"Dragons Dawn" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dragon Stories)

it. I think we have to be grateful to that team, not critical.л Her smile
swept everyone in the crowded room. ╗The important elements -- atmosphere,
water, arable soil, ores, minerals, bacteria, insects, marine life -- are
all present, and Pern is eminently suitable for human habitation. The gaps,
the in-depth investigations that report did not contain, are what we shall
spend a lifetime filling in. A challenge for each and every one of us, and
our children!л Her low-pitched voice rang in the crowded room. ╗Let┤s not
worry at this very late date about what we weren┤t told. We┤ll find the
answers soon enough. Let┤s concentrate now on the great work we have to
begin in just two days┤ time. We┤re ready for any surprises Pern might have
for us. Now, Mar Dook, have you seen anything in the updates to suggest we
must alter the schedule?л
╗Nothing,л Mar Dook replied, warily glancing at Ted Tubberman, who
was frowning at Emily Boll. ╗But those soil and vegetable matter samples
would occupy us usefully.л
╗I┤m sure they would.л Emily grinned broadly at him. ╗We┤ll be busy
enough -- ah, here┤s the information you need. And what a bumper crop to
digest.л
╗We still don┤t know where we┤re landing,л Ted complained.
╗The admiral is discussing that right now, Ted, Emily replied
equably. ╗We┤ll be among the first to know.л
Agronomists were to be in the first shuttle loads to reach the
surface, for it was vital to the colony┤s future to break land for crops as
soon as possible. Even while the engineers were setting up the landing
grids, agronomists would be plowing fields, and Ted Tubberman and his group
would be setting up sheds and seeding the precious soil brought from Earth.
Pat Hempenstall would set up a control shed using indigenous dirt, to see
if Earth or colonial variants would thrive unassisted in an alien soil.
Sufficient packaged organisms had also been brought to introduce symbiotic
bacteria.
╗I will be very glad,л Pol Nietro murmured, ╗if the reports confirm
those insectoids, winged and subterranean, reported by the EEC team. If
they should prove sufficient to do the work of dung beetles and flies on
our Terran-style detritus, agronomy will be off to a good start. We┤ve got
to get nutrients back into the soil and introduce the rumen bacteria,
protozoans, and yeasts for our cows, sheep, goats and horses so they┤ll
thrive.л
╗If not, Pol,л Emily replied, ╗we can ask Kitti to work a bit of
micro-magic and rearrange innards that can deal with what Pern has to
offer.л She smiled with great deference at the tiny lady seated in the
center of the little cluster.
╗Soil samples coming up,л Ju Adjai said into the pause. ╗And here┤s
vegetable mash for you, Ted. Get your teeth in that.л
Tubberman launched himself to the position next to Felicia, his big
fingers nimble and accurate over the keyboard.
In moments the rattling of keys, punctuated by assorted mutters and
other monosyllables of concentration, filled the room. Emily and Kit Ping
exchanged glances tinged with amused condescension for the vagaries of
their younger colleagues. Kit Ping then turned her eyes back to the main
screen and continued her contemplation of the world they were rapidly