[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
low voice, obviously urging her to retire from the session, ' the Manager
shook her head.
Henta settled into the Bahvia Chair, her retinue taking "ni behind and around
her. Her Senior Aide leaned over to I| "Do you want a last look at the files?"
i
Henta shook her head. "I'm as prepared as I'm going to be.' But she had a
feeling the Council might not be prepared ? Bahvia this year.
The great double doors behind the Ministry Chair .v.'iiiij open and the aide
at the entrance announced, "Ixpar Tfll Ministry Successor."
I
Henta found it hard to believe that the striking young " iii who strode into me
room wa the same gangly child She TE known a few years ago. Ixpar brought to
mind a painting Srat had once seen, an Old Age warrior queen in bronze and
'r.m armor standing with her long legs planted on a cliif, holding : spear
aloft in one hand and a shield in the other, her hiplength '" hair whipping
out behind her body, turned into fire by the sun-';. set.
;
As Ixpar took her seat next to the Ministry Chair, a flurry of
-The Last Hawk 221
noise came from the entrance, followed by the announcement, "Savina Miesa,
Manager of Miesa Estate." Savina sped into the Hall, conferring with a bevy of
aides, and ran smack into the Varz Chair. She reddened, looking around, then
made her way over to her own Chair next to Bahvla.
As Savina sat down, Henta smiled. "A dignified entrance."
Savina caught her breath. "I thought we'd never make it."
The doorSaOf the Hall opened. "Avtac Varz," the aide said. "Manager of Varz."
Silence fell over the room. A tall woman entered, steel-gray and rigid: gray
eyes, gray braid, gray vest, gray shirt, gray trousers and boots. At her left
walked a woman with hair the color of rust.
Henta leaned toward Savina. "Who is that with Avtac?"
"Her name is Zecha," Savina said. "She'll be replacing the captain of the
" Varz Hunters soon."
"Rashiva doesn't look pleased to see her."
The aide at the entrance cleared her throat. "Jahit Kam." She paused.
"Minister of Coba."
Henta rose with the other Managers and their retinues as Jahit entered. A
single figure dressed in black, Jahit needed no retinue. Her presence filled
the Hall. She went to stand before her Chair and spoke in a gravely voice.
"The Sixty-sixth Council of the Ninth Century of the modern Age is now met."
A rustle sounded as, all around the Opal Table, Managers settled into their
Chairs and brought out their pouches.
The Minister placed the first die. So began the Council Quis of Coba.
Avtac paced the living room of the Varz guest suite. Zecha waited by the door
and several aides hovered in the doorway to an inner room. Stahna, the Varz
Successor, stood by the bookshelf.
Avtac stopped in front of Stahna. "Incredible." She started pacing again.
"It was luck," Stahna said. "Henta Bahvla has never domiated the Quis like
that before."
"What luck?" Avtac demanded. "Bahvla has a Haka Calani."
Stahna spoke with distaste. 'An ofFworlder." j Like a bite of sour
fruit, Avtac thought. It made '" unclean and tainted Haka as well. "Rashiva's
Quis was ii? i inable today." i| "She's
too ill to be at Council," Stahna said. _f "If pregnancy makes a
Manager too weak to sit in CT she shouldn't be a Manager." Avtac tued to a
secretary ' ing in the doorway. "Go tell Manager Haka I want to see T As the
young man sped off, Avtac resumed pacing. "Sl, Savina so confused, Savina
doesn't know a cube from a If this continues, she will vote to give away her
own m'li "I'll get her into a Quis session tonight," Stahna "Maybe I can undo
some of Bahvla's damage." * "A good idea." Avtac went over to Zecha.
"This man iS Can he affect the dice the way we saw today?" ___] "It's
possible," Zecha said. "There was a definite lii Haka after he went into the
Calanya." ___i Avtac frowned. "I fail to understand how Rashiva
let !T9??i be duped into that arrangement with Dahl." -5 "My
recommendation was to leave him in prison" '\ said. "It would have avoided a
lot of trouble." Avtac saw the ??» she had sent for Rashiva coming back alone.
"Where is P? ager Haka? f He stopped
in the archway. "Her aides said she can't go ii where tonight."
i
"So" Avtac turned to Zecha. We will see for ourselves. In the antechamber of
the Haka guest suite, they ffllTW( cluster of aides playing Quis. As Avtac
entered with Zecha i. group hastened to its feet. An older woman bowed to her.
