"A. R. Yngve - Darc Ages" - читать интересную книгу автора (Yngve A. R)

"I have no severe damage," Vhustank answered immediately. He was already rotating his head to scan
the new surroundings. "I appear to have reached a lower chamber. Please prepare to help me up with the
ropes. Just a moment --"



His red visorplate halted, pointing to some inner recess of the crypt.



"I am registering a large metal object nearby. I will examine it closer. Just a moment -- weak
radioactivity is emanating from the object."



Lachtfot stated in a calm tone: "Vhustank: if you find any sign of resemblance to the historical
descriptions of Radioactive Weapons, please avoid the object until our master is informed."



It was a robot's way of saying "Be careful". Ignoring Lachtfot, Vhustank crawled to his feet and walked
over to the sarcophagus at the corner of the abandoned chamber. Rats, snakes, bats, and insects
scurried away as he lit the flashlight of his visorplate to get a clear view of the artefact. The sarcophagus
was very old, and covered with a thick layer of dust and dirt. Vhustank picked a small brush-head from
his round waist, unscrewed his left hand, and fitted the brush to his wrist-socket. With a low whine, the
brush-head began to spin very quickly. Starting from the top, Vhustank neatly polished the dust off the
surface of the sarcophagus.



When he was finished, Vhustank stepped back to scan the uncovered object. The outside of the cleaned
coffin turned out not to be made of metal -- but some kind of composite material, covered with a very
thin coating of diamond-hard material. In fact, it was diamond: ionized carbon atoms sprayed over a
concrete and plastic shell. The metal object registered by Vhustank was hidden deep inside the shell.



The robot noticed an inscription on a metal plate on the side of the sarcophagus. The style of the lettering
was archaic but recognizable: Old Juro. The plate had been scraped badly centuries ago -- when some
long-forgotten thief had removed most of its thin coating of gold. To the robot, the sign read:



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