"Jerry Pournelle - High Justice" - читать интересную книгу автора (Pournelle Jerry)

power operator somewhere in his native highlands; that was a long time ago.
Bill turned with pleasure to Arturo Martinez and shook his hand warmly. "Glad to see you, Art.
How's Dianne and the kids?"
"Everyone is fine at home, Bill," Martinez said. "I was supposed to go back last week, but now ...
I don't know if I can help, but I thought I would stay until this is settled."
Adams nodded soberly and took a seat at the thick wooden conference table. "All right, Dr. MacRae,
how did it happen?"
MacRae lit his pipe slowly, letting the flame play over the entire bowl and taking several
experimental puffs before he answered. "We had a storm in the channel," he said carefully.
"Persephone was in shallow waters with large waves breaking around her. There were reports of a
bigger storm comin' and Captain Anderson thinking of the cargo decided to take her into harbor to
be safe. . . . Aye, and I agreed when he called the Station. I had nae thought o' trouble."
"And the Fijians boarded her and took over," Adams finished. "Any change in her status?"
MacRae shook his head. Like all his movements it was slow, almost majestic, as if he controlled
time and could slow it to suit himself. "They say 'twould nae be safe to allow the ship to leave
harbor wi' that cargo, and their 'experts' will examine her for damage from the storm. 'Tis
blackmail simple, Mr. Adams. They've nae experts to begin wi' and there's nae the matter wi'
Persephone. But you would nae let me report the ship stolen."
"Time enough for that," Adams said grimly. "For the moment it's better we don't have an open
break. They don't actually claim the ship or cargo then?"
"Nae." MacRae shook his great head. "But 'tis only a matter o' time in my thought. Then they will
'discover' storm damage that only they can repair and confiscate the cargo for the safety o' the
human race."
Adams nodded. "The earth safety boys are likely to support them. Are you sure the cargo's still
aboard?"
"Aye. There's no man in Fiji fool enough to go in there, they'll need friends from the mainland
for that. The containers are sealed, encased in glassite. In case o' sinking, you know. So the
plutonium will nae foul the oceans if the ship is lost."
"Yeah." Adams nodded thoughtfully. "Now tell me about the troubles the Tongans are having with
Fiji."
MacRae nodded slowly again. "You know about the politics?" he asked. When Adams didn't answer, he
continued, "Both Tonga and Fiji have been under British protection, but now the Royal Navy's gone
from the Pacific and both countries are independent."
Adams said quietly, "Tonga always was, of course."
MacRae looked surprised and noticed that Martinez was smiling. "Aye. But Britain managed defense
and foreign relations. Now that's gone too. And since the British left, the Fijians hae claimed
sovereignty over waters almost to the Tonga Islands, hae seized more than a dozen Tongan fishing
boats. Now they've had Persephone for three days."
"Did the seizures of Tongan boats come before they took Persephone?"
"Aye. I see what you're thinking, mon, but how would we know they'd take a ship flying the U.S.
flag?" MacRae demanded. "That they'd take boats from the Tongans does nae imply they'd defy the
U.S. flag! Mon, you sit here talking to us when you've only to report piracy and have the U.S.
Navy get our ship back!"


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Adams laughed bitterly. "Do you think we haven't tried? The State Department says the matter is
very delicate . . . and the Fijians have good advice from somewhere. They've unofficially let it