Аннотация: Colony day picnic. Nazumi's invasion of the village.
Chapter 3. It seems to be an ordinary life.
Igor (Mendoir, October-November 2358)
Picnic
The city of Leonov, October 10, 2358
I'm sitting high, I'm looking far away! Even above one and a half meters. Between my legs is the back of my head with blond curly hair, and under my ass are skinny boyish shoulders. I hold my brother's forehead with my hands and prevent him from turning his head, which he periodically resents.
"Little snake! Take your hands off, I can't see anything under my feet! Come on! There are roots all around!"
"Igor! Let's crash now!" And you squint your eyes! That's how it will be seen!
"Am I a mud crab? My eyes are not on stalks!"
"Then I'll hold on to you hair. They're long and soft, just for my hands!"
"No, not by the hair! Little snake, you're going to rip them all out for me! And I won't rip anything out! You've got them firmly in place! Binna is walking next to us, bursting with fun, listening to our bickering. For my brothers, Binka, and for me, for some time, Binochka. That's what I called it in the summer, when I asked my brothers to go fishing, but they didn't want to take it. They say I'm still small. So I plugged it in. I cried in her lap, she felt sorry for me and put pressure on my brothers, but they can't refuse Binna. They took me with them. I've been calling her Binochka ever since.
"Snake, what are you going to do there?"
"I'm going to give you a head massage, Deniska!" I say and start gently massaging my brother's head with my fingers. He's got a little headache, but at least I'll heal up a little.
"Then I'm definitely going to fall!"
"I'll fall for you! Okay, you drop me, so you can still spill two buckets of barbecue, and not only will I not forgive you, no one will forgive you! I'll fall for you! Okay, you drop me, so you can still spill two buckets of barbecue, and not only will I not forgive you, no one will forgive you!"
"Ha ha ha! That's for sure, we won't forgive!" - Binna laughs loudly.
"Oh, right? Are you ganging up on poor me? Uh-oh! The conspirators! I won't carry you back in the evening, you'll know, you red-haired arrogant!"
"Well, Dishya!" I hug my brother's head and speak softly in his ear.
"I'm sorry, asshole, I won't do this anymore! I'll give you a "I won't"! Do the massage next, and I'll keep a better eye on my feet. Hehe!
I gently let the energy flow through my fingers, massaging my brother's head. Well, he's had a headache this morning.
"Ah-ha-ha-ha! Comedians! No circus is needed!" Binna is pouring in.
I look at her with a smile, gently massaging my brother's head. He grunts with pleasure and slowly turns his head, putting different places under my fingers. Well, at least my brother felt better. Otherwise, we're going on a holiday, it's not a good idea to go to rest with a sore head.
We're all going on a picnic together. All of them are my family, the Tanir family as a whole, Aegih'rigar, Aunt Ratnet with her daughter Binna and Avanti with her mother Saer, plus, Polkasha and Bars. Today is October 10, colony Day, on this truly historic day for Mendoir, 13 years ago, the first colonist set foot on its surface, and it doesn't really matter that there were sixty thousand of them. Avanti's father is the senior shift engineer on duty today, and his brother Balhaar is his assistant. Yes, his brother was found, he flew in at the end of June.
At that time, my father was urgently taken to Gagarin Port along with Anker, right from Deniska's birthday. When they returned a couple of hours later, a tall, thin Batarian, who looked exactly like Anker, only ten years younger, and a young, thin Batarian, his brother's wife, got out of our flyer with them. And they don't have any children yet. At that time, my father was urgently taken to Gagarin Port along with Anker, right from Deniska's birthday. When they returned a couple of hours later, a tall, thin Batarian, who looked exactly like Anker, only ten years younger, and a young, thin Batarian, his brother's wife, got out of our flyer with them.
And they don't have any children yet. A regiment of gray shaggy torpedoes rushes through the park, pestering other groups of walkers, but no one is afraid of him. On the contrary, everyone is clutching and trying to shove delicious things, which this shameless gobbler uses, especially since he knows most of the residents of the town, because he often walks with his older brothers in the park. Polkan is a unique dog: the only one in the entire Mendoire from the "Guardian" program. These dogs were jointly developed by Terran and Salarian geneticists, according to a common program for the protection of hazardous industries and special facilities. And my maternal uncle brought it to the folder as a gift from the command, in connection with his retirement. It's inconceivable how he got it, these dogs are still microscopically few. Well, yes, there is probably a lot available to the Rear Admiral, Deputy Commander of the Fifth Fleet of the Alliance of Systems. My mother's name was Hackett when she was a girl. Can you guess who my uncle is? It's not surprising that he pushed all the hemorrhoids of the Alliance onto the hero in the game, it's so family-friendly!
