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

All but two of my escorts retreated to the door, leaving me alone with two men and a woman. The first man I recognized from files as Jacob Nive. Tall and well built, with long blond hair gathered into a thick braid, he looked very much the sort of dashing, handsome holograph of a pirate presented in enter-tainment media. As close as I was I could see the dirt under his fingernails and the light scars on his face from battles past, but I still found the bright eyed man somehow engaging. I'd seen his type before and knew he could be quite charming.
Next to him stood a woman about as tall as Lando Calrissian and much darker complected. She wore her black hair very closely cropped and had sharp dark eyes. I didn't find her hard at all to look at save that her right hand appeared to be a mechanical construct over which she wore no synthetic flesh. Its clicks as she worked a triangular credit coin back and forth between her fingers underscored her impatience.
The third person seemed to a reservoir for any impatience she could not burn off with her nervous habit. Taller than even Nive-making him a good head taller than me and probably thirty percent heavier-this guy was handsome and, worse, had no doubt about it at all. His black hair had been cut to a mid-dling length and was so dark that it almost appeared blue- though a shade of blue much darker than the icy hue of his eyes. He wore a moustache and goatee, and had grown his moustaches out like wings that swept back along his cheeks.
Nive looked at me, shooting the cuffs of his jacket. All three of them wore what had once been the uniform of the Khuiumin Survivors-grey jackets with red cuffs, collars and breasts, gold trim around the cuffs and down the seams of the grey pants- but their clothes had seen much better days. Repairs had been made with big, obvious stitching in gold, as if to mark the scars on the body beneath the clothes. Given the amount of it on Nive's jacket I was surprised he was still standing, and the stitchery circle around the woman's right elbow suggested how high her prosthesis went.
The pirate leader slipped my ID datacard into the datapad on his desk, read for a moment, then looked up. УYou are foolish or suicidal, Jenos Idanian, coming here in that shuttle.Ф
УNo, just incredibly bold.Ф I settled an easy smile on my face and crossed my legs, as if the pirates were in my office and not the other way around. УYour people went to certain lengths to get the shuttle, and I decided to deliver it.Ф
The dark man laughed. УAnd you think we will thank you for this?Ф
After a split second read of the other two's reaction to his speaking, I spitted him with a cold stare. УFirst, I don't believe that you, in particular, think at all.Ф I deliberately looked back at Nive. УI would apologize for the inconvenience I caused you, but the fact is that you caused me a greater inconvenience first. I needed to be well away from certain people, and your opera-tion would have prevented my getting away. I could not let that happen, so I took the shuttle and escaped you.Ф
Nive's expression tightened. УWhat happened to the two men who were supposed to be on board the shuttle?Ф
УThe smaller one is dead. He pulled a blaster on me and I was constrained to kill him. The bigger guy is with friends of mine. If I don't report in on a timely basis, he will be killed.Ф I opened my hands. УYou see, I'm not so foolish as you might think, or as your pal here, in his feeble dreams, might wish.Ф
Nive raised a hand and cut off his subordinate's protest.
УAnd why did you bring us the shuttle?Ф
I sat forward in the chair. УYour operation impressed me. I've seen the newsnet stories about the raid-the shuttle's es-cape wasn't even mentioned. You successfully looted the Palette and Rainbow, and the New Republic did nothing, or could do nothing, to stop you. I was on the Palette with those people, so I know what sort of wealth you pulled out of them. An organiza-tion that can run such a big operation so smoothly has my admiration. It also can use my aid.Ф
The dark man couldn't contain himself. УYour aid? Ha! We are Khuiumin Survivors. We are the backbone of the Invid force. What in the Emperor's Black Heart makes you think we need you?Ф
I gave him a smile that was all teeth and in no way pleasant.
