"Christopher Stasheff - Starship Tropers 3 - A Slight Detour" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stasheff Christopher)

Charles stepped in for the coup de grace. "Larry had no motive, Ramou. He wouldn't want my
character parts."

That did it; Ramou's expression crumpled into shame and self-disgust. Charles was a utility actor,
playing second comic parts and subordinate older roles; Larry was the company juvenile and aspired to
grow up to be a leading man. He certainly had nothing to gain by Charles' death. "Yeah, I suppose so,"
Ramou growledтАФbut now, the anger in his face was directed at himself. "Sorry, Larry."

"I should think you would be, you pithecanthropus!" Larry stepped away from the wall, brushing
imaginary wrinkles out of his clothing. "A cretin could have seen I had nothing to do with that needle."

Ramou's face darkened dangerously again, and Merlo stepped in. "Come off it, kid. Ramou said he
was sorry."

"Oh, and I suppose you don't think I have any cause for indignation!"

"Yeah, you've got reason for a gripe," Merlo admitted, "but you've got a bigger reason to be
thanking your lucky stars you're not in traction."

Larry muttered something about the technical staff always sticking together, then turned away.
Lacey fell in beside him, murmuring reassurances.

Everyone relaxed visibly, but Barry remembered the original cassus belli and turned to Charles.
"Do you really think this Man in Gray was trying to kill you?"

Charles shrugged. "It seems more probable that it was a case of mistaken identity, Mr. Tallendar."

"Either that, or the man is a psychotic who dislikes actors," Ogden wheezed. "A very wealthy
psychotic."

Very wealthy, indeed. Space travel is extremely expensive. The only reason the Star Repertory
Company could get off the ground was because Barry's brother happened to be one of the wealthiest
tycoons on Terra. Intimidated by his older brother's success on the stage, he had eschewed the theater
and gone into business. He could easily have bought and sold us allтАФand to some extent, he had. Had
sold us his former mistress, that isтАФMarnie Lulala, our leading lady. He had bought us a ship and a tour,
and she was the price we paid. One week in her presence, and anyone would understand why he had
been willing to pay through the nose to have her escorted several light-years away from him. One could
also understand why only light-years could be far enough.

On the other side of the lounge, the argument was still going on, but one of the principals had
changed.

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"Rash, if you're innocent, hyenas are morose!" Marty spun on his heel and went stalking off down
the corridor.