"Sean Williams & Simon Brown - The Masque Of Agamemnon(1)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Williams Sean)

The Masque of Agamemnon
Sean Williams and Simon Brown

Not long after the Achaean fleet arrived at the periphery of the Ilium
system, its area sensors noted a phenomenon its sentient matrix could
neither accept nor explain. An owl appeared in the middle of the fleet,
circled around it three times-its wings eclipsing the distant point of
light that was Ilium's sun-then headed straight for the Over-captain's own
ship, Mycenae. Just as it was about to smash into the ship's hull, there
was an intense flash of blue light and the owl disappeared.
Internal sensors picked it up next: a bird the size of a human child,
dipping and soaring within Mycenae's vast internal halls and corridors.
Before any alarm could be given, the sensor matrices received a supersede
command; the owl was a messenger from the goddess Athena, and it was not
to be interfered with.
Seconds later, the owl reached its destination, the chamber of Agamemnon,
Over-captain of the entire Achaean fleet. What happened therein is not
recorded, but an hour later Agamemnon announced to his crew he was going
to hold a grand ball.
His wife, Clytemnestra, attributed the idea to his love of games and his
penchant for petulant, almost childlike whims. She thought the idea a
foolish notion, but she did not argue against it; she loved her husband
and indulged him in all things.
Arrangements were quickly made and maser beams carried messages to all the
other ships of the fleet, demanding their captains attend the Great Masque
of Agamemnon.


"Your brother should spend more time worrying about the Trojans," Helen
told her husband, Menelaus.
The Captain of Sparta grimaced. He disliked anyone criticising his older
brother, but in this instance he had to agree with his wife. Agamemnon was
spending a large amount of the fleet's energy and time to throw his ball;
energy and time that could have been better spent prosecuting an attack
against the Trojans' home on Ilium.
"Nevertheless, he has commanded the presence of all his captains and their
wives, so we must go."
"But why a masque? He loves his games too much. And I suppose we will end
up spending the whole time with Nestor."
"Nestor is the oldest among us and his words the wisest."
"The most boring, you mean. Oh, Menelaus," she pouted. "I wish we didn't
have to go."
Although Menelaus agreed with Helen's sentiment, he would not allow
himself to say so.


Achilles had made a silver helmet for his friend Patroclus to wear to the
ball. When Patroclus saw it he could not find the words to thank Achilles;
it was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. Then Achilles
showed him the helmet he himself would be wearing, and to Patroclus'