"Hamilton, Peter F - The Night's Dawn Trilogy" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hamilton Peter F)

To a higher orbit. This one is too close to the planet.
Oh! A pause as it probed round with immature senses, its giddy thoughts quietening down. What is a planet?
The last egg was Priam, ejected well below the meagre lip of the B-ring. Those voidhawks remaining in the flight, now down to some thirty strong, peeled away from Iasius. They were already dangerously close to the cloudscape which dominated a third of the sky; gravity was exerting its malign influence on local space, gnawing at the fringes of their distortion fields, impairing the propulsive efficiency.
Iasius continued to descend, its lower, faster orbit carrying it ahead of the others. Its distortion field began to falter, finally overwhelmed by the intensity of the gravitational effect five hundred kilometres above the gas giant.
The terminator rose ahead, a black occlusion devouring the silently meandering clouds. Faint phosphene speckles swam through the eddies and peaks, weaving in and out of the thicker ammonia-laden braids, their light ebbing and kindling in hesitant patterns. Iasius shot into the penumbra, darkness expanding around it like an elemental force. Saturn had ceased to be a planet, an astronomical object, it was becoming hugely solid. The bitek starship curved down at an ever increasing angle. Ahead of it was a single fiery streak, growing brighter in its optical sensors. The darkside equator, that frozen remote wasteland, was redolent with sublime grandeur.
Ring particles were falling alongside Iasius, a thick, dark rain, captured by the gossamer fingers of the ionosphere, a treacherously insistent caress which robbed them of speed, of altitude. And, ultimately, existence.
When they had been lured down to the fringes of the ionosphere, icy gusts of hydrogen molecules burnt around them, emitting banners of spectral flame. They dipped rapidly as atmospheric resistance built, first glowing like embers, then crowned by incandescent light; sunsparks, stretching a hundred-kilometre contrail behind them. Their billion-year flight ended swiftly in a violent spectacle: a dazzling concussion which flung out a shower of twinkling debris, quickly extinguished. All that remained was a tenuous trail of black soot which was swept up by the howling cyclones.
Iasius reached the extremity of the ionosphere. The light of the dying ring particles was hot on its lower hull. A tremulous glow appeared around its rim. Polyp began to char and flake away, orange flecks bulleting off into the distance. The bitek starship began to lose peripheral senses as its specialist receptor cells grew warm. Denser layers of hydrogen pummelled the hull. The desent curve began to get bumpy, vexatious supersonic winds were beginning to bite. Iasius flipped over. The abrupt turn had disastrous consequences on its avian glide; with the hullТs blunt underside smashing head on into the hydrogen, the starship was suddenly subjected to a huge deceleration force. Dangerous quantities of flame blossomed right across the hull as broad swaths of polyp ablated. Iasius started to tumble helplessly down towards the scorching river of light.
The retinue of voidhawks watched solemnly from their safe orbit a thousand kilometres above, singing their silent hymn of mourning. After they had honoured IasiusТs passing with a single orbit they extended their distortion fields, and launched themselves back towards Romulus.
________________________________________
The human captains of the voidhawks involved with the mating flight and the IasiusТs crew had passed the time of the flight in a circular hall reserved for that one purpose. It reminded Athene of some of the medieval churches she had visited during her rare trips to Earth, the same vaulted ceiling and elaborate pillars, the intimidating air of reverence, though here the polyp walls were a clean snow-white, and instead of an altar there was a fountain bubbling out of an antique marble Venus.
She stood at the head of her crew, the image of SaturnТs searing equator lingering in her mind. A last gentle emanation of peacefulness as the plasma sheath wrapped Iasius in its terminal embrace.
It was over.
The captains stopped by one at a time to extend their congratulations, their minds touching hers, bestowing a fragile compassion and understanding. Never, ever a commiseration; these gatherings were supposed to be a reaffirmation of life, celebrating the birth of the eggs. And Iasius had energized all ten; some voidhawks went to meet the equator with several eggs remaining.
Yes, they were right to toast Iasius.
HeТs coming over, look, Sinon said. There was a mild tone of resentment in the thought.
Athene raised her eyes from the captain of the Pelion, and observed Meyer making his way through the crowd towards her. The UdatТs captain was a broad-shouldered man in his late thirties, black hair cut back close to his skull. In contrast to the silky blue ceremonial ship-tunics of the voidhawk captains he wore a functional grey-green shipТs one-piece and matching boots. He nodded curtly in response to the formal greetings he received.
If you canТt say anything nice, Athene told Sinon, using singular-engagement mode, donТt say anything at all. She didnТt want anything to spoil the wake; besides she felt a certain sympathy for someone so obviously out of place as Meyer was. Nor would it do the hundred families any harm to introduce some diversity into their stock. She kept that thought tightly locked at the core of her mind, knowing full well how this bunch of traditionalists would react to such heresy.
Meyer stood before her, and inclined his head in a swift bow. He was a good five centimetres shorter than her, and she was one of the smaller Edenists in the hall.
