"James White - SG 09 - Galactic Gourmet" - читать интересную книгу автора (White James)

friends.
There were beings terrifying in their obvious physical strength, others so
horrifying and repugnant that they belonged in the realms of nightmare, and one, a
large, insectile creature with three sets of beautiful iridescent wings, had a body so
fragile that the sight of it among the others aroused immediate feelings of concern.
There were very few vacant spaces at any of the tables.
It was obvious that space was at a premium in Sector General and, whenever it
was physiologically possible, the beings who worked together were expected to dine
together—although not, Gurronsevas sincerely hoped, on the same food.
He was wondering if it was possible to prepare a meal that every warm-blooded,
oxygen-breathing species would find instantly palatable, and thinking that that would
be the ultimate challenge for the Great Gurronsevas, when he was struck two soft
double-blows from behind.
"Don't block the entrance, stupid!" said a silver-furred Kelgian in the unmannerly
manner of its race as it pushed past him. On his other flank its companion added,
"Stand dreaming there much longer and you'll starve to death."
As he moved further into the hall, Gurronsevas realized suddenly that he felt
hungry, but even stronger was his feeling of curiosity regarding the beautiful,
outsized insect life-form hovering and eating above a nearby table that was furnished
for Melfan ELNTs. Beside and below it there was a vacant place.
It was indeed an insect, he saw as he came up to its table, an enormous,
incredibly fragile flying insect that was tiny in comparison with most of the other
beings in the hall. From its tubular exo-skeletal body there projected six pencil-thin
legs, four even more delicately formed manipulators, and three sets of wide,
iridescent wings that were beating slowly as it hovered a short distance above the
table as it wove a long, stringy substance (which Gurronsevas immediately
recognized as Earth spaghetti) into a cable before conveying it delicately to its mouth.
At close range, he thought, the delicate creature was even more beautiful. For a
moment its hovering flight became less stable and a series of trills and clicks issued
from an unidentified body orifice like a musical backing to the translated words.
"Why thank you, friend," it said. "I am Prilicla. You must be Gurronsevas."
"You must be telepathic," said Gurronsevas in surprise.
"No, friend Gurronsevas," said Prilicla, "I am a Cinrusskin. Our race possesses a
faculty which enables us to sense emotional radiation, but it is empathy rather than
telepathy. You were radiating feelings characteristic of a mind that is undergoing a
completely new experience, but with the unease which usually accompanies such
feelings overlaid by intense curiosity. Other trace emotions are present which support
the principal indications. These combined with the foreknowledge that a Tralthan was
expected to arrive shortly to take charge of Dietetics enabled me to make no more
than an accurate guess."
"I am nevertheless impressed," said Gurronsevas. The warmth and friendliness
emanating from the little being was almost palpable. "May I join you?"
"Stranger, you are too damned polite," a large Orligian from the other side of the
vacant place broke in loudly. It was elderly, its bristling grey fur concealed most of
the straps of its equipment harness, and it was seated not very comfortably on the
edge of the table's Melfan support cradle, all of which may have contributed to its
own lack of politeness. "I am Yaroch-Kar. Just grab the seat before somebody else
does. In this place you'll find that the polite people are always badly undernourished."
Further along the table an Earth-human made the sound Gurronsevas had learned
to identify as laughter, and in a softer voice the Orligian went on. "The mechanism for