"Harry Harrison - SSR 09 - The Stainless Steel Rat Goes to He" - читать интересную книгу автора (Harrison Harry)

"WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND OUT?" I asked brusquely as I stamped into Captain Cohn's office. He
was speaking on the phone and he raised his hand signing me to wait.
"Yes. Thank you. I understand." He hung up. "That was the hospital. It seems that Mrs.
Vinicultura is suffering from post-traumatic amnesia-"
"She's forgotten everything that happened?"
"Precisely. There are techniques that could get access to those memories but their
application must wait until she has recovered from the shock."
"That's not why you called me here?"
"No." He ran his finger around inside his collar and-if it were possible for an
overmuscled police captain to look embarrassed-he looked embarrassed.
"Here on Lussuoso we pride ourselves on our security and the thoroughness of our records.
"Which means," I interrupted, "your security has been penetrated and your records are
doubtful?"
He opened his mouth to rebut me. Then closed it and slumped in his chair. "You're right.
But it has never happened before."
"Once is once too often. Tell me about it."
"It is this Temple of Eternal Truth. It appears to have been duly registered as a
qualified religion. They kept accurate records and reported regularly on their financial position,
though of course like all religions they pay no taxes. Everything seemed quite aboveboard. The
directors are on record and, most discreetly of course, we know about all of its members."
"All about? Would you like to explain that?"
He looked uncomfortable. "Well, like any civilized planet we practice the galactic
constant of complete freedom of religion. You have heard of the Interstellar Freedom of Religion
Act?"
"Vaguely, in school."
"The Act is not vague. The history of religion is a history of violence. Only too often
religion kills, and we have had enough killing. Therefore no state or planet can have an official


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religion. Neither can a state or planet make any laws controlling religion. Freedom of worship and
assembly is essential to civilization."
"What about nut cults?"
"I was coming to that. Galactic law requires us not to interfere with any religion and to
adhere to that rule sternly. But since the weak and the juvenile require protection so that,
always legally and with the utmost caution, we do investigate all religions thoroughly. We make
ongoing investigations to assure that religious rights are not violated, that each religion has
the freedom to practice in its own way, that minors' rights are not violated, that parishioners
have complete freedom of choice-"
"What you are trying to say is that you keep tabs on who goes to what church and how often
and you know what they are getting up to."
"Precisely," he growled defensively. "The records are secure and can only be accessed at
the highest level in case of emergency."
"All right. We have an emergency and they have been accessed. Tell me."
"Rowena Vinicultura is one of the first members of the Temple. She attends regularly. She
brought your wife to exactly four seances or sessions or whatever they call them."
"So?"
He was beginning to look uncomfortable again. "So, as I have explained, our records are