"Timothy Zahn - Blackcollar 3 - The Judas Solution" - читать интересную книгу автора (Zahn Timothy)
- Prologue
"Agreed," Galway said. "And as to the concern you haven't yet voiced, Taakh's presence isn't a sign that
the Ryqril are planning to set up shop here in Interlaken. He's with me, and he'll leave when I do."
"I see," Weissmann said, his carefully neutral voice not quite able to hide his relief. "Thank you, sir. I
have to admit that ... well, when they took most of our lasers away two months ago, I wondered if there
was some sort of reorganization in the works."
"Not as far as I know," Galway said. "And it wasn't just you. I gather that most of the Security forces
around the TDE have gone back to flechettes and slug weapons."
"I didn't know that," Weissmann said again, a frown in his voice. "Any idea why?"
Galway shrugged, trying to make the gesture look casual. The dark fact of the matter was that the Ryqril
had lost three of their colony worlds to the advancing Chryselli forces over the past six months, and
suddenly their long-standing space war had taken on a serious land component as well. With close-
combat weapons in short supply, the Ryqril high command had ordered that the lasers be collected from
their conquered worlds' security forces and rushed to the ground troops now fighting to push back the
Chryselli beachheads.
But that was hardly something to be discussed with a junior officer in a remote sector. "Not really," he
said.
A pair of Weissmann's men were in position at the front of the house by the time they arrived, crouching
in flanking positions by the walkway as they trained their paral-dart pistols watchfully on the door.
Others, Galway knew, would be guarding all the windows. "Shall I call for a ram?" Weissmann
murmured.
Galway didn't bother to answer, but simply stepped up onto the small porch and rang the bell.
One of the flanking guards muttered something under his breath. Apparently, the polite approach hadn't
Or maybe they simply thought breaking down the door would look more professional in front of Taakh.
He rang the bell again. This time there was the click of a lock, and the door opened a crack. "Yes?" a
disheveled young man asked, blinking sleep-heavy eyes as he finished tying a sash around his robe.
Galway smiled tightly. After five months, the search was indeed over. "Good morning, Herr Judas," he
said, holding up his ID. "I'm Security Prefect Galway. May I come in?"
Judas looked pointedly at the guns aimed at him, then silently pulled the door fully open and stepped
back out of the way. "You and your men wait here," Galway ordered Weissmann, and followed Judas
inside.
The door opened into a plain but neat conversation room. "Am I in some sort of trouble?" Judas asked as
he backed up to the middle of the room beside what appeared to be a handcrafted center table.
"That depends on your point of view," Galway said. Even the man's voice was the same. "I've come here
to offer you an opportunity. Please; sit down."
Judas hesitated, then crossed to an upholstered comfort chair and sat down. The chair frame, too,
appeared to be handmade. "Nice furniture," Galway commented as he took a double seat a quarter of the
way around the center table from him. "Your work?"
"Yes, it's my hobby," Judas said. "What sort of opportunity?"
"The sort that can guarantee safety and security for you and your family for the rest of your lives,"
Galway said.
file:///K|/BitLord/Downloads/54%20books%20sf-fantasy-a...ar%203%20-%20The%20Judas%20Solution/1416520651___0.htm (4 of 9)2-1-2007 14:36:56
- Prologue
Judas snorted gently. "Sounds way too good to be true," he said. "Why don't we start by hearing what
exactly this wonderful deal will cost me."
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