"W. Michael Gear - Forbidden Borders 2 - Relic of Empire" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gear W Michael)

She looked up as he licked his lips and nodded slowly. His hand fell limply to his crumpled robe. тАЬYes,тАЭ
he whispered. тАЬThereтАЩs the real foe. Not the Regans, or Sassa, or the thrice-cursed Mag Comm, or even
the Star Butcher himself. The Forbidden Borders, thatтАЩs the enemy, Kaylla. ThatтАЩs the trap that strangles
humanity. ItтАЩs gravity-and whoever erected that barrier to bottle us within Free Space. тАЬ

тАЬPerhaps, but right now weтАЩve got our hands full with human problems, Bruen. The Regan Empire is in
shambles, Sassa is girding for an invasion, and with the Regan Emperor assassinated, the Sassans see this
as their opportunity to crush the Regans once and for all. Divine Sassa is ready to strike.тАЭ

Bruen remained silent. Kaylla studied him speculatively. тАЬWhat are you thinking, Magister?тАЭ

For long moments Bruen said nothing, then: тАЬDo you know when life no longer has meaning?тАЭ

Kaylla stiffened. тАЬYou ask that of me ... who wore the slave collar? First they butchered everything I
loved, Bruen. Then they turned me into a piece of filth. тАЬ

He glanced up at her, eyes lackluster. тАЬYet you made yourself live, Kaylla. You couldnтАЩt let yourself die.
The spark remained alive within you.тАЭ

тАЬWhat are you talking about?тАЭ

тАЬDreams.тАЭ

She shook her head. тАЬThe only thing I hoped for was revenge. тАЬ

тАЬHope, despite the words of the sophists, is not a sufficiency.тАЭ

Kaylla crossed her arms. тАЬWould you like to explain that?тАЭ

BruenтАЩs smile appeared to be reflex, devoid of emotion. тАЬBefore you can hope, first you must dream.
Despite the rape of your body and the degradation of your spirit, despite the despair, despite everything
that happened to you, Kaylla, you kept the dreams aliveand with them, you fed the hope deep down in
your soul. You never knew true tragedy.тАЭ

Her eyes slitted. тАЬI watched my husbandтАЩs head blown off his body. I stared in horror as my children
were executed before my eyes!тАЭ

Bruen nodded wearily. тАЬYes, yes, you did.тАЭ He rubbed a bony hand over his parchment face. тАЬYou
speak of terror and blood and fear.тАЭ He glanced dully at her. тАЬI speak of real tragedy, the only tragedy
that affects God. тАЬ

тАЬAnd that is?тАЭ

тАЬWhat you have left when the dreams die.тАЭ тАЬWhat do you have left, Bruen?тАЭ

He bowed his head, hands in his lap, still at last. In a rasping voice, he whispered, тАЬGo ... and leave me
in peace.тАЭ

The lights in the laboratory automatically dimmed at night. One corner, however, remained brightly lit