"Tanya Huff - Valor 2 - The Better Part of Valor" - читать интересную книгу автора (Huff Tanya)

right?"
"Just a little winded, Staff. I didn't expect her to jump me. They'd
been drinking, and I think she was showing off for Private Karsk. I
was studying." He nodded toward the schematics spread out over the
last two seats. "I asked them to keep it down. Next thing I knew ..."
An unidentifiable sound from the back of the compartment pulled
Torin's head around. All three privates, sitting exactly where she'd left
them, froze, wide-eyed like they'd been caught in a searchlight. She
held them there for a moment—half hoping they were drunk enough to
cause more trouble—then turned slowly back to Corporal Barteau.
He shrugged. "They're on their way home, Staff."
"I know."
"Privates Karsk and Visilli were at Beconreaks and Private Chrac,
she was aircrew, Black Star Evac. They flew at..."
"I know, Corporal, I was there. Your point?"
"I don't think they deserve to be put on report. Not for celebrating
the fact that they're going home."
"I agree."
 He looked surprised. "You do?"
Torin exhaled slowly and forced the muscles in her jaw to relax.
From the corporal's reaction, she suspected she'd looked like she was
chewing glass. "Yes. I do. I'll have a word with them and, if we get to
Mid-Sector without any more trouble, that'll be the end of it."
"You've already scared the piss out of them," the corporal
acknowledged.
"Yeah, well, I'd say that was my intent except the shuttle service
would make me pay for having the seats cleaned."


Feeling considerably more clearheaded, Torin accessed the
hospitality screen and a moment later pulled the tab on a pouch of beer.
Ours is not to question why.
I'll do, she said silently, with a sarcastic toast to absent brass, but I'll
be damned if I'll die.


The detoxicant Torin had taken when they folded out of Susumi
space had done its job by the time the shuttle docked at MidSector.
Although the military and civilian passengers had been kept separate
during the trip, exit ramps emerged into the same crowded Arrivals'
Lounge.
There were a lot fewer uniforms in the crowd than Torin was used
to.
"Excuse me."
Torin had a choice. She could stop, or she could walk right over the
di'Taykan standing in front of her.
She stopped. But it was a close decision.
The di'Taykan had lime green hair and eyes, the former spread out
from her head in a six-inch aureole, the latter so pale Torin wondered
how she could see since none of the light receptors seemed to be open.