Никанор Стариков – The Snipe’s Flight (страница 6)

– Has floated, to be honest. I was even frightened, but on not mnoga everything rises on the place, – I parried, shrugging shoulders. – You know how happens: for second everything takes off, then returns. It is a shame, of course.

– Happens to all, – Gena has nodded, but his look did not weaken. – Only look … You at us the navigator. If in the head porridge, better at once tell. And that we will fly in some gravitational anomaly or we will come across pirates. The captain though the grumbler, but will not give the command in offense. And here if because of someone’s forgetfulness or mistake the ship under blow gets … – He has kept back, but the sense also was so clear to me.

– Head as it should be, – I have firmly said, meeting his look. – For the ship and crew it can be charged. For especially.

Gena has a little kept silent, then has hemmed and has delivered to coffee, never without having taken a sip.

– All right. I trust. You are always such meek creature? Or it is possible to rely on you? – I have lifted up on it the surprised eyes. He has looked me fool in the face and has continued. – The main thing that it was also farther so. Everything worked, and you conducted us right way. You do not take offense at me, I am quick-tempered and sometimes I do not control that I tell. But you will not bring us, I am confident in it.

It was the important point. I have undergone the first, secret testing. Not from the captain, and from old guard of the ship. Gena has accepted my explanation. Now the main thing is not to give reasons for new doubts.

The whole next day has passed in routine. I helped Alice to calibrate sensors of distant detection, verified data with Ki’s testimonies. Sintetik was ruthlessly exact and immediately pointed to the slightest discrepancies, ran on orders of the captain. And I observed. Lavrov resembled bear in den: the most part of time slept or grumbled on official reports, but in its rare, curt commands the grip of steel was felt. Alice has been concentrated at work, but I tried to catch on myself its glances darted furtively – studying, analytical. Kim … Kim just was. Was present. As the rock, it is and will not get to anywhere.

By the evening as I also planned, I have appeared in galley along with Ki. Sintetik did not need food, but sometimes came to check the equipment and consumables or as suspected some of crew, it is simple to listen to their talk, obviously this sintt was engaged in data collection.

I synthesized to myself plate something, reminding braised beef with potato, the taste, of course, was far from the original, but is edible. Having received the portion, I have sat down to table.

– Ki, – I have addressed him, trying to sound neutral efficiently. – Question on cargo. In the declaration the average coefficient of temperature expansion for containers is specified. But for exact setup of cooling systems of compartment I need exact data on everyone. Do you have access to specifications of Herpix?

Sintetik has turned to me the smooth head. Blue sparks eyes flickered.

– The inquiry is logical. However in the specification of cargo the provided corporation information in cut form. Full specifications are secret. My calculations of life support systems are based on the provided average values with margin of safety in fifteen percent.

– It is clear. Privacy, – I as though it has been expected have nodded. – And how you estimate risks of the delivery? In terms of logistics and the probability of external intervention.

Ki has stood for second, processing question.

– Risks are estimated as raised. Bases, following: short deadlines, the nature of cargo crucial for the customer’s infrastructure, political instability on Aurum-4. Probability of attempt of interception of cargo by competitors or illegal groups is twenty two whole and fairy percent. Probability of technical failures when unloading in the conditions of geological activity is eighteen whole and seven tenth percent. Probability of failure to follow the contract because of the customer and decrease in payment is thirty three whole and one tenth percent.

Figures flew from it equal, passionless stream. It was the car estimating probabilities. And its assessment confirmed: this trip as walk around the minefield.

– Thanks, – I have told. – I will mean.

– Performance of official duties is my optimum task for minimization of risks, – Ki noted and, having finished quietly left.

I remained one with plate of synthetic food. Ki’s figures were groundless. The highest percent of Ki gave on setup from Herpix. Not the consolatoriest chances. But I had not only role of the technician now. I had the purpose. And the first step was clear: to contact the agent Kuznets. He had to know more. About cargo. About realistic plans of Herpix. I have eaten up tasteless food, have put away ware in the utilizer and have looked at black window in which my new person was reflected. Blue eyes looked at me with cold determination.

The next day of flight was similar to dense, viscous syrup. Time passed strange: outside of it did not exist, inside it lasted infinitely. «Scythian» was steel puzyryom, mislaid in space, and its crew behaved, respectively, has fallen into similarity of hibernation. My observation of crew continued. I have noticed that each crew member had the ritual of murder of time. Gena, for example, with ecstasy was picked engines though, according to him, everything worked. It was its meditation. Alice solved on the personal tablet difficult puzzles – astronavigation tasks it seems: lay route through neutron star taking into account gravitational attraction of big star. Her eyebrows met in the thin, concentrated fold, with astonishment rose. Kim, after all all addressed not on his name Vlad, and Kim, from their words it is so more pleasant to it and to me very persistently recommended so it to call. He for hours sat not movably, but his fingers made the fast, perfected movements from time to time, it were virtual trainings with weapon as has prompted me memory. The captain Lavrov read. Is not present holograms, and surprisingly the present, shabby paper book with small print. I have somehow made out the name: «Psychology of mass riots in the conditions of limited space». He grumbled, did marks by pencil and lit smelly roll-ups, despite ventilation system protests.

Studying bracelet communicator became my ritual. During rest in the capsule I activated the hidden protocols. Memory of the Snipe gradually was restored to me, as well as skill of driving the bicycle. The bracelet was masterpiece of the espionage equipment of the Russian Empire. Besides the encrypted channel with Trianon, in it there was scanner of wide profile. Very useful function for detection of listening devices. In addition, the analyzer of materials which could be useful to me for scanning of cargo and that the most interesting, the limited module of breaking of any types of locks has been built-in there. Solenoidal Herpiksa locks were to it on teeth, but for work the physical contact and ten time for breaking was required minutes. It was very good news. Bad news has come from the bracelet in the evening. The short message from Trianon: «The confirmation code of the last transfer does not coincide with the reference sample Snipe. Repeat check of the personality. The biometric scanning beam will be directed to you within 10 seconds. Do not move».

There is devil, – has flashed at me in the head. I have forgotten or did not know about any idiotic signature of the agent which that had to put in each message. Not movably lying on bed, I have felt light heat in wrist. The bracelet let out the invisible beam which is reading out fingerprints, the drawing of veins, rhythm of heart, beating and probably dozen more of parameters about which I did not know.

In the head thoughts zaroitsya. What if I do not undergo testing? I am not the real Snipe. But the body was it! Same veins, same prints, same retina of eye. Heat has disappeared. There has passed minute of painful expectation. Then message: «The biometrics is confirmed. Deviations in neural patterns are explained by consequences of physical trauma. It is recommended to carry out self-diagnostics under the Delta protocol. Communication will be reestablished after successful exit to Aurum-4. Trianon».

I have exhaled. Has carried by. Mine allegedly falling from the platform was ideal cover for any strangenesses in behavior. Successful accident or part of the plan? Riddle on riddle. There was last day before going into orbit of Aurum-4. Tension increased as pressure before thunderstorm. Even unperturbable Ki began to carry out additional inspections of systems of the ship. Alice continually caused on the system screen card Helios-beta, studied routes of patrols of corporate safety and gray zones where pirates liked to hunt.

In the evening behind the synthesized dinner, the informal briefing has taken place. Everything, except Ki, have gathered in galley. Though I saw that it just stood behind wall and listened to us. The captain Lavrov, having postponed the book, has thrown out lot of the printed-out papers on table, but, probably, it is reliable in terms of protection against breaking.