"Ann Maxwell - The Jaws of Menx" - читать интересную книгу автора (Maxwell Ann)

тАЬYet you waited eight years to return to Menx.тАЭ
The implicit question tugged at RhaneтАЩs control. тАЬI explained that to the Council.тАЭ
The woman waited.
тАЬBy Siolan law, only an adult is qualified to understand and enshrine an en JacaroenтАЩs death,тАЭ said
Rhane, his voice flat. тАЬNormally, I wouldnтАЩt have been considered an adult for seven more Siolan years.
But rumors of Menx reached Siol. We were afraid that CezineтАЩs deathplace would be lost to us before I
came of age.тАЭ Rhane moved with barely restrained impatience. тАЬIn more than one hundred thousand
years of civilization, Siolans have learned that even dogma must sometimes bow to necessity. My training
was rushed. I was declared adult. I petitioned for use of the Menx Access. IтАЩm waiting for my answer.тАЭ
тАЬThe Council refused your request.тАЭ
MerielтАЩs soft voice curled around Rhane like a shroud. His hands jerked out of his pockets.
тАЬThey canтАЩt do that! DonтАЩt they understand? I must go! Our history is more necessary than other
planetsтАЩ religions. Our en Jacaroens are ourтАФourтАФтАЭ Rhane groped for Galactic words to convey Siolan
necessity.
тАЬGods?тАЭ offered the woman.
тАЬNo. We have other gods. The en Jacaroens are SiolтАЩs binding force, men and women whose
ancestors stretch back into unimaginable time. Their deaths are as important to us as their lives, for
without one the other is meaningless, and then we are meaningless, too.тАЭ
Rhane looked up slightly, searching the womanтАЩs face for signs of understanding. тАЬSurely the Council
can accept that, even if they canтАЩt understand it.тАЭ
тАЬThe Council understands that there is only one direct living descendant of the RA Jacaroen. You.
What if you die on Menx?тАЭ
тАЬThere are five secondary and seventeen tertiary lines of en Jacaroen descent,тАЭ said Rhane tightly.
тАЬShall I recite their names and priorities?тАЭ
The womanтАЩs laugh was small, almost wistful. тАЬWhat of your own moment of death? Who shall carry
it to the en Jacaroen shrine if you die on Menx?тАЭ
Rhane had no answer. The womanтАЩs eyes seemed to search beneath his skin, probing for words that
he did not have.
тАЬWhat if I guarantee that your death moment is not lost?тАЭ she asked.
тАЬImpossible,тАЭ said Rhane. тАЬThe quest is mine. It canтАЩt be shared. I must go alone to Menx.тАЭ
тАЬPhysically, yes.тАЭ The womanтАЩs long fingers seemed to trace enigmas in the lime-green light. тАЬThere is
another way. You have an unusual shape of mind. Very promising, though equally difficult.тАЭ
Rhane frowned, baffled and uneasy. тАЬMind? Do you meanтАФ?тАЭ
Psi.
Meriel finished RhaneтАЩs thought for him, then withdrew as deftly as she had come. Even so, the
inarticulate, untrained outburst of RhaneтАЩs thought/emotion made her wince with pain in the instant before
she shut him out.
тАЬA very unusual shape of mind,тАЭ she repeated. тАЬDoesnтАЩt Siol train psi in its citizens?тАЭ
тАЬNo.тАЭ
тАЬIs psi tabu?тАЭ
тАЬNo.тАЭ
The woman waited, silently asking.
тАЬWe donтАЩt believe in psi,тАЭ said Rhane curtly.
тАЬOh.тАЭ Her tone was that of a person who had just been told that someone did not believe in gravity.
тАЬFascinating.тАЭ Then, hastily, тАЬApologies and regrets, Rhane. We didnтАЩt know. There are so many planets,
so many societies, so many beliefs ... so little time since you requested use of the Menx Access. We
meant no offense.тАЭ
тАЬThere is no offense between citizens of the Concord,тАЭ said Rhane, automatically using the correct
phrase from Galactic Courtesy. тАЬWe of Siol recognize that beliefs vary among worlds. WeтАЩre not
threatened by what other cultures believe.тАЭ