"Gordon R. Dickson - The Cloak and the Staff" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dickson Gordon R)

private offices of the Aalaag Commander in Milan.

The guard saluted and left. There were no other humans in the room. An Aalaag of the twenty-second
rank sat at a desk in a far corner of the large open space, reading what seemed to be reports on the sort
of plastic sheets that would take and hold multiple overlays of impressions. In the wall to Shane’s left was
a window, showing the slight corner shading that betrayed an Aalaag version of one-way glass. The
window gave a view of what must be an adjoining office having benches for humans to sit on. This office
was empty, however, except for a blond-haired young woman, dressed in a loose ankle-length blue robe
tied tight around her narrow waist.

There was no place for Shane to sit. But, in close attendance as he customarily was on Lyt Ahn and
other Aalaag of low-number rank, he was used to waiting on his feet for hours.

He stood. After perhaps twenty minutes, the Aalaag at the desk noticed him.

“Come,” he said, lifting a thumb the size of a tent peg. “Tell me.”

He had spoken in Aalaag, for most human servants had some understanding of the basic commands in
the tongue of their overlords. But his face altered slightly as Shane answered, for there were few humans
like Shane—and Shane both worked and lived with all of those few—who were capable of fluent
accentless response in that language.

“Untarnished sir,” said Shane, coming up to the desk and stopping before it, “I have messages from Lyt
Ahn directly to the Commander of the Milan Headquarters.”

He made no move to produce the message rolls from his pouch; and the Aalaag’s massive hand, which
had begun to extend itself, palm up, toward him at the word “messages,” was withdrawn when Shane
pronounced the name of Lyt Ahn.

“You are a valuable beast,” said the Aalaag. “Laa Ebon will receive your messages soon.”

“Soon” could mean anything from “within minutes” to “within weeks.” However, since the messages were
from Lyt Ahn, and personal, it was probable that it would be minutes rather than a longer time. Shane
went back to his corner.

The door opened, and two other Aalaag came in. They were both males in middle life, one of the twelfth,
one of the sixth rank. The one of sixth rank could only be Laa Ehon. A Captain of a rank that
low-numbered was actually too highly qualified to command a single HQ like this. It was unthinkable that
there would be two such here.

The newcomers ignored Shane. No, he thought, as their gaze moved on, they had not merely ignored
him. Their eyes had noticed, catalogued, and dismissed him in a glance. They walked together to the
one-way window; and the one who must be Laa Ehon spoke in Aalaag.

“This one?”

They were examining the girl in the blue robe, who sat unaware of their gaze in the other room.

“Yes, untarnished sir. The officer on duty in the square saw this one move away from the wall I told you
of just before he noticed the scratching on it.” The Captain of the twelfth rank pointed with his thumb at