"Robert Reed - Hatch" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reed Robert)

тАЬFew others speak to me,тАЭ his friend said.

тАЬI explained that too,тАЭ said Peregrine. тАЬAnd I told her that your species are so
peculiar, you never see reason for any permanent names. When two of you cross
trails, each invents a new name for himself or herself. A private name that lasts only
as long as that single perishable relationship.тАЭ

The limbs gave the air an agreeable sweep.

тАЬYou picked Hawking, and I donтАЩt know why,тАЭ Peregrine continued. тАЬExcept
itтАЩs a solid sound humans can utter. Unlike your own speciesтАЩ name, of course.тАЭ

Quietly, with his natural mouth, Hawking made a sharp clicking sound
followed by what sounded like тАЬ!Eech.тАЭ

тАЬ!Eech,тАЭ the human tried to repeat.

As always, there was something intensely humorous about his clumsy attempt.
Nothing changed in the creatureтАЩs domelike eyes or the rigid face, but suddenly all of
the long legs wiggled together, signaling laughter, the ripples moving happily beneath
his hard low unreadable body.

****

2
тАЬAnd I remember your mother,тАЭ the old woman had mentioned last night.

Like that of every citizen, FusilladeтАЩs apartment was tiny and cold; power had
always been a scarce commodity in the city. But her furnishings were better than
most, made from fancy plastics and cultured flesh, and even a glass tub filled with
spare water. Winking at her young lover, she added, тАЬNo, I doubt if your mother
ever actually knew me. By name, I mean. But I was part of the team that kept those
early raider ships flying. Without twenty ad-lib repairs from me, that woman
wouldnтАЩt be half the hero she is today.тАЭ

PeregrineтАЩs mother was as famous as anyone in the city, and that despite
being dead for dozens of centuries. She had defended these giant rockets during the
Polypond War. But the alien eventually destroyed each of the Great ShipтАЩs engines,
choking and plugging every vent, trying to keep rein-forcements from reaching the
hull. And at the same time, the captains below had blocked every doorway,
desperate to keep the Polypond from infiltrat-ing the interior. Brutal fights were
waged near the main ports, but none had lasted long. A barrage of tiny black holes
was fired through the ShipтАЩs heart, but none delivered a killing blow. Then the final
assault came, and despite long odds, a starship that was more ancient than any
visible sun survived.

Afterward, over the course of several months and then several years, the
Polypond grew quieter, and by every credible measure, less menacing.

Something was different. The alien was different, and maybe the Great Ship