"Christopher Hinz - Paratwa 03 - The Paratwa" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hinz Christopher)

"Most upsetting."

Blumhaven licked a crumb from his upper lip. "Councillor, this retreat is a marvelous place. You and
your Costeaus should be most proud."

"We are," replied the lion, perceiving the E-Tech Councillor's words as a reminder that Costeaus were
different from other Colonists. Despite the great inroads made to mainstream the Costeau population, the
walls of prejudice still existed. To the lion's way of thinking, Doyle Blumhaven remained a living example
of subtle bigotry.

At least they don't call us pirates anymore, he mused, recalling the once-common nickname for
Costeaus, a nickname that the mainstreaming movement had worked hard to eliminate from intercolonial
vocabularies. Of course, deep down, we still think of ourselves as pirates. It was an identity that even the
most mainstreamed Costeaus still clung to, long after they had given up their clan odorant bags and
assumed the soothing smells of proper culture.

Blumhaven finished the pita bread and reached for a pitcher of cognac tea. "It's just a shame that my visit
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cannot be under more pleasant circumstances." He glanced upward at the darkening skies.

Before the lion could respond, another guard emerged from the house. The guard handed the lion a
printed message. The lion read it silently, then sat down at the table, directly across from Blumhaven.

"Doyle, my security people report that you have brought with you a speck camera and some tracking
gear. I'm afraid that it's our policy to discourage active surveillance gear here at the retreat."

Blumhaven shrugged, then reached under his coat. The guard leaned forward, anticipating being handed
the devices,

but Blumhaven quickly snaked his hand across the table and deposited the two small rectangular units in
the lion's palm. A spark of static electricity jumped between the devices.

"Sorry," muttered Blumhaven. "These damn things are always giving me shocks. I carry them only
because my Security people insist."

"Of course," said the lion, handing the devices to the guard, who whisked them back into the house.
"Your equipment will be returned to you at the main parking lot when you depart," he offered, not
satisfied by Blumhaven's explanation of why such devices had been brought here. Still, Doyle's reasons
were probably innocuous. Perhaps he feels the need to protect himself amid this haven for pirates.

"Foolish of me," said the E-Tech Councillor. "I wasn't thinking. I didn't even stop to consider that your
retreat would be under such tight security."

"Of course. And now, Doyle, just what are these unpleasant circumstances that have prompted your
visit?"