"E. C. Tubb - Dumarest 14 - Jack of Swords" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tubb E. C)

receiving your Bread of Forgiveness a suppliant kneels beneath
the Benediction Light and is instilled with the command never to
kill. Am I right?"

"You are entitled to your opinion, my lord."

"Am I right?"

"And, if you are, what is the harm?" Pacula was quick to come
to his defense, for which Vray was grateful. Chan Catiua could be
guessing, but he had stumbled on the truth. "Can it be wrong to
prevent a man from taking the life of another?"
 "No," boomed Kel and then, with sly maliciousness, added, "A
pity the restriction didn't apply to beasts, eh, Tien?"

Trust the fool for having mentioned it, and Tien felt again the
anger he had experienced when staring at the remains of the
slaughtered animal. A rage so intense that it seemed impossible
that whoever was responsible, no matter where they might be,
could not have been blasted by the naked ferocity of his hatred.
His prize bull slaughtered, a fortune lost, and himself held to
ridicule. The guardsтАФhe felt the muscles jerk in his face as he
thought about them. Useless fools who had been asleep, careless,
stupid, well, at least they had paid. Black-listed, they would be
lucky to get any job at all. To hell with them. Let them starve
together with their families. His bull had been worth a hundred
such scum.

Casually, Catiua turned the knife. "Days now, Tien, and still
no word of the culprits?"

"None." Tien's hand trembled as he poured himself wine. "But
I will find them. They will pay."

"According to the law?"

"Yes." Tien met the other's eyes, cool, slightly amused. "They
will pay," he said grimly. "No matter who they might be or how
high. This I swear!"

"You think an Owner might be responsible?" A man spoke
sharply from where he sat at the table. "Do you, Tien Harada?"

"The possibility has not escaped me, Yafe Zoppius." Tien was
coldly formal. "It is being investigated."

"If Ibius Avorot's men came snooping around my land they
will get short measure. That I promise. You forget yourself in
your suspicions, Tien." His tone softened a little. "That I can
understand. It was a grievous loss. A prime specimen of genetic