"" 3 greetings Manager Varz." » "I've come to see
Manager Haka," Avtac said. "I'm sorry, ma'am. She can't have visitors now."
Avtac considered the woman. "What's your name?" 1 "Chal Haka ma'am."
"Well, Chal, I suggest you let Manager Haka make her r; decisions as to who
she will and will not see." __ Chal flushed, then bowed and withdrew from
the li
_ " " The Last Hawk 223
"May we get you anything Manager Varz?" another aide asked. "Some Tanghi? Jai
rum?"
"No," Avtac said.
Chal reappeared. "Manager Haka bids you welcome Manager Varz. She will see you
now."
Rashiva was sitting up in bed when Avtac and Zecha entered the inner chambers
of the Haka guest suite. A handsome youth wearing the bands of a Haka Akasi
stood by the nightstand, straightening up as if he had just slid off the bed.
From his dark beauty, Avtac guessed he was one of the Haka highborn. In the
privacy of Rashiva's chambers he was barefoot, wearing only his trousers and
shirt, but his robe lay on a nearby divan and a Talha scarf hung around his
neck. Although he regarded her with no smile, Avtac knew he made suggestive
invitations with his dark eyes. Haka men were all the same. It was no wonder
their women had to keep such close watch on them.
"My greetings, Avtac." Rashiva touched the boy's arm. "This is Raaj."
Avtac bowed to the Calani. "My honor at your presence, Raaj."
He nodded, still without the forbidden smile, but Avtac recognized the
falseness of his modesty by the way his clothes molded to his well-built body.
Rashiva curled her fingers around Raaj's hand and kissed his knuckles. He
squeezed her hand, then took his robe and left with his guards.
Avtac frowned at the Haka Manager. "You and I have business to discuss."
Rashiva glanced at Zecha, then back at Avtac. 'The affairs of Haka are not the
affairs of one Shunned by Haka."
"The affairs of Haka are a mess," Avtac said. "You let Henta dice you into
comers today. How is it that an offworlder gives Bahvia advantage over you?
"You never sat at the Quis table with him," Rashiva said. "Don't underestimate
him." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl szamanka888.keep.pl
low voice, obviously urging her to retire from the session, ' the Manager
shook her head.
Henta settled into the Bahvia Chair, her retinue taking "ni behind and around
her. Her Senior Aide leaned over to I| "Do you want a last look at the files?"
i
Henta shook her head. "I'm as prepared as I'm going to be.' But she had a
feeling the Council might not be prepared ? Bahvia this year.
The great double doors behind the Ministry Chair .v.'iiiij open and the aide
at the entrance announced, "Ixpar Tfll Ministry Successor."
I
Henta found it hard to believe that the striking young " iii who strode into me
room wa the same gangly child She TE known a few years ago. Ixpar brought to
mind a painting Srat had once seen, an Old Age warrior queen in bronze and
'r.m armor standing with her long legs planted on a cliif, holding : spear
aloft in one hand and a shield in the other, her hiplength '" hair whipping
out behind her body, turned into fire by the sun-';. set.
;
As Ixpar took her seat next to the Ministry Chair, a flurry of
-The Last Hawk 221
noise came from the entrance, followed by the announcement, "Savina Miesa,
Manager of Miesa Estate." Savina sped into the Hall, conferring with a bevy of
aides, and ran smack into the Varz Chair. She reddened, looking around, then
made her way over to her own Chair next to Bahvla.
As Savina sat down, Henta smiled. "A dignified entrance."
Savina caught her breath. "I thought we'd never make it."
The doorSaOf the Hall opened. "Avtac Varz," the aide said. "Manager of Varz."
Silence fell over the room. A tall woman entered, steel-gray and rigid: gray
eyes, gray braid, gray vest, gray shirt, gray trousers and boots. At her left
walked a woman with hair the color of rust.
Henta leaned toward Savina. "Who is that with Avtac?"
"Her name is Zecha," Savina said. "She'll be replacing the captain of the
" Varz Hunters soon."
"Rashiva doesn't look pleased to see her."
The aide at the entrance cleared her throat. "Jahit Kam." She paused.
"Minister of Coba."
Henta rose with the other Managers and their retinues as Jahit entered. A
single figure dressed in black, Jahit needed no retinue. Her presence filled
the Hall. She went to stand before her Chair and spoke in a gravely voice.
