"Tom Godwin - The Cold Equations" - читать интересную книгу автора (Godwin Tom)

the lives of eight thousand people and the fate of a world.
She shook his shoulder and said, "Billy."
He raised up, so small and young to her eyes that the question in her mind was like an anguished
prayer: Dear GodтАФwhat do Gerns do to five-year-old boys?
He saw her face, and the dim light, and the sleepiness was suddenly gone from him. "What's wrong,
Mama? And why are you scared?"
There was no reason to lie to him.
"The Gerns found us and stopped us."
"Oh," he said. In his manner was the grave thoughtfulness of a boy twice his age, as there always
was. "Will theyтАФwill they kill us?"
"Get dressed, honey," she said. "Hurry, so we'll be ready when they let Daddy come back to tell us
what to do."
***
They were both ready when the Attention buzzer sounded in the corridors. Lake spoke, his tone
grim and bitter:
"There is no power for the air regenerators and within twenty hours we will start smothering to death.
Under these circumstances I could not do other than accept the survival terms the Gern commander
offered us.
"He will speak to you now and you will obey his orders without protest. Death is the only
alternative."
Then the voice of the Gern commander came, quick and harsh and brittle:
"This section of space, together with planet Athena, is an extension of the Gern Empire. This ship has
deliberately invaded Gern territory in time of war with intent to seize and exploit a Gern world. We are
willing, however, to offer a leniency not required by the circumstances. Terran technicians and skilled
workers in certain fields can be used in the factories we shall build on Athena. The others will not be
needed and there is not room on the cruisers to take them.
"Your occupation records will be used to divide you into two groups: the Acceptables and the
Rejects. The Rejects will be taken by the cruisers to an Earth-type planet near here and left, together
with the personal possessions in their compartments and additional, and ample, supplies. The
Acceptables will then be taken on to Athena and at a later date the cruisers will return the Rejects to
Earth.
"This division will split families but there will be no resistance to it. Gern guards will be sent
immediately to make this division and you will wait in your compartments for them. You will obey their
orders promptly and without annoying them with questions. At the first instance of resistance or rebellion
this offer will be withdrawn and the cruisers will go their way again."
***
In the silence following the ultimatum she could hear the soft, wordless murmur from the other
compartments, the undertone of anxiety like a dark thread through it. In every compartment parents and
children, brothers and sisters, were seeing one another for the last time . . .
The corridor outside rang to the tramp of feet; the sound of a dozen Gerns walking with swift military
precision. She held her breath, her heart racing, but they went past her door and on to the corridor's end.
There she could faintly hear them entering compartments, demanding names, and saying, "OutтАФout!"
Once she heard a Gern say, "Acceptables will remain inside until further notice. Do not open your doors
after the Rejects have been taken out."
Billy touched her on the hand. "Isn't Daddy going to come?"
"HeтАФhe can't right now. We'll see him pretty soon."
She remembered what the Gern commander had said about the Rejects being permitted to take their
personal possessions. She had very little time in which to get together what she could carry . . .
There were two small bags in the compartment and she hurried to pack them with things she and
Dale and Billy might need, not able to know which of them, if any, would be Rejects. Nor could she