"Bisson, Terry - First Fire" - читать интересную книгу автора (Bisson Terry)

Emil suspected that she and the Tycoon had shared the same view of the desert
sky. Somehow he didn't mind. It was a memorable evening. Kay was a memorable
girl, small-breasted, high-spirited, compact, practical, and resourceful.
And Emil had never seen so many stars.
The next day he left for "the world," or at least New York. At the crude
airstrip he was surprised to meet the Tycoon himself, helicoptering in. He was a
little reluctant to talk about what he was doing, but Emil found out eleven
months later, when he was invited to the unveiling of the Flame of Zoroaster at
the Metropolitan.
The Tycoon was more than generous in his praise of Emil and his time gun, as he
was careful to call it. And more than forthright in their short but substantial
private discussion.
"I helped the government out with their debt, in exchange for the shrine. They
made their own deal with the Zoroastrians. The shrine has always been a bit of
an embarassment to a fundamentalist government. Islam is a modern religion, you
know. Post Christian."
"You bought it," said Emil.
"It's an artifact," said the Tycoon. "Now that you have authenticated it, it
belongs to all humankind."
At the Met the flame was fed on natural gas. Emil couldn't help wondering what
had happened to the young monk who had fed it twigs. Was he a cabby now, in
Cairo or in Queens? As well wonder what happened to a soldier from Darius's
army. Alexander's destiny was to conquer the world, not to number its sparrows.
Professor Elliot was at the opening, but not Kay. Emil was disappointed. He had
entertained a fantasy of a rendezvous. He even mentioned her to the Tycoon, who
said dreamily, "Kay? I have so many projects ..."
**
Emil was apparently on retainer, for once a year on the anniversary of his visit
to Ebtacan he got a check for $100,000. But never a call. That was all right; he
preferred his independence. The Flame of Zoroaster had indeed put his time gun
on the map, and in the next two years he authenticated (dated) the San Gabriel
Mission hearth in California (221.052 years) and a coal seam blaze on Baffin
Island (797.563 years).
The time gun was an accepted archeological tool, but after the first flurry of
interest, there wasn't much demand. How many flames need dating? Emil tried to
interest astronomers, but the device didn't seem to work at a distance. The
numbers came out all wrong. According to the time gun, the stars weren't as old
as the Earth.
**
Emil found out what had happened to Kay eighteen months later, when he got an
e-mail suggesting a meeting at the Oak Room at the Plaza.
She wasn't alone. "This is Claude," she said, introducing a young black man in
jeans and a raw silk jacket. Claude had a rich French accent, which was later
localized to Kinshasa and Paris.
Emil didn't like him. His head was too big for his narrow shoulders. He smoked
Galouises.
They ordered drinks. Kay let it be known that the Tycoon was picking up the tab.
"I've been working for him since I got my doctorate," she said. "Special
projects." Had he really not remembered her? Emil wondered. Did Alexander