Читать книгу The Science Fiction Anthology онлайн

194 страница из 776

“Afraid it couldn’t be exported. It’s a custom job, you see. Hand-woven, hand-decorated. It was a birthday present.”

The colonel stared at him.

“Well,” Clarey said, “if you didn’t expect me to get birthday presents, you shouldn’t have put a birth date on my identity papers. My boss baked me a melxhane—”

“Your boss!”

“The relationship between employer and employee is much different from the way it is on Earth,” Clarey explained. Reaching over, he flipped the switch on the recorder and repeated the statement, adding, “Embelsira is kind, considerate, helpful; she can’t do enough for me.” He put his mouth close to the mechanism. “Be sure to tell MacFingal that.”

“Now, now,” the colonel said, turning the switch off. He pushed a small tea wagon over to Clarey. “You must be starving. Have some sandwiches and coffee. I’m sure you’ll be glad to taste good Earth food again.”

“Yes, indeed,” Clarey said, trying not to make a face. “Er—shouldn’t we start recording while everything’s fresh in my mind?”