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

they do know where the krayt graveyard is, imagine what that might mean!"
She no longer bothered to disguise the growing excitement in her voice.
"Oh, I am imagining what it might mean, make no mistake," the Ithorian
said. "Being consumed by krayts, running from greedy treasure hunters..."
"It will be fine." She laid a delicate hand against his long fingers.
'This is a real opportunity. Can you picture how impressed Willel will be
when we return with genetic samples of canyon krayts? And, just maybe, we'll
find that precious item everyone who has ever followed these animals hopes
to discover."
Tendau smiled at her genuine eagerness, and Dusque knew she had just
about won him over. "We've got enough samples and tissues from feral banthas
and bocatts to more than satisfy Willel's request," she said. "It wasn't as
if it was the most challenging of missions anyway. Just sandy," She tried
unsuccessfully to comb her fingers through her caked hair for emphasis.
"And we won't have another chance to go out again for weeks," she
added. "I think the next thing on the agenda is s trip to Naboo for some
sort of creature-handler event. You and I both know how boring that will be,
watching a bunch of novices who think they understand the nuances of animal
behavior strut around with their beasts,"
"Not the most glorious of assignments, I agree," Tendau said, "But
this - "
"- is a once in a lifetime opportunity," said Dusque.
"And if the Mon Calamarian is mistaken!"
'Then we'll have added only half a day or so to our trip, and no harm
done." She flashed a big grin as she heard the Ithorian sigh, Dusque knew
she had persuaded him,
"All right," he said, "but I hope we will not regret this."
"We won't," she assured him, "I'm certain of it."

***

Dusque and Tendau followed the two Zabraks and the now-sober Mon
Calamarian for several hours. As soon as they had left behind the few tiny
buildings that comprised the isolated post of Mos Taike -a place so small
there wasn't even a shuttleport - there was little else except sand and wide
open space to distract them.
Although Tendau was bulky and had some difficulty maneuvering over the
dunes, he kept pace with the smaller, lighter Dusque. Even though their
light-colored cloaks and environmental suits offered protection from the
suns as well as camouflage on the sand, Dusque could feel a small trickle of
sweat roll down between her shoulder blades. If she was already beginning to
feel uncomfortable, she could only guess at what the Ithorian was suffering,
with his larger frame and somewhat delicate feet. In all their years of
service to the Empire as bioengineers, however, Dusque had never once heard
him complain of hardship. Tendau's love of all the creatures throughout the
galaxy had driven him from his herd ship Co service in the Empire, where he
could unravel the secrets of nature down to the genetic level. Dusque knew
he was willing to sacrifice much for that prize,
And for some reason Tendau had taken a liking to Dusque, the only woman
in the elite circle of bioengineers. Her other colleagues tended to regard