"Michael Stackpole "The Krytos Trap"" - читать интересную книгу автора

an Imperial scientist under Loor's supervision, it killed non-
humans in a most hideous manner. Roughly three weeks af-
ter infection, the victims entered the final, lethal stage of the
disease. Over the course of a week the virus multiplied very
rapidly, exploding cell after cell in their bodies. Their flesh

weakened, sagged, and split open while the victims bled from
every pore and orifice. The resulting liquid was highly infec-
tious, and though bacta could hold the disease at bay or, in
sufficient quantities, cure it, the Rebellion did not have access
to enough bacta to treat all the cases on Coruscant.
The price of bacta had shot up and supplies dwindled.
People hoarded bacta and rumors about the disease having
spread to the human population caused waves of panic. Al-
ready a number of worlds had ordered ships from Imperial
Center quarantined so the disease would not spread, further
disrupting the New Republic's weak economy and eroding
its authority. It did no good for human bureaucrats to try to
explain the precautions they had taken for dealing with the
disease since they were immune, and that immunity built up
resentment between the human and non-human populations
within the New Republic.
Loor allowed himself a small laugh. He had taken the
precaution of putting away a supply of bacta, which he was
selling off in small lots. As a result of this action, anxious
Rebels were supplying the financing for an organization bent
on the destruction of the New Republic. The irony of it all
was sufficient to dull the omnipresent fear of discovery and
capture.
There was no question in his mind that to be captured
was to be killed, yet he did not let that prospect daunt him.
Being able to turn the Rebels' tactics back on them struck
him as justice. He would be returning to them the fear and
frustration Imperials everywhere had known during the Re-
bellion. He would strike from hiding, hitting at targets cho-
sen randomly. His vengeance would be loosely focused
because that meant no one could feel safe from his touch.
He knew his efforts would be denounced as crude ter-
rorism, but he intended there to be nothing crude about his
efforts. Today he would destroy the grandstands around the
memorial. They would be nearly empty, and all those who
had left the stands would breath a sigh of relief that they had
not been blown up minutes or hours earlier; but everyone
would have to consider congregating in a public place to be
dangerous in the future. And if he hit a bacta treatment and




distribution center tomorrow, people would also have to