"L. E. Modesitt - The Hammer of Darkness" - читать интересную книгу автора (Modesitt L E)

"Why not?" snaps Kryn, her cold words bringing him back from his thoughts into the chill of the
Commannex courtyard.

"Because I can't get a job, any job, on Karnak. With no credits, I can't free-lance. If I could, no one could
hire my services. So it's either off Kamak, or the Marines and off Kamak shortly. That's the choice."

"There has to be another one.' Her voice is matter-of-fact. So are her feelings, Martin can tell and she is
as calm as her mother, the Iron Duchess, in telling a subject he is mistaken. Kryn will be Duchess, or
more, Martin knows.

"If you could be so kind. Lady Kryn Kirsten, as to suggest another alternative for your obedient subject,
Martin Martel, I would be most deeply obliged. Particularly since my student status will be terminated
rather shortly."

"How soon?"

"Tomorrow ... today ... perhaps three days. The term is over, and the minimum guarantees of the
Regency toward a Free Scholar have been met."

He looks down at the flat white of the marble pavement, then lifts his eyes to watch the dust devil in the
far corner scatter a small heap of cone needles. The sunlight floods abruptly into the courtyard. "The
climatizers succeed again," the ex-Scholar remarks, "bringing light into darkness, except for a few of us."

"Martin!"

He realizes that she wants to stamp her foot but refrains because the action would be unladylike.

He chuckles, and the low sound eddies through the columns. The guard in the shadows, now that there
are shadows with the full winter sunlight beaming down, edges forward.

"What will you do?" Her question comes almost as a dismissal, an acceptance.

"I don't look forward to spending five years in the ore mines . . . and I don't have the heroic build of the
successful Imperial Marine. So I'm somewhat limited."

"You aren't answering the question."

"I know. You don't want to hear the answer."

"You could leave the Empire . .."

"I could. If I had the creds for passage. But no one can hire me to pay my way, except an outsider, and
outsiders aren't allowed to downport here. And I don't have passage to the orbitport."

"I could help."

"I've already made arrangements."

"You didn't!"