Bujold, Lois McMaster Vorkosigan 04 The Warriorâs Apprentice

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Well, quite a lot. Badly. The ship costs more to run than I d realized, when I finally went to add up all the
real numbers. He pointed to a figure. But that s what they re offering for transport,C.O.D. Felice. And
the cargo s ready to go immediately.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
Her eyebrows drew down in awed puzzlement. Pay for the whole ship in one run? But that s
wonderful! But...
He grinned. But?
But why hasn t somebody else snapped up this cargo? It seems to have been sitting in the warehouse a
long time.
Clever girl, he crooned encouragingly. Go on.
I see they only pay on delivery. But maybe that s normal?
Yes... he spread the word out, like butter. Anything else?
She pursed her lips. Something s weird.
Indeed. His eyes crinkled. Something is, as you say, weird.
Do I have to guess? Because if I do, I m going back to bed... She stifled a yawn.
Ah. Well Tau Verde IV is in a war zone, at the moment. It seems there is a planetary war in progress.
One of the sides has the local wormhole exit blocked not by their own people, it seems to be a
somewhat industrially backward place they ve hired a mercenary fleet. And why has this cargo been
mouldering in a warehouse so long? Because none of the big shipping companies will carry into a war
zone their insurance lapses. That goes for most of the little independents, as well. But since I m not
insured, it does not go for me. He smirked.
Elena looked doubtful. Is it dangerous, crossing the blockade? If you cooperate on their stop-and
search
In this case, I think so. The cargo happens to be addressed to the other side of the fray.
Would the mercenaries seize it? I mean, robotic combines or whatever couldn t be classed as
contraband don t they have to abide by interstellar conventions? Her doubt became wariness.
He stretched, still smiling. You ve almost got it. What is Beta Colony s most noted export?
Well, advance technology, of course. Weapons and weapons systems her wariness became
dismay. Oh, Miles...
Agricultural equipment , he snickered. I ll bet! Anyway, there s this Felician who claims to be the
agent for the company purchasing the equipment that s another tip-off, that they should have a man
personally shepherding this cargo through I m going to go see him first thing in the morning, as soon as
the Sergeant wakes up. And Mayhew, I d better take Mayhew...
CHAPTER SEVEN
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
* * *
Miles reviewed his troops, before pressing the buzzer to the hotel room. Even in civilian dress, there was
no mistaking the Sergeant for anything but a soldier. Mayhew washed, shaved, rested, fed, and
dressed in clean new clothes looked infinitely better than yesterday, but still...
Straighten up, Arde, advised Miles, and try to look professional. We ve just got to get this cargo. I
thought Betan medicine was advanced enough to cure any kind of hangover. It s bound to make a bad
impression on this guy if you walk around clutching your stomach.
Grm, muttered Mayhew. But he did return his hands to his sides, and come more-or-less to attention.
You ll find out, kid, he added in a tone of bitter clairvoyance.
And you re going to have to stop calling me kid , Miles added. You re my Armsman now. You re
supposed to address me as my lord .
You really take that stuff seriously?
One step at a time. It s like a salute, Miles explained. You salute the uniform, not the man. Being Vor
is is like wearing an invisible uniform you can never take off. Look at Sergeant Bothari he s called me
my lord ever since I was born. If he can, you can. You re his brother-in-arms, now.
Mayhew looked up at the Sergeant. Bothari looked back, his face saturnine in the extreme. Miles had
the impression that had Bothari been a more expressive man, he would have made a rude noise at the
concept of Mayhew as his brother-in-arms. Mayhew evidently received the same impression, for he
straightened up a little more, and bit out, Yes, my lord.
Miles nodded approval, and pressed the buzzer.
The man who answered the door had dark almond eyes, high cheekbones, skin the color of coffee and
cream, and bright copper-colored hair, tightly curled as wire, cropped close to his head. His eyes
searched the trio anxiously, widening a little at Miles; he had only seen Miles s face that morning, over the
viewscreen. Mr. Naismith? I m Carle Daum. Come in.
Damn closed the door behind them quickly, and fussed at the lock. Miles deduced they d just passed
through a weapons scan, and the Felician was sneaking a peek at his readout. The man turned back with
a look of nervous suspicion, one hand automatically touching his right hip pocket. His gaze did not linger
elsewhere in the little hotel room, and Bothari s lips twitched satisfaction at Daum s unconscious
revelation of the weapon he must watch for. Legal stunner, most likely, thought Miles, but you never
know.
Won t you sit down? the Felician invited. His speech had a soft and curious resonance to Miles s ear,
neither the flat nasal twang, heavy on the r s, of the Betans, nor the clipped cold gutturals of Barrayar.
Bothari indicated he would prefer to stand, and took up position to Daum s right, uncomfortably far over
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
in the Felician s peripheral vision. Miles and Mayhew sat before a low table. Daum sat across from them,
his back to a window , actually a viewscreen, bright with a panorama of mountains and a lake from
some other world. The wind that really howled far overhead would have scoured such trees to sticks in a
day. The window silhouetted Daum, while revealing his visitors expressions in full light; Miles
appreciated the choice of views.
Well, Mr. Naismith, began Daum. Tell me something about your ship. What is its cargo capacity? [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Podstrony