"William Forstchen - Article 23" - читать интересную книгу автора (Forstchen William R)

"Prepare for docking at Geosynch Orbital Base Station, gateway to the solar system and beyond," the
computer announced. "Have a nice day."

His chair rotated back to its upright position. When deceleration stopped, he felt his stomach leap. They
were at near-zero gravity. He took a deep breath and waited, expecting his old enemy space sickness to
kick in but nothing happened. He opened his eyes and saw Matt grinning at him.

"You're a veteran now," Matt said, "not Wee the first time."

"Don't remind me."

"Yeah, don't remind him," Brian growled behind them. Embarrassed, Justin looked back, remembering
how he had thrown up all over Brian's dress white uniform. Brian looked at him coldly for a moment,
then smiled.

"It's all right, kid, but some day I'll pay you back I promise!"

He reached out again and shook their hands.

"All right, plebes. Outside this ship there'll be hundreds of cadets waiting for the shuttle to the Academy.
Out there I'm Senior Cadet Seay and don't forget it. And if you cross me, so help me I'll kick your butts
from here to Phobos and back again. Got it?'

"Yes, sir!" Matt replied with mock seriousness.

A faint shudder ran through the car, and Justin spared a quick look out the window. The huge circle of
the main docking station was straight overhead. It was nearly one and a half kilometers in diameter, and it
appeared to float like a huge halo at the very top of the tower to which it was hooked by half a hundred
support spokes. Hundreds of ships of nearly every description were anchored into the docking ports,
everything from small express-courier ships and two-seater Strike Eagle defense craft to hundred
thousand-ton bulk cargo-carriers. Hovering in holding patterns beyond the ring were more ships waiting
for an open docking bay, and beyond them was a long necklace of solar power stations with panels ten
kilometers across and zero-gravity manufacturing centers.

Space suddenly disappeared as the car entered a docking tube. The car slowed down, switched through
several side tracks, and then came to a stop.
"Thank you for riding United Nations Skyhook Tower Number One, Earth's tower to the stars. Please
exit by the nearest door. Please follow the flashing blue arrows to the baggage area to reclaim your
luggage. To locate the docking bay of your connecting flight, please consult your computer monitor
before leaving."

"It's Docking Bay B-47," Brian announced. "You guys have any luggage?"

"Just our tote bags," Justin replied.

"Come on then, I know the way."

Justin undipped his seatbelt and clutched his chair while Matt reached up to the overhead compartment
and pulled down their bags. Brian was already out in the corridor and Justin struggled to keep up with his
friends as they cleared the airlock and stepped out into the main arrival terminal. With a new ship coming