Barsik was pacing sedately behind Deniska and me, while not taking his attentive green eyes off me. He is also not a simple cat at all, but, as it turned out, from the CADIZ Alliance program (1). These are specially bred genetically modified cats with improved skeletons, intelligence, lifespan and a general list of improvements on three A4 sheets. Moreover, there are two models: civilian and military, differing only in color. Military cats and cats are gray, while civilians are red. It would be quite easy to get such a cat, if there was money: they cost from 300 thousand credits, like a branded flyer from Illium manufacturers, and they are wildly popular with the Asari. He was given to his parents as a wedding present, in a fold, by dad's carriage and mom's colleagues from the hospital. I have a backpack full of disposable paper dishes on my back. There is also an album made not of paper, but of paper paper. It's a kind of sheet plastic, very flexible and durable, used everywhere instead of paper, and repeatedly. All offices on the planet are required to maintain document management on it and dispose of the used one for disposal, for violation they are punished. Disposable items are made from easily degradable materials such as paper or rapidly oxidizing metals. It is enough to throw an empty tin can into a campfire, and there is no can. Although bonfires are not allowed in the city park, everyone uses electric fireplaces. Deniska, besides me, carries two buckets of pickled meat. Binna is walking next to us, still giggling periodically, followed by Azat with Nasar on his shoulders and carrying two folding chairs. Ivan sits proudly on Leshka, twirls, fidgets and periodically screams:
"But, but, the horse!" at the same time, covering Leshka's eyes with his palms. To which the older brother hisses:
"Little one, take your hands off, you can't see anything!" His hands are occupied with a folding table. Fawzan follows them with Avanti on his shoulders, she periodically bends over to one ear of Fawzan, then the other, and whispers about something with him intently. Fawzan probably wants to order someone's portrait from Avanti... and I can even guess whose! Yes, and the holography of the instrumentation went into use. What will they pay with, his wonder? Wow, a box of Azarian colored pencils in 200 colors with a set of spare pencils! Yes, Tamil knows how to interest our little artist! That's it, we've struck a deal. Dad and Uncle Agha are carrying a portable barbecue and a power unit to it, Binned skewers and a huge bucket with all kinds of greens. Uncle Dahi was loaded like a camel with a backpack, and even bags with all sorts of goodies. Different little things are carried by women. That's our place. According to the folder, families have been coming here for 11 years. The city lake with the poetic name "Blue Mirror" is spread out before us in all its glory. The lake, which has an almost regular oval shape, is surrounded on three sides by trees in a park area, and the narrow side rests against urban development. This part of the lake is clad in a granite embankment, which is the pride of the head of the municipality. There is also a hefty summer stage, from where fervent rhythms are now pouring and an urban ensemble is playing. All the urban youth between the ages of 14 and 25 hang out there now. I quickly take off my "unik", it's a kind of combat suit made of durable, beautiful fabric, almost everyone wears them, they're so comfortable, and I run to the lake in my swimming trunks. All the other offspring of all the families are flying after me, hooting, screaming and screeching. Despite October and the air temperature around plus 20 Celsius, the water in the lake is 37 degrees because it is fed by hot springs. We fly into the lake, and it's just a fairy tale! Imagine a bathroom the size of the Luzhniki Stadium with crystal clear and warm water, in which colorful fish of different sizes flash at depth, algae sway, and amazing-looking arthropods crawl. The beauty is breathtaking! And yes, I taught Nain to swim! When we returned to our kindergarten in September, during the next visit to the pool, I had an argument with Nasar that Turians cannot swim, but only drown! So I told him that the body of any organic is lighter than water and simply cannot drown, and since Turians have a larger lung volume than humans, drowning them is generally an almost impossible event. I made it up, in general, convincingly, and then offered him help in mastering swimming. And yes, Nasar, like the rest of the Turians, swim well, even if they stay in shallow water!
While the fathers are celebrating with a barbecue and tasting wine extracted from a portable refrigerator, Uncle Aegikh, by the way, drinks wine through a pipe (brr!.. I shuddered), and the mothers, hooked on tongues, discuss all the latest news, from urban to galactic, my brothers and I dive in the depths. Everyone has masks, including Nasar, made in "made in Aegih 's garage". And they are made of transparent fiberglass and molded industrial sealant. We all have enough. Binna swims next to Nasir. Azat and Fawzan, along with Ivan and Polkan, are chasing a big red ball through shallow water. Without thinking, I join their screaming and screaming company.
