"01 - The Demons at Rainbow Bridge UC" - читать интересную книгу автора (Chalker Jack L)

natural life of the planet. If anyone's home, they either do not
match any known type of life or they are very well hidden inside
that thing."

"In other words," the scout muttered, "you, the most so-
phisticated and knowledgeable device any known technology can
create and program to answer any question and hazard exacting
theories on almost any eventuality with a command of facts and
data and a thought speed incomprehensibly better than my ownЧ
you are telling me, essentially, that my guess is as good as yours.
Right?"

"Probably better than mine," the ship responded. "I do not
have nearly your capacity for wild flights of imagination."

"So it's not a spaceship, not a cargo module, not a house
built with materials found on the planet, either. So how did it
get there?"

"1 would not presume to guess. It has been there quite a
while, though. It is definitely buried in rock and soil to a fair
depth, and there is no sign of construction or melting or other
alterations. A good bet is that it has been there a very long time,
and that the rock and soil have formed around it. It has not,
however, been overgrown by the surrounding vegetation or cov-
ered by volcanic ash or debris. This indicates that there is some
kind of maintenance function within it that still works. Again,
if one had to speculate, it would appear most likely that the thing
contains a system somewhat analogous to my position in this
ship. It is entirely possible that the whole structure is some sort
of artificial intelligence in a shell, and indeed that may be all
that it is."

"Entirely plausible. You are certain, though, that it is of ex-
traptanetary origin and not merely an unusual feature?"

"Positive. The energy pulses show a clear-cut power source
of some kind, and there is some intake and exhaust of gases.

6 lack L. Chalker

Not a sufficient amount to indicate that the whole structure has
fall atmosphere, but enough to suggest that at least a small part
of it has. It would be interesting to get close enough to analyze
the gases it expels."

"Then let's get close enough. Roll in a remote unit and let's
see just what it's made of and what its reactions might be to an
approach. How long will it take?"