymous, incognito, and one of
those celebrities who never gets his picture on the vid, anyway. That's the
way starplot likes it and that's the way I like it. My bossтАФand he is a big
bossтАФtrusts me implicitly.тАЭ
тАЬAgainst whom?тАЭ
тАЬCompetitors, of course. Just about everything's been tried to inveigle
me away from starplot. First, they made me wear a goddamn gimmick in my
head that kept tabs on every movement, in case I got kidnapped or
something. I made them remove it. By now they are 100 percent sure of me
and play it my way. I am not bugged, I am not checked up on. I am alone,
period. The way I want it. And tomorrow, dawn, I take off for Moonside
never to see this particular worm can again.тАЭ He indicated the cushy walls
and the fog-blurred windows with a flourish.
тАЬGood. Good.тАЭ She permitted herself a small sip, then a deeper one.
тАЬThis is good brandy. Not that I'm a connoisseur or anything.тАЭ
тАЬAnother?тАЭ
тАЬNo. I'd better notтАФтАЭ
тАЬI think you'd better. Looks like you haven't relaxed for quite a while.тАЭ
Her eyes darkened to bitter green. тАЬNot since Trog killed my father.тАЭ