（外文电子版资料）Zahn, Timothy - Cobra 03 - Cobra Bargain.docVIP

Cobra Bargain Timothy Zahn Chapter 1 Governor Moreau? Deep in personal combat with the official bafflegab staring out at him from his reader, Governor Corwin Jame Moreau switched mental gears with an effort and turned his attention to his intercom. It made for a pleasant change; Thena MiGraws face was a lot nicer to look at than Directorate papers. Yes, Thena? Sir, Justin is here. Shall I have him wait a few minutes? Corwin grimaced. Shall I have him wait. Translation: should she give Corwin a few minutes to prepare himself. Typically perceptive of Thena... but Corwin had already stalled this confrontation off a couple of days, and if he wasnt ready now, he never would be. No, go ahead and send him in, he instructed her. Yes, sir. Corwin took a deep breath, straightening himself in his chair and reaching over to shut off the reader. A moment later the door opened and Justin Moreau strode briskly into the room. Strode briskly; but to Corwins experienced eye the subtle beginnings of Cobra Syndrome were already starting to show in his brothers movements. The ceramic laminae coating Justins bones, the implanted weaponry, servos, and joint strengtheners - after twenty-eight years his body was beginning to react to all of it, precipitating the arthritis and anemia that would, a decade or two from now, bring his life to a premature end. Corwin winced in sympathetic pain, wishing for the millionth time that there was something he could do to alter the inevitable. But there wasnt. Like his father before him, Justin had chosen this path willingly. And like the late Jonny Moreau, he had also chosen to accept his fate with quiet dignity, keeping his pain to himself whenever possible and quietly deflecting any offers of sympathy. In Corwins opinion, it was a counterproductive approach, serving mainly to increase the Moreau familys collective sense of frustration and helplessness. But he understood his brother well enough to know they had to grant him his choice of how to face t