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

Above his tight tunic collar the other's face flushed, his teeth flashed as he caught his lower lip between
them as if to forcibly restrain an answer he longed to make. For a second he hesitated and then he vanished
down a side path with his assistant. Van Rycke had gone a quarter of the distance back to the ship before
he spoke.

"I thought it was too easy," he muttered. "Now we're in for it--maybe right up the rockets! By the Spiked
Tail of Exol, this is certainly not our lucky day!" He quickened pace until they were close to trotting.


Chapter II
RIVALS

"THAT's FAR ENOUGH, Eysie!"

Although Traders by law and tradition carried no more potent personal weapons--except in times of great
crisis--than hand sleep rods, the resultant shot from the latter was just as unpleasant for temporary periods
as a more forceful beam--and the threat of it was enough to halt the three men who had come to the foot of
the Queen's ramp and who could see the rod held rather negligently by Ali. Ali's eyes were anything but
negligent, however, and Free Traders had reputations to be respected by their rivals of the Companies. The
very nature of their roving lives taught them savage lessons--which they either learned or died.
Dane, glancing down over the Engineer-apprentice's shoulder, saw that Van Rycke's assumption of
confidence had indeed paid off. They had left the trade enclosure of the Salariki barely three-quarters of an
hour ago. But below now stood the bebadged Captain of the I-S ship and his Cargo-master.

"I want to speak to your Captain--" snarled the Eysie officer.

Ali registered faint amusement, an expression which tended to rouse the worst in the spectator, as Dane
knew of old when that same mocking appraisal had been turned on him as the rawest of the Queen's crew.

"But does he wish to speak to you?" countered Kamil. "Just stay where you are, Eysie, until we are sure
about that fact."

That was his cue to act as messenger. Dane retreated into the ship and swung up the ladder to the command
section. As he passed Captain Jellico's private cabin he heard the muffled squall of the commander's
unpleasant pet--Queex, the Hoobat--a nightmare combination of crab, parrot and toad, wearing a blue
feather coating and inclined to scream and spit at all comers. Since Queex would not be howling in that
fashion if its master was present, Dane kept on to the control cabin where he blundered in upon an
executive level conference of Captain, Cargo-master and Astrogator.

"Well?" Jellico's blaster scarred left cheek twitched as he snapped that impatient inquiry at the messenger.

"Eysie Captain below, sir. With his Cargo-master. They want to see you--"

Jellico's mouth was a straight line, his eyes very hard. By instinct Dane's hand went to the grip of the sleep
rod slung at his belt. When the Old Man put on his fighting face--look out! Here we go again, he told
himself, speculating as to just what type of action lay before them now.

"Oh, they do, do they!" Jellico began and then throttled down the temper he could put under iron control
when and if it were necessary. "Very well, tell them to stay where they are. Van, we'll go down--"