"Jacqueline Lichtenberg - Dushau Trilogy 01 - Dushau" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lichtenberg Jacqueline)

"No, but then I'm not Oliat."

"We're not either. We're shimmering on the brink of Dissolution. Krinata, it could be our perception is
entirely warped, but we feel unwelcome, distrusted. Only by some. Others seem unaware. But the
Emperor holds us in disfavor."

He knew that from exchanging a few formal phrases? "I didn't see anything like that. Relax, it'll be all
right."

The same Honor Guard now escorted a Cassrian into the Audience from the opposite side. She wore
only enough clothing to carry the badges and orders she'd earned. Her dark exoskeleton was painted in
gilt swirls meaningful to Cassrians, and her wasp waist was adorned with jeweled ropes.

After being presented to the Emperor, she was seated on a higher step of the dais than the Oliat. After
that, a Holot and a Lehiroh woman were presented. Then two Binwons were rolled in, their
water-environment tanks taking up the position just below the Dushau. They stank, but Krinata refrained
from remarking on it.

Then the Honors presentations began. The Oliat was called first. As they stood to be escorted before the
throne, Jindigar said, "I told you something was very wrong. If he knows what he's doing, he's insulting
Dushaun by this."

In protocol, the orders of things sometimes mattered more than the thing. "I doubt if many people will
notice," she whispered. "I wouldn't have." This is all so new to everyone, Rantan's just made some
subtle mistake, that's all. Imagine what it's like to be Emperor and publicly embarrass yourself!

"We do hope there's nothing to notice," muttered Jindigar.

With a little shock, she noted how he slipped between the personal and the Oliat-combined pronoun,
betraying just how much distress the Oliat was in.

Then- escort placed them on the level just below the throne, a wide step barely big enough for them, and
again Jindigar stood while they knelt. She peeked up between the folds of her hood and caught Zinzik's
shocked recognition of her non-Dushauni face. But he was too caught up in his own dedication to
ceremony to make any outward sign.
He recited the standard Planet Discovery Citation, and then presented Jindigar with six jewel-encrusted
leptolizers with second rank clearance that accessed almost unlimited credit at any terminal, opened
almost any door, and gave priority over eighty percent of the citizens of the Allegiancy. Jindigar made a
gracious speech of acceptance and then distributed the leptolizers, keeping Fedeewarn's.

Zinzik, meanwhile, had noticed the piol snuffling out of the neck of Jindigar's surplice, but his only
comment was the slight widening of one eye. As the ceremony finished, the amplifiers were turned off and
Zinzik said to Jindigar, "We expect you in Our private chambers immediately after We dismiss these
proceedings."

Jindigar bowed. "Excellency, one of us is gravely ill."

"We claim a small amount of your time. But the Oliat only, not the human."

Jindigar bowed lower still, then rose tall to look Zinzik directly in the eye as he said, "The mercy of the