"Jerry Pournelle - 02 - Clan and Crown" - читать интересную книгу автора (Pournelle Jerry)

PART THREEAngels and Ministers of Grace

INTERLUDELuna

PART FOURInvaders

PART FIVEPrincipalities and Powers

PART SIXWanax and Warlord

PART SEVENSky God

PART ONE


Thrones and Dominions

1

The rocket sputtered for a moment, then rose swiftly above the worn cobblestone

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courtyard of the old fortress. It hissed upwards in a column of fire, trailing golden
sparks and a faint smell of brimstone as it climbed until, without warning, it burst
loudly into a shower of silver. The crowd gasped in wonder.
High above the courtyard, two richly dressed boys about fifteen Earth years in age
clapped their hands in wonder. They huddled together in a window cut in the wall
of the keep thirty meters above the gawking populace. One of the boys shouted
aloud when the rocket burst above Castle Edron.
тАЬQuiet! The Protector will hear us,тАЭ the other boy said. тАЬHeтАЩll make us join the
others.тАЭ
тАЬHe is nowhere about, Majesty.тАЭ
тАЬAh.тАЭ Nothing like those rockets had ever been seen on the whole planet of Tran.
Even kings should be able to gawk at them without losing status.
But, Ganton thought, kings must think first of their dignity, and for the opinions of
the nobility. No mon-arch ever needed his lordsтАЩ good opinions more than I do.
Another rocket arced across the darkening sky. This one trailed blue sparks. тАЬOh-
look!тАЭ he cried. The True Sun had long set, but the Firestealer was high enough to
cast baleful shadows and light the summer sky above the fortress capital of
Drantos.
Ganton shouted again as yet another rocket burst. Ganton son of Loron, Wanax of
Drantos, he might be; but he was also nine years old, fifteen according to the
reckoning of the starman Lord Rick; and the rock-ets were fun to watch. тАЬPerhaps
we could make weap-ons from those,тАЭ Ganton said. тАЬDo you think so?тАЭ
тАЬThe Lord Rick says he will,тАЭ Morrone answered.
He speaks in those tones, Ganton thought. They all do, when they speak of Lord