"Gordon R. Dickson - The Lifeship" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dickson Gordon R)

collapsed like melting ice. He turned, hesitated, and pulled tools
from inside his shipsuit. He had meant to hide these carefully,
once his job was done; but there was no point in hiding anything
now. Still coughing, he tossed the tools into the heat of the still-
flaring container, turned, and plunged once more into the clearer
air of the corridor, heading back finally toward the bow of the
vessel and the particular lifeship he had been assigned to.

The Albenareth crewman was gone from his post when Giles
passed that point again. Under the ceiling lights, the corridor was
misty with smoke, but free now even of the figures of arbites. A
small hope flickered in him. Perhaps someone else had taken
charge of them by this time. He ran on. He was almost to the
lifeship. There were voices in conversation just ahead-then some-
thing large and dark seemed to flicker up in front of him, out of
nowhere, and something else that felt like a giant flyswatter
slapped him from his feet-
He was momentarily staggered, but recovering even as he fell
backward to the soft surface of the corridor. His head clearing, he
lay for a second fighting to stay conscious. Now that he was down
where the smoke was thinner, he could see that he had run into a
door someone had left standing open. As he lay there, he heard
two arbite voices-one male, one young and female-talking.

"You heard that? The ship's breaking up," the man said.

"There's no point our waiting out here now. The lifeship's
just down that short hall. Let's go."

"No, Mara. Wait ... we were supposed to wait . . ." The

man's voice trailed off.

"What're you afraid of, Groce?" The girl's voice had an edge
to it. "You act as if you don't dare breathe without permission
from her! Do you want to stay here and choke to death?"

"It's all right for you . . ." muttered the male voice. "I've
never been mixed up in anything. My record's perfect."

"If you think that matters-"

Giles 'head was clear now. He rolled to his feet in one quick
motion, stepped around the open door, and joined the two smaller

gray-suited figures beyond it.

"All right," he said, crisply. "You're correct, girl. The life-
ship's just down the corridor, here. You-what's your name?
Groce? Lead off!"