"Brad Ferguson - Rhuum Service" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ferguson Brad)

Chaylaifa could move surprisingly quickly for such a big being; he
kicked back his chair and drew his very unceremonial blaster. Fortunately,
the conference roomтАЩs defensive systems had clicked on instantly, and both
antagonists had been safely caught in a tanglefield. The tanglefield could
do nothing to silence Kethrommon, however, and he continued to shout
threats. Jacobs saw that ChaylaifaтАЩs wife and child were shrieking but,
since neither they nor anyone else in the gallery was offering any
aggressive behavior, the tanglefield was ignoring them.
The tanglefield was also ignoring the two facilitators, who were frozen
only by their own shock. TrudyтАЩs eyes were bulging. We must have missed
something. What the hell was it?
I donтАЩt know, Trude. Let me access the transcript ... oh, no!
A Security squad arrived a moment later.
Several of its members escorted Kethrommon to his suite, and Trudy
accompanied them. Others took Chaylaifa back to his rooms, and Jacobs
went with him.
тАЬAmbassador Chaylaifa,тАЭ Jacobs carefully began when they were at last
alone, тАЬdidnтАЩt you realize that your ... pleasant question ... represented the
worst kind of insult to Sir Kethrommon?тАЭ
тАЬIt was not intended as such,тАЭ Chaylaifa said. He was genuinely puzzled.
тАЬI have frequently asked it of humanoids, but I have never gotten such a
response.тАЭ
Jacobs licked his lips. тАЬMr. Ambassador, some humanoids resent the
implication that their mothers were impregnated with them by males who
are not their acknowledged fathers.тАЭ
Chaylaifa blinked. тАЬBut such things happen all the time, donтАЩt they?
Especially in noble houses? IтАЩve read many histories of humanoid
cultures.тАЭ
 тАЬItтАЩs true that such things do happen. But it is usually тАФ not always, but
usually тАФ rude to suggest to an individual that he himself represents one
of those cases. Some cultures put great store in being certain of whom
oneтАЩs parents are and, moreover, having everyone else be certain of it, too.
I hope you can understand that Sir Kethrommon would greatly resent
your questioning his parentage.тАЭ
тАЬBut I wasnтАЩt doubting his parentage, Mr. Jacobs,тАЭ Chaylaifa said. тАЬI
was simply asking who impregnated his mother.тАЭ
тАЬNow, mтАЩlord,тАЭ Trudy said soothingly, тАЬyou must know that the
ambassador didnтАЩt mean to offend you.тАЭ
They were sitting across from each other at a coffee table in the BloxxтАЩs
sitting room. Kethrommon had grown calmer and was more in control of
himself, but he was still hot with anger. тАЬIndeed, woman?тАЭ he spat. тАЬThen
I would hate to be the victim of slurs he uttered with malicious intent.тАЭ
тАЬHe is an alien, mтАЩlord. He is not like you. He simply doesnтАЩt
understand.тАЭ
Kethrommon nodded tightly. тАЬI understand that. Barbarian, he is.тАЭ
TrudyтАЩs lips grew narrow. тАЬIf you like. He is certainly different. Not
better, not worse тАФ just different.тАЭ
тАЬI know тАШdifferent,тАЩ Trudy Burke,тАЭ Kethrommon said. тАЬIтАЩve stood in the
dirt of a hundred worlds. IтАЩve eaten that which has tried to eat me; IтАЩve
even eaten with that which has tried to eat me.тАЭ