"Andre Norton - Dark Piper" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

gone before them, and others before and beforeтАФuntil one could not count the empires that had risen
and fallen or know how many generations of creatures, many much longer lived than we, had passed
since some of those Forerunner ships had planeted on long-forgotten worlds.
There had once been a brisk market in Forerunner finds, especially in the core planets of the inner
systems where VIPтАЩs had wealth and wanted curiosities to spend it on. Museums bought, too, though the
story was that a better deal could be made with a private collector. If the tape Gytha quoted had the
truth, then I could understand LugardтАЩs return to the Butte. Having been granted it, he would have legal
title to any find thereabouts. But that such a luxury trade would be of use to him nowтАФNo, if conditions
were as bad as his pessimistic account made them, one could tumble into a whole Forerunner warehouse
and get no good of it. However, there is always a pull to the thought of treasure, and I cannot deny that
GythaтАЩs reaction was mineтАФto go looking for such. The thought made oneтАЩs blood run a little faster.
The lava caves were no place for the prudent to venture unless a man knew something of the territory
and went well equipped for all emergencies. They are not formed like usual caves by the action of water,
but rather are born of fire. A tongue of lava flows down a slope and congeals on the outer surface, but
the interior remains molten and continues to move, forming a passage. After ages, the roof of such a tube
may collapse, opening it to the outer world. These long corridor caves can run for miles. The landscape
around them is ridged with trenches where some cave ceilings have entirely collapsed, and in places
natural bridges of rock span them. There are craters, broken volcanic cones, hazards that close the
country to the casual traveler.
тАЬCould we, Vere? Perhaps the Rovers could go?тАЭ Gytha clattered her spoons against each other in
rising excitement.
тАЬCertainly not!тАЭ Annet whirled around from the cook unit, a ladle dripping in her hand. тАЬThat is
dangerous country; you know that, Gytha!тАЭ тАЬNot alone,тАЭ Gytha returned, none of her excitement in the
least dampened. тАЬVere would go and you maybe. WeтАЩd abide by the rules, no straying. And I never saw
a lava caveтАФтАЭ тАЬAnnet,тАЭ Ahren called from the other room, тАЬweтАЩre in a hurry, daughter.тАЭ тАЬYes,
comingтАФтАЭ She went back to filling the tureen. тАЬTake the spoons in, Gytha.
And, if you please, Vere, the preserve crocks.тАЭ
Her mother had not come in. This was not unusual, since experiments in the lab did not wait on meal
hours, and Annet was long resigned to sending over a tray or keeping back a portion of a dish.
Consequently, she most always gave us food that could be reheated or set out successfully for a second
or even a third time.
The visitors and their host were already seated at the head of the table, and we took the hint to sit at
the foot, not to interrupt. Not being truly one of their number, I usually found the conversation at such
gatherings of little interest. But tonight might be different.
However, if I had hoped to hear more of the refugee ship, I was disappointed. Corson ate
mechanically, as one whose mind was entirely elsewhere. Ahren was as taciturn. Only Alik Alsay paid
Annet compliments concerning the food and finally turned to me.
тАЬGood report you turned in, Collis, about the north slope.тАЭ Had he been Corson, I would have been
pleased, even flattered a little. But I knew very well that my report was of small interest to Alsay, that he
was merely making conversation. I murmured thanks, and that would have been that had not Gytha taken
a hand for motives of her own. When she chose to fasten onto some project, as I might well have
remembered, she generally, sooner or later, got her way.
тАЬVere was out to the lava beds today. Have you been there, First-Tech Alsay?тАЭ
тАЬLava beds.тАЭ He paused in raising his cup of caff in open surprise. тАЬBut why? There is no authorized
mapping in that directionтАФsimply wasteland. What took you there, Collis?тАЭ
тАЬI took someoneтАФSector-Captain Lugard. He is at Butte Hold,тАЭ
тАЭLugard?тАЭ Ahren came out of his preoccupation. тАЬGriss Lugard? What is he doing on Beltane?тАЭ
тАЬI donтАЩt know. He says he was given Butte HoldтАФтАЭ
тАЬAnother garrison!тАЭ Ahren set down his cup with a clatter that slopped a little of the caff over on his
fingers. тАЬWe will not have that nonsense here again! The war is over. There is no need for any Security