"Ann Crispin "Han Solo. Rebel Dawn"" - читать интересную книгу автора

When Bria regained consciousness, she found her-self bound so efficiently that she didn't even bother struggling past the first moment. She was alone in the living room, sitting on the lush carpet, propped up against one of the armchairs. Her head was muzzy, and she was terribly thirsty, but she was otherwise unharmed.
Except for the fear. Bria had been in tight situations before, in battle, but she'd never been captured like this. It was the most helpless feeling in the world, to sit there alone, and wonder who had done this to her... and why?
It had to have been that Anomid, but Bria had never had any dealings with the aliens before, and she couldn't imagine why any of them would wish her harm. Perhaps the Anomid was a bounty hunter. That was the only explanation that made sense ....
She wet her lips, took a deep breath, and prepared to scream a scream that would be heard even outside the closed door of the stateroom. It was then that she no-ticed two things: the bodies of her companions, covered with bedclothes and stacked efficiently out of sight of anyone at the door-and the sound sponge. The little device was set up on the floor near her and the blinking light showed that it was on. It would effectively muffle any outcry she could make. Bria shut her mouth and her eyes and leaned her head back against the chair. Great. Whoever that Anomid is, he thought of everything.
Who could he be? The alien had evidently dealt with Darnov, Feltran and even Treeska (and Bria knew his reputation at unarmed combat) in a matter of minutes.. She could see the wall-chrono, and realized she'd only been out about ten minutes.
As she sat there, struggling to think of something she could do, the Anomid opened the door to the stateroom and entered, carrying a huge, heavy case that he placed on the floor with a thud. Seeing that Bria was awake, he went into the ‘fresher and soon returned, carrying a glass of water. He knelt beside her, turned down the sound sponge so she could hear his voice. "That sleep-ing drug causes great thirst. This is plain water. I have no intention of harming you. The bounty on you is for unharmed delivery."
He held out the water, and Bria leaned toward it, then hesitated. She didn't dare drink it. What if this was an Imperial bounty hunter or agent? What if the water was laced with truth drug? Even though her thirst was now a raging hell in her mouth and throat, she shook her head. "Thank you anyway," she managed. "I'm not thirsty."
"Of course you are," the Anomid said. "I care noth-ing for your pitiful Resistance secrets." He shoved his vocalizer-mask aside and took a long drink. "The water is safe," he said, holding it back out.
Bria blinked at him, then her thirst won out. She drank deeply as the Anomid helped her. He pushed his vocalizer-mask back into place. As Bria leaned back against the armchair, she said, "You're not an Anomid. They can't speak without their vocalizer-masks. You're obviously a bounty hunter in disguise. Who are you?"
The Anomid regarded her from featureless silver-blue eyes. "Observant, Bria Tharen. I am pleased by your reaction. Hysteria is wearing and useless. As to my identity... you would know me perhaps by my adopted name. Boba Fett."
Boba Fett? Bria sagged back against the armchair, eyes wide, fighting the fear that even the casual men-tion of that name brought. She found herself praying to childhood gods for the first time in years.
After a moment, she wet her lips. "Boba Fett . . ." she managed. "I do know that name. I didn't think you bothered with dinky Imperial bounties. The one the Imps have on me isn't worth your time."
The bounty hunter nodded. "True. Besadii clan's bounty is a hundred times that."
"Teroenza..." Bria whispered. "It has to be. Last I heard, it was fifty thousand, not a hundred."
"Following your capture of Helot's Shackle, Besadii doubled that."
Bria tried to smile. "It's so nice to be popular," she managed. "Helot's Shackle was a slave ship. I had to stop them. I have no regrets."
"Good," he said. "That should make our short asso-ciation as pleasant as possible. Would you like more water?"
Bria nodded, and Fett got another glass. This time she took a drink without being asked. Bria was trying to remember her training in what to do if captured. She wasn't in uniform, and thus had no lullaby available to end her suffering. Besides, she was a long way from Nal Hutta or Ylesia , . . a lot could happen between here and there. She decided to bide her time and keep Fett talking, if she could. All her instructions said that the more captors came to regard a prisoner as a real person, the easier captivity became, and the greater the chance that someone would get careless.
Bria was ‘also aware that the chance of Boba Fett slipping up was incredibly unlikely. Still, she had noth-ing else to do at the moment, did she?
She tried not to look at the sheet-covered bodies in the corner.
"You know," she said, "I've heard a lot about you. Makes me wonder if ‘all the things they say about you are true."
"Such as?"
"That you have your own moral code. You are the consummate hunter, but no bully. You take no pleasure in inflicting pain."
"True," he said. "I am a moral person."
"What do you think of the Empire?" she asked, as he began checking the heavy case he'd lugged into the room. She caught a glimpse of his famous helmet.
"I believe that the Empire, though morally corrupt in some ways, is the lawful government. I obey its laws."
"Morally corrupt?" she asked, cocking her head, "how so?"
"Several ways."
"Name one."
He gave her a glance, and she wondered if he'd tell her to shut up, but after a moment, answered, "Slavery. It is a morally corrupt institution, degrading to all parties."
"Really!" she exclaimed. "Then we have something in common. I don't like slavery much either." "I know." "I was a slave," she said. "It was horrible."
"I know."
"You know a lot about me, I guess."
"Yes."
Bria wet her lips. "You know that Teroenza and who-ever is running Besadii these days are planning to kill me in some protracted, hideous fashion, right?" "Yes. Unfortunate for you, profitable for me."
Bria nodded, and fixed him with an appealing gaze. "Since you know so much about me, you know that I have a father, right?"
"Yes."
"Then maybe . . . I know this seems unusual, but under the circumstances . . . perhaps you wouldn't mind . . ." Bria trailed off, fighting for control. It was really sinking in now that she was done for, that she wasn't going to be able to get out of this. "What?"
She took a deep breath. "I haven't seen my dad in years. We were ‘always close. My mom and brother aren't worth much, but my dad . . ." Bria shrugged. "You get the idea. When I started in with the Resis-tance, I knew it was too dangerous to see him any more. Too dangerous for both of us. But I've found ways--'s safe ways-to let him know I'm alive. A couple of times a year, he gets a message through very roundabout channels. Just, ‘Bria's okay.' Like that."
"Go on." The bounty hunter's voice was absolutely expressionless.
"Anyway... I don't want him to wait and wait for a message from me. Could you . . . let him know I'm dead? He means a lot to me. He'S a good man, a decent man. Pays his Imperial taxes, honorable citizen, all that. So . . . if I gave you his name and location, could you just send a message? ‘Bria's dead.' That's all."
To Bria's surprise, Boba Fett nodded. "I will do so.
What is-"
The bounty hunter broke off as the door chime sounded. Bria jumped, and Boba Fett rose to his feet in one seamless motion, like a hunting animal.
The chime sounded again. Dimly, from outside the cabin, muffled by the sound sponge, Bria heard, "Bria? Hey, it's me, Lando!"
"Calrissian," Boba Fett said quietly. Quickly the bounty hunter turned the sound sponge all the way back up. Going over to the portal, he keyed it open, standing back behind it.
"Lando, no!" Bria shouted. "Go away!" The sound sponge soaked up the noise, absorbing it. Instead of fill-ing the room, her shout was no louder than a whisper.
Clutching his flowers and the bottle of fine wine,
Lando stepped eagerly through the door to Bria Lav-
val's stateroom. "Sorry I'm a few minutes late," he was