"Walter Jon Williams - Dread Empire's Fall 03 - Conventions of War" - читать интересную книгу автора (Williams Walter John)

An expression of satisfaction settled onto MacnamaraтАЩs face. тАЬVery well, my lady,тАЭ he said.




High Judge Makish lived in the Makish Palace in the High City, and for anyone who wasnтАЩt a
mountaineer, there were only two ways onto ZanshaaтАЩs granite acropolis: a funicular railway for
pedestrians, and a switchback road for vehicles. Since the seat of the entire government was in the High
City, in the midst of a hostile population, Sula supposed the Naxids would be very careful about who got
onto the acropolis and who didnтАЩt.

After buying Spence supper from Riverside vendors, Macnamara and Sula went to the lower terminus
of the funicular railway at suppertime, when many of the High CityтАЩs servants and workers would be
returning to the Lower Town. The usual vendors and street performers had been cleared from the broad
apron in front of the terminus, and Sula saw Naxid guards on the roof of the Central Station across the
street, but otherwise civilian traffic seemed normal, and the line of buses and cabs on the street was
reassuring, though fewer than usual.

тАЬSee if you can talk to someone at the bus stop,тАЭ Sula told Macnamara. тАЬIтАЩll go inside the terminal.тАЭ

тАЬAre you sure?тАЭ



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 Williams, Walter Jon - [DEF 03] - Conventions of War

MacnamaraтАЩs attempts to protect her from danger were endearing in their way, but in the end annoying.
Sula said she was sure and walked across the highway.

In the funicular terminus she stood on the far side of the polished onyx rail and tried to act as if she
were waiting for someone. Access to the funicular was controlled, she saw, by a squad of Naxids, all
carrying rifles and wearing armor over their centauroid, black-beaded bodies. A petty officer with a hand
terminal checked some manner of list as his subordinates checked the identification of anyone trying to
board.

Only a squad,she thought, but she knew more Naxids were on hand: they had requisitioned a number of
hotels and apartments in this vicinity, and these were probably packed with troops.

Nearly half the departing passengers were Naxids, scuttling over the polished floors and dodging
between the other commuters. Many wore the brown uniform of the civil service. Apparently,
employment prospects had improved for their species.

Sula pretended sheтАЩd seen the person sheтАЩd come to meet, then joined a complete stranger for the walk
to the outside. She found Macnamara waiting for her.

тАЬRight now the Naxids are working off a list of everyone who lives in the High City,тАЭ he said.
тАЬWorkers have to provide documentation from their employers that theyтАЩre needed. But the rumor is that
special identification will be required soon.тАЭ