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

AT&T.

Whoever it was out there, though, he had one very important point to clear up
right away. "We would certainly be interested in discussing trade possibilities,"
Saleh said. "However, we have several questions we would like to ask first.
Foremost among them is why your ships fired on one of our unarmed probes."

There was a short pause. "The question is meaningless. The defense units of
Hreshtra-cten did not use force. Your lander was allowed to leave peaceably."

"You're referring to the incident with the Pathfinder," the American delegate
spoke up from halfway around the table. "The Celeritas was in a different solar
system when it was attacked."

"Only one ship entered Ctencri territory," the alien said. "The other presumably
breached another people's region."

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Zahn, Timothy - Spinneret




Saleh blinked. Two alien races тАж and both within ten light-years? The American
President had implied it was a single race that surrounded Earth, not two or more.
Honest mistake or deliberate deception? "Perhaps you can help us contact the
other тАж people," he said, fighting to get back on balance again. "Or at least assure
them we weren't attempting an attack on their territory. We seek only to find new
worldsтАФunoccupied worlds, of courseтАФthat we may peacefully colonize."

"That will be impossible."

"Why? Don't you have communication with them?"

"Pardon; you misunderstand. We will certainly aid you in contacting the other
peoples. It is your seeking of worlds to colonize which is impossible."

Saleh frowned, his stomach tightening up again. "I don't understand."

"All suitable worlds are already occupied."

There was a moment of dead silence. "Occupied by whom?" the British delegate
demanded.

"Many by their indigenous peoples," the Ctencri said. "Such worlds are closed to
outside contact, as was yours until now. The remainder are occupied or claimed
by space-going people such as ourselves."

"How many space-going races are there?" Saleh asked.