Никанор Стариков – The Snipe’s Flight (страница 7)

– So, – it has begun, having gloomy inspected us. – Tomorrow at ten thirty in the morning in a ship way we approach Aurum-4. Alice, that on situation?

– The silence, the captain, – has responded it, without coming off the tablet. – Corporate patrols in standard orbits. Any abnormal movements of the fleet. Air is clean, except commercial traffic and negotiations of miner’s labor unions on the planet. The last … very expressivna.

– I do not doubt, – Lavrov has grumbled. – Gene, ship?

– It is intense as the string, but holds, – the engineer held mug which he considered with very great interest in hand. – Docking units are ready. Cargo life support systems in green zone. If only these eggheads from Herpix do not decide to warm to us brains the scanners of the fifth generation.

– Will warm, – without shadow of doubt Kim has said. He sat in corner, still motionless, but its voice was low and accurate. – Standard protocol. External inspection, scanning on the hidden compartments, verification of documents and removal of biometrics of crew. Will take hour. Two if you want to pull time.

– About time at them it is strict, – I have noticed, carefully getting into conversation. – The well waits. I think, will not begin to tighten just like that.

All have looked at me. I have turned to the captain:

– The captain, and if they try to beat down the price, referring on … – I have taken second break, considering the words. – Well, suppose, that because of unstable situation on the planet, they will ask to throw off cargo in other point? As though it is our risk.

Lavrov has grinned, and in this smile there was something wolf.

– Let will try. We have contract. Iron. With the registered penalties for delay from their party. And with very interesting point on force majeure which includes actions of the third parties, including the protesting groups. We are not guilty that there miners revolt. We haul freight. Want to receive it let pay. Everything, point.

– And if do not pay? – has asked Gena, tapping with fingers on table.

In reply the captain has only translated view of Kim. That slowly, has almost imperceptibly nodded. No word has been told, but the atmosphere in galley for moment became ice. I got it. «Scythian» was truck, but not toothless. Kim was their trump. Extreme, but effective.

– Mironov, – the captain has addressed me. – Your task always to be near the console of gravikomp during joining and unloading. Any failure, any anomaly in indications and at once you report to me. Do not try to repair. I see?

– It is clear, captain.

– Perfectly. All to have a rest. Tomorrow will be long.

We have dispersed. I have returned to the capsule, but there was no wish to sleep. Via the screen in ceiling showing simulation of space it was visible only flickering abstraction of hyper space. I have double-checked bracelet. In his memory there was encrypted tag for the first contact: the standard commercial terminal in port zone, public network. It will be necessary to send package of data with the Calibre code. The answer will come with the indication of the place and time of meeting. Primitively, but it is reliable. Lying in the dark, I listened to ship rumble. It was the sound of my new life. It has replaced hum of the hospital equipment. And instead of expectation of the end I waited for the beginning now. The fear was finally melted into the concentrated energy. I was ready. It is ready to play role of the technician. It is ready to perform the agent’s task. «Well, Vasily Ivanovich, – I have mentally told myself. – Tomorrow we descend in investigation. Let’s look what both of us are capable in this new, marvelous world of». And with this thought, at last, has fallen asleep.

Chapter 3

The planet Aurum-4 outside reminded the body covered with ulcers. They were on all planet, and heap of rusty domes of the buildings, towers and trellised docks which have stuck into the gray-brown planet. Reminded me my old body covered with tumors. Air in the shuttle, even after recirculation, kept caustic smack. But now the crew of «Scythian» did not pay attention to it.

Unloading has taken place not smoothly, but after all has taken place. Five hours of nervous bustle under sights of staner of corporate safety, an hour and a half altercations with the clerk from Herpix smelling of cheap cologne and arrogance. Have ended for us safely. Lavrov, grabbed as the ram, pointed a finger at clauses, Gena gloomy tapped with wrench up to palm, looking very much not good at the representative of corporation, and Kim stood slightly behind, silent and motionless, but in hands it had weighty argument in the form of laser automatic rifle. As a result the credits have been transferred into the account of Guild. Everything can be exhaled. The task is performed. Cargo is handed over, money is received. Tension on saved, was splashed out outside, in a word, by the thrown captain: «In bar. All! At my expense!». All have applauded such news and have gone to gather. To send messages about the arrival coherent I did not become now. For safety reasons. I will sit in bar, and there we will look.

We have gone to the nearest bar from the spaceport. We went on the narrow, filled-in with yellow light tunnel conducting to port zone. In my ears still there was rumble of «Scythian», but it was gradually forced out by sounds of the spaceport: ventilation buzz, the remote hails, drumming of someone’s boots which are lined with metal. Thoughts have feverishly twirled in my head: bracelet. Nonsense inexcusable for such professional, as I. In unloading turmoil, at the moment when the clerk has gone into hysterics concerning the unforeseen, but already expected by us circumstances of revolt, I, left it in the capsule. Also has forgotten. Without it I was blind and deaf. The agent so does not do. The agent does not leave weapon unguarded. The pressing sense of danger has appeared in my breast. Our company already approached the bar lit with neon with the blinking sign «Old Mine». The rumble of voices, sourish smell of the reek of alcohol and synthetic beer was heard.

– Mironov, you what have braked? – Alice, in expectation from holiday anticipation has turned back. Her face has blurred in smile.

– Has forgotten … the tablet on the ship, – I have told lies, trying that the voice sounded with disappointment. – With calculations for the following flight. The captain, you asked to throw off to you on check today. Alice, I fast run, and in ten minutes I will return. Will you cover?

Lavrov who was already pushing door has waved hand and without turning around has told:

– Only be not late. And everything we will drink that without you.

Alice has darted the fast, studying glance at me, but has turned and has followed the captain. Kim has only thrown cursory glance on my person and has nodded – like, do that has to. I was immediately developed and have almost run back, to the «Scythian» docked on external ring of docks. Having reached the shuttle, I began to consider it. It stood, grown quiet, with the put-out running fires, only emergency indicators blinked red in step to my rapid pulse. The lock with hissing has let in me inside. The familiar smell – oil, ozone, dead air has struck in nostrils, but now it has seemed to me not opposite, but the acquaintance. And how we here all this breathe? The ship was empty. When I have already almost reached inhabited compartment, have out of the corner of the eye noticed that light indication on door in cargo compartment burned not with habitual green, but dim yellow. This color meant «Maintenance» or «The entrance is limited». But we have already unloaded cargo. Why there to someone to be? Instinct, that, hunting, has forced me to shorten stride. The door has not been simply blocked. It has been slightly opened on centimeter. From crack the stream of cold, not retsirkulirovanny air with smack of metal flew. At this moment everything in me has cried: «Go, take bracelet and leave!». But legs have incurred me to door. I was silently driven into the corner nearby and have listened. Silence. The deep, ringing silence of empty cargo compartment. Too quietly. Now sounds of the working ventilation system, clicks of sensors had to be distributed. But it was silent.

I have carefully pushed door with shoulder. She has silently moved, opening part huge, empty space now. Lighting has been muffled to minimum. Corrugated floor shone in the twilight. And in the middle, at the basis of that power beam where earlier container number five fastened, the motionless dark figure lay. I have entered inside, have quietly covered door for myself. Has approached closer. It was Ki. Sintetik lay on one side, one hand is unnaturally twisted back. On smooth, opaque forehead the deep dent as if from blow by blunt heavy object gaped. Blue sparks of eye-sockets were extinct. Nearby on floor the massive adjustable spanner rolled – from personal set Genes. On its handle the spots similar to oil or on that liquid darkened that exuded from the damaged joint on Ki’s shoulder.