"Jack Vance - Demon Prince 04 - The Face" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vance Jack)

Addels to the screen. "Today," said Gersen, "you outlined a pro-
cedure in regard to the Ettiha Gargantyr."

"It was no more than a tentative idea," said Addels. "The
scheme breaks down as soon as we reach the Estremont. The Cir-
cuit Propounder would never make us a favorable ruling."

"You are altogether too pessimistic," said Gersen. "Strange
things happen; the courts are unpredictable. Please act along the
lines we discussed. Acquire Cooney's Bank and immediately charter
a local branch. Then, as soon as the Gargantyr opens its hatch, hit
it with every kind of paper you can think of."

"Just as you say "

"Remember, we are dealing with people who are careless of
legal responsibility, to say the least. Make sure that the ship is se-
cure. Serve the papers with at least a platoon of constables, and
immediately put the crew ashore. Pull the power-bar, seal the junc-
tions with a destruction-lock; chain open the cargo hatch. Then
post a strong guard, with at least six armed men on duty at all times.
I want to make sure that the ship stays down m Rath Eileann."

534 I HE DEMON PRINCES

Addels essayed a morose pleasantry "I'll move into the cap-
tain's cabin and guard the ship from within "

"I've got other plans for you," said Gersen "You won't escape
so easily "

"Remember, the court of Intel-world Equity has )unsdiction.
There won't be another session for months, depending on the cal-
endar."

"We want to give the owner time to appear," said Gersen
"Make sure that our action alleges malice, conspiracy, and a delib-
erate policy of interstellar fraud-charges that only the owner can
properly deny "

"He'll go into the dock, deny everything The Benchmaster will
throw out the case, and you'll be left to sweep out the courtroom "

"My dear Addels," said Gersen. "You clearly don't understand
my intentions-which is )ust as well."

"Just so," said Addels bleakly "I don't even care to speculate "

A month later Gersen once more met Addels on Phruster's Pros-
pect,