"Timothy Zahn - Hero of Cartao 2" - читать интересную книгу автора (Zahn Timothy)

"It was the ruins of our vehicles on the south lawn," Ashel said. "We now
know about that taboo and have moved to correct it."
"But we do not intend to be stymied in that way again," Gehad added. "So
I repeat: you will tell me how we may change the tooling ourselves."
"And I repeat, I can't," Binalie said. "But there are things I can do to
help. I'd like to suggest a deal that-"
"You will not block us further!" Ashel snapped, flicking his fingers in
an odd and probably obscene gesture. "Not you, and not the Republic forces
hiding in the tunnel beneath the southern lawn. Oh, yes, we know they are
there-we have tried twice to dislodge them and have now sealed the plant's
exit against them. We also know the other end of the tunnel is somewhere on


file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/Timothy%20Zahn%20-%20Hero%20of%20Cartao%202.txt (4 of 16) [12/30/2004 8:59:42 PM]
 file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/Timothy%20Zahn%20-%20Hero%20of%20Cartao%202.txt

these grounds. Do not deny it!"
"I can't do anything about the Republic forces," Binalie said, starting
to sound angry himself. "What I can do, however, is help you..."
"And you will tell us how to restructure the machines," Ashel insisted
again, even more stridently this time. "Or you will regret the consequences."
The skin of Binalie's face hardened, and even with the masking influence of
two alien minds at close range, Tories could feel Binalie's sense harden along
with it.
Even the invasion of his home and the destruction of his office door had
apparently not put Binalie off the idea of offering the Neimoidians a deal to
get them out of his plant. But threats were something else entirely. "And what
exactly is that supposed to mean?" he asked, his voice deceptively calm.
"It means this." Before Binalie could do more than inhale sharply, Ashel
wrapped his long fingers around Corf's arm and hauled him out of his chair.
"The grub will go with us," the Neimoidian continued, pulling Corf close
in front of him. "When you decide to cooperate, you may join us in the plant."
"Let him go," Binalie ground out. He was on his feet now, ignoring the
droid blasters suddenly pointed at him. "I've told you already..."
"And do not consider too long," Ashel warned, backing to the door with
Corf firmly in tow. The boy's eyes, Tories saw, had gone wide with fear. "We
are patient beings, but we will not be patient forever."
Corf threw Tories a half frantic, half pleading look. But the Jedi had
already measured the distances with his eyes, and even with the advantage of
surprise he knew he couldn't take two combat droids before at least one of
them got off a shot. And that didn't even take into account what other forces
the Neimoidians might have waiting outside.
Which simply meant he would have to try something else. "Just a moment,"
he said primly, standing up. "The boy has two exams to complete today. I will
not permit my schedule to be disrupted." The Neimoidians paused in the
doorway, gazing at him with those expressionless alien faces. Tories stretched
out toward their minds, wondering just how susceptible this species was to
Jedi suggestion. He'd seldom used this trick, and never before with a
Neimoidian. If they didn't buy into his manipulation, he might have to tackle
those combat droids after all.