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

That he could speak to her meant the Dissolution was complete. "I haven't been harmed," she answered.

Then as the new Dushau turned to his fallen comrade, Jindigar confronted the Emperor. "Fedeewarn is
dead. Kamminth and Lelwatha are dead. Kamminth's Oliat is dissolved. The survivors are at the imperial
command, but may we beg medical attention first?"

"Your right, without question," answered the Emperor distantly, but Krinata sensed an underlying delight
in the man. Impossible. I must be misreading a Lehiroh trait. The Allegiancy Emperor must think of
all of us, not the few who inevitably die each day in his service. Zinzik sent one of his guards for the
medics. Before Jindigar had composed the dead for their final journey, covering Kamminth's
terror-twisted features with his own surplice, a team of medics brought five anti-grav stretchers.

With two corpses and the two surviving Dushau laid out on the anti-grav stretchers, the medics came
after Jindigar. His teeth were paler, but he refused to move. "The piol?"

The creature was perched on the edge of the fountain, sleek with wetness from its swim, happily nibbling
one of the Emperor's most expensive decorative fish.

Seeing this, the Emperor roared, "Get that... that thing out of here!"

His voice startled the piol. It dropped the half-eaten carcass and fled. Jindigar smacked his hand loudly
against the fountain edge. The piol halted, measured the distance between the Emperor and Jindigar, then
scampered around the fountain and leaped into Jindigar's arms, mewling and licking Jindigar's chin.

Two medics caught the unsuspecting Dushau while he was consoling the piol and sat him down on the
stretcher. With firm hands, they pressed him down onto the floating sickbed, connected Finemar's
monitoring probes, and set out for the infirmary.

The Emperor and his entourage departed through another arch leaving Krinata alone, stunned. She shook
herself and dashed after Jindigar, catching up with them at a cargo lift. "How bad is it? Is he going to be
all right?"

One of the medics, a human man about her own age, smiled charmingly at her and said, "You aren't
claiming to be next-of-kin, are you?"

"Hardly," she replied, "but I'm his debriefing officer. The Emperor expects rapid completion of this
debriefing."

A Cassrian who was managing Finemar's probes and muttering over the readouts, looked up, "I didn't
know humans were that heartless."

Jindigar, barely conscious, roused himself. "Oh, don't think that of her. I've never met a more generous
soul."

Krinata, speechless, crowded into the lift with them as it took them down to the sub-basement level
where they could get a transport tube to Survey's building. Seeing Jindigar's hands falling weakly away
from the piol, she reached for it. He raised his trunk slightly to hand her the creature, pulled her head
down and whispered, "Allow a couple of hours, then get us out of that infirmary. Krinata, please!"