"Jack McKinney - Sentinels 03 - Death Dance" - читать интересную книгу автора (McKinney Jack)

"I learned your language-yesterday," the Regent announced in a voice that carried its own echo. "I find
your concepts most...amusing."

Edwards looked up into the Regent's black eyes and offered a grin. "And rest assured we'll do our best
to keep you amused, Your Highness." He was pleased to see the alien's bulbous snout sensors begin to
pulsate.

Edwards's one-eyed gaze held the Regent's own for an instant, and that was all he needed to realize that
something was wrong-that this being was not the one he had spoken to via the communications sphere.
But he kept this to himself, falling aside theatrically to usher the Regent forward to the council platform.
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The Plenipotentiary members introduced themselves one by one, and after further formalities the Regent
and his retinue were directed to the amphitheater that had been designated for the talks. The Regent's
size had necessitated a specific route, along which Edwards had made certain to place as many varieties
of mecha as he could muster. Each hold the summit principals passed through found combat-ready
Veritechs and Alphas; each corridor turn, another squad of RDF troops or a contingent of towering
Destroids. While aboard, the Regent's every word and step would be monitored by the extensive
security system Edwards had made operational as part of his Code Pyramid project-a system that had
also managed to find its way into the council's public and private chambers, and into many of the
fortress's Robotechnological labs and inner sanctums.

There was a smorgasbord of food and drink awaiting everyone in the amphitheater's antechambers; the
Regent nourished himself on applelike fruits his servants brought forth. Edwards noticed that Lang was
doing his best to attach himself to the Invid leader, but the Regent seemed unimpressed, refusing to
discuss any of the topics the Earth scientist broached. In fact, only Minmei succeeded in getting a rise out
of the Regent. Edwards noted that the Invid could barely take his eyes off the singer after she had
completed her songs, and he retained a slightly spellbound look long after the introductory addresses had
commenced.

Terms for a truce were slated for follow-up discussions, so civilians and members of the press were
permitted to enter the amphitheater itself. Edwards saw to it that Minmei was seated beside him in the
front row, where the Regent could get a good look at the two of them.

The alien's initial remarks put to rest any doubts that may have lingered in Edwards's mind concerning the
ongoing impersonation. The Regent spoke of misunderstandings on both sides, of a desire to bring peace
and order to a section of the galaxy that had known nonstop warfare for centuries. He claimed to
understand now just what had prompted the Human forces to undertake their desperate journey, and he
sympathized with their present plight, hinting that it might be possible to accelerate the timetable for the
Human's return trip to their homeworld-providing, of course, that certain terms could be agreed upon.

"It's a pity there has been so much loss of life," the Invid continued in the same imperious tone, "both in
Tirolspace and during the so-called 'liberation' of Karbarra. But while we may have no cause for further
quarrel with your forces here, it must be understood that no leniency could be expected for those of your
number who chose to join the Sentinels. And despite what you may have been told by the Tiresians,
those worlds-Praxis, Garuda, and the rest-belong to me. The reasons for this are complex and at present