"Norton, Andre - Solar Queen 02 - Plague Ship" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

patience and aplomb. The Cargo-master seemed in nowise tired by his wasted day and Dane knew that Van
would probably sit up half the night, going over for the hundredth time Traxt Cam's sketchy recordings in
another painstaking attempt to discover why and how the other Free Trader had succeeded where the
Queen's men were up against a stone wall.

The harvesting of Koros stones was, as Dane and all those who had been briefed from Cam's records
knew, a perilous job. Though the rule of the Salariki was undisputed on the land masses of Sargol, it was
another matter in the watery world of the shallow seas. There the Gorp were in command of the territory
and one had to be constantly alert for attack from that sly, reptilian intelligence, so alien to the thinking
processes of both Salariki and Terran that there was, or seemed to be, no point of possible contact. One
went gathering Koros gems after balancing life against gain. And perhaps the Salariki did not see any profit
in that operation. Yet Traxt Cam had brought back his bag of gems--somehow he had managed to secure
them in trade.

Van Rycke climbed the ramp, hurrying on into the Queen as if he could not get back to his records soon
enough. But Dane paused and looked back at the grass jungle a little wistfully. To his mind these early
evening hours were the best time on Sargol. The light was golden, the night winds had not yet arisen. He
disliked exchanging the freedom of the open for the confinement of the spacer.

And, as he hesitated there, two of the juvenile population of Sargol came out of the forest. Between them
they carried one of their hunting nets, a net which now enclosed a quiet but baneful eyed captive--Sinbad
being delivered for nightly ransom. Dane was reaching for the pay to give the captors when, to his real
astonishment, one of them advanced and pointed with an extended forefinger claw to the open port.

"Go in," he formed the Trade Lingo words with care. And Dane's surprise must have been plain to read for
the cub followed his speech with a vigorous nod and set one foot on the ramp to underline his desire.

For one of the Salariki, who had continually manifested their belief that Terrans and their ship were an
offence to the nostrils of all right living "men," to wish to enter the spacer was an astonishing about-face.
But any advantage, no matter how small, which might bring about a closer understanding, must be seized
at once.

Dane accepted the growling Sinbad and beckoned, knowing better than to touch the boy. "Come--"

Only one of the junior clansmen obeyed that invitation. The other watched, big-eyed, and then scuttled
back to the forest when his fellow called out some suggestion. He was not going to be trapped.

Dane led the way up the ramp, paying no visible attention to the young Salarik, nor did he urge the other
on when he lingered for a long moment or two at the port. In his mind the Cargo-master apprentice was
feverishly running over the list of general trade goods. What did they carry which would make a suitable
and intriguing gift for a small alien with such a promising bump of curiosity? If he had only time to get
Van Rycke!
The Salarik was inside the corridor now, his nostrils spread, assaying each and every odor in this strange
place. Suddenly his head jerked as if tugged by one of his own net ropes. His interest had been riveted by
some scent his sensitive senses had detected. His eyes met Dane's in appeal. Swiftly the Terran nodded and
then followed with a lengthened stride as the Salarik sped down into the lower reaches of the Queen,
obviously in quest of something of great importance.


Chapter III