CaptainЧ she began. She cleared her throat. No fool like an old one; his affinity bond was with Udat alone. A unique neuron symbiont meshed with his medulla, providing him with a secure link to its clone-analogue in the Udat, nothing like the hereditary Edenist communal affinity. УCaptain Meyer, my compliments to your ship. It was an excellent flight.Ф
УThank you for saying so, Captain. It was an honour to take part. You must be proud all the eggs were energized.Ф
УYes.Ф She lifted her glass of white wine in salute. УSo what brings you to Saturn?Ф
УTrade.Ф He glanced round stiffly at the other Edenists. УI was delivering a cargo of electronics from Kulu.Ф
Athene felt like laughing out loud, his freshness was just the tonic she needed. She put her arm through his, ignoring the startled looks it caused, and drew him away from the rest of the crew. УCome on, youТre not comfortable with them. And IТm too old to be bothered by how many navy flight code violation warrants are hanging over your head. Iasius and I left all that behind us a long time ago.Ф
УYou used to be in the Confederation Navy?Ф
УYes. Most of us put in a shift. We Edenists have a strong sense of duty sequenced into us.Ф
He grinned into his glass. УYou must have been a formidable team, that was some mating flight.Ф
УHistory now. What about you? I want to hear all about life on the knife edge. The gung-ho adventures of an independent trader, the shady deals, the wild flights. Are you fabulously wealthy? I have several granddaughters I wouldnТt mind getting rid of.Ф
Meyer laughed. УYou have no grandchildren. YouТre too young.Ф
УNonsense. Stop being so gallant. Some of the girls are older than you.Ф She enjoyed drawing him out, listening to his stories, his difficulties in making the repayments to the bank for the loan heТd taken to buy Udat, his anger at the shipping cartels. He provided a welcome anodyne to the black fissure of emptiness which had opened in her heart, the one that would never close.
And when he left, when the wake was over, the thanks given, she lay on her new bed in her new house and found ten young stars burning brightly at the back of her mind. Iasius had been right after all, hope was eternal.
________________________________________
For the next eighteen years Oenone floated passively within the B-ring where Udat had left it. The particles flowing around it were occasionally deluged with bursts of static, interacting with the gas giantТs magnetosphere to stir the dust grains into aberrant patterns, looking like the spokes of a massive wheel. But for most of the time they obeyed the simpler laws of orbital mechanics, and whirled obediently around their gravitonic master without deviation. Oenone didnТt care, both states were equally nourishing.
As soon as the blackhawk departed, the egg began to ingest the tides of mass and energy which washed over its shell. Elongating at first, then slowly bloating into two bulbs over the course of the first five months. One of these flattened out into the familiar voidhawk lens shape, the other remained globular, squatting at the centre of what would ultimately evolve into the bitek starshipТs lower hull. It extruded fine strands of organic conductor, which acted as an induction mechanism, picking up a strong electrical current from the magnetosphere to power the digestive organs inside. Ice grains and carbon dust, along with a host of other minerals, were sucked into pores dotting the shell and converted into thick protein-rich fluids to supply the multiplying cells within the main hull.
At the core of the nutrient-production globe, the zygote called Syrinx began to gestate inside a womb-analogue organ, supported by a cluster of haematopoiesis organs.
Human and voidhawk grew in union for a year, developing the bond that was unique even among Edenists. The memory fragments which had come from Iasius, the navigation and flight instincts it had imparted at the birth, became a common heritage. Throughout their lives they would always know exactly where the other was; flight trajectories and swallow manoeuvres were a joint intuitive choice.
Volscen arrived a year to the day after IasiusТs last flight, rendezvousing with the fledgeling voidhawk egg as it orbited contentedly amid the ring. OenoneТs nutrient-production globe disgorged the womb-analogue and its related organs in a neat package, which the VolscenТs crew retrieved.
Athene was waiting just inside the airlock as they brought the organ package on board. It was about the size of a human torso, a dark crinkled shell sprayed with rays of frost where liquids had frozen during its brief exposure to space. They started to melt as soon as it came into contact with the VolscenТs atmosphere, leaving little viscous puddles on the green composite decking.
Athene could sense the infantТs mind inside, quietly cheerful, with a hint of expectancy. She searched through the background whispers of the affinity band for the insect-sentience of the packageТs controlling bitek processor, and ordered it to open.
It split apart into five segments like a fruit; fluids and mucus spilled out. At the centre was a milk-coloured sac connected to the organs with thick ropy cords, pulsing rhythmically. The infant was a dark shadow, stirring in agitation as the unaccustomed light shone on her. There was a gurgling sound as the package voided its amniotic fluid across the floor, and the sac began to deflate. The membrane peeled back.
Is she all right? Oenone asked anxiously. The mental tone reminded Athene of a wide-eyed ten-year-old.
SheТs just perfect, Sinon said gently.
Syrinx smiled up at the expectant adults peering down at her, and kicked her feet in the air.
Athene couldnТt help but smile back down at the placid infant. ItТs all so much easier this way, she thought, at a year old they are much better able to cope with the transition; and thereТs no blood, no pain, almost as though we werenТt meant to have them ourselves.
Breathe, Athene told the baby girl.
Syrinx spluttered on the gummy mass in her mouth and spat it out. With her affinity sensitivity opened to the full, Athene could feel the passage of the coolish air down into the babyТs lungs. It was strange and uncomfortable, and the lights and colours were frightening after the pastel dream images of the rings which she was used to. Syrinx began to cry.
Crooning sympathy both mentally and verbally Athene unplugged the bitek umbilical from her navel, and lifted the baby out of the sacТs slippery folds. Sinon hovered around her with a towel to wipe the girl down, radiating pride and concern. VolscenТs crew began to clear up the pulpy mess of the package, ready to dump it out of the airlock. Bouncing Syrinx on her arm, Athene moved down the corridor towards the lounge that was serving as a temporary nursery.
SheТs hungry, Oenone said. A thought which was vigorously echoed by Syrinx.
Stop fussing, Athene said. SheТll be fed once weТve dressed her. And weТve got another six to pick up yet. SheТs going to have to learn to take her turn.
Syrinx let out a plaintive mental wail of protest.