"Timothy Zahn - Dragonback 01 - Dragon and Thief" - читать интересную книгу автора (Zahn Timothy)

skin of Polphir's shoulder and around to his chest so that he could see the indicator lights better. "And
just for the record, I was neither daydreaming nor admiring myself. If you must know, I was composing
an epic poem about our journey here, and the beginning of new hope for our peoples."
"Were you, now," Polphir said, working at his control board.
"Yes, indeed," Draycos assured him. He stretched his front legs out and away from Polphir's arms, the
limbs becoming three-dimensional again as they left the Shontin's skin, and began punching in code on his
own set of control panels. "I was going to give you a good part in it, too."
"I'm flattered," Polphir said. "Really. Okay, here we go. Can you get the anterior star-fix going?"
"Already on it."
"Thanks," Polphir said. "If I were you, though, I wouldn't go writing up this voyage as a success just
yet. I notice that no one seems willing to give us a straight answer as to whether we're going to be
welcome here."
Draycos lifted his head from Polphir's shoulder, letting it become three-dimensional again, for a better
look at the proximity display. Was that something flicking in and out at the very edge of the nav sensor's
range? "You worry too much," he said soothingly, laying his head flat against Polphir's skin again and
continuing to key in his star-scan. "Why would anyone object to our using a planet no one else seems to
want? Especially when we're willing to pay for it."
"There are all sorts of reasons they might object," Polphir said. "Refugees in general aren't always
welcome, you know. They're even less welcome when they've got enemies as dangerous as the
Valahgua."
"The Valahgua will never find us," Draycos said firmly. "Not here."
Polphir shook his head. "I hope you're right."
"Spacecraft approaching," a Shontine voice called across the control complex.
"Recognition signals," another voice put in, this one a K'da. "It's our contact."
"I would say that confirms we've got the right planet," Polphir remarked, hunching his shoulders as he
stretched his arms forward over the control board.
"Seems reasonable," Draycos agreed as he again lifted his head from Polphir's skin and studied the
main sensor display. "Iota Klestis," he pronounced the syllables of the planet's alien name carefully. "It
has a certain rhythm to it."
"Yes, it does," Polphir said. "I still vote we rename it."
"It is hard to find a good rhyme for," Draycos conceded. There were four ships showing on the screen
now, small and compact. "Odd. None of them matches the profile of the ship the contact has used
before. At least, not according to probe team records."
"Hmm." Polphir abandoned his stretching and leaned closer to the display. "You're right. You suppose
one of the local governments decided to send a welcoming committee?"
"And they offered our contact a ride?"
"Or came without him," Polphir said, his tone ominous. "Maybe this planet isn't as unwanted as we
were led to believe."
"Perhaps." Draycos rumbled in the back of his throat. "Still, they do have the correct recognition
signal."
"Point," Polphir agreed, swiveling around to a different section of the board. "Let's see if we can get a
better look at them."
The image on the screen wavered, then came back sharper and clearer. Draycos had just enough time
to notice the oversized engines and multiple weapons bubbles dotting their hullsтАФ
And then, to his amazement, three of the bubbles on each of the ships popped open in perfect unison,
and twelve missiles streaked out toward the Shontine/K'da ships.
"Alert!" someone shouted. "We're under attack!"
"All warriors, to your stations," the calmer voice of Shon-tine Commander Chayd cut over the sudden
pandemonium from the control complex deck below. "Defensive response only. This may simply be a
case of mistaken identity. Comm station, talk to themтАФtell them who we are."