"Eric Flint - Ranks of Bronze 2 - Carthago Delenda Est" - читать интересную книгу автора (Flint Eric)

that shoulder movement as perfectly as he had understood the skepticism in OltomarтАЩs hiss.)

тАЬIтАЩm quite serious, Oltomar. Even before this incident, I thought the Romans were the best
possibility we had ever encountered.тАЭ

тАЬToo primitive,тАЭ interjected Uddumac. тАЬWe talked it about, you and I, long ago.тАЭ

Uddumac gestured to the VoivodeтАЩs corpse on the floor. тАЬThe first time we had the
misfortune of being assigned to this worm. We talked about it, then, and we reached a
common conclusion. For all their astonishing competence, the Romans were simply too
primitive. Barbarians, to all intents and purposes.тАЭ

Oltomar chimed in. Again, literally. The chime-syllable which prefaced his words was a
Gha way of expressing agreement.

тАЬYes. NothingтАЩs changed simply because they managed to seize their troop transport. If
they seized it. IтАЩm not sure the wormтАЩs theory was correct, but even if it isтАФso what? The
Romans are still barbarians. The PoctтАЩon has always known thatтАФтАЭ

Fludenoc silenced him with a gesture. Left hand before his face, palm outward, fingers
spread. StopтАФI must interrupt.
 тАЬYouтАЩre missing the significance of the new data,тАЭ he said. тАЬThatтАЩs why I gave the order to
kill them.тАЭ His next gestureтАФright hand turned aside, waist high, fingers curled against the
thumbтАФwas the Gha expression of apology.

тАЬThatтАЩs also why I didnтАЩt wait until we had an opportunity to discuss the matter, as a
PoctтАЩon cartouche would normally do. I had to stop the Pilot from transmitting anything to
Guild Headquarters. IтАЩm hoping the Federation itself doesnтАЩt understand the significance of the
meteorological report. The Guilds may still not know of it at all.тАЭ

The other three Gha in the room were silent. Their stiff postures, to anyone but Gha, would
have made them seem like statues. But Fludenoc understood their confusion and puzzlement.

To his surprise, the Pilot suddenly spoke. Fludenoc had almost forgotten her presence.

тАЬAre you talking about the radio signals?тАЭ she asked.

Fludenoc swiveled to face her. The Pilot froze with instinctive fear, but her color remained
close to purple. тАЬIтАЩm s-sorry,тАЭ she stammered, in Gha. тАЬI didnтАЩt meanтАФтАЭ

тАЬI did not realize you spoke our language,тАЭ said Fludenoc.

Then, sadly (though only a Gha would have sensed it in his tone):

тАЬI am not angry at you for interrupting me, Pilot. Among ourselves, we consider
conversation a fine art. Interruption is part of its pleasure.тАЭ

The PilotтАЩs shade developed a pinkish undertone. тАЬI know. I have listened to you,
sometimes, when you versified each other in your chamber. I thought the poetry was quite
good. Although IтАЩm sure I missed most of the nuances.тАЭ