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THE OUTLAND 181
Rob, hurry up! Astrix's voice called. We won't be able to hold him back for long!The scarlet bloody whip in the air was overwhelmed by several multi-colored energy flows at once, trembling with tension. The thaumaturge, gaping, stopped bombarding me with new spells for a change and stared at the doomsday reigning in the sky.Who are you boy? Why did you decide that to treat you the same way as everyone else is the greatest injustice? Where did the thoughts in your head come from that people should be connected by feelings and affections, and not by common interests?I understood what all this battle was about, what the road had led to until now. The boy remained alone all his life, believing that he was just very unlucky, and that somewhere there must be friendly hands, a warm smile and hope for tomorrow - you just need to look properly. About the fact that the world is dying of loneliness, he learned much later, becoming much older.A world that didn't need a boy. A world that aband
THE OUTLAND Epilogue
And then ... Everything went - as it went. And may there always remain worlds where people are lonely, where it is dark, and icteric palms of maples fall from the sky. One day Avdeyka and his mother... Aunt? The devil will break his leg in their difficult relationship. One way or another, they will definitely get there. Maybe one day they will get to the chair where my reader is bent from loneliness. Who knows, the universe is merciful and loves its children. But it is not exactly. But it is known: today the very first seven testers-gods got up from sleep. Eduardo, Shelly, Alexey, Umbra, Erebus and Nyukta, Selina. Alive, absolutely. Skinny, of course, like a spring rook, but quite sane. Shelly even tried to pick up her son from the distributor, but she was quickly explained that he would definitely be better there. Astrix also did not go away, although he got out from under the dropper. From time to time he walks into other people's dreams, treats him to strange drinks and cigare
THE OUTLAND 1
I don't remember why I went to the Far Search - it was too long ago. Probably just didn't want to end up under a fence like my father, or on a black organ dealer's desk like my sister. The state gave you a chance, paid for your education and maintenance until the end of your days, even paid your salary. In return, you had to serve - again, until the end of your days.We are marauders, rats, thieves looking for fresh solutions to save the state rushing into the abyss with a roar. We just do what we're paid to do. And certainly not going to save some kind of world out there. Rather, from the point of view of some, it is time to save the world from us. All worlds, including those where we have not yet stuck our curious nose - hello to Conquista. Rob, are you ready? Fay called from the remote control. I nodded and pulled on my helmet. He ran, accelerating, towards the flaring blue-white glow. Black box III link Ogre DP. 16.VI.30 Commander Rob A. entry 1/6Again the taste of blood in
THE OUTLAND 2
The Interworld Conquista is an association of worlds of a medium-low level of development under the leadership of the church of the great Xolotl, which the Far Search encountered in its very first Breakouts. In the event of a collision, it is recommended to maintain a distance without entering into fire contact. Despite their technological backwardness, the Conquista fighters showed extremely high efficiency in trapping, searching for and destroying Long-Range Search operatives.From the Charter of the Far Search.There are more, there have always been more. Oh, my head ... How do they manage to constantly figure us out? They are bare-assed savages, howling against us with our own weapons! How? Mystery.Mixed in with the hangover feeling was a vaguely familiar sensation that I would have been hard pressed to pinpoint. Everything ached - my head, my eyes, my teeth... Having searched a bit in my memory, I revived a very similar feeling that happens once a year, when operatives are given
THE OUTLAND 3
Frost was right. With our own hands we handed over the keys to victory to Conquista. They lay on their belly and spread their legs. Although it didn’t happen before that Conquista caught us immediately at the exit point, but I suppose this is not the last such case, because ...I angrily squeezed, crushed the ill-fated cube between my fingers. Idiots, what idiots we are. We run, puff, try something, and then a well-wisher comes with rationalization proposals!I didn’t even want to think about the fact that it could be a targeted sabotage, sponsored by someone - it became completely sickening. But - and-people capable of solving just such problems - and only I guessed?I wonder at what rate these thirty pieces of silver were paid?“Fey, after returning to the base, you will hand over your weapons and official equipment. I was surprised to hear my cracked voice. “You are withdrawing from operations.- There is. the Vietnamese woman said coldly.“Do you have anything else we should know
THE OUTLAND 4
Top secret.Black box III link Ogre DP. 16.VI.30 Commander Rob A. entry 4/6— Hello, commander. - Suddenly heard on the command frequency. - You're good to run.- Who is it?— Conquista. Faye whispered. Rob, don't answer!"Familiar voice, who is it?""Don't you recognize me?"— Commander! Frost's tense voice was heard. “I see their captain-general!”— Distance to the target?- A mile and a half.So shoot, why are you delaying?- I don't…"What's wrong with all of you!" Fey, on the perimeter.I climbed a tree with the desire to tell Fros everything I think about him. For once, we are in a better position, we can no longer play the exchange, but snap their fighters from a distance! Return home winners!The words stood in my throat like a stake when I took the shooting complex from Froze, crouched down on the scope and saw a familiar face at maximum magnification. He looked strange in antediluvian camouflage with a primitive "Kalash" on his shoulder, but there could be no mistake. - D
THE OUTLAND 5
— Bitch Hyde! I yelled, pulling off my headset. Outside the windows, dawn was already painting the dull gray buildings of our department with a soft pink color. I was left alone in the office again, the last one again. Or the first, depending on how you look.From the accompanying screen, the bastard general Hyde was grinning at me, frozen. Embracing my fighters by the shoulders, enjoying their unconditional trust. And the credits slid up across the black field. Somewhere I screwed up, somewhere I missed something. According to persistent rumors on the net, the third episode of "Search" could be completed by returning to the base. True, the lucky ones who received this particular ending stubbornly kept silent, posting only the final shots with burning installations and a bottomless muzzle looking between the eyes of the protagonist.Solid terra incognita. The stubborn silence of the lucky ones gave rise to a second wave of rumors - they say, they will have to pay not with a minted co
THE OUTLAND 6
The department woke up, came to life - people, normal people, not maniacs like me, sitting at a toy until dawn, slowly took their places. They are not my colleagues, they do not like adrenaline, the race from danger or for the victim, they are shy of emotions and therefore they never start games with a romantic line. No one has ever seen them cry heartily or laugh out loud. Homo robotics. And why did they survive in the Last War, and not personalities like noisy Edik? Silly providence.No, of course, I did not have the abilities of Rob from "Search", I never shone with intuition, but a month of work in the department taught me to turn off my head while working on reports. And thoughts inevitably start in an empty head. Including those for which the state security may well attract for treason. It’s good, after all, that the space of thoughts has been equated with private life!The adjacent tables were already empty by the time I finished my report. Four hundred test questions, more li