"Kristine Kathryn Rusch - Dancers Like Children" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rusch Kristine Kathryn)

She finally looked at me. Her eyes were wide and black, the color of
her hair. "You haven't seen the Dancers yet, have you?"
I shook my head.
"You need to. And then you can ask me questions." She took a deep
breath, as if hesitating about what she was about to say. "I'll take you if
you like."
"Now?"
She nodded. "We have protective gear in the back."
My heart thudded against my chest. I hadn't expected to see the Dancers
yet, but I was ready. A little thrill ran down my spine.
We got up, and she led me down the hall to one of the back offices. As
she walked past an open office door, she peeked inside. A man sat behind a
desk, his bald head bowed over a small computer screen. "Daniel, I'm taking
Dr. Schafer to see the Dancers."
He glanced up, and I realized he was younger than I first thought --
thirty or less. "Would you like a second?"
She shook her head. "Unless he thinks we need one."
She was asking me a question without directing it at me. I shook my
head. "If she thinks the two of us will be fine, I'm not going to
second-guess."
Daniel smiled, showing a row of very white teeth. "Latona is our best.
She's studied the Dancers her entire life."
Latona had already started down the hall. I nodded at Daniel, then
followed her. The room she entered was the size of a small closet. She flicked
on a light and pulled two sand scarves from pegs. She took out a jar of
reflective cream and handed it to me. I applied it. The goo was cold against
my face, and smelled faintly sweet. Then I wrapped the sand scarf around me
and waited as Latona did the same. She tied a small pack to her waist. Finally
she pulled two pairs of sunglasses out of a drawer and handed me one.
"Put these on after we leave the dome," she said.
We left through a door on the back side. The sepia tone of the dome
seemed to have grown darker. Latona led me across the yard along an empty
pathway until we reached the dome. Two men stood beside the structure, looking
bored. Latona nodded at them.
"I'm taking Dr. Schafer to see the Dancers."
"Netta permit this?" one of the men asked.
Latona sighed. "She doesn't have to. Dr. Schafer is off-world."
The man looked as if he were about to say more, but his partner grabbed
his arm. He pushed a button, and the dome door slid open. Dry heat seeped in,
making the air inside the dome feel as plastic as the buildings. I followed
Latona outside and heard the doors squeak closed behind us.
Sunlight reflected off the white cream on my face, momentarily blinding
me. The wind rustled my sand scarf. I already felt overdressed. The air
smelled of salt, daffodils, and promises.
Latona tugged her hood over her face and headed into the wind. I bent
and followed, wishing that I could see more of the desert. But the wind was
strong and blew the sand at a dangerous rate. I put on the glasses, thankful
for the way they eased the glare.
"Netta hates it when I visit the Dancers," Latona said, "but she can't
stop me. I'm not officially a colony member. Neither are you."