"Kerrion Empire - 03 - Earth Dreams" - читать интересную книгу автора (Morris Janet E)

bled that it was madness to allow such an infamous ma-
rauder to escape.

And that grumbling waxed strident as the enchanters
bivouacked their inflatables before the cave's mouth.
While they interlocked them, disgruntlement ran amok,
and disagreement among the five grew heated as to
whether it might be wiser to desert now with honor, or
stay on in hopes that the Kerrions would mismanage
themselves into a no-lose situation. Hooker, a blond
cultural attache from the Stump, was sure that this would
be the case. Through force of arms, Kerrion power nec-
essarily must triumph; there was no Orrefors consulate to
defect to, any longer, only scattered cells of Earthbound
insurgents who refused to don Kerrion livery and fought
a hopeless battle to retain their Earthly empire: seces-
sionistsЧforedoomedЧno honorable men could suffer
themselves to become. Suicide was unacceptable to con-
sular mores.

Hooker calmed his cohorts it seemed, but when he dis-
patched two to check the horses, a thirdЧthe redhead
whom Shebat had singled outЧapproached the cave.

"Knock, knock," he boomed into the cave's mouth.

The intelligencer Tempest, lank and tall, dour of nose
and brow, stepped instantly into view so that the man
gave back a pace. "Yes, Officer . . Rizk, isn't it?" Tem-
pest said, while the redhead squeezed shut his eyes
against a flashlight's sudden glare. "Can I help you?"
Never looking away from the enchanter. Tempest bent,
leaned the light against the cave's arch, and stood up
straight.

"Trick or treat. I quit." Rizk's face was splotched red
as his hair with rage.

"Excuse me?" Tempest's long lineaments went Ker-
rion: noncommittal.

"I said,' 'I quit.' That was treachery not prophecyЧ
revealing my covert status so that what's-his-name's wife

12

JANET MORRIS

could come off like the Good Witch of the East! You
think I'm going back into costume and risk my butt for