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

across the board, each one falling with mathematical precision. The
gesture was not lost on Xzan, who attempted to follow suit but failed.

"Is this what Terran influence has reduced you to—a gamesmaster?"
asked Xzan critically. "Those who consort with the weak themselves
become weaker."

"You think Terra's weak?"

"The Terrans are a race of weaklings. There's scarcely one I couldn't
destroy with a single hand. And none I couldn't tear apart with two."

"Physically that may be true, but you've forgotten the strength of their
technology. If you want to see controlled power in action, you should see
my Terran-built bark. It's the most singular ship in space."

"I've heard of your ingenious toy. History proves innovators count for
little when faced with trained arms. Come, Oontara! You and I have the
empires to prove it. Would you pit a Terran expeditionary force against a
legion of hereditary star warriors? Of course not."

"Since you answer your own questions, you presumably don't want to
hear my views," said Oontara silkily.

"Heh! It was the ransad, the old knowledge, which carved the parsecs
off the galaxy and made the star empires possible. That was a thousand
years before the infant Terrans even discovered the wheel. All their
technology's won for them is eight habitable planets—all of them
self-governed. They don't even have the strength to rule what they've
gained. I give such playthings to favored concubines."

"You're trying to make me angry, Xzan." Oontara bent low over the
table, examining the geometrical de-signs. "You'll not succeed. You've
already shown your hand."

"I have?" Xzan's evil visage scanned the game and found nothing amiss,
then looked up to meet Oontara's crafty smile.

"Yes. You thought Oontara's flirtation with Terra so unlikely, you had
to come in person to find out what the star fox was up to. You felt
impelled to know what advantage Oontara could gain from Terra which
might be to your detriment. Aren't I right?"

"I admit a certain curiosity."

"Had you asked me direct, I'd have told you. I've seen the light."

"The light?" Xzan's hand faltered on the board, and he misplaced a
minor token, but dared not withdraw.