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

As to your question, Alo. When the Terrans..."
"Speaking of Terrans," put in Zinin, "I'd like to see one of these mythical creatures. I don't
recall seeing any cities on our descent."
"Neither did Survey. Oh, don't look so smug. Navigator. Survey reports their presenceтАФTerrans, not
citiesтАФbut they estimate no more than a hundred million of them on the planet. The only signs of
any really large clusterings are vague outlines that could be the sites of ancient ruins. Might
have expected something of the sort. People change in a few Ipas, you know."
"My question," prompted Alo once more.
"Well, when the Terrans went out into extrasolar space and began setting up their own empire, the
Veen decided at first to leave them alone. Not only was there no precedent for a space-faring race
not accepting citizenship in the empire, but the Terrans weren't bothering anyone. They were also
willing to sign all kinds of trade agreements and such. Anything of a nonrestrictive and
nonmilitary nature."
"Why'd the Veen change their minds, then?" asked the now interested Phrnnx.
"Some bright lad in the Veen government made a few computer readings, extrapolating from what was
known of Terran scientific developments, rate of expansion, galactic acclimatization, and so on."
"And the result?"
"According to the machinesтАФand the Veen had good onesтАФin only one hundred Ipas the Veen would have
to start becoming acclimatized to Terra."
Zinin was the only one of the three listeners who expressed his reaction audibly. Surprisingly, it
was by means of a long, drawn-out whistle.
"Yes, that's about how the Veen took it. So they decided to cut the Terrans down to where they
would no longer be even an indirect threat."
"Seems they did," said Alo, gazing up at the gold-flecked Shield sky.
The Professor spared a glance the same way. "Yes, it would seem so." He stared off in the
direction of the commander's post where a force-lift was depositing a ground car. "But it's
enlightening to keep one other little thing in mind."
"Which is?" said Alo belligerently.
"There are no more Veen."
Survey had detected what appeared to be a small dip between the foothills. It was, therefore,
decided that a party consisting of Commander Rappan, Navigator Zinin, Communicator Phrnnx, a
philologist, a xenologist, and, of course, the Professor would take a ground car down to the
structure and attempt a First Contact. Despite vigorous protests, Commander Second Alo was
restricted to acting captain.
"Give the crew land leave," instructed Rappan. "Shifts of the usual six. Maintain a semialert
guard at all times until further-notice. I know this place looks about as dangerous as a mufti-bug
after stuffing, but I intend to take no chances. At first sign of hostilities, raise ship and get
out. That is a first-degree order. You have others on board who can operate the remote Shield
equipment. In the event that all is not what it seems, I don't want to leave these creatures a way
out."
"Noted and integrated, sir," replied Alo stiffly. And then in a lower voice, "Watch yourself, sir.
This place smells funny to me, and I am not referring to the nitro in the atmosphere, either!"
Rappan essayed a third-level smile, with two degrees of mild affection, nonsexual. "You've said
that now on... let's see, thirty-nine planet-falls to date. But rest assured I will take no
chances. We know too little of this place, the Professor included."


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