Voyage to the Stars [antikvár]

CHAPTER 1The HomecomingRip O'Leary was enjoying himself. As the speedometer needle hovered uncertainly around the thirty mark, its impatience seemed to be reflected in the low-pitched, angry burble issuing from the twin exhaust tail-pipes. The two hundred and sixty-five horses, now grumbling so powerfully under the bonnet of the vintage E-Type Jaguar, were like racing thoroughbreds straining at their bits, anxious to throw off the restraining hand and leap forward in a sudden, explosive release of pent-up energy. Rip flicked the stubby gear lever into neutral, and coasted gently to a halt beneath the sullen glare of the red traffic light. His gaze roved admiringly around the twin-seat cockpit. His right hand savoured the satin smoothness of the wood-rimmed steering wheel whilst his left hand appreciated the richness of the high quality leather that covered the bucketseat at his side.Rip's mind wandered back to the day, two months before, when he had entered the anteroom of the mess in the Woo-mera Space Academy, where a steward had handed to him7