"Frankowski,.Leo.-.Tank.3.-.Kren.Of.The.Mitchegai" - читать интересную книгу автора (Frankowski Leo)

half between them, and quickly fed a half to each of the small-
headed youths in the cages. These dripping gobbets were eagerly
eaten, to the applause of the crowd.

Then one of the sergeants triggered a mechanism in the gory
throne and a huge knife blade sprang up from the bottom of the
seat, spraying the area with dark brown blood, and cutting the
general's body exactly in half. These halves were unstrapped, and
a half was fed to each of the still ravenous youths. The cages with
their occupants were carried to the side of the arena, to wait there
as the day's events went on.

The blade was re-cocked into the throne, the blood was swept
onto the grass and the least of the master builders being honored
this day bowed to Duke Kren.

He acknowledged her bow, and gestured for the ceremony to
continue, though in fact it really didn't interest him. There was much
else to think on.

Adult Mitchegai had many concerns. They saw to the watering of
the fields of grass, and its proper care and fertilization. They saw to
the proper construction of cities and machines, and their upkeep
and maintenance. They taught in the universities and managed the
factories, mended the power nets, maintained the
communications, and did all else that their fiercely proud civilization
required.

And they fought with their neighbors, defending their lands and
taking the lands of others whenever possible. And of course there
were the endless games of status, wealth and prestige, for these
things could bring one the basis of all that was important.

Yet ultimately, adult Mitchegai were totally concerned with only one
thing. Land. For with land, one could eventually gain all else that
was necessary for a long, prosperous, and well fed life. And not
just ordinary land, but rich, arable land, that could grow their single
grasslike crop, that could provide the grubs, the polliwogs and the
juvenals with food. Then the young could provide the adults with
food, with the sport of the kill, and with new bodies when their own
were worn out, for the adults had their own form of immortality.

There was much else to think on, and what Kren thought of was
land. If his coming mission was successful, Kren's lands would be
expanded to include an entire new planet.

After all dozen and five of the generals and master builders had
been ritualistically eaten, the throne was removed, to be replaced
by one even larger, older and more ornate. This was placed in front
of Duke Kren, facing the crowd, for the main event of this day's