"Vinge Vernor & William Rupp - Just Peace" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vinge Vernor)

him.

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They made an interesting study in contrasts. To the left, a man and woman walked almost in lock step,
though they remained discreetly apart. The man was dressed in simple black trousers and a short coat.
His hat was stiff and wide-brimmed. The woman wore a long black dress that revealed nothing of her
form below the neck. Her reddish hair was drawn back and tied with a black ribbon, and her grim face
showed no sign of makeup. The two short men in the center wore jumpsuits, apparently modeled after
the original colonistsтАЩ dress. To the right, eight nearly naked men bent beneath an elaborate litter carrying
a young male. As the group stopped, the litter was lowered, and he stepped jauntily to earth. The
fellowтАЩs upper body was heavily oiled. He wore skin-tight breeches with an enormous codpiece. The
grimly dressed couple on the left looked straight ahead, trying to avoid the sight of their companion on the
far right.

тАЬYou see the cultural fragmentation that has occurred here on New Canada,тАЬ the computer remarked.

тАЬHow far are they now?тАЭ

тАЬTwenty meters.тАЭ

тАЬI may as well meet them. Offload the equipment that came through with me.тАЭ

тАЬYes, sir.тАЭ A hatch slid open and he entered the air lock beyond. Seconds later he was standing
ankle-deep in turquoise grass, beneath a pale, pale blue sky. A slow breeze pushed with remarkable
force against his jumpsuit: sea level air pressure on New Canada was almost twice EarthтАЩs. He was
about to greet his visitors when the somber woman spoke, her voice tense with surprise.

тАЬChente!тАЭ

Chente bowed. тАЬYou have the advantage of me, maтАЩam. I take it you know my predecessor.тАЭ

тАЬThe past tense would be more appropriate, Freeman Quintero. Your twin was murdered more than a
year ago,тАЭ the fellow in the skintight pants said and smiled at the woman. Chente saw that in spite of his
athletic build and flamboyant dress, the man was in his forties. The woman, on the other hand, seemed
much younger than she had at a distance. Now she kept silent, but her companion said, тАЬIt was one of
your ships he died on, you slave-holding animal.тАЭ The shirtless dandy just shrugged.

тАЬPlease, gentlemen.тАЭ The fat man in the center spoke up. тАЬRecall that the condition of your presence here
requires a certain mutual cordialityтАЭтАФglares flickered back and forth between Shirtless and the
puritansтАФ тАЭor at least courtesy. Mr. Quintero, I am Bretaign Flaggon, mayor of Freetown and governor
of Wundlich Island. Welcome.

тАЬThe lady is Citizeness Martha Blount, ambassadress to Wundlich from the Commonwealth of New
Providence, and,тАЭ he rushed on as if trying to make both the introductions at once, тАЬthis gentleman is
Bossman Pier Balquirth, Ambassador to Wundlich from the Ontarian Confederacy.тАЭ

The woman seemed to have recovered from her initial surprise. Now she spoke with solemn formality.
тАЬNew Providence regards you as our honoured guest and citizen. Our nation awaits yourтАФтАЭ