[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
perfect. Its plan was to pass through Quaddiespace quietly, without leaving a
trace. It would not have had any reason before then to rig such a device. But
from that botched murder attempt on, it was running scared, having to
Page 152
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
improvise rapidly. Curious bit of foresight, though. It can't have planned to
be trapped on the
Idris the way it was, surely.
She shook her head. It planned something. The explosive charge had two leads
to its trigger. One was a receiver for the signal device the ba had in its
pocket. The other was a simple sound sensor. Set to a fairly high decibel
level. That of an auditorium full of applause, for example.
Miles's teeth snapped shut.
Oh, yes.
Thus masking the pop of the charge, and blowing out contaminant to the
maximum number of people at once. The vision was instant, and horrifying.
So we think. People come in from other stations all over Quaddiespace to see
performances of the Minchenko Ballet. The contagion could have spread back out
with them through half the system before it became apparent.
Is it the same - no, it can't be what the ba gave to me and Bel. Can it? Was
it lethal, or merely something debilitating, or what?
The sample is in the hands of our medical people now. We should know soon.
So the ba set up its bio-bomb... after it knew real Cetagandan agents would
be following, after it knew it would be compelled to abandon the utterly
incriminating replicators and their contents... I'll bet it put the bomb
together and slapped it out there in a hurry. Maybe it was revenge. Revenge
upon the quaddies for all the forced delays that had so wrecked the ba's
perfect plan... ? By Bel's report, the ba was not above such motivations; the
Cetagandan had displayed a cruel humor, and a taste for bifurcating
strategies. If the ba hadn't run into the troubles on the
Idris
, would it have retrieved the device, or would it simply have quietly left the
bomb behind to go off on its own? Well, if Miles's own men couldn't get the
whole story out of their prisoner, he damned well knew some people who could.
Good, he breathed. We can go now.
Greenlaw's weary eyes opened. What?
I mean - with your permission, Madame Sealer. He adjusted his vid pickup to
a wider angle, to take in his sinister medical setting. Too late to adjust the
color balance toward a more sickly green. Also, possibly, redundant.
Greenlaw's mouth turned down in dismay, looking at him.
Admiral Vorpatril has received an extremely alarming military communique from
home... Swiftly, Miles explained his deduction about the connection of
suddenly increased tensions between Barrayar and its dangerous Cetagandan
neighbor to the recent events on Graf Station. He talked carefully around the
tactical use of trade fleet escorts as rapid-deployment forces, although he
doubted the sealer missed the implications.
My plan is to get myself, the ba, the replicators, and as much evidence as I
can amass of the ba's crimes back to Rho Ceta, to present to the Cetagandan
government, to clear Barrayar of whatever accusation of collusion is driving
this crisis. As fast as possible. Before some hothead - on either side - does
something that, to put it bluntly, makes Admiral Vorpatril's late actions on
Graf Station look like a model of restraint and wisdom.
That won a snort from her; he forged on. While the ba and Russo Gupta both
committed crimes on Graf, they committed crimes in the Cetagandan and
Barrayaran empires first. I
submit we have clear prior claim. And worse - their mere continued presence on
Graf
Station is dangerous, because, I promise you, sooner or later their furious
Cetagandan victims will be following them up. I think you've had enough of a
taste of their medicine to make the prospect of a swarm of real
Cetagandan agents descending upon you unwelcome indeed. Cede us both
criminals, and any retribution will chase after us instead.
Hm, she said. And your impounded trade fleet? Your fines?
Page 153
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Let... on my authority, I am willing to transfer of ownership of the
Idris to Graf
Station, in lieu of all fines and expenses. He added prudently, As is.
Her eyes sprang wide. She said indignantly, The ship's contaminated
.
Yes. So we can't take it anywhere anyway. Cleaning it up could be a nice
little training exercise for your biocontrol people. He decided not to
mention the holes.
Even with that expense, you'll come out ahead. I'm afraid the passengers'
insurance will have to eat the value of any of their cargo that can't be
cleared. But I'm really hopeful that most of it will not need to be
quarantined. And you can let the rest of the fleet go.
And your men in our detention cells?
You let one of them out. Are you sorry? Can you not allow Lieutenant
Corbeau's courage to redeem his comrades? That has to be one of the bravest
acts I've ever witnessed, him walking naked and knowing into horror to save
Graf Station.
That... yes. That was remarkable, she conceded. By any people's standards.
