"Stephen Goldin - Finish Line" - читать интересную книгу автора (Goldin Stephen)

But any group requires some method of satisfying its competitive urges. Society
solved that problem by inventing a series of Games to occupy its members' time.
Some of the Games were intellectual in nature, others were physical. Many were
a combination of both. A good Gamesplayer ranked very highly in the artificial
strata of Society.

Of all the Games Society played, the most important—held only once every 20
years—was the Scavenger Hunt.

CHAPTER ONE

The reporter stood on the hard ground of the Midway Spaceport, staring up at the
monstrous ship towering over her. At 37 meters, the Honey B was by far the
largest private space yacht ever constructed, matched in size only by the large
commercial vessels that ferried cargo between the stars. Rumor had it that the
inside of the ship was equally impressive, though few people were lucky enough
to be invited to see it—as she was, right now.
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Laser Book 45 - Finish Line by Stephen Goldin (v1.0) (html)




Gulping down her nervousness, the reporter walked to the gravtube and pressed
the button to activate its field. As she and her equipment were lifted up the
gantry that paralleled the side of the ship, she resolved to be positive and
dynamic during this interview. She didn't know why Bred deVrie had picked her
for the assignment, since someone of his stature could have had any of a hundred
more famous journalists, but she did know that she intended to make the most of
her opportunity. She was only a junior reporter, more accustomed to covering
crime and sports than Society, and she had been as surprised as anyone when
Master deVrie had accepted her application to write his tale. This could be just
the sort of story that would make her career, though, and she was damned if
she'd miss it.

She reached the top and rang the bell beside the airlock door. There was an
agonizing period of silence before a male voice came over the intercom. "Who's
there?"

"This is Shino Kimatsan. I… I have an appointment to interview Master deVrie
and his crew." Silently, she cursed herself for her momentary hesitation. That
was hardly the style for an important, self-confident journalist to affect.

With a faint sigh, the hatch door slid open and Shino peered inside. The ship's
interior was dark compared to the bright daylight of the spaceport field, and it
was impossible for her to see anything right away. That same male voice said,
"Won't you please come in, Mistress Kimatsan?" Obediently, she entered.

Stepping through the large air lock, she entered the ship, set her holocorder down
on the floor and realized she was standing upon carpeting. As her eyes became