"Timothy Zahn - Spinneret" - читать интересную книгу автора (Zahn Timothy)

stopped expectantly.

Meredith cleared his throat. "I greet you," he called to the alien, "and welcome
you to Astra. I am Colonel Lloyd Meredith; I speak for my people."

There was a barely discernible pause as the Rooshrike's translator caught up, and
then the alien stepped off the ramp and started forward. Meredith started breathing
again; apparently he'd gotten the formal greeting right.

Or else the Rooshrike was being tolerant with the new race.

The alien stopped a couple of meters in front of Meredith. "I greet you in turn," it
said, its voice hitting the same slight mispronunciations Meredith had heard from
the Ctencri translator computers on Earth. "I am Beaeki; I speak for my people."

"We're pleased to have you here," Meredith told him, easing back a few
centimeters. The alien's spacesuit was noticeably hot; Meredith wondered what
the internal temperature was. "I regret we cannot offer proper accommodations for
your stay, but our information concerning your environmental needs is
incomplete."

"I will not require accommodations; my visit will be brief. And your lack of
complete information is per our instructions to the Ctencri."

Not much for the odd polite lie, Meredith thought. That'll be a welcome change. "I
see. Would you care to explain why? After all, we're neighbors now, and either of
us might someday crash a ship in the other's territory."

"Your argument is unidirectional. Should a Rooshrike ship be distressed in this
system a rescue team from the inner planet would provide aid."

"You have a colony in this system?" Meredith asked carefully. The Ctencri hadn't

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mentioned that.

"A mining base only; the surface is too dry for practical colonization. The base is
adequately defended against attack, however."

Meredith let the implication pass without comment; a stiff denial that Astra had
any militaristic intentions might be misconstrued. "I see. May I ask how long you
intend to stay here? I would like to give you a tour of our colony and the facilities
we are setting up to mine the mineral deposits near here." A sudden thought struck
him. "I take it you referred to liquid sulfur when you spoke of your mining base
being too dry. Our analysis indicates that sulfur is the third most common element
in our soil. Perhaps when we get our mining and separating equipment going
you'd be interested in purchasing some of the sulfur from us."