"Kate Elliott - Jaran 1 - Jaran" - читать интересную книгу автора (Elliott Kate)

"May we be given to understand, Lady Terese," he asked as the shuttle lifted away from
Earth and out toward the Oshaki's orbit, "that the more frequent cargo runs to Rhui indicate
that the duke will soon be opening that planet up to exploitation as he has the planet Odys?"

"No. Its designation as a natural preserve under the Interdiction Code protects it for at
least a century. My brother desires to preserve the native cultures for as long as possible."

"Lady Terese, certainly the natives are quite primitive. Not equal to the worth to our
societies of Rhui's magnificent natural resources."

"Ah, Hon Echido, but is it not here that our valuations of worth differ? While to you they
are merely a less important part of Rhui's other natural resources, to us they are cousins."

Echido stroked his mauve robes. "More than cousins, surely. Are you not, in virtually
every particular, identical species?"

If it was meant to be an insult, it was smooth. Tess could not refrain from smiling, but the
expression was completely lost on the Chapalii. "Yes, we are both Homo sapiens. That is why
you Chapalii cannot be allowed on the planet. However primitive the Rhuian natives might be,
some of them are intelligent enough to question those characteristics by which the Chapalii
differ from humans."

"Are they truly so intelligent?" he asked without a trace of irony. "How can you know,
Lady Terese?"
 "Because I lived on Rhui for three years, in a city called Jeds. That was about ten years
ago, when I was a child. My brother allows limited contact between humans in his employ and
the natives, for research purposes."

Echido settled his hands into that arrangement known as Merchant's Accord. "Certainly
the duke is wise to ascertain the extent and disposition of Rhui's resources before exploiting
them. It is a rich planet. My family can only hope that we will be allowed the privilege of
bidding on any expedition once the interdict is lifted from the planet.''

"I assure you, Hon Echido, that should it come to that, I will put in a good word for you
with my brother."

He was delighted. It struck Tess that the mauve of his robes and the reddish tint of
satisfaction that flushed his skin did not remotely match. God, but she was tired.

Stewards met them at the Oshakvs lock and vied for the honor of showing her to a suite
of rooms suitable for a passenger of her eminence. The original steward kept his grip on her
valise. It was a relief to be left alone in the suite. The solitude was palpable. It was also hot.

She developed a routine quickly as the Oshaki left Earth orbit and began its run to Dao
Cee and thence to the home worlds. She slept and washed, and ate her meals alone in her
rooms. She wanted to wallow in depression. All the anger and frustration and the caustic
wound of Jacques's rejection of her had room to swell up and fill her until she mostly just lay
on her bed and stared at the ceiling. She could not manage tears: she wanted them too
badly.