"E. C. Tubb - Dumarest 19 - The Quillian Sector" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tubb E. C)

flowers; the contrast they provided to the desolation outside.

"Caradoc's work," said a voice behind him. "He said that a
touch of color would help."

Turning, Irae said, "Help whom? You?"

An accusation, which Yoka dismissed with a small gesture of
a hand which seemed to be fashioned from transparent
porcelain. No cyber was ever fat, for excess tissue lessened the
efficiency of the physical machine which was the body, but Yoka
was skeletal in his thinness. Beneath the scarlet robe, his body
was reed-frail, his throat a match for the gaunt face and sunken
eyes which, with his shaven pate, gave his head the appearance
of a skull. A skull set with the jewel of his eyes which burned
now, as always, with the steady flame of trained and directed
intelligence.

He said, "No, Cyber Irae, the flowers are here to set at ease
those ushered into this chamber to wait. Naturally, you grasp the
underlying purpose."

A statement, not a question. For him to have framed the
sentence otherwise would have been tantamount to insult. No
cyber could avoid seeing the obvious, and now that Irae knew the
purpose of the room, the presence of the blooms and the position
they occupied was plain. A contrast and a good one; outside, the
bleak desolation of TitanusтАФwithin, the glowing color and
beauty of the flowers and what they, by association, represented.
The security of the Cyclan; the rewards and wealth and comfort
the organization could provide to any who engaged their
services. A contrast too subtle to be immediately appreciated by
any visitor, but it was there and would be noted on a
subconscious level.

"Caradoc shows skill and intelligence. An acolyte?"

"No longer." Yoka lifted a hand and touched his breast,
fingers thin and pale against the rich scarlet and the design
embroidered on the fabric, A gesture signifying the acolyte had
passed his final tests and was now one of their number. Beneath
his hand the Seal of the Cyclan glowed and shimmered with
reflected light. "A young man who shows promise. He should give
good service and rise high."

And would, unless he committed the unpardonable crime of
failure.

Irae looked again at the flowers, at the window and the
desolation beyond, thinking of others who had shown promise