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

the girl. “He then examined the scratching, saw it was recently made, and turned to find this one. For a
moment he thought she had been lost among the herd in the square, then he caught sight of her from the
back, some distance off and hurrying away. He stunned her and brought her in.”

“His rank?”

“Thirty-second, untarnished sir.”
“And this one has been questioned?”

“No sir, I waited to speak to you about procedure.”

Laa Ehon stood for a moment, unanswering, gazing at the girl.

“Thirty-second, you said? Did he know this particular beast previously to seeing her in the square?”

“No sir. But he remembered the color of her apparel. There was no other in that color nearby.”

Laa Ehon turned from the window.

“I’d like to talk to him, first. Send him to me.”

“Sir, he’s presently on duty.”

“Ah.”

Shane understood Laa Ehon’s momentary thoughtfulness. As commanding officer, he could easily order
the officer in question to be relieved from duty long enough to report to him in person. But the Aalaag
nature and custom was such that only the gravest reason would allow him to justify such an order. An
Aalaag on duty, regardless of rank, was almost a sacred object.

“Where?” Laa Ehon.

“The local airport, untarnished sir.”

“I will go and speak to him at his duty post. Captain Otah On, you are ordered to accompany me.”

“Yes, untarnished sir.”

“Then let us move with minimal loss of time. It is unlikely that this matter has more importance than
presently seems, but we must make sure of that.”

He turned toward the door with Otah On behind him. Once more his eyes swept Shane. He stopped and
looked over at the Aalaag.

“What is this one?” he asked.

“Sir,” the Aalaag at the desk was on his feet. “A courier with messages for your hand from Lyt Ahn.”

Laa Ehon looked back at Shane.