"Robyn Tallis - Giants of Elenna - Planet Builders" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tallis Robyn)

Her father smiled genially. "Well, what's past is past. We'll always regret having to leave

Alphorion — it's only natural. But we seem to be making a place for ourselves here. Our particular
training and skills are desperately needed, in fact. What we wish to do for you, Philippa, is give you some
of that same training. We can't send you to the best, unfortunately, as you have made yourself
permanently non grata anywhere on Alphorion, but we can give you — "

"Give me a hoverscooter," Philippa said. "Or nothing. I don't care. I'm not going to Trelour-Essal."

Her mother's crystal rang on the table with a cold, crisp ching. "I'm afraid I have to remind you that you
are still a minor. We have exerted ourselves tremendously on your behalf, despite the stupid and selfish
choices you made on Alphorion that forced us into exile, and despite your having been in continual
trouble here."

"Your recent coup," her father said as he corked the bottle and put it away, "harboring your fugitive
criminal friend Miguel Arcaro, and not reporting his presence on this planet — indicated to us that you
require a stronger authority."

"We hardly wish to function as police," her mother said with evident distaste. "Though that seems to be
precisely what you need."

"In the meantime, we have our own careers to consider, and you shall not be permitted to ruin those a
second time." Her father's voice was deadly cold. "When the next colony ship

appears, two months from now, you will be on the satellite, waiting to depart with it."

"I won't do it," Philippa said huskily, trying to keep a last vestige of control over her voice. "I won't." She
ran toward the front door.

"Where do you think you're going, you stupid girl?" Her mother's voice followed her. "You may as well
sulk in your room and spare the populace — there's nowhere else to go."

"My friends are waiting for me."

Philippa's hand slapped the door control. She ran out into the cool night air and crossed the neatly
manicured lawn to the street. Behind her, she heard the door shut again.




CHAPTER TWO
More Birthday Fireworks

Clea lay on the the edge of the cliff and gazed over the edge at the black sands below. Far out on the
horizon the last rim of the sun sank behind her the others talked quietly. Clea looked at them, thinking
back to her arrival on Gauguin.
It seemed unbelievable that she'd left Galahad, the planet of her birth, fearing that life on a frontier planet
would be dull. From the moment she had awakened from the transport's deep sleep and gazed into Sean
Matthews's green eyes, life had not been dull. Exciting, scary, funny, sad; but never dull.