"Mike Resnick - A Miracle Of Rare Design" - читать интересную книгу автора (Resnick Mike)

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Copyright (C)1994 by Mike Resnick

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To Carol, as always,

And to the lovely ladies of GEnie

Susan Casper
Beth Meacham
Pat Cadigan
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Barbara Delaplace
Michelle Sagara
Esther Friesner
Josepha Sherman
Lea Hernandez
Susan Shwartz
Nina Kiriki Hoffman
Janna Silverstein
Kij Johnson
Janni Simner
Katherine Kerr
Martha Soukup
Terry McGarry
Judith Tarr
Maureen McHugh
Jane Yolen

Each and every one a rare miracle

1.
Xavier William Lennox shuffled down the narrow, twisting street, trying to mimic the awkward walk of the
Fireflies. He breathed in the pungent odors of decaying food, felt a slight burning sensation in his nostrils, and
tried to ignore it.
He checked the sky. The huge yellow sun wouldn't set for another two hours, even though a trio of moons
were already dancing above the horizon. That meant he'd have to stay here for at least another hour before
making his final approach to the pyramid.
He looked around. Three Fireflies were standing outside the triangular doorway of a mud building, lost in
conversation. They were wrapped in colorful robes, totally oblivious to the heat that was sapping Lennox's
strength by the minute. He tried to hear what they were saying, but he was too far away, and he didn't dare
move any closer: the last thing he needed was for some overly-friendly Firefly to ask him to join them.