"James E. Gunn - Breaking Point" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gunn James E)

"I'll go," said Paresi.

"Johnny goes," said the Captain bluntly, "because it's his first trip, and because if he isn't given something
to do he'll bust his adrenals. Hoskins goes, because of all of us, the Engineer is most expendable. Ives
stays because we need hair-trigger communications. I stay to correlate what goes on outside with[Pg 15]
what goes on inside. You stay because if anything goes wrong I'd rather have you fixing the men up than
find myself trying to fix you up." He squinted at Paresi. "Does that knock solid?"

"Solid."

"Testing, Johnny," Ives said into a microphone. Johnny's duplicated voice, from the open face-plate of his
helmet and from the intercom speaker, said, "I hear you fine."

"Testing, Hoskins."

"If I'd never seen you," said the speaker softly, "I'd think you were right here in the suit with me."
Hoskins' helmet was obviously buttoned up.

The two men came shuffling into the cabin, looking like gleaming ghosts in their chameleon-suits, which
repeated the color of the walls. "Someday," growled Johnny, "there'll be a type suit where you can
scratch yourтАФ"




"Scratch when you get back," said the Captain. "Now hear this. Johnny, you can move fastest. You go
out first. Wait in the airlock for thirty seconds after the outer port opens. When Ives gives you the beep,
jump out, run around the bows and plant your back against the hull directly opposite the port. Hold your
blaster at the ready, aimed downтАФyou hear me? Down, so that any observer will know you're armed
but not attacking. Hoskins, you'll be in the lock with the outer port open by that time. When Johnny gives
the all clear, you'll jump out and put your back against the hull by the port. Then you'll both stay where
you are until you get further orders. Is that clear?"

"Aye."

"Yup."
"You're covered adequately from the ship. Don't fire without orders. There's nothing you can get with a
blaster that we can't get first with a projectorтАФunless it happens to be within ten meters of the hull and
we can't depress to it. Even then, describe it first and await orders to fire except in really extreme
emergency. A single shot at the wrong time could set us back a thousand years with this planet.
Remember that this ship isn't called Killer or Warrior or even Hero. It's the Earth Ship Ambassador.
Go to it, and good luck."

Hoskins stepped back and waved Johnny past him. "After you, Jets."

Johnny's teeth flashed behind the face-plate. He clicked his heels and bowed stiffly from the waist, in a
fine burlesque of an ancient courtier. He stalked past Hoskins and punched the button which controlled
the airlock.