"Michael Stackpole "I, Jedi"" - читать интересную книгу автора

Keevy stared at me, horrified. УShouldn't you say something to them?Ф
I nodded toward the comm headset at Keevy's side. УYou talk to them.Ф УMe?Ф
УI'm busy here.Ф I rolled the shuttle and pulled back on the yoke, curling us up and out away from our dive. An old Corel-lian corvette had moved to block our course, and filled space around us with ruby shafts of light. I saw two blue ion bolts shoot past, so I hit the etheric rudder and rolled to starboard, breaking us off the glide path we'd been on. I broke back to port again with a snaproll, pulled the nose up for a second, then jammed the yoke forward again.
This left us with the b~vidious filling our viewscreens. The ship's heavy turbolasers turned inward, trying to shoot at us, but we'd gotten in close enough that the side-mounted guns had trouble tracking us. Better yet, the light show they created in trying to shoot us had caused the clutches to break off for a moment.
Keevy donned the headset. УThis is Tinta Blue Seven, Invidi-OILS.Ф
УLovely,Ф I muttered. УGonna ask if their intentions are hon-orable?Ф
He shrugged. УAre your intentions honorable?Ф
УTinta Blue, are you insane, or trying to commit suicide?Ф
Keevy frowned. УA rather tautological question, isn't it?Ф The blubbered sounds of confusion from the Invidious' corem officer prompted me to smile. УWay to keep them guess-ing, Keevy.Ф
The smile growing on his face died abruptly as an angry fe-male voice came onto the frequency. УThis is Admiral Tavira, Tinta Blue. We are not playing games.Ф
I held a hand up to quiet Keevy. УSorry, Admiral, we are. Catch us if you can.Ф I punched the comm unit's power button, shutting it down, then rolled the shuttle so we skimmed along belly to belly with the Invidious. I yanked back on the yoke to get us pointed away from the Star Destroyer, then cranked the controls slightly to port, starting the ship in a flailing spiral that made stars into white circles before us.
When we could see them between scarlet sheets of turbo-laserfire, that was.
Keevy braced himself as if the convergence of the ship's port and starboard beams were a wall we were going to slam into. УWe're going to die!Ф
УNot even half way.Ф I chopped the throttle back, reversed thrust for two seconds, then kicked it full again and straight-ened our flight. Ship's turbolasers flashed in at us and the Chepat shields crackled as some of them grazed us, but we sailed on through with our hull intact. Once past the point of convergence, I started the shuttle weaving again. УEngage the hyperdrive when we're clear, Keevy.Ф
The young man stared at me. УHow did we . . . ?Ф
УLater.Ф I gave him a reassuring smile, and felt a lot of relief inside as well. I'd been treating the shuttle as I would a fighter-albeit a big, slow, wallowing monster of a fghter. Its handling reminded me of that of a Y-wing, actually, but slower and more clumsy. It wasn't an elegant craft, and was never meant to be.
The fact was, though, that it was a big craft with huge shield generators. Surviving a direct hit by a Star Destroyer salvo would have been impossible, but the reverse-thrust flutter there threw off the Invidious' gunners enough that their shots didn't all arrive at the same time. We lost a lot of shield power, but they didn't collapse, so we got away. While big and slow, the one advantage the shuttle had over a fighter was its ability to survive damage.
Keevy threw the hyperdrive lever and the stars lengthened into a tunnel for a couple of seconds, then snapped back to pinpoints as we reverted to realspace. УNew heading is Course one three seven, angle zero four five.Ф
УI copy.Ф I pulled back on the yoke and brought the ship around to starboard. I glanced at my tactical screen. УWe're clear and good to go. Keevy, if you will do the honors.Ф
Keevy threw the lever again and we were off. At the far side of the system we made another course correction, then settled in for the journey to Elshandruu Pica. I'd been there once be-fore, back when the squadron was off on its own, fighting Ysanne Isard for control of the bacta cartel. Keevy, with his interest in Rogue Squadron, knew all about Elshandruu Pica, and regaled Annissya and me with the story of Rogue Squad-ron's adventure there.
His recounting of the story actually took longer than the whole operation, but we had time to kill. And by the end of it, of course, Annissya wanted to kill poor Keevy.
We reverted to realspace and I set us on a course for the Emant Ventttre. I had gambled on its being here and was happy to see it in-system. Kina Margath owns a resort complex on Elshandruu Pica and is a connoisseur of all things fine and exotic, which means Booster finds her almost as charming as the money she pays him. The 27th Hour Club at her resort has a standing challenge to patrons to name a drink the staff cannot mix, and if they can, the patron's bar tab is on the house. Booster regu-larly supplies her with recipes of new drinks and the liquor used to make them up. I also think Booster has a thing for Kina, but Mirax thinks she's too young for her father, so I don't bring that subject up very often.
