"Bester, Alfred - Biped Reegan" - читать интересную книгу автора (Bester Alfred)

Biped Reegan, Part 1 THE BIPED, REEGAN
by Alfred Bester
The strongest man, the last woman, at bay against a world that had destroyed
their fellows, take a last grim gamble with eternity that the human race might
survive.



IF IT please your Imperial Maternity, the day is won. I have here the full
report of the last victory, and if your Imperial Maternity would deign to
listen...?
At the first light our forces were drawn up at the crest of the semicircle of
hills surrounding the bipeds' last citadel. In the ten moons following our first
attack on their cities, only this last stronghold prevailed. Within were less
than two hundred bipeds. Like a sickle, our armies pressed close.
We were at all times within close observation of the enemy. Spy-alpha had
slipped through their traps and barriers during the dark and had taken up a post
in the vast room in which the bipeds were accustomed to meet and talk. Spy-alpha
telecasted to us shortly after the first light that the bipeds were entering the
room, and all of us picked up his thought band.
They came in slowly, those bipeds, for they were desperate. The big one with
flushed face and beard, called Otis, banged his hand on the table.
"It's hopeless," he said. "What if we do win out?"
The biped with red hair interrupted.
"Not if," he said. "We shall. Chung and I have something new. It can't fail.
We've been working on it for two months. "
Then the biped with slant eyes, the one called Chung, nodded.
"In some ways," he said, "the attack of the ants has worked miracles. First, it
ended a war between the Chinese and Whites. Second, it has provided a necessity
that is proving to be the mother of miracles. Between Ivar's technique and my
theory we have created a new thermodynamics. . ."
"You're too long-winded," Ivar said.
"You're both too optimistic," Otis added. "When do we see this miracle worker of
yours? What's it all about?"
"Not yet," Ivar replied. "In three hours it'll be ready for a final
demonstration. Not now."
"And if it works?" Otis asked.
"Then we win," said Chung.
"Win what?" Otis demanded. "A slow and sorry death for the race and two hundred
men. Two hundred men, I said. You don't seem to understand. The race of men is
dead. It died with the last woman. You're only prolonging the inevitable. "
Ivar said: "I'd rather make a fight of it . . . No matter how hopeless it is.
You too, Otis. You're just depressed."
At that moment the vast portal to the room was smashed open and one of the biped
underlings rushed in. He lifted his hand to his forehead and poured out a
message so excitedly that Spy-alpha had difficulty following, and so did we. The
gist of it, however, was that the ants were attacking.
Instantly we telecast across the entire field of battle. Not an attack was
reported in progress, although Marshal-gamma announced that he had moved one
hundred thirty thousand of his troops forward slightly to maintain an even line