- I'm just asking your passenger to go through the appropriate entranc”," the policeman continued to bend. - And present your belongings for inspection if the customs authorities deem it necessary.
- No, you're clearly looking for rudeness, Pharaoh! - the stubbornness of this short, long-nosed man in a wrinkled uniform was starting to piss Quinn off.
- Wait, Quin”," said Anadi. - Let me talk to you myself. Officer, I give you my word that I am not a terrorist or a criminal. You can see my things. But let me go with the captain, she stepped right up to the nerve and quietly added something that Ray didn't hear. The policeman sighed:
- Yes, you're right, it would be better. You can go through.
"The Golden Antelope was standing next to the entrance, only passing by one parking space. And this village detective also wanted to make them bend around the port and enter through the passenger terminal at the other end of the field! Ignorant. A companion was looking at the ship with interest. Actually, the "one hundred and thirty-eighth" lantillian is a pretty common vessel on the lines, especially in this part of the Galaxy, near the shipyard. But Anadi may have never seen such a non-standard modification before. Now, without containers on board, Ray Queen's ship looked particularly presentable, almost like the Korellian small transporters of 800 and 1200 series. Ray saw his flight engineer and one of the technicians at the rear of the starboard landing gear. No other way, they started some minor repairs again. Ray wriggled: always they are not in time, and now he may have to break the promise given to the lady!
- What do you have here? - He asked.
- We're removing the creak in the shock absorbers," said the engineer.
- Did you still have to polish the rod?
- No, sir, the surface is clean, I moved the mountings, and everything stopped.
- Quickly finish up, I promised Miss Vicaré I'd start immediately.
- Oh, you have a guest, sir? Should I cook the cabin or not? - the flight engineer looked at the captain with a tricky look.
- Shut your mouth, Rijk! Forgive these rude people, Anadi, their jokes are always given to the barracks. Of course, all our cabins are always ready to receive passengers. My assistant, Mr. Stoke, and I personally keep an eye on this. Please get in the elevator. Have you ever flown on such a ship?
- No," she said, looking through the transparent doors at the space on the third deck, through which the turbolift cabin passed. - Is it a passenger and freighter, as I understand it?
- Yes, special order of our corporation. You must have noticed that the blocks of apartments outside are removed? Instead, if necessary, you can either add containers or dock the shuttles.
- It turns out to be a mini-aircraft carrier," said Anadi.
- That's right! - Quinn leaned into the temple of a companion and mysteriously whispered a secret: "I can transport fighters on my Antelope, a whole squadron of fighters.
- Oh, do you have fighter jets in your company?
- Some quantity. Times are turbulent, pirates, smugglers, you know. Please, we have VIP-zone here. From this side, the small saloon, the cabin opposite mine, is occupied by officers, and the four bow cabins are for passengers. They are not busy at the moment, so please settle down in this one, number three.
- Too luxurious for me," said Anadi, seeing the room with a wide double bed. Again, Ray didn't quite understand her tone of voice. It's as if he's not coquettish, he's serious about it. But how can there be too much comfort?
- Have a rest," Quinn waved his hand. - I'll ask for a flight corridor.
- Wait, Ray! We didn't agree on the price of the question.
- Well, that "price", as for the usual flight on a liner of the third class.
- It's not the third class," she shook her head.
- Neither is the Antelope. Don't argue, have a rest, - and he came out, satisfied with just a good impression.
For once, a routine flight from the star "aurek" to the star "besh" Queen could call a pleasant journey! In order for the only passenger of the Golden Antelope not to get bored, Quinn allowed her to climb the service deck and brighten up her leisure time - within the limits of propriety, of course. They were already on the "you", talking on a variety of topics. Anadi admitted that she had just graduated from college in the Republic and understood little about what was happening then. Ray had to enlighten her about both the political nuances and the war he knew first-hand. As he himself, immediately after the end of the Civil Navy Academy on Fondor, fell into the thick of the battle for Mont-Kalamari. And then participated in the battle for Umbara.
- And for Umbara too? - Asked Anadi again.
- Yes," he confirmed. - Nightmare meat grinder. Imagine, we enter the system, but the destroyers, to which we were carrying the cargo, are no longer dead. And instead of them a seps cruiser is going on us. Luckily," Quinn stalled and it wasn't accepted to mention the Republic in the New Times, "our frigates tied them up in battle. The worst of all was when the Sepes distracted the killer cover and their creepy "Vultures" came down on transports.
