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

Even stripped of weapons a hulk like the Freedom would be quite a prize."
Booster nodded slowly. "You're talking sense, Karrde. This scares me."
"Booster and I agree on something." Corran narrowed his eyes at Karrde. "Where's
this going?"
"You know the law, Lieutenant. A ship the size of the Virulence, in private
ownership, would be allowed to lawfully carry how much in the way of weaponry?"
Corran sat back. "Nothing that size in private owner-ship, but it would be
something on the order of two tractor beams, ten ion cannons, and ten heavy
turbolaser batteries."
"My calculations exactly, which leaves eight tractor beams, ten ion cannons,
forty heavy turbolaser batteries, and fifty heavy turbolasers to be pulled off
the Virulence. General Cracken, those weapons would pretty much replace what the
Freedom lost here, wouldn't they?"
Cracken frowned. "For having been here less than a
week, Talon Karrde, you know more than I'm comfortable
having you know."
Booster shook his head. "Those guns aren't leaving my ship."
Cracken snarled, "The Virulence is not your ship."
Karrde held a hand up. "Ah, but it can be. According to the Admiralty
regulations governing salvage disputes, Booster has named a fair price for his
share of the salvage rights to the Virulence. Since you can't meet his price, he
can assume con-trol of the vessel by depositing ten percent of that price, in
this case ten million credits, with a duly recognized judicial authority-such as
the government of Thyferra
Booster frowned. "I don't have ten million credits, Karrde."
"No, Booster, you don't, but you do have a lot of surplus military-grade
hardware that you're going to have to get rid of. I'll buy it for ten million."
Cracken tapped a finger against the table. "I'm no more comfortable with you
having that hardware, Karrde, than I was with Terrik having it."
"I expected that, General. I'll sell you the weapons for twenty-five million
credits."
Cracken's jaw shot open. "You'll what?"
Booster smiled. "I want fifteen million, Karrde. I have operating expenses."
"I'll make it eighteen if you also sell me four squadrons of TIE fighters."
Karrde sat back in his seat. "And the price to you, General, is now thirty-five
million, but you'll find I issue credit more easily than my friend. Once the
court here on Thyferra has reviewed the Virulence case, Booster will pay you
whatever additional amount they decide he owes you."
Corran laughed aloud. "The Virulence's, appearance here tipped the balance in
the Thyferran war of liberation, so I suspect Booster isn't going to owe much."
"I suspect the judges here might be swayed by that fact, but the New Republic
will be able to argue its case." Karrde pressed his hands together. "Booster,
you get your ship and, General, you get weapons out of his hands and into
yours."
Cracken remained silent for a moment, then nodded
slowly. "You bargain very well, Karrde. Perhaps there is other business we can
do."
"No, General, I don't think so. 1 did this for the obscene profit you'll pay me,
which, since you don't have liquid capi-tal available, will be rendered in
trading concessions for bacta and other things. I don't mind dealing with you,