"Michael Stackpole "Rogue Squadron"" - читать интересную книгу автора

not by now."
Lujayne glanced over at him. "Trouble with the engine?"
"Nothing major." Corran pointed down into the hole. "I had to replace an
extractor a while back and keeping it trimmed up over the first fifty parsecs is
important."
Lujayne nodded. "Until it seats itself properly. Looks like you're working on
the housing when you really ought to be just putting a spacer on the axle."
"You know about fixing these things?"
She shrugged. "Landspeeder repair was one of the trade skills my father used to
teach. The T-47 uses virtually identical debris extraction systems for the
engine. What you're doing will work, but you'll keep making adjustments for
another six months. I can measure up a spacer and have it ground down to size
for you in a half an hour or so."
"Really?"
"Sure, if you want the help."
Corran frowned. "Why wouldn't I?"
"You'd owe me a favor and you'd have to trust me."
Trusting someone he did not know did feel odd to him, but not so much so that he
could not do it. "I see your point. I think, though, I can trust you."
"We have a deal then."
Ooryl looked up at Lujayne. "You will need a spacer and laser calipers? Ooryl
will obtain them, if you wish."
"Please."
Corran leaned back on the S-foil. "I appreciate this help."
She smiled slyly. "I hope you think that after you hear what my favor is."
"Name it."
"After we fix up your X-wing, you come with me to DownTime and get to know some
of the oth-ers who are likely to make it into the squadron. We've all got the
thing pretty well figured out- Gavin's a wild card, but Bror Jace thinks he will
probably knock him from the running. A few of us are at the lower edge of what
we assume will be ac-ceptable scores, but we hope to make it. Anyway, we
congregate down there, swap stories, and get to know each other. Since you'll
undoubtedly be in, you should join us."
Corran nodded. "Okay, I'll do that, but that's
the favor I owe you."
"If that's the way you want it."
"Definitely," Corran smiled at her. "I owe you for more than just helping with
the engine. Asking me to become friends with folks I should already be getting
to know isn't a favor I'd be doing you, but one I'll be doing myself. One thing
though, I'm not going to have to get along with Bror Jace, am I?"
"Why should you be the first?"
"Good." As Ooryl returned with the part and the tool, Corran winked at Lujayne.
"Well, let's get this engine working, then we can see if there's a way to fix up
my relations with the rest of Rogue Squadron."
5
Corran Horn tried to kill his smile as he entered the white briefing
amphitheater, then he saw all the other pilots who could smile were absolutely
beam-ing. Not a one of the nervous expressions we were all wearing the other
night in DownTime. The first message in the queue on his datapad had informed
him that after breakfast he was to report for Rogue Squadron's first briefing.