"Michael Kane - 01 - Warriors Of Mars" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moorcock Michael)

some sort of atomic engine, and sailing ships of
various kinds. These plied the few rivers of
VashuЧrivers which were shrinking with almost
every year that passed.

For arms, the Vashu warriors relied primarily on
the sword. They had gunsЧShizala showed me
hers. It was a long-barreled, finely made weapon
with a comfortable grip. I could not quite see what
it fired or on what principle it worked, but as
Shizala tried to explain haltingly I concluded that
it was some sort of laser gun. What an incredible
amount of power, I thought, was packed into its
chambers, for we scientists had always argued that
a laser hand-gun was out of the question, since the
power required to produce the laser rayЧtightly fo-
cused light which could cut through steelЧrelied
on a very big generator. Wonderingly, I handed
the gun back to her. These guns, not gifts of the
Sheev but probably looted from their now lost or
completely ruined cities by Shizala's remote ances-
tors, were also used infrequently, since once the
charge was finally expended it could not be replaced.
Their akashasardЧor ethercraftЧapparently num-
bered five in all. Three of these belonged to the
Karnala and one each to friendly, neighbouring na-
tionsЧthe Iridala and the Walavala. Although there

were pilots who could operate them, none of the
folk of Vashu had any idea how they worked.

Other benefits which a few chosen nations had
received from the mysterious Sheev included a lon-
gevity serum which, once taken, did not need to be
taken again. Everyone was allowed to use it and it
gave up to two thousand years of life! Because of
this very few children were born, so the population
of Vashu remained comparatively small. No bad
thing, I reflected. I could have listened to Shizala
for hours, but at length she stopped my questions
with a smile.

"First we must eat. The evening meal will be
served soon. Come."

I followed Shizala as she led me from the little
room and down into the main hall, which was now
furnished with several large tables at which sat
men and women of Kanala, all handsome and
beautiful and chatting gaily.