"David Wingrove & Rand Miller - Myst 01 - The Book of Ti'ana" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wingrove David)

Myst: The Book of Ti'ana

by Rand Miller & David Wingrove



PART ONE
ECHOES IN THE ROCK

The sounding capsule was embedded in the rock face like a giant crystal,
its
occupants sealed within the translucent, soundproofed cone.

The Guild Master sat facing the outstretched tip of the cone, his right
hand
resting delicately on the long metal shaft of the sounder, his blind
eyes
staring at the solid rock, listening.

Behind him, his two young assistants leaned forward in their narrow metal
and
mesh seats, concentrating, their eyes shut tight as they attempted to
discern
the tiny variations in the returning signal.

"Na'grenis," the old man said, the D'ni word almost growled as his left
hand
moved across the top sheet of the many-layered map that rested on the map
table
between his knees. Brittle.

It was the tenth time they had sent the signal out on this line, each time
a
little stronger, the echoes in the rock changing subtly as it penetrated
deeper
into the mass.

"Kenen voohee shuhteejoo," the younger of his two assistants said
tentatively.
It could be rocksalt.

"Or chalk," the other added uncertainly.

"Not this deep," the old man said authoritatively, flicking back the
transparent
sheets until he came to one deep in the pile. Holding it open, he reached
beside
him and took a bright red marker from the metal rack.

"Ah," the two assistants said as one, the carmine mark as clear an