《Grimes 014 The Far Traveller》作者： - A. Bertram Chandler【EPUB】

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The Far Traveller came to Botany Bay to Paddington dropping down to theBradman Oval—which sports arena since the landing of the Survey ServicesDiscovery had become a spaceport of sorts. Discovery was gone to anunknown destination taking with her the mutineers and the friends theyhad made in the newly rediscovered Lost Colony. The destroyer Vegadispatched from Lindisfarne Base to apprehend the mutineers was still inthe Oval still lying on her side inoperative until such time as the salvagetugs should arrive to raise her to the perpendicular. Discovery under thecommand of her rebellious first lieutenant had toppled the other shipbefore making her escape.John Grimes lately captain of Discovery was still on Botany Bay. He hadno place else to go. He had resigned from the Survey Service knowing fullwell that with the loss of his ship his famous luck had run out that if heever returned to Lindisfarne he would have to face a court martial andalmost certainly would be held responsible for the seizure by mutineers ofa valuable piece of Interstellar Federation property. And in all likelihoodhe would be held to blame for the quite considerable damage to Vega.In some ways however he was still lucky. He had a job one for which hewas qualified professionally if not temperamentally. Botany Bay as yetowned no spaceships of its own. The lost in space Lode Wallaby bringingthe original colonists had crashed on landing and in any case the crankylodejammers had been obsolete for generations. Nonetheless Botany Baynow needed a spaceport since the news of Discoverys landing had beenbroadcast throughout the galaxy an influx of visitors from outside was to beexpected. A spaceport needs a Port Captain. Even if Grimes had not beenon more than friendly terms with Mavis Mayor of Paddington and Presidentof the Council of Mayors he would have been the obvious choice.Obvious—but not altogether popular. Vegas people were still on BotanyBay and all of them blamed Grimes for the wreck of their vessel and cometo that Commander Delamere the destroyers captain had always hatedGrimes guts. It was mutual. And there were