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

theskies below veered out of the racing pack, stopped, and waved its claw at them in a very human
gesture. "Hi, guys!" They just barely caught the shrilly yelped words on the rising breeze.

Will whistled. "Whew, that's mighty weird!"

"It still makes me dizzy," Sean said, rubbing his eyes.

"Then get your hide away from that cliff," Noriko said grimly, yanking his arm. Sean obligingly moved
away from the cliffs edge.

"Why don't the quufers use the theskies to talk to us, then?" Daphne asked practically. "You certainly
seem to be able to do it."

"It's not the same between them, either," Sean said. "The theskies don't really notice me there, and they
don't remember me having been in their minds. With the quufers, though, it's . . . different. They're aware
of each other. We already know that theskies physically take care of the quufers." He turned to Clea.
"Right?"

The others turned to look at her, and Clea felt a warm color rising under her skin. She'd learned some
surprising facts on her recent ocean expedition with Zach; she'd also been introduced to more mysterious
creatures whose ways of communication were even more difficult to fathom. "It's true," she said. "As for
communication between the various life-forms, there's no way to know how it happens, or how much,
but after what I saw and

heard among the jonahs, and the shadows, it's definitely there."

"I just wish you could teach us how to do that," Will waved below at the disappearing theskies. "Without
us having to be nearly brained by evil mallium miners first," Daphne put in firmly.

"Philippa!" Clea heard the usually quiet Arkady exclaim gladly.

Clea and the others all turned to see a familiar tall, pale- haired figure coming down the path. Philippa
was probably the most beautiful girl in the school — and the most difficult to get to know. Still, prickly
and moody and stand-offish as she was, Clea had also discovered that she was loyal, courageous — and
very lonely. "Welcome, Pippa!" she called, smiling at her friend.

"Hello," Philippa said. "What's going on?"

Clea hesitated, meeting Sean's eyes. They all knew that talk of the mental current and the quufers
bothered the girl from Alphorion. Now an awkward silence fell, as everyone consciously turned their
attention away from a topic they found intriguing.

Daphne, the social expert, was the first to bridge the awkward moment; as Philippa walked the last few
meters down the path, she turned and pulled a container forward. Lifting the lid, she made a flourishing
gesture toward a round baked shape that had been decorated with colorful swoops and swirls, "la-da!
Happy birthday!"

"Happy birthday!" the others cried.

In the twilight, Philippa's complexion seemed more pale than usual. She smiled politely and dropped