THEATRE.
Fantastic story.
The whole world - the theater.
William Shakespeare
(C) Perevoznik Sergey.
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Chapter 1.
- I so can not go, all -
Jackson nervously tore off
tie, I'm tired of grovel
before these amphibians: "Oh,
please tell me you would be so
kind, not ... . To hell! "We
returned with another, already
fortieth round of talks with representatives Olaru.
Ever since mankind
failed to make contact with
representatives of other civilizations emerged and space
diplomacy. Moreover, it was a matter of not an easy one -
affects the difference in the mindset of the inhabitants of
different planets. And most trifling matters, with the Earth
terms are sometimes not resolved
a year or two. It was necessary
special talent, a sixth sense
prompting diplomat solution at the critical moment.
The diplomat was not entitled to
error, any wrong to say
or interpret the word to them may have the most irreparable
consequences in the relations between the two
worlds. I remember a case where the TEI delegation suddenly
stopped negotiations only because they have
our translator were brown
hair. On their planet, it was
a sign of deep national
mourning. We had a guy immediately
repaint in a fiery redhead
color.
Now here Olara ...
Olaryane were creatures
extremely cautious and suspicious. They are now the second year
of looked after us asking provocative questions,
evasively answered all of the proposals by drowning in a sea of
all the tedious and meaningless etiquette. In short, the
negotiations are still not budge.
And we are forced to Johnson
were stuck here on Celeste,
so to speak, neutral territory, leaving hope for a quick
meeting with friends and family.
- Listen, Janis, you're deaf
what? - He took a flyer in
mode of autonomous flight and turned to me. - How much do we
we tolerate them?
- As much as you need -
I replied, knowing that Jackson is my answer does not suit -
we're the first, who should be contacted ...
- I heard - he interrupted me, I thought you were something
sensible to say. In the end, we can not conference room. I can
no longer look at those orange faces.
They told me even at night began to dream.
- Well, you know - I began, - the diplomat should first
learn to control himself. By the way,
from their point of view, you probably
look too far from handsome.
He smiled. Probably tried to look at ourselves through the
eyes of olaryan. Well, for a diplomat
important to learn to look at the world
eye contact. Jackson has
very young, but I believe that
He has a great future. That is to say, the intuition of the old
diplomatic wolf. And though at times he makes me pretty
worried, I'm glad that now next to me is he, not someone
another. Flyer softly touched
wheels green circle landing field on the roof of our hotel and
we came out of him, immediately is plunged into a thick dense
dark summer night. Do not Celeste
own moon, so night
is surprisingly dark. Short, simple to Jackson, I
descended on the airlift to his
room, shoved the robot maid, appeared, as always nevovremya and
flopped on the bed determined to have a rest before
tomorrow's round. But proglazev
about half the ceiling, and realized that I have to sleep hardly
succeed, with a sigh, stood up and
took a coffee table volume
Shakespeare. But before I could open the
book as a knock on the door softly. Jackson entered the room,
dressed in a spotted coat.
- I can not sleep, - He and explained the
hopeless gesture ...
Chapter 2.
The first meeting with olaryanami
made me very sad reflection. When the hall
included two polulyagushki-polutritona, rolling huge unblinking
eyes and uttering unspeakable
screeching sounds, I have a great
hardly restrained not to recoil. I was expecting to see
everything Anything, anything but that. Small immature front
limbs, is clearly not suitable
for manual labor, a huge
tail, decorated at the end of two long spikes - all
attached form after a horrid, frightening appearance. Lateral
view, I noticed how pale when they occur Jackson, and
afraid that now he would certainly spoil everything. But the guy
keep a stiff upper lip. Weighed out a clear and memorized to
automaticity nod, he smiled slightly and
sure step toward
table. Negative attitude towards
olaryanam increased more, and their refusal to name the
coordinates of its planet. Their suspicion,
it seemed, had no boundaries. And I
consoled myself with the fact that it is better
than to be, for example, in the palace
His Majesty Hria 246, the hereditary monarch Salii where
accounted for half an hour to listen to the eulogy
King and the same in your own email address before you
reported that the King of today's busy and nobody accepts.
