"Timothy Zahn - Cobra 3 - Cobra Bargain" - читать интересную книгу автора (Zahn Timothy)

"We could have handled that," Justin said doggedly. "They could have been assigned out of the way
somewhere--permanent spine leopard hunting duty, maybe, or the really tricky cases could have been
sent to Caelian. If they didn't work out their problems, eventually they'd have done something
stupid and gotten themselves killed."

"And if they weren't so cooperative?" Corwin asked quietly. "If they decided instead that they
were being dumped on and went after revenge?"

Some of the energy went out of Justin's face. "Yeah," he sighed. "And then it would be Challinor
all over again."

A shiver went up Corwin's back. Tors Challinor's attempted treason had occurred well over half a
century ago, before he'd even been born... but he remembered the stories his parents had told him
about that time. Remembered them as vividly as if he'd been there himself. Jonny had made sure of
that; the incident had carried some vital truths, and he hadn't wanted them to ever get lost.
"Challinor, or worse," he told Justin soberly. "Remember that this time it wouldn't have been
basically stable Cobras pushed by idiot bureaucracy to take matters into their own hands. It would
have been flawed Cobras, and a hell of a lot more of them." He took a deep breath, willing the
memories away. "Agreed, Priesly is a nuisance; but at least as a Ject all he can go for is
political power."

"I suppose you're right," Justin sighed. "It's just that... never mind. As long as we're on the
subject, though--" Digging into his tunic pocket, he pulled a magcard out and tossed it onto the
desk. "Here's our latest proposal for how to close the remaining gaps in the prelim psych tests. I
figured as long as I was coming over here anyway I'd give you an advance copy."

Corwin took the magcard, trying not to grimace. A perfectly reasonable thing for Justin to do, and
under normal circumstances nothing for anyone to complain about. But things in the Council and
Directorate weren't exactly normal at the moment. _Advance notice._ Corwin could just hear what
Priesly and his allies would say about this. "Thanks," he told Justin, placing the magcard over by
his reader. "Though I may not get time to look at it until after the rest of the Council get their
copies, anyway."



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Justin's forehead furrowed slightly. "Oh? Well, it's hardly going to make a big splash, I'm
afraid. We're projecting to go from a seven-percent post-surgery rejection rate to maybe a four,
four and a half percent rate."

Corwin nodded heavily. "About what we expected. No chance of getting things any tighter?"

Justin shook his head. "The psych people aren't even sure we can get it this tight. The problem is
that having Cobra gear implanted in people sometimes... changes them."

"I know. It's better than nothing, I suppose." For a moment there was silence. Corwin's gaze
drifted out his window, to the Capitalia skyline. That skyline had changed a lot in the twenty-six