"John Rankine - Dag Fletcher 1 - The Ring of Garamas" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rankine John)

Black disk eyes held his for a second, and he saw himself reflected there, in duplicate, as though he was
trying to convince himself.

Yola drew down the cuff of her blue and white shirt to hide the raw cut and said heavily, тАЬI do not know
why you should try to do this for me. But you do not understand the seriousness. If you fail, you will be
implicated and I.G.O. will not help you. This is a neutral country.тАЭ

Fletcher stood up and shoved his hat on at a piratical angle. Male-Female relations on Garamas tended
to be basic and brutal. Only pressure from I.G.O. had brought a measure of freedom to the women in the
main centres. In up country areas, they still tended to be counted with oxen as useful to husbandry.
Following the culture pattern, sure that he was heard by the guard at the nearer door, he said, curtly,
тАЬHurry Yola, I do not have all day to wait.тАЭ

Without checking that he was being followed, he walked straight for the exit.

He was a metre from the guard, before the man moved and could hear the girl's sandals flip-flopping
behind him. He had banked on the impact of a uniform and unfamiliar rank insignia which could mean
anything.

Certainly the I.G.O. shore-going rig was impressive, brilliant white, with a sun-burst blazon left of centre
on the chest and green and gold rank tabs on the epaulettes.

Fletcher leaned on the Garamasian passion for neutrality. They would not go for a showdown with an
I.G.O. official without serious reason. In this case, if they were looking for a Garamasian, it was obvious
that no amount of disguise would turn him into an Earthman.

Face had to be saved, however. As he stepped aside, the guard shot out an arm to block the way for
Yola.

Fletcher was round, in a turn that brought him face to face with the security man. He said harshly, тАЬWhat
is it? What do you want with my interpreter?тАЭ

тАЬDo you know this girl?тАЭ

Fletcher looked at her as though forced to acknowledge that a convenient piece of equipment had a
separate entity and a name, a nice mime, lost to the boards.

тАЬOf course. She has worked with me since my arrival a week ago. Now we are expected at a
conference. Let her pass.тАЭ

At the same time, he took the extended arm in a double grip above and below the elbow and returned it
to vertical.

Yola, no slouch at seizing an opportunity, went ahead. The door was two metres off. She could have
been through. But she stopped and waited.

It saved the day. In the guard's book, any guilty party would have been out and away. Except for the
high-handed action of the Earthman, there was no problem. He said, тАЬI will check with your organization.
I hope, for your sake, it is as you say. You may go.тАЭ