"Frank Herbert - Escape Felicity" - читать интересную книгу автора (Herbert Brian & Frank)

The tall native repeated it for him without an error.
'Reference to mothers cannot be accepted at this time,' the computer said. 'Local propagation customs
unknown. There are indications these may be part vegetable - part animal.'

'Oh shut up,' Beirut said.

'Oh, shut up,' said a native on his left.

'Suggest silence on your part,' the computer said. 'They are displaying signs of trying to break down
your-language. Better we get their language, reveal less of ourselves.'

Beirut saw the wisdom in it, spoke subvocally for the speaker on his throat: 'You're so right.'

He clamped his lips into a thin line, stared at the natives. Silence dragged on and on.

Presently the tall one said: 'Aagroop somilican.'

'Toogayala,' said the one on the left.

'Cardinal number,' the computer said. 'Probable position five. Hold up your five fingsrs and say
toogayala.'

Beirut obeyed.

'Toogayala, toogayala,' the natives agreed. One detached himself, went to the st a n wagon and returned
with a black metal figurine, about half a meter tall, extended it toward Beirut .

Cautiously, Beirut moved forward, accepted the thing. It felt heavy and cold in his hand, ft was a
beautifully styled figure of one of the natives, the eye stalks drooping into inverted U-shapes, mouth open.

Beirut brought out his contact kit, pressed it against the metal.

The kit went 'ping' as it took a sample.

The natives stared at him.

'Iron-magnesium-nickel alloy,' the computer said. 'Figure achieved by casting. Approximate age of
figure, twenty-five million standard years.'

Beirut felt his throat go dry. He spoke subvocally: 'That can't be!'

'Bating accurate to plus or minus six thousand years,' the computer said. 'You will note the figures
carved on the casting. The inverted U on the chest is probably the figure five. Beneath that is writing.
Pattern too consistent for different interpretation.'

'Civilization for twenty-five million years,' Beirut said.

'Plus or minus six thousand years,' the computer said.

Again, Beirut felt a surgeofthepush, fought it down. He wanted to return to the crippled ship, flee this