Four hours have passed
That's twilight. Nasir, Azanti, and I are sitting on an inflatable mattress on the shore, huddled close together, wrapped in a big fluffy blanket. Nasir, Azanti, and I are sitting on an inflatable mattress on the shore, huddled close together, wrapped in a big fluffy blanket. Nasir, Azanti, and I are sitting on an inflatable mattress on the shore, huddled close together, wrapped in a big fluffy blanket. The Turin brothers are laughing at the electric grill, passing some kind of toy to each other. My brothers are swimming in shallow water and heading for the coast, they must have swum. Inside, everyone is digesting a substantial portion of shish kebab and a large mug of compote. Pyrotechnics are busy on a cargo platform in the middle of the lake. They're going to set off fireworks, and we're in the front row, beauties! My father comes up from behind and, hugging the three of us, asks quietly:
"Aren't you cold, little ones?"
"It's okay, Uncle Mish. We're warm" Nasar answers and snuggles even closer to me. I'm silent, and Azanti is silent.
In the emotions of a friend with a girlfriend, there is joy and anticipation of the spectacle, and the father has love with notes of care, and for all of us about equally. That's how he was a captain, and he's still there! The main thing is the crew!
The crowd of young people on the other side of the stage is screaming. And we're sitting huddled together, looking up at the sky, and only multicolored flashes illuminate our faces. Here, under a blanket, sits a Barsik. He came and climbed in, and just like us, he looks up at the sky, purring loudly. I feel so good! I wish I could just sit there!
Whisper Ranch, November 9th, 2358
Something about fear!
So the real autumn has come. It immediately became very beautiful. I love autumn. And especially on Mendoir. It's already very cold at night, the leaves are falling off the trees, and their color is incredible! Silver-green, lighter on top and darker on the bottom in summer, now they have acquired a bright gold color. Sunny on the one hand, and red gold on the other. At the same time, the forest looks amazing, like a sparkling sea of gold! I am sitting on the fence facing the yard, in my hands I have a carbon fishing rod, requisitioned from Leshka, to the end of which is tied a long piece of nylon twine with a fluffed piece of synthetic insulation at the end, similar to a white pompom. I swing the rod to the right, left, up and down, the pom-pom at the end flies after my movements, and the Barsik rushes after it, radiating childish delight around, pirouetting, bending, bouncing, like an ordinary cat, behind a piece of paper on a string. At the same time, he periodically stealthily casts a glance in my direction, but isn't his little two-legged friend tired of this occupation? No, I'm not tired! Dying! And my supercat rushes on.
Azanti is sitting next to me with an invariable album on his lap and drawing. The whole family moved from the city to our village, Uncle Anker's brother bought the apartment, and the older Natols bought the land next to us. Now there is a modular house there, just like ours. As soon as the house was installed, Uncle Coel kept walking around it, touching his hands first to the wall, then to the carved metal porch railing, then to the window drains. And there was a wave of such strong contradictory feelings coming from him, as if he couldn't believe that this house was his now, and this was HIS HOME! How lousy it must be in the Hegemony for such a common thing for the colonies as a modular house to cause such a storm in the soul of a reasonable person! At the housewarming party, Aunt Saer got so emotional that all the women in the village could barely calm her down, Aunt Ratnet even had to run for a sedative. That's how we live. Suddenly, there was a rustle behind him, the cat made a stand on the fence, and his eyes became fiercely tense, the fur on his spine stood on end, and his tail fluffed out and became as thick as his mother's leg. A wave of such horror came from Azanti that I turned sharply in my friend's direction. And I saw a face distorted in a grimace and bulging eyes, staring somewhere behind my back. Turning around and looking down, I saw... a nightmare come to life! From a distance of about five meters, a hefty rat looked at me, about a meter at the withers, covered with dense black hair, a body about two meters long, and an equally long, hairy tail with a tassel at the end. Its typically rat-like face, with glowing red eyes, was decorated with a mouth studded with a palisade of long needle-shaped teeth. The creature opened its mouth, stuck out a long purple tongue and, making something like a "SNUFFLE", trotted towards us. A wave of anticipation came from her, and I clearly realized that they wanted to DEVOUR me! And I don't even have a railgun with me. It's just too early for me to wear it. My memory went on in spurts. Here I see Azanti jumping off the fence and screeching on the verge of ultrasound, running away to his house at full speed. Here is our courtyard tree in front of me, I jump up, grab the lower branch, pull myself up and quickly climb to the top, while there is some kind of ringing in my ears. Here Gina jumps onto the porch with an incredible leap, hits the door opening sensor and, without stopping screaming, disappears into the house, slipping through the crack of the barely opened door. There is silence. Only rustling and sounds come from the road: "snuffle, snuffle, snuffle." My throat is scratchy, my arms and legs are shaking, and a Leopard is sitting next to me on a branch with its fur on end and making a low throaty hum, interspersed with a powerful hiss. A few seconds later, the door of the neighbor's house opens, and from there, in sweatpants, an elongated T-shirt and slippers on bare feet, but with a hunting carbine in his hands, Uncle Anker looks out.
