"James Doohan - Flight Engineer Volume 2 - The Privateer-" - читать интересную книгу автора (Doohan James)

of time, he thought happily.
 It didn’t occur to him—then—that there was a certain irony in thinking of this mission as a rescue from a safe,
comfortable staff post on Earth.
***
The door closed behind Raeder, and Sjarhir and Scaragoglu looked at one another for a long, silent moment.
“I like him,” Scaragoglu said at last.
“Is that because you think you can predict what he’ll do?” Sjarhir asked.
“Hell, no. It’s because I’ve no idea what he’ll do. Although I was right about his wanting to fly,” he said smugly.
Sjarhir nodded, sighed, and slipped his currency card into the desk reader, wincing as it clicked away a fair
portion of his last month’s pay.
“Why do I keep offering to bet you on things like this?”
“It’s a futile attempt to keep your self-esteem intact,” Scaragoglu said, as he accepted it with a chuckle and a
thumb on the screen’s surface.
“That boy is going to work out just fine,” he went on happily. “I’m looking forward to seeing the expression on
Admiral Grettirson’s face when I tell him the good news,” he said.
“Now that,” Sjarhir said, “makes losing the bet really worthwhile!”
 CHAPTER THREE
Admiral Einar Grettirson walked into the Board of Inquiry the next morning looking as though he’d spent the
night tippling pure vinegar.
Or just eating his heart out, Peter thought wryly. Which would amount to the same thing.
The admiral sat silently, his hands folded in front of him, looking as though he were praying as fiercely as he had
ever fought.
The moment lengthened until some of the members of the board began to stir restlessly. Grettirson’s head rose
slowly; pale furrows traced a path from his thin nose to the downturned corners of his mouth; his ice blue eyes
flashed coldly. The Admiral’s thin lips twisted for a moment, then his expression became as stiff as wood.
“In the matter of the conduct of the captain and crew of the Dauntless,” he said at last in a dry, bitter voice, “the
board finds that their behavior was in full accord with the highest traditions of the service. The board directs that it
should be so noted in the permanent records of each one of them.”
His eyes narrowed to slits and flashed in Raeder’s direction, resting on him like an accusation.
“In the matter of the conduct of Commander Peter Ernst Raeder . . .” The words slowed to a stop, as though Gret-
tirson could barely force them out. He took a deep breath and continued. “Due to the demands of the service . . . this
board is to be indefinitely adjourned . . . and will reconvene at some future date to consider the matter.”
He slammed the gavel down and rose, rushing from the courtroom before anyone could react properly.
Confusion and pleasure were equally mixed among the spectators, who had risen raggedly on the admiral’s
departure and remained on their feet uncertainly.
He did it, by God! Raeder thought in wonder and relief. He did it!
Vice Admiral Paula Anderson leaned forward and said, “I would like to offer my personal congratulations to the
captain and crew of the Dauntless. Well done, ladies, gentlemen.”
“Hear, hear,” the other board members said, smiling, tapping their academy rings on the table in approbation.
“This Board of Inquiry is adjourned,” the vice admiral said and struck with the gavel again. And with a smile she
turned and led the others from the room.
At the door Scaragoglu turned and, with a wicked smile, crooked a finger at Peter. “My office, twenty minutes,”
he mouthed, and followed the others.
Knott’s head snapped round to glare at Peter.
He did it, Raeder thought gleefully, trying to look innocent. Then his heart sank with the thought: And now I’m in
his debt. Peter wondered how it would be to owe his career to one of the most ruthless men in existence. Like selling
your soul to the devil? They didn’t call General Scaragolu the Spider for nothing . . .
Knott had made his way to Raeder’s side.
“I’ll see you in my office at eighteen hundred, Commander. That should give you plenty of time to finish your
business with the Spid . . . with the general.”