"Janet Kagan - The Nutcracker Coup" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kagan Janet)

they starve?”
 “They won’t starve,” said a firm voice.
Marianne jumped.
“It’s just me,” said Nick Minski. “I’m early.” He leaned back in the chair and put his long legs
up on her desk. “I’ve been watching how the neighbors behave. Friends-your friend Tatep
included-take their leftovers to Chornian’s family. They won’t starve. At least, Chornian’s family won’t.
I’m not sure what would happen to someone who is generally unpopular.”
Nick was head of the ethnology team studying the Rejoicers. At least he had genuine
observation to base his decisions on.
He tipped the chair to a precarious angle. “I can’t begin to guess whether or not helping
Chornian will land Tatep in the same hot water, so I can’t reassure you there. I take it from your
muttering that Clarence won’t make a formal protest.”
Marianne nodded.
He straightened the chair with a bang that made Marianne start. “Shit,” he said. “Doggett’s such
a pissant.”
Marianne grinned ruefully. “God, I’m going to miss you, Nick. Diplomats aren’t permitted to
speak in such matter-of-fact terms.”
“I’ll be back in a year. I’ll bring you fireworks for your next Christmas.” He grinned.
“We’ve been through that, Nick. Fireworks may be part of your family’s Christmas tradition,
but they’re not part of mine. All that banging and flashing of light just wouldn’t feel right to me, not on
Christmas.”
“Meanwhile,” he went on, undeterred, “you think about my offer. You’ve learned more about
Tatep and his people than half the folks on my staff; academic credentials or no, I can swing putting you
on the ethnology team. We’re short-handed as it is. I’d rather have skipped the rotation home this year
but...”
“You can’t get everything you want, either.”
He laughed. “I think they’re afraid we’ll all go native if we don’t go home one year in five.” He
preened and grinned suddenly. “How d’you think I’d look in quills?”
“Sharp,” she said and drew a second burst of laughter from him.
There was a knock at the door. Marianne stretched out a toe and tapped the latch. Tatep stood
on the threshold, his quills still bristling from the cold. “Hi, Tatep-you’re just in time. Come share.”
His laughter subsiding to a chuckle, Nick took his feet from the desk and greeted Tatep in
high-formal Rejoicer. Tatep returned the favor, then added by way of explanation, “Marianne is sharing
her Christmas with me.”
Nick cocked his head at Marianne. “But it’s not for some time yet....”
“I know,” said Marianne. She went to her desk and pulled out a wrapped package. “Tatep,
Nick is my very good friend. Ordinarily, we exchange gifts on Christmas Day but since Nick won’t be
here for Christmas, I’m going to give him his present now.”
She held out the package. “Merry Christmas, Nick. A little too early, but-”
“You’ve hidden the gift in paper,” said Tatep. “Is that also traditional?”
“Traditional but not necessary. Some of the pleasure is the surprise involved,” Nick told the
Rejoicer. With a side-long glance and a smile at Marianne, he held the package to his ear and shook it.
“And some of the pleasure is in trying to guess what’s in the package.” He shook it and listened again.
“Nope, I haven’t the faintest idea.”
He laid the package in his lap.
Tatep flicked his tail in surprise. “Why don’t you open it?”
“In my family, it’s traditional to wait until Christmas Day to open your presents, even if they’re
wrapped and sitting under the Christmas tree in plain sight for three weeks or more.”
Tatep clambered onto the stool to give him a stare of open astonishment from a more effective
angle.