"E. C. Tubb - Dumarest 15 - Spectrum of a Forgotten Sun" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tubb E. C)

"Move and you die!" he snapped. Then, raising his voice, called, "I've
got your man, Captain. Fire and you kill us both."

"Lorne?"

The man gulped as he felt the prick of the knife in the soft flesh
beneath his chin.

"Answer him," said Dumarest, and dug the blade a little deeper.

"He's got me." The young voice was sullen. "A knife at my throat."

"Kill him and you burn," rasped the captain. "What do you want?"

"To live."

"You're surrendering?" The captain rose, his shape bulky against the
sky. Others rose with him, four men all with weapons aimed. "Why didn't
you call out before?"

"And be blasted by a trigger-happy fool?" Dumarest eased the
pressure on the knife a little. "He gave me no chance. He fired as soon as
he saw meтАФif he was my man I'd have something to say about him
missing the way he did."
 "He's young," said the captain. "And newтАФbut he'll learn." He
stepped forward lifting his helmet, revealing a hard face seamed and
puckered with old scars. "Let him go."

"When he drops his gun."

"He won't shoot you." Reaching out the captain took the weapon. "But
I may if given cause. Lorne?"

"He was robbing the dead," snapped the young man. As Dumarest
released his grip Lorne stepped forward, turning to rub his throat,
looking at the blood staining his hand. "A ghoul," he said bitterly. "A
damned ghoul."

"He was a comrade," said Dumarest flatly. "And I wasn't robbing
him. Stop trying to justify yourself, youngster. And while you're at it you
can thank the captain for saving your life. If he hadn't called out you'd be
dead now."

"YouтАФ"

"That's enough, Lorne!" The captain turned to where one of the others
rose from his examination of the dead man. "Sheel?"

"He's got money on him. A wound in the guts and drugs are scattered
around. My guess is that he was passed out easy."