"Steve Perry - The Man Who Never Missed" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Steven)

Khadaji shook his head. "First we make sure I get back to the Jade Flower
alive," he said. "I want you to arrange for a quad to escort me back, now that
you've marked me by having me brought in under heavy guard."

"It'll be taken care of."

"No, sir. I want you to get on the com and tell that friendly Lojt outside the
door that when I come out, he's to take me back to the Flower without any
stops—that anybody who tries to approach is probably Scum, no matter what they
claim to be or look like and they are to be spiked." The commanding officer of
the forces on Greaves looked irritated. "Mister Khadaji, you have vital
information for me and we are under Military Interdiction. I can pry what I
want from you in five minutes."

"I know that," Khadaji said. Careful. "But I'm here voluntarily. I want to
tell you what I know, and you can verify it easily. I just want to make sure I
survive. Is it so unreasonable a request?"

Befalhavare Creg weighed his options. Khadaji could see him decide. "All
right, Mister Khadaji." He reached for the com unit on his desk, touched a
pressure-sensitive pad, and spoke quietly. 'Temms, when this man leaves here,
you are to escort him back to where he came from. No one is to approach
without being considered an assassin—not anyone, including your mother, you
copy?"

"Sir."

The Old Man looked up. He was only about fifty, Khadaji estimated, hardly old,
with ajnilitary shag cut and hard features. Probably a by-the-tape commander.

"You have somebody monitoring this conversation, commander?"

"I gave you my word otherwise, didn't I?"

"Recording?"

"That I do, mister. Now, you had something to tell me?"

Khadaji nodded. He took the pack of flicksticks from his pocket. "Do you mind
if I smoke?"

Creg shook his head. "Not if you get to the point."

Khadaji smiled and scratched the tip of the flickstick along the leg of his
pants. The tip flared and he put the doped cigarette to his lips, but didn't
draw on it.

"Me," Khadaji said.