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

The sepoy spoke again. The meaning of the words finally penetrated. Oddly, Agayan was
surprised more by the fact of those words than their actual content. He had not realized that
Gha could speak Galactic beyond a few crude and simple phrases.

тАЬI said,тАЭ repeated the Gha, тАЬdo you know my name?тАЭ

Paralyzed. Only watch.

The sepoy repeated its question: тАЬDo you know my name, Guild Voivode Agayan?тАЭ

The Gha towered above him like an ogre. Immense, heavy-planet muscles coiled over that
rangy, vertebrate body. Strength. Leverage. Power.

The other Gha spoke now, also in fluent Galactic: тАЬJust kill him and be done with it.тАЭ

The sepoy commander: тАЬSoon enough.тАЭ To the Voivode: тАЬDo you know myтАФah! No use.тАЭ

The monster reached down a huge hand and seized the Voivode by one of his forelimb
clusters. A moment later, still curled into a ball, Agayan found himself suspended in midair.
The Gha commanderтАЩs bulging eyes were right before him.

Paralyzed. Only watch.

тАЬMy name,тАЭ said the Gha softly, тАЬis Fludenoc huтАЩtut-Na NomoтАЩte. Since I have served you
for more years than I wish to rememberтАФa second time, now, when the first was bad
enoughтАФI feel that it is only proper that you should know my name.тАЭ

Paralyzed. Only watch.

тАЬI will even educate you in the subtleties. Some of them, at least. Fludenoc is the familiar.
Nomo the family name, with the тАШte-suffix to indicate that we are affiliated to the Na clan.
HuтАЩ-tut is an honorific. It indicates that my clan considers my poetry good enough for minstrel
status.тАЭ

Paralyzed. Only watch.

тАЬI will not bother explaining the fine distinctions which we Gha make between poets. They
would be quite beyond your comprehension, Guild Voivode. Even if you were still alive.тАЭ

The GhaтАЩs other hand seized AgayanтАЩs head. Began to squeeze. Stopped.

тАЬOn second thought, IтАЩd better not crush your wormface beyond recognition. The Romans
are probably holding a grudge against us. If they can recognize your corpse, it may help.тАЭ

Paralyzed. Only watch. The Voivode saw the two Gha who had left the chamber return.
Dragging the Pilot and the Medic with them.

The Gha commanderтАЩs clawed hand plunged into AgayanтАЩs mid-section. Pushing the soft
flesh aside until it gripped the vital organs at the center.