"Jerry Pournelle - High Justice" - читать интересную книгу автора (Pournelle Jerry)

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HIGH JUSTICE
.Jerry Pournelle
Copyright (c) 1974 by Jerry Pournelle
e-book ver. 1.0
ISBN: 0-671-65571-X
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

"A Matter of Sovereignty," copyright, (c), 1972, by the Conde Nast Publications. Inc. First
published in Analog.
"Power to the People," copyright, (c), 1972, by the Conde Nast Publications, Inc. First published
in Analog.
"Enforcer," copyright, (c), 1974, by Mercury Press, Inc. First published in the Magazine of
Fantasy and Science Fiction.
"High Justice," copyright, (c), 1974 by the Conde Nast Publications, Inc. First published in
Analog.
"Extreme Prejudice," copyright, (c), 1974, by the Conde Nast Publications, Inc. First published in
Analog.
"Consort," copyright, (c). 1975, by the Conde Nast Publications, Inc. First published in Analog.
"Tinker," copyright, (c). 1975, by UPD Publishing Company. First published in Galaxy.

A Matter of Sovereignty

"We're almost there, Mr. Adams."
Bill Adams woke to the thrum of propellers and the smell of fresh coffee. He stirred lazily and
looked up at blue eyes and a heart-shaped face framed in long blonde hair. The girl's soprano
voice had a trace of an English accent. She wore a white blouse and a conservative plaid miniskirt
that showed off her tanned legs perfectly. It was, Adams decided, one of the better ways to wake
up.
"We're almost there, sir," she repeated. "I've brought coffee."
"Thanks, Courtney." Adams stretched elaborately. The aircraft cabin was small. It had a desk and
couch and overstuffed chairs, and except for the panel of lights and buttons above Adams's seat it
might have been the study at Santa Barbara. Far down below the Pacific flashed blue and calm as it
had when he dozed off. Now, though, it was dotted with tiny white rings of surf crashing endlessly
on coral reefs.
"Sit with me and tell me what I'm looking at," Adams said.
"All right." Courtney balanced the tray clumsily with one hand as she reached to fold the table
down from the cabin wall. Adams hurriedly came fully awake to help her. She sat next to him on the
couch and smiled uncertainly.
Courtney wasn't sure who Bill Adams was. She'd seen his name on the Nuclear General Company
organization chart, but his title merely said "Assistant to the Chairman," and that might mean
anything. Her own title was "Assistant to the Director" of Ta'avu Station, and that didn't mean
much at all. She was more than a secretary, but she hadn't much influence over Station operations.
Adams, though, was in charge of the largest airplane in the world, and anyone who could commandeer
Cerebrus for personal transportation had real power, Courtney suspected that Adams was one of Mr.
Lewis's special assistants, the troubleshooters who were said to have no emotions and computers
for hearts, but his easy smile made that hard to believe. He was very likable as well as handsome.
Adams sipped coffee and looked out the thick rectangular window. There was more land in sight
ahead. They were approaching a series of coral atolls stretched out like jumbled beads on the blue