3.Actor

“ The only other applicant from Wägan did pretty well in the test . There is no need for a special lamp to sit down and report regularly. Team spirit isn't really that important either. Besides me, you're the only Federation agent on this planet, at least as far as we know. This planet that does not recognize the fundamental laws of the Federation. ”

“ Ivarn is not a bad world, ”said Raft,“ similar in size to the old earth, with similarly large continental masses, a pleasant climate ... ”

“ Too cold! You should know the lagoon planet! Ha! There is a pleasant climate there! You don't have to wear thick clothes all the time, especially those ridiculous ones. ”He looked at the purple robe of the person opposite. “Ivarn is a world full of cruelty, slavery and arbitrariness, in which a small elite is in charge, is anxious to maintain its power and intrigues against the Federation. Otherwise they don't care about anything. This planet is dirty and hopelessly overpopulated. Two hundred and fifty million people on a terra-like planet! Didn't you learn anything from the example of the old earth? ”

“ On earth it should have been more, maybe even a billion. ”

“ A billion! ”Replied Tjonre,“ Even the old Terrans couldn't have been that stupid they allowed it. How many generations can a planet handle that? Nowhere in the Federation is there a terra-like planet with more than 50 million people, because that will lead to a catastrophe in the long run. "

" And because you can't stand the planet and your job - and probably because it has been raining for 17 days you yourself here in the old library. ”Raft made a sweeping gesture in the direction of the archaic bookshelves - electronic media were not allowed and informers everywhere, certainly also among the slaves of the estate.

"I know I am not a monk and neither am I Hamlet," Tjonre replied, still staring at the bowler hat.

“Hamlet?”

“The gloomy Prince of Denmark, a dramatic character by a writer named William Shakespeare, who probably lived and worked on the planet Historia about four thousand years ago. You know, the planet on which they tried to live like, according to tradition, people on earth in certain historical epochs, before the earth was squeezed out like a lemon. Each continent of Historias embodied a different historical period on earth. ”He balanced the bowler hat on his left hand and stared at it even more intensely, for him it was now a skull; then he recited with a lot of pathos: “To be! ... or not? ”He looked the red in the eye, now with a little enthusiasm. “Eternal words, unchanged for millennia! I found a book by the great historian Lezart PaDorkis on the shelves. It deals with the question of whether Shakespeare could not have lived on Historia but on earth earlier, as some believe. But he comes to the conclusion that this is unlikely because all memes that have been preserved from his works can be traced back to Historia. On the other hand, some of Virgim Lefter's works are also preserved in copies that cannot be traced back to Historia, so this writer must have really lived on earth and therefore be an 'original'. " Tjonre stood up - almost enthusiastically - and stretched , frowned, ran his right hand through the mess of his hair, posed and grabbed the bowler hat with both hands like a globe. Then he pathetically quoted Lefter's most famous work: 

"And when the world dies ... what do I care?"

“What luck!” Said Raft.

"Luck?"

"That you didn't become an actor!"

Tjonre slumped and sat down again. "Everyone says that. Must be right. "

“Why not contact Historia and ask questions and clarify this very important question? Was Shakespeare an Earthling? ”Said Raft, his mocking tone leaving no doubt that he could live quite well without an answer to the question.

“Historia doesn't want any contact. Communication with this planet has not been common for thousands of years because it does not recognize the ethical and legal basis of the federation and even the coordinates of the planet have not been known for some time. Allegedly, however, Lezart PaDorkis found the location of Historia based on old sources, so he would know where the planet can be found. Unfortunately, PaDorkis has been missing for many years. It is not known whether he actually visited Historia. "

" That will leave this insanely important question unanswered for all time, what a shame ", Raft mocked again," no wonder that you become gloomy when you deal with such nonsense busy! Come on now, let's go, the sun is shining. ”

In fact, a ray of sunshine was tormenting its way through the thick colored glass of the window, illuminating the old books and instantly lifting Tjonre's mood, who was not used to rainy days and cloudy skies from Wägan. He put the melon aside and got up. "You're right, let the cab hitch up, I'll just quickly put on something more fashionable and uncomfortable and plunder the safe." While Tjonre left the room in the direction of his bedroom and dressing room, Raft went down the gloomy corridor Kitchen, where he hoped to meet Ma Handor, an old slave who had served in the mansion since childhood and had since become his indispensable part of running the house. But it was neither she nor anyone else in the south-facing and therefore relatively bright kitchen, so he left a written message stating that he and Tjonre deigned to spend the next few hours in town.

He left the manor house and hurried to the spacious stables to have the cab ready. The two draft animals were reminiscent - if you had enough imagination - of the harpies of Greek mythology, at least they were named after them. They were tall, long-legged creatures, with a pointed beak to watch out for, a seemingly contemptuous look created by crests above their eyes, and a neck shield that looked like two large, connected ears. Apart from a coarse, richly structured skin, the animals had no body cover. The two were harnessed to the wagon by a slave, Raft seized the reins attached to the neck shields and climbed on, the wagon tipping over alarmingly and not without creaking protest - Raft was even heavier than it looked. He pushed himself into the middle of the two-seater and steered the vehicle towards the main entrance, where Tjonre was already waiting, now dressed in similarly ridiculous clothes as Raft, but which were darker in color - almost black. The wide waist belt carried no weapon, but that did not mean that Tjonre was unarmed. Indeed, he had a respectable repertoire of weapons with him, including those that the Lords of Ivarn would not tolerate. Unarmed people on Ivarn lived only a short time