She regarded him thoughtfully. You went in after the ba too. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl fopke.keep.pl
perfect. Its plan was to pass through Quaddiespace quietly, without leaving a
trace. It would not have had any reason before then to rig such a device. But
from that botched murder attempt on, it was running scared, having to
Page 152
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
improvise rapidly. Curious bit of foresight, though. It can't have planned to
be trapped on the
Idris the way it was, surely.
She shook her head. It planned something. The explosive charge had two leads
to its trigger. One was a receiver for the signal device the ba had in its
pocket. The other was a simple sound sensor. Set to a fairly high decibel
level. That of an auditorium full of applause, for example.
Miles's teeth snapped shut.
Oh, yes.
Thus masking the pop of the charge, and blowing out contaminant to the
maximum number of people at once. The vision was instant, and horrifying.
So we think. People come in from other stations all over Quaddiespace to see
performances of the Minchenko Ballet. The contagion could have spread back out
with them through half the system before it became apparent.
Is it the same - no, it can't be what the ba gave to me and Bel. Can it? Was
it lethal, or merely something debilitating, or what?
The sample is in the hands of our medical people now. We should know soon.
So the ba set up its bio-bomb... after it knew real Cetagandan agents would
be following, after it knew it would be compelled to abandon the utterly
incriminating replicators and their contents... I'll bet it put the bomb
together and slapped it out there in a hurry. Maybe it was revenge. Revenge
upon the quaddies for all the forced delays that had so wrecked the ba's
perfect plan... ? By Bel's report, the ba was not above such motivations; the
Cetagandan had displayed a cruel humor, and a taste for bifurcating
strategies. If the ba hadn't run into the troubles on the
Idris
, would it have retrieved the device, or would it simply have quietly left the
bomb behind to go off on its own? Well, if Miles's own men couldn't get the
whole story out of their prisoner, he damned well knew some people who could.
Good, he breathed. We can go now.
Greenlaw's weary eyes opened. What?
I mean - with your permission, Madame Sealer. He adjusted his vid pickup to
a wider angle, to take in his sinister medical setting. Too late to adjust the
color balance toward a more sickly green. Also, possibly, redundant.
Greenlaw's mouth turned down in dismay, looking at him.
Admiral Vorpatril has received an extremely alarming military communique from
home... Swiftly, Miles explained his deduction about the connection of
suddenly increased tensions between Barrayar and its dangerous Cetagandan
neighbor to the recent events on Graf Station. He talked carefully around the
tactical use of trade fleet escorts as rapid-deployment forces, although he
doubted the sealer missed the implications.
My plan is to get myself, the ba, the replicators, and as much evidence as I
can amass of the ba's crimes back to Rho Ceta, to present to the Cetagandan
government, to clear Barrayar of whatever accusation of collusion is driving
this crisis. As fast as possible. Before some hothead - on either side - does
something that, to put it bluntly, makes Admiral Vorpatril's late actions on
Graf Station look like a model of restraint and wisdom.
That won a snort from her; he forged on. While the ba and Russo Gupta both
committed crimes on Graf, they committed crimes in the Cetagandan and
Barrayaran empires first. I
submit we have clear prior claim. And worse - their mere continued presence on
Graf
Station is dangerous, because, I promise you, sooner or later their furious
Cetagandan victims will be following them up. I think you've had enough of a
taste of their medicine to make the prospect of a swarm of real
Cetagandan agents descending upon you unwelcome indeed. Cede us both
criminals, and any retribution will chase after us instead.
Hm, she said. And your impounded trade fleet? Your fines?
Page 153
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Let... on my authority, I am willing to transfer of ownership of the
Idris to Graf
Station, in lieu of all fines and expenses. He added prudently, As is.
Her eyes sprang wide. She said indignantly, The ship's contaminated
.
Yes. So we can't take it anywhere anyway. Cleaning it up could be a nice
little training exercise for your biocontrol people. He decided not to
mention the holes.
Even with that expense, you'll come out ahead. I'm afraid the passengers'
insurance will have to eat the value of any of their cargo that can't be
cleared. But I'm really hopeful that most of it will not need to be
quarantined. And you can let the rest of the fleet go.
And your men in our detention cells?
You let one of them out. Are you sorry? Can you not allow Lieutenant
Corbeau's courage to redeem his comrades? That has to be one of the bravest
acts I've ever witnessed, him walking naked and knowing into horror to save
Graf Station.
That... yes. That was remarkable, she conceded. By any people's standards.
She regarded him thoughtfully. You went in after the ba too. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]