"The Sixty-sixth Council of the Ninth Century of the modern Age is now met."
A rustle sounded as, all around the Opal Table, Managers settled into their
Chairs and brought out their pouches.
The Minister placed the first die. So began the Council Quis of Coba.
Avtac paced the living room of the Varz guest suite. Zecha waited by the door
and several aides hovered in the doorway to an inner room. Stahna, the Varz
Successor, stood by the bookshelf.
Avtac stopped in front of Stahna. "Incredible." She started pacing again.
"It was luck," Stahna said. "Henta Bahvla has never domiated the Quis like
that before."
"What luck?" Avtac demanded. "Bahvla has a Haka Calani."
Stahna spoke with distaste. 'An ofFworlder." j Like a bite of sour
fruit, Avtac thought. It made '" unclean and tainted Haka as well. "Rashiva's
Quis was ii? i inable today." i| "She's
too ill to be at Council," Stahna said. _f "If pregnancy makes a
Manager too weak to sit in CT she shouldn't be a Manager." Avtac tued to a
secretary ' ing in the doorway. "Go tell Manager Haka I want to see T As the
young man sped off, Avtac resumed pacing. "Sl, Savina so confused, Savina
doesn't know a cube from a If this continues, she will vote to give away her
own m'li "I'll get her into a Quis session tonight," Stahna "Maybe I can undo
some of Bahvla's damage." * "A good idea." Avtac went over to Zecha.
"This man iS Can he affect the dice the way we saw today?" ___] "It's
possible," Zecha said. "There was a definite lii Haka after he went into the
Calanya." ___i Avtac frowned. "I fail to understand how Rashiva
let !T9??i be duped into that arrangement with Dahl." -5 "My
recommendation was to leave him in prison" '\ said. "It would have avoided a
lot of trouble." Avtac saw the ??» she had sent for Rashiva coming back alone.
"Where is P? ager Haka? f He stopped
in the archway. "Her aides said she can't go ii where tonight."
i
"So" Avtac turned to Zecha. We will see for ourselves. In the antechamber of
the Haka guest suite, they ffllTW( cluster of aides playing Quis. As Avtac
entered with Zecha i. group hastened to its feet. An older woman bowed to her.
"" 3 greetings Manager Varz." » "I've come to see
Manager Haka," Avtac said. "I'm sorry, ma'am. She can't have visitors now."
Avtac considered the woman. "What's your name?" 1 "Chal Haka ma'am."
"Well, Chal, I suggest you let Manager Haka make her r; decisions as to who
she will and will not see." __ Chal flushed, then bowed and withdrew from
the li
_ " " The Last Hawk 223
"May we get you anything Manager Varz?" another aide asked. "Some Tanghi? Jai
rum?"
"No," Avtac said.
Chal reappeared. "Manager Haka bids you welcome Manager Varz. She will see you
now."
Rashiva was sitting up in bed when Avtac and Zecha entered the inner chambers
of the Haka guest suite. A handsome youth wearing the bands of a Haka Akasi
stood by the nightstand, straightening up as if he had just slid off the bed.
From his dark beauty, Avtac guessed he was one of the Haka highborn. In the
privacy of Rashiva's chambers he was barefoot, wearing only his trousers and
shirt, but his robe lay on a nearby divan and a Talha scarf hung around his
neck. Although he regarded her with no smile, Avtac knew he made suggestive
invitations with his dark eyes. Haka men were all the same. It was no wonder
their women had to keep such close watch on them.
"My greetings, Avtac." Rashiva touched the boy's arm. "This is Raaj."
Avtac bowed to the Calani. "My honor at your presence, Raaj."
He nodded, still without the forbidden smile, but Avtac recognized the
falseness of his modesty by the way his clothes molded to his well-built body.
Rashiva curled her fingers around Raaj's hand and kissed his knuckles. He
squeezed her hand, then took his robe and left with his guards.
Avtac frowned at the Haka Manager. "You and I have business to discuss."
Rashiva glanced at Zecha, then back at Avtac. 'The affairs of Haka are not the
affairs of one Shunned by Haka."
"The affairs of Haka are a mess," Avtac said. "You let Henta dice you into
comers today. How is it that an offworlder gives Bahvia advantage over you?
"You never sat at the Quis table with him," Rashiva said. "Don't underestimate
him." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]