"E. C. Tubb - Dumarest 12 - Eloise" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tubb E. C)

"Those after you?" The captain frowned. "I've not asked, Earl,
because it's your business. I figured that if you wanted me to
know you'd have told me. But I can guess. You've got powerful
enemies, right?"

Dumarest nodded.

"And I can make a guess that they are fond of wearing scarlet.
That's why you had to leave Chard in a hurry. Well, no matter; as
it turned out they did me a favor. Now I want to do you one. To
hell with profit. Give the word and I'll take you anywhere you
want to go. I mean it, Earl. Anywhere."

For any captain to make such an offer was rare, for a Free
Trader unknown. Dumarest poured Branchard more wine.

"Thank you, but no."

"Why the hell not?"

For reasons Dumarest didn't want to explain. Already he had
stayed with the Tophier too long; but the last port of call had
been bad as regards easy shipping, the one before even worse.
Now they had found him: the city was alive with potential
enemies and, once they learned of the cargo the ship would be
carrying, any cyber would be able to predict where it would next
land. And that would not be necessary. Already the ship would
have been planted with detectors, arrangements made to negate
any plan of escape he might have considered, using the ship as a
vehicle.

He said, "If I leave with you we'll be followed. Burned out of
space, maybe. You want to risk that?"

Branchard glowered at his wine.

"Well?"

"No, Earl, I'll be honest. The Tophier is all I have. Once it's
gone I'll be no better than a stranded traveler. But would they
really do that?"

"They'd do it."

For the sake of the secret he carried. The correct sequence of
units which formed the affinity-twin. The means by which one
mind could dominate another, to the extent of literally taking
over mind and body. To use a subjective host to gain a new
existence; to see and taste and feel, to enjoy a completely new
life. A bribe no old man could refuse, no aging matron resist.