Igor? - He says softly. - Igor, where are you?
"I'm here" I croak in response, in a broken voice, damn it hurts. "In the tree, Uncle Anaker"
"What's wrong with your voice?"
"I picked it while I was climbing a tree!"
"What scared you?"
"It's over there, behind the fence, Uncle Anker!"
"Who is IT?!"
"Well, this one, Nazumi (Magnaflesheter (Nazumi) is a medium-sized scavenger predator on Mendoir. Very slow and slow-witted. It has good dense short dark-colored fur, and is an object of the autumn-winter hunting season. Snufkin is nicknamed for the characteristic sounds he makes.)!
"Nazumi in our village?! How did he get through the fence?
"I don't know! I say hoarsely."
"We've already seen him on the street. Over there!"
Meanwhile, Nazumi had almost reached the intersection in the center of the village, and Nasar jumped out to meet him! When the kid saw the creature, he somehow crouched down, squealed and with incredible speed, gnashing his claws on the smooth bark, climbed up a tree growing in the middle of the intersection, only the leaves fell down. Like other Turians, he had boots with open claws.
Nazumi froze in indecision, Uncle Anker came close to the fence, put his elbow on it, aimed and fired. The creature, which took a few steps towards the tree, buried its nose in the ground, but its hind legs continued to move forward, its spine arched, and the animal toppled to one side, while continuing to twitch convulsively.
"Ready! Get down, Igor."
"Now," I croaked, and began to unclench my clenched fingers. I was still shaking a little. I was already preparing to use magic, even though it's too early for me, but you can do anything with fright. Uncle Anker showed up just in time and shot the creature out of the woods. What had she even forgotten in the village? We have a fence around it.
When I passed by the neighbor's house, the door opened, and a frightened Azanti timidly looked out from behind the jamb.
"Little Igor!" she asked in a whisper. "And where is that, well, scary one?"
Your dad shot you," I whispered. "It's lying at the intersection. Come on, let's take a look!" I'm really scared! Jean whispers. Don't worry, he's dead, and your daddy's with us, and he's got a carbine.
"Okay, let's go" Gina whispers, comes out of the house and clings to my arm like a tick.
We slowly approach Nazumi. There is a heavy smell of the beast and some kind of rotten meat coming from the creature. It's still a scavenger, even though it has a beautiful hide. That's why our farmers hunt them in the foothills. The Barsik, ears flattened and hissing, walks around the creature in a circle on bent paws. Uncle Anker is walking slowly next to him, holding the carcass at gunpoint. The animal does not move, the mouth is slightly open, the tongue has fallen out, and a puddle of blood has flowed onto the grass.
"He's dead!" Uncle Anchor states the fact. He walks up to the tree and raises his head. "Nasar, get off, I killed him. Do you hear me?"
Only rustling sounds are heard in response, then the little Turian descended backwards like a big cat to the ground. Nasar stares at the dead nazumi with all his eyes.
"He's even scary dead!" Nain whispers loudly.
"That's right, baby," Uncle Coel answers. "I'm going to get dressed, otherwise I'm still wearing sneakers! "Hehe, that must be a sight."
In the evening, my father told me about how Nazumi entered the village. The door closer on the gate in the fence broke, and it did not close with a magnetic lock, but the creature, stomping along the fence, noticed a gap and got through. As luck would have it, the brothers took Polkan with them to the city, and in general, of the adults in the village there were only Uncle Anker and Aunt Kasia, but she was asleep because she was pregnant again. Uncle Anker, laughing, told how he had dozed off with a book, but was maliciously awakened by a wild two-voiced childish squeal from the street. So that's why my ears were ringing and my voice was dead! Then his daughter ran past him and hid under the kitchen table. Grabbing a carbine from a closet, he ran out into the street in his clothes and shot Nazumi, who had entered the village. It's funny to them, but I haven't been so scared in a long time. I didn't even have a gun with me. And the power system is simply not ready to use magic. And Azanti and Nasar were terrified. I said that I want us to make hats out of his skin, that should be enough! The elders agreed, laughing.