"Kathy Tyers - Firebird 2 - Fusion Fire" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tyers Kathy)

Minor system, off the usual trade routes, but under Federate protection because its third planet is
inhabited by a small, semi-intelligent race.тАЭ

Firebird set both hands on the back of the large black chair beside her. She hated to sit all that way
down if she were just going to get up again, but her legs were so tired.

тАЬPruupae. Small, pink-eyed, gray-furred creatures.тАЭ Brennen sat down on a desk corner. тАЬMentally
primitive, but sentient. All the same, they havenтАЩt risen to ante-Federate technological levels. We protect
them anyway.тАЭ

тАЬFrom the Shuhr, I suppose,тАЭ she said quietly to Dardy, тАЬif youтАЩre involved.тАЭ

Dardy nodded and leaned one shoulder against the warm-toned ironbark paneling. He belonged to
ThyricaтАЩs small group of Alert Forces, who kept watch on the starbred familiesтАЩ renegade relatives.
Psionic outlaws. The Shuhr.

тАЬThe Shuhr raid Ixthic,тАЭ Dardy said, тАЬto kidnap pairs of the little creaturesтАФthe pruupae. We thought
weтАЩd tightened our security adequately by leaving a patrol at the major settlement, but the patrol was
wiped out and half the young population gone.тАЭ
Gray-furred creatures, pink eyesтАж The hormones of pregnancy made her emotional, Firebird knew. She
sank into the chair. тАЬWhat do the Shuhr do with them?тАЭ Stretching out her legs, she flexed her ankles.
тАЬDo you know?тАЭ

Brennen rested one hand on his desk. тАЬWeтАЩve found crippled adults left behind after raids, sometimes.тАЭ
He kept his even features relaxed, his emotions under Sentinel-trained affective control. тАЬApparently the
Shuhr keep a breeding population, amputate the pupsтАЩ limbs, and give the pups to their own children for
practicing psychic domination.тАЭ

A soft tone sounded at one corner of BrennenтАЩs desk. He turned his head. тАЬYes?тАЭ

тАЬMessage for you, sir.тАЭ The desk spoke in an excellent imitation of the clearing captainтАЩs voice. тАЬCaptain
Kinsman, on тАШpersonal.тАЩ тАЭ

Ellet. Startled, Firebird glanced aside in time to see a smile crinkle DardyтАЩs lips. Then BrennenтАЩs
head-turn snagged her peripheral vision, she caught a glint of his blue eyes, and a caressing inquiry
touched the edge of her awareness. Guiltily, she tried to suppress her jealousyтАФ

тАЬAsk if it can wait until morning, please,тАЭ Brennen told the desk.

Firebird bit her lip. When would she learn to control her reactions? SheтАЩd prefer to be present any time
Ellet spoke with her husband. Ellet Kinsman had wanted Brennen, had once deliberately endangered
Firebird while assigned to protect her. And Ellet, like Brennen and Dardy, was a telepath. Pair bonding
might last for life, but the depth and ease of communication Brennen shared with other Sentinels was
something denied Firebird. It made her тАФyes, she admitted, letting the feeling rise again: jealous.

Mentally shaking herself, she saw Brennen and Dardy stare-locked, communicating while her attention
wandered, but the instant she focused her attention on them, they broke off the stare.

Brennen was nothing if not well trained.