"Jacqueline Lichtenberg - Dushau Trilogy 03 - Outreach" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lichtenberg Jacqueline)

worse.//"

Subliminally, Jindigar realized he'd chosen to send Cyrus as much to separate him from Krinata as to
convey the message. But he concentrated the Oliat awareness now on the living black wave undulating
above them in stunningly beautiful patterns.

Jindigar turned the maintenance of the linkage level of the Oliat over to Zannesu, his Inreach, then pulled
his Emulator forth. //Llistyien, we must become as the swarm above; full resonance.//

Llistyien had let herself become part of that perceived beauty, one with the life-dancing surging
rhythmically above them. She Emulated that rhythm for them, making it part of the Oliat self-perception,
and the subtle magic of the Oliat took over. An Oliat was an observerтАФperceiving only, never acting on
the environment.

To the entire Oliat Jindigar announced, //Shoshunri's Second Observation!// Everyone but Krinata knew
he intended to use the Law of Nature, which decreed that no observer left the observed unaffected. He
brought the Oliat's attention onto the swarm and carefully noticed how out of place they were. The Holot
cave would not yield food, the locals were hostile and would no doubt raid for eggs, and there just wasn't
enough room.

Long, long beats of time passed as the defenders continued to fire. Part of the pattern the Oliat now
observed was the argument between Cy and the Guard Commander, a Cassrian who didn't believe in the
Oliat's powers and who had never trusted Jindigar. Finally, the Commander leveled his weapon at the
unarmed Outrider and spat, "You're interfering with our operations. I told you to move!"

"Has the Oliat ever let you down?" Cy did not flinch but merely returned the Cassrian's gaze levelly.

"That's not the pointтАФthose things are killing people!" whistled the Commander in a reedy but trained
voice.

"The point is to stop them. Firing at them is obviously not doing any good. May as well fire at a smoke
cloud."

The Cassrian waved a claw-hand, then clicked it against his carapace in frustration. "What else is there to
do?"

Cy drew himself up to his considerable height, somehow looking authoritative despite his formally
decorated shirt flapping over his work trousers. "If you can't trust the Oliat, then trust me. I will take full
responsibility, and if necessary, I will deal with Terab."

Cy had no true official standing in the elected hierarchy of the colony, but he had been head Outrider to
the Oliat that had preceded Jindigar's. He was known and respected among the earliest settlers, but this
Cassrian was one of the later comers.

Nevertheless, Cyrus Benwilliam Lord Kulain had been raised to both military and civilian command.

The Cassrian was no stranger to dealing with humans. It took only moments for him to realize that he'd
been outclassed. He raised his weapon and signaled the cease fire.

Jindigar and the Oliat felt Krinata's glow of admiration, which quickly threatened to make Cyrus a hero.