"Feintuch,.David.-.Seafort.05.-.Voices.Of.Hope.Txt" - читать интересную книгу автора (Feintuch David)

Dad said, "Show him more respect."

What would I care about a disgraced politician, no matter how famous he'd been
in his day? I said as much.

"Oh, Jared." A sigh. I knew Dad was hung up on respect. Centuries out of date,
but U.N. Naval Academy had brainwashed him for life.

Dad smoothed his hair as we reached the patio doors. Within was a hall, and to
the right, a sunlit outer office where
Dad worked answering mail and handling the Old Man's stream of inquiries and
responses. Beyond Dad's office were the doors to the Old Man's sanctum, which
had its own entrance to the patio, seldom used.

I asked scornfully, "What are you, his trained rabbit?"

"That's it. No nets for a month!" He stalked through his anteroom office.

"Rolf and I are Unking tonight! We're schussing throughЧ"

"Too bad."

I tugged at his arm. "If you think I'm ..." I shrugged, pretended I'd thought of
something more important.

Dad's face had that look.

I'd first seen it last month. I'd told Dad it was goddamn nonsense to haul
myself out of bed for school when Philip could sleep as longЧand his expression
had gone tight as he'd moved toward me. I'd jumped back, not quite sure why.

Normally I did as I pleased, and told Dad what he wanted to hear. After all, at
fifteen I was practically grown.

"Adam?" The double doors to the Old Man's study swung open. "What is this
nonsense?" He gestured with his holovid. "I had a few questions about the
Freshwater Project, and they sent us three gig ofЧoh. Jared." His tone was
neutral, but just barely.

There'd been a time when the Old Man's manner to me was cordial, even friendly.
Somehow, that tone had dissipated as I grew older. What goofjuice, for me to
care what an adult thought, yet there were momentsЧonly a fewЧwhen his delight
in his son drove me to rage. Why couldn't Dad treat me likewise? Why couldn't
the Old Man see I was every bit as good as Philip?

Dad gathered his gear. "I'll write Richard Boland directly. He'll cut throughЧ"

"When you do, decline his invitation to the Franjee groundbreaking. Other
commitments prevent, etc." The Old Man stood aside as Dad passed. "I won't have