"Benford G - Furious Gulf" - читать интересную книгу автора (Benford Gregory)

Killeen reached a smooth ridge in the Argo's complex bulges and
stopped, as if on the brow of a real mountain, back on the planet of their
birth. Their ship was a last grand construction of their ancestors, a vessel as
big as a hill. Beyond him loomed a vast dark cloud, like a smudge of ink
against the flaming stars.

Killeen turned and looked back at his son. As Toby approached he

saw Killeen's expression shift to a plaintive longing.

--If only there were planets here... --

--Can't be, I heard,--Toby said flatly, hoping to jar their talk back to
realities.

--Why?--Killeen asked sharply.

--Look at these stars! They're flying past each other so close, they
strip planets dean free of their parent sun.--

--Well, that sets planets drifting free, sure. So?--Killeen said stubbornly.

--Sure, free. And frozen. Too far from any sun. No plant life. No
food.--

Killeen peered wistfully outward.--So in all this magnificence, there's
no place for life?--

--Yeasay. Prob'ly none for us, either.--Toby ventured this opinion
mostly to snap his father out of his illusions. Maybe even get him to rethink
this foolhardy venture to True Center.

Killeen gave him a sober, almost plaintive look.--We have to go on.--

--Why? The radiation levels are so high, Argo can barely hold it off.

Just coming outside here, you're risking heavy exposure.--

--It's our duty, I tell you.--

--Dad, your first duty is to Argo, to your crew.--

 4
Gregory Benford

--There's something near the Galactic Center. We have to find out
what.-
Toby snorted in frustration. Killeen's eyes narrowed at this, but Toby
told himself he was speaking for a majority of the crew. That was his duty,
too. He said bitterly,--Moldy old records hint--hint!--at something.