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

"The observers on Study World Eighteen," Chrr't-ogdano said. "Remember the report? They felt the
pain of the Human Elderdeath weapons."

"But they were still anchored at their cuttings watching the Humans," Thrr-gilag reminded him. "But
you have a point. Very well. Inform Ship Commander Zbb-rundgi that I've reversed my decision and
that the pyramid is to be taken back home. And tell him we'll leave as soon as it's aboard."

"I obey," Chrr't-ogdano said, looking more than a little relieved.

He vanished. Alone again, Thrr-gilag stood up, pressing the edge of his tongue hard against the
inside of his mouth as he draped the restraint suit across his shoulders. So here they were again: the
Zhirrzh at war with yet another new alien race. Aliens who, like all the others who had gone before
them, had attacked them on sight. Aliens with powerful explosive missiles and small but vicious
fighter warcraft, who used Elderdeath weapons with a free hand. Aliens who owned twenty-four
worlds, against eighteen worlds of their own, who held at least eight other alien races under their
domination.

Aliens who wielded the terrifying weapon Pheylan Cavanagh had described for him. The awful
killing device called CIRCE.

Taking one last look around the silent conversation room, Thrr-gilag headed for the door and the
ship that lay beyond. And hoped fervently that Warrior Command and the Overclan Seating hadn't
sliced off more than they could eat.




2
It was just over 250 light-cyclics to Oaccanv: nearly thirty-five tentharcs at stardrive speed. Three
and a half long fullarcs for Thrr-gilag to lie in his cabin, studying the records of Pheylan Cavanagh's
imprisonment and sharpening his knowledge of the Human language. And wondering what might be
happening elsewhere as they flew through the darkness between the stars.

Fortunately, he didn't have to wonder in similar darkness. Ship Commander Zbb-rundgi had quietly
instructed everyone aboardтАФunofficially, of courseтАФto ostracize the young upstart searcher who
had allowed the Human prisoner to escape and, probably more important, had treated the ship
commander's advice with perceived contempt. But neither Nzz-oonaz nor Svv-selic seemed
interested in taking the order seriously, and they kept Thrr-gilag up-to-date on the progress of the
Zhirrzh expeditionary forces currently in Human space.

The Elders' reports were sparse but generally favorable. On all three Human target worlds the
defending warriors appeared to have been taken by surprise, though that hadn't stopped them from

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counterattacking with their explosive missiles and Elderdeath weapons. But they'd been routed,
usually after only a tentharc or two of fighting, fleeing out into wilderness areas. Beachheads had
been established and encirclement forces deployed in orbit, and now it was largely a matter of