"Alexander Kazantsev - The Destruction of Faena" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kazantsev Alexander)

Superiors?"
"What's the sense of such dreams? I worked with Um Sat. I specialise in
the disintegration of matter, so I am not allowed to travel overseas. We
live in times of emptiness, disillusion, tension..."
"As your secretary, I shall help you in everything, even in a trip to the
continent of the barbarians."
So saying, the hunchback went into the other room. He soon returned
carrying vessels with beverages and two cylinders of compressed narcotic
smoke which the Culturals loved to inhale when relaxing. Kutsi Merc's
clothes were stretched tight over his hump, as if tailored for someone else.
Ave was amazed at the speed with which his new acquaintance made
himself at home. The neglected flat was transformed. Mechanisms,
switched on before the occupant's arrival, had cleaned the place up.
As he inhaled the smoke, the young Faetian studied Kutsi Merc.
"If only we journey to Powermania," he said reflectively, "before misery
kills desire..."
"Desires must be fulfilled. Otherwise it is not worth desiring. The
Faetesses over the ocean are very beautiful."
"How can that be of any importance? Even knowledge is powerless to
lead the Faetians out of their blind alley. Soulless power politics, blind
subordination to dogma! The blockheads refuse to listen to anything that
is unfamiliar to them!.." Ave was suffering from rejection of his ideas and
was airing his sense of injury.
"The great law of inertia! Inertia can be overcome by the application of
energy. The law must be interpreted more broadly."
"Kutsi Merc is undoubtedly more than adequately equipped for the
obligations of secretary."
"One must also overcome the inertia in oneself." Kutsi Merc blew out an
intricate pattern of smoke.
The hunchback was certainly astonishing Ave Mar; but there were still
more surprises to come.
Kutsi now came to see Ave Mar every day and tirelessly told stories
about the legendary continent of a very ancient civilisation. It turned out
that he knew Power-mania extremely well, was familiar with its history,
art, and architecture, had evidently been there a number of times, and
was fluent in the language of the barbarians, as he called the inhabitants
of Powermania.
"Look and marvel. The depths of ignorance and the heights of
knowledge, an alien technology and the wild theories of the Superiors, the
slums of the roundheaded monsters and the legendary beauty, Mada
Jupi."
"The Dictator's daughter?" asked Ave, interested in spite of himself.
"Brought up by a most cultured nurse of roundhead stock. Became a
Sister of Health, looks after children in spite of her father's Doctrine of
Hatred. He loves her so much that he will tolerate any of her whims."
"What does she look like?" asked Ave vaguely.
Kutsi brightened up.
"The long legs of the runner, but feminine. The lines of her body would
make a classical sculpture. A soft heart and the hauteur of pride. It's hard
to win her indulgence."