During Keevy's long recitation of the Elshandruu Pica mis-sion, I keyed in and prepared to shoot to the E~ant Venture a report on why we were there and what I wanted out of Booster. I shot it off as we made a slow approach, waited about fifteen minutes for Booster to have read it and set preparations in motion, and then called in for permission to dock on the Fen-Illre.
The Tinta Blue obtained immediate clearance to land and I set the shuttle down within a hundred meters of the Head-hunter. Booster himself emerged from his office, resplendent in some very flashy and stylish, though hideously bright, clothes. He greeted each of the passengers warmly himself, promising them the finest of accommodations after their frightful ordeal. He had some of his people take the passengers immediately up to the Diamond Level, and Annissya with them, leaving Keevy and me at the shuttle.
Booster introduced himself to Keevy and the younger man's eyes lit up. УYou're Corran Horn's father-in-law!Ф
УHe's married to my daughter, yes.Ф Booster managed to
keep a smile on his face. УI have a report from Idanian here
that you know your way around astronavigational equipment. Is that true?Ф
Keevy blinked once, then nodded. УA ship like this uses the Seinar Starpath system, doesn't it?Ф
УIt does indeed.Ф Booster smiled in my direction. УHe's a genius, clearly.Ф
УI thought you might think so.Ф I patted Keevy on the shoul-der. УGot us out of a nasty scrape with the Invids. I was think-ing, if the Tinta Line does not offer him a job, you might have work for him here.Ф
УHere, on the E~rant Ventura?! Me? Here? On this ship that won the battle of Thyferra?Ф Keevy clung by his fingertips to his lower lip. УThat wouldn't be possible, would it? I mean, this ship's history and its history with Rogue Squadron, and all the things you've done with it since then, this would be like being in a museum or a fantasy or both, a fantasy museum.Ф
Booster's eyes narrowed, but he kept the smile on his face.
УWe shall talk about this, but for now, Kee.vy, you are my guest.
Hassla'tak, conduct Keevy Spart here to our Emerald Suite.Ф
Hassla'tak, a Twi'lek whose lekku were twitching like needle-stuck snakes, waved Keevy toward the turbolifts. I heard Keevy begin to pepper him with questions, but the Twi'lek just an-swered in his own tongue.
Booster winced. УHaven't heard Hassla'tak use that kind of language since the last Sullustan gambling junket came through.Ф
УKeevy can be a bit much. Thanks for not letting him know who I am.Ф
УYou owe me.Ф
УPut it on my tab.Ф I jerked a thumb back at the shuttle. УI need your people to pull the scanner memory and see if any of the Invid ships can tip us to where they're hiding.Ф
УI'11 have it done, first thing.Ф Booster regarded me carefully. УMara Jade is here. She and Calrissian arrived asking questions about Jori Car'das. Lando is up on the Diamond Level at-tempting to break the bank.Ф Irritation underscored his words. УHow close is he?Ф
Booster shrugged. УNot very, but closer than I'd like. I think, though, I will introduce him to your friend Keevy.Ф
УSure, just tell Keevy this is his chance to get Lando's per-spective on having helped Wedge Antilles blow the Death Star at Endor.Ф
УOooh, even your father wasn't that cruel, CorSec.Ф
УYou bring the best out in me, Booster.Ф I glanced over at the Headhunter. УIs Mara angry about her ship?Ф
УDoesn't seem to be, but she does want to speak with you. She seemed to know you were on this shuttle before you sent word.Ф His eyes narrowed. УShe couldn't be using Jedi stuff to help Lando win, could she?Ф
УFrankly, I think she'd like to buy Lando for what she thinks he's worth and sell him for what he thinks he's worth.Ф I smiled. УI don't think she's helping him.Ф
Beyond Booster I saw a turbolift open and Mara Jade emerged from it. She headed straight for the two of us with just a hint of stiffness in her gait. That didn't strike me as odd about her, but her selection of clothes did seem inappropriate. The black slacks and copper tunic seemed a bit mannish, though the way she wore the short black cape slung so it covered the right side of her torso only did seem rather fashionable. I didn't see her lightsaber in evidence, but it could easily have been con-cealed beneath the cape.
Booster bowed. УI shall leave the two of you to talk while I see to Calrissian's comfort.Ф
Mara growled. УDon't concern yourself that much with it.Ф