"Robert A. Heinlein - Space Family Stone" - читать интересную книгу автора (Heinlein Robert A)

‘Glad to meet you, Mr Stone. Stone,.. Stone? Any relation to - The
“Unheavenly Twins” - that’s it.’
‘Smile when you say that,’ said Pollux.
‘Shut up, Pol. We’re the Stone twins.’
‘The frostproof rebreather valve, you invented it, didn’t you?’
‘That’s right.’
‘Say’ I got one in my own suit. A good gimmick - you boys are quite the
mechanics.’ He looked them over again. ‘Maybe you were really serious
about a ship.’
‘Of course we were.’
‘Hmm. . . you’re not looking for scrap; you want something to get around it.
I’ve got just the job for you, a General Motors Jumpbug, practically new. It’s
been out on one grubstake job to a couple of thorium prospectors and I had
to reclaim it. The hold ain’t even radiosative.’
‘Not interested.’


3
‘Better look at it. Automatic landing and three hops takes you right around the
equator. Just the thing for a couple of lively, active boys.’
‘About that Detroiter - what’s your scrap price?’
Ekizian looked hurt. ‘That’s a deepspace vessel, son - It’s no use to you, as a
ship. And I can’t let it go for scrap; that’s a clean job. It was a family yacht -
never been pushed over six g, never had an emergency landing. It’s got
hundreds of millions of miles still in it. I couldn’t let you scrap that ship, even if
you were to pay me the factory price. It would be a shame. I love ships. Now
take this Jumpbug. . .’
‘You can’t sell that Detroiter as anything but scrap,’ Castor answered. ‘It’s
been sitting there two years that I know of. If you had hoped to sell her as a
ship you wouldn’t have salvaged the computer. She’s pitted, her tubes are no
good, and an overhaul would cost more than she’s worth. Now what’s her
scrap price?’
Dealer Dan rocked back and forth in his chair; he seemed to be suffering.
‘Scrap that ship? Just fuel her up and she’s ready to go - Venus, Mars, even
the Jovian satellites.’
‘What’s your cash price?’
‘Cash?’
‘Cash.’
Ekizian hesitated, then mentioned a price. Castor stood up and said, ‘You
were right, Pollux. Let’s go see the Hungarian.’
The dealer looked pained. ‘If I were to write it off for my own use, I couldn’t
cut that price - not in fairness to my partners.’
‘Come on, Pol.’
‘Look, boys, I can’t let you go over to the Hungarian’s. He’ll cheat you.’
Pollux looked savage. ‘Maybe he’ll do it politely.’
‘Shut up, Poll!’ Castor went on, ‘Sorry, Mr Ekizian, my brother isn’t
housebroken. But we can’t do business.’ He stood up.
‘Wait a minute. That’s a good valve you boys thought up. I use it; I feel I owe
you something.’ He named another and lower sum.
‘Sorry. We can’t afford it.’ He started to follow Pollux out ‘Wait!’ Ekizian