"Michael Stackpole "The Bacta War"" - читать интересную книгу автора

pleasing, but his natural wariness pre-vented him from drawing any true
enjoyment from either.
He nodded in her direction and began walking again, this time not fighting
gravity but allowing it to make his step more brisk and lively. "Commander
Dlarit, so nice of you to greet me."
Erisi easily returned his nod. "My pleasure, Minister Vorru."
Vorru matched her smile. "Did I detect a hint of wistful-ness in your expression
as you waited here?"
The hint of a frown threw a twitch through her brows, then she shook her head.
"No, no, I just thought it rather ironic that a man as dangerous as yourself
should be content with piloting so docile and meek a ship."
"Meek?"
"I would have seen you flying an Interceptor, certainly, or a gunship, not a
Lambda-class shuttle."
Vorru nodded. "Ah. I'm afraid, though, this is anything but a normal shuttle. I
have made a number of modifications that make this ship far more lethal than it
appears to be."
"I see. I should have expected such clever deception from someone as intelligent
as you."
"You refer to me as clever and intelligent." He shook his head. "I fear you've
found my weakness, Erisi. Flattery will win you much."
"How much to make you willing to act as a shield for me during another tantrum
thrown by 'She Who Cannot Be De-fied'?"
Vorru smiled up at her, then offered her his arm. "Even you, most beautiful
Erisi, could not flatter me that much. You were summoned, too?"
"Yes." Erisi's voice sank into a harsh growl. "The con-voy that the Avarice had
been escorting appeared back in-system, though three tankers were missing."
Vorru nodded as they walked through the tall gray corri-dors. Isard's vehement
demand that he return to the capitol immediately had not been accompanied by any
explanation, but more interference by Rogue Squadron seemed to be the only thing
that could make Isard so angry. "What was Cap-tain Yonka's explanation of their
loss?"
"I don't believe he offered any." Erisi shook her head. "As nearly as I can
determine, the Avarice did not return with the convoy."
Vorru shivered, and the hair at the back of his neck be-gan to rise. "Could
Antilles have gotten the Avarice'? He does have the Alderaanian War Cruiser."
"I don't believe he could have, even with the War Cruiser. There have been no
reports I know of that indicate any battle took place out there. You, Minister,
would have better sources in that regard than I."
"Call me Fliry, Erisi. Compatriots in Iceheart's rage should not use titles
between them." Vorru punched a turbo-lift button and stepped into the box when
the doors opened. "As nearly as I know, all things have gone perfectly with the
Avarice. Captain Yonka made his rounds, visited his mistress on Elshandruu
Pica-he's seeing the Moffs wife, though the
Moff believes he's bedding the owner of a local resort. The Avarice left orbit
on schedule and continued the circuit as it was supposed to."
"Clearly something went wrong, Fliry." Erisi gave his arm a little squeeze as
the turbolift stopped its ascent. "Now we just have to determine who will catch
the blame."
Vorru reached out and punched the emergency stop but-ton on the lift before the