"Colin Kapp - The Survival Game" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kapp Colin)

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CHAPTER ONE
Evening cupped blood-red hands around the city of Tenarensor. The
quaint towers of the capital of Ortel became less distinct as the yellow sky
darkened through maroon to a deep crimson, shot with the bright stars of
the Hub. In mounting chorus the bright horns called over the rooftops,
summoning the faithful to give thanks to the gods and call blessings on
Oontara, the star king, whose imperious grip on more than a hundred
habitable worlds kept the trade lanes free around the Hub and assured the
vast fortunes of the empire.

Inside the palace, the twirling shadows of the triple suns at last found
rest in the motionless crimson of night. A capricious breeze dallied with
the ornate drapes, penetrating the window frets and disturbing the
priceless fabrics around the gaming table. Star King Oontara watched the
result of its antics, a little surprised, and turned to his guest.

"My Lord Xzan is cold, perhaps?"

Seated at the gaming table between two windows, each of which
contributed its fiery glow to the villainous outline of his face, the visiting
star lord could adequately have personified the principal of some ancient
demonolatry.

"My dear Oontara, you grow soft on this torrid world of yours. I've said
so before. I mind when you could wage great battles with the blood cold as
ice in your veins. Yet now you're disturbed by the merest draft."

"I was thinking only of your comfort, Xzan. I welcome a breath of fresh
air."

"Maybe. But I repeat, you're going soft What use is it for a star king to
ply trade with Terra?"

"Oh, so that's what's been on your mind all evening!" Oontara set about
stacking new tokens on the gaming table. "And I thought you'd tried too
much of the wine, or too few of the women. We sadly misjudge each other,
old comrade."

"We used not. We were a fair match in cunning and guessing."

"Nothing's changed. There's still no matter in which I can't equal or
better you. As for your opinions of Terra, they're born of ignorance."

With a deft movement of his hand, Oontara spread the gaming tokens