"Sarah Zettel - Kingdom of Cages" - читать интересную книгу автора (Zettel Sarah)

urgently. тАЬYou can help each world find its cure.тАЭ
тАЬThese poor suffering worlds.тАЭ For the first time. Father MihranтАЩs voice
took on an edge. тАЬLetтАЩs talk about them.тАЭ Commander Poulos drew
back just a little, but Father Mihran remained is he was, hack and
shoulders straight and ins hands on the table as if determined not to let
any gesture or expression distract anyone from his words. тАЬLetтАЩs talk
about groups of as few as a hundred would-be colonists being dropped
on a planet by your ancestors in the Colonial Shipping Authority,
because those colonists were hoping for riches or a place where their
own fanatic ideals could be enforced without question. LetтАЩs talk about
the ones who hacked away at forests for the trade in exotic timber,
which your people shipped between worlds. LetтАЩs talk about mines
gouged out for the trade in heavy and precious minerals, which your
people also carried.тАЭ His index finger tapped the tabletop, once. тАЬLetтАЩs
talk about colonies that failed and were enslaved by their
oh-so-noble-and-generous neighbors, according to treaties your people
mediated, part of which included shipping the slaves out to their new
masters.тАЭ
тАЬDo you say youтАЩre better than we are?тАЭ shot back Commander Poulos,
rising to her feet and leaning across the table. тАЬThen prove it. Help the
Called to stay alive when they will not help each other and cannot help
themselves.тАЭ
тАЬNo,тАЭ said Father Mihran, and the other council members murmured
their agreement.
Commander Poulos glanced at her silent subordinates. The man on her
left hung his head. The young woman on her right just looked grim. Tam
felt the silent communication pass between them, and his stomach
tightened.
тАЬFather Mihran,тАЭ said Commander Poulos. тАЬDonтАЩt do this. The Called,
the Authority, are desperate, and weтАЩre here as ambassadors of that
desperation.тАЭ
тАЬAnd how much are you being paid for the job?тАЭ asked Father Mihran
coolly.
Commander Poulos winced briefly. тАЬA lot,тАЭ she admitted. тАЬBecause
thereтАЩs a chance you will not let us go again, especially when you realize
I canтАЩt let you refuse.тАЭ
Silence, thick and worried. Not even Father Mihran made a sound.
тАЬWe need PandoraтАЩs help or we are all going to die,тАЭ said Commander
Poulos, separating out each word and meeting the gaze of each and
every council member in turn. тАЬNot today. Not even for ten years, or
maybe even twenty. But eventually. Whole worlds are already gone.
Earth has abandoned us, and we cannot compel them to change their
minds.тАЬ Her gaze came to rest on Father Mihran again.
тАЬAnd you can compel Pandora?тАЭ said Father Mihran, so softly Tam had
to strain to hear him.
тАЬIf you force me to,тАЭ replied Commander Poulos, just as softly. тАЬOnly if
you force me to.тАЭ
Father Mihran climbed to his feet. He stood only a few centimeters taller
than the commander, but at that moment it seemed to Tam that he filled
the entire room.