"Andre Norton - Dipple 03 - Night of Masks" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

can't be broken by us except by the setup Heriharz has worked out. You yourself were urging caution just a
moment ago, friend."
"Caution, reasonable caution, certainly. But every delay gives i'Inad a chance to counter us."
There was a soft laugh from the dark alley. "Seems an impasse, doesn't it? But I have faith in the stars,
Stowar. We'll either turn up our key or."
"Or have to write it all off. Some tricks you can't pull ever. This is a dead rocket if I ever saw one."
"Your commander doesn't agree with you, Bouvay, but it's your privilege to cry off if you want."
Only a mutter replied to that. Nik tensed. That voice out of the dark carried a note of confidence rarely
heard here. The diction was smooth, the tone authoritative. This was no Dipple dweller. Everyone knew
that the Guild had their undercover men in the Planet Guard, among the port authorities, with the spacer
crews. This man could well be one of them.
"Three months." That was Stowar, but this time there was a resigned note in his voice. "And at the end
of three months - if we have not found the right man?"
"Then we make some other decision. But FC says we will." Some one of his listeners snorted. "Then
why'n green blazes don't that tame machine tell us where to find him? Maybe he ain't on Korwar. Ever think
of that?"
"The probabilities, according to FC, are that he is. Look about you, man - what's in a Dipple?"
"A bunch of dim beats as has had it!" returned Bouvay promptly.
"According to your estimation, yes. But on the other hand, right between these walls we have a big
cross section of galactic races and types. When they swept up refugees and deportees and dropped them
down here, there wasn't any sorting. We have inhabitants from forty worlds, survivors of ship disasters, a
mixture such as you won't find anyplace else."
"Except in another Dipple," cut in Stowar. "Just so. And where is the nearest other Dipple? On Kali, a
good six-month flight from here. How long have we been sifting the stock right in front of us? About one
month. FC says the probabilities are he is here; we just have to find him. And because you haven't turned
up the proper combination yet, Stowar, is no reason that such a person does not exist."
"I know." The Dipple man sounded more confident. "You're right. If there's such a man, we ought to
have him here. There's a mix as will turn up about anything. The only thing they've in common is that they
all look human."
"That's the only factor he has to have," commented the unknown. "Our man has to register human or he
can't get by the spy line. So, we practice patience and."
Nik was startled. The speaker had stopped, almost in mid word. All Nik caught thereafter was a sharp
hiss. The shadows that were Stowar and Bouvay had frozen. Nik listened. His mouth was dry, his heart
beginning to sharpen its beat. Somehow he could sense a wariness, an alerting. Had they discovered him?
But how could they - ?
He cried out, tried to jerk free, kicking out with one foot, but the hold on his right ankle remained
firm. It was as if his whole right leg was glued to the top of the crate. Then the power in the left suddenly
failed. That leg lay beside the right, both now immovable. Thoroughly frightened, Nik tried to lever his half
- dead body up by using his arms, only to have them fail him in turn. He was pinned to the surface under
him as if he had never had any power to move.
Then he did move, but not by his own will. Stiff in his invisible bonds, his whole body rose from the
crate and slid out over the open space where the men he had spied upon stood waiting for him. Shaking
with a fear he could only control to the point of not screaming his terror aloud, Nik sank down, helpless to
defend himself against any action they chose to take.
"Stack rat!"
Nik was still descending when that fist snapped out of the general gloom and connected against his
cheekbone with force enough to scramble his senses. He was aware dazedly of another blow. And then
there was only darkness until light beat into him, and he tried to raise his hands to shield his eyes, blinded
by the full glare of a torch.
" - you're away off orbit."