"Eric Frank Russel - Next of Kin" - читать интересную книгу автора (Russell Eric Frank)

efficiency. Our war-potential is great and rapidly growing greater. We'll skin the Lathians alive before
we're through."



Leeming offered no comment, having become tired of yessing.



"We've one serious weakness," Markham informed. "We lack adequate information about the enemy's
cosmic hinterland. We know how wide the Combine spreads but not how deep into the starfield it goes.
It's true that the enemy is no wiser with regard to us, but that's his worry."



Again Leeming made no remark.



"Ordinary warships haven't flight-duration sufficiently prolonged to dig deep behind the Combine's
spatial front. That difficulty will be overcome when we capture one or more of their outpost worlds with
repair and refuelling facilities. However, we can't afford to wait until then. Our Intelligence Service wants
some essential data just as soon as it can be got. Do you understand?"



"Yes, sir."



"Good! We have developed. a new kind of superfast scout-ship. I can't tell you how it functions except
that it does not use the normal caesium-ion form of propulsion. Its type of power-unit is a top secret. For
that reason it must not fall into the enemy's hands. At the last resort the pilot must destroy it even if it
means also destroying himself."



"Completely wrecking a ship, though a small one, is much more difficult than it seems."



"Not this ship," Markham retorted. "She carries an effective charge in her engine-room. The pilot need
but press a button to scatter the power-units piecemeal over a wide area"
"I see."



"That charge is the sole explosive aboard. The ship has not a gun, not a guided missile, no armament of
any sort. It's a stripped-down vessel with everything sacrificed for the sake of speed and its only defence
is to scoot good and fast. That, I assure you, it can do. Nothing in the galaxy can catch it providing it is