[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
"No, to one knee will do," Belazir said easily. His
Standard was better, even in these few days. "Do you wish refreshment?"
He waved to his other side to the table where food and bottles of wine rested,
patently supplied by the Perimeter
Restaurant The young waitress was from the Perimeter, too, although there she
had worn clothes.
"No, Master and God," Amos and Charma said in meek unison.
Belazir smiled and held out his hand. The waitress put a water-glass tumbler
of Mart'an's famous apricot-
brandy liqueur into it. He drank it off in ten long swallows and Channa knew a
moment's wild hope.
Simeon's voice was sour. "No joy," he sent. "I
checked with Chaundra. They metabolize ethanol so fast he'll only be mildly
buzzed.
"Well," the pirate said in that voice like a bronze bell that purred. "There
is business. The matter of the attack on the Divine Seed of Kolnar."
336
AnneMcCaffny &?SJW. Staling
"He's not too upset, I think," Simeon told them.
"Heartbeat absolutely Kolnar-normal, no pupil dila-
tion. Got an idea the victims may have been from one of the other ships. Play
it polite-firnj."
"Lord and God," Channa saii "The criminals will be found and punished."
Subvocal from Simeon: "You hit hisfurmybone with that, Happy. He's killing
himself laughing mside."
Channa went on. "I've made several general broad-
casts calling for obedience, Master and God."
"So you have. I notice,joo, that it is always you and not your companion...
colleague?"
"Simeon-Amos is N" Channa fell silent as the
Kolnari's hand indicated that Simeon-Amos should answer.
"I am the junior, Master and God," Amos said, eyes fixed on the ground.
"Look at me, Simeon-Amos." The stares met for long seconds. Then Belazir
gestured again, turning his attention back to Channa. "Well and good. As we
expect to hold the station in our fist for some time, these acts of stupidity
must cease."
"Lying through his teeth, babe."
"You sent messages desiring audience, Channahap,"
Belazir went on. He rose, like a black fountain tipped with white gold, the
loose sleeves floating back from his arms like wings. He looked down from his
near two meters of height. "Continue."
"Master and God," she said, in a tone as empty of any but the formal semantic
content as she could make it, "your troops fornicate like N" she paused to
search for a word "N rotweilers."
"Big chuckle at that one, Charmie." Simeon was furious.
Belazir crossed his arms. "Why does this not seem complimentary?"
Channa looked up at him. "They bite," she said emotionlessly, covering her
disgust, "all the time."
THE CTTY WHO FOUGHT
337
"Then the sc N the chosen ones should not resist their fete," Belazir said.
"It is our custom when we meet resistance."
"They don't resist!" Channa said sharply, then managed a taut smile. "Should
we bite back?"
Page 185
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
A rustle went throijgh the line of armored troops behind Belazir and the
duster of officers with feathers and jewels in their hair. The noble silenced
them with a toss of his head.
"I would not recommend it," he said sardonically.
"The custom to which I refer is that of enjoying the fruits of victory. A most
ancient custom, surely, even you must know of it? Make another of your
speeches.
Outline their duties. A hard, sincere effort to please.
Then they shall be caressed as they labor, not savaged."
"Master and God, when you bruise the fruit too much, it goes bad! The problem
is that I have a hundred people in sickbay being sewn back together and under
medica-
tion due to human bites and various other wounds.
Initially, there were three hundred sick to begin with, not counting the ones
who've been flogged."
"Are they injured?"
No, apart from shaking and crying and waking up with nightmares, she thought
The Kolnari had a whip that did something to the nervous system. "Master and
God N"
however she tried, she couldn't quite keep the sarcasm out of that"N the
problem involves vital work positions which are left empty. This isn't a
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]