In the morning when we met, not
tchatelno less than usual on
41 round, I looked casually out the window and saw
that around the city have already begun
to erect a huge wall. Hence, the autumn wind is not far off.
With respect to climate Celeste was definitely not the best
place for negotiation. Olaryane have to wait longer
hours, until it finally appeared
one of them and reported that his
companion fell ill and, therefore, will lead the negotiations
himself. When He rather pointedly kryakrul, implying
that he has for us, quite an important message.
Chapter 3.
Sometimes I think that all
of us simply did not exist, was
just a dream, a strange dream
which ran for decades.
Fifteen years ago, died in
Celeste fire of nuclear war, leaving as a memory of himself,
only radioactive asteroid belt.
There were Jackson and his wife.
I did six years ago, went into
retired and now live my
Days on Aran, admiring the sunrise every morning just three
suns and Taking various guests from
all corners of the meta-galaxy. Back on Earth lacks spirit
- There are too many links
I have in the past. Still here
I can not hide from it,
it lives in me, in each of my
gesture and every word. It would be pointless to try to change
immutable order of things. But
Still, I'm trying to imagine
imagine what would happen if
I have done differently? ..
... Ambassador pointedly
grunted, letting him know that he has for us a fairly important
message, and I immediately pictured
face the greatest attention.
What happened after
it defies description. If
to all the gods gathered Celeste
together now in this room, I probably would have been much
impressed less. The Ambassador made some
subtle movement and in the same
moment of the disintegrated in two skin
reptiles stepped toward us
Pretty pretty girl. Seeing our confusion, she
pointed to the table and uttered a soft, singsong voice:
- Lord! My name is Elia
Olla. Tip of the planet Olara instructed me to conclude with
you a treaty of friendship and cooperation. Seeing that we are
still in a state of great surprise, she laughed merrily and
childishly carefree. - I We apologize for this masquerade - she
said, sitting in his chair - Believe it was a necessary
measure. Unfortunately, the experience of the first off-planet
contact has taught us the greatest caution. Civilization Olara
did not know weapons. For the history of our development of
human hand is not lost no creature. And our first visit to
another planet vospolzovashis that destroyed more than half the
population Olaru. And we wanted to know when meeting with you
that you really are interested in:
meeting was with the brothers on reason, not able to get
new colony, and you are ready to
such a meeting, putting reason above all, and, above all,
above your senses. Again
Excuse me ... Muttering something like "not worth"
"How is it" and so forth, and
sat down and turned on the record.
Chapter 4.
- All - I said to myself, -
time to assemble in the road and caused an android maid. Who
could know that this will be the prophetic words? Ten minutes
later broke screen videophone, adorned with lush face
Cavendish, my boss and God's diplomacy.
- You can congratulate? -
he asked, oblivious as always
say hello.
- Can - blissfully lazy
I replied with a sense of duty and foreboding of the
long-awaited vacation.
- And where is Jackson?
- They went with the Ambassador Olara
see the sights of the city. Told them not to wait.
- You see, old man - Cavendish sighed - at
Malraux emergence of armed
Stakhov conflict with uonami. Leader
Clan Stakhov asks you to be
mediator in the negotiations for an armistice. You know him ...
Spaceship in an hour. Holy Snakes
reckoned that I will make on
his opponents corresponding
impression, and he will be able to dictate its will. What if ..
I went to Jackson's room and
picked up lying on the floor orange skin, presented to him
Olloy. But that's another story.
I flew with Malraux did not know
yet, that Jackson and Eli will
spouses, three years later Jackson be appointed ambassador to
Earth Celeste, and another five they do not
enough for a few moments to leave the planet.
Signing a contract with Olara has become history, and its
details are not found in even the most thick textbooks. Maybe
this prompted me to take up
pen. In general, diplomacy - is
extremely subtle game, and after a great actor, in whose hands
we entrust our peace and tranquility.
Gloria House, Aran.
March 18, 2688.
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