"Alan Dean Foster - With friends like these." - читать интересную книгу автора (Foster Alan Dean)

nearly three hundred sestes, and been losing ever since we started. Oh, I know how it looks, but
the signs are all there. One of these days we'll turn around for the customary reinforcements and
pifft, they won't be there! That's why it's imperative we find new allies... even if we have to
try Terra. When I was a cub, my den parents would scare us away from the Gn>un/-fruit groves by
saying: 'The Terrans will get you if you don't watch out!' "
" 'Ginst the Edict," murmured Alo, not to be put off.
Navigator First Zinin broke in, in the deep bass-rumbling of this heavy-planet civilization.
"There will be no Edicts, old one, if the Yops crush the Federation. We must take some risks. If
the Terrans are willing to aid usтАФand are still capable of itтАФI do believe that GalCen will agree
to some slight modification of the rules. And, if these creatures have fallen back to the point
where they can be of no help to us, then they will not be a threat to us either. GalCen will not
be concerned."
"And if by chance mebbe they should be a bit angry at us and decide to renew an ancient grudge?"
put in the ever-pessimistic Alo.
"Then the inevitable," put in Zinin, "will only be hastened."
Philosophizing was of needs broken off. The Tpin was entering the Shield.
Green, thought Phrnnx. It is the greenest nontropi-cal planet I have ever seen.
He was standing by the end of the ramp which led out from the belly of the cruiser. The rest of
the First Contact party was nearby. They had landed near a great mountain range, in a lush section
of foothills and gently rolling green. Tall growths of brown and emerald dominated two sides of
then- view. In front of them stretched low hillocks covered with what was obviously cultivated
vegetation. Behind the ship, great silver-gray mountains thrust white-haloed crowns into the sky.
Had the Tpin been an air vessel, the updrafts sweeping up the sides of those crags would have
given them trouble. As it was, they merely added another touch to the records the meteorologists
were assembling.
Somewhere in the tall growthsтАФwhich they later learned were called treesтАФa brook of liquid H2O
made gurgling sounds. Overhead, orinthorphs circled lazily in the not unpleasant heat of morning.
Phrnnx was meditating on how drastically the Shield might have affected the climate of this world
when he became aware of Alo and Zinin strolling up behind him.


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"A peaceful world, certainly," said Zinin. "Rather light on the oxygen and argon, and all that
nitrogen gives it a bit of odor, but on the whole a most pleasant ball of dirt."
"Humph! From one who burns almost as much fuel as the ship I wouldn't have expected compliments,"
grumbled Alo. "Still, I'll grant you, 'tis a quiet locale we've chosen to search out allies. I
wonder if such a world did indeed spawn such a warlike race, or were they perhaps immigrants from
elsewhere?"
"They weren't, and it didn't," interposed the Professor. He had relinquished the high place to the
commander and his military advisers, as the conversation had bored him.
"Mind explaining that a mite, Professor?" asked Alo.
The Professor bent suddenly and dug gently in the soft earth with a claw. He came up with a small
wiggling thing. This he proceeded to pop into his mouth and chew with vigor.
"Hmmm. A bit bitter, but intriguing. I believe .there is at least one basis for trade here."
"Be intriguing if it poisons you," said Phrnnx with some relish.
The Professor moved his antennae in a gesture indicative of negativity, with one degree of mild
reproach. "Nope. Sorry to disappoint you, youngster, but Bio has already pronounced most of the
organics on this planet nontoxic. Watch out for the vegetation, though. Full of acids and things.