"Gordon R. Dickson - Childe Cycle 08 - The Chantry Guild" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dickson Gordon R)

ocean and the scanty areas of arable and pasture land on its stark islands, upthrust from the waves like
the tops of the underseas mountains.

For generations, the Dorsai had seen their sons and daughters leave home to sell their military services in
the wars of the other Younger Worlds; and so earn the interstellar credits the Dorsai needed to survive.
While those behind her now were the sweepings of those other worlds. Not real military; and spoiled
beyond that by the fact that the Exotics they were used to dominating did not know how to fight, even if
they were willing to do so to save their lives. So that those who followed her now had come to believe
that merely to show a weapon to any unarmed civilian produced instant obedience.

So, at close quarters, if those behind did not first cripple her with their power or needle guns, she could
handle up to half a dozen of them. In any case, it would be strange if in the process she could not get her
hands on at least one of their weapons. If she did that, she would have no trouble dealing with even a full
platoon group.

But she was almost to the place toward which she had been headed; and they were still some meters
behind her. It became more and more obvious they were merely following, unsuspecting that she might
know they were there, and hoping she would lead them to others they could capture as well. She had
been working here as an undercover agent from Old Earth for three years now; helping the local
populace endure, and wherever possible, resist these followers of Others-the new overlords of the
Younger Worlds. These soldiers would at least have heard rumors of her. Undoubtedly it was
inconceivable to them that she could be alone and elude them that long-that she must have some
organization helping her.

She smiled a little, to herself'. Actually, her most active work in those three years had amounted to
occasionally rescuing a prisoner of these same jack-booted imitation soldiers, when this could be done
without giving away her true identify. Mostly, her job had been to provide reassurance to the local
Kultans. So that they, like the other dominated peoples of' the Younger Worlds, would know they had
not been entirely forgotten by those still holding out behind the phase-shield of Old Earth. Holding yet,
against the

THE CHANTRY GUILD 5

combined strength of the Younger Worlds and the self-named, multitalented Others who ruled them.

But now, her hopes lifted. Those following had delayed almost too long. She had at last reached the little
hillock of flourishing undergrowth and young trees, which she had transplanted here three years before
with great care and labor. She stopped; and, almost casually, began to tear up a strip of turf between two
of the trees.

That, she thought, should intrigue them enough to keep them from rushing upon her too swiftly. The turf
came free, as it had been designed to do; being artificial, rather than real, like the rest of the vegetation in
the hillock. Below it was the metal face and handle of a ship's entry port.

At last, she moved swiftly, now. A second later the door was open and she was inside, closing it
behind her. As she turned the handle to locking position, the blast from a power rifle rang ineffectively
against its outer side. She took two strides, seated herself in the chair before the command panel and laid
hands on the controls.

A Dorsai courier vessel did not need time to warm its atmosphere drive before responding, even after