"Pearls In The Sand (Veronica Robinson)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robinson Veronica)

Star Wars

Pearls in the Sand

by Veronica Whitney-Robinson


"What are you talking about, Ackli?" one of his Zabrak friends murmured
while Sipping at his almost-empty tankard.
"I saw them," he hissed, leaning so far across the filthy little tabie
that he looked as though he was sleeping on it, "I found krayts."
At the mention of the fabled dragons, supposedly four to five times
larger than the oldest of banthas, the few patrons of the tiny tavern in the
remote outpost grew silent. Most dismissed the Mon Calamarian's claims,
saying he was drunk or had heat stroke - or both. But a few pricked up their
ears, including two robed figures near the back of the cantina. As soon as
she heard the word "krayt," Dusque Mistflier pulled back her desert robe,
revealing a full head of long, sandy-brown hair. She narrowed her gray eyes
and strained to hear the Mon Calamarlan better. The human was intrigued.
"I saw them," he said, talking more to his tankard now than to anyone
else in the cramped cantina, sensing even in his drunken state that no one
believed him. Most of the other patrons had gone back to discussing other
topics, from the latest moisture-vaporator model to the increase of Tusken
Raiders east Of the tiny outpost of Mos Taike. The topic of dragons was not
a new one; the inhabitants of Mos Taike and indeed a good portion of
Tatooine had heard of their existence. Not many spoke of seeing the
creatures, however, because not many survived such an encounter.
"And I saw where they go to die," Ackli said so quietly that the
declaration was nearly lost beneath the mournful whine of the lone
slitherhorn player, who continued to play whether or not anyone watched him.
As before, several heard Ackli's claim and wondered at the Implications.
One of the Zabraks in Ackli's company, his face covered with a variety
of tattoos, propped up the Mon Calamarian, none too gently. He-demanded,
"Could you find the place again?"
Ackli brushed the Zabrak's hands away as though he found them
offensive. "'Course I could. I could do it with my eyes closed." As If to
prove the point, he closed his eyelids and opened them again.
"if he's telling the truth ..." the Zabrak said to the other Zabrak
sitting at the small table with the Mon Calamarian.
",.. then there might be bonei or nests,1' the other finished for him,
"and we both know what that might mean."
Even from her booth, Dusque could hear the absolute greed in the two
Zabraks' voices. She turned to he; companion, who was lowering his own hood.
"Did you hear that Tendau?"
As soon as his domed head was visible, the Ithorian regarded Dusque
with a look she knew well: one of caution mixed with reproach and
resignation,
"I suspect I do, child," he replied slowly, his voice echoing oddly
from his twin mouths.
The young woman leaned closer to Tendau's tall frame and whispered, "If