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

Somehow, being a general does not put you in command of your
wife, even when she does work for you.






INTERLUDE ONE
Agnieshka's Bow
THE RIGELLIAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHEOLOGY,
EARTH, 3783 a.d.

Sir Percival stepped up to the podium of the filled-to-capacity
auditorium, and wagged his tail respectfully to the attentive
audience.

"Before we get to the performance that I am sure that you are all
anxious to see, I have a very short and pleasant announcement to
make! I have this on the very best possible authority! Rupert, the
person who found the ancient tank on an ice moon, and who used
its computer records to compile these amazing histories of our
beloved forebears, the humans, has been placed on the Queen's
Birthday List! Henceforth, you may address him as 'Sir Rupert!' "

The crowd applauded and barked enthusiastically, even though this
enlargement had been expected by everyone for weeks.

"And now, I give you Sir Rupert!"

Rupert took Sir Percival's place at the podium as the crowd
continued in its polite clapping and barking.

"Thank you, my friends, thank you!" When the applause died down,
Sir Rupert continued, "I, too, have a pleasant announcement to
make, as well as an introduction of my own. I'm sure that most of
you are aware that the museum here has had a military social
drone on display for over a hundred years. It has been immobile all
that time, since we have lacked the technology to repair it. But
Agnieshka, the artificial intelligence in the Mark XX tank that I
managed to recover, was quite familiar with this model of drone,
and indeed had a small hand in designing it. Under her direction,
the drone has now been repaired, and I would now like to present it
to you, along with Agnieshka herself, who is 'wearing' it!"

Again, the crowd started to applaud politely, but as Agnieshka
came in a side door and stepped up onto the stage, they became
silent. At first a few, and then soon everyone in the audience, slid
off of their chairs, and sat on the floor with their forepaws on the