"Timothy Zahn - Conquerors 2 - Conquerors' Heritage" - читать интересную книгу автора (Zahn Timothy)

"They killed him?"

" 'Or else somehow managed to capture him. All we know is that in the fullarcs since then he hasn't
been heard from. Not here, nor at his family shrine on Dharanv.' "

"I see," Thrr-gilag murmured. "How did the Humans breach your defense perimeter?"

" 'They didn't have to. As it happens, all four pyramids are outside the encampment.' "

"Outside?" Thrr-gilag echoed. "Whose flat-headed idea was that?"

" 'Mine. It was an experiment to see if the Elders could help supplement the sentry line.' "

Thrr-gilag flicked his tongue. "The Dhaa'rr leaders aren't going to be at all happy about this."

" 'Their unhappiness has already been expressed to me,' " the dry response came. " 'I expect they'll
be expressing it to you, as well, once you're up before the Overclan Seating.' "

"I appreciate the advance warning," Thrr-gilag said, checking the time. The alien prisoners should
have had enough time to recover now. At least as far as they were going to. "I have to go now, my
brother. Keep yourself safe, and I'll speak with you again soon."

" 'I'll be careful,' " Chrr't-ogdano repeated the words. " 'You, too. Farewell.' "

"Farewell." Thrr-gilag nodded to the Elder. "Thank you, Chrr't-ogdano. You may release the rest of
the pathway now. It's time to go."

"Good," Chrr't-ogdano grumbled. He gestured toward the door with his tongue. "What about the
pyramid? Are you still planning to leave it here?"

"We're hardly going to be able to watch the Humans when they return without it," Thrr-gilag pointed
out, frowning at the worried expression on the Elder's face. "Why? Are you afraid?"

"After what happened to Prr't-zevisti?" Chrr't-ogdano countered. "Of course I'm afraid. You would
be too."

Thrr-gilag grimaced, reaching behind his head to touch the small scar at the base of his skull,
arguments and soothing words swirling through his mind and dissolving into silence on his tongue.
Theoretically, of course, nothing the Humans did to an Elder's fsss cutting there should have any
effect on the rest of the finger-sized organ, safely nestled in its shrine niche 250 light-cyclics away.
At the first sign of danger, all Chrr't-ogdano and the other Elders should have to do would be to flick
back to their shrines, and they'd be perfectly safe.

But theory was one thing. A group of nervous Elders worried for their survival was something else

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entirely. And to be fair, as far as Thrr-gilag knew, the theory had never been tested.