УI outflew you, didn't I?Ф
That brought a more conventional smile to the faces of Nive and the woman. She continued to work the coin through her fingers, though the pace had picked up. УYou thought you would offer your services to us? As what?Ф
УA pilot. The datacard there will confirm I can pretty much fly anything you need flown. I've not driven one of the Tri-fighters yet, but I can learn fast.Ф
She shook her head. УI don't have a vacancy in my squad-ron.Ф
УMake one.Ф I jerked a thumb at the big guy. УI can take junior's place.Ф
УIn your dreams.Ф
УMy dreams, your nightmare.Ф
Nive laughed warmly, shattering the chill growing between the two of us. УNot quite how we do things here, Idanian. Cap-tain Tyresi Gurtt here leads our elite squadron, Bolt Squadron. Members are elected to it based on performance when there is a vacancy. Lieutenant Remart Sasyru here has just been elected to fill the one vacancy in the squadron. Our Tri-fighter Wing does have five other squadrons, and there are vacancies in them. Perhaps, Remart, Rock Squadron would like to have him.Ф
УOne more loser won't hurt them.Ф
I again turned a smile loose on Remart. УI'm going to enjoy vaping your butt.Ф
УNo!Ф Nive's voice took on an icy edge. УThe one thing you better understand about the Survivors, Idanian, is this: we do not prey upon ourselves. Anyone who flies against or kills an-other pilot is brought up on charges, tried and executed. We aren't murderers like the Imperials. We are hard, yes, but we don't fear those who are part of us.Ф
УI copy.Ф I glanced at Remart and knew I'd still watch my back. УYou'll want to check my records and get me tested on a Tri-fighter, but you'll find I'm a hot hand on a stick.Ф
УThat could be.Ф Nive raised a hand and I heard the safety catches on blasters behind me being slipped off. УFirst thing I have to know, though, is how you found us?Ф
УSensor data let me identify the Backstab by its exhaust sig-nature. A few more inquiries suggested the Survivors were re-turning here from Nal Hutta.Ф I shrugged. УInformation about your relocation might not have been widespread, but it wasn't impossible to find, either. I was owed some favors so I used them. As it is, only the scanner records in the shuttle can tie you to that raid, and now you have them.Ф
Nive smiled. УExcept for the copy you left with the people you have holding Biril.Ф
УNow that you mention it.Ф I nodded. УI'm not a stupid man.Ф
УI hope not.Ф Jacob Nive offered me his hand. УIf you are, coming here is likely the most stupid thing you have ever done. The good thing about that is that it's also likely the last stupid thing you will ever do.Ф
The Survivors might well have been the best of the Invids, but that wasn't saying much in the overall scheme of things. The denizens of Rock Squadron all struck me as what Rogue Squadron would have been had we lost to the Empire and spent our time dirtside in seedy towns, waiting for a chance to plunder pitiful folks who were worse off than we were. I'd been around more sullen and depressing peo-ple, but they were prisoners on the Lusankya, with little hope of survival or rescue.
Everyone grumbled and grunted when I was taken out to the hotel where the squadron was billeted and introduced. Nakk Kech, Rock's leader, pointed me to a room in the hotel that had been well-used before me. The curtains had been drawn tight, and I didn't mind that at all because I really didn't want a good look at the room itself. A wadded pile of bedclothes in the corner appeared to be where the previous occupant had laired and, if the stench from the refresher station was any indication, the previous occupant understood the room's purpose, but hadn't gotten the hang of indoor plumbing.
Kech watched me closely, prepared to judge me by my reac-tion to the room. The stubble on Kech's face bristled brown and gray, just like the thinning hair on his head. УIt's the best we got.Ф
I shook my head. УIt's the best you've got available.Ф
Kech smiled. УYeah, that's it.Ф
УAnd that's not good enough.Ф I walked down the hall and pounded on the next door. УOpen up.Ф
A Shistavanen Wolfwoman tore the door open and snarled at me. She had white fur and pink eyes and though a bit smaller than the other Shistavanens I'd met, she'd have ripped me to pieces in seconds. As she tore the door open, I also caught a whiff of her room and learned who had been living in that first room.
I flashed her a big smile. УI'm your neighbor. Nice to meet you.Ф
Kech's booming laughter drowned out the Shistavanen's harshly whispered response. I nodded at the albino. УLater.Ф
Kech shook his head, his brown eyes full of mirth. УCaet Shrovl will be your wingman. She's good, specially in void-fights. Doesn't favor a lot of light.Ф
I pointed at the next door. УBetter choice?Ф
Kech shook his head. УActually, I'm your best choice.Ф
I frowned at him. УYou think I should take your room away from you?Ф
The older man smiled slowly. УYou could try and you might succeed, but that would be insubordination and assaulting a superior officer, which is a capital offense with the invids. You wouldn't live to reap the benefits of your station. Your best bet is to toss a few bits to some locals and have them clean that other room out for you.Ф УThink so?Ф
УI figure you want to prove you're tough by kicking someone around, but I don't run the squadron that way. You kick some-one's butt, take his room, he gets angry with you, causes discord in the unit, and someone has to be gotten rid of.Ф Kech folded his arms across his chest. УYou want to prove you're tough, knock someone from one of the other squadrons around; or, better yet, someone from one of the other Invid companies here. In the Survivors, the only thing that counts is your flying skill.Ф
I opened my arms wide. УFine, let's get to flying, then.Ф
Kech nodded. УThought you'd never ask. I'll get someone to clean your room up while we're out at the training center.Ф УHow much?Ф
He shrugged. УLet's see how good you are. If you're good enough that I want you rested to save my hide, I might even cover it for you.Ф