"Keith Fenwick - Skid 03 - Skid 3" - читать интересную книгу автора (Fenwick Keith)

see of the records over the shoulders of Sue and Bruce, and Raele who stood
around the console over which the words scrolled were certainly impressive.
"So who is in charge around this place?" He asked feeling that a direct
plea to the leader of this planet might ensure his speedy return to earth.
Mitch shuddered to think what was happening back there, not only would the
economy be in turmoil, all the policies and deals that he was working on would
go out the window if Wilmot was in control. Wilmot was window dressing, Wilmot
as President would be a puppet in the hands of any skilled operator and there
were more than enough in Washington.
"When I left, I was acknowledged as the hereditary leader of Skid by two
of the surviving communities."
Mitch's shoulders slumped. He landed in a bigger mess than his own
domestic situation if he understood what the strange alien was saying.
"So what do you want me to do about it?"
"You're supposed to work that out yourself," Sue told him.
Bruce cringed, Sue had voiced his thoughts exactly. Although he didn't
think it was all that polite to say so in front of Raele, whatever he might
think of the Skidians themselves.
"If the Skidians had listened to us they would never have got into this
mess," continued Sue without feeling.
Bruce waited for Raele to say something but he merely sat impassively
staring at the words over the console.
"Is this true?"
Bruce shrugged his shoulders and walked away, he couldn't be stuffed
getting into some sort of philosophic arguments or dwell on the failure of the
Skidians to recognise the danger they were in and do something to prevent the
inevitable. He felt sorry for Raele, the disaster probably hadn't had anything
to do with him and here he was left to pick up the pieces, but he also felt a
secret glow in his heart that his predictions of a few months previously had
proved correct.
It was a hollow victory. Perhaps if he had tried harder the catastrophe
that had befallen Skid might never have happened.
On the other hand he realised the natural conservatism of the Skidian's
meant that even their leaders were incapable of acting until it was far too
late.
"We tried to help, Bruce tried to set up farms so they could eat. . .."
Bruce heard Sue say across the other side of the room to Mitch.
"And they didn't listen?" Mitch asked, he was familiar with the thankless
task of trying to help people only to have all his efforts thrown back in his
face. Maybe I won't find this place all that different from home afterall, he
thought. Though there was no denying despite all the associated problems,
continual setbacks and disappointments where he would rather be.
"The synplants and all that sort of stuff are working ok?" Bruce asked
Raele.
"Yes."
"Synfood?"
"Yeah Mitch, you know that stuff you ate on the space ship, well that's
the sort of crap they eat here. It was because they broke down, don't ask me
how, that everything fell apart. It's odd that they've just started working
all by themselves if you ask me."