"Andre Norton - Solar Queen 03- Voodoo Planet" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

тАЬThat is so, sir.тАЭ

тАЬDo you then believe that it is real force, or that it is only a superstition for child-people who set up
demons to howl petitions to when some darkness falls upon them?тАЭ

тАЬSome of the magic I have seen is trickery, some of it founded upon an inner knowledge of men and their
ways which a shrewd witch doctor can use to his advantage. There always remainsтАЭ тАФTau put down his
mug, тАЬтАФthere always remains a small residue of happenings and results for which we have not yet found
any logical explanationsтАФтАЭ

тАЬAnd I believe,тАЭ Asaki interrupted, тАЬit is also true that a race can be conditioned from birth to be sensitive
to forms of magic so that men of that blood are particularly susceptible.тАЭ That was more of a statement than
a question, but Tau answered it.
тАЬThat is very true. A Lamorian, for example, can be тАШsungтАЩ to death. I have witnessed such a case. But
upon a Terran or another off-world man the same suggestion would have no effect.тАЭ

тАЬThose who settled Khatka brought such magic with them.тАЭ The Chief RangerтАЩs fingers still moved about
SinbadтАЩs jaw and throat soothingly, but his tone was chill, the coldest thing in the cramped space of the
mess cabin.

тАЬYes, a highly developed form of it,тАЭ Tau agreed.

тАЬMore highly developed perhaps than even you can believe, Medic!тАЭ That came in a hiss of cold rage. тАЬI
think that its present manifestationтАФdeath by a beast that is not a beastтАФcould be worth your detailed
study.тАЭ

тАЬWhy?тАЭ Tau came bluntly to the point.

тАЬBecause it is a killing magic and it is being carefully used to rid my world of key men, men we need
badly. If there is a weak point in this cloudy attack shaping against us, we must learn it, and soon!тАЭ

It was Jellico who added the rest. тАЬWe are invited to visit Khatka and survey a new hunting range as Chief
Ranger AsakiтАЩs personal term guests.тАЭ

Dane drew a deep breath of wonder. Guest rights on Khatka were jealously guardedтАФthey were too
valuable to their owners to waste. Whole families lived on the income from the yearly rental of even half a
one. But the Rangers, by right of office, had several which they could grant to visiting scientists or men
from other worlds holding positions similar to their own. To have such an opportunity offered to an
ordinary Trader was almost incredible.

His wonder was matched by TauтАЩs and must have been plain to read for the Chief Ranger smiled.

тАЬFor a long time Captain Jellico and I have exchanged biological data on alien life-formsтАФhis skill in
photographing such, his knowledge as an xenobiologist are widely recognized. And so I have permission
for him to visit the new Zoboru preserve, not yet officially opened. And you, Medic Tau, your help, or at
least your diagnosis, we need in another direction. So, one expert comes openly, another not so openly.
Though, Medic, your task is approved by my superiors. AndтАЭ тАФhe glanced at DaneтАФ тАЬperhaps to muddle
the trail for the suspicious, shall we not ask this young man also?тАЭ

DaneтАЩs eyes went to the captain. Jellico was always fair and his crew would have snapped into action on