"GOLDEN, CHRISTIE - THE LAST ROUND-UP" - читать интересную книгу автора (Golden Christie)

Printed in the U.S.A.

This book is dedicated
to Three Wise Men:

Robert Amerman
Mark Anthony
and
Michael Georges

Thanks, guys.

Prologue.

Lights flickered on inside the last of the mighty sky ships.

Smoothly, the oval vessel rose into the air, caught the sunlight on its
shiny, metallic surface, and then disappeared. The stoic facade of the
abandoned people finally shattered. A cry of pain and agony swelled up,
a cry that their proud natures would never have permitted them to utter
while their so-called masters were present to scorn their torment.

Takarik heard the cry of his people, and his heart ached for them. He
let them wail and scream, sounds that he had never before heard any of
them make. They were left alone on this place now, with no way to ever
return to their homeland.

No way that they had yet thought of, at least.

When at last the deep, mourning sobs had subsided into soft sighs and
shuddering whispers, he spoke.

"What a glorious day is now dawning for our people!"

Takarik cried, lifting his arms as if to embrace the world upon which
they had been stranded. His people stared at him as if he had gone mad.
He smiled, and his eyes twinkled. He meant every word.

"Those who believed themselves to be our betters think they have rid
themselves of us. After so many years of doing their hard labor, they no
longer found us necessary, so they placed us here. And in so doing, they
did us a very great favor."

"Takarik!" called an angry voice. "We have been removed from all we
know! We have been callously disposed of, as if we were nothing more
than their waste matter!"

"What you say is true, Minkar," Takarik acknowledged.