"Timothy Zahn - Blackcollar 3 - The Judas Solution" - читать интересную книгу автора (Zahn Timothy)

Galway leaned back in his chair, studying the man closely. The face and voice were perfect, but what he
could see of the man's physique through his robe would definitely require some work. At least four
months of it, he estimated, plus the other training the man would need.
Still, they had at least five more months before the rest of the operation would be ready. Plenty of time.
"It'll cost six to eight months of your life," he said. "Under the circumstances, hardly worth mentioning."
"Oh, hardly," Judas agreed with the cynical smile of a man who's been offered a card from a magician's
deck. "And what exactly would I be doing during those six to eight months?"
"A job only you can do," Galway said. "We want you to impersonate someone for us."
"What, I've got a twin brother walking around?"
"Actually, you have two twin brothers," Galway corrected, watching him closely. "Maybe more. You
see, Herr Judas ... you're a clone."
The other's smile vanished. "That's a lie," he said, his voice suddenly stiff.
It was, Galway knew, the correct reaction. But it was a little too quick, a little too practiced, a little too
perfect. Judas had already known who and what he was. And there was only one place where he could
have learned the truth. "I'm afraid it's your friends who've been lying to you," he said. "Not me."
"What friends?"
"Your contacts in the Resistance," Galway said gently. "The ones who've been grooming you since
childhood for some special mission, then suddenly and inexplicably abandoned both you and the project
a little over two years ago."
Judas was good, all right. His face barely registered the emotional shock he must surely be feeling at
hearing supposedly secret parts of his life being calmly listed by a Security prefect. "I have no idea what
you're talking about."
"Of course you don't," Galway agreed. "That's the other thing I'm offering: the chance to get a little of
your own back in return for their shoddy treatment. Interested?"
"Why bother to ask?" Judas countered. "Fifteen days of loyalty-conditioning and I'll do whatever you
want anyway."
Galway shrugged. He was certainly right on that score. "Personal ethics, I suppose," he said. "An effort
to allow you a certain dignity in this."
"False dignity."
"Perhaps," Galway conceded. "And, for the record, the loyalty-conditioning will take a little longer than
that. If we quit after the standard fifteen days, the psychor barriers your Resistance friends gave you
might still leave some cracks in the wall. Nice try, though."
Judas grimaced. "Touch├й," he conceded. "Do I have time to dress and say good-bye to my wife and
daughter?"
"Certainly," Galway said, gesturing toward the curved stairway leading to the second floor. "That was
my other reason for not simply hauling you out of bed."
For a moment Judas studied Galway's face, perhaps wondering if it was genuinely possible for a loyalty-
conditioned puppet of the Ryqril and the collaborationist government to have a conscience. Galway had
often wondered the same thing, and wondered now what Judas would conclude. "Thank you," the other

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 - Prologue

said, standing up. "Give me fifteen minutes."
He was back in twelve, dressed for travel. "I didn't bother to pack anything," he said as Galway ushered
him out into the cold morning air. "I assumed you wouldn't let me keep any personal items anyway."
"Quite right," Galway said. Taakh had moved up to join Weissmann at the end of the walk, and Judas's
step faltered briefly as he caught sight of the big alien. But he recovered quickly and continued on. The
two Security men flanking the door formed up behind them, paral-dart guns still held at the ready.
"Any trouble?" Weissmann asked as the group reached him.