"E. E. Doc Smith - D' Alembert 4 - Getaway world" - читать интересную книгу автора (Smith E. E. Doc)

Garst knew he would never be content to be a cog in someone else's wheel. He would
have to find the stepladder to the top of this power structure and climb it rapidly. He
might not wind up as the big boss of the machine, but he knew lie was capable of greater
things than this.

There would be obstacles, of course. Although he'd been put in charge of this entire
planet, not a single member of his staff was personally loyal to him. They'd all been
picked by Lady A; even Jinda Rawling, his security chief and top aide, would probably
throw her lot in with Lady A if her devotion should ever be put to the test. That meant
Garst would have to work alone. No one else could be completely trusted if lie were to
achieve his aims. But still, he knew he could do it.

Helena von Wilinenhorst could prove the key to his upward mobility. Although he had
been careful to mention nothing about it to Lady A, that was another of his motives for
keeping that young lady alive and under close scrutiny. He wasn't sure how yet, but the
young duchess might prove useful to hire in his upward climb. The thought was
exhilarating.

CHAPTER 2
Mission on Mellisande

The planet Mellisande had five moons that danced an elaborate waltz through its
nighttime skies. The largest was more than half the size of Earth's own moon, and two of
the others were almost as big, which meant that the nights on Mellisande were seldom
dark. A silvery glow pervaded the atmosphere, lending a fairy tale aura to even the most
mundane of settings. When all the moons were up at once, the night could be nearly half
as bright as the day.

At present, though, only one large and one small moon were above the horizon, for which
the two shadow-shapes currently creeping through the bushes were extremely grateful.
Their job would be difficult enough without having to run the risk of being spotted in
excessively bright moonlight.

The scene below them was a tranquil one: a large manor house set out in the country
more than two kilometers from its neighbors, with open land surrounding it on three
sides. Its back was built against a cliff face that rose fifty meters into the air. The cliff
front was so smooth that it was judged unclimbable, leaving the occupants of the house
secure in the knowledge that they could not be attacked from that direction.

The two shadows hoped the inhabitants felt very secure; it would help them immensely.

They lay prone side by side for several minutes on top of the cliff, studying the layout
below them. Ten cars were parked in front of the manor house. As they watched, an
eleventh car made its appearance, driving up the narrow dirt road from the main highway
and pulling to a stop beside the others. Two people got out and walked to the front door
of the house. After a few moments of waiting on the doorstep, they were permitted to
enter.

"That should be all of them," said one of the shadows in a deep, masculine voice.