"Peter David - Sir Apropos 03 - Tong Lashing" - читать интересную книгу автора (David Peter)

"Apropos, this is no time to be difficult. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Sharee told me.

"Here's the thing about once-in-a-lifetime opportunities," I said. "They tend to shorten the actual
lifetime in question."

"I think he's a coward," growled one of the other companions. "A foul character trait to have."

"I prefer to think of it as an alternative lifestyle," I informed the growler.

"Apropos, listen," said Sharee. "What they seek... it's the mystic tome of--"

"I don't care."

"It can transform anyth--"

"I don't care!Sharee, what's..." I quickly put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her a few feet
away from the others. Mordant, on her arm, was rudely jostled by the sudden movement but managed to
hold on nevertheless. "...what's going on here?" I demanded in a low voice. "We had plans..."

She looked at me wide-eyed. "We did?"

"Yes! We were going to..."

I stopped.

"Apropos," she pointed out, "we hadn't really planned where we were going. We just decided we
were getting out of here. But plans aren't about what you're running from. They're about what you're
running to."

"We're going to Azure. It's all arranged."

She blinked in surprise. "It is?"

"Yes. Booked and everything. All set. Let's go."

"And what's on Azure?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Itdoes. Apropos, I thought you understood..."

"Understood what?"

Sharee sighed heavily. "Port Debras isn't just a place of comings and goings. It's a place of
opportunities. To find possibilities to explore. Rex's quest is an incredible possibility. He's leading a group
to one of the most challenging--"

"Sharee, life doesn't have to be about finding challenges. Lifeis challenge. And I..."
 She stared at me, and I felt her gaze boring through my mind. "You what?" she asked.