"C. S. Friedman - Coldfire 2 - When True Night Falls" - читать интересную книгу автора (Friedman C. S)

a lock of hair from his eyes; it fell back down almost
immediately. "Leo, this planet was perfect. No drought, no
famine, no cycles of surfeit and starvation like there are on
Earth . . . think of it! A whole ecology in utter harmony - a
true Eden. And then we came. And threatened that harmony
by our very presence-"
 "And you think these rituals will change all that?" Case
asked harshly.

"I think they'll give us a tool. A means of
communication. That's the challenge, don't you see? We
have to impress the power here with Terran symbology, so
that we have some way to reach out to it. To control it,
Leo! If we don't manage that, then we may as well pack it
in here and now. Because all our technology won't stop it
from killing, when it controls the very laws of nature." "So
you answer it with more killing? Feed it blood-" "Sacrifice
is the most ancient and powerful symbol we have," Ian told
him. "Think of it! When primitive man sought to placate
his dieties, it was that blood of his own kind that he burned
on the altar. When the God of the Jews decided to test
Abraham's faith, it was the sacrifice of his own flesh and
blood that He demanded. Moses saved his people from the
Angel of Death by smearing the blood of animals on their
doorposts. And when God reached out His Hand to man
with His message of divine forgiveness, He created a Son
of His Own Substance to serve as a sacrificial offering.
Sacrifice is a bridge between man and the Infinite - and it
can work for us here, Leo. In time it can end the killings. I
believe that." When Case made no response, he added
desperately, "You can't understand-"

"I understand," Case said quietly. "All too well." He
gestured with the gun. "Move away from the tram."
 "You can't stop it now. The offer's been made. The
sacrifice-"

"Is canceled, here and now. Move back from the tram."

For a moment Ian just stared at him; comprehension
dawned at last. "You thought I was going to kill them," he
whispered hoarsely. Incredulously. "You thought I would
kill my own people-"

"What the hell was I supposed to think?" Case snapped.

"You took them from the camp. You dedicated a
sacrifice, then came at them with a knife. You tell me what
conclusions to draw from that!"