"Alexander Kazantsev. The Destruction of Faena (ГИБЕЛЬ ФАЭНЫ, англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

The barbarians' continent appeared on the horizon. Sharp arrows seemed
to be sticking up out of the water. Over the sea rose the weird buildings of
the ancient continent, on which the houses were not round, but rectangular
(how absurd!}. Incredibly crowded, they reached for the sky and gradually
merged into a pile of irregular acute-angled pillars that suggested a
cluster of crystals.
Almost leaping out of the water, a security launch raced towards the
ship.
They were faced with the control procedure. Kutsi Merc sought out his
master so as to be at his side.
Longfaced men with hooked noses were climbing aboard. They were all in
identical angular clothes with collars upraised at the back and short dark
hooded capes that became rectangular bands on the chest.
"Hey you, hunchbacked offspring of carrion-eaters! Make way before the
Blood Guard!" snarled the first of the longfaces as he drew level with Kutsi
Merc. "You'll have to get out of here and go back to your stinking island."
Ave Mar, who had specially learned the language of Powermania, flushed
with rage but, on catching Kutsi's sidelong glance of warning, he kept
quiet.
But Kutsi Merc arched his hump as he bowed, meekly lowering his head
and using a manner of speech not his own, but typical of the local dialect.
"Perhaps the officer of the Blood Guard will be interested to know that
the insignificant roundhead whom he sees before him is only secretary to
this distinguished traveller, the clear-thinking Ave Mar, son of the Ruler
of Danjab."
The longface, who was wearing a beard in imitation of Dictator Yar
Jupi, glanced contemptuously at Kutsi.
Ave Mar offered him his tokens.
"The athletic son of Ruler Dobr Mar is recognisable even without his
tokens," said the officer, showing off his familiarity with the old manner
of speech. "As for this contemptible roundheaded cripple, he should be
attached as if by a chain to his master while serving him, as is preordained
by nature." And the officer made for the other passengers.
Kutsi Merc ran after him, humbly begging the return of the tokens. The
officer threw them down; they landed on the deck with a jingle and nearly
rolled overboard. Kutsi Merc bent over to snatch them up and even went down
on his knees.
The officer laughed coarsely.
"That's how to welcome the land of Superiors-in the posture of the
lizard from which you are not so distantly descended."
"May happy days last for a long time here," replied Kutsi Merc humbly.

The ocean-going ship sailed into a harbour which was surrounded on all
sides by enormous, weirdly rectangular buildings. Among them, Ave Mar
immediately recognised several famous temples which had been built in
ancient times and had towered high over all the other buildings of that
period. The city had risen since then and had blotted them from view.
So this was what it was like. Pleasure City!
Some of the gigantic blocks were linked by fantastical multi-tiered
street-bridges crossing at various levels.