"Andrew J. Offutt - Spaceways 17 - The Carnadyne Horde" - читать интересную книгу автора (Offutt Andrew J)

much as-what the vug is that?" The Akil looked down at the hurricane of
verbiage, then at the striking Ashtaru (whose lounger did little to hide her
taut, athletic body), then at his savior/kidnapper. "I-" he struggled with the
strange new language he had learned by virtue of Eks's encephaloboosts. "I
am.... Klyjil bazRakava. Of Kuzih." He extended a downy golden hand to the
Mindrunner. "I would like formally to thank you for rescuing me from my...
cryosphere. I was en route from Kuzih to an outlying planet when forced to
abandon ship. To close my eyes in deepspace and then open them in the arms of
a beautiful alien woman amidst a flooding tomb was more than I could have...
anticipated." Eks shook Klyjil's warm hand and smiled. "Firm. Right. Thanks.
Now we've got to be out of here and on the Tachyon Trail before we see a
repeat of what happened the last time." And farewell, Verley. See you on those
Scarlet Hills. *about 5 feet 1 inch, Old Style 32 "Damn it, Eks, stop staring
at me like a fobbied ger-bolansk!" Eks stared at the Meccan for an awkward
moment before the image of Verley faded from his mind. Regaining his bearings,
he smiled thinly. "Apologies, Veboranst. It's just that your speech was so
moving that-" "I didn't say a word. The Eagler had the floor." A murmur of
amused annoyance flitted about the conference hall. Damn, Eks thought. Let the
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mind wander a second and the whole Rabble Alliance is down my throat. He lit a
narcostick and rode out the interlude. "Uh-I meant your speech to me. I wasn't
aware that your vocabulary included multisyllabic constructs." He flicked
ashes over the deck and addressed the Eagler. "I think that after Veboranst's
interruption, you deserve the opportunity to restate your opinions. In
brief." The ruddy-skinned Eagler spoke for Tri-System Resistance. "We of the
planets bound by the Tri-System Accord are well acquainted with struggling to
survive under the burden of supporting not only TGO and TGW, but the
Tri-System Police as well. What Tri-System Resistance questions is the
necessity of the Carnadyne Horde. Isn't the Horde as much a drain on our
resources as any of the tributes we must pay to our oppressors?" "Well put!"
someone shouted. "We're paying both ways!" another said. A fist pounded
against a table. All gazes turned toward the sound. Marekallian Eks held his
fist in position on the table until he was sure that he had everyone's
attention. Slowly he lifted it and pointed a finger at the Eagler. "What the
Council of Ninety-Three seems to forget is 33 that the Carnadyne Horde is a
one-time expense, intended to be dismantled after use and put back into
commercial service. Dreadnoughts and destriers are excellent for freight and
mining operations. The Council was designed to be dismantled in the same
manner-" "And what's to prevent this council from supplanting TGW, TGO, and
all the others?" a Thebanian woman in a maroon jellabah asked in a voice like
wind through a crystal forest. This is as much a pain as organizing Protected
natives, Eks thought, and said equably, "Control here is not centralized as it
is in every known form of governmental tyranny. We have no Boss-by design. Any
one of you who wishes to take on the task of organizing your own movement is
free to do so. Any who join you will do so because they judge your methods to
be better than anyone else's." He paused, looking around the room. "Hearing no
offer to take up this venture, I'd like to point out the one problem with the